C.J.: KMOJ's new morning show host Freddie Bell happy to be ringing in the 612

Freddie Bell, if that is his real name, loves broadcasting as much as speakers enjoy oozing out his voice.

Bell is back in the Twin Cities after a 13-year absence, anchoring the morning show at KMOJ. From 1994 to 2001, Bell was host of "Solid Gold Soul," a morning show on AM 950. "The last year, I was living in Tampa and hosting with my morning crew back here in Minneapolis," he said. "I lasted almost a year and they flipped the format. That morning show that you had, well, you're going to be replaced with a stock market report. From that point, 2001, I have been trying to hold the vision, the focus to get back into morning radio. That is why I am here with you today. I speak on the power of focus. The life that I've focused on is unfolding here today. It's taken a lot of years to get back in this chair behind the microphone, to reconnect in this market. Without focus, none of this would happen."

In addition to this show, "I host a nationally syndicated general market show where we play everything from Abba to the Whispers, and then I have a talk show for baby boomers, a one-hour weekly show here in town."

As you will see in my startribune.com/video, Bell is considerably lighter than he was the last time he was on the Twin Cities airwaves. He got healthy by dropping 69 pounds.

Q: What is so seductive about Minnesota that you keep coming back here?

A: I like the four seasons! But sometimes it gets a little extreme; 93 inches of snow is a little extreme. My oldest daughter is here, so those two things. If it was anything else, I wouldn't be here, believe me.

Q: What are your aspirations?

Q: You talk about being a voice in the black community. When are black people going to get to the point where we can handle criticism that comes from black people?

A: [Laughter] When is the skin going to get thick? I don't know if it will ever happen because of the perceived and sometimes real disparity between the ideal and where we see ourselves now. Until that chasm has been covered I think you will always see that. I thought it would have been taken care of years and years ago, and now unfortunately in my lifetime I don't think we will ever see that chasm bridged.

Q: Will ever-agreeable President Obama ever admit that some of the problems he encountered were because of resentment that someone of his skin tone was in the White House?

A: Indirectly, he admits that now. If you talk to people who visit with him privately, there are some things the president has already shared along those lines, that he won't say before a joint session of Congress. … But in terms of being a leader where the nation should go, to fulfill his vision, I think he's doing a credible job.

Q: When you're playing this sexy music on the radio …

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: [Laughter] Right now it's sleeping.