A veteran Bay Area radio personality is taking aim at the former employers who dismissed him after 24 years on the air at a California station.
Lamont Hollywood had been a fixture on San Mateo’s 107.7 KSAN The Bone for nearly a quarter-century, first as part of the popular morning team with Paul Tonelli and, more recently, as host of his own solo program.
On Monday, Hollywood revealed that station owner Cumulus had abruptly let him go, using a lengthy Facebook post to sharply criticize what he described as “giant corporate conglomerates.”
“The suits in corporate headquarters treat a radio station like a spreadsheet, completely blind to the fact that radio was built on authentic human connection, community trust, and undeniable personality,” Hollywood wrote.
He accused companies of “gutting local newsrooms” and, in some cases, replacing on-air talent and local coverage with artificial intelligence and “automated voice-tracking” in an effort to cut costs.
“They think they can algorithmically automate decades of trust, local flavor, and real intimacy with a community,” Hollywood said.
“When companies gut the very voices that give a station its identity, they destroy the soul of the medium and push loyal listeners away,” he added.
Hollywood also claimed the cost-cutting approach helps protect “executive salaries and bonuses.”
Lamont Hollywood (pictured center left with Metallica’s James Hetfield) spent 24 years as the morning show host 107.7 KSAN The Bone, both as a well loved morning duo with Paul Tonelli and more recently with his solo show
Hollywood (pictured left) announced Monday that he had been let go by station owners Cumulus and lashed out at ‘giant corporate conglomerates’ in a lengthy Facebook post
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He added that he would be ‘moving to an independent platform’ to retain direct ownership of his show.
‘I am already hard at work preparing to bring it directly back to you,’ he said.
Hollywood has worked in radio for 37 years, almost all of which he spent working alongside Tonelli.
The duo began their lengthy tenure together at a station in neighboring San Jose in 1989.
Starting in 2002, they ran the morning show from 5.30am to 10am with a mix of comedy, listener calls and rock n’ roll hits.
The pair were a regional staple, hosting the station’s pregame show for San Francisco 49ers games and even inducted into the Bay Area Hall of Fame in 2021, with Tonelli leaving abruptly in 2024.
During their final sign off two years ago, colleagues wept as they told him what an inspiration Hollywood and Tonelli had been to them.
This time around, Hollywood was not able to say goodbye on the air, but made his thoughts clear on social media.
Hollywood announced he will be continuing on an independent platform. Hollywood is pictured with colleagues Chasta Michaelis and Paul Tonelli
‘This isn’t a final goodbye—it’s a deep, heartfelt thank you, and a promise that the best is yet to come. Keep the music loud, stay tuned, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for every single year,’ Hollywood wrote.
His post was met with an outpouring of support in the comments section.
‘Man, this is sure a sad day. No words can adequately convey how I feel. I sincerely wish the next chapter of your life brings you more sleep and less driving. Thank you for all of the hard work you put into your show back to the KSJO days,’ one person wrote.
‘A little piece of me just died after reading this. I grew up in Santa Cruz and with KSJO, 107.7 the Bone, along with you and Tonnelli. You, Chasta, Tonnelli, Baby Huey, even Sully kept me laughing and giggling through some pretty hard times in my life and for that I thank you all. Thank you for all that you do and have done,’ another added.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Cumulus for comment.
