Radio Legend Fez Whatley Has Passed Away at the Age of 57

In April 2015 it was incredibly difficult saying goodbye to the on air personality of Fez Whatley when he announced that due to health issues, he was retiring from radio. Now, six years later, its impossible to believe I’m saying goodbye to Fez again, this time forever.

Fez passed away early Saturday morning, August 14th, at the age of 57. He suffered a major heart attack after undergoing a minor surgical procedure. Fez was put on a ventilator for several days and fought to come back to us but the stress on his heart was just too much.

Whatley had suffered another nearly life ending massive heart attack in March- in fact he flatlined- only to be brought back to life. It was a gift of five months to his friends, family and fans who would be so thrilled to hear him pop up on the Bennington Show to address some slight, or celebrate a milestone- his 57th birthday- or talk about the near death experience.

Fez joked that he had a bad heart but the reality was, he had so much heart and gave it all away for the entire time I’ve known him and many years before. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to make someone laugh or to entertain even at his own expense. Family, friends, fans and strangers all got to laugh, or be confused, or try to figure him out. Nobody ever could.

There were so many eras to Fez’s life on the microphone and each one was important and touched so many lives.  His career started on the Ron and Ron show in Tampa as a friend of the show after Ron Bennington met him at his comedy club. Fez was beloved on the Ron and Ron Show, playing an over the top flamboyant gay character, during a time and in a place that didn’t always warm up to gay characters so easily- but Fez won everyone over.  After the Ron and Ron Show came to an end, Whatley and Bennington formed the Ron and Fez Show, and not only did that show have multiple lives on different platforms, but each era was incredibly different from the last beginning in Florida, and finding time in Washington D.C. and New York City and all over the continent from 1998 until Fez retired in 2015. They were everybody’s buddies and we all loved and love them.

In later years before he retired, Fez struggled. He dealt with anxiety, depression and health issues, including his first heart attack in 2005.  Those years that Fez struggled with health and wellness issues were as groundbreaking and important to the fans as prior incarnations of the show. And the thing was, he kept showing up to work. He would share his frailties and fears in a way that can only be described as fearless. The ridiculous conundrum of having so many fears, and being brave is something only Fez could pull off. People have written on twitter and Instagram today, expressing how much humanity those shows had, not only hearing Fez try to come to grips with his problems, but also through listening to those around him grapple with how to react.  In many ways, Ron and Fez was more real and more human than any other show on the radio.

But the show wasn’t about reality- far from it.  The Ron and Fez Show was legendary for delivering wrestling like shoots and works leaving listeners guessing what was real and what was a bit.  Sometimes real life became a bit, and at other times the bit morphed into real life. That extended through personal matters, like Fez’s sexuality, which was a show bit,  until he officially came out as gay in 2012.

This strange dichotomy continued right up until the final moment of the show when Fez suddenly announced his retirement on April Fools Day 2015, leaving even close friends of the show unsure whether the retirement was real or a gimmick. That was the brilliance of the show- you never could tell and even if you think you knew, you probably didn’t. Months after Fez’s retirement, people were still swearing it was just a long con. And when it was announced that Gail Bennington would take his place as Ron Bennington’s radio co-host he couldn’t have been prouder, or more supportive. He listened to Bennington every day and for the last 6 ears, he found himself a fan of a radio show.

In 2018 Fez came out of retirement for one night to sneak into the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC to surprise longtime fans with an appearance on the Bennington’s annual live Thanksgiving show. He wasn’t well, showed up off the plane with a tackle box of pills, a cane, and more white hair than Santa Claus. But when he walked on stage, it was an unforgettable moment, and the crowd exploded as Fez climbed onto the stage to pull a wrestling bit with Ron and Gail. He stayed after the show for hours to sign autographs and take photos. It was the last time most of us ever got to see him and the best way to remember him.

Besides loving radio, he was a diehard wrestling fan, and he loved football and the Bucs. He even joked once about wanting his ashes to be fired out of a cannon at a Bucs game. He might not get that wish, but he did live to see the Bucs go to the Super Bowl, and win it, and he was there for the big game. Fans were so thrilled for him, that people from all over the country started rooting for the Bucs.

Fez Whatley was fall-down funny all the time. In his prime, there is no one who was funnier, faster, or more willing to go to any length for a laugh. His commitment to a bit was unparallelled- and he and Bennington made magic for decades.

So much of Fez’s legacy can be found on the internet in various ways. If you know where to look, I highly recommend the journey. You can also read some of the messages friends and listeners shared saying goodbye. Fez trended all weekend.

I started knowing Ron and Fez as a listener. Eventually I would be privileged to work with them behind the scenes for many years. He was not just an entertainer and a collaborator, he was also a close friend who I will remember every day for the rest of my life. He was generous, he was fun, he was the life of countless parties. Even when he drove you nuts- and he was good at that too- you smiled. It’s been a rollercoaster that’s been a hell of a ride and it’s over far too soon.

I love you Fezzie. I miss you already. Rest easy Big Cat.