Mike Gallagher

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For other persons named Michael Gallagher, see Michael Gallagher (disambiguation).

Mike Gallagher (born in Dayton, Ohio on April 7, 1960) is a popular conservative American radio talk show host. He is, according to Talkers Magazine estimates, the 6th most listened-to radio talk show host in the United States.

Mike's first radio job was in Dayton, Ohio on WAVI-AM. WABC-AM, at the time being the nation's most listened-to talk radio station, hired Mike for a two year stint in 1996. Mike was hired by WFBC-AM (Now WORD-AM) in the early 90's as a local host. Mike met his wife Denise while in Greenville and one of Mike's most memorable stunts was driving back and forth down a stretch of Interstate I-85 in hope that a B.B. Gun sniper would hit the radio station's van which had a bulls eye painted on the side. The Mike Gallagher Show was launched nationally in 1998 with 12 radio stations and is now heard on nearly 200. He is a Fox News Channel Contributor making frequent appearances on many of the Fox News Channel programs especially Hannity and Colmes filling in for Sean Hannity. In the summer of 2006, he authored Surrounded by Idiots: Fighting Liberal Lunacy in America (William Morrow), which became a New York Times bestseller (#27 on the extended bestseller list).

On October 6, 2006 Gallagher convinced the controversial Westboro Baptist Church to appear on air with an hour of air time in exchange for not picketing a funeral for victims of a school shooting with their notoriously offensive slogans. Initially, Gallagher offered the organization money to not go and picket the funeral. With this gesture being accused of being blood money, the syndicated radio host gave the church an hour to appear on air. The Amish funerals went on peacefully after the contract signed with WBC stipulated a $500,000 fine if there were picketers anywhere near the funerals.^[1]

Gallagher's program is syndicated by the Salem Radio Network and airs live from 9 AM to 12 noon.