Opie and Anthony
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Opie (Gregg Hughes, b. May 23 1965), Anthony (Anthony Cumia b. April 26 1963), and Jimmy (Jim Norton, b. July 19 1968) are the hosts of the XM Satellite Radio and CBS Radio program The Opie and Anthony Show. The show is based in New York City; it was previously on WNEW-FM in New York, and before that on WAAF-FM in Boston.
The show airs on XM Radio Channel 202 "High Voltage" live from 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. ET, however, the show continues into the 11 a.m. hour frequently, referred to as "bonus time" since they are not explicitly directed to do so in their contracts. Replays are available throughout the day on their XM channel as well as on Direct TV channel 879. At 6 a.m. on April 26 2006, Opie and Anthony returned to the terrestrial airwaves once again, replacing the controversial David Lee Roth Show on CBS Radio stations, and can now be heard on these affiliates listed below. [link] The first three hours of the Opie and Anthony program (running from 6-9 a.m. EST) is broadcast on terrestrial CBS Radio affiliates as well as XM Radio. From 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. hour, which can continue until noon, Opie and Anthony broadcast exclusively on XM Satellite Radio. While the show is currently only on AM/FM stations owned by CBS Radio, the contract between the show and XM is non-exclusive, and is open to other radio companies. Opie and Anthony Show syndication is handled by Robert Eatman Enterprises, Inc.
The Opie and Anthony show also offers live in-studio webcam broadcasts via the pay service PalTalk. The in-studio web cameras are active during the show and the audio can be heard through this service without purchasing additional PalTalk features.
Additionally, Opie and Anthony show archives, as well as best of CDs can now be downloaded from Audible.com.
- 1 Background
- 2 About the show
- 2.1 Staff
- 2.2 \"Characters\" of the Show
- 2.3 Radio Friends
- 2.4 Radio Enemies
- 2.5 Former friends and characters
- 2.6 Recurring Bits Of The Show
- 2.6.1 Whip 'em Out Wednesdays (WOW)
- 2.6.2 The \"Walk Over\"
- 2.6.3 Drunk Talk
- 2.6.4 What Did We Learn
- 2.6.5 Assault on the Media
- 2.6.6 News teases
- 2.6.7 Homeless shopping spree
- 3 Events
- 4 O&A in radio
- 5 Classic O&A moments
- 6 Miscellaneous facts
- 7 Return to FM
- 8 External links
Background
Gregg (Opie) Hughes and Anthony Cumia were both raised on Long Island, New York, while Lil Jimmy was born and raised in New Jersey. Hughes graduated from SUNY Geneseo. For the next seven years Gregg (Opie) interned and worked at several upstate radio stations before he was awarded a radio gig spinning records at rock station WBAB on his native Long Island. Cumia dropped out of high school and was making a living as an HVAC duct worker when he began performing songs with his brother Joe, who remains a constant supporter of the Opie and Anthony Show. Mr. Norton, a self-proclaimed Fancy Man is a stand-up comedian and a full, third chair member, of the Opie and Anthony show. In August 1994, Hughes received an entry during an O.J. Simpson parody song contest. The song was entitled "Gonna Electric Shock OJ", by a local band known as Rotgut, for which Cumia was the lead singer. It became a hit on Hughes' show, and he invited the Cumia brothers to the studio to play live. This sparked many further appearances, where "Ant & Brother Joe" jumped at any airtime opportunity available. Soon after, Hughes and Cumia became a radio team. Hughes' show was called "The Nighttime Attitude," and aired from 8 p.m.-12 midnight on WBAB. [link]. Shortly after Cumia's arrival, it was proposed to management at the station that the show be moved to morning or afternoon drive, the two most listened-to timeslots in radio. When the station refused, Hughes and Cumia moved the show to afternoon drive on WAAF, Boston, where they premiered on March 27, 1995 as Opie and Anthony (hereinafter referred to as O&A).
Among Opie and Anthony's most wholesome and hilarious Boston Stunts was when they hyped up giving away 100 Grand for weeks. Finally, when they gave away the prize, the winning caller laced into the duo with biting invective after he realized the repairs he needed to make to his truck would be unaffordable with a 100 Grand Bar as opposed to $100,000.
The duo were fired in April 1998 from WAAF in Boston for an April Fool's Day prank involving Mayor Thomas Menino. They told their listeners the Mayor of Boston died in a fiery car accident while he was vacationing in Florida and out of the reach of family and friends. Many believed that this actually happened, leading Menino to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. An FCC rule prohibits the broadcast of knowingly false information if it causes public harm [link]. WAAF suggested to remedy the situation that O&A have pies thrown at them while being held in town square stocks. The idea was summarily dismissed and the duo were later fired, promising that they would return to Boston and get revenge.
In June 1998, they were back on the air on the New York station WNEW-FM. O&A began to gain popularity on this station, becoming the number one afternoon drive show in New York by 2000. In 2001, O&A signed a three year, $30 million dollar syndication deal with Infinity Broadcasting to syndicate their show to 22 markets around the country. This included WBCN in Boston, a rival of the station that fired O&A earlier in their careers. Within a year, they were number one in several markets, including Boston. Former friend of the show Andrew Dice Clay then introduced O&A to Jim Norton, a comedian who toured with Clay and opened for him. Norton was a hit on the show and soon became a show regular of the O&A program, appearing three or four days of the week.
O&A hosted the short-lived XFL Gameday - the pregame show for Vince McMahon's startup football league - for four weeks in February 2001. The half-hour show aired on Saturday nights in select NBC affiliates across the country prior to the beginning of the evening's games. The show was taped on Wednesdays at the WWF's theme restaurant in Times Square, and was open to the public. It featured analysis by WNBC sportscaster Bruce Beck and NY/NJ Hitmen head coach Rusty Tillman. However, it also featured plenty of raunch. One particular segment featured O&A as chefs, inserting a cucumber in between two melons. O&A were almost banned from Giants Stadium for life during the filming of one episode when they imitated a proposed XFL rule where first possession was determined by placing the ball at midfield and having two opposing team-members attempt to get it. O&A did this as the Star-Spangled Banner began to play before a game. They said that the $100,000 cost of making each new show was the cause of its demise, though no official reason was given for its cancellation.
Sex for Sam III
In August 2002, O&A were cancelled for the "Sex For Sam 3" stunt. Sex for Sam was a yearly contest O&A held in which the goal was to have sex in notable public places. Couples from various states would be chosen to compete in the competition and each couple would be followed by a comedian or member of the show, who would call into the program to report the location. The contest was approved by the station and had been held without a major problem for the first two years. However, one comedian made the decision to lead his couple to have sex in a vestibule in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Contrary to most media reports, O&A did not broadcast the couple having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral. In fact, none of the couples were broadcast engaging in intercourse. The incident was mentioned as taking place by Paul Mercurio, the comedian watching the couple. When a security guard approached Mercurio and told him that he and the couple must leave immediately, Mercurio began to argue with the security guard, causing the guard to contact the police. The couple was placed under arrest and charged with public lewdness. Intense media scrutiny led to the Catholic League taking offense and demanding that O&A be fired. O&A broadcasted for one more day, but were not permitted to refer to the incident for legal reasons. Infinity Broadcasting then cancelled the Opie and Anthony Show.
Notwithstanding media coverage claiming that O&A were fired, in actuality the pair were still under contract. Therefore, O&A continued to draw a salary from Infinity while not being permitted to broadcast. O&A were given a chance to be let go from their contract if they signed another contract stating that they could never talk about present and past Infinity Broadcasting employees or management but they declined the offer. After waiting for two years for their contract to expire, O&A announced on August 3 2004 that they had signed with XM Satellite Radio, where they would not be subject to FCC guidelines. They began broadcasting on October 4 2004 with Norton as the third member of the team. They are one of the first major programs to be broadcast exclusively on satellite radio, referring to themselves as The Pioneers of Satellite Radio.
Because of the Sex for Sam 3 incident, they had stated that their contracts with XM Satellite Radio were renewed yearly (though this has since changed, as stated but unclarified on the program). Though the Catholic League made their disdain for this act known and were a driving force in the removal of O&A from WNEW; they believed that the show is sincerely apologetic for their prior acts and wished them a successful run on their simulcast venture with CBS and XM Radio.[link]
Opie and Anthony began broadcasting on October 4, 2004 exclusively for XM after 2 years of being off the air. Due to XM's fear of a boycott or backlash, they were put on a premium service($1.99/month extra)but given their own channel, High Voltage 202. After a few months, it was decided to put channel 202 "High Voltage" on the regular XM format and the extra charge for the show was dropped. Anthony stated in June 2006 that Opie and Anthony signed with XM for an additional two years, in addition to the two years left on their contract. O&A are therefore under contract with XM through at least 2009.
About the show
Opie and Anthony observe and comment on American social and popular culture. Their "cringe" style of entertainment, which has received support from listeners, has earned them the sobriquet of "shock jocks". Hughes, Cumia, and Norton broadcast for five to six hours every weekday morning, taking virtually no breaks during the second half of the program, broadcast on XM. The show has few limits, and covers a wide array of topics. The show is very interactive, with a great deal of show time being given to fans calling in, and sound bites sent in from listeners. Some of the more hardcore O&A fans, nicknamed "Pests", have been known to go to extreme lengths to promote the show in a grassroots effort. Friends and regular guests on the show include Adam Ferrara, Bill Burr, Patrice O'Neal, Brian Regan, Robert Kelly, and Rich Vos, all of whom have substituted for Norton when he has left New York for various reasons related to his stand-up comedy work and acting. Other frequent guests include Colin Quinn, Stephen Lynch, Joe Rogan, and Jay Mohr. On the show, Cumia is known for his impressions of people such as Popeye, Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Brokaw, Ronald Reagan, Mike Tyson, Tony Danza, Christopher Reeve, Robert Reed, Regis Philbin, Don Imus, and Howard Stern. While O&A's style and jokes typically target males in the 18-35 age range.
Initially, the show was offered to XM subscribers at a premium cost of $1.99 a month. In April 2005, "High Voltage" became part of the basic XM subscription. There are no numbers available with respect to the number of premium subscribers. Hughes gave some indication, however, when he told the Long Island Press in 2006, "we went from having a show that was syndicated in 17 major markets to having a few thousand."
After a successful 18-month run on XM, The Opie and Anthony Show is now simulcast on XM Radio and Free FM/CBS Radio from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (and on some days up to noon), the show will be broadcast exclusively on XM Radio. XM listeners will be able to hear the show uncensored the entire time, however from the 6 - 9 slot, the FM-only listeners will hear a version of the show adhering to FCC guidelines. [link] In the initial preliminary Arbitrend ratings released since their move to terrestrial radio, the Opie and Anthony show doubled Free FM's ratings in the New York City market in the month of May[link]. In Philadelphia O&A achieved a threefold increase in the month of May over David Lee Roth's April performance with listeners, ages 18-34[link][link]. In Boston, they doubled the listeners of all ages, and achieved an even larger increase in younger demographics [link].
Staff
- Ben Sparks, Executive Producer (aka Hurricane Ben, Ol' Gravy Leg) - Has worked with O&A for many years. During the show's hiatus, worked for the "Little Doggie Company". Known for an excessive amount of movements, which O&A call "herking and jerking". Received his nickname for eating sushi and getting an extreme case of diarrhea. Loves to gossip and knows everything about Boston. Likes to sit at a computer and read gossip, highlighting text for no apparent reason. Also known for talking about Tom Brady doing "blow". Popular soundbytes: Ben snoring.
