BEST RADIO PERSONALITY

The Valley's own master of shock rock has been mining his shtick for so long now -- 35 years and counting -- it's easy to take his contributions for granted. (Who else would we have to blame for Marilyn Manson?) And Cooper's recent ventures, from the establishment of his downtown Alice Cooper'stown nightclub to his stint as the 7 p.m. to midnight man on classic-rock stalwart KDKB, seem purposely driven by his desire not to be overlooked in his own hometown. Yet it's still a kick to hear the dark humorist rant about everything from his run-ins with early Ozzy to making Miss Piggy's Christmas card list as he mixes his latest comeback attempts with rock standards on the station that helped make him a billion-dollar baby back in the day. Following Steve Van Zandt's lead, Alice's show is now syndicated in 16 cities and growing. But he's still our little rock legend -- now more than ever, in fact -- and we love him to death. Readers' Choice: Howard Stern