Gerry Callahan
Encyclopedia
Dennis and Callahan is an American
morning radio show on WEEI
, a sports radio
station in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 16, 2010, a live three-hour simulcast began airing on NESN
from 6-9AM Eastern time each weekday. The show combines talk of sports and politics, along with current or "water cooler" issues. Both Gerry Callahan
and John Dennis
generally discuss in a conservative view point, however Dennis on occasion serves as the "devil's advocate
" to challenge some of Callahan's positions. In May 2007, the show added Ian "Iggy" Meropol as a co-producer who occasionally contributes a liberal point of view to topics being discussed. The show premiered in 1997, and it has been getting strong ratings ever since.
On August 16, 2007, the Boston Globe reported that Dennis and Callahan were in negotiations to move their show to WCRB-FM
, a Boston-based radio station that was considering changing its format from classical music
to all sports. Just one day later, however, the Boston Globe reported that Entercom had entered into a syndication deal with Nassau Broadcasting putting WEEI programs on 11 of Nassau's New England stations. Part of the deal includes Entercom obtaining a 50 percent stake in WCRB-FM with the intent to keep the station on a classical format, thus preventing a move there by Dennis and Callahan.
The show continued to air daily as the Dennis and Callahan Show with rotating guest hosts including Steve DeOssie
, Dan Patrick
, Bob Lobel
, Jon Meterparel, Bob Halloran
, Ron Borges
, Greg Dickerson
, John Rooke
, Steve Burton
, Butch Stearns
, Craig Mustard, Ted Johnson
and Larry Johnson.
On September 10, 2007, the two returned to the air full time informing their listeners that they had agreed to 5-year deals. According to local news reports, the contract impasse was resolved after the direct intervention of Entercom President and CEO David Field who reportedly offered the two a substantial increase, reportly in the eight-figure range.
after columnist Ron Borges
appeared on the show and used a racial slur to describe New York Yankees
pitcher Hideki Irabu
. After the ban, WEEI retaliated by banning Globe sportswriters from all WEEI programs.
and had been recaptured at a bus stop. According to newspaper articles, the exchange allegedly was:
METCO is a state program that buses inner-city Boston
students to nearby suburban schools. Many perceived the comments to be comparing poor, mostly African-American children to gorillas. WEEI general manager Tom Baker suspended both hosts for two days, then extended the suspension to two weeks after the Blue Cross-Blue Shield
(Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts) pulled $27,000 in ads and in turn donated that money to METCO. Dunkin' Donuts
responded by ceasing all advertising that involved the voices of John Dennis or Gerry Callahan. Both hosts apologized and were sent to sensitivity training
. WEEI also agreed to provide free advertising for the METCO program on the radio station. In November 2003, WEEI General Manager Tom Baker was replaced by Julie Kahn. Station executives denied there was a connection between the METCO incident and Baker's replacement.
and relief pitcher Mike Timlin
discussing the upcoming visit of Carson Kressley
and the cast from Queer Eye
at Fenway Park
. Kressley and his co-hosts were scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park on Sunday, June 5, 2005 before the Red Sox faced the Los Angeles Angels. In questioning Lucchino, Callahan asked if the team had received any complaints about "'fruitcakes sashaying' in front of children and families, and on a Sunday, of all days". In a later interview, Mike Timlin voiced his opinion that "homosexuals are not living correctly". Approached later by reporters from the Boston Globe, station manager Jason Wolfe claimed that Callahan did not object to Kressley being gay, but rather that "it's the openness and the flaunting of it".
of 1510 The Zone
. In the audio tape, Dennis accuses Russillo of being a drunk and hitting on his daughter. After the incident, the New England Patriots
had Russillo removed from WBCN's post-game show with Gary Tanguay & Company. At the time WBCN, which was owned by CBS, held broadcast rights to Patriot games. Dennis denied any responsibility for the Patriots decision.
, a former member of Whitey Bulger's South Boston based criminal organization. Weeks had admitted to committing armed and unarmed assaults, kidnapings and being an accessory to several murders on behalf of Whitey Bulger and had played a role helping Bulger escape arrest. His appearance on the show was to promote his book, Brutal : The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger's Irish Mob (ISBN 0-06-112269-6). Some listeners felt that it was wrong for the show to help Weeks promote his book. Callahan told the Boston Herald that they wrestled with whether to "put this thug on air." but the bottom line, he said, "It's good radio."
to avert a potential lawsuit for defaming the family on the radio. The controversy began in February 2007, when Doyle family member Patrick Doyle was sentenced to five years probation
after pleading guilty to child endangerment.