- Steve Carlesi, Producer (aka Martini Steve, Steve C) - Like Ben, Steve has worked with O&A for many years. He also runs FoundryMusic.com, which covers Opie and Anthony news, music (especially metal) news, and porn industry news. Steve reviews all of the latest porn, music, etc. and interviews members of top bands for the website. Known as a "Cozy Bear with a Sweet Face," sound clips of Steve saying "GRRR!" are often played to accentuate his bear-like features. Norton once called him a "perfectly enunciating boob" for his use of perfect diction. He drives a Toyota Prius. Popular soundbytes: GRRR!; Nonononononono!; Th...that's terrible, I...I'm sorry.
- Erik Nagel, Producer (aka E-Rock, Sex Bagel, or Hawk) - Hired from Day 1 of the show coming to XM Radio. Often the sound clip, "I bring nothing to the table" is played during his appearances on mic. Won $100,000 in a contest held by the New York Daily News. Erock's choice of food (especially his overuse of mayonnaise) is usually brought up due to his extremely high cholesterol level. Is also known to have extremely bad breath. Also a huge Paula Abdul fan and her music is played as a music bed during his introductions. The other staff members frequently bash him, sometimes unfairly. Popular soundbytes: Is this on?; I bring nothing to the table.; I don't know. His heroes include his father, Hulk Hogan, and Opie.
- Nathaniel Bryan, Associate Producer (aka Than) — Joined the show as an intern when it resumed airing in October 2004, and was hired full-time in May 2005. Than prefers to use dry wit and sarcasm for humor. Also is a comic. O&A and the other staff members often use the phrase "Than-tastic" if something is in reference to him.
- Travis, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. No one really knows what Travis does, but he is another target of frequent bashing by the cast and staff. Many believe he screens the phone calls.
- Danny Ross, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. Danny originally started as a writer for Foundry Music and Carlesi brought him on board as an intern.
- Derek, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. Derek does not appear on the show to the same extent as the rest of the staff, as his primary responsibilities include finding and playing music clips and sound bites for the show. Derek is considered the most likely to be highly promoted in the XM corporation.
- Club Soda Kenny, Security - Former police officer that handles security matters in studio. Is often ridiculed for his "oafish" demeanor. Supposedly suffers from OCD
- Master Po, Security - Head of security. Very profecient in the martial arts. Spending 36 years in various methods of Aikido, Arnis, Karate, Kung Fu, Hapkido and Ju-Jitsu. Additional Training includes, Fencing, Boxing, Kick-boxing, and Grappling. He is also Master of weapons in Kali. If a situation looks to be getting dangerous he gets involved. Only very few occasions have forced him to enter the studio or get involved in an incident. The most notable being when he tackled a Stern fan that pushed producer Ben Sparks on the "walk over" from Free Fm. Theme song to The Karate Kid is played occasionally when he enters the studio.
\"Characters\" of the Show
- Big Kev — Big Kev is the "Resident Geek" of the show. While not an official staff member, Kev has done a great deal behind the scenes over the years, more than most people know about. In addition to booking guests, Kev has been an active participant in bit creation, security, and various other show activities. Big Kev also has a show, "Big Kev's Geek Stuff", currently available online, with a new episode each week at [Big Kev's Geek Stuff], where he and his show partner, Matt, and their producer, "Mr. Fantastic", discuss all relevant topics of the geek world, with a sharp, uncensored, unflinching view. Big Kev also occasionally writes a column on FoundryMusic.com called "Critical Toys", where he reviews the latest in toys and collectibles. The column appears on other websites as well. [Kev's own website] will re-launch on 7/21/06, where he will expand the column into a daily exploration of things that he finds interesting, such as movies, comics, toys, collectibles, games and dozens of others.
- Pat from Moonachie (Patrick Philbin) — A 42-year old, 300-pound self-employed courier with 9 toes (due to diabetes), who became a friend after winning O&A's first annual Egg Nog Drinking Contest. Philbin consumed 70 double shots of egg nog and subsequently vomited. He is now a competitive eater, ranked 15th in the world by the [I.F.O.C.E.]and placed 10th in Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.
- Stalker Patti — A 50-year old virgin who is often subjected to degrading humilation on the show. She used to live in the studio at WNEW under the stairs for a period of time. Since then she got a job a Godiva Chocolates but was fired when new management decided to use her as a fall girl. She also appeared on the Maury show in November 2005. Recently she has pleasured herself on air.
- Sandy Kane — A 62-year old burlesque dancer. Her claim to fame on air is a genital wart that is referred to by O&A as "Twatto" (due to its resemblance to Total Recall's Quato). She does a TV show on a public access channel and does live song parodies.
- Big A (Andrew) — A very tall, very overweight Bronx cab driver with a speech impediment (especially the "st" sound), bad teeth, and supposedly horrid smelling breath.
- G. Yogurt Liddy — Not a real person, but an actual yogurt lid from Norton's daily yogurt cup. Originally was made to impersonate XM personality G. Gordon Liddy, but has since been used as a device to parody rival Howard Stern. Currently does not appear anymore as the yogurt company has discontinued the lids.
- Lady Di and Marian (AKA the Retarded Laverne and Shirley) — Avid fans of the show who call in frequently. Best friends since high school, they have some of their own sayings that make sense to nobody else (ie, "Ying yang party!"). They do not have XM receivers and theforefore their appearances have been intermitent recently. Lady Di has an alcohol problem, and as of April 2006 she is homeless. Marian has given up on her. Her whereabouts are currently unknown.
- Wheelchair Fred — A motorcycle accident victim who lost the use of his legs and uses a wheelchair. He came to the O&A show when they were on WAAF in Boston and has made subsequent appearances since O&A joined XM, including, most notably, a solo self-penetration performance using a simulated organ in the bathtub. He also is famous for falling down during a "laying of hands" by Anthony Cumia and also being so desperate for love as to engage in homosexual activities. His inability to speak correctly is a source of amusement.
- Steve from Yellowstone — (AKA Ben from Boston, Danny from W-Town, Jimmy from New Jersey, Erik from Breathtown, Po from Jersey, etc.) Fake characters that are voiced by Norton. Occasionally used to mock and insult bad guests on the phone or in the studio, Norton calls the show from another room doing an impression of a member of the staff before insulting the guest in the manner of a "Ramone" promo (see below). Steve from Yellowstone's memorable past victims include the American pop music group Hanson, current Foreigner lead singer Kelly Hansen, Charles Ross who performs the One Man Star Wars Trilogy, Korey Rowe (the producer of 9-11 conspiracy documentary Loose Change), and Louisville, Kentucky radio station WXMA general manager Dale Schaefer.
- Gregg Hughes - Used by Opie when he wants to step "out of character" and speak as himself. Opie will introduce this character by saying "Hi this is Gregg Hughes, the actor that plays 'Opie' on the Opie and Anthony Show." This is usually followed by Opie saying something nice or sincere, as opposed to his normal mean-spirited comments.
- Tippy Tom - A homeless man from the streets of New York. Tippy Tom is a drunk homosexual, who once claimed to have AIDS, but has since retracted that statement. O&A once had him showered, given fresh clothes, a fresh haircut, and a shave. Currently, he is still homeless, he is "AIDS free" and has introduced Grey Wolf to the show. He is known to sing old songs and has been a part of "Homeless Radio".
- Grey Wolf - Grey Wolf is primarily known for his very popular song "Shelter Me", an improvised song about Tippy Tom's life. Combined with Dru Boogie's background music, the song has received moderate success, even receiving play on XM's Blues Channel and leaving fans demanding a longer, complete version. As of now, there is no complete studio version because, according to Dru Boogie, Grey Wolf has trouble hitting his notes.
- Louis "Twitchels" Centanni - A comic who has Tourette's Syndrome. Nicknamed "Twitchels" by Nicole Richie. Often paired with Big A to conduct weekly news reviews on the show. He is compelled to jump when the word "jump" is spoken or written. Twitchels also has obsessive compulsive disorder and has many unusual habits associated with it - if you set a bag of Almond Joy candy bars in front of him, no matter how many there are, he has to eat them all until he vomits. Has made appearances on The Tonight show with Jay Leno. He will also be featured in an episode of MTV's series True Life.
- Gangsta Fag - Known originally as Twisted G, Joe Rogan's friend discovered this hardcore gay rapper at a gay pride parade, and brought the CD into the show. Eventually, Gangsta Fag himself called in to the show, and still calls in occasionally.
XM Friends
- Eric Logan Toppenberg — Vice President of Programming for XM (aka E-Lo). Commonly goes by his middle name Logan as his last. Eric often stops by the studio or calls in for a "Location Check". He often discusses future technology or talent coming to XM. He has appeared on the Donald Trump reality show "The Apprentice". His haircut is usually mocked jokingly by O&A but recently has become more hip.
- Bruce Kelly — Former XM 80's Morning Show DJ. He left the company in October 2005 in order to care for his father, who is ill. To celebrate his career with XM, O&A played a song, interset with sound bites from Kelly's various call-ins on the show.
- The Broadminded Girls — Broadminded is a show on XM155 Take Five. The hosts have appeared on the show and plan to do so again. Christine has repeatedly expressed interest in Norton. Christine also was put in charge of Oscar coverage and was compelled to apologize after giving a lackluster report.
- Rob Dibble — Dibble hosts "The Show" with Kevin Kennedy on XM175 MLB Home Plate during the afternoon drive. Dibble calls in to the show occasionally.
- Dee Dee Grucelski — Grucelski does traffic on XM. She was formerly the voice of Cricket on XM Kids, but taken off the channel due to the revealing of her kinky side.
- Don "Wicky" Wicklin — Director of Programming, High Voltage, XM202 — Oversees day-to-day operations of High Voltage, including putting requests for technical repairs, allocating resources for the two programs on the station, and arraging remote broadcasts [link]. Wicklin goes by the nickname of "Wicky."
- Mad Mexican - Host of a Spanish-music program on XM Radio. The Mad Mexican works at the XM studios in Washington, DC, so he only appears on the show when O&A make trips down to DC to broadcast. He promotes O&A occasionally on his own show as well.
- Coolguy -a ham and egger D.J. who ridiculed the boys by bashing them on his show, broadcast on XM's Boneyard channel after Liquid Metal left the satellite feed and went only to XM Online. How he became an XM Friend is still something of a mystery to many listeners since he has never explained why he attacked the show. Jim Norton recounts that he was listening to Coolguy's program and found it enjoyable. He said he no longer considers Coolguy an enemy.
Celebrity and Comedian Friends
- Dr. Ian Smith - M.D. who has a diet program, centered around a book, called the "Fat Smash Diet". Has appeared on the show several times, often just to hang instead of promoting. Dr. Smith is most famous for being the nutritionist on the VH1 series "Celebrity Fit Club". Most significantly, Dr. Smith appeared on the show in June on a moment's notice to dispell the suggestion that he and friend Michael Strahan of the NY Giants were homosexual lovers, which had been published in the NY press after Strahan's estranged wife suggested it. After Smith threatened legal action on the show, Strahan's ex-wife recanted the statement.
