Don Geronimo

Last updated

Don Geronimo
Born
Michael L. Sorce

(1958-09-18) September 18, 1958 (age 65)
Spouses
Freda Wright-Sorce
​
​
(m. 1981;died 2005)​
Janet Sorce
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2
Career
ShowThe Don Geronimo Show
Station(s) http://pod-god.com / Sacramento, CA
Network http://dongeronimopodcast.com
CountryUS
Previous show(s) Don and Mike Show

Michael L. Sorce (born September 18, 1958), better known by his stage name Don Geronimo, is an American radio personality [1] formerly featured on the nationally syndicated radio talk show Don and Mike Show . [2]

Contents

Career

Geronimo began his career in radio at the age of 13 when he went to work at Rockville, Maryland AM station WINX (now WLXE, a Spanish-language music station). [3] [4] [5] He continued working at a variety of local stations, being fired at each for lacking the required FCC broadcaster's license, before forging a license. Geronimo landed what was then his dream job at WLS-FM in Chicago, Illinois in the early 1980s. He then moved to WBBM-FM (B96) to do the evening show. Eventually, he replaced Dick Biondi doing morning drive at the same station. [4]

Geronimo returned to the Washington, D.C. area in 1985, doing afternoons at WAVA-FM. He moved to mornings in 1986, replacing Charlie & Harrigan. His partnership with Mike O'Meara, co-host of the Don and Mike Show , was forged at WAVA. Their show moved to WJFK-FM in 1991. [3] [4]

Washington Post radio reporter Marc Fisher features Geronimo in his book Something in the Air, on the rise and fall of radio in the United States. Fisher also conducted an interview with Geronimo prior to his first of three retirements, the first from The Don & Mike Show in 2008, during which Don spoke out about his frustration with the direction[ clarification needed ] radio has taken following high profile decency events such as the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident. [6]

After only two months in retirement,[ when? ] Geronimo announced that he would return to the air on WOCM, a small, independently owned radio station in Ocean City, Maryland. Don Geronimo's Rockin' Soul Show featured popular music from the '70s and '80s. Geronimo described the show as "music that doesn't suck". After one month on the air at WOCM, Geronimo was fired from the station over creative differences.[ citation needed ] Don subsequently hosted a mid-morning talk show on WGMD (92.7 FM Rehoboth Beach, Delaware) from June 22, 2009 to October 13, 2009, when he retired for his second time,[ citation needed ] although he did some fill-in work at Classic Hits WCBS-FM in New York a few days in late November and December 2009. [7]

Don Geronimo was named midday host of 1140 The Fan 1140 KHTK (AM), Sacramento effective on Monday, June 21, 2010. The four-hour program was scheduled Monday through Friday, noon to 4 pm local time. On January 27, Geronimo announced that he would be a regular on the TV show Good Day Sacramento, with his first appearance on February 14, 2011. On May 9, 2011, Geronimo announced that his contract with CBS was extended through 2014 and he was named Program Director for 1140 The Fan KHTK. As of July 11, 2011, Geronimo's show moved to the morning drive, 5:30–10 am local time after the "Rise Guys" left for a gig in San Francisco. At the same time, Don also ended his in-studio presence on Good Day Sacramento. He now occasionally contributes to GDS remotely via camera. [8] On July 8, 2013, Geronimo's show moved to the midday slot on KHTK and can now be heard from noon to 3:00 pm local time. [9]

On Friday, October 4, 2013, The Don Geronimo Show was replaced by the Jason Ross show on CBS Sports Radio 1140 KHTK. A caller asked what happened, and Jason Ross simply explained, "CBS Sports Radio decided to go in another direction, which is sports. Don Geronimo is still employed by CBS Sports Radio." On October 16, 2013, Don went on the air on KHTK in Sacramento to thank those who supported him during his time in Sacramento. He said he was going to be doing a new project with CBS in the near future and it would be announced via his Twitter feed. On October 23, Don appeared on 106.7 The Fan's Lavar and Dukes show to announce his return to the station after five years, where he would appear weekdays from 7–10 p.m. local time, Saturdays from 9 a.m.–noon local time, and during Washington Redskins pre/post-game shows as well. On March 1, 2014, Geronimo stated that he would no longer be heard on WJFK anymore. He announced on his Twitter feed that "No one should be shocked I'm not in the plans for CBS/DC. I had opined recently on air how I didn't understand the logic. Now 30 more days." [10]

