Depending on who you ask, syndicated radio personality Tom Leykis is either a breath of fresh air or a foul defender of the male libido. An oracle of psychosocial truth or a sphincter of sexism. His "Leykis 101," an academic tutorial on "how to get guys laid," alternately provokes gratitude or outrage. His live national stage shows are invariably accompanied by the autographing of bared breasts and the arrival of the cops.
"This is a different type of talk radio. It's not dishwater. It's not political. It's also not 'shock radio,' which is very contrived or gratuitous," says Leykis. As opposed to other shows which lean heavily on sidekicks, in-studio guests and prerecorded gags, Leykis works virtually alone during his four-hour show, interacting with callers and moving at a pace faster than a hooker at a frat party.
"The Tom Leykis Show," syndicated from L.A. since 1994, has developed some trademark schticks as it has nurtured an audience. First there's "Flash Fridays," which has led female fans to "show" their appreciation for the program. "Strangely enough, it began as an homage to [radio raconteur] Jean Shepherd, who once asked people to flash their house lights to verify his late-night audience," says Leykis, who initiated Flash Fridays by asking listeners to turn on their headlights during the end-of-the-week program. And then came the displays, first on the road, then on-the-road. "During one of our stage shows there were ten arrests for nudity," he recalls. One stage-broadcast program took the form of a pub crawl: "By the time the cops got to one location, we'd moved!"
Equally provocative is his "Leykis 101." An unapologetic primer to help men get laid with minimum effort, its "rules" - a retort to the women's self-help guide - include Never spend a lot of money impressing her on the first date, Stop seeing her if you don't get laid by the third date, and Never date single mothers. Like Flash Fridays this, too, began innocently enough, with Leykis lecturing a staff member about his love life. While most male listeners have welcomed "Leykis 101" like manna from heaven, many women see it as the Black Plague. On "Politically Incorrect" in February 1999, Leykis defended his position amid a hostile group of female panelists: "We don't fall in love with you until we get some tail!...If you think that we hear a word you say before we get in your panties, let me tell you something, we don't!" Controversy may not be the meat-and-potatoes of his show, but as it reaches more listeners in more cities, Leykis continues to be a lightning rod. On his rule against dating single mothers he points to a Washington state law that makes a man responsible for a child with whom he has developed a "bond," even if it is not his child. On "discussions" that become "beliefs," he recalls one show about the ethics of picking up women who had been molested as children, rebuking the notion that talking about a subject implies an endorsement.
An avid Dodgers and Kings fan, Leykis may be thought of as a hot dog-and-beer kind of guy by his loyal audience. In reality he is a wine aficionado who spends his free time reading Barron's and watching CNBC.
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Tom Leykis
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