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Mr. Morality

Radio personality Dennis Prager believes it's our duty to one another and to God to be happy. And he's written a book on the subject.

By MARNELL JAMESON

Los Angeles Times Wednesday February 4, 1998

(Excerpts)

It's a picture-perfect Sunday in the backyard of Dennis Prager's spacious West Valley home. Water cascades into the pool. Kids jump on a trampoline and climb a knotted rope. Chickens and horses issue the occasional cluck and whinny from pens up the hill. The radio talk show host, essayist and theologian leans into his patio chair, draws smoke from his pipe and says, "Isn't this heaven?"

Indeed. Dennis Prager is happy and should be. At 49, he's just written a book on the subject, "Happiness is a Serious Problem" (HarperCollins). And based on his formula, he should be among the happiest people alive. "That's a good chance," admits this large, lumbering man, with a big deep voice to match his thinking.

A book on happiness seems paradoxical from this man, who from 12 to 3 p.m. each weekday on KABC-AM (790) radio discusses the often depressing issues in the news. It also seems trite from a man whose other books deal with Judaism and world problems. But Prager argues, "Happiness is of first-rank importance. We owe it to those around us to be happy. It's a moral obligation, so society will be less cruel. We also need to be happy for religious reasons. Unhappy people are an insult to God."

Prager is an unlikely talk show host, whose serious message and demeanor defy the hip and obstreperous hosts that dominate the airwaves. His appeal, says KABC Program Director David Cook, lies in his offering "A perspective that is always unique and thought provoking."

Or, for some, just plain provoking.

"Dennis has a calcified view of the universe based on sitcoms from the 50's of the way it's supposed to be, and he seems very befuddled by why it's not that way," says radio host Robin Abcarian, whose columns in The Times used to serve as fodder for his shows." As wrongheaded as I think he is much of the time, what I like about him is his thoughtfulness. He's very sincere, and he's respectful of people."

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Pitted against the equally opinionated Dr. Laura Schelessinger on KFI-AM (640), Prager reaches 320,000 individual listeners a week to Schlessinger's 560,000, according to Arbitron ratings. "Though both discuss morals and ethics, they serve different audiences, says KABC's Cook. Schlessinger's mandate is to discuss individuals' problems, Prager's to discuss topics in the news.

"My first purpose is to elevate my audience; the station's primary interest is ratings. Sometimes those interests are identical, sometimes not," he concedes.

Prager was one of few media personalities who did not discuss the O.J. Simpson trial. He did discuss the verdict, however, because "the decision was of supreme importance to the country." He also refused to discuss actor Eddie Murphy's encounter with a transvestite prostitute "because it was of singular unimportance and violated my religious law against gossip."