Fez Whatley

Todd Hillier (born March 31, 1964 in Florida), better known by his on air name Fez Marie Whatley, is a former American talk radio host and comedian who co-hosted The Ron and Fez Show. From October 9, 2007 to June 27, 2008, Whatley also served as the Executive Producer.

Whatley originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for the highly-successful and wildly popular syndicated radio program The Ron and Ron Show. After the show disbanded due to being cancelled for low ratings after the departure of Ron Diaz, Whatley teamed up with Ron Bennington to create The Ron and Fez Show on a small Daytona Beach radio station (WKRO). After a relatively short stint there, the duo then created a show originally titled Ron and Fez Dot Com as they moved to overnights on WNEW in New York City.

Personal life

Whatley graduated from Pinellas Park High School in Pinellas Park, Florida in 1982, and received a publication award from the International Thespian Society.^[1]

On February 24, 2011, Fez's father, Dick Hillier died in a NYC hospital. Ron Bennington was on-air the next day and in Fez's absence put on an impromptu radio memorial for Fez's father going to break playing Danny Boy. Fez returned to the air on Monday, March 7, and offered a touching remembrance of his father.

On February 24, 2012, Fez came out as gay.^[2] Fez had been playing a flamboyant character on the air for more than 20 years, but became increasingly uncomfortable in the role after recognizing his sexual orientation and being unable to publicly embrace it.^[3] After admitting his sexuality to his co-host Ron Bennington three years earlier, Fez spoke openly on the air about his issues as a closeted man, referring to his "secret," but had remained unable to say it directly. He chose to come out on the one-year anniversary of his father's death.^[4]

Since realizing he was gay, Fez has been very outspoken on gay issues. In 2012 he marched in the New York LGBT Pride March. During the 2014 NFL season he refused to watch any football until Michael Sam, the first openly gay football player, was picked up by a team.^[5]

Health issues

Whatley suffered a mild heart attack on November 9, 2005 which he did not recognize. He went on to host The Ron and Fez Show the next day before consulting a doctor where he was informed he had suffered a heart attack and was also diagnosed with diabetes.^[6] An angioplasty was performed and Whatley returned to the show on November 28, 2005.

Following an interview on May 9, 2007 with author Elmore Leonard, Fez left the studio during the show for the emergency room. Fez subsequently had a second stent inserted May 11, 2007.^[7]

On September 24, 2010 Fez was diagnosed as suffering a third heart attack while in the hospital for treatment for an unrelated medical issue. He was released from the hospital on Monday, September 27 and returned to the show on Wednesday, September 29.

In July 2014 Fez has anterior cervical discectomy surgery to relieve neck and back pain.^[8]

As of October 2014 Fez had a total of 11 stents in his heart.

On August 5, 2015, Ron Bennington announced on The Anthony Cumia Show that Fez had his 5th heart attack, and had 13 stents.^[9]

Radio career

The Ron and Ron Show

Whatley originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for the highly successful syndicated program The Ron and Ron Show. After the show disbanded due to being cancelled for low ratings after the departure of Ron Diaz, Whatley then teamed up with Ron Bennington as a co-host^[10] to create The Ron and Fez Show on WKRO FM, a small Daytona Beach, Florida rock station. After a relatively short stint there, they then retitled the show: Ron and Fez Dot Com and premiered on overnights on New York City radio station WNEW FM on April 17, 2000.^[11]

The Ron and Fez Show

Whatley and Bennington continued on WNEW FM until the end of 2002, as well as being simulcast to a few other FM markets, including WJFK-FM in Washington, DC. After being canceled in New York City, as well as the other markets, they continued to broadcast from WJFK FM, and relocated to DC.

On July 19, 2004 Whatley and Bennington unceremoniously returned to the Florida airwaves in the 1 PM to 3 PM slot on Tampa Bay, Florida's The Buzz WBAA-AM 1010, a relatively low wattage station which adopted a new talk format, and abandoned its former sports talk format. The duo didn't produce well in the ratings however, and their tenure was short lived. ^[12]

The Ron and Fez Show moved to XM Satellite Radio on September 12, 2005 after leaving WJFK 106.7 FM in Washington D.C.^[13][14]

On December 20, 2006 The Ron and Fez Show premiered on 92.3 Free FM in New York City from 6 to 9 PM, while still holding on to their XM Satellite Radio show from Noon to 3 PM.^[15] The Ron and Fez Show was discontinued when WFNY reverted to a rock format as WXRK on May 24, 2007.^[16]

On November 4, 2008 Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley hosted Presidential Thunderdome '08, a live radio show covering the 2008 presidential elections.^[17]

On February 26, 2010, Whatley put up $1000 cash reward for the apprehension, conviction, and incarceration of the vandals who defaced the Mount Airy, North Carolina statue depicting Sheriff Andy Taylor and Opie Taylor of the iconic 1960s television program, "The Andy Griffith Show". Whatley is working closely with the Mount Airy Crime Stoppers Division as they monitor leads in the case.^[18] He has a running bit that he won't buy interns Vietnamese food.

On April 1, 2015, Fez's retirement from radio was announced.

Other radio ventures

Whatley also briefly co-hosted another of The Ron & Ron Radio Network's programs, the Hooters-on-the-Radio show with Brenda Lee (aka B.L.), Julie Williams and Hooters spokesperson and original Hooters girl (and Playboy's Miss July 1986) Lynne Austin in addition to his duties on The Ron & Ron Show.

References