Fez Whatley Biography – Fez Whatley Wiki
Fez Whatley majorly referred by his on-air name Fez Marie Whatley was an American comedian and former radio producer and personality who gained prominence as the co-host of The Ron and Fez Show with Ron Bennington from 1998 to 2015.
He originally became well known after becoming a producer and contributor for the popular syndicated radio program The Ron and Ron Show. The show disbanded after being canceled for low ratings following the departure of Ron Diaz. Whatley then teamed up with Ron Bennington to create The Ron and Fez Show on a small Daytona Beach radio station (WKRO). The duo subsequently created a show titled Ron and Fez Dot Com as they moved to overnights on WNEW in New York City.
In 1990, he was an on-air personality at WYNF in Tampa Bay, Florida, and producer and contributor for the syndicated morning program, The Ron and Ron Show. During this time, he developed the Fez Whatley moniker which a reporter in The Orlando Sentinel described as “an effeminate, lisping character”. After the show disbanded due to being canceled for low ratings after the departure of Ron Diaz, Whatley then teamed up with Ron Bennington as a co-host 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.
Together with Bennington, they continued on WNEW 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, with 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. The Ron and Fez Show moved to XM Satellite Radio on September 12, 2005, after leaving WJFK 106.7 FM in Washington D.C.
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. The Ron and Fez Show was discontinued when WFNY reverted to a rock format as WXRK on May 24, 2007.
From October 9, 2007, to June 27, 2008, he also served as executive producer. On November 4, 2008, Bennington and Whatley hosted Presidential Thunderdome ’08, a live radio show covering the 2008 presidential elections.
On February 26, 2010, he put up a $1,000 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 1960s television show The Andy Griffith Show. He worked with the Mount Airy Crime Stoppers Division as they monitored the case.
On April 1, 2015, he announced his retirement from radio. His final appearance on The Ron and Fez Show took place two days later. He 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.
Whatley graduated from Pinellas Park High School in Pinellas Park, Florida in 1982, and received a publication award from the International Thespian Society.
Fez Whatley Age
He was born on March 31, 1964, in Florida, United States, and died on August 13, 2021. He was 57 years old.
Fez Whatley Partner
On February 24, 2012, he came out as gay. 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. After admitting his sexuality to his co-host Ron Bennington three years earlier, he 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.
Since realizing he was gay, he 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.
Fez Whatley Parents
He was the son of his father, Dick Hillier who died in an NYC hospital on February 24, 2011. 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, 2011, and offered a touching remembrance of his father.
Fez Whatley Health
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. An angioplasty was performed and he returned to the show on November 28, 2005.
Following an interview on May 9, 2007, with author Elmore Leonard, he left the studio during the show for the emergency room. He subsequently had a second stent inserted on May 11, 2007. 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, 2007.
In July 2014 he had anterior cervical discectomy surgery to relieve neck and back pain. As of October 2014, he 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.
Fez Whatley Death
He died on August 13, 2021, at the age of 57. His death was confirmed by Ron Bennington, who hosted the radio show with him and who revealed Whatley had passed away in an Instagram post on August 14, 2021. Whatley was born in 1964, according to Bennington’s post.
“We lost our sweet Fez Whatley last night. His heart finally gave out. We are devastated, but we will always remember the laughter through our tears. Our thoughts are with his family who loved him the most and with the people who knew him as a voice on the radio. #fezwhatley.”
Fez Whatley Cause of Death
He died of heart failure.
