Courtesy the Buffalo News

(October 18, 2010) Craig Carton's career in radio started the way that many do. The 1991 graduate of Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications came to Buffalo and landed a job at WGR Radio, where he worked overnight shifts -- and whatever other shifts he could talk his way into.

Nearly two decades later, Carton is the co-host with Boomer Esiason of a morning show on WFAN Radio in New York, a sports talk powerhouse. MSG Network also began simulcasting the Boomer and Carton Show in September, giving Carton a national TV audience for his brand of edgy humor and sports-tainment.

"In 1988 I interned here at The Fan, when it was the station's one-year anniversary," Carton recalled by phone from New York this week. "If you had told me then that someday I'd be co-hosting the morning show on The Fan, I would have told you you were on drugs. There was no way that was going to happen."

Carton's tenure at WGR -- which lasted about eight months -- coincided with the Buffalo Bills' run to their first Super Bowl. Magic Johnson announced his retirement that winter because he had HIV.

"I did everything I could possibly do in radio when I was at WGR," Carton said. "Weekend talk shows ... I was horrendous at [sports] updates. I went to [Program Director] Chuck Finney and asked if there was any chance I could get on the air, do live shows."

Carton produced John Otto's overnight show, then was given his own time slot, a milkman shift from 3-5 in the morning. He also hosted a six-hour show on Saturdays. There were a lot of on-air opportunities in the early '90s. WGR and WBEN were competitors at that time, and both had full-time news and sports departments.

"I love Buffalo, I have great memories of being there," said Carton, who roomed in a retirement home in Kenmore in order to save money on rent.

Bob Gaughan was a producer and on-air host at WGR in those days. He worked with Carton and hung out with him outside of work. Gaughan said it was always clear that Carton would be going places.

"[Carton] was exactly the same way he is right now," Gaughan said. "He was carefree, he said what he thought and he didn't care who he offended. But it's not mean-spirited. It works and it makes him successful.

"You could tell he was not going to be in Buffalo for a long time," Gaughan said. "His sights were set on working his way back to New York City. I think he did work hard, did pay his dues."

In April 1992, Carton departed for a radio job in Cleveland. From there it was on to other radio gigs in Philadelphia, Denver, central New Jersey, and then back home to New York. Carton grew up in New Rochelle and was a fan of the Mets, Knicks and Jets, among other teams. Working in the city and meeting top athletes are part of what makes doing the show his dream job.

"Other than working with Boomer, who is the most delightful guy in the world," Carton said, "there were two guys who were awesome to meet: Mookie Wilson, my favorite baseball player of all time, and Bernard King, the single greatest small forward in the history of the NBA."

Carton was also a fan of "shock jock" Howard Stern while he was growing up. Stern is an obvious influence when you hear Carton interview a Playboy Playmate on the air, or hear him tease callers to his show.

"[Stern is] the single greatest radio broadcaster in the history of the medium," Carton said. "I didn't get into radio because of him, but you certainly respect other people's success."

Carton's career got a little bumpy back in February 1997 when he worked at Philadelphia's WIP Radio. Carton said on the air that Philadelphia Flyers star Eric Lindros had missed a game due to a hangover. The Flyers said it was a sore back and threatened to sue the radio station. The station apologized, but Carton stood by his sources. Four years later, Flyers GM Bob Clarke admitted to reporters that the story had been true.

"[The Flyers] have said they were protecting Lindros at the time," Carton said. "There never was a lawsuit. ... It was really much ado about nothing."

Carton said he arrives in the WFAN studio every morning at 4:30 to prepare for the 6 a.m. show. "I read every newspaper front to back, it's all part of the preparation."

How has the Boomer and Carton Show changed since MSG started showing it on TV?

"Not one single bit," Carton said. "The only difference is that I wear makeup every morning, I wear more than my wife does. And nobody would notice this, but I'm actually dressing a little better than I used to."

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