Jed the Fish, an iconic radio DJ from Los Angeles has died at age 69 from lung cancer.
Jed commandeered the afternoon drive segment for Alt-Rock station KROQ from 1978 to 2012.
As an early supporter of new wave music, Jed is believed have been the first US DJ to play Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and The Pretenders.
He also interviewed singers such as David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Sting.
His afternoon schtick was peppered with cackling laughter and bawdy humor while his finger on the pulse of new music helped KROQ establish itself as an influential radio station of the 1980s and 1990s.
Born Edwin Jed Fish Gould III on July 15, 1955, Jed got his start in broadcasting while a student at Casa Grande High School in Arizona before moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California.
News of Jed’s death first broke in a statement posted to his Instagram account.
Jed the Fish, an iconic radio DJ from Los Angeles has died at age 69 from lung cancer. Seen here in 2014
News of Jed’s death first broke in a statement posted to his Instagram account
‘At 6am on April, 14, 2025, the world lost one of its most unique and brilliant personalities,’ the statement began.
‘Jed the Fish pᴀssed pᴀssed peacefully away in his beloved home and the world will never be the same.
‘RIP Jed, go be with Alice,’ the statement concluded, referencing his beloved dog.
Tributes to the тιтan of L.A. radio poured in with KROQ personality Poorman commenting, ‘Jed Um Fish Um… Dude you are the best! It was my privilege to be able to work with you at KAY RoCkkkkk all those years! Very few could do radio at your level brother and friend.’
KROQ DJ Allie Mc Kay wrote, ‘You loveable wackadoodle! Thanks for being such a huge part of growing up in LA, and one of the nicest people at the station. RIP Jed. There will never be another like you. ❤️’
Jed joined KROQ in 1978, when it was still a tiny, struggling FM station in Pasadena and he immediately got to work breaking punk rock, alternative and new wave bands before anyone else — and continued there for decades, departing in 2012.
‘He is one of the kindest, funniest and the most unique people that I’ve ever met,’ good friend and current KROQ DJ Megan Holiday told Variety.
‘He was so inspiring and endlessly creative, and he had an infectious energy. He could light up an arena. I just loved him very much and was grateful for the time we got to spend together.’
Jed commandeered the afternoon drive segment for Alt-Rock station KROQ from 1978 to 2012
As an early supporter of new wave music, Jed is believed have been the first US DJ to play Depeche Mode, Duran Duran and The Pretenders. Seen here far left circa 1987 with INXS
His afternoon schtick was peppered with cackling laughter and bawdy humor and his finger on the pulse of new music
Mike Catherwood, who was known as Psycho Mike during his time on KROQ posted a touching tribute on Instagram
Jed helped KROQ establish itself as an influential radio station of the 1980s and 1990s
Tributes to the тιтan of L.A. radio poured in from many, but especially from his KROQ colleagues
Ralph Garman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his condolences.
‘So sorry to hear about the death of Jed the Fish from KROQ. He was always so kind to me. When I first started, he would often seek me out and tell me how he liked what I was doing at a time when management was less than supportive.
‘His encouragement made a real different. RIP Jed.’
Mike Catherwood, who was known as Psycho Mike during his time on KROQ posted a touching tribute on Instagram.
‘This morning, Jed the Fish pᴀssed away. Many people try hard to be unique or even eccentric, and Jed was genuinely that without effort. He supported me throughout my time at @kroq and like @thekevinryder and @bean9, it felt surreal because I grew up with their voices in my head.
‘The power of conformity has grown stronger by the day and Jed quite capably defended himself against it. Rest in peace, my friend.’
Richard Blade, another influential new wave DJ from KROQ shared his shock at the pᴀssing of his colleague on Facebook and Instagram.
‘TERRIBLE NEWS! Jeddum – Jed the Fish, pᴀssed away this morning at 6 a.m. I have no words right now, more later.’
Ralph Garman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his condolences
Richard Blade was left speechless by Jed’s death
Born Edwin Jed Fish Gould III on July 15, 1955, Jed got his start in broadcasting while a student at Casa Grande High School in Arizona before moving to Los Angeles to attend USC
After he left KROQ in 2012, he was briefly apart of KLOS’s lineup, and returned to KROQ via the station’s HD-2 Roq of the ’80s feed.
‘My decades at KROQ are the core of my radio experience,’ he wrote on his LinkedIn page.
‘Right place at the right time. We were leading the way but had no idea. Looking back, it’s plain the influence of this powerhouse reached beyond radio. TV, movies and now the sorts of atтιтudes and intensities displayed online owe much of their processes to KROQ.
‘Any music lover who grew up in SoCal will tell you KROQ was their buddy for much or most of their lives. You can tell I now take pride in what I did. But I really tried not to while I was doing it…’
He continued: ‘I did have some terse and morally contradictory episodes at KROQ, but I was treated well by executives and colleagues alike. I found very little feedback would stick in my head better than the other way.
‘[Program director] Kevin Weatherly helped me be a better me. This vast experience raced by like all good things. Driving to work, at least 10 times a month, I would remember how lucky I was; that this could all be over any minute. Like the end of the Sopranos.’
It will be the legacy Jed left at KROQ that outlives him and inspires up and coming broadcast personalities.
He was lauded with many awards during his career, included the Billboard Modern Rock Personality of the Year award twice, as well as the Radio & Records Local Modern Rock Personality of the Year.
