Fez Whatley

Todd Hillier (born March 31, 1964), better known by his on-air name Fez Marie Whatley, is an American comedian and former radio producer and personality who gained prominence as the co-host of The Ron and Fez Show with Ron Bennington from 1998 to 2015.

Fez Whatley
Whatley in 2006
Born
Todd Hillier

(1964-03-31) March 31, 1964
Florida
Career
ShowRon and Fez
Station(s)WKRO, WNEW, Raw Dog Comedy (SiriusXM Channel 99)
Time slot12:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
Monday - Friday
StyleRadio host, comedian
CountryUnited States

Whatley originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for the highly-successful and wildly popular syndicated radio program The Ron and Ron Show. After the show disbanded due to being cancelled for low ratings after the departure of Ron Diaz, Whatley teamed up with Ron Bennington to create The Ron and Fez Show on a small Daytona Beach radio station (WKRO). After a relatively short stint there, the duo then created a show originally titled Ron and Fez Dot Com as they moved to overnights on WNEW in New York City.

Personal life

Whatley graduated from Pinellas Park High School in Pinellas Park, Florida in 1982, and received a publication award from the International Thespian Society.[1]

On February 24, 2011, Fez's father, Dick Hillier died in a NYC hospital. Ron Bennington was on-air the next day and in Fez's absence put on an impromptu radio memorial for Fez's father going to break playing Danny Boy. Fez returned to the air on Monday, March 7, and offered a touching remembrance of his father.

On February 24, 2012, Fez came out as gay.[2] Fez had been playing a flamboyant character on the air for more than 20 years, but became increasingly uncomfortable in the role after recognizing his sexual orientation and being unable to publicly embrace it.[3] After admitting his sexuality to his co-host Ron Bennington three years earlier, Fez spoke openly on the air about his issues as a closeted man, referring to his "secret," but had remained unable to say it directly. He chose to come out on the one-year anniversary of his father's death.[4]

Since realizing he was gay, Fez has been very outspoken on gay issues. In 2012 he marched in the New York LGBT Pride March. During the 2014 NFL season he refused to watch any football until Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player, was picked up by a team.[5]

Health issues

Whatley suffered a mild heart attack on November 9, 2005 which he did not recognize. He went on to host The Ron and Fez Show the next day before consulting a doctor where he was informed he had suffered a heart attack and was also diagnosed with diabetes.[6] An angioplasty was performed and Whatley returned to the show on November 28, 2005.

Following an interview on May 9, 2007 with author Elmore Leonard, Fez left the studio during the show for the emergency room. Fez subsequently had a second stent inserted May 11, 2007.[7]

On September 24, 2010 Fez was diagnosed as suffering a third heart attack while in the hospital for treatment for an unrelated medical issue. He was released from the hospital on Monday, September 27 and returned to the show on Wednesday, September 29.

In July 2014 Fez had anterior cervical discectomy surgery to relieve neck and back pain.[8]

As of October 2014 Fez had a total of 11 stents in his heart.

On August 5, 2015, Ron Bennington announced on The Anthony Cumia Show that Fez had his 5th heart attack, and had 13 stents.[9]

Radio career

The Ron and Ron Show
Main article: The Ron and Ron Show

In 1990, Whatley was an on-air personality at WYNF in Tampa Bay, Florida and producer and contributor for the syndicated morining program, The Ron and Ron Show. During this time, he developed the Fez Whatley moniker which a reporter in The Orlando Sentinel described as "an effeminate, lisping character".[10] After the show disbanded due to being cancelled for low ratings after the departure of Ron Diaz, Whatley then teamed up with Ron Bennington as a co-host[11] to create The Ron and Fez Show on WKRO FM, a small Daytona Beach, Florida rock station. After a relatively short stint there, they then retitled the show: Ron and Fez Dot Com and premiered on overnights on New York City radio station WNEW FM on April 17, 2000.[12]

The Ron and Fez Show
Main article: Ron and Fez
Whatley with Ron Bennington, 2007

Whatley and Bennington continued on WNEW until the end of 2002, as well as being simulcast to a few other FM markets, including WJFK-FM in Washington, DC. After being canceled in New York City, as well as the other markets, they continued to broadcast from WJFK FM, and relocated to DC.

