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Published on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 14:54
Former Chicago radio superstar "Crazy" Howard McGee will be back on the Chicago radio airwaves, but it will be for just one morning only. This Friday, WVON-AM will be infected with craziness, as "Crazy" Howard McGee will be co-hosting the morning show alongside WVON-AM's Matt McGill.
For many years, "Crazy" Howard McGee was a Chicago radio phenomenon. McGee is a Chicago native, who started his radio career down at Southern Illinois University's WIDB-FM. He signed on with WGCI-FM as a weekend jock in 1993. He soon after moved to weekday middays and then afternoons on WGCI-FM. In January of 1998, he became the host of 'GCI's morning show. Ratings were... "crazy." McGee was at or near the top of the ratings each ratings period. WGCI-FM 107.5 was as big of a smash sensation as it had ever been. Locally and nationwide, credit was given to both Howard McGee and WGCI's Program Director, Elroy Smith. In the Summer of 2007, despite sky-high ratings, "Crazy" Howard McGee and his whole morning show staff were fired by Clear Channel Radio and replaced by a syndicated show, hosted by Steve Harvey. (A few other DJs and staffers from other dayparts were also released at that time in a cost-cutting mass firing.) WGCI-FM's ratings fell and have only recently begun to recover closer to the level it once was with McGee on the air.
Since being pushed out from WGCI-FM, "Crazy" Howard McGee has not returned to Chicago's airwaves, outside of being part of a short-lived weekend brokered show with an attorney on a suburban signal in 2009. He continues to have a strong following and fanbase in Chicago.
On WVON-AM Friday morning, it will be a reunion of sorts, as McGee will be bringing with him his WGCI-FM super-producer Art Porter. Porter already has some big name celebrity guests ready to call in. McGee, along with McGill (assuming he gets a chance to talk and isn't just laughing with his co-host for three hours), will be talking about current events such as NATO in Chicago, current entertainment news, and whatever else fans want McGee to go off about.
McGee's legion of fans can hear him live on the air Friday from 6:00am-9:00am on WVON-AM 1690. For those out of WVON-AM's range, the station can be streamed at
WVON.com or via the iHeartRadio app.
Friday's return to the airwaves is scheduled to only be a one-time only shot. However, if it goes well, it could open up some doors for "Crazy" Howard McGee, which have inexplicably been closed to him for years.
