Angelo Cataldi
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Angelo Cataldi is a sports radio personality for 610 WIP (AM) in Philadelphia. Airing from 5:30am (which includes a 15-minute "Overlap" Show with overnight personality Big Daddy Graham) until 10:00am Eastern time, along with co-hosts Al Morganti and Rhea Hughes, Cataldi's “Morning Show” is among the highest-rated radio shows ever in the Philadelphia area.
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[edit] Career
Cataldi is a native of Providence, Rhode Island. Previously a sports writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, he has been the anchor for the Morning Show since his first appearance on the show in 1989 along with Tom Brookshier and Tony Bruno. Cataldi immediately brought a comedic and witty personality to the station. He continues to provide humorous commentary (Angelo’s “rants”) on local Philadelphia sports, as well as his everyday living experiences, making him one of Philadelphia's most popular, entertaining and recognizable radio personalities.
Cataldi has frequently mobilized his radio listeners to compel the owners of Philadelphia's sports franchises to make changes in management and personnel. In 1992, the "Honk For Herschel" movement was created to implore the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire Herschel Walker, a running back with the Minnesota Vikings. Whether due to Cataldi's influence or not, the appeal succeeded and Herschel played for the Eagles for the 1992-94 seasons.
Cataldi is the co-author of The Great Philadelphia Sports Debate with fellow WIP host Glen Macnow.
He has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes for his sportswriting.
[edit] 1999 NFL Draft
Cataldi is best known for (and admittedly regrets) organizing a group of Eagles fans to go to the 1999 NFL Draft in New York City and boo if the Philadelphia Eagles did not select University of Texas at Austin running back Ricky Williams with their #2 pick. The Eagles instead drafted quarterback Donovan McNabb, and those fans embarrassingly (to McNabb and the Eagles staff) booed the Eagles draft pick. McNabb is now a solid quarterback, having led the Eagles to four straight NFC Eastern Division championships, four straight NFC title games, and one Super Bowl, while Ricky Williams has endured years of problems on and off the field as well as injuries.
[edit] Personal
Cataldi has been married since 2000 to his second wife Gail. Cataldi admits that his sudden fame and fortune and radio persona led to the end of his 24-year marriage to his first wife, Linda. "I changed," he said. "I went from being an introvert to an extrovert, and the radio guy and real guy became the same."
[edit] Notable “Angelo-isms”
- Cataldi is the “spiritual leader” of Eagles fans hatred of the Dallas Cowboys. Despite this, in The Great Philadelphia Sports Debate, he wrote that the Eagles' greater enemy is the nearby New York Giants.
- Cataldi is the co-founder with Morganti of the annual Wing Bowl, in which thousands of people crowd the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia to watch a competition as to who can eat the greatest amount of buffalo wings within a certain time period. The contest began in a ballroom at a Center City Philadelphia hotel, and grew to be able to fill first The Spectrum and now the Wachovia Center. The 2006 edition was the first to charge admission.
- Cataldi is also the founder of the "Miss WIP" beauty contest. Local attractive women compete for the honors of being the radio station's official diva
- In the parking lot of Veterans Stadium, Cataldi once tried to catch a baseball that was dropped from a helicopter.
- In 1995, Cataldi made a bet with Howard Eskin over a Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys game. The loser would have to wear a dress on television. This turned out to be the game with Cowboys coach Barry Switzer making the infamous 4th and 1 call. Cataldi won the bet and Eskin appeared on Cataldi's Great Sports Debate television show in a dress.
- Cataldi had his head shaved on his Angelo and Company television show after he incorrectly predicted the Philadelphia 76ers would miss the playoffs.
- Cataldi is famous for coining nicknames for his guests. One example is giving Wing Bowl 13 contestant and the current 5th ranked Competitive Eater in the World "Humble" Bob Shoudt the nickname "Humble", due to his humble style of eating, when he was an in studio guest in 2004.
- Cataldi's show frequently receives calls from former Philadelphia Mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, both Eagles fans. During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, Cataldi ripped President George W. Bush as a "bully" for his stance favoring restriction of freedom of speech on radio and television, and Senator John Kerry as a "phony" for questionable financial dealings, and wrote Rendell's name in for President.
- Cataldi has had a long-standing feud with WIP afternoon host Howard Eskin for over a decade. In 2005, the feud heated up over comments Eskin made about Cataldi and his morning show.
- When the 2006 Philadelphia Phillies tied the Los Angeles Dodgers in the wildcard chase with 10 games to go, Cataldi would draw an analogy to football. He would do a game by game breakdown by looking at pitching matchups to see what games they should win and what games they would not win. This type of analogy is indicative of Cataldi's broadcasting style.
[edit] Common Quotes
Cataldi has some famous "one liner" quotes, including:
- "And just think, I'm getting paid for this"
- "You're a stinkin Loser"
- "Oooh yeah"
- "You know Al" (referring to his co-host Al Morganti)