On September 10, 2021, iHeartMedia announced that Sorce would host The Don Geronimo Show on WBIG in Washington D.C., starting September 23, 2021. [11] [12] The show aired during the 5:30am-10am drive-time slot. [13] Geronimo was fired from WBIG on July 29, 2023 for making disparaging comments on the air about a female reporter at WUSA. [14]

Radio history

Don has worked at the following stations: [4]

NumberDateStationCity
11973 WRWC Rockton, IL
21974 WGEZ Beloit, WI
31974 WYFE Rockford, IL
41974 WNAM Oshkosh, WI
51975 WOKY Milwaukee, WI
61975 WROK (AM) Rockford, IL
71976 WSPT Stevens Point, WI
81976 WKTQ "13Q"Pittsburgh, PA
91977 WXLO "99X"New York City, NY
101978 WGBF Evansville, IN
111978 WCAO Baltimore, MD
121978 WWDC Washington, DC
131978 WPRO-FM Providence, RI
141980 WNDE Indianapolis, IN
151980 WZPL (Then called "Kiss 99")Indianapolis, IN
16 WDRQ Detroit, MI
171979 - 1981 WPGC Washington, DC
181982 KIIS-FM Los Angeles, CA
191982 KFI Los Angeles, CA [15]
201982 WLS-FM Chicago, IL [15]
21 WBZZ "B94"Pittsburgh, PA
22 WBBM-FM "B96"Chicago, IL
23March 1985–June 1991 WAVA-FM Washington, DC [16]
24October 1991–April 2008
October 24, 2013–February 26, 2014		 WJFK-FM Washington, DC. [17] [18] [19] [20]
25July 7, 2008–August 2008 WOCM Ocean City, MD [21]
26June 22, 2009–October 13, 2009 WGMD Rehoboth Beach, DE. [6]
27June 2010–October 3, 2013 KHTK Sacramento, CA [22]
28April 2014RELM

Sacramento, CA [23]

29August 2014 - September 2019 http://pod-god.com Sacramento, CA [24]
30November 2021 - July 2023 WBIG-FM Rockville, MD [25] [26]

Geronimo first appeared on air part-time on WINX in Rockville, Maryland in 1971. [3]

In November and December 2009, Geronimo filled shifts on WCBS-FM in New York City. [27]

Acting

Don has appeared in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. , Babylon 5 and The King of Queens . He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild.[ clarification needed ] He has stated on several occasions on the Don and Mike Show that he and his partner at that time, Mike O'Meara, spoke without authorization during their Babylon 5 taping, which was supposed to have been a non-speaking role for each. Rather than re-shoot the scene, the show's producers arranged for their union memberships. This paved the way for a speaking role on The King of Queens , where he spoke one line, "Lookin' good, Heffernan!" He has also co-hosted with Marty Bass post-game coverage of the Baltimore Ravens games for WJZ-TV (Channel 13).

Personal life

Family

Don's first wife, Freda, died on July 10, 2005, in an automobile accident on Maryland Route 90 near Ocean City, Maryland, where the Sorces had their vacation home. Freda was a frequent contributor to the Don and Mike Show and her spirited interaction with Don was an integral part of the program. Following her death, Don took a hiatus from the show until August 1, 2005, when he returned to the air with an emotional solo broadcast. [17] [28]

Don married Janet Sorce on March 21, 2009, [29] and has one son (Bart Sorce) and one daughter (Amy) from previous marriages.

On Friday, October 22, 2010, during the Don Geronimo live stage show Don slipped and fell off the stage. Don suffered head trauma and was admitted to a local hospital and later transferred to ICU. [30]

Controversy

In 1994, Geronimo and his then radio partner Mike O'Meara were sued for $35 million by an anonymous University of Maryland student who claimed the pair had violated her privacy and inflicted emotional distress. [31] In May 2007, a Leesburg, Virginia man named Carl Grossman, who had once been a frequent caller to the Don and Mike Show, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of stalking. Geronimo had received a letter from the man which contained threats to Geronimo and his family. The judge also issued a lifetime restraining order in the case. [32]

Retirements and returns

On February 4, 2008, Don announced his retirement from his radio show to pursue his personal life for a while. His last appearance on the Don and Mike Show was Friday, April 11, 2008, with Mike O'Meara to continue the show after that (as the Mike O'Meara Show ). Don was widely expected to return to radio in some form in the future. [18] [19]

