Jay Diamond

Jay Diamond is a talk radio personality who began his move to the mike by being a frequent caller to other radio programs, especially New York City's popular Bob Grant show. Initially conservative, Diamond's politics began shifting leftward sometime in the late 1990s as he became dissatisfied with the pro-big business, pro-wealthy corporate conservatism of the 1990s and 2000s.

His last scheduled broadcast was in Boston, his "Jay Diamond Show" appearing on WRKO until 2005. Prior to that, he broadcast for several years in New York City, first on WABC (then home to Bob Grant, who at the time considered Diamond a sort of protége), then as he moved sharply to the left, on WEVD, and finally WOR. Diamond has been mostly unemployed in recent years although he does not need to work since he is the benefactor of family wealth.

He is a voice impressionist and has had short plays on-air which he said were performed by "The Mighty Diamond Art Players." One of Jay's famous impersonations was of Al Sharpton. Sharpton was not alone among Diamond's subjects of impressions. Diamond also parodied the speaking style of other staples of the New York City political scene, notably, then-Governor Mario Cuomo and former Mayor Ed Koch. [ [http://www.chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=17035] ] [ [http://www.siriusbackstage.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-43999.html Lynn Samuels It's Official [Archive - SIRIUS Backstage Forum ] ] [http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/text/nyc_radio.asc]
Left-wing media watchdog organization FAIR recognized Diamond as unusual among broadcasters for his calling attention to Trent Lott's and Bob Barr's associations with the right-wing Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), during December, 1998. [ [http://www.fair.org/press-releases/ccc.html FAIR Media Advisory: National Media Should Cover Racist Links of Prominent Elected Officials Like Rep. Bob Barr and Sen. Trent Lott ] ]

Recently, Jay was heard as a guest on 92.3 Free FM WFNY-FM the week of January 30, 2007 as an evening guest show host. He also appeared as a fill in on The Alan Colmes Show on March 28, 2007, again in August 2007, late 2007, January 2008 and late March 2008. Of the modern Republican Party he has called it a "symphony of stupidity." He appeared as Alan Colmes' guest, or as Colmes called him, "my wingnut," at the Republican National Convention in September, 2008.

ee also

*WABC (AM)
*WEVD
*WOR
*Talk radio

Notes