Doyle was present when a 9-year-old girl was repeatedly raped by two other men in the bed next to him while he had sex with two women, one of whom is the girl's mother. Doyle comes from a family that includes a serving District Court Judge, a retired District Court Judge and an Essex County
Assistant District Attorney. While discussing the sentence which they believed was far too lenient, Dennis and Callahan accused members of the Doyle family of interceding on behalf of Doyle and suggested that "the fix was in".
William Galvin after they told listeners that the election had been postponed and that Democrats should cast their votes on November 5 (the day after Election Day). Galvin's spokesperson said the show was doing a disservice to voters and warned them that they could be violating a state law against interfering with elections. In response, Gerry Callahan stated "Obviously it was a joke and I think most listeners understood it was a joke".
was charged in relation to a series of obscene and threatening phone calls made to the station over a period of two months. The man, who was apparently upset with the on air duo's support of Senator John McCain
's presidential candidacy, allegedly called the station starting in October 2008 threatening the shows hosts as well as WEEI program director Jason Wolfe and vice president of Entercom New England Julie Kahn. The man who was charged with two counts of criminal harassment, two counts of threats to commit a crime and a single count of making annoying phone calls. In a plea bargain in February 2009, the man pleaded guilty to one of the charges against him and was sentenced to probation
for a year. He must also undergo anger management
counseling, perform 20 hours of community service and stay away from the victims and never call the station again.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
morning radio show on WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
, a sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
station in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 16, 2010, a live three-hour simulcast began airing on NESN
New England Sports Network
The New England Sports Network, or NESN [NESS-en], is a regional cable television network that covers the six New England states except Fairfield County, Connecticut and Southbury, Connecticut, a town in New Haven County, Connecticut which is covered by New York City sports networks...
from 6-9AM Eastern time each weekday. The show combines talk of sports and politics, along with current or "water cooler" issues. Both Gerry Callahan
Gerry Callahan
Dennis and Callahan is an American morning radio show on WEEI, a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts. On November 16, 2010, a live three-hour simulcast began airing on NESN from 6-9AM Eastern time each weekday. The show combines talk of sports and politics, along with current or "water...
and John Dennis
John Dennis (talk show host)
John Dennis is an American radio talk show host for WEEI, known for the Dennis and Callahan show.-Biography:...
generally discuss in a conservative view point, however Dennis on occasion serves as the "devil's advocate
Devil's advocate
In common parlance, a devil's advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position he or she does not necessarily agree with, just for the sake of argument. In taking such position, the individual taking on the devil's advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative...
" to challenge some of Callahan's positions. In May 2007, the show added Ian "Iggy" Meropol as a co-producer who occasionally contributes a liberal point of view to topics being discussed. The show premiered in 1997, and it has been getting strong ratings ever since.
Suspension of Program
On August 13, 2007, Entercom announced that the program would be suspended indefinitely until contract disputes involving both Dennis and Callahan were settled. The duo were scheduled to return to the air together that day for the first time in over three months after Callahan's long medical absence, and after a one-week vacation by Dennis. The contract dispute was believed to center around the hosts' desire to obtain a pay increase greater than what was being offered by the station, to an amount they believe better reflects the revenue the show generates. Their ratings consistently rank No. 1 among male listeners in the 25- to 54-year-old demographic.On August 16, 2007, the Boston Globe reported that Dennis and Callahan were in negotiations to move their show to WCRB-FM
WCRB
WCRB is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts and based in the Brighton area of Boston, which serves the Greater Boston area. It broadcasts a classical music format; it existed as a commercial station from the early 1950s until December 2009, and as a listener-supported...
, a Boston-based radio station that was considering changing its format from classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
to all sports. Just one day later, however, the Boston Globe reported that Entercom had entered into a syndication deal with Nassau Broadcasting putting WEEI programs on 11 of Nassau's New England stations. Part of the deal includes Entercom obtaining a 50 percent stake in WCRB-FM with the intent to keep the station on a classical format, thus preventing a move there by Dennis and Callahan.
The show continued to air daily as the Dennis and Callahan Show with rotating guest hosts including Steve DeOssie
Steve DeOssie
Steven Leonard DeOssie is a former American football linebacker and long snapper. DeOssie played college football at Boston College, and went on to play in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the New England Patriots...
, Dan Patrick
Dan Patrick
Daniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
, Bob Lobel
Bob Lobel
Robert "Bob" Lobel is a former sportscaster for WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusetts. He anchored the sports segments on the evening newscasts between Sunday and Thursday, and hosted the weekly programs Sports Final and Patriots 5th Quarter...
