Larson began his broadcasting career at age 16, at KTIL-AM (now KMBD-AM) in his hometown of Tillamook, Oregon (Tillamook High class of 1977, info. from The Oregonian April 6, 2003). He attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon and was a radio news broadcaster on KATR and KBDF. He was later news director at KZEL before moving to KJRB in Spokane, Washington in 1979.
In 1980 Larson moved to Portland, Oregon and KXL for what would become the first of two positions. Larson did the afternoon news. In 1983, he moved back to Eugene and was a reporter and anchor for KVAL-TV. In 1985, Larson moved back to Portland, but this time to KPTV, hosting the TV news magazine program Northwest Reports. In 1988, Larson also hosted a weekend talk show on KEX which moved to KGW later in the year and continued to 1990.
He left the award-winning Northwest Reports TV program in 1997, joining KPTV's 10 O'Clock News as anchor until 1998. Larson then moved to KOIN TV, hosting a morning program The Buzz until 2000. In his radio career, Larson had moved back to KXL in 1997, this time hosting a talk show. The Lars Larson Show which aired noon to 4 p.m.
On January 31, 2000 The Lars Larson Show began airing on nine radio stations (currently 17) via "The Radio Northwest Network". In 2002, Larson was listed in Talkers Magazine's Heavy Hundred (the most important radio hosts of 4,000 nationwide) for the first time. In July 2003, Larson began filling in for Talk Radio Network talk host Michael Savage. On August 14, 2003 Larson was informed by Westwood one radio network that he was chosen as host. The Lars Larson Show officially debuting on Westwood One on September 1, 2003 with 105 affiliates. (The show is currently on 175 affiliates.)
On October 15, 2007, Larson requested that the Oregon State Bar Association investigate whether current Governor of Oregon Ted Kulongoski lied about having knowledge about the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl by ex-Governor of Oregon and Carter Administration Secy. of Transportation Neil Goldschmidt in the 1970s. Kulongoski, a lawyer, has denied knowing anything about Goldschmidt having sex with an underage girl. In a story reported in The Oregonian in June 2004, however, former Goldschmidt speechwriter Fred Leonhardt said he told Kulongoski about the abuse as far back as 1994, 10 years before Goldschmidt admitted to the abuse. Larson wants the state bar to determine if Kulongoski lied about the matter, and whether his bar license should be suspended or revoked. After an investigation, the state bar determined that both Kulongowski and Leonhardt were "credible" in their accounts of the matter, and closed the investigation for want of sufficient evidence to continue. Larson appealed the decision, calling it contradictory; upon appeal, the decision was upheld. The general counsel to the bar wrote an email to Larson stating that "given the directly contradictory accounts of the parties and the total absence of any other evidence, I cannot conclude that there is sufficient evidence to form a reasonable belief that misconduct may have occurred", noting that the only evidence against Kulongowski was the testimony of Leonhardt. She added that "it is indisputable that memories fade with time and that two people can walk away from the same conversation with very different ideas of what was said." Larson has accused the state bar of having "swept this matter under the rug".
In 2008, Talkers Magazine rated Larson as the 27th most important radio talk show host in America.
Larson is a proponent for stopping all illegal immigration to the United States and greatly increasing requirements for immigrants to become citizens, such as learning to read, write, and speak English.
He is married to Tina Michele Larson. They live in Vancouver, Washington.
On September 16, 2005 Bret A. Harter, 38, of Portland pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor phone harassment for the telephone threats he made against Larson and his family. Harter was sentenced by Judge Robert Lewis in Clark County Superior Court to 30 days in jail and 30 days on work release. The investigation was conducted by the Vancouver, Washington Police Department and resulted in a permanent restraining order issued by a judge against the defendant.
On March 18, 2008, Larson called former president Jimmy Carter an anti-semite on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight.
