Tom Leykis

Tom Leykis (born August 1, 1956 in The Bronx, New York) is a radio talk show host, syndicated nationally and internationally (USA and formerly in Canada) by Westwood One.

Radio career

As a teenager in 1970, Leykis won a contest for a one-time radio appearance on a station in Long Island, and he was asked back several times to serve as a fill-in host. He got a regular job hosting Sunday mornings at another station in 1979. He moved to Albany in 1981 to do an evening show five times a week. The station wanted someone controversial, and Leykis was just that. Some listeners sent in angry letters, but his ratings soon earned him the morning drive slot and a position as program director. He then took a job in Miami where he became number one in the ratings in 1984, over a competing host who had been number one for the previous six years. Leykis subsequently did local shows in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Boston.

Related Topics:
Long Island - Albany - Ratings - Program director - Miami - Phoenix - Los Angeles - Boston

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The Tom Leykis Show became nationally syndicated in 1994, broadcasting from Los Angeles. It was often political in nature, and Leykis called his show the only one "not hosted by a right-wing wacko or a convicted felon", positioning himself as the libertarian alternative to popular hosts Rush Limbaugh and G. Gordon Liddy, respectively. In addition to politics, he commonly discussed relationships, religion (Leykis is an atheist), and other issues. On Fridays, listeners were allowed to call in and talk about anything they wanted, in contrast to other days when Leykis established a single topic for each hour of the show. Friday was also the usual day for live appearances in cities around the U.S., when Leykis would broadcast from a bar or other public place with an audience present. The free-for-all subject matter and large crowds led to a rowdy atmosphere on Friday shows. It was at time that "Flash Fridays" began, drawing from the success of Opie & Anthony's "Whip 'em Out Wednesday". A tradition was also started where women would get their breasts autographed by Tom who would happily sign his name on their breasts using a sharpie, which is a kind of non-toxic permanent marker.

Related Topics:
Libertarian - Rush Limbaugh - G. Gordon Liddy - Atheist - Sharpie

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In 1997, Leykis's show was picked up by KLSX, an FM talk station in Los Angeles that also carried Howard Stern. Leykis began to tone down the political aspect of the show around this time, and he started "Leykis 101" soon after.

Related Topics:
KLSX - FM - Howard Stern

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In addition to his weekday show, Leykis began hosting a new syndicated weekend show called The Tasting Room in February 2005, covering lifestyle topics such as wine and spirits, luxury cars, and high-end technology.

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Leykis has caused considerable controversy over the years by revealing on-air the names of such individuals as Katelyn Faber (who accused Kobe Bryant of rape), a woman associated with the Christian Coalition named Angela Song who tried to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge in Seattle, and Vili Fualaau (the victim of statutory rape by teacher Mary Kay Letourneau when he was 13). Major media outlets were voluntarily withholding these names when Leykis revealed them, a policy he disagrees with.

Related Topics:
Katelyn Faber - Kobe Bryant - Christian Coalition - Suicide - Seattle - Vili Fualaau - Statutory rape - Mary Kay Letourneau

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