After many successful years in local talk radio and on television, Lionel has realized one of his dreams. He began his nationally syndicated program on January 3, 2000. The show, airing weekday overnights (midnight-5am), is an eclectic mixture of current events and off-the-wall topics infused with Lionel’s special brand of humor.
Before that, Lionel was the host of Snap Judgment on Court TV. The program was consistent with Lionel’s persona, offering an irreverent and intelligent look at the lighter side of, what he calls, "The train wreck they refer to as the American judicial system." Lionel was the morning drive host on WABC TalkRadio in New York City for five successful years. He also hosted special reports for the ABC Radio Network and WCBS NewsRadio in New York.
While attending Law School in his native Tampa, Florida in 1980, Lionel discovered talk radio station WFLA and soon became a regular caller. His formula was simple: "Be the first caller, never talk about what the host is discussing and, wherever possible, insult the host and his family." In his "other" career, Lionel went on to become a noted prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Dominating the conversation became Lionel's forte.
His media career began in 1988 when the wife of the WFLA Operations Manager suggested to her husband that Lionel would be a great host. He was given a weekend shift and within a year was promoted to afternoon drive. The President of ABC radio heard Lionel’s show and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. In 1993 Lionel left Florida, happily abandoning his law career, and moved to WABC radio in New York. Eventually taking over the highly competitive morning drive show, Lionel went on to set records for ratings for WABC in that time slot. In the fall of 1996, Lionel moved to the afternoon drive spot, offering a new audience a taste of his unique brand of radio. He had just achieved the highest ratings in that slot since taking over for Bob Grant when, in their infinite wisdom, the management at WABC decided to move him back to mornings in December of 1997.
Lionel’s form of radio is topical, dynamic and funny. A raconteur and master of the English language, he engages his listeners daily with his rapid-fire delivery and offbeat takes on the day’s top issues. Lionel has been named one of the 100 Most Important Talk Show Hosts in the country by Talkers Magazine. He appears regularly on a variety of national television programs and networks including CNN and MSNBC.
How does Lionel describe himself?
"Irreverent, ribald and caustic: these are Lionel’s good points. He’s a billingsgater, a paranymph of the Boeotian and a paronomasiac. In other words, Lionel has no idea what a talk show host is, and that’s the way he likes it!" You look it up!
© 2008