It’s never easy to replace a legend. So, when it comes to WIP’s new morning show, replacing legendary Philadelphia talk-show host Angelo Cataldi will be no easy task. But Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie are up to the challenge as they make the move from middays to the mornings.
That new journey begins today.
“I am as jazzed as can be,” said Richie. “Wow, what a privilege. It’s an honor. It’s an opportunity. It’s a chance to really speak at a whole new level to this incredible city. I’m absolutely thrilled.”
“Focus has been more of top of mind for me the last couple of months more so than excitement,” said DeCamara. “For me, it was about being prepared in every way possible for day one and year one and hopefully beyond.”
DeCamara and Ritchie launched their midday show on WIP back in 2016 and now they are ready to assume some prime real estate in Philadelphia radio as take over the reigns of the morning show.
Those are big shoes to fill, but they don’t really look at it that way. DeCamara and Ritchie are bringing their show to the mornings and they will mix in your typical morning show elements along with a cast of contributors.
It’s a new era for the WIP morning show.
“I’m very aware that there is no replacing Angelo Cataldi,” said Ritchie. “He is a legend and a tradition. We’re not going to be able to do Angelo but we can do Joe and Jon to the best of our abilities so there will certainly be a lot of carryover of us just being who we are in the midday. That will hopefully translate to the morning pretty well.”
Trying to replicate what the show sounded like with Cataldi is not the plan here. DeCamara and Ritchie plan to be themselves and tweak the show to make it fit during morning drive.
“I fully understand the reality of that responsibility but with regards to actually doing the show, I intend to be myself,” said DeCamara. “There’s nothing that I think would be more foolish than me trying to be something that’s different than who I am. I plan to go in there and do my thing and our thing our way and I look forward to it.”
For Ritchie and DeCamara, the challenge will be continuing to do what made them successful in the midday but also now sprinkling in some pop culture and entertainment that comes with hosting a morning show while also incorporating a wide variety of contributors like comedian Joe Conklin.
“The audience is completely familiar with Joe from his time with Angelo’s show,” said DeCamara. “Joe is an incredible comedian and we have not in the midday been able to utilize him because he’s been with Angelo’s show but he’s someone who is incredibly talented and I’m really looking forward to being able to incorporate his talent.”
The key for the new show is the right mix of old and new.
“It’s a balancing act,” said Ritchie, a native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and a 7-year NFL fullback including two seasons with the Eagles in 2003 and 2004.
“I think to a large extent, we’ll do much of what we’ve done in the past. Certainly, we have a flow that Jon and I have established that I think we feel very comfortable with and that I think the audience has responded to.”
The new morning show — heard weekdays from 5:30-10:00 AM — launches at a pretty hectic time in Philadelphia sports. The Eagles are coming off of a loss to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, the Sixers have the second-best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, Phillies spring training is underway after they went to the playoffs last season, and the Flyers are always in the news with their volatile head coach John Tortorella.
There will be no shortage of topics to discuss.
“It is pretty amazing how much we, as a city, have had topic matter wise to talk,” said Ritchie. “When Joe and I started doing the show back in 2016, there wasn’t as much to cheer about with our sports teams. It’s amazing how far we’ve come and how much that’s changed.”
“It’s a unique starting point,” said DeCamara, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and Fairfield University.
“We’ve been in a very robust cycle of information and action with Philadelphia sports to a certain extent for a couple of years. I think we’re going to have a ton to talk about over the next couple of seasons that will be a lot of fun.”
There’s a lot of pressure that comes with hosting a morning show.
For a lot of sports fans in Philadelphia, the first voices they hear when they wake up in the morning and on their way to work will be DeCamera and Ritchie and that is a special and unique responsibility.
“That’s a real privilege being able to be the first in the water so to speak,” said Ritchie. “I’m just overwhelmed about how exciting this is and I’m positive that Joe is up for the challenge and I am too and we’re going to work our butts off.”
The new WIP morning show is off and running as Joe DeCamara and John Ritchie preside over a new era in Philadelphia sports radio.
Peter Schwartz writes weekly sports radio features for Barrett Media. He has been involved in New York sports media for over three decades, and has worked for notable brands such as WFAN, CBS Sports Radio, WCBS 880, ESPN New York, and FOX News Radio. Peter has also served as play by play announcer for the New Yok Riptide, New York Dragons, New York Hitmen, Varsity Media and the Long Island Sports Network. You can find him on Twitter @SchwartzSports or email him at DragonsRadio@aol.com.