, Jon Meterparel, Bob Halloran
Bob Halloran
Bob Halloran is the Friday and Saturday nights news anchor and sports anchor for WCVB Channel 5, an ABC affiliate located in the Boston, Massachusetts media market....
, Ron Borges
Ron Borges
Ron Borges is currently a sportswriter for the Boston Herald. He previously wrote for The Boston Globe, and was a regular guest on Michael Felger's radio show The Mike Felger Show, which aired on 890 ESPN until July 2008. Borges also was a regular contributor to the until 2008...
, Greg Dickerson
Greg Dickerson
Greg Dickerson is a Boston sportscaster currently serving as the Boston Celtics sideline reporter and host of The Baseball Show for Comcast SportsNet New England.Dickerson's career began in 1995 at WWTM in Worcester, Massachusetts and WBZ radio in Boston...
, John Rooke
John Rooke
John Rooke is an award-winning broadcaster, and is a new inductee into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame. He currently serves in several broadcast capacities, including 22 years as the play-by-play voice for Providence Friars men's basketball; Big East Conference football and basketball...
, Steve Burton
Steve Burton (sports journalist)
Steve Burton is a television sports reporter for WBZ-TV and WSBK-TV in Boston. The son of former New England Patriots player Ron Burton, Steve Burton grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Northwestern University holding a bachelor of science degree in Communications and a...
, Butch Stearns
Butch Stearns
Butch Stearns is an American television and radio personality. He is a former sports anchor for WFXT and radio host for WEEI, both located in Boston, Massachusetts.-Television:...
, Craig Mustard, Ted Johnson
Ted Johnson
Ted Curtis Johnson is a former American football player in the National Football League. He grew up in Carlsbad, California where he graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1991. From there he attended the University of Colorado and was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1995 NFL...
and Larry Johnson.
On September 10, 2007, the two returned to the air full time informing their listeners that they had agreed to 5-year deals. According to local news reports, the contract impasse was resolved after the direct intervention of Entercom President and CEO David Field who reportedly offered the two a substantial increase, reportly in the eight-figure range.
Current
- Jerry RemyJerry RemyGerald Peter "Rem Dawg" Remy is a Major League Baseball broadcaster and former Major League Baseball second baseman. Remy grew up in Somerset, Massachusetts.-Playing career:...
a former Red Sox second basemanSecond basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and current Red Sox broadcaster for NESN appears every Wednesday during baseball season. - Red Sox CEO Larry LucchinoLarry LucchinoLawrence Lucchino, is the current President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, and a member of John W...
every Thursday during the baseball season. - PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
every Monday during football season. - ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Adam Schefter appears every Friday during football season. - Former professional quarterback and current television football analyst Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
was heard every Monday during the 2006, 2008, and 2010 football seasons. (He was a regular guest on The Big ShowThe Big Show (sports radio show)The Big Show is a sports talk radio program on Boston's WEEI 850 AM. Started in August 1995, the show is hosted by former Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer Glenn Ordway and former Boston Globe columnist Michael Holley...
during the 2007 football season.) - CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
head coach Doc RiversDoc RiversGlenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
every Thursday during basketball season. - Professional golfer Brad FaxonBrad FaxonBradford John Faxon, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour.-Early years and amateur career:Faxon was born in Oceanport, New Jersey and raised in Barrington, Rhode Island...
appears regularly to discuss recent and upcoming major golf tournaments.
Past
- Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe 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"...
pitcher Curt SchillingCurt SchillingCurtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
appeared every Tuesday during baseball season. Schilling donated his appearance fee to the ALS AssociationALS AssociationThe ALS Association is an American non profit organization that raises money for research and patient services, promotes awareness about and advocates in state and federal government on issues related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also known as Lou Gehrig's disease...
. He currently is a regular guest on The Big ShowThe Big Show (sports radio show)The Big Show is a sports talk radio program on Boston's WEEI 850 AM. Started in August 1995, the show is hosted by former Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer Glenn Ordway and former Boston Globe columnist Michael Holley...
. - Former Boston College Eagles footballBoston College Eagles footballThe Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...
coach Jeff JagodzinskiJeff Jagodzinski-United Football League:-External links:*...
appeared frequently during the college football season on a segment they called the Coach Jags Show. - PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt CasselMatt CasselMatthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
appeared every Monday during the 2008 football season. - David Portnoy publisher of Barstool Sports appeared on the show each Friday during the summer of 2011. The station dropped his appearances on August 12 after Portnoy's website published a nude photograph of Patriot quarterback Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
's two year old son with accompanying commentary on the size of the child's genitalia.
