Larry Elder is a prominent name in the conservative media world, but his journey to get there was not without its twists and turns. From his early career in law to his controversial political views, here’s a closer look at Larry Elder’s net worth and career.
Early Life and Education
Born on April 27, 1952, in Los Angeles, California, Larry Elder was raised as the middle child of three brothers. His father was a cafe owner, and his mother worked as a Department of War clerk. Elder attended Crenshaw High School and Fairfax High School, where he took advanced honors courses. He later obtained his BA in political science from Brown University and earned his JD from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977.
Career Beginnings in Law
Elder began his career in law by joining the law firm Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Cleveland, Ohio. After leaving the firm, he founded Laurence A. Elder and Associates, a legal executive search firm, before stepping down in 1987.
Radio Career
Elder’s longest-running gig began in 1994 when he started hosting “The Larry Elder Show” on Los Angeles station KABC. The program ran for 14 years until it ended in 2008. It then had a second run from 2010 to 2014, which ended when Elder was fired. Elder now joins the lineup of CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks.
Television Career
Elder’s television career started in 1988, when he co-hosted the show “Fabric” on the Cleveland PBS member station WVIZ. Later, in 1997, he co-hosted the PBS show “National Desk” with fellow conservative commentators Fred Barnes and Laura Ingraham. Elder also found success in 2000 for hosting a special on KCAL-TV News called “Making Waves – LAUSD.” Between 2000 and 2001, he also hosted the syndicated court show “Moral Court.”
Writing Career
Elder started writing op-eds for local newspapers in Cleveland in the late 80s. In the late 90s, he began writing a nationally syndicated column through Creators Syndicate. He penned a weekly column for the Los Angeles Daily News until 2012 and authored non-fiction books.
Political Views
Elder’s political views are staunchly rightwing, and he has promoted abolishing the IRS, reducing government by 80%, ending welfare, and eliminating corporate taxes. He also opposes the minimum wage and public-sector labor unions. Elder has also regularly propagated misinformation on subjects such as climate change and COVID-19. Over the years, he has become notorious for making numerous sexist and misogynistic statements, denying the existence of a gender wage gap, and championing the discrimination of pregnant female employees.
Larry Elder’s Net Worth
Larry Elder’s net worth is estimated to be $6 million. He was a Republican candidate in the unsuccessful California gubernatorial recall election of Gavin Newsom in 2021, where he refused to participate in debates with fellow Republican recall candidates.
Personal Life and Sexual Abuse Allegations
Elder was engaged to his longtime radio producer Alexandra Datig from 2013 to 2015, but the engagement was called off, and Datig accused Elder of abuse. Before this incident, Elder had revealed that he had been accused of sexual assault two previous times.
Real Estate and Financial Problems
In 2018, Larry listed his two-acre property in the Hollywood Hills for $5.2 million. Financial and legal documents show that he took out a $2.3 million mortgage on this home in May 2007. He later faced financial difficulties on the property and eventually sold it.