Paul Charchian is leaving KFAN, with Paul Allen bidding emotional farewell
After over three decades as a contributor to KFAN, Charchian announced his departure Friday as he looks to "try something new" — moving with his wife to Utah.
"I'm scared, honestly, of leaving the people I love. I don't know how it's going to work out but I just feel like the time is right to try a new chapter, while I'm young enough to still go hiking and camping and do all these amazing things in another state and not have spent cradle-to-grave in Minnesota," Charchian said.
"Not that Minnesota is not great. It is great. I just feel like I'm at a stage in my life where I want to try something new and if it doesn't work, I'll come crawling back."
As the founder and owner of several fantasy sports companies, including Guillotine Leagues, over the years, Charchian has been an on-air personality with KFAN for over 30 years, spending the previous 15-plus years as a key contributor alongside "9-to-Noon" host and Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen.
The full segment announcing Charchian's departure can be seen in the video below.
"It is the end of an era. Paul Charchian is moving to Utah with his wife. Leaving behind a multiple-decade legacy of helping us here at KFAN," an emotional Paul Allen said in the segment. "I just want to let you know that I'm going to miss you. Personally, I just want to thank you for everything that you've contributed to this radio show."
Allen and Charchian are notably connected on the "Friday Football Feast," a 15-plus-year tradition in which Allen's Friday radio show is hosted at Twin Cities Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants.
"This was a really difficult decision to leave almost all my friends, the people I've grown up with and the opportunity to turn on 100,000 watts of radio and just spew utter nonsense," said Charchian. "But most importantly, it's been the time with amazing people, like you, who I consider a dear friend.
"It's really been a dream come true in many ways. This is the hardest decision of my life," he continued. "I've had to decide to build and sell companies. Nothing compares to the difficulty of the decision to leave somebody like you, who I've spent three hours every week with for 15 years, and all the amazing times we've had together, and things I can never have again anywhere else, any place else."
Charchian didn't disclose what his role with the station could be going forward.
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