John Lanigan Quit In The Middle Of His WTAM Show

CLEVELAND, OH — For nearly 40 years, John Lanigan's voice has been coming through Northeast Ohio speakers. The longtime radio host's familiar tone may be a little harder to find now — he quit his WTAM show "The Spew" on Wednesday, in the middle of a broadcast.

About 18 minutes into the show, with his co-hosts primed to talk about Bill Belichick and the worst presidents in U.S. history, Lanigan gently interrupts the dialogue and begins thanking his colleagues for sharing mic time with him. "Today, I am announcing this is my last show," he then says abruptly.

"I won't be back. I won't be on "the Spew," he said. He then reflects on his career, including his time at WMJI. He thanks several of his previous coworkers and notes he was talked into coming back into radio. "This hasn't been what I've found to be fun and I don't think I'm smart enough to do it," he says.

He says that he doesn't care much what happens with the Browns and politics fails to interest him anymore. "It's too divisive of an attitude in the country," he says. "I just don't think I'm qualified to sit here and tell you, that are listening, what you should be thinking and the way that it should be."

Lanigan has been working remotely, from his home in Colorado. "I'm done. I'm retired. I haven't been in Cleveland in quite a while, and I don't plan to go back," he says.

Mike Snyder and Mike Trivisonno, Lanigan's co-hosts, let the words wash over them and sit in stunned silence for much of Lanigan's speech. They then thank Lanigan and say "the Spew" will continue before going to a merciful break.

The exchange starts at about the 18 minute mark. Listen below.

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Photo from Shutterstock/Forest Run