Tom Leykis’ Net Worth
Tom Leykis is an American talk radio personality who has a net worth of 22 million dollars.
American radio personality Tom Leykis became famous for hosting The Tom Leykis Show, which aired nationwide from 1994 to 2009 and again from April 2012 to 2018 via online streamcast and podcast platforms. The show’s daring material and hot talk format made it popular in Southern California. Leykis, a shock jock due to the show’s controversy, was known for his segment “Leykis 101,” which taught men how to attract women with minimal time, money, and effort. He has a net worth estimated to be around $22 Million.
What is Tom Leykis’ Net Worth?
The New York television broadcaster Tom Leykis is expected to be worth $22 million in 2024. Leykis has long captivated audiences with his particular flare and compelling personality. He has had many media achievements, demonstrating his skill and charm. Leykis has achieved fame and money through his experience. His wealth is a monument to his dedication to television quality.
| Net Worth (2024) | $22 Million |
| Salary | $400,000 per year |
| Monthly income | $25,000 |
| Source of Income | talk radio personality, syndicated shows, endorsement deals, and other revenue streams. |
Quick Facts about Tom Leykis’s
| Full Name/Birth Name | Thomas Joseph Leykis |
| Known as | Tom Leykis |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession(s) | American talk radio personality |
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Birthday | 1-Aug-1956 |
| Age as in [year] | 66 years old |
| Heights | 1.8 m |
| Heights in Feet | 5 feet and 10 inches |
| Height(s) cm | 180 cm |
| Weight(s) | 100 kg |
| Weight in Pound | 220 pounds |
| Dating History | Ex-Girlfriend (Christina Gonzalez) |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse | Susan Leykis(m. 19932003) |
Tom Leykis Early life
One of the most famous and wealthy TV show hosts, Tom Leykis was born in the Bronx on August 1, 1956. Los Angeles-born, he was known for his unorthodox opinions on women. In Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault trial, Leykis was embroiled in controversy.
Thomas Joseph Leykis, pronounced /ˈlaɪkɪs/, is remembered for his nationally syndicated talk radio show, The Tom Leykis Show, which aired from 1994 to 2009 and resumed as an internet streamcast and podcast from April 2012 to 2018. Leykis pioneered hot talk, which was successful in Southern California radio. Leykis, a shock jock known for his provocative approach, hosts “Leykis 101,” which teaches guys how to get sexual encounters with little time, money, and effort.
In 1970, Leykis began hosting WBAB at 14 years old in New York. He then became Mark Simone’s sidekick on WPIX-FM’s “The Simone Phone,” in 1979. In the mid-1970s, Leykis hosted “The Graffiti Hour,” Long Island’s first public access call-in show. After leaving WPIX, he temporarily worked at WBAI before moving to Albany to work at WQBK in the fall of 1981. Leykis worked on WABC’s “The Phonebooth” until 1981. He got a full-time hosting job in Staunton, Virginia, after leaving WABC.
Before their divorce, Leykis was married to Christina Gonzalez. He married Susan Leykis in 1993.
Career
At 14, Tom Leykis began his radio career in New York as a fill-in host for WBAB in 1970. Featured sidekick on Mark Simone’s WPIX-FM talk show comedy “The Simone Phone.” by 1979. A pioneering Long Island public access TV call-in program, “The Graffiti Hour,” was presented by Leykis in the mid-1970s.
After WPIX, he briefly joined WBAI before joining Albany’s WQBK in the fall of 1981. Leykis worked on WABC’s “The Phonebooth” until 1981. In the early 1980s, his then-girlfriend locked him out over his perceived lack of wages, inspiring him to pursue radio. Leykis rejected his ex-girlfriend’s reconciliation offer on 20/20. When “The Tom Leykis Show” replaced Neil Rogers’ night show on WNWS in Miami on February 27, 1984, the two hosts began a rivalry.
By January 1985, Leykis had Miami’s top nighttime talk show, but he abruptly left in September 1985 amid merger fears. He became program director at Phoenix’s KFYI, creating a politically diverse lineup and rivaling KTAR. After mysteriously leaving KFYI in 1987, Leykis hosted “Backstage Pass.”
