After Brother Wease announced he was hosting his final radio show on air on Thursday, Sept. 4, people shared well wishes for the Rochester radio icon on social media.
Wease, host of The Wease Show on WAIO-FM (95.1), an iHeartMedia station known as Radio 95.1, was the first Rochester radio personality to be inducted into the Museum of Broadcast Communications Radio Hall of Fame in 2021 and is also a member of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame, inducted in 2023, and the New York State Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame as of 2009.
Here’s how social media is responding to Brother Wease’s sudden departure.
Who is Brother Wease?
Wease, whose real name is Alan Levin, started in radio in 1983 as an advertising salesman at Rochester classic rock station WCMF-FM (96.5). The Vietnam War combat veteran took over a late-night slot in 1984 and moved to mornings in 1985 as the host of “The Brother Wease Morning Circus,” which became one of the most highly rated programs in the market.
He shared his life, including a cancer diagnosis and treatment, with listeners — and he shared the spotlight with a rotating cast of characters. A number of personalities who got their start on the show went on to become huge stars in other markets, including Greg “Opie” Hughes, BJ Shea and Stephanie Miller, who was known to Rochester listeners as “Sister Sleaze.”
In late 2007 after Entercom bought WCMF, contract talks between Wease and the company broke off. He disappeared from local radio at the start of 2008, and a no-compete clause in his old contract kept him off the air until November of that year, when he took over as morning show host on Radio 95.1.
In 2023, Wease requested to move the early morning show from 6 to 9 a.m. to the 9 a.m.-noon timeslot.
Wease was the first Rochester radio personality to be inducted into the Museum of Broadcast Communications Radio Hall of Fame in 2021 and is also a member of the Rochester Music Hall of Fame, inducted in 2023, and the New York State Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame as of 2009.
Brother Wease abruptly announces final show: What people are saying on social media
Contributing: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reporter Marcia Greenwood
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Brother Wease’s surprise exit sparks outpouring from fans online
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