- Dru Boogie - A mix artist who has contributed to the show since the WNEW days. Appears more often on the XM show now, doing live mixes, typically before O&A go on a vacation and occasionally on Fridays throughout the year.
- Bill Burr - Boston comedian Bill Burr is a frequent guest on the program. He created a popular bit on the show when he and Norton attended Ozzfest in 2005. Burr introduced himself to many bandmembers performing at Ozzfest and requested that they record Public Service Announcements for the O&A show. When Norton left in the fall to begin filming Lucky Louie, Burr began to sit-in frequently as the third mic. While he does bring new bits and phrases to the show, he is more importantly known as a "bit-ruiner."
- Rich Vos - Vos was introduced to the show by Norton on the WNEW version. The Rich Vos Roast was a very popular bit on the show. Rich Vos is continually made fun of for being a hack comic but durring his live appearances he is quick and funny. Rich Vos sometimes does the "Starbucks Comedy Tour" where he is announced by Club Soda Kenny and does stand-up for 5 minutes at a random coffee shop along the street between the CBS studios and the XM studios. His small fingers and the cyst behind his ear are common areas of disgust when talking with him.
- Patrice O'Neal - O'Neal was introduced to the show by Vos on the WNEW version, but did not become a frequent guest until the XM program. O'Neal often fills in as the third mic when Norton leaves New York for various gigs. His other claim to fame on the show is his view on relationships and women which has earned him the nickname "Black Dr. Phil". In March 2006, Patrice was given his own show on XM on High Voltage on Saturday nights. Opie sat-in on the shows, guiding Patrice so he can learn to run a show himself. The show is not yet an official part of the XM platform, as Patrice is busy with both his stand-up gigs and his work on VH1's Web Junk 20 program. However, the show aired its 3rd episode April 22nd, 2006, a day after Patrice began negotiating a deal for an ongoing "Black Philip" show with E-Lo live on the O&A show. The agreement isn't yet formal but Patrice and E-Lo discussed a 3 hour weekly show running 9-12 p.m. Eastern time on Thursdays.
- Robert Kelly - Kelly is a stand-up, who is a regular guest on the XM program as well. His well-known stories include his embarrassing moment with Jerry Seinfeld and the endless references to the incident in which he broke his knee on the Tourgasm tour. He has also sat-in for Norton when he was out of town.
- Colin Quinn - Former SNL star and host of Tough Crowd. Quinn is known for stopping in occasionally, sometimes unannounced. Quinn is good friends with many of the comics, who appear often on the show, including Norton, Rich Vos, Robert Kelly, and Patrice O'Neal. Quinn is a favorite of O&A for often stopping in just to hang with O&A on air. He even frequently refuses to promote his own gigs on air.
- Adam Ferrara - Ferrara is an old friend of Cumia's. Ferrara stops by the show infrequently, occasionally as the third mic, sitting in for all four hours. He also appears when he is performing at Caroline's in New York, which is located near the O&A studio.
- Tony Nominated Stephen Lynch (comedian) - Singing comedian who appears on the show and performs original songs, including popular "Special Ed", "If I Were Gay", "Bowling Song", and "Full Blown AIDS". His career was given a major early boost by O&A and he will now appear in the Broadway adaptation of the Tony nominated The Wedding Singer.
- Brian Regan - Regan was often quoted on the show, resulting in much of his material becoming very popular with O&A fans. Regan typically stops in when promoting a Caroline's performance.
- Jay Mohr - Mohr was a significant part of the show on WNEW when it was on in the afternoon. However, Mohr lives in Los Angeles, so the early start time of the program at 7 a.m. EST has made it difficult for Mohr to become regularly involved with the show. Mohr does appear when he is in New York and calls in on occasion.
- Joe Rogan - Rogan first met Hughes during O&A's hiatus from radio before the XM show began. Hughes has said that he only knew Rogan from his job hosting Fear Factor and had no idea he was a standup comedian. Hughes also complimented Rogan's comedy. Rogan has appeared several times on XM, including a notable appearance when he ranted on a feud of his with Carlos Mencia after Mencia insulted Rogan on The Frank Show, in Tucson, AZ.
- Frank Caliendo - MADtv star Caliendo has appeared on the O&A program on XM. Caliendo is known for performing accurate impressions of, among others, John Madden and George W. Bush.
- Ralphie May - May's first appearance on O&A was a call-in on WNEW when May commented on the Dice vs. Jay Mohr feud, which was caused by Dice's accusations that Mohr stole his material to use on The Conan O'Brien Show. May does not appear often, as he is in Los Angeles for most of the year.
- Carlos Mencia - Mencia's most notable involvement with the O&A show was his feud with Joe Rogan.
- Richard Cheese - Lounge singer Cheese often performs his songs on the program. Cheese is known for singing lounge versions of popular songs, ranging from "Brass Monkey" to "Rape Me" to "Shitdick".
- Maury Povich - Povich has been an occasional guest on the show since WNEW days. Cumia often performs his impression of Povich when he is on the show. Due to his involvement with the show, Povich booked one of O&A's freak characters, Stalker Patti, to appear on his program to receive a makeover.
- Denis Leary - Leary has appeared on the program several times, most recently promoting his Comedy Central Christmas special. He has also appeared promoting the new season of Rescue Me.
- Greg Proops - Proops is a comic who has made several appearances on the program. Proops is known for espousing left-wing political views, which usually result in debates with both Norton and Cumia, both of whom have more right-leaning points of view.
- Jim Gaffigan - Gaffigan appears on occasion. He most recently appeared promoting his new DVD Beyond the Pale, on which he thanked O&A
- Otto and George - A ventriloqust known for his performances with his extremely foul-mouthed dummy.
- Keith Robinson -- Robinson is a New York-based comedian. He has appeared on the show on XM. One of his more memorable lines on the show was when he said of Norton, "If the cops arrested him, they wouldn't use cuffs, they would use garbage-bag ties."
- Billy Connolly -- Scottish comedian who has recently appeared on both the Terrestrial and XM shows.
Radio Friends
- Ron & Fez — Became friends with O&A when they aired after Opie and Anthony on WNEW. They began airing on XM Satellite Radio on High Voltage 11-2 p.m. EST in September 2005. Since O&A's syndication deal with CBS Radio, Ron and Fez's time slot has been moved to 12-3 p.m. EST with a replay at 12-3 a.m.
- Brother Wease — Opie's radio mentor and hardcore liberal. Still works for Infinity Broadcasting in Rochester and has locked horns with Howard Stern as well.
- BJ Shea - Radio host in Seattle. O&A love his show and are friends with him.
- Cowhead & Brent — During their last week on the air, the Cowhead and Brent show of Tampa made a gutsy move of calling Opie and Anthony live on air asking for a golden ticket. Both shows exchanged very positive comments and plugs.
- Lazlow — Friend of the show who provides the occasional production pieces. Lazlow used to work for WXRK in New York hosting a weekly talk show. Is the host of the Technofiles which is syndcated as a commercial to radio stations nationwide, including XM Radio. He has done one saturday show on High Voltage that had acclaim.
- Sean Hannity — Unlikely friend and supporter of the show. Despite his conservative views, enjoys and respects the show and was a vocal opponent of their show being cancelled after Sex for Sam III. He conducted an interview with Howard Stern in which Howard Stern finally admitted on air to the gag-order against O&A durring their stint at WNEW.
- Don Imus - O&A loves Imus, who is a huge supporter of their program. Imus often wears Opie and Anthony t-shirts live on his show, which is televised live on MSNBC. He once told the gang that he was going to call them and he never did, and Opie stayed by the phone for a long time. A regular character on Imus' show is Brian Wilson (Rob Bartlett). Bartlett's character mainly promotes the O&A show, mentioning the name "Opie" frequently and wearing an Opie and Anthony shirt. Both shows have axes to grind with Howard Stern (see below).
- Jim Breuer — Hosts a show on Sirius and cannot appear on their show due to contractual reasons. Breuer wished to be on XM with O&A, but XM did not show enough interest and made a very weak offer. Breuer loves Opie and Anthony and thanks them often on his new show for always encouraging him and helping his career a great deal.
- Scorch and the Naked Militia - Scorch currently hosts a show on 105.1 FM in Syracuse, New York.[link] Scorch's history with Opie and Anthony can be traced back to their days together as hosts on WAAF-FM in Boston. Opie and Anthony have appeared live on Scorch's current show on occasion and reminisced about their days in Boston, the Kingdom of Nakedness (Scorch's precursor to the Naked Militia) and Scorch's gravely voice.
- Don and Mike – Once an "enemy" from the WNEW days (see above), they began working together as friends, offering a united front against Howard Stern's attacks on WNEW. Both shows (Opie & Anthony and Don & Mike) portray themselves as satirizing “Morning Zoo” radio shows, and occasionally both have made it clear that what happens on the air isn’t necessarily what’s really going on. In 2003, for example, Don Geronimo came out to publicly criticize Infinity for “sitting on” O&A”’s contracts, saying that they should be allowed to have their careers. And in August 2005, following the death of Don’s wife, Freda, Opie, Anthony and Jim Norton did extend their condolences for Don’s loss, and spoke at length about the differences between real life and doing a radio show. After Opie and Anthony return to CBS radio, the boys no longer considered Don and Mike an enemy, more of a past enemy with diplomatic ties currently.
Radio Enemies
- Howard Stern - During Opie and Anthony's WNEW days, Stern had a gag order put on Opie and Anthony to stop them from joking him or his family. [link] He also was quoted as saying "That's right. I believe in censoring anyone who is my enemy," as well as, "I believe in censorship when it benefits me." Opie and Anthony also dispute Stern's claims that other broadcasters steal his material, claiming that Stern himself has used bits from other jocks. Commonly called "Hoo Hoo" by Opie and Anthony and show callers, this name is a spoof on Stern's laugh. Opie and Anthony's recent return to free radio took over his initial time slot (vacated by presumed "fall guy" David Lee Roth[link]).
- Tom Leykis - During Opie and Anthonys days on WNEW, Tom Leykis was syndicated on a spot directly after the duo. Tom Leykis allegedly stole Whip 'em Out Wednesday and changed it to Flash Friday for radio listeners along the Pacific Coast. He temporarily took over their spot after they were cancelled from WNEW.
- Mancow - Another O&A radio enemy in addition to being almost every other jock's radio enemy. Supposedly stole W.O.W. and changed it to Wip it Out Wednesdays but brought it to Chicago. Also spoke madly to the media about O&A after the Sex For Sam 3 incident. He's referred to by names like "Mancock" and "Manqueer."
- Lex and Terry — Opie and Anthony played a clip of their show on-air and critiqued the bit saying they didn't punch out early enough. Then Lex and Terry began attacking Opie and Anthony on the air the next day. The feud has actually been been on-again off-again over the years, and the pair are still listed on Opie's "F***-O List", which is a running list of people O&A can't stand in radio, often classifying them as "idea thieves", backstabbers, liars, and hacks. At one point, Lex and Terry claimed O&A stole their idea for Whip 'Em Out Wednesdays (WOW), but Lex and Terry had no proof whatsoever and O&A laughed it off. The O&A Pests at one point put out a bounty for differing missions in order to successfully disrupt their show. Lex and Terry have been picked up by XM and began airing through syndication on XM "Extreme" 152 on November 28, 2005 as part of the ongoing deal with Clear Channel owning time on XM.