In 1988–1992, Leykis had a talk show on KFI in Los Angeles as a liberal alternative to Rush Limbaugh. In September 1992, KFI management fired him, and he briefly worked at WRKO in Boston before returning to Los Angeles. From Culver City, California, Leykis debuted “The Tom Leykis Show,” a nationally syndicated show produced by Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, in 1994. In July 2010, Leykis founded the online streamcast network The New Normal Network.
The Tom Leykis Show
History
The Tom Leykis Show premiered on KFI in 1988 with a political focus. Leykis portrayed his show as the only one not hosted by “right-wing wackos or convicted felons,” referring to Rush Limbaugh and G. Gordon Liddy. Leykis discussed relationships, religion (as an atheist), and other themes with politics. Open-ended debates on Fridays created a free-for-all that led to “Flash Fridays.”
KLSX, a Los Angeles FM talk station that airs The Howard Stern Show, picked up Leykis’s show in 1997. The popular “Leykis 101” section was introduced about this time, transitioning the show away from politics. WNEW temporarily aired the show in New York City in 2002, but station management did not support it, limiting its market viability.
In February 2005, Leykis began The Tasting Room, a syndicated weekend show on wine, spirits, luxury cars, and technology. After Howard Stern left for satellite radio in 2006, KLSX relaunched as “97.1 Free FM,” emphasizing its free-to-air approach. Economic difficulties forced KLSX to switch to Top 40 in February 2009, ending The Tom Leykis Show’s terrestrial radio run despite its extensive affiliate reach.
Leykis returned to The New Normal Network with a podcast/streamcast in April 2012, just after his CBS contract ended. The resurrected show has a new theme tune, fewer commercials, and “Leykis 101” segments. The podcast was successful until Leykis ended his live program in February 2018. Advertising and premium subscriptions funded it. After the final live session on October 25, 2018, premiumtom.com launched an exclusive audio series for subscribers on October 29.
Format
In his regular method, Leykis covers one topic per hour. To start the debate, Leykis may read a news piece, cite a peer-reviewed study, or share an anecdote. Once the foundation is built, he invites callers to discuss and argue the topic. This structured approach encourages audience participation and in-depth discussion of varied themes.
Leykis 101
The program’s centerpiece is Thursday’s “Leykis 101,” where Leykis leads an impromptu lecture and Q&A as a “professor.” These segments discuss ways men might improve their personal and sexual lives while spending less on women. As a father figure to his mostly male audience, callers call Leykis “Dad” or “Father.”
Leykis gives young males much of self-preservation tips. He says traditional institutions like marriage are faulty since there is no required DNA testing after childbirth to prevent paternity fraud. Men are forced to pay child support despite DNA evidence indicating non-paternity, which he blames on family court biases. Leykis suggests dumping discarded condoms down the toilet or filling them with Tabasco sauce to prevent sperm theft. Other Leykis 101 rules include not dating single mothers or coworkers, not cohabiting with women, using birth control, and ending relationships immediately if threatened. Leykis recommends “The Hail Mary,” in which the male persuades the woman to have an abortion by promising to have children with her later, only to quit the relationship immediately afterward.
Leykis advises young men to focus on their careers or studies and avoid meaningful relationships or marriage at a young age, a decision he regrets. He calls many women “dream killers,” saying they put their own needs before a man’s and intentionally discourage his goals out of fear of abandonment if he succeeds. Leykis also advises against consumer debt, limits date spending to $40, and saves and invests for the future. He calls financial neglect “immoral.”
Features
The show’s “Flash Friday,” where men drive with their headlights on and ladies flash their breasts, is a fan favorite. Leykis’ spontaneous notion was inspired by a childhood memory of a radio broadcaster who measured audience size by asking listeners to turn on and off their apartment lights. Leykis joked that women display their breasts in automobile headlights. After a caller saw a woman participate, the segment became a regular feature.
On Fridays, men and women call in to give their whereabouts and recall flashing or being flashed. This interactive aspect revs up “Flash Friday,” making it a popular program highlight.
Lawsuits
Karen Carpenter of Juneau, Alaska sued Tom Leykis and Westwood One, his show’s producer, in July 1998. Leykis’ abusive and sexually graphic statements on the air caused Carpenter post-traumatic stress, she claimed. Leykis said he focused on this court struggle all winter of 2002. Leykis won.
