User:Pcinphoenix

Pete Christensen biography (comedian, author) Pete Christensen was born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin to Mark E. Christensen and Barbra (maiden name Stoke) Christensen. He was the middle child of eleven children. He attended St. Marks elementary school, and Prairie Lane Middle School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. After attending one year at Tremper High School in Kenosha he worked his way across the North Atlantic on a tramp freighter from the Great Lakes. He returned to attend high school at night while gaining an associate degree in merchandising from Gateway Technical Institute. He graduated from both in 1973. Christensen married Colleen Nedweski in 1976 and moved to Milwaukee, WI. Where he attended cardinal Stritch College studying Sociology and The Institute of Broadcast Arts in Milwaukee where he gained his second class Broadcast Engineers license. His first radio job was at WCOW in Sparta WI. As morning drive announcer. After less than a month he left to work at WIBU in Popynette, WI where he stayed for two years. In 1978 he took a job at WCQL radio as news director in Pewaukee, WI. On March 17th 1980 he joined the staff at WMSE in Milwaukee as the morning drive announcer for the alternative rock station where he remained for ten years. 1n 1986 to 1989 he produced, wrote, and hosted a syndicated television program in Milwaukee called “The Pete Christensen Comedy, variety Show”. In 1987 he wrote, produced and performed a one man satirical stage show entitled ‘Pete Christensen Tells Off Milwaukee’. In 1988 he wrote and produced a rhythm and blues opera entitled ‘Gropp” named after the civil rights activist of the 60’s. Also in 1988 he won tow Wisconsin Area Music Awards for ‘Broadcast Journalist of the Year’ and ‘Entertainer of the Year’. He divorced from Collen Nedweski in1988. In 1990 he moved to Seattle with Nancy Erdmann to pursue a comedy career full time. He did lengthy tours of Canada and the west coast at this time. He and Nancy moved to Phoenix in 1994 where he took a job as morning talk show host at KNOV radio and performed with the Red River Opry stage show in Tempe as a comedian at night. He also started hosting a weekly public service program for KWBFTV13 in Flagstaff, AZ. He was also writing for the Arizona daily Sun at this time.

In 1995 Pete took wrote his first novel “Musical Chairs”. Pete was named morning anchor for KYET radio in Williams, AZ. and eventually became News Director and Station Manager. Pete resigned from both the radio and TV shows in 2000 to become floor director at KPNX TV-12 in Phoenix an NBC affiliate. At this time he was writing for the Scottsdale Airpark News. Pete divorced Nancy Erdmann in 2005. He was diagnosed with with stage four throat cancer in 2006. He was treated at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at their Zion location. He married Malaysian born Noorlina Md Noor in 2005 and bought a house near the Arizona capitol in Phoenix. He signed with USA Entertainment and Clean Comedy Club.com In 2010 he wrote the worlds’ first comedy cook book entitled “The Roughcut Cook book”. In 2012 Pete returned to Wisconsin. He signed with Geo, Global Productions for promotions and Ron Lee Presents as management. He also wrote the novel ‘Sandcastles and Songbirds’.

3/4/1986 Pete Christensen’s the little man’s who’s everywhere in Milwaukee area media                                         source; Damien Jaques Milwaukee Journal newspaper 3/4/1986 11/21/1987 Local music personality Pete Christensen carried off two WAMI awards. Christensen received road crew recognition (for his TV show) and music person of the year honors. source Moira McCormick Billboard magazine 11/21/1987 1/15/1988 served on board of Directors for the Wisconsin Area Music Awards                                         source;.WAMI secretary Leslie Ashford P.O. box 93837 Milwaukee, WI. 53203 3/24/1988 Pete Christensen the morning disc jockey at WMES FM radio and former host of a syndicate television show has written and produced a rhythm and blues opera about civil rights activist Father James Groppi that premieres Friday March 24th. featuring fifteen area bands                                                       source; Milwaukee Times newspaper 3/16/1988 1988 Comedian Pete Christensen is building a loyal following. Last November at a Milwaukee night spot called Club Garibaldi he performed a one man show called ‘Pete Christensen tells off Milwaukee’. The show was a sellout attracting more than 320 people. source; Bill Robbins Kenosha News 1988 9/11/1992 Comic Pete Christensen offers wholesome humor. Pete Christensen’s a social-political humorist who’s clean, very topical, and consistently funny. source; Missoulian newspaper (entertainer arts section) 9/11/1992 9/16/1993 Nightclub comic Pete Christensen of Scottsdale, Arizona answered the question ‘Should marijuana be legalized in the United States?” Marijuana instead of wood should be used to make paper and rope. It should be used for industrial purposes. source USA Today 9/16/1993 1993 Pete Christensen awarded the Editors Choice Award for outstanding achievement in poetry by the National Library of Poetry                                                                                                                                         source; Cynthia Stevens editor, and Caroline Sullivan editor National Library of Poetry 12/3/1993 Pete’s a winner of numerous comedy and music awards and will be appearing at Casa del Rio Fri. source; The Delles Weekly Reminder Delles, Oregon 11/1994 The new comedian for the Tempe, Arizona Red River Opry Show is Pete Christensen source; KNIX Country Spirit 11/12/1994 5/1/1995 It’s only rave reviews for Pete Christensen, standup comic, Red River Opry performer, and morning anchor for KVNA Radio. source Mary Ann Johnson Today’s Arizona Woman magazine 5/1/1995 10/24/1996 The book (Musical Chairs) was a terrific read. Christensen tells an engaging story. He manages to turn his scathing wit to the page most effectively. It’s a funny book and a tragic one. source; Tom Carpenter Arizona Daily Sun 10/24/1996 1996 For years Dick Clark has told the Bandstand story his way but this year for a change some independent authors have risen up to challenge the Clark memories. Pete Christensen’s Musical Chairs Bandstand Exposed is a fact based yet fictional account of the shows early days. source Johnathan Takiff Night-Ridder Newspapers 4/11/1997 Arizonan headlines comedy show. Christensen has garnered a reputation as a clean comic that gets laughs while making the audience think. He’s been dubbed a social-political comedian with topical, insightful humor. source; Ruidoso, New Mexico newspaper 4/11/1997 10/17/1998 Radio Station KYET in Williams, Arizona was recently awarded the 1998 Radio Broadcast Media Award. KYET is owned by Mike McKauly. The news is gathered and written by station manager Pete Christensen                                                                                                                                                          source; Arizona Daily Sun newspaper 10/17/1998 6/22/2001 Clean humor crowns comic with success. Comedian Pete Christensen insist audiences do appreciate and want a comic routine that’s clean                                                                                               source Paulette Bolyard Ahwatukee Foothills News 6/22/2001 4/24/2008 Pete Christensen has been a contributing writer and columnist for newspapers, magazines, television, and radio. This Friday and Saturday he’ll be a featured guest at the 11th. Annual Flagstaff Book Festival                                                                                                                                                                source; Flagstaff Live newspaper 4/24/2008 6/27/2010 Pete Christensen has created a cookbook for men with recipes so easy even a gorilla can cook them. The Roughcut Cookbook is the world’s first comedy cookbook. Christensen provides easy to understand recipes along with jokes and recipes to keep it fun. source; Madison Heid Lifestyle section Central Wisconsin Sunday 6/27/2010