Fez Whatley: Difference between revisions
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On February 24, 2011, Fez's father, Dick Hillier died in a NYC hospital. Ron Bennington was on-air the next day and in Fez's absence put on an impromptu radio memorial for Fez's father going to break playing [[Danny Boy]]. Fez returned to the air on Monday, March 7, and offered a touching remembrance of his father. |
On February 24, 2011, Fez's father, Dick Hillier died in a NYC hospital. Ron Bennington was on-air the next day and in Fez's absence put on an impromptu radio memorial for Fez's father going to break playing [[Danny Boy]]. Fez returned to the air on Monday, March 7, and offered a touching remembrance of his father. |
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On February 24, 2012, Fez came out as gay, or as he put it, "homo queersicle". This came after 20 years of playing a [[flamboyant]] character on the air. He choose to come out on the one-year anniversary of his dad's death. <ref>{{cite web|last=Whately|first=Fez|title=Exclusive Interview with SiriusXM Radio Host Fez Whatley on Finally Coming “Out”|work=http://theinterrobang.com/2012/02/fez-whatley/|accessdate=24 February 2012}}</ref> |
On February 24, 2012,(Homo says what?!) Fez came out as gay, or as he put it, "homo queersicle". This came after 20 years of playing a [[flamboyant]] character on the air. He choose to come out on the one-year anniversary of his dad's death. <ref>{{cite web|last=Whately|first=Fez|title=Exclusive Interview with SiriusXM Radio Host Fez Whatley on Finally Coming “Out”|work=http://theinterrobang.com/2012/02/fez-whatley/|accessdate=24 February 2012}}</ref> |
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==Radio career== |
==Radio career== |
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Revision as of 18:43, 24 February 2012
Fez Marie Whatley | |
|---|---|
 Fez Whatley during the 2006 Opie and Anthony Homeless Shopping Spree | |
| Born | March 31, 1964 |
| Career | |
| Show | Ron and Fez |
| Station(s) | The Opie and Anthony Channel (XM channel 105 and Sirius channel 206) |
| Time slot | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET Monday - Friday |
| Style | shock jock |
| Country |  United States Canada |
Fez Marie Whatley (born Todd Hillier March 31, 1964), is an American talk radio host and comedian who co-hosts The Ron and Fez Show. From October 9, 2007 to June 27, 2008, Whatley also served as the Executive Producer.
Whatley originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for The Ron and Ron Show in Florida. After the show disbanded, Whatley teamed up with Ron Bennington to create The Ron and Fez Show, then entitled Ron and Fez Dot Com.
Personal life
Whatley graduated from Pinellas Park High School in Pinellas Park, Florida in 1982, and received a publication award from the International Thespian Society.[1]
Whatley suffered a mild heart attack on November 9, 2005 which he did not recognize. He went on to host The Ron and Fez Show the next day before consulting a doctor where he was informed he had suffered a heart attack and was also diagnosed with diabetes.[2] An angioplasty was performed and Whatley returned to the show on November 28, 2005. Approximately one year later, Fez left the show again due to chest pains, and needed a second stent put in.
On September 24, 2010 Fez was diagnosed as suffering a third heart attack while in the hospital for treatment for an unrelated medical issue. He was released from the hospital on Monday, September 27 and returned to the show on Wednesday, September 29.
On February 24, 2011, Fez's father, Dick Hillier died in a NYC hospital. Ron Bennington was on-air the next day and in Fez's absence put on an impromptu radio memorial for Fez's father going to break playing Danny Boy. Fez returned to the air on Monday, March 7, and offered a touching remembrance of his father.
On February 24, 2012,(Homo says what?!) Fez came out as gay, or as he put it, "homo queersicle". This came after 20 years of playing a flamboyant character on the air. He choose to come out on the one-year anniversary of his dad's death. [3]
Radio career
Whatley originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for The Ron and Ron Show in Florida. After the show disbanded, Whatley who was formerly a sidekick and producer now teamed up with Ron Bennington as a co-host[4] to create The Ron and Fez Show, then entitled Ron and Fez Dot Com. which premiered on New York City radio station WNEW FM on April 17, 2000.[5]
Whatley and Bennington continued on WNEW FM until the end of 2002, as well as being syndicated to several other FM markets around the United States, including WJFK FM in Washington, DC. After they went off the air in New York City, as well as most of the other markets, they continued to broadcast from WJFK FM, relocating to DC.
On July 19, 2004 Whatley and his longtime pal Ron Bennington returned to the Florida airwaves, airing in the 1 PM to 3 PM slot on Tampa Bay, Florida's The Buzz WBAA-AM 1010 after the station adopted a new talk format, and abandoned its former sports talk format.[6]
The Ron and Fez Show moved to XM Satellite Radio on September 12, 2005 after leaving WJFK 106.7 FM in Washington D.C.[7] Eric Logan who at the time was the Executive Vice President of Programming for XM Satellite Radio said "It should come as no surprise that Ron and Fez are making the jump to XM where they will have the opportunity to create the kind of radio that has made them popular with their long-time fans and expand their fan base to millions of XM listeners," and "Ron and Fez are two of the funniest guys on the radio and XM's High Voltage is a perfect place for them to do what they do best."[8]
On December 20, 2006 The Ron and Fez Show premiered on 92.3 Free FM in New York City from 6 to 9 PM, while still holding on to their XM Satellite Radio show from Noon to 3 PM.[9]
On November 4, 2008 Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley hosted Presidential Thunderdome '08, a live radio show covering the 2008 presidential elections.[10]
On February 26. 2010, Whatley put up $1000 cash reward for the apprehension, conviction, and incarceration of the vandals who defaced the Mount Airy, North Carolina statue depicting Sheriff Andy Taylor and Opie Taylor of the iconic 1960s television program, "The Andy Griffith Show". Whatley is working closely with the Mount Airy Crime Stoppers Division as they monitor leads in the case.[11]
On February 24th 2012 Fez came out of the closet to the listeners live on the Ron and Fez Show. On February 27th Fez reverted back to his old self. Holding on tightly so the desk wont float away.
References
- ^ Kirby, Sharon (June 24, 1982). "Students honored for community, school work". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
{{cite news}}: More than one of|author=and|last=specified (help) - ^ "Talk Radio Favorite Suffers Heart Attack". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Whately, Fez. "Exclusive Interview with SiriusXM Radio Host Fez Whatley on Finally Coming "Out"". http://theinterrobang.com/2012/02/fez-whatley/.
{{cite web}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); External link in|work=|url=(help) - ^ "In the Studio at The Virus Fez Marie Whatley On-Air Personality". XM Radio. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
- ^ Bachman, Katy (April 24, 2000). "Local Media". Mediaweek.com. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
{{cite web}}: More than one of|author=and|last=specified (help) [dead link] - ^ Deggans, Eric (July 8, 2004). "WQYK drops sports talk format". St. Pepetrsburg Times. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
{{cite web}}: More than one of|author=and|last=specified (help) - ^ "Names & Faces". The Washington Post. July 31, 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "Talk Radio Personalities Ron and Fez to Joint XM Satellite Radio". Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "Starr Report". Retrieved 2008-10-14. [dead link]
- ^ Nicholas Deleon (November 4, 2008). "Follow election coverage on satellite radio with Ron and Fez". Retrieved 2008-11-06.
- ^ "Andy Griffith Statue Mostly Cleaned; Radio Host Offers Reward" February 26, 2010 FOX8.com