Howard Eskin
Encyclopedia
Howard Eskin is an American
sports radio
personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.
in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM
when evening shift disc jockey
George Michael
hired him to be his engineer
. Eskin eventually made a name for himself in sports radio by breaking stories and stirring public opinion with his commentaries. He brought that same hustle with him to television where, with his efforts, breaking news was often found on the sports desk. The award winning sportscaster first made the transition to television in 1982 when he joined KYW-TV
. One of Eskin’s managers at KYW jokes that the sportscaster kept the Eagles in Philadelphia by breaking the story in the 1980s that the owner was trying to sell the team. "If Howard had not stepped in when he did... Leonard Tose would have snuck the Eagles out of town," says Frank Traynor. "Howard broke the Eagles story... and, by doing so, I believe helped to keep the team in town."
In the mid '80s Eskin co-hosted with John Debella
on WMMR
's Morning Zoo
, their combination was advertised as "Sports Rock". On television Eskin helped launch Fox
Station WTXF-TV
's Ten O’Clock News as part of its original anchor team from 1986 to 1991. On radio, the "Sports Rock" format proved unsuccessful at WMMR. It began in the Fall of 1992 and lasted until the Spring of 1993. Soon thereafter, Eskin moved to WIP, whose station format would shortly become amongst the first full time sports-talk radio themes in the United States. During an interview with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Eskin got clapped upside the head by the Hot Rod while asking whether pro wrestling was fake.
In 1992, he rejoined KYW-TV and then moved to WCAU-TV in 1996 where he served as a host and contributor to Sports Final until April, 2005. He returned to the show in 2006. He was also a contributor to the The George Michael Sports Machine
, hosted by the man who helped Eskin begin his broadcasting career; serves as a frequent commentator on ESPN
's First Take; co-hosted a nationally-syndicated radio show, Let’s Talk Sports, and been called on for his opinions by such diverse programs as NBC’s Today Show and PBS’s MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour.
In addition to his radio and television presence Eskin wrote a column for the Philadelphia Daily News
in the early 1990s.
Eskin's breaking stories included one that former Philadelphia Phillies
general manager
Ed Wade
would be fired if the Phillies did not make the playoffs. Wade was subsequently fired by the Phillies on October 10, 2005. He unsuccessfully "campaigned" for the GM position, that was eventually filled by former Toronto Blue Jays
GM Pat Gillick
.
Eskin also covered the negotiation and subsequent breakdown between Comcast
and a group led by Julius Erving
and Will Smith
to buy the Philadelphia 76ers
. Howard's involvement in the negotiation entailed a request help from Allen L. Rothenberg, a prominent Philadelphia attorney, who was a regular at Eskin's synagogue
.
On September 20, 2007 Howard Eskin logged his 5,000th radio show, more than anyone else in the country, and celebrated his 25th year in television that same year. Guests on the show included Charles Barkley
, Terrell Owens
, and Billy Cunningham
.
On September 2nd, 2011 Howard Eskin hosted his last 3 to 7 PM show after nearly 6,000 shows and 25 years in that slot.
"Dear Brandice It was absolutely wonderful getting to know you. Hope to get to know you better. You were very thought-provoking and I do love your name. Love, Howard." Eskin subsequently denied ever meeting with her and said the roses were nothing more than an innocent attempt to brighten a lonely woman's day. At his sentencing, in Montgomery County Court, Raymond Stumpf stated "I think the worst part was probably the day the roses came." Stumpf was sentenced to a term of 7 1/2 to 15 years for the killing.
Howard is best known for his controversial comments in regard to teams
, coaches
, athletes, sportswriters, broadcasters, and listeners and sometimes non-sports related issues. It is not uncommon to hear Eskin defend one of his "favorites" against a popular critical opinion, or disregard a milestone accomplished by someone who he doesn't "like." One example of this is when he recently slammed Roy Halladay, in the off-season after Halladay pitched the MLB's 20th perfect game ever and the second ever no hitter in the playoffs, for not speaking to the media enough and not disclosing his opinions on matters where his opinions had already been made public and quotes from Halladay had already been released to the media.
