Richard Bey

Last updated
Richard Bey
Richard Bey 2012 Shankbone.JPG
Bey at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie
Born
Richard Wayne Bey

(1951-07-22) July 22, 1951 (age 72)
Queens, New York City, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Santa Barbara (B.A.)
Yale School of Drama (M.A., 1976) [1] [2]
Occupation(s)Talk show host, TV and radio personality
Website http://richardbey.org/

Richard Wayne Bey (born July 22, 1951) is an American talk show host. He was popular in the 1990s as host of The Richard Bey Show , a daytime talk show containing ordinary people's personal stories incorporated into entertaining competitive games.

Contents

Early years

Bey was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, to a Jewish father and an Irish Catholic mother and attended Far Rockaway High School. [3] [4]

He is an alumnus of the University of California, Santa Barbara and the Yale School of Drama.

Prior to The Richard Bey Show, Bey hosted People Are Talking, telecast in New York City and Philadelphia, and 2 On the Town for WCBS-TV. People Are Talking was a one-hour live broadcast covering topical news issues and one on one interviews with guests like Frank Zappa, Steven Spielberg, President Jimmy Carter, Sammy Davis Jr., Patricia Neal, Alexander Haig, Jerry Brown, Ross Perot and Martin and Charlie Sheen. The show was called 9 Broadcast Plaza in its early years before changing its name to The Richard Bey Show.

Among his roles on stage are Hamlet (title role) As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida as well as the world premieres of new plays by Richard Nelson, Chris Durang and Jim Lapine. He was a company member of the Yale Repertory Theater and understudied the National Theatre of Great Britain on Broadway and at the Kennedy Center. His film roles include Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno, Evocateur, Meet Wally Sparks and George Washington the mini series.

The Richard Bey Show

The Richard Bey Show (1992–1996) was produced from WWOR-TV in Secaucus, New Jersey and later syndicated across the country by All American Television (known today as FreemantleMedia). It featured such competitive events as the "Miss Big Butt" contest, the "Mr. Puniverse" contest, "Country Drag Queens versus City Drag Queens", "Dysfunctional Family Feud" and "Blacks who think O.J. is guilty vs. Whites who think he is innocent". Young women who were guests on the show were sometimes placed in a spoof of The Dating Game in which the guest interviewed three hidden "bachelors", all of whom were an obvious mismatch for the "bachelorette", e.g., a drag queen or a dwarf.

Bey's show made frequent use of sound effects like "uh-duh" for an insane response, "I've been framed" for a guest proclaiming innocence and "You're busted!" for one accused of wrongdoing. Bey often exclaimed, "Where do they find these people?!" in the presence of unbelievable guests or audience members. During some shows, there would be a secret word ("Bey's Phrase That Pays"). If an audience member used it in a comment, he would receive $100, an homage to a prior talk and game show, You Bet Your Life . A joking suggestion was then made on how to spend it: "Lobster dinner tonight!"

The show was a precursor to reality television, featuring a variety of games incorporating guests' stories, most notoriously "The Wheel of Torture", in which a guest would be strapped to a spinning wheel while a spouse or lover poured slime on them as punishment for a misdeed. The show was executive produced by Bob Woodruff and David Sittenfeld.

Richard would frequently make fun of Jerry Springer on his show, as when he lost his contact lenses and was forced to wear eyeglasses, remarking, "Don't worry, you're not watching Jerry Springer" and showing Jerry in his "Bad Neighbors" segment, a reference to Springer's show being the lead-in or lead-out to Bey on many stations in the early-to-mid 1990s. He also made light of Ricki Lake, Rosie O'Donnell, Phil Donahue, and Oprah Winfrey's shows.

Bey also hosted a prime time show called "Night Games". It was short-lived but ran around the time his daytime show was at its peak. It ran after 10 o'clock and was a little more ribald with sexually clad women engaged in contests.

