Fez Whatley Biography – Wiki
Fez Whatley was an American comedian and radio producer and personality who gained prominence as a co-host of The Ron and Fez Show with Ron Bennington from 1998 to 2015, he passed away.
According to The Wrap, Whatley was born in Florida as Todd Hillier and got his start on the radio on “The Ron and Ron Show.” The site reported that his latest show with Bennington aired on WKRO in Daytona Beach and WNEW in New York.
Whatley originally made his name after becoming a producer and contributor to the popular syndicated radio show The Ron and Ron Show. The show was disbanded after being canceled due to low ratings following the departure of Ron Díaz. Whatley later teamed up with Ron Bennington to create The Ron and Fez Show at a small Daytona Beach radio station (WKRO). The duo subsequently created a show titled Ron and Fez Dot Com when they moved in for the night on WNEW in New York City.
Age
Fez Whatley has died at the age of 57-years-old.
Retired From Radio After Coming out as Gay in 2012
Whatley’s heart problems weren’t a secret; in fact, Bennington had given fans updates on his Instagram page, even sharing photos of Whatley in a hospital bed.
“Fez suffered another massive heart attack this week,” he wrote on Instagram in March 2021. “He lay flat on Tuesday, but the doctors were able to revive him. He spent a few days on a ventilator and is now breathing on his own. His sister took these photos of him while he was on the air vent, and Fez is strangely proud of them. ”
In addition to heart problems, Whatley had suffered from anxiety and depression for years, according to The Interrobang.
The latest “Ron and Fez Show” aired on April 3, 2015, after Bennington announced his retirement on April 1, and Whatley announced at the time that he, too, was retiring from radio, The Interrobang reported on that moment. He told listeners: “I am retiring from the radio. Not only the radio but the most important thing in my life, the Ron y Fez Show, ”according to the outlet.
“After spending the last 20 years playing a gay character on air,” Whatley came out as gay on February 24, 2012, on the air on his SiriusXM show, The Interrobang reported.
“I realized that he was like the character that he had created. I’m gay, “he told the outlet.” Coming to this conclusion was devastating.… Fez Whatley was no longer an on-air character. It was me. And now it was no longer funny. Now it was all I had joked about. I got depressed. I got very anxious and couldn’t give up anymore. … And most of all, I couldn’t force myself to be Fez Whatley anymore. … I was terrified of being really gay. ”
Whatley told The Interrobang that he wanted to work openly on “too many important issues facing gay Americans.
“I can’t be a part of ‘It gets better’ until I make sure things are going to get better for me. And that’s what I intend to do. ”
In 2014, Whatley wrote an op-ed for The Interrobang criticizing the NFL and the St. Louis Rams after openly gay defensive end Michael Sam was banned from the team “despite a more than an impressive season.”.
Cause of Death
Fez Whatley was a radio host known for co-hosting “The Ron and Fez Show” in Florida and New York. He died on Friday, August 13, 2021, at the age of 57.
What was the cause of his death? He died of heart failure, according to The Wrap.
His death was confirmed by Ron Bennington, who hosted the radio show with him and who revealed that Whatley had died in an Instagram post on August 14, 2021. Whatley was born in 1964, according to Bennington’s post.
Fez Whatley Heart Finally Gave Out
Bennington revealed that heart problems took Whatley’s life.
“We lost our sweet Fez Whatley last night,” he wrote in the Instagram post.
“Her heart from him finally gave up. We are devastated, but we will always remember laughter through our tears. Our thoughts go out to his family who loved him the most and to the people who knew him as a voice on the radio. #fezwhatley “.
Tributes
Fans offered tributes in the comment thread on Bennington’s Instagram post:
“It is very sad to read about this. I am so sorry for your lost friends. ”
“Thinking of you. I am very sorry for his loss, the loss of his family, the loss of Fez’s family, and all those who loved him. ❤️”
Opie Radio wrote: “Fez was a rock star and we will miss her terribly. I look back fondly on the days of WNEW when we all had the world of radio by the balls. RIP FEZ. Ron, please make sure you take care of yourself during this difficult time. I love you, brother “.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. The joy you brought to your lives brought joy to our lives. I love you all so much.”
“I feel like I grew up with Fezzy. I’ve listened to it for half my life. I am broken. Thinking of this family and The Benningtons. I know everyone loved him so much 💔 ”
“Oh no! The joy that man brought so many of us. I’m sorry for his loss. Keeping you all in my prayers.”
“Speechless.” I’ve known “Fez for decades on the radio. RIP big cat. And a lot of love to the Bennington family.”