He was suspended and forced to give an on-air apology to the organizers of the Miss America Pageant for saying on the air that the contest was rigged.
During a controversy involving former Flyer Eric Lindros selling game tickets to Mafia
members, Eskin interviewed reputed Philly mob boss Joseph Merlino
about the Mafioso's sitting in Lindros' seats at a hockey game at the Flyers' rink. Merlino denied getting the seats from Lindros.
Eskin has also been known to lead long-term "campaigns" to have players traded from Philadelphia teams such as former Phillies' outfielder Bobby Abreu
for alleged lackadaisical defense and lack of clutch hitting, and Sixers' guard Allen Iverson for his allegedly selfish play. Eskin's last public stunt was organizing a mock funeral
to celebrate Terrell Owens demise with the Eagles during their 2005 season.
In 2007, Eskin criticized the Philadelphia Phillies
for not taking chances with their payroll and running their sports franchise like a "department store
." After a 3-9 start to the team's 2007 season, Eskin had a publicized confrontation with manager Charlie Manuel
, implying that he was not tough enough on his players and goading him into yelling and threatening Eskin in the press room, Manuel's office, and in the Phillies' clubhouse.
Eskin often touts his affinity for a wardrobe that includes expensive jewelry and clothing, particularly fur
coats for Philadelphia Eagles
home games. In his "honor", Philadelphia Daily News
writers dubbed Eskin "The King of Bling
,". Eskin sold a bobblehead doll of him wearing a fur coat, with the proceeds going to charity, in 2004 and 2005, which raised 75,000 dollars for charity. The first 100 dolls in the 2005 version came with a special small diamond
chip in his "bling" necklace.
He has sponsored numerous charity
and fund-raising events off-the-air to benefit a particular humanitarian cause throughout the years, most recently for victims of Hurricane Katrina
. On the air, he has advocated for issues such as public smoking bans and medical tort reform
.
ed and easily anger
ed on his radio show if a particular caller does not agree with his viewpoints. He frequently refers to a caller as a "genius
" or "chief" (both sarcastically), a "dope
", an "idiot", a "nitwit
", a "creep
" or a "moron
".
He is known to ask female callers about preparing dinner or washing the laundry
and he calls obviously black callers "dawg" while sarcastically closing those conversations with the urban vernacular
"holla". In addition, Italian
callers are often addressed as "cuzz" and Dallas Cowboys
' fans are termed "cock-a-roaches
". Howard at times will tell callers if they are worried about their team, "If you're scared, get a dog
."
Derisively, he baits Pittsburgh Steelers fans by pronouncing them as "Stiller" fans and stereotypes them as IronCity beer drinkers, smokers, and generally of a low-class demeanor while disdainfully criticizing their winning accomplishments.
Eskin's years of infamy in the Philadelphia sports scene allow him to frequently have special guest athletes or other sports figures on his program, with memorable interactions with Charles Barkley
, Freddie Mitchell
, Terrell Owens
, Lenny Dykstra
, Andre Iguodala
, Bernard Hopkins
and Cole Hamels
.
Eskin also has more of an affinity towards sports gambling than other co-hosts. On Friday afternoons during football season, he often has a "handicapping expert" on as a guest. In addition, he is the self-proclaimed "King of Monday Night" due to his successful track record in picking Monday Night Football games correctly. When his time slot was Monday evenings, he would often tease and mock his callers waiting for him to announce his Monday Night pick, calling them "degenerates".
Eskin's nickname, "King", was given to him by Pete Rose.
Howard's son Brett "Spike" Eskin was a radio DJ on Philadelphia station WYSP., which became the FM home of WIP on September 2, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.