Bey claimed his TV show was canceled in December 1996, despite the high ratings it maintained,[ citation needed ] as a direct result of doing a program with Gennifer Flowers, discussing her sexual relationship with then President Bill Clinton. [5]

A scene from the 2009 film Brüno depicts the filming of an episode of a fictional variation on the show called Today with Richard Bey. The production team, along with Bey, set up the program to invite an unsuspecting audience to participate in a segment where Brüno (Sacha Baron Cohen) appears as a guest, talking about his Black adopted son. In response to questions from the audience, Brüno reveals that he gave his son the "traditional African name" O.J. and claims that he "swapped" an iPod for his son. The predominantly Black audience becomes outraged over Brüno's responses.

A scene from the 1996 (season 9, episode 16) Married... with Children has Steve Rhodes asking his ex-wife Marcy if her new husband is at home watching Richard Bey.

Radio years

After the TV show was canceled, Bey was an evening and later afternoon radio co-host along with Steve Malzberg on The Buzz, which aired on New York's WABC from 2000 to 2003. [6]

According to the New York Post , he was one of only two talk hosts at the time on commercial New York radio to openly oppose the Iraq War, contesting the WMD evidence.[ citation needed ] He has since hosted on Sirius Satellite Radio, The Bill Press Show, and for the syndicated The Wall Street Journal: This Morning.

Bey hosted for a week on WXRK 92.3 FM from February 5 to February 9, 2007, from 10:00 pm to midnight. He regularly filled in for Lynn Samuels and Alex Bennett on the Sirius Satellite Radio channel Talk Left when they went on vacation or took a day off.

In August 2007, Bey began hosting a new show on WWRL in New York City from 8 to 10 pm. In November 2007, he was teamed up with Mark Riley and moved to the morning drive, replacing the team of Sam Greenfield and Armstrong Williams. [7]

In March 2008, family reasons caused Mark Riley to leave WWRL by mutual agreement [8] to return to WLIB, and Richard was teamed up with longtime broadcaster Coz Carson. Bey later decided to leave WWRL himself, citing personal reasons (namely spending time with his son).

Until December 2009, he appeared daily on internet TV station UBA-TV from noon until 1:00 pm. Until 2019, he filled in on Sirius Left and hosted a blog on his now defunct website. In December 2013 he hosted the morning show in the final weeks of WWRL before it switched to Spanish language broadcasting.

Personal life

As of 2009, Bey had never been married and was helping to raise the ten-year-old son of a former girlfriend. [9] [1] He lives in midtown Manhattan in New York City. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talk show</span> Type of broadcast show centered around conversation

A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or Podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation. A talk show is distinguished from other television programs by certain common attributes. In a talk show, one person discusses various topics put forth by a talk show host. This discussion can be in the form of an interview or a simple conversation about important social, political or religious issues and events. The personality of the host shapes the tone and style of the show. A common feature or unwritten rule of talk shows is to be based on "fresh talk", which is talk that is spontaneous or has the appearance of spontaneity.

Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk radio. It was on the air from March 2004 to January 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOR (AM)</span> Clear-channel AM radio station in New York City

WOR is a 50,000-watt class A clear-channel AM radio station owned by iHeartMedia and licensed to New York City. The station airs a mix of local and syndicated talk radio shows, primarily from co-owned Premiere Networks, including The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, The Sean Hannity Show, and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor, from CBS Audio Network is heard at night. Since 2016, the station has served as the New York outlet for co-owned NBC News Radio. The station's studios are located in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan at the former AT&T Building, with its transmitter in Rutherford, New Jersey. WOR began broadcasting on Wednesday, February 22, 1922, and is one of the oldest continuously operating radio stations in the United States with a three–letter call sign, characteristic of a station dating from the 1920s. WOR is the only New York City station to have retained its original three-letter call sign, making those the oldest continuously used call letters in the New York City area.

