Gregg Hughes, better known by his air name Opie, is an American radio personality and podcast host best known as the former co-host of the Opie and Anthony radio show that aired from 1995 to 2014 with Anthony Cumia and comedian Jim Norton. From 2014 to 2016, Hughes and Norton stayed at SiriusXM as co-hosts of Opie with Jim Norton. In October 2016, Hughes became the host of his own show, The Opie Radio Show, which lasted until his firing, for filming an employee as he used the toilet, on July 7, 2017. On May 8, 2018, Hughes launched his new podcast, The Opie Radio Podcast on the Westwood One network. In June 2019 the relationship with Westwood One ended, but the podcast continued. Early life Hughes was born into an Irish-American family and was raised in Centerport, New York, on Long Island; he has described his mother as "pretty strict". He gained the nickname "Opie" because of his childhood resemblance to Opie Taylor, a fictional character from The Andy Griffith Show portrayed by Ron Howard. In 1981, Hughes graduated from Harborfields High School in Greenlawn, New York; his yearbook lists basketball, the New York Islanders hockey team, skiing, and films as his interests. He wished for a career in radio, and graduated from State University of New York at Geneseo with a degree in communications. During his time studying, Hughes worked air shifts at the university radio station. Career Early career After graduating from college, Hughes landed a job in the promotions department at WCMF in Rochester, New York, but soon moved to work on the station's morning show then hosted by Brother Wease. Hughes credits Wease as a mentor in developing his on-air personality and furthering his career. Hughes left WCMF to work the midnight to 6:00 a.m. shift at WUFX in Buffalo, New York. As the station was unsupervised during his shift, Hughes was able to develop his style further by performing more outrageous bits, like broadcasting from the roof of the station's building and interviewing passers-by on the street. Hughes's next job was at WBAB on Long Island as the host of The Nighttime Attitude, a rock music show from 8:00 p.m. to midnight. In August 1994, Hughes held an O. J. Simpson song parody contest for listeners surrounding the outcome of Simpson's murder case. One of the participants was from a local band named Rotgut