Casey Kasem

Growing up, I actually wanted to be a professional baseball player instead of a radio DJ. Believe it or not.

When I first heard rap, I wasn't quick to be critical. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but I had a feeling it was a reflection of what's been happening in the ghetto.

As you know, in the past several years, month after month, radio has increased its revenues - some of it even coming from Dot-Com advertisers. So, radio is a survivor.

It's been amazing, the number of commercials that I've done, starting back in 1968. It must be 8,000.

The greatest compliment that anyone can pay me is that after I say something, they remember it. I'll go over a piece of copy until I've gotten the essence of what the writer had in mind - every nuance.

They are going to be playing Shaggy and Scooby-Doo for eons and eons, and they're going to forget Casey Kasem - unless they happen to step on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I'll be one of those guys people say, 'Who's that?' about. And someone else will say, 'He's just some guy who used to be on the radio.'

Hosting various versions of my countdown program has kept me extremely busy, and I loved every minute of it.

Always be consistent.

I love to keep busy. But I never forget it's the countdown that made it all possible.

For the most part, that message hasn't changed a lot over the years - love is still love, and heartbreak is still heartbreak.

My first commercial was for Miller High Life beer.

Because of my background in theater and radio acting, I knew that I could make a living as an actor.