Boston Globe Ban
In 1999, the Boston Globes executive sports editor, Don Skwar banned its sportswriters from the Globe from appearing on the Dennis & Callahan morning show because of its perceived lowbrow humor. This came two weeks after he banned Globe sportswriters from appearing on WEEI's afternoon The Big ShowThe Big Show (sports radio show)
The Big Show is a sports talk radio program on Boston's WEEI 850 AM. Started in August 1995, the show is hosted by former Boston Celtics play-by-play announcer Glenn Ordway and former Boston Globe columnist Michael Holley...
after columnist Ron Borges
Ron Borges
Ron Borges is currently a sportswriter for the Boston Herald. He previously wrote for The Boston Globe, and was a regular guest on Michael Felger's radio show The Mike Felger Show, which aired on 890 ESPN until July 2008. Borges also was a regular contributor to the until 2008...
appeared on the show and used a racial slur to describe New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
pitcher Hideki Irabu
Hideki Irabu
was a professional baseball player of Okinawan and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.-Early life:...
. After the ban, WEEI retaliated by banning Globe sportswriters from all WEEI programs.
METCO controversy
On September 29, 2003, during a segment called 'headlines', where they read and comment about current news stories, Callahan and his morning co-host John Dennis made what were perceived to be racially insensitive remarks while discussing a story about an escaped gorilla. The gorilla had escaped from the Franklin Park ZooFranklin Park Zoo
The Franklin Park Zoo is a zoo located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is currently operated by Zoo New England, which also operates the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts...
and had been recaptured at a bus stop. According to newspaper articles, the exchange allegedly was:
- Callahan: "They caught him at a bus stop, right -- he was like waiting to catch a bus out of town."
- Dennis: "Yeah, yeah -- he's a METCOMETCOMETCO stands for the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity. Founded in 1966 in Boston, Massachusetts, METCO is the longest continuously running voluntary school desegregation program in the country and a national model for the few other voluntary desegregation busing programs currently...
gorilla."
- Callahan: "Heading out to LexingtonLexington, MassachusettsLexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...
."
- Dennis: "Exactly."
METCO is a state program that buses inner-city Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
students to nearby suburban schools. Many perceived the comments to be comparing poor, mostly African-American children to gorillas. WEEI general manager Tom Baker suspended both hosts for two days, then extended the suspension to two weeks after the Blue Cross-Blue Shield
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is a federation of 39 separate health insurance organizations and companies in the United States. Combined, they directly or indirectly provide health insurance to over 100 million Americans. The history of Blue Cross dates back to 1929, while the history of...
(Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts) pulled $27,000 in ads and in turn donated that money to METCO. Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
responded by ceasing all advertising that involved the voices of John Dennis or Gerry Callahan. Both hosts apologized and were sent to sensitivity training
Sensitivity training
Sensitivity Training is a form of training that claims to make people more aware of their own prejudices, and more sensitive to others. According to its critics, it involves the use of psychological techniques with groups that its critics, e.g. G. Edward Griffin, claim are often identical to...
. WEEI also agreed to provide free advertising for the METCO program on the radio station. In November 2003, WEEI General Manager Tom Baker was replaced by Julie Kahn. Station executives denied there was a connection between the METCO incident and Baker's replacement.
Queer Eye
On June 2, 2005 Callahan upset some listeners during interviews with Red Sox CEO Larry LucchinoLarry Lucchino
Lawrence Lucchino, is the current President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox, and a member of John W...
and relief pitcher Mike Timlin
Mike Timlin
-Early life:Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.-Baseball career...
discussing the upcoming visit of Carson Kressley
Carson Kressley
Carson Lee Kressley was the fashion expert on the American television program Queer Eye, where he was one of the show's "Fab Five" members. He is also the motivational host of the TV show How to Look Good Naked.-Biography:...
and the cast from Queer Eye
Queer Eye
Queer Eye is an American reality television series that premiered on the Bravo cable television network in July 2003. The program's name was changed from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy after the third season to broaden the scope of its content...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. Kressley and his co-hosts were scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park on Sunday, June 5, 2005 before the Red Sox faced the Los Angeles Angels. In questioning Lucchino, Callahan asked if the team had received any complaints about "'fruitcakes sashaying' in front of children and families, and on a Sunday, of all days". In a later interview, Mike Timlin voiced his opinion that "homosexuals are not living correctly". Approached later by reporters from the Boston Globe, station manager Jason Wolfe claimed that Callahan did not object to Kressley being gay, but rather that "it's the openness and the flaunting of it".