- Russ Martin — Claimed that Opie was sending him emails saying that he would take their timeslot. Later it was proven that the emails sent had a different IP address than Opie's computer. To this day Russ still says that Opie wrote those emails after hearing the proof that he didn't.
- Bubba the Love Sponge — Joined XM's competitor Sirius. O&A said they didn't want him on "their" satellite radio company. The actual offending status between Bubba and O&A is unknown, and there may have never been bad blood between the two shows, but as an employee of Howard Stern, Bubba is now considered fair game. Notably, Bubba once considered himself enemies with Howard Stern. Bubba has publicly challenged to fight both Opie and Anthony at the same time in any forum they choose on his Sirius show Bubba The Love Sponge, including bare fisted fighting or fighting under UFC rules which led to Opie using the famous quote, "I'm a black ninja, f***face!", which is now used in several of the show's promos. Bubba has made this open threat and invitation to Opie and Anthony many times since his debut at Sirius on January 9th, 2006.
- Shannon Burke — Shannon Burke got word that he was going to be kicked off of XM Satellite Radio. He is originally on WTKS-FM. Once he heard this he said that he was funnier than the Opie and Anthony show. Then Opie and Anthony sent the callers to "attack" his phones. He caved easily; to the point where he was hanging up on his own callers.
- Scott Ferrall - Once a friend of O & A, when Ferrall took a job at Sirius, he sided with Stern and began to bash Opie and Anthony. After a number of comments provoking O & A, the pests were called upon to take care of him via call-ins to his trial shows on Sirius. Scott Ferrall is most known for his fast, nonsensical style of rambling which makes up the majority of his show.
- Jim Philips — Host of the Philips Phile Show at Clear Channel Talker WTKS/Orlando. After a war of words between O&A and Philips, O&A listeners flooded his show with calls and e-mails. Then they took the 'attack' to the next level by placing a billboard in Maitland, FL near the studios where Philips broadcasts. The sign read: "Mr. Philips, The Pests win, you lose! Good day sir. The Opie & Anthony Army. Commemorating the PatBattle of O-Town."
- Preston and Steve - Morning Zoo Crew on WMMR in Philadelphia. Considered now to be the #1 enemy on terrestrial radio, 2nd overall to Howard Stern. Opie has often instructed the O&A pests to attack at will in the Philadelphia area. Opie and Anthony are on against Preston and Steve via the CBS Radio station WYSP.
Former friends and characters
In June 1998, they were back on the air on the New York station WNEW-FM. O&A began to gain popularity on this station, becoming the number one afternoon drive show in New York by 2000. In 2001, O&A signed a three year, $30 million dollar syndication deal with Infinity Broadcasting to syndicate their show to 22 markets around the country. This included WBCN in Boston, a rival of the station that fired O&A earlier in their careers. Within a year, they were number one in several markets, including Boston. Former friend of the show Andrew Dice Clay then introduced O&A to Jim Norton, a comedian who toured with Clay and opened for him. Norton was a hit on the show and soon became a show regular of the O&A program, appearing three or four days of the week.
O&A hosted the short-lived XFL Gameday - the pregame show for Vince McMahon's startup football league - for four weeks in February 2001. The half-hour show aired on Saturday nights in select NBC affiliates across the country prior to the beginning of the evening's games. The show was taped on Wednesdays at the WWF's theme restaurant in Times Square, and was open to the public. It featured analysis by WNBC sportscaster Bruce Beck and NY/NJ Hitmen head coach Rusty Tillman. However, it also featured plenty of raunch. One particular segment featured O&A as chefs, inserting a cucumber in between two melons. O&A were almost banned from Giants Stadium for life during the filming of one episode when they imitated a proposed XFL rule where first possession was determined by placing the ball at midfield and having two opposing team-members attempt to get it. O&A did this as the Star-Spangled Banner began to play before a game. They said that the $100,000 cost of making each new show was the cause of its demise, though no official reason was given for its cancellation.
Sex for Sam III
In August 2002, O&A were cancelled for the "Sex For Sam 3" stunt. Sex for Sam was a yearly contest O&A held in which the goal was to have sex in notable public places. Couples from various states would be chosen to compete in the competition and each couple would be followed by a comedian or member of the show, who would call into the program to report the location. The contest was approved by the station and had been held without a major problem for the first two years. However, one comedian made the decision to lead his couple to have sex in a vestibule in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Contrary to most media reports, O&A did not broadcast the couple having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral. In fact, none of the couples were broadcast engaging in intercourse. The incident was mentioned as taking place by Paul Mercurio, the comedian watching the couple. When a security guard approached Mercurio and told him that he and the couple must leave immediately, Mercurio began to argue with the security guard, causing the guard to contact the police. The couple was placed under arrest and charged with public lewdness. Intense media scrutiny led to the Catholic League taking offense and demanding that O&A be fired. O&A broadcasted for one more day, but were not permitted to refer to the incident for legal reasons. Infinity Broadcasting then cancelled the Opie and Anthony Show.
Notwithstanding media coverage claiming that O&A were fired, in actuality the pair were still under contract. Therefore, O&A continued to draw a salary from Infinity while not being permitted to broadcast. O&A were given a chance to be let go from their contract if they signed another contract stating that they could never talk about present and past Infinity Broadcasting employees or management but they declined the offer. After waiting for two years for their contract to expire, O&A announced on August 3 2004 that they had signed with XM Satellite Radio, where they would not be subject to FCC guidelines. They began broadcasting on October 4 2004 with Norton as the third member of the team. They are one of the first major programs to be broadcast exclusively on satellite radio, referring to themselves as The Pioneers of Satellite Radio.
Because of the Sex for Sam 3 incident, they had stated that their contracts with XM Satellite Radio were renewed yearly (though this has since changed, as stated but unclarified on the program). Though the Catholic League made their disdain for this act known and were a driving force in the removal of O&A from WNEW; they believed that the show is sincerely apologetic for their prior acts and wished them a successful run on their simulcast venture with CBS and XM Radio.[link]
Opie and Anthony began broadcasting on October 4, 2004 exclusively for XM after 2 years of being off the air. Due to XM's fear of a boycott or backlash, they were put on a premium service($1.99/month extra)but given their own channel, High Voltage 202. After a few months, it was decided to put channel 202 "High Voltage" on the regular XM format and the extra charge for the show was dropped. Anthony stated in June 2006 that Opie and Anthony signed with XM for an additional two years, in addition to the two years left on their contract. O&A are therefore under contract with XM through at least 2009.
About the show
Opie and Anthony observe and comment on American social and popular culture. Their "cringe" style of entertainment, which has received support from listeners, has earned them the sobriquet of "shock jocks". Hughes, Cumia, and Norton broadcast for five to six hours every weekday morning, taking virtually no breaks during the second half of the program, broadcast on XM. The show has few limits, and covers a wide array of topics. The show is very interactive, with a great deal of show time being given to fans calling in, and sound bites sent in from listeners. Some of the more hardcore O&A fans, nicknamed "Pests", have been known to go to extreme lengths to promote the show in a grassroots effort. Friends and regular guests on the show include Adam Ferrara, Bill Burr, Patrice O'Neal, Brian Regan, Robert Kelly, and Rich Vos, all of whom have substituted for Norton when he has left New York for various reasons related to his stand-up comedy work and acting. Other frequent guests include Colin Quinn, Stephen Lynch, Joe Rogan, and Jay Mohr. On the show, Cumia is known for his impressions of people such as Popeye, Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Brokaw, Ronald Reagan, Mike Tyson, Tony Danza, Christopher Reeve, Robert Reed, Regis Philbin, Don Imus, and Howard Stern. While O&A's style and jokes typically target males in the 18-35 age range. Initially, the show was offered to XM subscribers at a premium cost of $1.99 a month. In April 2005, "High Voltage" became part of the basic XM subscription. There are no numbers available with respect to the number of premium subscribers. Hughes gave some indication, however, when he told the Long Island Press in 2006, "we went from having a show that was syndicated in 17 major markets to having a few thousand."
After a successful 18-month run on XM, The Opie and Anthony Show is now simulcast on XM Radio and Free FM/CBS Radio from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (and on some days up to noon), the show will be broadcast exclusively on XM Radio. XM listeners will be able to hear the show uncensored the entire time, however from the 6 - 9 slot, the FM-only listeners will hear a version of the show adhering to FCC guidelines. [link] In the initial preliminary Arbitrend ratings released since their move to terrestrial radio, the Opie and Anthony show doubled Free FM's ratings in the New York City market in the month of May[link]. In Philadelphia O&A achieved a threefold increase in the month of May over David Lee Roth's April performance with listeners, ages 18-34[link][link]. In Boston, they doubled the listeners of all ages, and achieved an even larger increase in younger demographics [link].
Staff
- Ben Sparks, Executive Producer (aka Hurricane Ben, Ol' Gravy Leg) - Has worked with O&A for many years. During the show's hiatus, worked for the "Little Doggie Company". Known for an excessive amount of movements, which O&A call "herking and jerking". Received his nickname for eating sushi and getting an extreme case of diarrhea. Loves to gossip and knows everything about Boston. Likes to sit at a computer and read gossip, highlighting text for no apparent reason. Also known for talking about Tom Brady doing "blow". Popular soundbytes: Ben snoring.
- Steve Carlesi, Producer (aka Martini Steve, Steve C) - Like Ben, Steve has worked with O&A for many years. He also runs FoundryMusic.com, which covers Opie and Anthony news, music (especially metal) news, and porn industry news. Steve reviews all of the latest porn, music, etc. and interviews members of top bands for the website. Known as a "Cozy Bear with a Sweet Face," sound clips of Steve saying "GRRR!" are often played to accentuate his bear-like features. Norton once called him a "perfectly enunciating boob" for his use of perfect diction. He drives a Toyota Prius. Popular soundbytes: GRRR!; Nonononononono!; Th...that's terrible, I...I'm sorry.
- Erik Nagel, Producer (aka E-Rock, Sex Bagel, or Hawk) - Hired from Day 1 of the show coming to XM Radio. Often the sound clip, "I bring nothing to the table" is played during his appearances on mic. Won $100,000 in a contest held by the New York Daily News. Erock's choice of food (especially his overuse of mayonnaise) is usually brought up due to his extremely high cholesterol level. Is also known to have extremely bad breath. Also a huge Paula Abdul fan and her music is played as a music bed during his introductions. The other staff members frequently bash him, sometimes unfairly. Popular soundbytes: Is this on?; I bring nothing to the table.; I don't know. His heroes include his father, Hulk Hogan, and Opie.
- Nathaniel Bryan, Associate Producer (aka Than) — Joined the show as an intern when it resumed airing in October 2004, and was hired full-time in May 2005. Than prefers to use dry wit and sarcasm for humor. Also is a comic. O&A and the other staff members often use the phrase "Than-tastic" if something is in reference to him.
- Travis, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. No one really knows what Travis does, but he is another target of frequent bashing by the cast and staff. Many believe he screens the phone calls.
- Danny Ross, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. Danny originally started as a writer for Foundry Music and Carlesi brought him on board as an intern.
- Derek, Associate Producer — Former intern who became a regular staff member. Derek does not appear on the show to the same extent as the rest of the staff, as his primary responsibilities include finding and playing music clips and sound bites for the show. Derek is considered the most likely to be highly promoted in the XM corporation.
