Condolences: KMET Vet Phil Gonzalez
• Longtime Los Angeles radio and television fixture Phil Gonzalez died Thursday, Feb. 20 at the age of 62. Since 2012 Gonzalez had served as Director of Sales Marketing and Public Service for KTLA5-TV/Los Angeles, but for fans of the late, legendary KMET/Los Angeles in the late ’70s and early ’80s Gonzalez is best remembered as his alter ego, “Raul” (pictured, left), the comedic cohort of iconic KMET news personalities Pat “Paraquat” Kelley and Ace Young. In 1984, Gonzalez transitioned into marketing, going to work for KYSR (Star 98.7) and KXEZ. In 1996 he made the jump into TV marketing, and spent more than 15 years at KCAL-TV and KCBS-TV before joining KTLA.
KTLA Manager of Marketing and Promotion John Lovelace said of Gonzalez, “He was the North Star for every organization and effort to help those in need, and an inspiration for everyone who worked with him. He nurtured the best in people to realize their potential and to further the good of the city he loved. KTLA and the broadcast industry, both radio and television, feel the loss today and send their deepest condolences to the Gonzalez family.”
As the former MD of KMET, Hugh Surratt worked with Gonzalez from 1980-83, and they had remained friends ever since. “Phil’s passing has deeply affected so many of us who worked with him and truly loved him,” Surratt told RAMP. “He was a very special person who came out of pretty tough environment in East L.A. and grew into a veritable pillar of the community. I always used to tell him he could run for City Council, and he’d laugh and say that if he was vetted, he wouldn’t stand a chance. Not true, of course, but that was the kind of guy he was. Humble, kind, funny, supportive, but proud and strong. And so loved by so many. Gone too soon, man, we lost a good one last week.” Information on memorial services is forthcoming.
