Craig Carton

Craig Carton
Born	Craig Harris Carton (1969-01-31) January 31, 1969 New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Career
Show	Boomer and Carton in the Morning
Station(s)	WFAN, New York City
Time slot	6 a.m. - 10 a.m., Monday-Friday
Style	Sports radio
Country	United States
Previous show(s)	The Jersey Guys Sports Guys
Website	WFAN.com Boomer and Carton in the Morning Homepage

Craig Harris Carton (born January 31, 1969) is an American radio personality who currently co-hosts the Boomer and Carton in the Morning radio program.

Biography

Craig Harris Carton was born on January 31, 1969 in New Rochelle, New York.He graduated from New Rochelle High School and S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1991. He was also a member of the Pi chapter of Psi Upsilon fraternity during his time at Syracuse University. He is the co-host of Boomer and Carton in the Morning on WFAN in New York.

While in school he worked on the cable television show Views From the Bridge.

Career

Carton began his broadcasting career in 1991 at WGR Radio in Buffalo, New York He moved from Buffalo to WWWE in Cleveland, Ohio in 1992, and later to 610-WIP in Philadelphia. He was a brash weekend host known as "The Kid". He had filled in on WIP's Morning Show and was familiar with the Sports Talk/Guy Talk format. He was the first person to break the news story that the Philadelphia Eagles had been sold to Hollywood producer Jeffrey Lurie.

Carton left the East Coast for Denver, Colorado, working mostly at KKFN 950 AM, "The Fan". His morning show took off immediately despite never getting along with the program director, Tim Spence. He was the highest rated host in the station's history which resulted in his being offered the morning slot on KBPI Radio. He quickly became the #1 rated local morning show in Denver radio. Eventually he resigned and left Denver to care for his wife who was pregnant with their first child.

In late 2000, Carton became Scott Kaplan's replacement on WNEW's "Sports Guys" morning radio program in New York City. He was a "Sports Guy" for one year. He worked with Sid Rosenberg and Blain Ensley (and briefly with Eddie Ifft) and then just Blain when Rosenberg left. Carton took the show in a new direction, adding stunts as an on-the-air cockfight and "Pastapalooza". Carton was also broadcasting live with Ensley on WNEW during the September 11th attacks in 2001.

Carton, a New Yorker, then became a "Jersey Guy" on New Jersey 101.5. The afternoon show was the highest rated FM afternoon talk show in America for a full 5 years.

In 2007, Carton departed for a morning opening at WFAN as Boomer Esiason's co-host when Esiason was hired as the permanent replacement for Imus in the Morning. One year after Esiason and Carton started the Boomer and Carton show, they reached #1 (Men 25-54) in the Arbitron Ratings, something that Don Imus had not achieved since 1993. The show has been simulcasting on MSG Network since September 14, 2010.

Controversy and stunts

610-WIP

• On February 28, 1997, Carton reported Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros had missed a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 15 due to being hung over. Claiming the excuse the Flyers gave (a sore back) for Lindros missing the game was a cover-up. The Flyers immediately sued WIP, resulting in an out of court settlement. Four years later Flyers General Manager, Bobby Clarke admitted the story was accurate to a group of reporters. Two years after that Flyers owner and Chairman, Ed Snider, also went public to announce that the story was true. Carton has never commented on the story since he was vindicated other than saying as he did from day one that he trusted his sources and knew the story was accurate.

New Jersey 101.5

• In 2005, Carton became embroiled with an on the air feud with the then-(Acting) Governor of New Jersey, Richard Codey. Carton made comments about Codey's wife Mary-Jo's battle with postpartum depression prompting Codey himself to confront Carton in the studio. Carton would say "What Governor Codey ought to do is approve the use of medical marijuana so women can have a joint and relax instead of putting their babies in a microwave. Then all they want to do is cook Doritos. Women who claim they suffer from this postpartum depression ... they must be crazy in the first place." Codey would go back to respond: "I wish I weren't governor, I'd take you out", but did not say he would challenge Carton to a fight.
• Also in 2005, Carton & his Jersey Guy co worker Ray Rossi hurled racist insults against Asian-Americans and Jun Choi (the former mayor of Edison, NJ) on air. Neither were reprimanded or fired.

WFAN

• On January 18, 2008, Carton walked the Brooklyn Bridge holding a sign reading “Any Given Sunday.” and wearing only a Speedo and New York Giants tight-end Jeremy Shockey jersey after betting the New York Giants would lose to the Dallas Cowboys in the 2008 NFL playoffs. He duplicated the stunt on January 8, 2010, after betting the New York Jets would miss the playoffs.

Awards

• Talkers Magazine named him one of the top 100 Most Important and Influential Talk Show hosts in the Country for three straight years.<refnominated him in 2006 as Talk Show Host of The Year.
• PoliticsNJ.com named him the 9th most politically influential personality in the State of New Jersey (2007).

He won the Pulse of the People Award 3 years in a row (2008, 2009, and 2010).

See also

• Boomer and Carton in the Morning
• Boomer Esiason
• The Jersey Guys