- Club Soda Kenny, Security - Former police officer that handles security matters in studio. Is often ridiculed for his "oafish" demeanor. Supposedly suffers from OCD
- Master Po, Security - Head of security. Very profecient in the martial arts. Spending 36 years in various methods of Aikido, Arnis, Karate, Kung Fu, Hapkido and Ju-Jitsu. Additional Training includes, Fencing, Boxing, Kick-boxing, and Grappling. He is also Master of weapons in Kali. If a situation looks to be getting dangerous he gets involved. Only very few occasions have forced him to enter the studio or get involved in an incident. The most notable being when he tackled a Stern fan that pushed producer Ben Sparks on the "walk over" from Free Fm. Theme song to The Karate Kid is played occasionally when he enters the studio.
\"Characters\" of the Show
- Big Kev — Big Kev is the "Resident Geek" of the show. While not an official staff member, Kev has done a great deal behind the scenes over the years, more than most people know about. In addition to booking guests, Kev has been an active participant in bit creation, security, and various other show activities. Big Kev also has a show, "Big Kev's Geek Stuff", currently available online, with a new episode each week at [Big Kev's Geek Stuff], where he and his show partner, Matt, and their producer, "Mr. Fantastic", discuss all relevant topics of the geek world, with a sharp, uncensored, unflinching view. Big Kev also occasionally writes a column on FoundryMusic.com called "Critical Toys", where he reviews the latest in toys and collectibles. The column appears on other websites as well. [Kev's own website] will re-launch on 7/21/06, where he will expand the column into a daily exploration of things that he finds interesting, such as movies, comics, toys, collectibles, games and dozens of others.
- Pat from Moonachie (Patrick Philbin) — A 42-year old, 300-pound self-employed courier with 9 toes (due to diabetes), who became a friend after winning O&A's first annual Egg Nog Drinking Contest. Philbin consumed 70 double shots of egg nog and subsequently vomited. He is now a competitive eater, ranked 15th in the world by the [I.F.O.C.E.]and placed 10th in Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.
- Stalker Patti — A 50-year old virgin who is often subjected to degrading humilation on the show. She used to live in the studio at WNEW under the stairs for a period of time. Since then she got a job a Godiva Chocolates but was fired when new management decided to use her as a fall girl. She also appeared on the Maury show in November 2005. Recently she has pleasured herself on air.
- Sandy Kane — A 62-year old burlesque dancer. Her claim to fame on air is a genital wart that is referred to by O&A as "Twatto" (due to its resemblance to Total Recall's Quato). She does a TV show on a public access channel and does live song parodies.
- Big A (Andrew) — A very tall, very overweight Bronx cab driver with a speech impediment (especially the "st" sound), bad teeth, and supposedly horrid smelling breath.
- G. Yogurt Liddy — Not a real person, but an actual yogurt lid from Norton's daily yogurt cup. Originally was made to impersonate XM personality G. Gordon Liddy, but has since been used as a device to parody rival Howard Stern. Currently does not appear anymore as the yogurt company has discontinued the lids.
- Lady Di and Marian (AKA the Retarded Laverne and Shirley) — Avid fans of the show who call in frequently. Best friends since high school, they have some of their own sayings that make sense to nobody else (ie, "Ying yang party!"). They do not have XM receivers and theforefore their appearances have been intermitent recently. Lady Di has an alcohol problem, and as of April 2006 she is homeless. Marian has given up on her. Her whereabouts are currently unknown.
- Wheelchair Fred — A motorcycle accident victim who lost the use of his legs and uses a wheelchair. He came to the O&A show when they were on WAAF in Boston and has made subsequent appearances since O&A joined XM, including, most notably, a solo self-penetration performance using a simulated organ in the bathtub. He also is famous for falling down during a "laying of hands" by Anthony Cumia and also being so desperate for love as to engage in homosexual activities. His inability to speak correctly is a source of amusement.
- Steve from Yellowstone — (AKA Ben from Boston, Danny from W-Town, Jimmy from New Jersey, Erik from Breathtown, Po from Jersey, etc.) Fake characters that are voiced by Norton. Occasionally used to mock and insult bad guests on the phone or in the studio, Norton calls the show from another room doing an impression of a member of the staff before insulting the guest in the manner of a "Ramone" promo (see below). Steve from Yellowstone's memorable past victims include the American pop music group Hanson, current Foreigner lead singer Kelly Hansen, Charles Ross who performs the One Man Star Wars Trilogy, Korey Rowe (the producer of 9-11 conspiracy documentary Loose Change), and Louisville, Kentucky radio station WXMA general manager Dale Schaefer.
- Gregg Hughes - Used by Opie when he wants to step "out of character" and speak as himself. Opie will introduce this character by saying "Hi this is Gregg Hughes, the actor that plays 'Opie' on the Opie and Anthony Show." This is usually followed by Opie saying something nice or sincere, as opposed to his normal mean-spirited comments.
- Tippy Tom - A homeless man from the streets of New York. Tippy Tom is a drunk homosexual, who once claimed to have AIDS, but has since retracted that statement. O&A once had him showered, given fresh clothes, a fresh haircut, and a shave. Currently, he is still homeless, he is "AIDS free" and has introduced Grey Wolf to the show. He is known to sing old songs and has been a part of "Homeless Radio".
- Grey Wolf - Grey Wolf is primarily known for his very popular song "Shelter Me", an improvised song about Tippy Tom's life. Combined with Dru Boogie's background music, the song has received moderate success, even receiving play on XM's Blues Channel and leaving fans demanding a longer, complete version. As of now, there is no complete studio version because, according to Dru Boogie, Grey Wolf has trouble hitting his notes.
- Louis "Twitchels" Centanni - A comic who has Tourette's Syndrome. Nicknamed "Twitchels" by Nicole Richie. Often paired with Big A to conduct weekly news reviews on the show. He is compelled to jump when the word "jump" is spoken or written. Twitchels also has obsessive compulsive disorder and has many unusual habits associated with it - if you set a bag of Almond Joy candy bars in front of him, no matter how many there are, he has to eat them all until he vomits. Has made appearances on The Tonight show with Jay Leno. He will also be featured in an episode of MTV's series True Life.
- Gangsta Fag - Known originally as Twisted G, Joe Rogan's friend discovered this hardcore gay rapper at a gay pride parade, and brought the CD into the show. Eventually, Gangsta Fag himself called in to the show, and still calls in occasionally.
XM Friends
- Eric Logan Toppenberg — Vice President of Programming for XM (aka E-Lo). Commonly goes by his middle name Logan as his last. Eric often stops by the studio or calls in for a "Location Check". He often discusses future technology or talent coming to XM. He has appeared on the Donald Trump reality show "The Apprentice". His haircut is usually mocked jokingly by O&A but recently has become more hip.
- Bruce Kelly — Former XM 80's Morning Show DJ. He left the company in October 2005 in order to care for his father, who is ill. To celebrate his career with XM, O&A played a song, interset with sound bites from Kelly's various call-ins on the show.
- The Broadminded Girls — Broadminded is a show on XM155 Take Five. The hosts have appeared on the show and plan to do so again. Christine has repeatedly expressed interest in Norton. Christine also was put in charge of Oscar coverage and was compelled to apologize after giving a lackluster report.
- Rob Dibble — Dibble hosts "The Show" with Kevin Kennedy on XM175 MLB Home Plate during the afternoon drive. Dibble calls in to the show occasionally.
- Dee Dee Grucelski — Grucelski does traffic on XM. She was formerly the voice of Cricket on XM Kids, but taken off the channel due to the revealing of her kinky side.
- Don "Wicky" Wicklin — Director of Programming, High Voltage, XM202 — Oversees day-to-day operations of High Voltage, including putting requests for technical repairs, allocating resources for the two programs on the station, and arraging remote broadcasts [link]. Wicklin goes by the nickname of "Wicky."
- Mad Mexican - Host of a Spanish-music program on XM Radio. The Mad Mexican works at the XM studios in Washington, DC, so he only appears on the show when O&A make trips down to DC to broadcast. He promotes O&A occasionally on his own show as well.
- Coolguy -a ham and egger D.J. who ridiculed the boys by bashing them on his show, broadcast on XM's Boneyard channel after Liquid Metal left the satellite feed and went only to XM Online. How he became an XM Friend is still something of a mystery to many listeners since he has never explained why he attacked the show. Jim Norton recounts that he was listening to Coolguy's program and found it enjoyable. He said he no longer considers Coolguy an enemy.
Celebrity and Comedian Friends
- Dr. Ian Smith - M.D. who has a diet program, centered around a book, called the "Fat Smash Diet". Has appeared on the show several times, often just to hang instead of promoting. Dr. Smith is most famous for being the nutritionist on the VH1 series "Celebrity Fit Club". Most significantly, Dr. Smith appeared on the show in June on a moment's notice to dispell the suggestion that he and friend Michael Strahan of the NY Giants were homosexual lovers, which had been published in the NY press after Strahan's estranged wife suggested it. After Smith threatened legal action on the show, Strahan's ex-wife recanted the statement.
- Dru Boogie - A mix artist who has contributed to the show since the WNEW days. Appears more often on the XM show now, doing live mixes, typically before O&A go on a vacation and occasionally on Fridays throughout the year.
- Bill Burr - Boston comedian Bill Burr is a frequent guest on the program. He created a popular bit on the show when he and Norton attended Ozzfest in 2005. Burr introduced himself to many bandmembers performing at Ozzfest and requested that they record Public Service Announcements for the O&A show. When Norton left in the fall to begin filming Lucky Louie, Burr began to sit-in frequently as the third mic. While he does bring new bits and phrases to the show, he is more importantly known as a "bit-ruiner."
- Rich Vos - Vos was introduced to the show by Norton on the WNEW version. The Rich Vos Roast was a very popular bit on the show. Rich Vos is continually made fun of for being a hack comic but durring his live appearances he is quick and funny. Rich Vos sometimes does the "Starbucks Comedy Tour" where he is announced by Club Soda Kenny and does stand-up for 5 minutes at a random coffee shop along the street between the CBS studios and the XM studios. His small fingers and the cyst behind his ear are common areas of disgust when talking with him.
- Patrice O'Neal - O'Neal was introduced to the show by Vos on the WNEW version, but did not become a frequent guest until the XM program. O'Neal often fills in as the third mic when Norton leaves New York for various gigs. His other claim to fame on the show is his view on relationships and women which has earned him the nickname "Black Dr. Phil". In March 2006, Patrice was given his own show on XM on High Voltage on Saturday nights. Opie sat-in on the shows, guiding Patrice so he can learn to run a show himself. The show is not yet an official part of the XM platform, as Patrice is busy with both his stand-up gigs and his work on VH1's Web Junk 20 program. However, the show aired its 3rd episode April 22nd, 2006, a day after Patrice began negotiating a deal for an ongoing "Black Philip" show with E-Lo live on the O&A show. The agreement isn't yet formal but Patrice and E-Lo discussed a 3 hour weekly show running 9-12 p.m. Eastern time on Thursdays.
- Robert Kelly - Kelly is a stand-up, who is a regular guest on the XM program as well. His well-known stories include his embarrassing moment with Jerry Seinfeld and the endless references to the incident in which he broke his knee on the Tourgasm tour. He has also sat-in for Norton when he was out of town.
