Mike O'Meara Show
Encyclopedia
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 Buzz Burbank, Robb Spewak and Oscar Santana. The show's Chief Engineer is R.J. Diaz. 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 or Ustream
.
featuring shock jock
s Mike O'Meara
, Buzz Burbank, and Robb Spewak. It succeeded the Don and Mike Show
after Don Geronimo
retired on April 11, 2008. Most stations which syndicated the previous show continued to air The Mike O'Meara Show via the CBS
-owned Westwood One
Radio Network. The show's flagship
station was 106.7 WJFK
in Washington, D.C.
The show was named "Best Afternoon Drive Radio Show" in the 2008 Best of Northern Virginia list in Northern Virginia Magazine
.
In July 2009, when its flagship station, 106.7 WJFK, was converted to an all-sports radio station by CBS Radio, The Mike O'Meara Show was discontinued on 106.7. Simultaneously, the Westwood One Radio Network ceased syndication of the show nationwide. The term of Mike O'Meara's contract with CBS Radio ended on December 1, 2009.
On December 7, 2009, The Mike O'Meara Show returned as a podcast, and broadcasted on terrestrial radio during the 5:00 drive slot on KCJJ
in Coralville, Iowa, a former CBS affiliate of The Don and Mike Show.
The podcast format of The Mike O'Meara Show has taken on three incarnations. The Mike O'Meara Show is the daily podcast that is available for download around the world and kept broadcast friendly for airing on terrestrial radio. The Mike O'Meara Bonus Hour is a weekly podcast available via subscription, which is uncensored and the topics covered extend to those typically not allowed in radio or they take on a game format. The Mike O'Meara Show RAW started as a series of three one-hour long podcasts available via subscription, which covered topics of sex, porn and strippers. In the RAW 1.0 series, Mike and the gang entertained porn star Carmen Hart (Episode 2) and celebrated Robb's birthday by bringing in two dancers (Episode 3). The RAW series is intended to be an annual event.
This Week in O'Mearica launched on Friday, March 11, 2011. The one-hour weekly segment is hosted by Marc Ronick and R.J. Diaz. During this hour, Marc, R.J., and a handful of interns recap, evaluate and analyze the week of The Mike O'Meara Show.
. News briefs and commentary are provided by Buzz Burbank. The Audio Vault is produced by Robb Spewak. Oscar Santana complements the rest of the cast and fulfills the show's affirmative action clause.
is the host. O'Meara worked as a bar & nightclub disc jockey
and held many positions in radio. He was partnered with Don Geronimo for over 20 years: first at WAVA-FM (105.1 FM) in Washington (1985–1991), then at WJFK-FM
from 1991 to 2008. Mike had a one-year stint as the host of the Kirk and Mike show on WVRX-FM 105.9 The Edge, until the station flipped formats. O'Meara is a vocal supporter of the Boston Red Sox
and Washington Capitals
. O'Meara is a graduate of American University
. He is the father of two daughters.. Mike is known for his impersonations on the show that include former Governor Jesse Ventura
, Simon Cowell
, former newsman Larry King
, Regis Philbin
and former President Bill Clinton
.
, writer
, and producer
. He was first introduced to Don and Mike by being a frequent caller to their show. Spewak, also known as "Robbay," served three times as the producer of the Don and Mike Show and was the last person to serve in that position. He is now the in-studio producer of The Mike O'Meara Show. His Audio Vault segments are a daily part of the show. Robb hosts The Robb Spewak Show, which airs every Friday at KCJJ in Iowa City. Robb is very involved in charities that raise funds towards battling lymphoma and leukemia (particularly in children) as a tribute to his son, who is a Leukemia Survivor. He lives in Leesburg, VA, with his wife Cary and kids Julia and Robert III. Robb has an entire area in his house devoted to Elvis Presley and owns an actual piece of The Hindenburg.
where his father and stepmother Phyllis live. He is a 1975 graduate of Wichita State University
, where he majored in English. Burbank's career began at KLEO in Wichita in 1972. He has also worked in New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Minneapolis and New Orleans, hosting talk and entertainment shows. He was the morning drive News Anchor at WBBM-FM
in Chicago, Illinois and for Bonneville Chicago Radio Group
, where he won the Associated Press award for Best Newscast. He served as news director at Fairbanks/WZZD Philadelphia.
