Irv Homer
Encyclopedia
Irving "Irv" Homer was an American
radio talk show
host and television personality, primarily in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania market.
, flying B-17 Flying Fortresses out of Italy with the 15th Air Force. He flew 15 bombing missions as a pilot. For several years after the war he was a member of the Reserves.
He spent much of his adult life in a variety of careers, including bartending (he owned two taverns) and selling equipment for a pizza company. After stints at several small suburban Philadelphia talk radio stations in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he joined WWDB-FM
in Philadelphia where he hosted a radio show from 1975 until 2000 when the station switched formats to music. During his time at WWDB, Homer became a vocal and notable public presence in the resurgent anti-tax movement (IRS and the Federal Reserve). This ultimately led to him being labeled by the IRS as a V.T.P (Violent Tax Protestor), a title that he referred to as a dubious honor given that his 'violence' was simply speaking his 1st Amendment
right on-air. Beginning in 1991 he also contributed as a regular panelist on the news show Inside Story on WPVI-TV
the prominent local ABC
affiliate He then began a show on a small local station WBCB-AM
in Levittown, Pennsylvania
. The talk show, The Irv Homer Show aired on from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM aired from 2001 until January 2007.
For a brief period between 2001 and 2002 he also hosted a Sunday evening radio show on CBS-owned Philadelphia news/talk station WPHT-AM.
His wife Francine "Queenie" Homer died in April 2007. Active until the very end of his life, Homer collapsed while giving a lecture at Eastern University. He was taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital
, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.
He ran for Vice-President of the United States in 1972 on the America's Party ticket.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio talk show
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
host and television personality, primarily in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania market.
Biography
Born in Philadelphia, he was an Army Air Force veteran of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, flying B-17 Flying Fortresses out of Italy with the 15th Air Force. He flew 15 bombing missions as a pilot. For several years after the war he was a member of the Reserves.
He spent much of his adult life in a variety of careers, including bartending (he owned two taverns) and selling equipment for a pizza company. After stints at several small suburban Philadelphia talk radio stations in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he joined WWDB-FM
WWDB
WWDB, 860 AM, is a daytime-only radio station based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania that broadcasts brokered programming and the satellite feed of ESPN Deportes Radio....
in Philadelphia where he hosted a radio show from 1975 until 2000 when the station switched formats to music. During his time at WWDB, Homer became a vocal and notable public presence in the resurgent anti-tax movement (IRS and the Federal Reserve). This ultimately led to him being labeled by the IRS as a V.T.P (Violent Tax Protestor), a title that he referred to as a dubious honor given that his 'violence' was simply speaking his 1st Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
right on-air. Beginning in 1991 he also contributed as a regular panelist on the news show Inside Story on WPVI-TV
WPVI-TV
WPVI-TV, channel 6, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. WPVI has its studios located on the border between Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd, and its transmitter is located in the...
the prominent local ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate He then began a show on a small local station WBCB-AM
WBCB-AM
WBCB is an AM broadcast station licensed to operate on 1490 kHz for Levittown, Pennsylvania, and serving the areas of Bucks County, Pennsylvania and other parts of suburban Philadelphia. Its programming mixes news, talk, music and local sports...
in Levittown, Pennsylvania
Levittown, Pennsylvania
Levittown is a census-designated place and planned community in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 52,983 at the 2010 census. It is above sea level...
. The talk show, The Irv Homer Show aired on from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM aired from 2001 until January 2007.
For a brief period between 2001 and 2002 he also hosted a Sunday evening radio show on CBS-owned Philadelphia news/talk station WPHT-AM.
His wife Francine "Queenie" Homer died in April 2007. Active until the very end of his life, Homer collapsed while giving a lecture at Eastern University. He was taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital
Bryn Mawr Hospital
Bryn Mawr Hospital is a Pennsylvania hospital near Philadelphia that is part of Main Line Health, a community-based not-for-profit health system, comprising Lankenau Hospital, Paoli Hospital, and Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. It is located on 130 South Bryn Mawr Avenue in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania....
, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.
He ran for Vice-President of the United States in 1972 on the America's Party ticket.