Steve Somers
Encyclopedia
Steve Somers is an American
talk radio
host best known for his work on the New York City
sports radio station WFAN
(660 AM). He has been with the station since its inception in 1987.
His nickname is "The Schmoozer." He is a New York Mets
and New York Rangers
fan.
in San Francisco long before the talk radio format became popular. To that effect, Time Magazine ran a story naming him the youngest talk show host in the country at that period of time.
In 1970, Somers joined KPIX-TV
in San Francisco as a weekend sports anchor and won a San Francisco Press Club Award.
For WFAN, Somers has been a part of the station since its inception in 1987. He spent his first few years with the station as the overnight
host. He later spent a few years co-hosting the 10am-1pm slot with WWOR-TV sports anchor Russ Salzberg
. The program was titled "The Sweater and the Schmoozer." At that time, Somers developed some of the quirks that have been hallmarks of his WFAN tenure, dropping catchphrases such as "schmoooooozing S-P-O-R-T-S" (spelling out the word "sports"), giving time checks in minutes and seconds, uniquely reading the end of the station's phone number as "six-six-six-six" rather than the standard "sixty six-sixty six", joking at the expense of engineer Eddie Scozzare ("THE Eddie Scozzare?" "No, Eddie Maple
, who do you think we're talking?"), and reading the catalogue numbers of live commercials ("LV-242, for those of you scoring at home...").
Currently, Somers usually works during the evening on weekdays. His program can be heard anywhere from 6:30pm to 2am, depending on whether WFAN
airs a sporting event that night. He is colloquially known as "The Schmoozer." Frequent callers to his show include "Jerry From Queens", Jerry Seinfeld
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
talk radio
Talk 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...
host best known for his work on the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
sports radio station WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
(660 AM). He has been with the station since its inception in 1987.
Personal life
Somers is a native of the Bay Area, and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969. He currently resides in Manhattan.His nickname is "The Schmoozer." He is a New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
fan.
Career
Somers began his career in the Bay Area. Before graduating high school, he worked at KYA radio in San Francisco delivering on air high school sports reports. After college, Somers began hosting a news talk show on KNEWKNEW (AM)
KNEW is a radio station in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, CA, USA. The station is owned by Clear Channel. Prior to the format change, the station operated as CNET Radio, offering business and technology news 24 hours a day...
in San Francisco long before the talk radio format became popular. To that effect, Time Magazine ran a story naming him the youngest talk show host in the country at that period of time.
In 1970, Somers joined KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV
KPIX-TV is the CBS owned and operated television station in San Francisco, California. Through its parent company CBS Corporation, KPIX is co-owned with The CW affiliate KBCW-TV ....
in San Francisco as a weekend sports anchor and won a San Francisco Press Club Award.
For WFAN, Somers has been a part of the station since its inception in 1987. He spent his first few years with the station as the overnight
Overnight
Overnight is a 2003 documentary by Tony Montana and Mark Brian Smith. The film details the rise and fall of filmmaker and musician Troy Duffy, the writer-director of The Boondock Saints, and was filmed at his request....
host. He later spent a few years co-hosting the 10am-1pm slot with WWOR-TV sports anchor Russ Salzberg
Russ Salzberg
Russ Salzberg is a sports presenter of WWOR-TV's My9 News , and WNYW-TV's FOX 5 News. He has also served as Sports Anchor at CITY-TV in Toronto, Canada. He joined My9 News in October 1988....
. The program was titled "The Sweater and the Schmoozer." At that time, Somers developed some of the quirks that have been hallmarks of his WFAN tenure, dropping catchphrases such as "schmoooooozing S-P-O-R-T-S" (spelling out the word "sports"), giving time checks in minutes and seconds, uniquely reading the end of the station's phone number as "six-six-six-six" rather than the standard "sixty six-sixty six", joking at the expense of engineer Eddie Scozzare ("THE Eddie Scozzare?" "No, Eddie Maple
Eddie Maple
Edward Retz "Eddie" Maple is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. One of eight brothers and sisters, he was an older brother to jockey Sam Maple who won more than 2,500 races. He began riding horses at age 12 and won his first race as a professional at 17...
, who do you think we're talking?"), and reading the catalogue numbers of live commercials ("LV-242, for those of you scoring at home...").
Currently, Somers usually works during the evening on weekdays. His program can be heard anywhere from 6:30pm to 2am, depending on whether WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
airs a sporting event that night. He is colloquially known as "The Schmoozer." Frequent callers to his show include "Jerry From Queens", Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
.