After only two months in retirement, Geronimo announced that he would return to the air on WOCM, a small, independently owned radio station in Ocean City, Maryland. Don Geronimo's Rockin' Soul Show aired weekdays from 1 pm – 3pm featuring popular music from the 1970s and 1980s. After four weeks, Geronimo left the station. [33] [34]

In May 2010, Geronimo announced that, beginning June 21, he would be returning to 1140 KHTK—a station which had formerly syndicated the Don and Mike Show—to host a mid-day show. [22] On Friday, October 4, 2013, this new Don Geronimo Show was replaced on KHTK by The Jason Ross Show. Geronimo returned to the airwaves several days later to explain that KHTK decided to go with all sports programming, but that he would return to a CBS Radio station elsewhere soon. [35]

Don Geronimo returned once again to the Washington, D.C., airwaves on WJFK-FM on October 24, 2013. His sports-oriented show aired weekdays from 7:00 to 10:00 pm and on Saturdays from 9:00 am to noon. Initially, he broadcast the show from a studio at CBS Radio's main building in Sacramento, then later from a studio at his Sacramento home when CBS internal politics prevented the show from being broadcast at the company’s building any longer.[ citation needed ] Co-hosts for the show were located at WJFK’s home studios in Lanham, Maryland. While it was intended that Geronimo would eventually move to the Washington area to do the show live at WJFK's studios, this never materialized after frequent preemptions and schedule changes. On March 1, 2014, Geronimo announced on Twitter he would no longer be heard on WJFK; The show he had broadcast on February 26, 2014, ended up being his last at WJFK.

On April 1, 2014, Geronimo began broadcasting a live podcast, also titled The Don Geronimo Show, weekdays on the RELM Network. The show was a commercial-free, uncensored, subscription-based podcast that listeners could stream live or download for offline listening. Geronimo described the show on Twitter as, “the show I always wanted to do.”[ citation needed ] The final broadcast of that incarnation of The Don Geronimo Show aired September 13, 2019, with Geronimo declaring a hiatus to allow him to work on other projects.

On November 16, 2021, The Don Geronimo Show began broadcasting during the 5:30-10:00 am drive time slot at suburban Washington, D.C., classic rock station WBIG-FM, an iHeartMedia affiliate in Rockville, Maryland, located only two miles from the station where he began his radio career at age 13. [36] However, WBIG fired Geronimo in July 2023, after he made sexist comments towards WUSA9 sports reporter Sharla McBride while broadcasting from Washington Commanders training camp. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPGC-FM</span> Mainstream urban radio station in Morningside, Maryland, serving Washington, DC

WPGC-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Morningside, Maryland, and serving the Washington metropolitan area. It is owned by Audacy, Inc., and airs an urban contemporary format.

The Don and Mike Show was an American nationally syndicated radio talk show hosted by the shock jocks Don Geronimo and Mike O'Meara, which aired from December 1985 through April 11, 2008. The show debuted on WAVA-FM in 1985 as The Morning Zoo with Don and Mike. The official name of the show became The Don and Mike Show when the duo moved to WJFK-FM in 1991. In the later years, the show was carried on 20–30 stations across the United States by the CBS-owned Westwood One Radio Network. The show's flagship station was 106.7 WJFK in Washington, D.C. In 2007 the show ranked #66 in the Talkers Magazine Heavy 100. Geronimo retired in 2008. The show's last live regular episode with Geronimo was broadcast March 13, 2008 and Geronimo hosted a farewell show April 11, 2008. After Geronimo's retirement, the remaining cast members formed the Mike O'Meara Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJFK-FM</span> Sports radio station in Manassas, Virginia, serving Washington, D.C.

WJFK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Manassas, Virginia, and serving the Washington metropolitan area. WJFK-FM airs a sports radio format and is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc.

<i>Ron and Fez</i>

The Ron and Fez Show was an American talk radio show hosted by Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley, which aired from August 1998 to April 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWDC (FM)</span> Alternative rock radio station in Washington, D.C.

WWDC is a commercial FM radio station in Maryland, near Washington, D.C. The station is owned by iHeartMedia through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC, and broadcasts an alternative radio format. Studios and offices are in Rockville, Maryland. WWDC serves as the flagship station for the syndicated radio show Elliot in the Morning and as the local affiliate for Skratch 'N Sniff.

KXST was a commercial radio station licensed to North Las Vegas, Nevada, and broadcasting to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The station was owned by Audacy, Inc., but is currently silent.