He began with Don and Mike on December 2, 1991. Don had known him from working together in Chicago and invited him to join the show. Since his first name is Michael, it would have caused mass confusion on-air with 2 people sharing the same name. Don's real name is also Mike, so he particularly demanded they rename Mr. Elston. Don suggested "Buzz", as it connotes a sense of readiness appropriately associated with a newsman. Mike suggested the alliterative "Burbank" as a tip of the hat to Gary Owens
, the announcer for the TV show "Laugh-In", whose resonant timbre is similar to Buzz's delivery (Gary Burbank
, a Cincinnati radio personality, adopted his on-air name for the same reason; Buzz and Gary are in no way related). As Gary Owens would open every episode of "Laugh-In" by saying "And now, from beautiful downtown Burbank", a reference to Burbank, California, where the show was shot, Mike suggested Elston's last name be "Burbank". This joke was reinforced as Don and Mike spent many years opening their program with the phrase "from beautiful toothless Fairfax", a reference to Fairfax, Virginia
, home of the show's flagship station, WJFK-FM
.
, Oscar is the one that convinced Mike to bring back The Mike O'Meara Show via podcast. For Oscar's effort, Mike invited him to join the show as a co-host. In a similar manner, Chad Dukes and Oscar have decided to re-start the Big O and Dukes Show via podcast, which can be found in iTunes
or the "Big O and Dukes" website)
KCJJ is also the station that carries the Robb Spewak Show. It is the only affiliate that the guys have visited since the inception of The Mike O'Meara Show.
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The show is hosted by Mike O'Meara and includes Buzz Burbank, Robb Spewak and Oscar Santana. The show's Chief Engineer is R.J. Diaz. The Mike O'Meara Bonus Show is available every Friday to VIP members through their website or by purchasing them through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The show is also streamed via video through their website or Ustream
Ustream
Ustream is a website which consists of a network of diverse channels providing a platform for lifecasting and live video streaming of events online. Established in March 2007, the site has over 2,000,000 registered users who generate 1,500,000+ hours of live streamed content per month with over ten...
.
Format
The show focuses on current events, politics, pop culture, sports and the lives of the members of the show. The context of the material is discussed in a humorous manner. The daily podcast is broadcast friendly, whereas, the Bonus Show is uncensored. The podcasts are approximately 70 minutes long; 50 minutes are used to discuss various topics, 10 minutes for Robb's Audio Vault, and the last 10 minutes include Buzz's News.History
The Mike O'Meara Show was a nationally syndicated radio talk showTalk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
featuring shock jock
Shock jock
Shock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of any radio broadcaster who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive. The term is usually used pejoratively to describe provocative or irreverent broadcasters whose mannerisms,...
s Mike O'Meara
Mike O'Meara
Michael Sean Patrick "Mike" O'Meara is the host of The Mike O'Meara Show, previously a nationally syndicated radio show which returned as a podcast. Previously he was the co-host of the nationally syndicated The Don and Mike Show...
, Buzz Burbank, and Robb Spewak. It succeeded the Don and Mike Show
Don and Mike
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 2008, when Geronimo retired in order to focus on his personal life. After Geronimo's retirement, the remaining cast...
after Don Geronimo
Don Geronimo
Michael Sorce , better known by his stage name Don Geronimo, is an American radio personality formerly featured on the nationally syndicated radio talk show Don and Mike Show...
retired on April 11, 2008. Most stations which syndicated the previous show continued to air The Mike O'Meara Show via the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
-owned Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
Radio Network. The show's flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
station was 106.7 WJFK
WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM, known on-air as 106.7 The Fan, is a sports radio-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Manassas, Virginia, serving the metro Washington DC area...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The show was named "Best Afternoon Drive Radio Show" in the 2008 Best of Northern Virginia list in Northern Virginia Magazine
Northern Virginia Magazine
Northern Virginia Magazine is a monthly periodical which is available in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The magazine published its first issue in 2006. It focuses on dining, shopping, travel and entertainment in the Northern Virginia area and frequently produces "best of" lists including...
.
In July 2009, when its flagship station, 106.7 WJFK, was converted to an all-sports radio station by CBS Radio, The Mike O'Meara Show was discontinued on 106.7. Simultaneously, the Westwood One Radio Network ceased syndication of the show nationwide. The term of Mike O'Meara's contract with CBS Radio ended on December 1, 2009.
On December 7, 2009, The Mike O'Meara Show returned as a podcast, and broadcasted on terrestrial radio during the 5:00 drive slot on KCJJ
KCJJ
KCJJ is a radio station licensed to serve Iowa City, Iowa, USA. The station is owned by Steve Bridges' River City Radio. The station was assigned the KCJJ call sign by the Federal Communications Commission in 1982.-Programming:...
in Coralville, Iowa, a former CBS affiliate of The Don and Mike Show.
