WFAN (AM) - Notable Callers

Notable Callers

Callers are an important facet of WFAN programming. A number of callers have earned a reputation over the years and become as familiar to listeners as the hosts themselves.

Jerome from Manhattan

Another notable caller is Jerome Mittelman, widely known as "Jerome from Manhattan." A die-hard Yankees and Knicks fan, Jerome is famous for his on-air take-no-prisoners blistering rants and raves, as well as his unique take on the English language. One of his favorite exclamatory phrases is "frickin' frack!" He refers to the bullpen as the "ballpen", and once shouted that the Yankees are "....done! D-O-E-N, DONE!" His relationship status is intriguing enough for Steve Somers to once give Jerome $60 to take a lady out on a date, only for Jerome to keep the money and not go out on the date. Former host Sid Rosenberg once asked Jerome if he was upset that he was not taking his eagerly anticipated trip "....to Colorado?", and Jerome replied, "No, to Denver." He does "....not like jets. They make seasick." Jerome, when he still called WFAN regularly, was known as being the only caller to have an audio intro, much like those played at the top of each show. Mr. Mittelman's health problems had kept him from the WFAN airwaves on a regular basis from late 2004 until mid 2008; when he again started to call in more frequently. Occasionally when he calls in to Steve Somers' program, a special introduction is played to the tune of The Twilight Zone.

Eli from Westchester

Eli Strand (1943–2008), known when calling as "Eli from Westchester", was another famous repeat caller. Citing racism as the underlying factor behind any number of sports happenings, he was occasionally banned from calling for periods of time. One of the most famous times he was banned was by former mid-day host Russ Salzberg. However, he was also given an on-air tryout for the job which would eventually go to Joe Benigno. Strand, from Tuckahoe, New York, played college football at Iowa State University and spent two years in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints.

Miriam from Forest Hills

Miriam is a blind New York Islanders and New York Mets fan from Queens. The first Islanders game Miriam ever attended became the topic of a Rick Reilly column in Sports Illustrated.

Dave from Harlem

David Paterson, former Governor of New York, has been known to call into the station on occasion. He has also used the alias "David from Manhattan." After the end of his term, Paterson sporadically appeared as a guest host and in-studio guest for the station; Paterson accepted a job with WOR in August 2011.

Incarcerated Bob

"Incarcerated Bob" was given notoriety from Boomer and Carton show after "breaking sports stories" at a high rate. He earned his name for spending nine months in prison for assaulting a New England Patriots fan during a post-Super Bowl XLII victory celebration. He has earned a reputation for his Twitter feed, which has been known to break sports rumors with a high degree of accuracy. Bob is now considered the #1 Breaking News Insider In All Sports, after getting recognition from big insiders like Adam Schefter - "Super Bowl Winning LB" Carl Banks - "NHL Insider" EJ Hradek to name a few.

Lou from Staten Island

"Lou from Staten Island" is a regular caller on the Boomer and Carton show. Lou typically is typically highly intoxicated (sometimes to the point of being incapable of speaking) and is often unclear as to what is reality. One of Lou's favorite candies is Twizzlers, but he calls them Tweezers. Carton has convinced Lou that there is an offensive lineman on the Giants named Botchagaloop Jones who they have waiting on the hotline to chat with Lou every time he calls in. This stems from a call when Lou complained about how the Giants offensive line was underrated; when Carton asked him to name members of the "underrated" line, Lou couldn't name anyone.

Omar from Brooklyn

"Omar from Brooklyn" is another regular called on the Boomer and Carton Show. An avid Bills fan, Omar's trademark is to call in on a Monday to rant (often incoherently due to his thick accent) about the Bill's shortcomings and his hatred for other New York teams. During these calls there is usually Middle Eastern music playing in the background, courtesy of WFAN. Boomer and Carton had Omar in studio as a guest, and Omar received a pie in the face from Boomer. Omar also received tickets from Boomer to a Jet and Bills game in 2011. Omar's wife is also known for her trademark chicken dishes, which he is yet to bring into studio despite Carton's constant requests.