WMAL-FM – branded 105.9 FM WMAL – is a radio station licensed to Woodbridge, Virginia, serving the Washington, D.C. Metro area. WMAL-FM airs a talk radio format and is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station's studios are located at 4400 Jenifer Street NW in Washington, two blocks from the city's border with Maryland, and the transmitter site is in Falls Church, Virginia, off Lee Highway. WMAL-FM is co-owned with sports radio station WSBN at 630 kHz; the WMAL call sign and talk format originated on that station, and the two stations simulcast from 2011 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBIG-FM</span> Classic rock radio station in Washington, D.C.

WBIG-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Washington, D.C. It has a classic rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are in Rockville, Maryland.

Michael Sean Patrick O'Meara is a podcast personality, the host of The Mike O'Meara Show, previously a nationally syndicated radio show that returned as a podcast. Previously he was the co-host of the nationally syndicated The Don and Mike Show. He was also the co-host of The Kirk and Mike Show weekday mornings on WVRX-FM in the Washington, D.C., area from 2010 to 2011.

WJFK is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a sports gambling radio format. Licensed to Morningside, Maryland, and serving the Washington metropolitan area, the station is owned by Audacy, Inc. The radio studios are in Southeast DC in the Navy Yard neighborhood. Programming is supplied by the co-owned BetQL Network and CBS Sports Radio.

WJZ is a commercial AM radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. It is owned by Audacy, Inc., and broadcasts a sports betting radio format, carrying the BetQL Network during the day and evening, with CBS Sports Radio heard nights and weekends. The studios are on Clarkview Road in Baltimore, off Jones Falls Expressway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free FM</span> Short-lived talk radio brand

Free FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air, instead of requiring a subscription fee like satellite radio services. Launched on October 25, 2005, Free FM was phased out over the course of 2007, with the final station using it, KLSX, dropping the brand in November 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOCM</span> Radio station in Ocean City, Maryland

WOCM is an AAA/Rock radio station in the Ocean City, Maryland, area.

KHTK is a commercial radio station licensed to Sacramento, California. KHTK broadcasts a sports radio format as "Sactown Sports 1140" and is an affiliate of the CBS Sports Radio network. It is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International, a profit-making subsidiary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The studios and offices are on Commerce Circle in North Sacramento, just north of the American River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KYMX</span> Radio station in Sacramento, California

KYMX is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Sacramento, California, United States. The station is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International and broadcasts an adult contemporary format. KYMX's transmitter is located in Natomas and its studios are in North Sacramento.

WDCH-FM – branded Bloomberg 99.1 – is a commercial business news radio station licensed to Bowie, Maryland, and serving the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station is operated by Bloomberg L.P. as the market network affiliate for Bloomberg Radio. WDCH-FM often airs D.C. United soccer and Washington Wizards NBA basketball games whenever sports radio sister station WJFK-FM is carrying a different game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant Napear</span> American radio personality (born 1959)

Grant Harrington Napear is an American radio personality who currently hosts his own podcast If You Don't Like That With Grant Napear. Before this he hosted The Grant Napear Show, at KHTK Sports 1140 in Sacramento, California where he was fired for tweeting "All lives matter, Every Single One" during the George Floyd protest. He was also the play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA), but resigned. He has been a guest host on The Jim Rome Show.

Chad Dukes is a former radio personality. He was the afternoon drive host of Chad Dukes Vs. the World on WJFK 106.7 The Fan—a sports talk format radio station in the greater Washington D.C. area. He was also a co-host of the Big O and Dukes Show and several other podcasts. As of January 1, 2021, he hosted the Chad Dukes Show.

<i>Mike OMeara Show</i> Daily podcast show

The Mike O'Meara Show is a daily podcast available through their website or iTunes. The show is hosted by Mike O'Meara and includes Robb Spewak and Oscar Santana. The Mike O'Meara Bonus Show is available every Friday to VIP members through their website or by purchasing them through iTunes. The show is also streamed via video through their website, TMOS phone app or YouTube.