Career
After Eskin graduated from Northeast High SchoolNortheast High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Northeast High School is a high school located at 1601 Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States....
in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM
WFIL
WFIL is a radio station and a former television station serving the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its transmitter is located in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania....
when evening shift disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
George Michael
George Michael (sportscaster)
George Michael was an American sportscaster best known nationally for The George Michael Sports Machine, his long-running sports highlights television program. Originally named George Michael's Sports Final when it began as a local show in Washington, D.C...
hired him to be his engineer
Broadcast engineering
Broadcast engineering is the field of electrical engineering, and now to some extent computer engineering and information technology, which deals with radio and television broadcasting...
. Eskin eventually made a name for himself in sports radio by breaking stories and stirring public opinion with his commentaries. He brought that same hustle with him to television where, with his efforts, breaking news was often found on the sports desk. The award winning sportscaster first made the transition to television in 1982 when he joined KYW-TV
KYW-TV
KYW-TV, virtual channel 3, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. KYW-TV shares a studio facility with its sister station, CW flagship WPSG just north of Center City Philadelphia...
. One of Eskin’s managers at KYW jokes that the sportscaster kept the Eagles in Philadelphia by breaking the story in the 1980s that the owner was trying to sell the team. "If Howard had not stepped in when he did... Leonard Tose would have snuck the Eagles out of town," says Frank Traynor. "Howard broke the Eagles story... and, by doing so, I believe helped to keep the team in town."
In the mid '80s Eskin co-hosted with John Debella
John Debella
John DeBella is an American DJ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 102.9 WMGK-FM. He was born in Queens, New York.-Career:Before arriving in Philadelphia, DeBella did a stint at WLIR-FM Garden City. In the early '80s he hosted The DeBella Travesty and helped to introduce the Dare to be Different new...
on WMMR
WMMR
WMMR is an active rock radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, broadcasting at 93.3 MHz FM. The station is owned by Greater Media....
's Morning Zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
, their combination was advertised as "Sports Rock". On television Eskin helped launch Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
Station WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV
WTXF-TV, virtual channel 29 , is an owned-and-operated station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
's Ten O’Clock News as part of its original anchor team from 1986 to 1991. On radio, the "Sports Rock" format proved unsuccessful at WMMR. It began in the Fall of 1992 and lasted until the Spring of 1993. Soon thereafter, Eskin moved to WIP, whose station format would shortly become amongst the first full time sports-talk radio themes in the United States. During an interview with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Eskin got clapped upside the head by the Hot Rod while asking whether pro wrestling was fake.
In 1992, he rejoined KYW-TV and then moved to WCAU-TV in 1996 where he served as a host and contributor to Sports Final until April, 2005. He returned to the show in 2006. He was also a contributor to the The George Michael Sports Machine
The George Michael Sports Machine
The George Michael Sports Machine is a syndicated, sports-related television program which aired from 1984 until 2007. The show was hosted by George Michael, a former radio disc jockey-turned television sports anchor, and was produced at WRC-TV, the NBC-owned station in Washington,...
, hosted by the man who helped Eskin begin his broadcasting career; serves as a frequent commentator on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's First Take; co-hosted a nationally-syndicated radio show, Let’s Talk Sports, and been called on for his opinions by such diverse programs as NBC’s Today Show and PBS’s MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour.
In addition to his radio and television presence Eskin wrote a column for the Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
in the early 1990s.
Eskin's breaking stories included one that former Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Ed Wade
Ed Wade
Ed Wade is the former General Manager of the Houston Astros.-Early career in baseball:Wade started his baseball career in 1977 as an intern in the Phillies public relations department. In 1977, he was named public relations assistant for the Astros and was promoted to public relations director in...
would be fired if the Phillies did not make the playoffs. Wade was subsequently fired by the Phillies on October 10, 2005. He unsuccessfully "campaigned" for the GM position, that was eventually filled by former Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
GM Pat Gillick
Pat Gillick
Lawrence Patrick David Gillick is a retired American professional baseball executive. He was the general manager of four Major League Baseball teams, and guided two teams to three World Series championships in his career: in 1992 and 1993 titles with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a 2008 title with...
.
Eskin also covered the negotiation and subsequent breakdown between Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
and a group led by Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
and Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
to buy the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. Howard's involvement in the negotiation entailed a request help from Allen L. Rothenberg, a prominent Philadelphia attorney, who was a regular at Eskin's synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
.