The podcast format of The Mike O'Meara Show has taken on three incarnations. The Mike O'Meara Show is the daily podcast that is available for download around the world and kept broadcast friendly for airing on terrestrial radio. The Mike O'Meara Bonus Hour is a weekly podcast available via subscription, which is uncensored and the topics covered extend to those typically not allowed in radio or they take on a game format. The Mike O'Meara Show RAW started as a series of three one-hour long podcasts available via subscription, which covered topics of sex, porn and strippers. In the RAW 1.0 series, Mike and the gang entertained porn star Carmen Hart (Episode 2) and celebrated Robb's birthday by bringing in two dancers (Episode 3). The RAW series is intended to be an annual event.
This Week in O'Mearica launched on Friday, March 11, 2011. The one-hour weekly segment is hosted by Marc Ronick and R.J. Diaz. During this hour, Marc, R.J., and a handful of interns recap, evaluate and analyze the week of The Mike O'Meara Show.
Personalities
The show is hosted by Mike O'MearaMike O'Meara
Michael Sean Patrick "Mike" O'Meara is the host of The Mike O'Meara Show, previously a nationally syndicated radio show which returned as a podcast. Previously he was the co-host of the nationally syndicated The Don and Mike Show...
. News briefs and commentary are provided by Buzz Burbank. The Audio Vault is produced by Robb Spewak. Oscar Santana complements the rest of the cast and fulfills the show's affirmative action clause.
Mike O'Meara
Michael Sean Patrick O'Meara, born June 22, 1959 (age 52) in Glastonbury, ConnecticutGlastonbury, Connecticut
Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1693. The population was 31,876 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles southeast of Hartford. The town...
is the host. O'Meara worked as a bar & nightclub disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and held many positions in radio. He was partnered with Don Geronimo for over 20 years: first at WAVA-FM (105.1 FM) in Washington (1985–1991), then at WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM, known on-air as 106.7 The Fan, is a sports radio-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Manassas, Virginia, serving the metro Washington DC area...
from 1991 to 2008. Mike had a one-year stint as the host of the Kirk and Mike show on WVRX-FM 105.9 The Edge, until the station flipped formats. O'Meara is a vocal supporter of the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. O'Meara is a graduate of American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
. He is the father of two daughters.. Mike is known for his impersonations on the show that include former Governor Jesse Ventura
Jesse Ventura
James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
, Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
, former newsman Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
and former President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Robb Spewak
Robert Wadams Spewak, Jr., born March 08, 1971 (age 40), was the "third man" on The Don and Mike Show, having served as an internIntern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. He was first introduced to Don and Mike by being a frequent caller to their show. Spewak, also known as "Robbay," served three times as the producer of the Don and Mike Show and was the last person to serve in that position. He is now the in-studio producer of The Mike O'Meara Show. His Audio Vault segments are a daily part of the show. Robb hosts The Robb Spewak Show, which airs every Friday at KCJJ in Iowa City. Robb is very involved in charities that raise funds towards battling lymphoma and leukemia (particularly in children) as a tribute to his son, who is a Leukemia Survivor. He lives in Leesburg, VA, with his wife Cary and kids Julia and Robert III. Robb has an entire area in his house devoted to Elvis Presley and owns an actual piece of The Hindenburg.
Buzz Burbank
Buzz Burbank, whose real name is Michael J. Elston, was born October 07, 1953 (age 58) is the Newsman for The Mike O'Meara Show. He is originally from Wichita, KansasWichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
where his father and stepmother Phyllis live. He is a 1975 graduate of Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
, where he majored in English. Burbank's career began at KLEO in Wichita in 1972. He has also worked in New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Minneapolis and New Orleans, hosting talk and entertainment shows. He was the morning drive News Anchor at WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
in Chicago, Illinois and for Bonneville Chicago Radio Group
Bonneville International
Bonneville International Corporation is a broadcasting company wholly owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through its for-profit arm, Deseret Management Corporation...
, where he won the Associated Press award for Best Newscast. He served as news director at Fairbanks/WZZD Philadelphia.
