Monday marks a new era for ESPN New York.
The radio station is set to debut its first-ever all-local weekday lineup on Jan. 6, with Michael Kay’s solo edition of “The Michael Kay Show” in the 1-3 p.m. time slot and Alan Hahn joining Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg for a new show called “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” from 3-7 p.m.
The updated programming on 880 AM comes a little over three weeks after the previous iteration of “The Michael Kay Show” came to an end after 22 years, a move that allows Kay to spend more time with his family.
Kay hosted that show with La Greca for all 22 years and with Rosenberg for the last nine. Along the way, the trio delivered newsmaking interviews, viral rants and plenty of humor in between.
Before the new shows officially launch, here’s one more look back at some of the best moments in the history of “The Michael Kay Show.”
KAY EATS A WHOPPER
Kay’s particular diet was a recurring talking point on the show, with condiments such as ketchup and mayo among the foods that repulsed the TV voice of the Yankees.
So when Kay lost the show’s NFL picks contest in 2018, his punishment was to eat a Whopper from Burger King on air.
A visibly disgusted Kay double-clutched, winced and hovered over a trash can as he struggled through the burger, needing about 10 minutes to finish it as Rosenberg and La Greca provided commentary.
“I was overwhelmed by the ointment,” Kay said after his initial bite.
Kay’s suffering was captured on the YES Network simulcast in a segment that went down as one of the show’s funniest.
ELITE ELI
Among the most consequential interviews on the “Kay Show” came in August 2011, when Kay asked then-Giants quarterback Eli Manning if he considered himself to be elite.
“Yeah, I think I am,” Manning replied.
Manning’s response became a national talking point, prompting discussion about whether the quarterback’s perception was accurate.
Manning would go on to post a career-high 4,933 passing yards that season, then lead the Giants to a Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots for the second time in four years, backing up his “Kay Show” claim in, well, elite fashion.
GIL FROM BENSONHURST
Kay, La Greca and Rosenberg regularly heard hot takes and half-baked opinions from callers, but few elicited a response like the one by Gil from Bensonhurst in October 2019.
A day after Gary Sanchez struck out with the bases loaded in the first inning of an ALCS loss to the Houston Astros, Gil called in to contend Yankees manager Aaron Boone should have pinch hit for the catcher.
The off-the-wall suggestion prompted Kay to instantly hang up, while La Greca snapped about nonsensical callers, repeatedly urging producer Andrew Gundling to “Screen them out!”
The catch?
“Gil” was actually Rosenberg using a fake voice in an instant-classic prank.
RAY FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Another call that spawned numerous audio drops came courtesy of Ray from North Carolina, who felt compelled to tell Kay how much he despised Rosenberg after the latter ate ice cream on air.
Ray repeatedly called Rosenberg “sloppy” before flat out telling him “I hate you” — a moment that had Kay and Rosenberg doubled over in laughter.
The call came in July 2016, a little under a year after Rosenberg joined the “Kay Show.”
At the time, Kay declared it the “best phone call” in the show’s history.
ED KRANEPOOL
La Greca garnered national attention for quite a few of his epic rants, but none resonated more than his impassioned take on Ed Kranepool and the Mets.
The 2018 rant stemmed from La Greca, a long-suffering Mets fan, bemoaning how his team never had a “forever player” like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter or Aaron Judge of the Yankees.
David Wright got hurt. Tom Seaver won his 300th game with the Chicago White Sox. Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden won championships with the Yankees.
The closest thing the Mets had, La Greca reasoned, was Kranepool, a popular but light-hitting first baseman/outfielder who spent his entire 18-year career with the organization.
“There’s 90% of this audience right now that couldn’t pick Ed Kranepool out of a lineup!” La Greca declared, growing increasingly animated.
“If Ed Kranepool picked them up at the airport, they’d say, ‘Hey dude, what’s your name? Can you take me to Midtown?’ … That’s your forever player! ED! BLEEPIN’! KRANEPOOL!”