Darian O'Toole is dead (I think)
Link by Big Rick Stuart

Maybe it is a tribute to her mischievous way that earlier this week when I first heard radio host Darian O'Toole had died I didn't believe it. The story is she died on April 1st in an Oakland hospital from respiratory failure.

April Fools day.

I thought oh yea right. Like the story about her being in one of the World Trade towers on 911.

But unlike that story it seems like this one is true.

I never worked with or even met her but I did listen to her on the radio. I thought at her best she was quick thinking and smart and as up on pop culture as just about anyone I ever heard. She could fill an hour by herself without a guest or calls and add those in the mix and she often did an entertaining show. Just about everyone that heard her on a good day would agree on that.

I always hoped she would get things together on the air and off to really make a run at having a great radio career but it never happened. She bounced around the dial both here in the Bay Area and elsewhere.

I don't think the wild Darian on the air stopped when she was off the air. To some extent everyone in radio (and elsewhere) plays a part like an actor or actress. You can be wild and crazy on the air to provide listeners something outrageous to listen to to break up a boring day. She did that well. But you can't do that the other 20 hours in your life. You have to know when to dial it down. Darian had trouble with that.

I know lots of people who worked with her and employed her. Sad to say she burned lots of bridges not only after she left but even while she was still on the bridge. She could never get the off the air thing working so that the on the air thing would last.

I'll always remember her as funny, topical, and able to dice it up with callers, comics, and just about anyone. She stirred it up.

And if she isn't dead she got me good.

more and more from co-workers and Brad Kava's post here