On July 19, 2004 Whatley and Bennington unceremoniously returned to the Florida airwaves in the 1 PM to 3 PM slot on Tampa Bay, Florida's The Buzz WBAA-AM 1010, a relatively low wattage station which adopted a new talk format, and abandoned its former sports talk format. The duo didn't produce well in the ratings however, and their tenure was short lived.[13]

The Ron and Fez Show moved to XM Satellite Radio on September 12, 2005 after leaving WJFK 106.7 FM in Washington D.C.[14][15]

On December 20, 2006 The Ron and Fez Show premiered on 92.3 Free FM in New York City from 6 to 9 PM, while still holding on to their XM Satellite Radio show from Noon to 3 PM.[16] The Ron and Fez Show was discontinued when WFNY reverted to a rock format as WXRK on May 24, 2007.[17]

From October 9, 2007 to June 27, 2008, Whatley also served as executive producer.

On November 4, 2008 Bennington and Whatley hosted Presidential Thunderdome '08, a live radio show covering the 2008 presidential elections.[18]

On February 26, 2010, Whatley put up a $1,000 cash reward for the apprehension, conviction, and incarceration of the vandals who defaced the Mount Airy, North Carolina statue depicting Sheriff Andy Taylor and Opie Taylor of the 1960s television show The Andy Griffith Show. Whatley worked with the Mount Airy Crime Stoppers Division as they monitored the case.[19]

On April 1, 2015, Whatley announced his retirement from radio. His final appearance on The Ron and Fez Show took place two days later.

Other radio ventures

Whatley also briefly co-hosted another of The Ron & Ron Radio Network's programs, the Hooters-on-the-Radio show with Brenda Lee (aka B.L.), Julie Williams and Hooters spokesperson and original Hooters girl (and Playboy's Miss July 1986) Lynne Austin in addition to his duties on The Ron & Ron Show.

References
  1. Kirby, Sharon (June 24, 1982). "Students honored for community, school work". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  2. Fez Whatley, SiriusXM Radio Host, Comes Out As Gay On Air On Ron & Fez Show
  3. "Fez Whatley, SiriusXM Radio Host, Comes Out As Gay On Air On Ron & Fez Show". Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  4. Whatley, Fez. "Exclusive Interview with SiriusXM Radio Host Fez Whatley on Finally Coming "Out"". Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  5. SiriusXM Host Fez Whatley Asks Michael Sam’s Agent for Permission to Watch the Super Bowl
  6. "Talk Radio Favorite Suffers Heart Attack". Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  7. Fezzie Update - RonFez.net Messageboard Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Radio Host Fez Whatley Gets a Sports Illustrated in the Hospital
  9. The Anthony Cumia Show episode 205
  10. Hinman, Catherine (4 May 1992). "Introducing Ron & Ron: The New Shock Jocks on WDIZ-FM". The Orlando Sentinel. p. D2. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "In the Studio at The Virus Fez Marie Whatley On-Air Personality". XM Radio. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  12. Bachman, Katy (April 24, 2000). "Local Media". Mediaweek.com. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  13. Deggans, Eric (July 8, 2004). "WQYK drops sports talk format". St. Pepetrsburg Times. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  14. "Names & Faces". The Washington Post. July 31, 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  15. "Talk Radio Personalities Ron and Fez to Joint XM Satellite Radio". Archived from the original on 2008-05-15. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  16. "Starr Report". Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  17. Steinberg, Jacques (2007-05-25). "WFNY Drops Talk Format and Returns to Rock, Citing Profits". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  18. Nicholas Deleon (November 4, 2008). "Follow election coverage on satellite radio with Ron and Fez". Retrieved 2008-11-06.
  19. "Andy Griffith Statue Mostly Cleaned; Radio Host Offers Reward Archived 2011-10-06 at the Wayback Machine" February 26, 2010 FOX8.com
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