- Colin Quinn - Former SNL star and host of Tough Crowd. Quinn is known for stopping in occasionally, sometimes unannounced. Quinn is good friends with many of the comics, who appear often on the show, including Norton, Rich Vos, Robert Kelly, and Patrice O'Neal. Quinn is a favorite of O&A for often stopping in just to hang with O&A on air. He even frequently refuses to promote his own gigs on air.
- Adam Ferrara - Ferrara is an old friend of Cumia's. Ferrara stops by the show infrequently, occasionally as the third mic, sitting in for all four hours. He also appears when he is performing at Caroline's in New York, which is located near the O&A studio.
- Tony Nominated Stephen Lynch (comedian) - Singing comedian who appears on the show and performs original songs, including popular "Special Ed", "If I Were Gay", "Bowling Song", and "Full Blown AIDS". His career was given a major early boost by O&A and he will now appear in the Broadway adaptation of the Tony nominated The Wedding Singer.
- Brian Regan - Regan was often quoted on the show, resulting in much of his material becoming very popular with O&A fans. Regan typically stops in when promoting a Caroline's performance.
- Jay Mohr - Mohr was a significant part of the show on WNEW when it was on in the afternoon. However, Mohr lives in Los Angeles, so the early start time of the program at 7 a.m. EST has made it difficult for Mohr to become regularly involved with the show. Mohr does appear when he is in New York and calls in on occasion.
- Joe Rogan - Rogan first met Hughes during O&A's hiatus from radio before the XM show began. Hughes has said that he only knew Rogan from his job hosting Fear Factor and had no idea he was a standup comedian. Hughes also complimented Rogan's comedy. Rogan has appeared several times on XM, including a notable appearance when he ranted on a feud of his with Carlos Mencia after Mencia insulted Rogan on The Frank Show, in Tucson, AZ.
- Frank Caliendo - MADtv star Caliendo has appeared on the O&A program on XM. Caliendo is known for performing accurate impressions of, among others, John Madden and George W. Bush.
- Ralphie May - May's first appearance on O&A was a call-in on WNEW when May commented on the Dice vs. Jay Mohr feud, which was caused by Dice's accusations that Mohr stole his material to use on The Conan O'Brien Show. May does not appear often, as he is in Los Angeles for most of the year.
- Carlos Mencia - Mencia's most notable involvement with the O&A show was his feud with Joe Rogan.
- Richard Cheese - Lounge singer Cheese often performs his songs on the program. Cheese is known for singing lounge versions of popular songs, ranging from "Brass Monkey" to "Rape Me" to "Shitdick".
- Maury Povich - Povich has been an occasional guest on the show since WNEW days. Cumia often performs his impression of Povich when he is on the show. Due to his involvement with the show, Povich booked one of O&A's freak characters, Stalker Patti, to appear on his program to receive a makeover.
- Denis Leary - Leary has appeared on the program several times, most recently promoting his Comedy Central Christmas special. He has also appeared promoting the new season of Rescue Me.
- Greg Proops - Proops is a comic who has made several appearances on the program. Proops is known for espousing left-wing political views, which usually result in debates with both Norton and Cumia, both of whom have more right-leaning points of view.
- Jim Gaffigan - Gaffigan appears on occasion. He most recently appeared promoting his new DVD Beyond the Pale, on which he thanked O&A
- Otto and George - A ventriloqust known for his performances with his extremely foul-mouthed dummy.
- Keith Robinson -- Robinson is a New York-based comedian. He has appeared on the show on XM. One of his more memorable lines on the show was when he said of Norton, "If the cops arrested him, they wouldn't use cuffs, they would use garbage-bag ties."
- Billy Connolly -- Scottish comedian who has recently appeared on both the Terrestrial and XM shows.
Radio Friends
- Andrew Dice Clay - The former popular comedian was once a friend of the show during Opie & Anthony's rise to the top at WNEW. The show helped promote his "comeback" by hosting a show at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Since their return to XM, Clay has been noticeably absent. Recently he made disparaging remarks about Opie & Anthony on both an FM radio show, and on Howard Stern's satellite radio show. The duo have laughed off his remarks and recently, thanks to the help from a show caller, Anthony created the immensely popular character "Andrew Dice Gay." There is even a MySpace page paying "homage" to the character.
- Lewis Black — When in NYC to promote a book, he went onto Howard Stern's show, yet did not go on O&A despite saying he would. Until he finally called the show, he was reviled for ignoring O&A, but Lewis is now back in the good graces of the boys. However, he no longer appears on the show. Currently Opie mentions how Lewis use to be on the show for hours but now has never been on since his phone call.
- Psycho Mark — He was fired due to an incident during the inaugural Sex for Sam. Was responsible for the final farewell phrase, "Your Mom's Box!"
- Paul Mercurio — Dead to the show after Sex for Sam 3. He was the spotter for the couple who had sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Largely blamed for O&A's firing from terrestrial radio because of his comments and aggressiveness that led to the couple's arrest when they got caught.
- Barry Williams — Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch. Hosts a daily radio show on Sirius so he can not appear on O&A.
- Rick Delgado — Producer for WNEW/syndicated show and brother to Opie's ex-girlfriend. Has since been re-hired and fired from WQHT (Hot 97) in New York and now works for Clear Channel in San Francisco. Rick purposely avoids contact with Opie and only talks to Anthony.
- Bernie Goetz - Bernie appeared on occasion on the WNEW-FM program. He also appeared on the XM version. He stopped appearing after Opie pretended to smash a CD of Bernie's on-air on an XM show. Goetz was furious and stormed out of the studio before Opie could tell Goetz that it was just a blank CD that had been smashed. Eventually, everything was explained to him, but to no avail. Goetz has had one brief call-in since then, but he no longer appears on the program.
- Spike - A dominatrix that used to hold WOW parties and organize WOW flashing road trips. Was eliminated from show when she got a little too greedy with the parties.
- Stinky AKA Awesome Garrett - Former call screener during WNEW.
- Frenchy - A loudmouthed French chef, he was a regular character on the WNEW show. First appeared on the show to cook rat for an eating contest. However, when the show moved to XM, Frenchy was not a successful character on the program and his appearances were rarely as funny as they were on the prior version of the show. He very rarely appears on the program.
- Spazz- Longtime intern and on air personality for the show, used to host a popular segment "K-Dawg's Week in Review." Eventually quit the show during WNEW, but tried to reapply during XM, when he was summarily told he was no longer welcome.
Recurring Bits Of The Show
Since returning to the airwaves on XM Satellite Radio, there have been many recurring bits of the show, some original and others continued from the days at WNEW-FM.Whip 'em Out Wednesdays (WOW)
O&A invented this promotional technique in May 1995. WOW was written on many bumper stickers and they encouraged all women to flash any person who had a WOW sticker. The promotional technique began on WAAF-FM in Boston and reached the point where an astonishing number of trucks in Massachusetts had either a WOW sticker or WOW written on the bumper. The bit has continued to grow since then and now spans across the country, since O&A now host a national program. There are "WOW Sticker Stops" at many locations throughout the country where WOW stickers are given away. They are also given at many Opie and Anthony events and can be ordered on their official website. However, due to popular demand, many requests from the website have gone unfulfilled. O&A have therefore said that the best way to get WOW stickers is to send a self addressed stamped envelope to their studios in New York. Howard Stern alleges this is yet another one of his innovations from his Washington D.C. days where he suggested guys tie bandanas around their car antennas so girls would, as he said "get naked" followed by prompting "Tell 'em Fred", which was met with silence by Fred, and has led to the subsequent usage of the familiar show term "Tell 'em Fred, hoo hoo hoo." To date, O&A have laughed it off and Stern has been unable to provide proof of this claim.The \"Walk Over\"
Since joining XM in October 2004, O&A had broadcast from the Steinway Building. As part of Opie and Anthony's 2006 return to terrestrial radio, CBS Radio required that the 6 - 9 am ET portion of the show originate from the studios of WFNY-FM, which is located only one block from XM. [link]. The solution was to broadcasting from WFNY for the first three hours, and from the Steinway (also known as the Economist) Building for the remainder of the show. The daily travel from WFNY to XM is broadcast exclusively on XM. This "Walk Over" has featured cross-promotions with the FX show Rescue Me, the rock band Def Leppard, and with the presence of video cameras, has provided the opportunity for Candid Camera-style pranks. On June 16, 2006, the "Walk Over" was disrupted by a Howard Stern fan who tried to out talk Opie and Anthony on the sidewalk, then assault a producer of the Opie and Anthony show.[link]Drunk Talk
Slowed down audio from the show, sounding like they're drunk. Originally taken from a drunk sounding clip from The Late Late Show hosted by Craig Ferguson.What Did We Learn
Among their frequent bits include "What Did We Learn", where the listeners call-in during the last few minutes of the show and say what they learned from the shockjocks that day. O&A devote less time to this bit since the move to XM, but it is still regularly recurring. This bit is almost non-existent at this time.Assault on the Media
An outgrowth of Opie and Anthony's response to the fear-mongering mentality discussed above, the goal of the AOTM campaign was to promote the show during live news shots while making reporters look somewhat ridiculous. O&A encouraged their fans to intervene in live news shots outdoors, either by displaying an O&A poster or jumping up and down, shouting something to the effect of "Opie and Anthony! XM Satellite Radio!"The AOTM campaign "unofficially" began in the summer of 2000 when a young woman by the name of Suzie was kind enough to flash the camera live on NBC's Today Show for Opie and Anthony. Over time, more and more fans were able to insert themselves into live-shots, and in July 2005, O&A officially began an AOTM Contest. Every month, they would provide prizes for the best Assault on the Media.
On May 19, 2005, WCBS-TV reporter Arthur Chi'en was doing a remote when O&A intern Nathaniel Bryan approached his broadcast and held up a poster for the show. Bryan and another man, who was later identified as Crazy Cabbie[link], made gestures towards the camera and repeated the show's name. When Chi'en finished his introduction, he promptly turned around and loudly asked Bryan, "What the fuck is your problem, man?" Chi'en may have thought that his director at the station had already cut him off and had started playing his recorded report, but this was not the case, and the audio went out live over the air. Chi'en apologized following the report, but was fired by the station later that day[link], as WCBS-TV has a zero-tolerance policy for obscenity. The sentence that got Chi'en fired became a popular saying on the show, and is repeated frequently, usually with a juvenile emphasis on the word "man." Chi'en resurfaced on WPIX-TV in August 2005 and remained a field reporter[link].
On the morning of December 6 2005, a fan apparently went too far. Attempting an AOTM, an O&A fan sounded an air horn during an NYC TV station's live news remote in New Jersey. Ocean Township police questioned the man, whom they would not identify, but no charges were filed; however the man faces a possible assault charge if the WABC-TV reporter, Anthony Johnson, suffered critical hearing damage.
Following the harassment, Acting Governor Richard J. Codey issued the following statement: "Encouraging fans to intervene in live news shots is inappropriate and dangerous. Today a fan sounded an air horn in a reporter's ear and this action may result in permanent hearing damage for the reporter who was harassed. Reporters are professionals who provide a great service to the public by delivering news. They should be treated with respect and not antagonized as part of a radio show gag. I won't tolerate anything less in our state. The person who committed this act should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I wish Mr. Johnson a speedy and healthy recovery."
Regardless, this incident (along with a personal request from WABC reporter Bill Evans, who is said to have feared for his safety and the safety of his family should a fan "go too far") led to O&A officially ending the AOTM contest.
