Roe Conn
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| Roe B. Conn | |
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| Born | June 6, 1964  Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Show | The Roe Conn Show |
| Station(s) | WLS-AM 890, Chicago, Illinois |
| Time slot | Monday - Friday, 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM Central |
| Country | United States |
| Website | RoeConn.com |
Roe B. Conn (born in Chicago on 6 June 1964) is an American radio talk show host who is the host of The Roe Conn Show which airs on WLS-AM 890 in Chicago, Illinois. The Roe Conn Show broadcasts live from 2 to 7 p.m. (Central Time), Monday through Friday.
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[edit] Career
Roe's first radio gig was Saturday overnights on WDUB in Granville, Ohio. He then was the producer for Don Vogel on WMAQ (AM). He was also a producer for Walter Jacobson at WBBM-TV. He received his first national exposure for his daily "round up" of the OJ Simpson Trial. After that, he continued to host his regular show on WLS (AM). Eventually, he teamed-up with Garry Meier to co-host the highly successful Roe & Garry Show.[1] In 2004, an impasse in contract negotiations with the station caused Meier to not renew his contract with WLS. Roe is now the sole host of the show, which also features Jim Johnson and Bill Leff. Roe and Leff often joke on the air about the similarity of their voices. Many praise Roe Conn for having a good sense of humor and for being skilled at articulating his thoughts.[citation needed] In the spring 2006 ratings period, The Roe Conn Show reached new heights by becoming Chicago’s most listened to radio talk show among adults.
[edit] Education
Roe is a 1986 graduate of Denison University, where he studied Anthropology. [2]
[edit] Personality
He often describes himself as obsessive about cleanliness, avoiding germs and sickness at all costs.
On 5 January 2006, Roe Conn mentioned Wikipedia in his daily talk show on WLS. He stated that while most of it is factually correct, some details (including his birthday) were incorrect. Now his birthday is correct on the site (as of 6 June 2006). However, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed, whom Roe loves to read, declared his birthday as June 7 in her 2006-06-07 column.
When Dusty Baker was fired from the Chicago Cubs, Harry Caray's Restaurant named a hot dog kids meal after Roe;[1] he is the first non-Cub whom the restaurant has honored in this manner.
As has been pointed out on his radio show, Roe looks surprisingly like the late Henry Hyde did in his 40's [2]
[edit] Jim Condit Jr. ads
On November 2, 2006, Roe proclaimed his disgust for WLS 890 having to air Jim Condit Jr.'s "political advertisements" (which were really issue statements — accusing Michael Chertoff and Zionist Jews for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks and planning Phase 2 attacks). He pledged to personally contribute $6500, which is the amount that Condit paid for his "ads" on Conn's show, to the Jewish United Fund and the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation. Condit's spots were subsequently pulled from WLS that afternoon. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder lauded Roe's stance as one of the "genuine class acts" in radio that year.[3]
[edit] Involvement with Litigation
The Roe Conn show took a call from a small business owner on March 28, 2006 who allegedly spoke to the jury foreperson about the then ongoing trial of former governor George Ryan.[4] This possible juror misconduct was one of the bases for appeal in Ryan's conviction on criminal charges of corruption.
Conn testified for the plaintiff at a civil proceeding involving his former on-air partner Garry Meier.[5] In the suit, Meier's former manager Todd Musburger alleged that he was owed money for work related to contract negotiations. Conn's testimony contradicted that of Meier's, and the jury sided with Musburger.
[edit] Other Business Interests
Conn, in a partnership called R Plus Partners, owns two race horses. Chicago newscaster Ron Magers is also a member of this entity. On June 9, 2007, Conn became a winning owner when his horse, Greeley's Angel, won for the first time in Race 5 at Arlington Park.[6]. R Plus partners had a second horse, Sted's Pirate, but lost ownership after a $30,000 claims race at Churchill Downs on July 7, 2007.[7]
[edit] Awards
Roe Conn was recognized by Talkers Magazine to be one of the "One hundred most influential radio hosts in America".
[edit] References
- ^ Chicago Sun-Times, Robert Feder, 2006-12-09.
- ^ Salon.com image
- ^ Chicago Sun-Times, Robert Feder, 2006-12-27.
- ^ Questions about another Ryan juror, Chicago Sun Times, April 12, 2006.
- ^ Chicago Sun Times, Robert Feder, January 30, 2007.
- ^ Arlington Park race results
- ^ Churchill Downs race results