Voice actor Marty Ingels called Leykis’s show on June 25, 2003, to push him morally. Even though Ingels was older than the average caller, the call screener made negative comments regarding his age and suitability for the air. Ingels was allowed to speak on the show, although Leykis joked, “You’re not just older than my demographic, you’re the grandfather of my demographic.” Leykis said his advertising targeted young people, thus he preferred younger callers. Ingels sued the show for age discrimination. Since his call was aired, Ingels couldn’t claim prejudice. In a twist, the court ordered Ingels to pay Leykis $25,000 in attorney’s fees.
On-air murder confession
In November 2006, Tom Leykis’s show urged callers to reveal dirty deeds, a well-publicized incident. A nurse named Sue from Phoenix, Arizona, confesses to fatally shooting her child’s father after he failed to pay child support. She claimed to have shot his heart with a 9mm gun, making the murder seem like a suicide. Her admission surprised Leykis, who questioned its seriousness. The caller proudly claimed she feigned suicide and was never caught. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Leykis informed her that she had confessed to murder live on air and promised to alert the authorities. The call ended abruptly.
Leykis strongly denied organizing the call amid claims of a fake. Show producers gave law enforcement all caller information to aid the investigation. In later episodes, Leykis encouraged listeners to report any relevant information and offered a $500 incentive for the woman’s conviction. On “Geraldo at Large.” a month later, Geraldo Rivera discussed Leykis’s situation. Rivera asked Leykis’s reaction to the call, and he was shocked, emphasizing the rarity of a murder confession on live radio.
Leykis interviewed an investigating officer on August 7, 2008. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office considered charging El Mirage’s Megan Suzanne Vice after receiving evidence. Vice’s ex-boyfriend Torsten Rockwood was shot and killed in 2001, first suspected of suicide. However, Vice’s confession on Leykis’s show raised doubts. Vice reported her phone stolen to the police, complicating matters. Vice was acquitted of murder in 2009 after all evidence pointed to suicide. Her fraudulent police complaint about her misplaced phone resulted in charges.
Naming names
Tom Leykis revealed Katelyn Faber, Kobe Bryant’s sexual assault accuser, in 2003, sparking uproar. This differed from major media sources’ usual practice of not identifying claimed victims due to journalism ethics and privacy considerations. Leykis, who rejects the term of journalist, believes that all names in a case—both offenders and accusers—should be protected or made public. He has mentioned Vanessa Perhach, who accused Marv Albert of forcible sodomy in 1997, and Angela Song, who attempted suicide by jumping off a Seattle bridge, on his radio show due to this mindset.
Leykis has named suspected criminals like a SeaTac, Washington, child molester and Kenneth Pinyan, who died from horse-related bestial sexual assault. Leykis also named Vili Fualaau, his instructor Mary Kay Letourneau’s statutory rape victim. Leykis also identified Crystal Mangum, a stripper and North Carolina Central University student, who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in the 2006 Duke University lacrosse case. Leykis’s disrespect for privacy norms in such circumstances has been controversial throughout his tenure.
Ratings
Tom Leykis happily reported his show’s strong radio ratings in early 2008, citing multiple criteria. The show was ninth most popular overall and sixth among English stations among Southern California’s 81 radio stations. Time spent listening was highest, showing a loyal and engaged audience. The show topped the time spent listening list among men 18 and older, adults 18 to 34, and the “money demo” 25 to 54. The show’s radio powerhouse status was solidified by listeners tuning in for almost four hours every week. Additionally, the show had the highest share among men aged 18 and older, cementing its radio domination.
End of terrestrial radio broadcast
The Tom Leykis Show ended its terrestrial transmission at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2009. Leykis took calls until the last five minutes and addressed the show’s finale anticipation. Leykis frankly discussed his inner agony over the likelihood of a format move at KLSX, the flagship station, since the previous summer. He wondered how to end the show. Invoking a critical moment when he heard a song that touched him, Leykis easily transitioned into Joe Jackson’s “I’m the Man,” sensing his path in the words.
The live web broadcast showed the studio packed while the song played. Leykis thanked his producers, program director, studio audience, and Southern Californians for “12 great years” on the air. With a touching “Let’s do this thing one more time,” Leykis led the crowd in chanting “Blow me up, Tom,” ending KLSX’s run as “The FM Talk Station.” Finally, the station switched from Hot Talk to CHR/Top 40, preparing for its 2021 simulcast of KNX (AM).