References

  1. ↑ Browne, Ray B.; Browne, Pat, eds. (2000). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. p. 659. ISBN   0-87972-821-3.
  2. ↑ "Stations Sort Through Syndicating Glut". Billboard. September 4, 1993. p. 84.
  3. 1 2 3 Shapiro, Leonard; Pollin, Andy (2008). "Andy's Top Washington Radio Legends". The Great Book of Washington, D.C. Sports Lists. Running Press. p. 157. ISBN   978-0-7624-3356-8. Don Geronimo (real name Mike Source[ sic ]) was a boy wonder on local radio, starting out at WINX at the age of 13.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Don Geronimo Show – June 13, 2011" (audio). CBS Sacramento. June 13, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ Fisher, Marc (2007). "Magic". Something in the Air: Radio, Rock, and the Revolution That Shaped a Generation . Marc Fisher. p.  314. ISBN   978-0-375-50907-0. Geronimo was so fascinated by radio as a boy in Rockville, Maryland...
  6. 1 2 Fisher, Marc (February 24, 2008). "After Good Times and Bad, Geronimo Says It's Beach Time". Washington Post. Retrieved February 27, 2008.
  7. ↑ Geronimo, Don (December 26, 2009). "Thanks for all the great support". Twitter. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  8. ↑ 'Rise Guys' leave KHTK for S.F. station - Sacramento Living - Sacramento Food and Wine, Home, Health | Sacramento Bee Archived July 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "KHTK Retools, Don Geronimo Back To Middays; Doug Lazy Moves To Afternoons At KSFM". All Access. July 1, 2013.
  10. ↑ Don Geronimo (March 1, 2014). "No one should be shocked I'm not in the plans for CBS/dc. I had opined recently on air how I didn't understand the logic. Now 30 more days w". Twitter.
  11. ↑ BIG100 (September 10, 2021). "He's Coming Soon to BIG 100!". Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Wanja (September 10, 2021). "iHeartMedia Washington, D.C.'s BIG 100 Announces the Debut of the New "Don Geronimo Show"". radiofacts.
  13. ↑ "The Don Geronimo Show (iHeart radio)".
  14. ↑ Venta, Lance (July 29, 2023). "Don Geronimo Fired From WBIG For Comments About TV Sportscaster While At Commanders Training Camp". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  15. 1 2 "Vox Jox". Billboard. August 28, 1982. p. 23.
  16. ↑ "Vox Jox". Billboard. March 30, 1985.
  17. 1 2 Farhi, Paul (August 2, 2005). "Don Geronimo's Grief-Stricken Solo". Washington Post. Retrieved October 1, 2007.
  18. 1 2 Rowland, Kara (February 5, 2008). "Don Geronimo to leave talk-radio show". Washington Times. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  19. 1 2 "Legendary Don Geronimo to Exit WJFK-FM on May 30". Radio Online. February 5, 2008. Archived from the original on May 4, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Don Geronimo Returns to D.C. Radio". CBS DC. October 23, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Irie Radio Lands Big Fish For Afternoon Show". Ocean City Dispatch. July 4, 2008.
  22. 1 2 Tong, Anna (May 26, 2010). "KHTK's Geronimo on move to Sacramento: 'I love it here'". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on June 2, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Geronimo moves to Online Radio: 'Geronimo looks forward to doing the show he's always wanted to do'". Talkers.com. March 19, 2014.
  24. ↑ Jacobs, Danny (August 15, 2014). "'Radio god' leaves the RELM – Maryland Daily Record" . Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  25. ↑ "DMV's legendary radio personality, disc jockey Don Geronimo is back!". WUSA (TV). November 16, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  26. 1 2 Hipes, Patrick (July 30, 2023). "Local Radio DJ Booted From Washington Commanders Training Camp After Calling Woman Sports Reporter "Barbie" On Air Is Fired". Deadline. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Don Geronimo on WCBS-FM 101.1 NYC Weekends". New York State Broadcasters Association. November 24, 2009. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Wife of Popular Radio Host Killed in Crash". WBOC-TV. July 11, 2005. Archived from the original on December 21, 2005. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
  29. ↑ "Don Geronimo and Janet Anniversary". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. TV Announcement
  30. ↑ Radio Ink Magazine Archived March 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ↑ Yorke, Jeffrey (November 8, 1994). "Geronimo and O'Meara Sued". The Washington Post . Retrieved August 11, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  32. ↑ "Jail Time For Man Who Threatened Geronimo". Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2007.
  33. ↑ "In Brief". FMQB. August 5, 2008. Archived from the original on August 9, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
  34. ↑ Schoenberger, John (August 4, 2008). "Geronimo Exits WOCM". Radio and Records.[ permanent dead link ]
  35. ↑ Simon, Perry Michael (October 16, 2013). "Don Geronimo Says Goodbye To KHTK Listeners". All Access.
  36. ↑ Andy Pollin (2008). The Great Book of Washington, D.C.: Sports Lists. Running Press. p. 157. ISBN   9780786741700 . Retrieved August 22, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.