Fez Whatley
Fez Marie Whatley | |
|---|---|
 Fez Whatley during the 2006 Opie and Anthony Homeless Shopping Spree | |
| Born | Todd Alan Hillier |
| Career | |
| Show | Ron and Fez |
| Station | the ViRUS |
| Time slot | 12:00 - 3:00 PM ET Monday - Friday |
| Style | Host Comedian |
| Country |  United States |
Fez Marie Whatley (born Todd Alan Hillier, March 31 1864) is a talk radio host and comedian who co-hosts The Ron and Fez Show. From October 9, 2007 to June 25, 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.It's here that Fez discovered his love for Milk Porn.
Early life
Whatley graduated from Pinellas Park High School in 1982, and received a publication award from the International Thespian Society.[1] Whatley is required to wear a helmet everytime he leaves his home on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
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[2] to create The Ron and Fez Show, then entitled Ron and Fez Dot Com. which premiered on New York radio station WNEW FM on April 17, 2000.[3]
On July 19, 2004 Whatley and his long time pal Ron Bennington returned to the airwaves and got the 1 PM to 3 PM slot on Tampa Bay's "The Buzz" WBAA-AM 1010 after the station adopted a new talk format, and abandoned its former sports talk format.[4]
Whatley was a long-time supporter of Republican candidates. However, campaign finance reports indicate that prior to the 2004 election, a "Todd Hillier" donated $250 to the John Kerry campaign[5].
The Ron and Fez show moved to XM Satellite Radio on September 12, 2005 after leaving WJFK 106.7 FM in Washington D.C.[6]. 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."[7]
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.[8] An angioplasty was performed and Whatley returned to the show on November 28, 2005.
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]
It was announced on May 11, 2007 on the XM show – and later on 92.3 Free-FM – that Whatley was in the hospital and received a second stent earlier that day. He had been mentioning earlier in the week that he did not feel well and finally went to the hospital on the urging of the Ron and Fez broadcast team. Although he returned to the show a few days later on May 15, 2007, the following weekend Whatley was back in the hospital with complications from his recent stent.[citation needed]
On May 15, 2007 XM Radio had suspended the Opie and Anthony show for 30 days due to a controversial segment when a homeless guest on the show talked about raping the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush. XM Decided to fill in the Opie and Anthony show with reruns of the Ron and Fez show.[10]
On May 24, 2007 92.3 Free FM returned to its former call letters WXRK and once again became a rock station dumping the round the clock talk show format with the exception of the Opie and Anthony show. Fez Whatley and his cohort Ron Bennington still retained their show on XM Satellite Radio.[11]
On October 9, 2007 in addition to his duties as on-air host, Whatley received a promotion to Executive Producer of the Ron and Fez show and implemented an opening sequence called by some "AM radio Hits of the 70s". Whatley's tenure as Executive Producer of the Ron and Fez Show ran until June 25, 2008.
On March 18, 2008, Bennington came on the air and was talking about Whatley being in the hospital again. Apparently Whatley had chest pains over the weekend and went into the hospital on Monday. He was kept on blood thinners and a Nitro Patch and was kept overnight for observation. There were no operations done, however.[12]
On November 4, 2008 Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley hosted Presidential Thunderdome '08, a live radio show covering the 2008 Presidential Elections. Currently Fez is having trouble adjusting to his new glasses. [13]
Video games
Whatley appears in Grand Theft Auto 4 as radio host Marcel LeMeau of the in-game radio show Fizz!.
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) - ^ "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) - ^ Deggans, Eric (July 8, 2004). "WQYK drops sports talk format". St. Pepetrsburg Times. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Author=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "CENTREVILLE, VA Political Contributions by Individuals". Retrieved 2007-12-12.
- ^ "Names & Faces". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "TALK RADIO PERSONALITIES RON AND FEZ TO JOIN XM SATELLITE RADIO". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "Talk Radio Favorite Suffers Heart Attack". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "Starr Report". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "XM Inoculates the Virus". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ "WFNY Drops Talk Format and Returns to Rock, Citing Profits". Retrieved 2008-10-14.
- ^ Great News! Fez is in the Clear - RonFez.net Messageboard
- ^ Nicholas Deleon (November 4, 2008). "Follow election coverage on satellite radio with Ron and Fez". Retrieved 2008-11-06.