For a laidback girl from South Carolina who never sat down toplan out her life, Kellie Raspberry has done remarkably well. The36-year-old sidekick for “Kidd Kraddick in theMorning”, a top-rated morning radio show in everydemographic, has never really had a plan for her successes.

“I just go with the punches,” Raspberry shylyadmits. “Radio just came so easy.”

Raspberry sits cross-legged and relaxed as she describes herchildhood living in a small town where everyone knew each other andfamily and friends were all close.

“We were a strict, strict fundamental Baptistfamily…we went to church every time the door wasopen.”

She’s been dreaming of becoming an actress since sixthgrade, and after graduating from high school, decided she wouldgive it a shot. Raspberry attended an acting seminar when she met aradio station owner who asked her to come in and show what she hadto offer. Without expectations, she landed the job.

“I brought in donuts everyday hoping to be used, but Isucked. I was horrible!” Eventually, she became the newsgirl,but to this day she is not sure how.

The station was constantly trying to improve her radio voice bybegging her to lose her thick southern drawl.

“They were trying to get me to sound more like ConnieChung,” Raspberry teased.

Raspberry, not one to compromise, took off from radio and movedto Atlanta to once more pursue her acting career.

“After a year and a half of waiting tables, radio startedto not seem so bad,” she said.

Raspberry was working for “Sunny 102.9,” when afriend drew her attention to an ad in the paper looking for a radioD.J. in Dallas, Texas. She sent in a tape and was later flown outto Big D to audition with radio host Kidd Kraddick.

Raspberry had little confidence about actually receiving acallback. “I figured I at least got a free trip toDallas,” she said.

One week later she had the job.

She’s now known as the diva of the show when the groupgoes on live every morning from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. According to theshows program director, Patrick Davis, “Kellie is the mosttalented and quickest person I’ve ever met.”

She tells it like it is and speaks her mind about anything andanybody, but in reality, Raspberry is very quiet and reserved.

“I would never call people idiots in person…I amlike I am on the air, but it’s turned up on radio,”Raspberry said.

Raspberry has come a long way since driving down to Dallas withher U-Haul trailer in tow. Today, as a dedicated radio sidekick tothe only free standing morning show in the country, Raspberry doesnot have any car payments on her Ford Explorer due to theadvertisement the show does for the dealership.

Many opportunities have been presented to Raspberry through herradio career, including co-hosting “Live With Regis”and the 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for the live webcast.

Raspberry found co-hosting with Regis to be “the mostglamorous” of her gigs, but interviewing on the red carpetfor the Blockbuster Awards “truly had [her] sick” dueto nerves.

Through the years, Raspberry has become completely comfortabledoing her everyday radio show, but has a harder time when she isnot her normal surroundings.

“I’ve been a guest on other shows and I’vesucked!” she confesses.

Having recently completed a small role in the new movie,”Hate Crime,” Raspberry still enjoys acting and wouldlove to focus on it later in her career. For now, Raspberrystruggles with scheduling auditions into her day.

“My job is radio so the timing is difficult,” shesaid.

Raspberry has been blessed with much more on her plate after hermarriage last September to her boyfriend of seven years. The twojust recently opened a karate school that now keeps her afternoonsoccupied.

“I used to be able to do whatever I wanted with myafternoons…pedicures…visit my niece andnephew,” Raspberry says.

Raspberry loves her job, but realizes that it won’t lastforever.

“When Kidd retires from radio, I’ll retire withhim,” she said.

Raspberry encourages students who want to pursue the field ofradio to major in something well balanced. She feels as though”mass communications is totally unlike anything you’lluse” when you are out in the real world. Her biggest piece ofadvice is to intern as much as you can.

Raspberry reminds young dreamers to realize that radio hardlypays the bills in the beginning.

“Salaries start off at minimum wage, maybe a dollarmore.” They range depending on your role on air, but can getanywhere into the six figures.

If living life without a plan and flying by the edge of yourseat can make Kellie Raspberry this successful, maybe we should bea little more adventurous.