Profane, threatening voicemail
In September 2005, a profanity laced, audio file was posted on the website of a local paper Barstool Sports, containing a voice mail message from John Dennis threatening rival sports radio personality Ryen RussilloRyen Russillo
Ryen Russillo is an American sports host. He has worked for ESPN Radio as the co-host of The Scott Van Pelt Show since May, 2009....
of 1510 The Zone
WWZN
WWZN is an AM radio station licensed to serve the Boston media market. Its programming is a time-brokered mix between progressive talk radio during the daytime , sports talk and religious programming in the overnight hours...
. In the audio tape, Dennis accuses Russillo of being a drunk and hitting on his daughter. After the incident, the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
had Russillo removed from WBCN's post-game show with Gary Tanguay & Company. At the time WBCN, which was owned by CBS, held broadcast rights to Patriot games. Dennis denied any responsibility for the Patriots decision.
Kevin Weeks interview
In March 2006, some listeners of the Dennis and Callahan Show were upset when they conducted an in studio interview with Kevin WeeksKevin Weeks
Kevin Weeks is a former mobster of Irish-American descent and a longtime friend and confidant to James J. Bulger, the infamous boss of the Winter Hill Gang, a crime family based out of the Winter Hill neighborhood in Somerville, Massachusetts.After his arrest and imprisonment in 1999, he became a...
, a former member of Whitey Bulger's South Boston based criminal organization. Weeks had admitted to committing armed and unarmed assaults, kidnapings and being an accessory to several murders on behalf of Whitey Bulger and had played a role helping Bulger escape arrest. His appearance on the show was to promote his book, Brutal : The Untold Story of My Life Inside Whitey Bulger's Irish Mob (ISBN 0-06-112269-6). Some listeners felt that it was wrong for the show to help Weeks promote his book. Callahan told the Boston Herald that they wrestled with whether to "put this thug on air." but the bottom line, he said, "It's good radio."
Doyle family apology
In June 2007, Dennis apologized on-air to the Doyle family of MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to avert a potential lawsuit for defaming the family on the radio. The controversy began in February 2007, when Doyle family member Patrick Doyle was sentenced to five years probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
after pleading guilty to child endangerment.
Doyle was present when a 9-year-old girl was repeatedly raped by two other men in the bed next to him while he had sex with two women, one of whom is the girl's mother. Doyle comes from a family that includes a serving District Court Judge, a retired District Court Judge and an Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
Assistant District Attorney. While discussing the sentence which they believed was far too lenient, Dennis and Callahan accused members of the Doyle family of interceding on behalf of Doyle and suggested that "the fix was in".
Election joke
In November 2008, the duo drew criticism from office of Massachusetts Secretary of StateMassachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...
William Galvin after they told listeners that the election had been postponed and that Democrats should cast their votes on November 5 (the day after Election Day). Galvin's spokesperson said the show was doing a disservice to voters and warned them that they could be violating a state law against interfering with elections. In response, Gerry Callahan stated "Obviously it was a joke and I think most listeners understood it was a joke".
Received threatening phone calls
In January 2009, a man from Cambridge, MassachusettsCambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
was charged in relation to a series of obscene and threatening phone calls made to the station over a period of two months. The man, who was apparently upset with the on air duo's support of Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
's presidential candidacy, allegedly called the station starting in October 2008 threatening the shows hosts as well as WEEI program director Jason Wolfe and vice president of Entercom New England Julie Kahn. The man who was charged with two counts of criminal harassment, two counts of threats to commit a crime and a single count of making annoying phone calls. In a plea bargain in February 2009, the man pleaded guilty to one of the charges against him and was sentenced to probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
for a year. He must also undergo anger management
Anger management
The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger & aggression can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state...
counseling, perform 20 hours of community service and stay away from the victims and never call the station again.
Awards and recognition
- Placed 93rd on the trade journal Talkers MagazineTalkers magazineTalkers Magazine is a trade industry publication related to talk radio in the United States. Its slogan is "The Bible of Talk Radio and the New Talk Media"...
list of the 2007 "Heavy Hundred". The list ranks what the magazine considers the most popular, influential, or entertaining talk-show hosts from around the country.
External links
- WEEI Website
- WEEI Biography on Gerry Callahan
- Sports Illustrated Biography on Gerry Callahan
- Gerry Callahan Boston Herald Columns
- Gerry Callahan IMDB
- 18 Questions to Gerry Callahan By Gary Larrabee, North Shore Golf
- WEEI Biography on John Dennis
- WHDH Biography on John Dennis
- Thoughts on John Dennis/Ryen Russillo: Boston Sports Media Watch