New Normal Network
The Tom Leykis Show ended in 2009, leaving Leykis with a five-year CBS contract for terrestrial radio, internet, and KLSX exclusivity. Despite constraints on appearances on other CBS stations and the lack of podcasting options due to CBS’s focus on alternative web endeavors, Leykis was optimistic about CBS and his contract. While the show was on hiatus, Leykis founded The New Normal Network in 2010, which featured the Gary and Dino Show and several music streams, signifying a turn toward independent media management.
After announcing the show’s return on April 2, 2012, Leykis faced streaming issues due to an unusually huge audience. Leykis’s quick fixes in the first 30 minutes showed his dedication to great programming for his loyal following. Leykis’s analytic data showed that over 401,000 IP addresses watched the show in its first week back.
The Tom Leykis program became the #1 online radio talk program globally and the second-ranked internet radio station worldwide during live broadcasts, according to SHOUTcast.
Leykis announced on September 25, 2018, that his live broadcast and Internet call-in radio show would end on October 25, 2018. Leykis implemented a paywall to address complaints about freeloaders who didn’t support his Premium Tom paid podcast membership. During this period, a subscription counter was tracked to ensure New Normal LLC’s profitability over 1900 subscriptions.
Personal life
Atheist Tom Leykis has been open about his personal life on radio despite his Catholic upbringing. He says he has no children because four women he impregnated had abortions. Leykis freely admits to four divorces throughout his broadcasts.
After discovering embarrassing hotel expenses, Leykis’s marriage to television reporter Christina Gonzalez ended in infidelity. His 1989 marriage to a Seattle program listener was brief.
When Susan Drew Leykis filed a Boston police report against him in 1993, his fourth marriage soured. Susan said Leykis assaulted and threatened to murder her at a post-radio station Christmas party. Leykis was charged with criminal assault, battery, and threatening to commit a crime. After a year on probation and a domestic violence class, Leykis did not accept guilt, and the charges were withdrawn. The couple divorced.
Leykis was assaulted outside The 5 Point Cafe in Seattle in August 2004. The assault left him with 17 stitches over one eye, bruising, and scratches. Despite the perpetrators’ arrest, Leykis declined to pursue it, citing distance and believing their brief jail time was enough.
In late 2016, an obsessed fan made threatening calls to Leykis’ show at an alarming pace. To protect Leykis, the person received a three-year restraining order.
Tom Leykis Social Media
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FAQs about Tom Leykis
What is Tom Leykis’ net worth?
Tom Leykis has an estimated net worth of $22 million in 2024.
What is Tom Leykis known for?
Tom Leykis is known as an American talk radio personality who hosted “The Tom Leykis Show,” which aired nationally from 1994 to 2009 and again from April 2012 to 2018.
What is Leykis 101?
“Leykis 101” is a segment on Leykis’s show where he provides advice to men on how to navigate relationships and attract women with minimal time, money, and effort.
What are some notable incidents involving Tom Leykis?
Some notable incidents include his involvement in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault trial, lawsuits filed against him, and an on-air murder confession made by a caller to his show.
What led to the end of “The Tom Leykis Show” on terrestrial radio?
The show ended its terrestrial broadcast in 2009 when the flagship station, KLSX, switched its format. This marked the conclusion of “The FM Talk Station” and the shift to CHR/Top 40.
What is The New Normal Network?
The New Normal Network was founded by Tom Leykis in 2010 during the hiatus of his show. It featured programs like the Gary and Dino Show and various music streams.
Why did Tom Leykis end his live broadcast and Internet call-in radio show in 2018?
Leykis ended his show in 2018 due to issues with freeloaders who didn’t support his Premium Tom paid podcast membership. He implemented a paywall and eventually transitioned to an exclusive audio series for subscribers.
Conclusion
Tom Leykis’ daring and unusual style has made him a talk radio polarizer. Despite many challenges and problems, Leykis has become wealthy and has a dedicated following.
From his breakthrough “Leykis 101” segments to his candid criticism of relationships and social standards, Leykis has shaped media. His willingness to defy traditional opinion and approach taboo themes has drawn praise and criticism.
Leykis continues to explore digital possibilities, such as The New Normal Network, after his terrestrial radio career. Leykis is a powerful broadcaster despite personal struggles and legal issues.
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