On September 20, 2007 Howard Eskin logged his 5,000th radio show, more than anyone else in the country, and celebrated his 25th year in television that same year. Guests on the show included Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, and Billy Cunningham
Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
.
On September 2nd, 2011 Howard Eskin hosted his last 3 to 7 PM show after nearly 6,000 shows and 25 years in that slot.
Controversy
In 1997 Eskin was exposed as the "prominent Philadelphia sportscaster" who had sent a dozen roses to a woman five days before she was murdered by her husband. A note sent with the roses was read during the guilty plea of Raymond Stumpf by his attorney:"Dear Brandice It was absolutely wonderful getting to know you. Hope to get to know you better. You were very thought-provoking and I do love your name. Love, Howard." Eskin subsequently denied ever meeting with her and said the roses were nothing more than an innocent attempt to brighten a lonely woman's day. At his sentencing, in Montgomery County Court, Raymond Stumpf stated "I think the worst part was probably the day the roses came." Stumpf was sentenced to a term of 7 1/2 to 15 years for the killing.
Howard is best known for his controversial comments in regard to teams
TEAMS
Teams is the plural form of team.TEAMS may also refer to:*TEAMS , a competition sponsored by JETS*TEAMS , an Kenyan initiative to link the country to the rest of the world through a submarine fibre optic cable....
, coaches
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, athletes, sportswriters, broadcasters, and listeners and sometimes non-sports related issues. It is not uncommon to hear Eskin defend one of his "favorites" against a popular critical opinion, or disregard a milestone accomplished by someone who he doesn't "like." One example of this is when he recently slammed Roy Halladay, in the off-season after Halladay pitched the MLB's 20th perfect game ever and the second ever no hitter in the playoffs, for not speaking to the media enough and not disclosing his opinions on matters where his opinions had already been made public and quotes from Halladay had already been released to the media.
He was suspended and forced to give an on-air apology to the organizers of the Miss America Pageant for saying on the air that the contest was rigged.
During a controversy involving former Flyer Eric Lindros selling game tickets to Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
members, Eskin interviewed reputed Philly mob boss Joseph Merlino
Joseph Merlino
Joseph Salvatore "Skinny Joey" Merlino was the boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1994 to 1999, despite Ralph Natale being officially the boss, and was said to have led it primarily in extortion, bookmaking, drug trafficking, and loan sharking.-Family mob ties:Joseph Salvatore Merlino a.k.a...
about the Mafioso's sitting in Lindros' seats at a hockey game at the Flyers' rink. Merlino denied getting the seats from Lindros.
Eskin has also been known to lead long-term "campaigns" to have players traded from Philadelphia teams such as former Phillies' outfielder Bobby Abreu
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
for alleged lackadaisical defense and lack of clutch hitting, and Sixers' guard Allen Iverson for his allegedly selfish play. Eskin's last public stunt was organizing a mock funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
to celebrate Terrell Owens demise with the Eagles during their 2005 season.
In 2007, Eskin criticized the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for not taking chances with their payroll and running their sports franchise like a "department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
." After a 3-9 start to the team's 2007 season, Eskin had a publicized confrontation with manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
, implying that he was not tough enough on his players and goading him into yelling and threatening Eskin in the press room, Manuel's office, and in the Phillies' clubhouse.
Eskin often touts his affinity for a wardrobe that includes expensive jewelry and clothing, particularly fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
coats for Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
home games. In his "honor", Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
writers dubbed Eskin "The King of Bling
Bling-bling
Bling is a slang term popularized in hip hop culture, referring to flashy, ostentatious or elaborate jewelry and ornamented accessories that are carried, worn or installed, such as cell phones or tooth caps....
,". Eskin sold a bobblehead doll of him wearing a fur coat, with the proceeds going to charity, in 2004 and 2005, which raised 75,000 dollars for charity. The first 100 dolls in the 2005 version came with a special small diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
chip in his "bling" necklace.
