Dori Monson
Encyclopedia
Dori Monson is an American radio personality currently hosting the pre-game, post-game and halftime shows on the Seahawks Radio Network and the Dori Monson Show, an afternoon talk radio show in Seattle, Washington
, on KIRO-FM.
heritage, was raised in Ballard
, a Scandinavian ethnic enclave
in Seattle. He graduated from Ballard High School. As a student at the University of Washington
he was the play-by-play announcer for Husky football on campus broadcaster KCMU-FM. He began his professional broadcasting career as a producer at KING-TV
and sports reporter at KING-AM, then moved to KIRO as part of the Pat Cashman Show
.
Monson is married with three daughters and lives in Lake Forest Park, WA, where he coaches girls' youth basketball. He has variously described himself as "right leaning," "center right," and "libertarian," and said he voted for Bob Barr
in the 2008 presidential election.
who moved to the preceding 9:00am to 12:00pm morning slot.
The Dori Monson Show is currently heard from 12:00pm to 3:00pm PDT on KIRO-FM and is primarily a politically-oriented talk radio program. As of winter 2008, his show was the highest rated talk radio program in the Seattle-Tacoma market. In 2008 Monson was nominated for Radio & Records News/Talk/Sports Local Personality Of The Year, ultimately losing to Bill Handel
of KFI-AM (Los Angeles).
The dominant political orientation of his program began as roughly middle-of-the-road throughout the 90s. He often sided with then President Clinton against the conservative Republicans running Congress, particularly during the impeachment hearings following the Monica Lewinski scandal. He also claims to have voted for Al Gore in the year 2000 presidential election. However, his show turned decidedly conservative around the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, frequently attacking local Democratic politicians such as former King County Executive Ron Sims
, enthusiastically supporting the Iraq invasion, and decrying global warming as a hoax perpetuated by "evil cultists." He also once asked Washington State Democratic Party
Chairman Dwight Pelz if he were a communist.
Among the regular features on The Dori Monson Show is the weekly "one on one against the nuns" segment where Monson tests his football acumen against two nuns, Sisters Kath Silverthorn and Cele Gorman of the Archdiocese of Seattle, each making predictions for the next Sunday's NFL games. “I wanted to find the absolute most incongruous people we’d normally never associate with football analysis,” Monson explained. “I thought that would be either Sherpas or nuns and it’d probably be easier to find nuns.” Another feature is the annual "Dori Awards" where listeners are invited to vote on the most annoying local and national personalities of the past year. Past national Dori winners include Sarah Palin
, Al Gore
, Rosie O'Donnell
, Cindy Sheehan
, Michael Moore
, Michael Jackson
, Trent Lott
, and George W Bush. Past local winners include former Seattle Supersonics owner Clay Bennett
, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire
, Congressman Jim McDermott
, Ron Sims
, conservative political activist Tim Eyman
, and Dori Monson.
Since 2002 Monson has hosted Hawk Talk, a day-of-game broadcast carried on the Seahawks Radio Network, a network of 46 radio stations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and British Columbia, that airs games of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks
. Monson also anchors the pre-game, post-game and halftime shows during Seahawks broadcasts, when he is joined by Sam Adkins
, Paul Moyer
, and Dave Wyman.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, on KIRO-FM.
Personal life and early career
Monson, who is of IcelandicIcelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
heritage, was raised in Ballard
Ballard, Seattle, Washington
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
, a Scandinavian ethnic enclave
Ethnic enclave
An ethnic enclave is an ethnic community which retains some cultural distinction from a larger, surrounding area, it may be a neighborhood, an area or an administrative division based on ethnic groups. Sometimes an entire city may have such a feel. Usually the enclave revolves around businesses...
in Seattle. He graduated from Ballard High School. As a student at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
he was the play-by-play announcer for Husky football on campus broadcaster KCMU-FM. He began his professional broadcasting career as a producer at KING-TV
KING-TV
KING-TV, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Seattle, Washington, affiliated with the NBC network. Owned by Belo Corporation, it broadcasts on UHF digital channel 48. Its offices and broadcasting center are located just east of Seattle Center...
and sports reporter at KING-AM, then moved to KIRO as part of the Pat Cashman Show
Pat Cashman Show
The Pat Cashman Show was a radio program that aired in Seattle, Washington during the 1990s. Hosted by radio and television personality Pat Cashman, this show provided morning commuters commentary, sketches, parodies of local commercials, and more. The show also featured Seattle radio personality...
.
Monson is married with three daughters and lives in Lake Forest Park, WA, where he coaches girls' youth basketball. He has variously described himself as "right leaning," "center right," and "libertarian," and said he voted for Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
in the 2008 presidential election.