WFAN is a commercial radio station licensed to New York City, carrying a sports radio format known as "Sports Radio 66 AM and 101.9 FM" or "The Fan". Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves the New York metropolitan area while its 50,000-watt clear channel signal can be heard at night throughout much of the eastern United States and Canada. WFAN's studios are located in the Hudson Square neighborhood of lower Manhattan and its transmitter is located on High Island in the Bronx. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WFAN is simulcast over WFAN-FM, and is available online via Audacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Riley (American radio host)</span> American journalist and commentator (born 1951)

Mark Riley is an American journalist and commentator. He is the former host/presenter of WWRL 1600 AM's morning drive talk program. He hosted a four-hour evening news, interview, comment, and culture program, "The Air Americans," on the now-defunct liberal talk radio network Air America Radio. His work at Air America also included co-hosting the network's morning-drive show, "Morning Sedition" with stand-up comic Marc Maron.

<i>The Dan Patrick Show</i> US radio and television sports talk show

The Dan Patrick Show is a syndicated radio and television sports talk show, hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by Patrick and is syndicated to radio stations by Premiere Radio Networks, within and independently of their Fox Sports Radio package. The three-hour program debuted on October 1, 2007. It is broadcast weekdays live beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. The current show is a successor to the original Dan Patrick Show, which aired from 1999 to 2007 on ESPN Radio weekdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Pacific.

Springer on the Radio was an American radio program broadcast from WCKY and later WSAI in Cincinnati from January 17, 2005 to December 5, 2006 and syndicated nationally on the Air America Radio network from April 1, 2005 to September 18, 2006 when it moved to Air America syndication, meaning that it was still syndicated nationally, but not on the Air America network lineup. It was hosted by Jerry Springer, best known as a TV talk show host. Springer is a former Democratic politician still active in the party organization. His radio show focused on the day's news with a liberal and progressive standpoint. It aired on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET on select Air America radio stations. Executive Producer, Stephanie Cornett and technical producer Paul Mason. The theme on all Friday shows was called Freedom Fridays, allowing callers to talk about whatever topic they desired. On the other days of the week, callers were only allowed to comment on what Springer was discussing.

<i>Imus in the Morning</i> US radio program (1968-2018)

Imus in the Morning was a long-running radio show hosted by Don Imus. The show originated on June 2, 1968, on various stations in the Western United States and Cleveland, Ohio, before settling on WNBC radio in New York City in 1971. In October 1988, the show moved to WFAN when that station took over WNBC's dial position following an ownership change. It was later syndicated to 60 other stations across the country by Westwood One, a division of CBS Radio, airing weekdays from 5:30 to 10 am Eastern time. Beginning September 3, 1996, the 6 to 9 am portion was simulcast on the cable television network MSNBC.

The Stephanie Miller Show is a syndicated progressive talk radio program that discusses politics, current events, and pop culture using a fast-paced, impromptu, comedic style. The three-hour show is hosted by Stephanie Miller and is syndicated by Westwood One. Voice artist Jim Ward formerly co-hosted the show and is a recurring guest. Miller is frequently joined on the air by executive producer Jody Hamilton and general manager Chris Lavoie. The show debuted on September 7, 2004 and is broadcast live from Los Angeles, California each weekday morning from 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, on Pacifica station, KPFK in LA, and radio stations throughout the U.S., as well as online, and via SiriusXM Progress Channel 127. The show is also video simulcast live on Free Speech TV. Audio of each day's show is also available commercial-free for download from the show's website via the paid subscription Stephcast, which has been available since June 2005. The radio show should not be confused with Miller's short-lived 1995 syndicated TV talk show with the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faction Talk</span> Radio station

Faction Talk is a subscription-based channel on the satellite radio service Sirius XM Radio. The channel first aired on XM on August 6, 2004, as xL High Voltage in preparation for the launch of the American radio show Opie and Anthony several months later, and required subscribers to purchase the channel as a premium, until 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Grant (radio host)</span> American radio host (1929–2013)

Robert Ciro Gigante, known as Bob Grant, was an American radio host. A veteran of broadcasting in New York City, Grant is considered a pioneer of the conservative talk radio format and was one of the early adopters of the "combat talk" format. Grant's career spanned from the 1950s until shortly before his death at age 84 on December 31, 2013.