A major AOTM campaign was the December 16, 2005 'Million Pest March' during rival Howard Stern's rally to celebrate his final day on terrestrial radio.
On January 9, 2006 'war' was officially declared by the boys. The show was opened with a live feed of rival Howard Stern's first show on Sirius Satellite Radio. To many fans, this is considered the final showdown between the two as they duke it out in the realm of satellite radio. Since then fans of both sides have been fighting informal battles by camping outside the Sirius building in New York or online.
News teases
O&A frequently discuss their hatred for the fear-mongering media. They always cite the news teases as an example. They often play news tease audio that reveals no real information, only frightens viewers, such as, "A popular car could be extremely likely to crash, we'll tell you which vehicle has many worried at 11." One of the most egregious news teases they found was, "One city wants to pack all of its sex offenders into a three-block area. Problem is, it could be right next to your house."Homeless shopping spree
Bringing back a popular bit from their days on WNEW, Opie and Anthony have reintroduced the Homeless Shopping Spree. Their first on XM took place on December 20 2005 at the Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York. Ten homeless New Yorkers were bussed over from New York City and given $202 to spend in the mall. Well over 300 "pests" attended the event, despite the New York City Transit Strike that had taken effect that morning.Events
THE OPIE AND ANTHONY TRAVELING VIRUS - 2006 COMEDY FESTIVAL
On June 13th, 2006 Opie and Anthony Announced "THE OPIE AND ANTHONY TRAVELING VIRUS - 2006 COMEDY FESTIVAL". This is a comedy festival featuring comics that are friends of the show. An event they had talked about for many years but never came to fruition until they made their latest deal with CBS radio.As of June 2006, there have only been three dates announced.
August 5th, Worcester, MA - DCU Center: Bob Saget, Jim Norton, Bob Kelly, Bill Burr, Patrice Oneal, Rich Vos, Tracy Morgan, Ralphie May.
August 26th, Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center: Carlos Mencia, Bob Saget, Jim Norton, Bob Kelly, Bill Burr, Patrice Oneal, Rich Vos, Tracy Morgan.
September 9th, Camden, NJ - Tweeter Center: Bob Saget, Jimmy Shubert, Jim Norton, Dom Irrera, Bob Kelly, Bill Burr, Ralphie May, Patrice Oneal, Rich Vos, Tracy Morgan.
O&A in radio
Opie and Anthony's controversial style leads radio personalities to have a strong opinion of their show as well as listeners. They appreciate talented radio hosts and despise hosts who steal bits. When other talk show hosts insult O&A unprovoked, Opie and Anthony call "attacks" on these shows, telling their listeners to call-in and ruin their program. Recent overwhelmingly successful attacks were on Jim Philips of The Philips Phile in July 2005, and Scott Ferrall in February 2006. Philips attempted to steal and take credit for the Assault on the Media bit. O&A heard of this and called for an attack on this show. For days, the phonelines to Philips' show were jammed and the flow of his show was noticeably disturbed. Fans of O&A interpreted Philips' response as so arrogant that it motivated them to continue the attack. Eventually, O&A stopped mentioning Philips and the attack ceased shortly thereafter. Several weeks later, O&A fans raised enough money to purchase a billboard on his projected route to and from his radio station that read, "Mr. Philips, The Pests Win. You Lose. Good Day, Sir! - The Opie and Anthony Army, Commemorating the Pat Battle of O-Town."Scott Ferrall was a friend of Opie & Anthony at WNEW. He was fired for supporting them after Sex For Sam. In January 2006, Ferrall's website was changed to say that Howard Stern's new show on Sirius Satellite Radio was incredible, and that he would kick O&A ass in the long run. When questioned about it, Ferrall stated that one of the other people that update his site did that, and he has no control over it. This entry was soon removed from the site. However, in February 2006 was on Stern's show promoting his show on Howard 101 from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Eastern, and bad-mouthing O&A. "The Pests" soon took over Ferrall's show, and he did his last Sirius show on 2/17/06, indicating that he was very busy with other projects, but promised to be back on Sirius soon. On March 28, 2006 Ferrall was hired to fill the 8-12 spot on Howard 101.
Run-ins with the FCC
The Federal Communications Commission has twice fined O&A for broadcasting material deemed to be in violation of decency standards. The first fine involved several November 2000 - January 2001 airings of a jingle produced by Dru Boogie, a DJ who regularly appears on the show. This fine also found a segment of "Guess What's In My Pants," as well as a song entitled, "I'm Horny for Little Girls" to be indecent. The fine was for $21,000[link]. O&A's second FCC violation -- the "Sex for Sam" broadcast -- set a precedent for being the first time that a fine was issued to each individual station that aired the alleged indecent material[link]. The total was $357,500; $27,500 against each of the thirteen CBS Radio/Infinity-owned stations that broadcast the show[link]. Infinity appealed both fines, and later, it's parent company Viacom entered into a $3.5 million agreement which cancelled all indecency violations pending against it[link].Stories mentioned
- Monster Rain -- Jim Norton once told a story of how when he was a young boy, roughly the age of eight, he and another boy would play a game called "Monster Rain." The game involved one of them shouting, "Monster Rain!" at an unplanned time. The two boys would then run under a porch at either child's house and practice oral sex on each other.
- Java Log -- Opie was backed into a corner once and was forced to share a story about his friend Jay (Note: This is not Jay Mohr but actually O & A's friend from the WAAF days, he was the 3rd member of the show back then and can be heard cracking up in the background on all the bits on the O&A CD DEMENTED WORLD). The two men gathered in Opie's apartment for wine and cheese and to watch the "Survivor" Finale. They were both clad in pajamas and robes, and lit a "Java Log" which is a log for the fireplace that, when burning, smells of a freshly brewed cup of coffee. The smoke became so bad that the fire department was called, finding the two in this very awkward-looking situation.
- "Bomb the DK House"' -- Opie attended SUNY Geneseo college, and while there, rushed a fraternity. As part of his hazing initiation, he was told to pick up a marshmallow in between his butt cheeks, carry it across the room, and drop it on a model of the Delta Kappa frat house. Thus, whenever a "marshmallow" somehow comes up, or some sort of hazing, this storied is quickly referenced.
- "Good Luck, Bro" - Opie met Peter Jennings in New York's Central Park a few months before the ABC World News Tonight anchor died of lung cancer. Opie was walking on a park path on April 14, 2005 when he saw Jennings, who was accompanied by two other parkgoers, walking towards him. Opie did not know how to react or what to say, but he realized he was wearing a Livestrong wristband. As he crossed Jennings, Opie raised his arm, pointed at the wristband and said, "Good luck, Bro." This incident, which was recounted on the air the following day [link], was not mentioned again until Jennings died [link], at which point the show found it comical to blame his death on Opie's uninspiring attempt to comfort Jennings. In turn, the phrase became a way to mock someone who is facing a challenge, or to express the desire that someone fail when facing a challenge.
- "Chester's Liver" - Anthony was discussing the old days when he and Opie used to work in Boston, in which they lived with Anthony's then-Mother-in-Law. Opie was discussing how his "Prime-Rib" was once stolen, he assumed by the mother-in-laws' dog, Chester. He tracked the dog down to the basement, where he found the dog happily munching away, and proceeded to give the dog a swift kick, which we are led to believe was square in the liver. Chester died two weeks later of unknown causes.
- "Richard Tree House" (aka "zzzzzzzz jeeb jeeb jeeb") - A longtime childhood friend of Anthony's, at about age 13, while sleeping over in a treehouse, propositioned him for homosexual relations. When Richard believed that Anthony was asleep, he kneeled over him and whispered "Do you want me to suck your cock? I'll suck it for you." Anthony, uncomfortable with this proposition, but not sure how to properly respond to this proposition from a long-time friend, who'd never shown any signs of homosexuality, chose to act like he was still sleeping -- "zzzzzzzz jeeb jeeb jeeb" until his friend finally went to sleep. They did not remain friends after this incident, but Anthony did see him years later when he returned to his hometown, and Richard was definitely out of the closet. He is currently a male model, and can be seen accompanying female actresses and singers to media events.
- "Golden ticket" - A term used to describe the O&A's desire to save roughly five shows from commercial radio and invite them to make the move to XM. In July 2005, O&A announced that their friends Ron and Fez would be joining them on XM. Ron and Fez followed O&A on WNEW-FM, and in September 2005 they debuted in the 11-2 p.m. EST timeslot. O&A play audio on occasion from other radio shows who have submitted their audio to be considered for a Golden Ticket. Unfortunately, this plan was contingent upon four of the shows being placed on a different talk channel (O&A and R&F are on 202, while the other shows would wind up on a retooled "Extreme Talk" station on 152), and when O&A were told that sufficient shows had been selected by XM higher-ups for channel 152, they dropped the idea of recruiting other shows. In December 2005 Opie announced there will be no more golden tickets, and the concept has rarely been mentioned since, except by callers.
- "Tender Sentiments" - A bit by Jim Norton that was original thought-up after a horrible experience with a masseuse. Someone gave him a box filled with tender sentiments on pieces of paper that are especially touching. Jim Norton shakes the box and then softly reads out what is written on the slip of paper. Erock also has a tender sentiment box but his are more mean spirited.
Refrences
Car Crash/\"Punchin' Out\"
Opie, Anthony and Jim Norton are known for their stellar wit, and scathing self-deprecation when a joke doesn't go as planned. Failed attempts at humor by the hosts are often proceeded by a comment such as "I stink," or "That was awful!" Similarly, callers will often attempt to contribute humor to the show, and in many cases, they fail to do so. When a caller's joke isn't funny (or is intentionally off topic), Anthony will use the Car Crash sound effect (also used instead of/in addition to the Kelsey Grammer - 'Oh dear lord'[link] sound effect, Price is Right losing sound effect, or the Press Your Luck Whammy sound effect). Callers who sense that their call is going poorly or not getting a good reaction may "punch out" to avoid this metaphorical demise as a result of their contribution. Originally a slang military term, "punching out" is the act performed when a fighter pilot ditches an aircraft. It is ejecting from a plane: reaching down between one's legs and pulling the eject handle which pops the pilot and the canopy into the air, leaving the doomed aircraft to crash. This "punching out" to avoid ridicule by the hosts has evolved to callers "punching out" when they are completed with their contribution, regardless of its success.\"Your Mom's Box!\"
Former character Psycho Mark began the use of the phrase "Your mom's box." on his last appearance on the Opie and Anthony Show. Psycho Mark was a character early in their tenure at WNEW, but was fired after his involvement in the inaugural Sex for Sam, when he led a couple to have anal sex in the Boss' office, on his couch. Psycho Mark was on the phone with O&A, all of whom knew he would not be allowed to appear on the show anymore. O&A asked Psycho Mark what he wanted his last words to be on the program, to which he replied, "Your Mom's Box." That became a well-known line among O&A fans as the ultimate farewell line. After the Sex in St. Pat's fiasco during Sex for Sam 3, O&A left the airwaves the next day, expecting that they would be fired. At the end of their last program on WNEW, Opie said quietly, "Your Mom's Box." Anthony laughed, then also said "Your Mom's Box." They both looked at Jim Norton, who also sadly said "Your Mom's Box." These were the last words said on the O&A Show until they returned to the airwaves on XM Satellite Radio on October 4, 2004. Since then, several other shows have paid homage to O&A, using "Your Mom's Box" as their farewell phrase. Their good friends Ron and Fez shouted "Your Mom's Box!" when they left WJFK to join O&A at XM. Cowhead and Brent is another talk-show duo that used the phrase before they were fired from a Tampa, Florida station. On December 6, 2005 over uncertain if Opie and Anthony would be dismissed for the AOTM incident, Anthony murmurred the phrase going into a 40 minute break as O and A were to talk to their boss, Eric Logan. Fortunately it was premature as they returned 40 minutes later to broadcast.\"Ramon!\"
Originated from O&A promos created by Steve C. The premise being a voice over actor (known as deep voice guy) with a servant named Ramone. Each promo ending with a command from deep voice guy, starting with "Ramon!" being asked to commit an act of servitude.An example of one of the promos:
(Woman Crying in background)
deep voice guy: Young lady, what's wrong?
deep voice guy: My dear, why on earth are you crying? Please get up, a bathroom floor is no where for you to be... *SPLASH NOISE*
deep voice guy: Oh my... Ramon, clean up this miscarriage.