He has sponsored numerous charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and fund-raising events off-the-air to benefit a particular humanitarian cause throughout the years, most recently for victims of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. On the air, he has advocated for issues such as public smoking bans and medical tort reform
Tort reform
Tort reform refers to proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort actions are civil common law claims first created in the English commonwealth system as a non-legislative means for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to...
.
The show
Though Howard regularly initiates calls with comments such as "never had a bad day in my life" or "another day in paradise", he is known to be short-temperTemperament
In psychology, temperament refers to those aspects of an individual's personality, such as introversion or extroversion, that are often regarded as innate rather than learned...
ed and easily anger
Anger
Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response....
ed on his radio show if a particular caller does not agree with his viewpoints. He frequently refers to a caller as a "genius
Genius
Genius is something or someone embodying exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight....
" or "chief" (both sarcastically), a "dope
Stupidity
Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit, or sense. It may be innate, assumed, or reactive - 'being "stupid with grief" as a defence against trauma', a state marked with 'grief and despair...making even simple daily tasks a hardship'....
", an "idiot", a "nitwit
Nitwit
Nitwit, a colloquial noun for a stupid person, may refer to:*an idiot*Nitwit Records*Nittany Nation, formerly known "Nittwits", a student organization...
", a "creep
Creep
Creep may refer to:* CREEP, the Committee for the Re-Election of the President, associated with the Watergate scandal of U.S. president Nixon's administration....
" or a "moron
Moron (psychology)
Moron is a term once used in psychology to denote mild mental retardation. The term was closely tied with the American eugenics movement. Once the term became popularized, it fell out of use by the psychological community, as it was used more commonly as an insult than as a psychological...
".
He is known to ask female callers about preparing dinner or washing the laundry
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
and he calls obviously black callers "dawg" while sarcastically closing those conversations with the urban vernacular
African American Vernacular English
African American Vernacular English —also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular , or Black Vernacular English —is an African American variety of American English...
"holla". In addition, Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
callers are often addressed as "cuzz" and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
' fans are termed "cock-a-roaches
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
". Howard at times will tell callers if they are worried about their team, "If you're scared, get a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
."
Derisively, he baits Pittsburgh Steelers fans by pronouncing them as "Stiller" fans and stereotypes them as IronCity beer drinkers, smokers, and generally of a low-class demeanor while disdainfully criticizing their winning accomplishments.
Eskin's years of infamy in the Philadelphia sports scene allow him to frequently have special guest athletes or other sports figures on his program, with memorable interactions with Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, Freddie Mitchell
Freddie Mitchell
Freddie Lee Mitchell, Jr. is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League for four seasons. A four-sport athlete at Kathleen High School, Mitchell committed to the University of California, Los Angeles to play football for the Bruins...
, Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, Lenny Dykstra
Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra , nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s....
, Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala
Andre Tyler Iguodala is an American professional basketball player who plays small forward for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association . Iguodala is listed at 6 ft 6 in and 207 lbs. . Iguodala played his high school basketball for Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois...
, Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins Jr, known as The Executioner is an American boxer and the current Ring Magazine and WBC light heavyweight champion...
and Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels
Colbert Michael "Cole" Hamels is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hamels throws a four-seam fastball, a circle changeup, a curveball, and a cut fastball, which he added in 2010...
.
Eskin also has more of an affinity towards sports gambling than other co-hosts. On Friday afternoons during football season, he often has a "handicapping expert" on as a guest. In addition, he is the self-proclaimed "King of Monday Night" due to his successful track record in picking Monday Night Football games correctly. When his time slot was Monday evenings, he would often tease and mock his callers waiting for him to announce his Monday Night pick, calling them "degenerates".
Eskin's nickname, "King", was given to him by Pete Rose.
Howard's son Brett "Spike" Eskin was a radio DJ on Philadelphia station WYSP., which became the FM home of WIP on September 2, 2011.
External links
- Sportsradio 610 WIP
- Select podcasts of the Howard Eskin Show
- Howard Eskin's website
- http://twitter.com/howardeskinHoward Eskin on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
]