J.D. Hayworth Is News/Talk Radio’s Hired Gun During the Holidays
Jim Cryns
“It’s not like being a substitute teacher who might feel ill at ease. I have to possess knowledge of all the elements of that particular format.”
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Over the next two weeks, J.D. Hayworth will be the hardest working host in the radio business. During the remainder of the holiday season, Hayworth will be filling in for more radio show hosts than a seat-filler at the Oscars. Hayworth is a hired gun for the holidays. Not a very jolly way to put it, but accurate.

Hayworth said he grew up in the Golden Age of Top 40. For him that meant WTOB/Winston-Salem, WKIX/Raleigh, and Big WAYS/Charlotte. The man has been in the morning drive guest rotation for Fox News Radio. He’s also booked for Fox affiliates’ morning shows from the Eastern to the Pacific time zones.

There are lots of challenges when guest hosting. Becoming knowledgeable about that particular city, even if you’re only there for one day. You have to know the landscape.

Even though he’ll physically be in Scottsdale, his mind and voice has to be in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and wherever else he’s booked.

“I’m brought in for a range of nationally syndicated hosts to small-market personalities, and I enjoy visiting with them all,” Hayworth said.

Hayworth has served in the U.S. Congress, worked in sports on television and done tons of radio.

“I anchored sports for three television stations during the 1980s and early 1990s,” Hayworth said.

Hayworth said there’s a distinct difference working in the mediums. “Radio is more intimate than television,” Hayworth explained. “Television is like a stage play or movie with makeup, lighting. Television is a formalized presentation. On the radio it’s just you and me. Radio gives you the chance to deliver the essence of the story. You can bring emotion and empathy.”

That’s not to say you don’t prepare for the shows. You do.

“I want my shows to offer information, entertainment, and enlightenment that you have to invite in.”

He said his career in radio and television has been an interesting life path. “None of us that do this suffer from a shortage of self esteem.”

Even though Hayworth will be working out of a studio in Arizona, Star Worldwide Networks, he has to be well-versed with the city where he’s filling-in.

“It’s like a baseball metaphor,” Hayworth began. “You go around to all these different parks, get familiar with the different ground rules. You need to know what the PD wants. You need to be familiar with their liners, promotions, and station image. You need to come in with an institutional knowledge of that station.”

Hayworth said he’s grateful for all of today’s technology so he can prepare for Philadelphia in front of his home computer.

“I’ll visit that station’s website and watch their news clips, what they are covering,” he said.

Haworth said there are times he has felt so comfortable filling-in, people in that city feel and believe he’s there.

He said he was paid a huge compliment by a caller to one of the shows. It was from former Pennsylvania Congressman turned CNN contributor Charlie Dent. Dent was driving home to Pennsylvania from Washington. He called into the radio station when Hayworth was on the air.

“This was on WPHT a few years ago,” Hayworth said. “Charlie called the radio station one night and said, ‘Hey J.D. It’s great to have you in town.’ I was talking about the history of stealing votes in Philly. I guess I knew enough about Philadelphia politics for him to believe I was part of the local station.”

On the air, Hayworth said you must be unalloyed, genuine. At the same time you need to be entertaining and enlightening. “I need to give the listeners a sense of community when I fill in,” he explained. “It’s not like being a substitute teacher who might feel ill at ease. I have to possess knowledge of all the elements of that particular format.”

He’s an anomaly in the radio world. Broadcasting first, then politics. “Instead of a politician who wants to get into broadcasting, I was the other way around.” Hayworth said. “I used to tell voters that when my tenure in office came to an end, I would return to broadcasting, and that’s exactly what happened.”

He’s from North Carolina and said when he fills-in on one in that state, he’s very comfortable with his knowledge base from personal experience.

“That’s where I grew up,” he said. “Arizona has been home for the bulk of my life. Going on the air in the Phoenix market, I don’t have to learn a new language of the market.”

One of the shows he’ll be filling is The Schnitt Show in Tampa.

“Todd Schnitt is benefficient to let me fill in. I’m happy we don’t agree on everything, but I have to be respectful. I work well with his team. I’m a guest, I’m not there to upset the applecart. I do have to be careful how I say The Schnitt Show,” he joked. “There’s a time to be serious and a time to be humorous. To everything there’s a season, as told in Ecclesiastes. You can’t be going to the wall on serious issues of survivability all the time. Even Shakespeare brought elements of humor in his tragic pieces.”

Hayworth believes he’s the only ex-member of Congress to fully anchor an election.

“I did that in the 2016 presidential election,” he explained. “I wanted to do it straight through. Be like Captain Ironpants. Political coverage warriors like Walter Cronkite or Tom Brokaw, also known as Duncan the Wonder Horse.”

The Wonder Horse thing threw me for a loop. Brokaw’s nickname came about during the 1980 political campaign when executive producer Steve Friedman dubbed him “Duncan the Wonder Horse” as Brokaw galloped tirelessly back and forth between his daily responsibilities on the morning Today show, and weekend assignments covering elections around the country.”

Hayworth was a bit of a Wonder Horse that election night.

“I drank coffee all night and only took one break at 11:00 pm during the election coverage. It was a remarkable experience, an incredibly interesting night.”

J.D. Hayworth has been working in the studio of Star Worldwide Networks in Scottsdale.

“They’ve been so kind to me,” Hayworth said. “I’ve got a broom closet over there. I’ll be working at interesting times considering the West Coast and stations are on the East Coast. A 5am show start in Philly is a 3am show start in Scottsdale.”

Hayworth’s voice will be traveling the country like a standup comic. During the upcoming two weeks before Christmas, you can hear Hayworth on Monday the 19th, filling in for host Vince Coakley on the “Carolinas’ Combocast,” on WBT in Charlotte & WORD in Greenville/Spartanburg from 10-noon, EST. On Tuesday and Wednesday he’ll be hosting for nationally syndicated Erick Erickson from noon to 3pm, EST. Then he’ll be guest hosting for The Schnitt Show on Thursday, 3-6pm, EST. On Friday Hayworth will be hosting The Drive for Brian Wilson on WWTN, Nashville.

He’ll take a few days off then hit the air again December 26-30, hosting Nashville’s Morning News for Dan Mandis, 5-9am CST. Then back on The Schnitt Show. On the 30th, he’ll be hosting afternoon drive for Jack Riccardi at KTSA, San Antonio 4-7pm, CST

Hayworth said he always likes to end his shows on a good note. With hope. A gentle story. A kind word. Finish the block with something inspiring.

“During my shows a listener may have been enraged and hopefully intrigued. I hope I entertained, but mostly I hope I inspired someone.”

Hayworth the Wonder Horse rides again.