Jim Norton then began using it as a catch phrase of "Steve from Yellowstone", a name he uses (as a caller) to lambast bad guests. For example, during an interview with a 9/11 conspiracy theorist, he left the studio to do a Steve from Yellowstone call. He started the call pretending to be on the side of the guest. By the end of the call he started with the Ramon references, at one point yelling "Ramon, Korey (the guest's name) left the army because he got caught sucking cock" and "Ramon, get this spoiled 22 year old college boy faggot off the line."
Many fans have also used this to "get" enemies and other radio hosts. Infrequently, "Ramon" calls can be heard on the Ron and Fez Show.
\"No Homo\"
A phrase started when intern Bobby would perform susposedly homosexual acts in the office with unwilling staff members. "No homo" was the phrase he used after the act as a way to say he wasn't gay, and that it was all a joke. When O&A brought it up on air they had most of the behind the scenes staff come on to say they had been victims of his homosexual advances. Some recounted him kissing them on their shoulders, touching their ass and saying "did you shit your pants?". Bobby said that he wasn't gay and he just found it funny, O&A suggested otherwise since he was going beyond what is funny and what is just plain gay. The phrase is now used by callers, O&A, and friends of the show.Film references
O&A's show features many inside jokes that a new listener may not immediately understand. [link] There are many references to films, The Shining being most referred to. More films referred to include The Silence of the Lambs, Pulp Fiction, The Accused, Boogie Nights,Full Metal Jacket, "The Wrath of Khan", American Psycho, Caddyshack, The Godfather and anything starring Robert De Niro (most notably The King of Comedy).A full list of Movie Quotes and References can be found here[link].
Classic O&A moments
- April Fool's Day -- On April 1, 1998, while still on WAAF in Boston, O&A, over the course of their show, announced that the mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, had been involved in a car accident in Florida and died. Things came to a head after Menino's daughter called the station believing the story to be true. They were fired the next week.
- Voyeur Bus -- Several members of their crew, including frequent guest Lewis Black, third member Jim Norton, and then-producer Rick Delgado were arrested for being on the transparent "Teen" Voyeur Bus, where six young teenage women were flashing all over Manhattan in 2000. Mayor Rudy Giuliani called the Voyeur Bus stunt, "stupid."
- Homeless Shopping Spree - In late 1999, shortly before Christmas, O&A held the "Homeless Shopping Spree". This bit consisted of a dozen of New York's homeless, each given a hundred dollars and taken to the posh Short Hills Mall, in Short Hills, New Jersey. The mall's reaction was to close down many of the nicer stores and eventually force the twelve homeless men out of the mall.
- AFRO Shows -- While on WNEW, O&A made a professional friendship with Ron and Fez. Ron and Fez followed O&A on WNEW. O&A frequently appeared on the Ron and Fez Show. These came to be known as the AFRO Shows (Anthony-Fez-Ron-Opie). Ron and Fez recently made the move to join O&A on XM and currently occupy the timeslot immediately following O&A, 12 p.m.-3 p.m. ET, on Channel 202 High Voltage. The first XM AFRO show was a highly anticipated program and took place in August 2005, with Jim Norton and Bob Saget.
- 55 Gallon Drum Challenge - women dressed in bra and panties were placed in 55-gallon drums and had various food products and non-human waste materials dumped on them.
- 100 Grand - Early in their radio career together, O&A declared a contest one afternoon at WAAF that the 107th caller would receive "100 Grand". They continued this bit throughout the show, careful of never saying "$100,000", only "100 Grand". When the 107th caller got through, he was ecstatic, thinking he had really won $100,000. He shouted happily that he was planning on buying a new car and could barely speak, due to his shock in winning. He was furious when Opie told him it was only a candybar and proceeded to shout and curse on air. The bit was a classic piece of audio, as listening to the man angered when he learned he had not won any money is one of the early examples of O&A's style of "Cringe Radio" that their listeners love. The audio can be found in many websites, although the language remains censored.
- "Kathleen, put your goddamn clothes back on!" - At WNEW, Martini Steve went to see a performance of The Graduate on Broadway starring Kathleen Turner as Mrs. Robinson. Steve commented on what a horrendous sight it was during the scene when Kathleen Turner was naked on stage. O&A sent several members of their show down to Broadway to attend a performance of The Graduate shortly thereafter. One person they sent down there, comedian Paul Mercurio, stood up during this same scene and shouted, "Kathleen, put your goddamn clothes back on!", shocking the audience. The audio was recorded and played on the show the following week. Paul Mercurio is now considered "dead to the show" due to his direct involvement with the "Sex for Sam 3" incident which led to O&A's firing from WNEW in August 2002.
- Commercial Radio Airs O&A Again - During December 2004, Opie and Anthony re-appeared for the first time on commercial FM radio since they were fired from WNEW. WAQX in Syracuse was the first station to bring O&A back to commercial FM radio. The show on WAQX was a rebroadcast of the previous day's show on XM and was edited for content. It aired in the Howard Stern show's morning time slot while he was on vacation.
- Opie vs. Jim Norton On-Air Argument - On April 22, 2005, Opie and Jim Norton were both in a hostile mood. A slight disagreement during commercial break set them off, and they began arguing during the show for nearly forty minutes. The two made up shortly after and the two are best chums again. For some reason, a "Worst Of" show was played instead of the replay, and fans complained. O&A and Jimmy found out and decided to release the full audio of the fight on FoundryMusic.com and put the entire episode available for download on Audible.com.
- Messing with Tony Danza - Early in their time in XM, O&A bashed The Tony Danza Show. They discovered Anthony's dead-on Tony Danza impression and made good use of this skill. O&A sent a staff member down to the line of audience members waiting to go into the Tony Danza Show, which was close to O&A's studio. The staff member would approach one of the audience members, nearly all of whom were white middle-aged women, and asked if she would like to speak to Tony. Anthony then perfectly impersonated Tony Danza, and every time they did this bit, the women really believed it was Tony Danza. Danza Security became aware of these shenanigans and eventually the bit ceased in late 2004.
- O&A Raise Money for Hurricane Katrina - On September 2 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, friends of the show began an online auction of signed memorabilia from their years of collecting miscellaneous stuff with 100% of the funds collected going to the relief efforts down in the Gulf States. So far, the auction has proved a big success, raising well over $50,000.
Miscellaneous facts
- O&A have stated that because of the Sex for Sam 3 incident, their contracts with XM Satellite Radio are renewed yearly (they are currently renewed through October 2006).
- They have also stated that if they were doing as poorly as their detractors on terrestrial radio claim they are, XM would not have renewed their contracts for 2005-2006.
- O&A claim to hate the name of their XM channel, High Voltage. They have been trying to get the name changed but have been unsuccessful so far.
- On April 17th, 2006, DirecTV ceased airing The Opie and Anthony Show on their satellite TV service, citing subscriber requests for more music channels and less talk and sports channels as their reason for removing the show from their channel. However, not even a week went by before inside sources stated that due to the overwhelming response demanding O&A's return to DirecTV (thanks to the O&A Pests), and the duo returned to their channel not less than a week from their initial removal. [link]
Return to FM
Opie and Anthony returned to Free FM on April 24, 2006 to announce their show would be returning to CBS Radio on April 26, 2006. Amusingly enough, there was an error attempting to play the show's talk over music after the show introduction, leading to a few moments of dead air ocurring. Their first notable quote after this moment: "And that's how it starts, kids." Their first official show on FM occurred April 26, 2006, on Anthony's birthday.Current FM/AM affiliates
The show's first three hours air from the WFNY-FM studio in New York City. Markets are arranged from largest to smallest.| Calls | Freq. | Branding | Format | Market/Market Rank | Timeslot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WFNY-FM | 92.3 MHz | 92.3 FREE FM | Hot Talk | New York City, NY / 1 | Live 6A-9A |
| KLLI | 105.3 MHz | Live 105.3 FREE FM | Hot Talk | Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX / 5 | Live 5A-8A |
| WYSP | 94.1 MHz | 94.1 FREE FM | Hot Talk/Rock | Philadelphia, PA / 6 | Live 6A-9A |
| WJFK-FM | 106.7 MHz | 106.7 FREE FM | Talk | Washington, DC / 8 | Tape 10A-1P |
| WXYT | 1270 kHz | 'XYT The Sports Station | Sports Talk | Detroit, MI / 9 | Live 6A-9A |
| WBCN | 104.1 MHz | WBCN 104.1 - The Rock of Boston | Active Rock | Boston, MA / 11 | Live 6A-9A |
| WRKZ | 93.7 MHz | K-Rock | Rock | Pittsburgh, PA / 23 | Live 6A-9A |
| WXRK | 92.3 MHz | K-Rock | Alternative | Cleveland, OH / 25 | Tape 3P-6P |
| WAZU | 107.1 MHz | The Big Wazoo | Active Rock | Columbus, OH / 38 | Tape 3P-6P |
| WPBZ | 103.1 MHz | 103.1 The Buzz | Alternative | West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL / 46 | Live 6A-9A |
| WZNE | 94.1 MHz | The Zone | Alternative | Rochester, NY / 54 | Tape 2P-5P |
- Show is streamed via the internet.
- Market Rank according to arbitron. [Arbitron Market Rankings]
External links
Official Sites
- [OpieandAnthony.com] Opie and Anthony's official site.
- [XM Satellite] XM Satellite Radio ([XM 202 "High Voltage"] - High Voltage Homepage)
- [Foundry Music] - Affiliated official fan site, created and maintained by Opie & Anthony Producer SteveC. This site also caters to music and porn reviews.
Fan Sites
- [Wackbag.com] An "Unofficial" Opie and Anthony Message Board.
- [OAVirus.com] Resource for audio clips and downloads of shows from O&A's FM and XM segments.
- [FullBlownAids.com] Opie and Anthony Community that contains videos, sound clips, and other Pest files.
- [OAPedia.com] Fan-based encyclopedia of all O&A terminology.
Show Resources
- [Paltalk] Where to chat and see others in streaming live video with other fans during the show.
- [Listen Online] O&A online XM Stream - (account required)
- [SpreadtheOnAVirus.com] Your premiere source for classic Opie & Anthony shows & bits...
- [Opie and Anthony Listener Pest Polls] Vote online about a number of show topics. Hosted by bodog.net.
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