WWRL is a commercial radio station licensed to New York City. WWRL airs an all-news radio format as an affiliate of the Black Information Network (BIN). The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Penacoli</span> American journalist

Jerry Penacoli is an American actor and entertainment reporter, and served as a host with the US syndicated magazine show Extra for 20 years.

John Mulrooney is an American comedian, radio and TV show host, actor and writer.

Andrew Steven Wilkow is a conservative political talk radio host on the on the Sirius XM Patriot channel, specifically on SIRIUS channel 125 and XM channel 125. Until July 2006, Wilkow had been on WGY in Schenectady, New York, and WABC in New York City. Wilkow is also a contributor to the website Conservative Punk. He also has a television show on TheBlaze.

Karen Hunter is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist and publisher, talk show host, and the co-author of several books. Hunter is the host of The Karen Hunter Show on SiriusXM Urban View.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Malzberg</span> American radio personality

Stephen D. Malzberg is an American television and radio host, syndicated columnist, and political commentator. He hosted The Steve Malzberg Show, a cable news and opinion show on Newsmax TV. He has also hosted The Steve Malzberg Show and various other radio shows on WABC Radio in NYC and on WOR Radio, also in NYC where his show was syndicated on the WOR Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America's Talk</span> Radio station

America's Talk was a talk radio channel available exclusively on iHeartRadio. Owned by Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc., America's Talk featured terrestrial radio show simulcasts and tape delay broadcasts from across the United States. Advertising sales were handled by Premiere Networks.

<i>The Mark Levin Show</i> Talk radio program

The Mark Levin Show is a conservative talk radio show hosted by Mark Levin.

The Richard Bey Show is a syndicated American talk show hosted by Richard Bey which aired from September 28, 1992 to December 27, 1996. The program was originally produced from and aired on WWOR-TV in Secaucus, New Jersey, from 1992 to late 1996. It was nationally syndicated by All American Television from January 2, 1995 to December 27, 1996. The talk show was executive produced by Bob Woodruff and David Sittenfeld.

References

  1. 1 2 "Interview with Richard Bey", Mr NYC blog, Wednesday, September 30, 2009
  2. ↑ Yale School of Drama Annual Magazine 2014, published Jan 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ "THE NEW HOSTS OF 'PEOPLE ARE TALKING' BEGIN WORK TODAY". The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1983-08-15. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  4. ↑ Morales, Tina. "SCHOOL OF THE WEEK/Far Rockaway High School", Newsday , February 25, 1990. Accessed July 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Juicy bits". Salon.com . 1999-09-20. Archived from the original on April 17, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-20. his syndicated TV talk show got yanked off the air back in 1996. Bey told the New York Post that, even though his show had high ratings and he himself had a brand-new contract, "the day after [the Flowers episode] airs, I'm called into the office and told that we're going out of production."(scroll down)
  6. ↑ "North East RadioWatch". bostonradio.org. 2002-04-01. Retrieved 2008-03-20. Over on the AM dial, WABC (770) moved Michael Savage's show to a live airing last week. Savage is now heard weeknights from 8-10 PM, cutting Steve Malzberg and Richard Bey back to two hours, from 6-8 PM, and ending Malzberg's solo hour at 9.
  7. ↑ "Morning show overhaul coming Monday at WWRL". Daily News (New York) . 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-03-20. Mark Riley and Richard Bey will take over the morning show Monday at WWRL (1600 AM), replacing Sam Greenfield and Armstrong Williams.
  8. ↑ Hinckley, David (2008-03-10). "Richard Bey leaves, WWRL mornings to change again". Daily News (New York) . Retrieved 2008-03-20. Bey said on the air Friday that his departure is purely for personal reasons. He has obligations that include a young son, he said, and he can't fulfill those when he has to get up at 3 or 4 a.m. for a morning show.
  9. 1 2 Haber, Matt, "Richard Bey’s Infinite Punyverse", The New York Observer , May 12, 2009
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.