Elvis Duran is one of the most popular and respected media figures. The celebrity radio host’s witty banter has delighted listeners for years. Nearly 10 million people across the country tune into Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. This makes the nationally syndicated radio program one of the 10 most-listened-to programs.
Meanwhile, Duran’s frequent appearances on NBC shows like Today, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and Entertainment Tonight make him a household name among TV viewers. While there’s a good chance you’ve heard Duran’s voice on your way to work, his real name might surprise you.
‘Elvis Duran and the Morning Show’ has aired for almost three decades
Duran started hosting his radio show on New York’s Z100 in April 1996. Initially, the show was titled Elvis Duran and the (Y/Z) Morning Zoo. However, due to potential conflicts with other morning shows in affiliate cities, the name “Zoo” was changed to “Show” as more stations began broadcasting it.
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show airs on New York City’s WHTZ. The show first went into national syndication on May 22, 2006, after being syndicated to WHCY-FM in 2003.
There is a whole crew behind Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, from co-hosts to producers. The inimitable Danielle Monaro co-hosts the show with Duran. She’s worked with Duran for over 25 years, and her infectious laughter has become a signature feature.
Another co-host, Medha Gandhi, joined the team in 2018. Medha is Mahatma Gandhi’s great-great-granddaughter. After graduating from Ohio State, she worked at Boston’s KISS 108 before joining Elvis Duran and the Morning Show. The show’s executive producers are Anthony “Skeery” Jones and Nate Marino, also known as “Straight Nate.”
Elvis Duran’s real name might surprise you
According to Facts Buddy, although the radio personality is commonly known as Elvis Duran, his real name is Barry Brian Cope. He was born on August 5, 1964, in McKinney, Texas, to parents Billy James Cope and Valeta Cope.
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Duran, who came out as gay during a 2010 broadcast, is happily married to his longtime partner, Alex Carr. After dating for eight years, the couple finally got engaged in 2018. Duran and Carr tied the knot in a civil ceremony in Carr’s hometown of Staten Island on August 22, 2019, and then had a big ceremony on September 14, 2019, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Speaking to Us Weekly, Duran said his husband is the “missing piece” in his life. The famous radio host’s partner, Carr, is a zookeeper at the Staten Island Zoo and is much younger than he is. Carr is only 42 years old, while Duran just turned 58.
Elvis Duran is much more than a radio host
Throughout his 40-year-plus radio career, Duran has won many awards, much of it attributable to the warmth, sincerity, and humor that endeared him to fans worldwide. He has been inducted into the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and the Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago.
But Duran is much more than a radio host. In addition to his radio career, he has made brief cameo appearances in movies like Die Hard with a Vengeance, Truth, and Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!
Since 2013, Duran has also had a monthly (sometimes bi-monthly) section on NBC’s Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb called Elvis Duran’s Artist of the Month, in which he features a different up-and-coming artist.
Duran is also an author. His first book, titled Where Do I Begin? Stories (I Sort of Remember) from a Life Lived Out Loud was published by Simon & Schuster in 2019. The book became a bestseller in the New York Times.