Current work
In 1995 Monson was given his own show on KIRO in the 12:00pm to 3:00pm time slot, replacing Dave RossDave Ross
Dave Ross is a talk show host on Seattle's KIRO-FM radio station, with whom he had been a news anchor from 1978 until his talk show started nine years later in 1987. He has sometimes broadcast his show while on assignment in other locations, including overseas, such as Baghdad, Iraq in April...
who moved to the preceding 9:00am to 12:00pm morning slot.
The Dori Monson Show is currently heard from 12:00pm to 3:00pm PDT on KIRO-FM and is primarily a politically-oriented talk radio program. As of winter 2008, his show was the highest rated talk radio program in the Seattle-Tacoma market. In 2008 Monson was nominated for Radio & Records News/Talk/Sports Local Personality Of The Year, ultimately losing to Bill Handel
Bill Handel
William Wolf Handel is the director and founder of the Center for Surrogate Parenting and an AM radio personality in Los Angeles, California....
of KFI-AM (Los Angeles).
The dominant political orientation of his program began as roughly middle-of-the-road throughout the 90s. He often sided with then President Clinton against the conservative Republicans running Congress, particularly during the impeachment hearings following the Monica Lewinski scandal. He also claims to have voted for Al Gore in the year 2000 presidential election. However, his show turned decidedly conservative around the time of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, frequently attacking local Democratic politicians such as former King County Executive Ron Sims
Ron Sims
Ronald Cordell Sims, , is currently the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, having been confirmed by the Senate on May 6, 2009 and sworn in on May 8. He is also the former King County Executive...
, enthusiastically supporting the Iraq invasion, and decrying global warming as a hoax perpetuated by "evil cultists." He also once asked Washington State Democratic Party
Washington State Democratic Party
The Washington State Democratic Party is the local Democratic Party branch in the State of Washington, headquartered in the Broderick Building in Downtown Seattle. It is also commonly referred to as the Washington State Democrats and the Washington Democratic Party.-Washington State Democratic...
Chairman Dwight Pelz if he were a communist.
Among the regular features on The Dori Monson Show is the weekly "one on one against the nuns" segment where Monson tests his football acumen against two nuns, Sisters Kath Silverthorn and Cele Gorman of the Archdiocese of Seattle, each making predictions for the next Sunday's NFL games. “I wanted to find the absolute most incongruous people we’d normally never associate with football analysis,” Monson explained. “I thought that would be either Sherpas or nuns and it’d probably be easier to find nuns.” Another feature is the annual "Dori Awards" where listeners are invited to vote on the most annoying local and national personalities of the past year. Past national Dori winners include Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
, Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
, Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Sheehan
Cindy Lee Miller Sheehan is an American anti-war activist whose son, U.S. Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, was killed by enemy action during the Iraq War. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 for her extended anti-war protest at a makeshift camp outside President...
, Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
, and George W Bush. Past local winners include former Seattle Supersonics owner Clay Bennett
Clay Bennett
Clay Bennett is an American editorial cartoonist. Currently drawing for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Bennett is the winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning....
, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels
Greg Nickels
Gregory J. "Greg" Nickels was the 51st mayor of Seattle, Washington. He took office on January 1, 2002 and was reelected to a second term in 2005. In August 2009, Nickels finished third in the primary election for Seattle mayor, failing to qualify for the November 2009 general election, and...
, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire
Christine Gregoire
Christine O'Grady "Chris" Gregoire is the 22nd and current Governor of the state of Washington, and a member of the Democratic Party. Gregoire defeated Republican candidate Dino Rossi in 2004, and again in 2008. She is the second female governor of Washington...
, Congressman Jim McDermott
Jim McDermott
James Adelbert "Jim" McDermott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The 7th District includes most of Seattle and Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien.He serves on the House Ways and Means...
, Ron Sims
Ron Sims
Ronald Cordell Sims, , is currently the Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, having been confirmed by the Senate on May 6, 2009 and sworn in on May 8. He is also the former King County Executive...
, conservative political activist Tim Eyman
Tim Eyman
Tim Eyman is a conservative political activist in the U.S. state of Washington. He advocates for a smaller state government, through lowering state taxes and fees...
, and Dori Monson.
Since 2002 Monson has hosted Hawk Talk, a day-of-game broadcast carried on the Seahawks Radio Network, a network of 46 radio stations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and British Columbia, that airs games of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Monson also anchors the pre-game, post-game and halftime shows during Seahawks broadcasts, when he is joined by Sam Adkins
Sam Adkins
Samuel Adam Adkins is a former professional American football player. He attended Cleveland High School in Reseda, CA and Wichita State University. He played for the NFL Seattle Seahawks from 1977–1983, and is the only member of the Seahawks to wear the number 12...
, Paul Moyer
Paul Moyer
Paul Moyer is a veteran television news broadcaster in Southern California. He co-anchored the 5 PM and 11 PM weekday editions of KNBC-TV's Channel 4 News with Colleen Williams. Moyer has worked primarily in the two major television markets—New York and Los Angeles—in addition to briefly working...
, and Dave Wyman.