Chris Stigall

{{Short description|American radio talk show host (born 1977)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2014}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Chris Stigall

| image = Chris Stigall interviews Mike Pence.jpg

| imagesize =

| caption = Chris Stigall interviews Vice President Mike Pence

| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|January 5, 1977}}

| birth_place = Richmond, Missouri, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Talk show host, columnist, television correspondent

| education = Northwest Missouri State University

| website = {{URL|https://Chrisstigall.com}}

}}

Chris Stigall is an American conservative talk radio personality, cable news contributor, online columnist and host of The Chris Stigall podcast. He currently hosts the morning show on Salem Media Group’s AM 990 The Answer in Philadelphia, and was the prior host of WPHT Morning Show in the Delaware Valley market from 2011 to March 2019. Previously, he hosted The KCMO (AM) Morning Show in the Kansas City market from 2006 until 2010.

In December of 2024, it was announced that Stigall would launch a nationally-syndicated show on the Salem Radio Network in January of 2025, hosting the morning show from 6 to 9 AM EST. He will replace Hugh Hewitt, whose show moved to the 3 to 6 PM slot in order to replace Sebastian Gorka, who left Salem to join the second Trump administration.{{citation|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206697004/en/Salem-Radio-Network-and-Salem-News-Channel-Announce-Lineup-Changes|work=Business Wire|date=December 9, 2024|title=Salem Radio Network and Salem News Channel Announce Lineup Changes}}

Education and early career

Stigall graduated from Northwest Missouri State University, where he studied comedy writing and television production as an intern with the Late Show with David Letterman in New York. Professionally, Stigall has also served as a representative and press assistant to U.S. Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), and later went on to work in Kansas City radio in 1999.

Career

In 2009, Stigall was selected as the master of ceremonies at the Mayor’s Christmas Tree lighting ceremony.{{cite news|last=Hendricks|first=Mike|title=Ulterior motives lurk behind the tree-lighting ceremony|url=http://www.kansascity.com/2009/11/19/1581990/ulterior-motives-lurk-behind-the.html|accessdate=July 23, 2010|newspaper=Kansas City Star|date=November 19, 2009}}

On November 18, 2010, WPHT in Philadelphia announced that Stigall will be anchoring its morning show focused on "local and national policy, the economy, the biggest news stories and issues that affect all Philadelphians, coupled with interviews of the day’s news and decision makers."{{cite news|title=WPHT To Launch New Lineup With Chris Stigall Hosting Morning Drive|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2010/11/18/wpht-to-launch-new-lineup-with-chris-stigall-hosting-morning-drive-beginning-january-3-2011/|accessdate=November 18, 2010|newspaper=CBS Philly|date=November 30, 2010}}

On March 6, 2019, Stigall and WPHT ended their broadcast partnership after 8-plus years, according to insiders the "split wasn't unpleasant."{{cite magazine|last=Fiorillo|first=Victor|title=Conservative Radio Host Chris Stigall Out at 1210AM|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/03/06/chris-stigall-1210am|accessdate=March 6, 2019|magazine=Philadelphia|date=March 6, 2019}} Stigall went on to launch a podcast version of his previous radio show featuring his former co-host Paige Powers.{{cite magazine|last=Fiorillo|first=Victor|title=What Happened to Chris Stigall After He Left 1210AM? A Podcast, of Course|url=http://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/05/15/chris-stigall-podcast|magazine=Philadelphia|date=May 15, 2019}}

Stigall has filled in for nationally-syndicated hosts Michael Savage, Rusty Humphries, Lou Dobbs, Fred Thompson, Jerry Doyle, Steve Malzberg, and Sebastian Gorka. He has also been a contributor for Salem-owned outlets Townhall and Human Events, as well as Andrew Breitbart's BigHollywood, Philadelphia, The American Spectator, and the Platte County Landmark.

Sharyl Attkisson revelation

On May 25, 2013 Stigall conducted an interview with Sharyl Attkisson and inquired about if she suspected her computer of being hacked as a part of the 2013 Department of Justice investigations of reporters. Sharyl responded that her personal and work computers had been compromised and were under investigation.{{citation|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/05/sharyl-attkissons-computers-compromised-164456.html|work=Politico|date=May 21, 2013|title=Sharyl Attkisson's Computers Compromised|last1=Byers|first1=Dylan}} She responded, "I think there could be some relationship between these types of things and what happened to me," adding that "something suspicious had been happening since."{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/sharyl-attkisson-computers-compromised-cbs_n_3313199.html|work=The Huffington Post|date=21 May 2013|title=CBS' Sharyl Attkisson: My Computers Were Compromised, 'Could Be Some Relationship' To DOJ Scandals|last1=Mirkinson|first1=Jack}} Stigall then had a media clash with Erik Wemple from The Washington Post. Prior to the release of Attkisson's book, Wemple had criticized her for "ladling out hints and half-assertions about the violations of her computers, as she was apparently holding back details that could assist the public in determining just who was responsible for them."{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/10/29/philadelphia-radio-host-hammers-erik-wemple-blog-to-smithereens-over-sharyl-attkisson/|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 29, 2014|title=Philadelphia Radio Host Hammers Erik Wemple Blog to Smithereens Over Sharyl Attkisson|last1=Wemple|first1=Erik}} Her 2014 book Stonewalled chronicled her on-air exchange with Stigall and revealed that it was an unexpected encounter for her that became a national news story.

Charity work

In 2012, Stigall made an appearance at a fundraiser to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia and Delaware.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS18986+21-Mar-2012+MW20120321|title=(Press release) CBS 3/CW Philly Phone Bank for Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) Sets a Record With Nearly $1 Million Raised for Local |last=|first=|date=2012-03-20|website=Reuters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311013844/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS18986+21-Mar-2012+MW20120321|archive-date=2016-03-11|url-status=dead|access-date=2018-07-18}}

Through a partnership with the Pennsylvania SPCA and the Piazza Auto Group, Stigall has helped find homes for over 100 shelter animals through his weekly on-air segment “The Piazza Pet of the Week.”{{citation|url=http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/piazzapet/|work=CBS Philadelphia|title=Piazza Pet of the Week}}

Philadelphia’s USO chapter known as Liberty USO has partnered with Stigall and the Philadelphia Phillies to surprise military service members annually with a trip to Phillies Fantasy Camp in Clearwater, Florida.{{cite news|url=http://www.philliesphantasycamp.com/blog/2014/01/wounded-warrior-joins-the-phantasy-camp-team/|date=January 8, 2014|title=Wounded Warrior Joins the Phantasy Camp}}

Controversy

In March 2011, Stigall became heavily involved in the Delaware County priest trial. Stigall thought The Philadelphia Inquirer was heavily biased in its coverage and one priest and his lawyer declared their innocence on Stigall's morning talk show.{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-15/news/28691697_1_priest-accuser-radio-show|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426182754/http://articles.philly.com/2011-03-15/news/28691697_1_priest-accuser-radio-show|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 26, 2012|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer | date=March 15, 2011|title=Priest declares innocence, lawyer rips judge on radio show|last1=Mucha|first1=Peter}}

References