Craig Carton

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Craig Carton


Show Boomer and Carton in the Morning
Station(s) WFAN, New York City
Time slot 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., Monday-Friday
Style Sports radio
Country Flag of the United States United States
Previous show(s) The Jersey Guys
Sports Guys
Website WFAN.com
Boomer and Carton in the Morning Homepage

Craig Harris Carton (born January 31, 1969 in New Rochelle, New York[1]) is an American radio personality.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Carton graduated from New Rochelle High School and S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1991.[2] He is the co-host of Boomer and Carton in the Morning on WFAN in New York.

While in school he worked on the cable television show Views From the Bridge.[3]

[edit] Career

Carton began his broadcasting career in 1991 at WGR Radio in Buffalo, N.Y. He moved from Buffalo to WWWE in Cleveland in 1992, and later to 610-WIP[4] in Philadelphia. He was a brash weekend host known as "The Kid". He had filled in on WIP's Morning Show and was familiar with the Sports Talk/Guy Talk format. He was the first person to break the news story that the Philadelphia Eagles had been sold to Hollywood producer Jeffrey Lurie.[5]

Carton left the East coast and did some time in Denver, Colorado, mostly at KKFN-AM 950, "The Fan". His morning show never really took off and he never got along with the program director, Tim Spence. He was the highest rated host in the stations history which resulted in his being offered the morning slot on KBPI Radio. He quickly became the #1 rated local morning show in Denver radio. Eventually he left Denver to care for his wife who was pregnant with their first child.

In late 2000 Carton became Scott Kaplan's replacement on WNEW's Sports Guys morning radio program in New York City. It seemed a natural fit for Carton to get the job in New York as a "Sports Guy". He was a Sports Guy for 1 year. He worked with Sid Rosenberg and Blain Ensley (and briefly with Eddie Ifft) and then just Blain when Sid left. Craig took the show in new directions and Sports Guys became less hard-core Sports, doing such stunts as an on-the-air Cockfight and Pastapalooza. Craig spent most of his time on the air trying to divide Yankee fans from Met fans and it seemed to alienate both sets of fans. During his tenure as ratings were still sour, he and Blaine held a successful phone-in campaign to get pledges to remain on the air. It helped him last another 6 months before he vanished from WNEW.[6] Craig and Blain were the duo that was on the air at WNEW when the events of September 11th, 2001 first unfolded. Craig became a "Jersey Guy" on New Jersey 101.5. He had a popular non-Sports based talk show with Ray Rossi on weekday afternoons.

Carton was selected as Boomer Esiason's co-host when Esiason was hired by WFAN to be the permanent replacement for Imus in the Morning.[7][8][9] Esiason and Carton began their show September 4, 2007.[10]

[edit] Controversy and stunts

[edit] 610-WIP

  • On February 28, 1997, Carton reported Philadelphia Flyers captain Eric Lindros had missed a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 15th due to being hung-over. Claiming the excuse the Flyers gave (a sore back) for Lindros missing the game was a cover-up. The Flyers immediately sued WIP,[11] resulting in an out of court settlement.[12]

[edit] New Jersey 101.5

  • In 2005, Carton became embroiled with an on the air feud with NJ Acting Governor Richard Codey.[13] Carton made comments about Codey's wife Mary-Jo's battle with postpartum depression prompting Codey himself to confront Carton in the studio. Carton would say "What Governor Codey ought to do is approve the use of medical marijuana so women can have a joint and relax instead of putting their babies in a microwave. Then all they want to do is cook Doritos. Women who claim they suffer from this postpartum depression ... they must be crazy in the first place."[14] Codey would go back to respond: "I wish I weren't governor, I'd take you out", but did not say he would challenge Carton to a fight.
  • In March, 2007, Carton, with his on-air partner Rossi was involved in another controversy. This involved taking a political stand against illegal immigration in New Jersey by asking listeners to report illegal immigrants to the proper authorities. The campaign was termed which "Operation La Cucha Gotcha" and was considered to be slanderous against Hispanics.[15]

[edit] WFAN

[edit] Awards

  • Talkers Magazine named him one of the top 100 Most Important and Influential Talk Show hosts in the Country for three straight years.[18]
  • Radio and Records nominated him in 2006 as Talk Show Host of The Year.[19]
  • PoliticsNJ.com named him the 9th most politically influential personality in the State of New Jersey (2007).[20]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ redgeneration.org/
  2. ^ WFAN.com
  3. ^ http://bu.bulicio.us/celebrity-gossip/craig-carton-and-boomer-esiason-replace-don-imus/
  4. ^ CBSNews.com
  5. ^ http://books.google.com/
  6. ^ the Boston Herald
  7. ^ App.com
  8. ^ NJ.com
  9. ^ New York Daily News
  10. ^ WFAN.com
  11. ^ Devils Keep Zooming Ahead, Hoping to Pass Flyers - New York Times
  12. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=pnPiWLWsZE0C&pg=PT22&lpg=PT22&dq=craig+carton+flyers+lindros&source=web&ots=HLBtD4z1sG&sig=vOqeTBdIm6CBXfxnZzcH3d8Dadg
  13. ^ http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyODgmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY2NDUzODAmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk5
  14. ^ Can’t Stop The Bleeding » NJ Governor Defends Wife’s Microwave Contemplation
  15. ^ An Immigrant Segment by Radio’s ‘Jersey Guys’ Draws Fire - New York Times
  16. ^ Vacchiano, Ralph (January 16, 2008). The whole world's going nuts over Giants-Packers. New York Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  17. ^ Boyle, Christina (January 19th 2008). WFAN host Craig Carton's long march after losing bet with Boomer Esiason. New York Daily News. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  18. ^ The New Don Imus: Craig Carton Mocks Asians, Turns in Immigrants, Outs Politicians
  19. ^ Boomer Esiason, Craig Carton to Host Morning Drive on WFAN-AM in New York | All American Patriots
  20. ^ PoliticsNJ.com Power List 2007 | Politicker NJ