He began with Don and Mike on December 2, 1991. Don had known him from working together in Chicago and invited him to join the show. Since his first name is Michael, it would have caused mass confusion on-air with 2 people sharing the same name. Don's real name is also Mike, so he particularly demanded they rename Mr. Elston. Don suggested "Buzz", as it connotes a sense of readiness appropriately associated with a newsman. Mike suggested the alliterative "Burbank" as a tip of the hat to Gary Owens
Gary Owens
Gary Owens is an American disc jockey and voice actor. His polished baritone speaking voice generally offers deadpan recitations of total nonsense, which he frequently demonstrated as the announcer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Owens is equally proficient in straight or silly assignments and is...
, the announcer for the TV show "Laugh-In", whose resonant timbre is similar to Buzz's delivery (Gary Burbank
Gary Burbank
Gary Burbank is an American radio personality. He was heard daily on WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio, from June 15, 1981 until December 21, 2007, when he signed off for the last time.-Career in Radio:...
, a Cincinnati radio personality, adopted his on-air name for the same reason; Buzz and Gary are in no way related). As Gary Owens would open every episode of "Laugh-In" by saying "And now, from beautiful downtown Burbank", a reference to Burbank, California, where the show was shot, Mike suggested Elston's last name be "Burbank". This joke was reinforced as Don and Mike spent many years opening their program with the phrase "from beautiful toothless Fairfax", a reference to Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, home of the show's flagship station, WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM
WJFK-FM, known on-air as 106.7 The Fan, is a sports radio-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Manassas, Virginia, serving the metro Washington DC area...
.
Oscar Santana
Best known for the his work in the Big O and Dukes Show, which preceded The Mike O'Meara Show at WJFKWJFK
WJFK may refer to:* WJFK-FM, a radio station licensed to Manassas, Virginia, United States* WJZ , a radio station licensed to Baltimore, Maryland, United States, which used the WJFK call sign from October 1991 to November 2008...
, Oscar is the one that convinced Mike to bring back The Mike O'Meara Show via podcast. For Oscar's effort, Mike invited him to join the show as a co-host. In a similar manner, Chad Dukes and Oscar have decided to re-start the Big O and Dukes Show via podcast, which can be found in iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
or the "Big O and Dukes" website)
R.J. Diaz
A.K.A. "Inchworm," "Mr. French," "The Butler." R.J. joined the show by volunteering to become the Chief Engineer and is often the target of Mike's anger when the equipment is not working properly. R.J. is in Mike's band. R.J. is the faint voice you hear in the background every once in a while.Marc Ronick
AKA Menasha, Spaz, and Chronic. The show's business manager and the brunt of Robb's Jew jokes. Marc was a former intern for the old Don & Mike show one summer back in 1993. He reunited with Mike and the gang in January 2010 as one of their first sales executives. On February 12, 2010 (episode 49), Mike announced that he was promoting Marc to Business Manager.Characters
- Internet Radio Tommy: Hosts his own show, The Internet Tommy Radio Show, which airs from his mother's basement. This wannabe disc jockey is often visited by Robb, Buzz and Oscar and is furiously picked on by his guests.
- Oscar's C-Girlfriend: She stops by to say hello and confronts Oscar anytime he begins to speak about her in a negative connotation. She attempts to incite jealousy in Oscar by hitting on Buzz and Robb.
- Frankie: Mike's chihuahua. He often stops by to speak to the rest of the show's cast to complain about Mike and explain the frequent "presents" he leaves for everyone in the studio.
- Charly Stuangstabalack: The elderly employee of the show, with the mind of a child, drops by to comment on topics every once in a while.
- Sex Boy: This immature adolescent drops by to explain the intricacies of sex.
- Oscar's Father: He calls into the show to speak to Oscar, expresses his disappointment in him, and attempts to steal Oscar's girlfriend from him.
- Inga: This sexy German pornstar stops by to attempt to fulfill the dreams of Robb, Buzz and Oscar. Her stats are 5'7", 38/24/37 measurements, and 75-years-old.
- Bawlmer Billy Sikorsky: He is a sportscaster, known for his heavy Baltimore accent and disappointment at the state of the Baltimore Orioles; his catch phrase being "What a nightmare!"
Affiliates
| Call Sign | Frequency | City | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| KCJJ KCJJ KCJJ is a radio station licensed to serve Iowa City, Iowa, USA. The station is owned by Steve Bridges' River City Radio. The station was assigned the KCJJ call sign by the Federal Communications Commission in 1982.-Programming:... |
1630 kHz | Iowa City, IA | 4:45p - 6:00p (Central) |
KCJJ is also the station that carries the Robb Spewak Show. It is the only affiliate that the guys have visited since the inception of The Mike O'Meara Show.