Jim Rome facts for kids

James Phillip Rome (born October 14, 1964) is a well-known American sports radio host. He is famous for his talk show, The Jim Rome Show. This show is heard on many radio stations across the country.

Jim Rome broadcasts his show from a studio near Los Angeles, California. He has also hosted TV shows on channels like ESPN, Showtime, and CBS. Since 2024, his show can be streamed on X and other free streaming channels. His radio show is one of the most listened-to talk radio shows in the United States.

About Jim Rome

Jim Rome was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Calabasas High School and later studied Communications at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Today, he lives in Irvine, California, with his wife, Janet, and their two sons, Jake and Logan.

His Broadcasting Career

Jim Rome started his radio career at his college radio station, KCSB-FM. He was the sports director there for a short time. He then worked at a news station called KTMS in Santa Barbara. He began as a traffic reporter and later became a sports talk host in 1987.

In 1990, he moved to XTRA Sports 690 in San Diego. This is where he started what is now known as The Jim Rome Show. Fans often call it "The Jungle." The show uses music like "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop and "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses.

How the Show Grew

In 1994, the show's production moved to a studio in downtown Los Angeles. In 1996, the show began to be shared with many other radio stations. This is called radio syndication. In 2013, the show moved to the CBS Sports Radio network. This network also showed the program on its TV channel.

In February 2024, the TV version of the show was no longer on CBS Sports. Now, you can watch the show on the X/Twitter platform. It is also available on other streaming services.

Since January 2025, the show's time slot changed to 3-6 pm Eastern time. Because of this change, some local stations no longer carry the show. Jim Rome's show is now available on about 60 local stations. It is also trying to reach more listeners through its streaming platforms.

The radio show used to be heard on over 200 stations in the United States and Canada. It had about 2.5 million listeners. In 1998, Jim Rome released an album called Welcome to the Jungle. It featured famous sound bites and music from his show.

In 2003, Jim Rome returned to television to host Rome Is Burning on ESPN. He says an interview he had with an ESPN executive helped him get back on TV.

Celebrity Appearances

Jim Rome has appeared in a few movies. He had small roles in Space Jam, Two for the Money, and the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard.

He was also in Blink-182's music video "What's My Age Again?" and on the HBO show Arliss. The TV show South Park has made fun of Jim Rome in two episodes.

In 2004, Jim Rome hosted the memorial service for Pat Tillman. Pat Tillman was a football player who became a soldier. In 2006, Jim Rome was chosen to be in the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

The movie Any Given Sunday by Oliver Stone has a sportscaster character named "Jack Rose." This character is based on Jim Rome.

Horse Racing Fun

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Racing colors of Jim Rome's Jungle Racing, LLC

For a while, Jim Rome would joke about horse racing. He would say it was "not a sport, it's a bet." But after interviewing famous jockey Kent Desormeaux many times, he became very interested in it.

He started buying Thoroughbred horses. His first horse was named Wing Forward. This horse made an amazing comeback to win a race. Jim Rome called it "one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had." In 2008, Jim and his wife Janet bought a share in a young horse. This horse was named Gallatin's Run.

Famous Racehorses

By 2012, Jim Rome owned parts of 14 horses. His own horse stable is called Jungle Racing, LLC. The first horse to become famous was a filly (a female horse) named Mizdirection. She won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in both 2012 and 2013.

Jim Rome was very excited after Mizdirection won the Breeder's Cup. He said, “I’ve just had a moment I’ve never experienced in my life. That was absolutely awesome.” He had bought a share in her for $50,000 in 2010. Mizdirection won 11 out of 17 races. She earned over $1.7 million before she stopped racing. Jockey Mike Smith usually rode her. In 2014, Mizdirection was sold for $2.7 million and became a broodmare (a horse used for breeding).

Jim Rome's next important racehorse was Shared Belief. This horse was a gelding (a male horse that cannot breed). He was named the best two-year-old male horse in 2013. As a three-year-old, Shared Belief kept winning. In 2014, he won eight out of nine races and earned over $2 million. Mike Smith was also his regular rider. In 2015, Shared Belief beat California Chrome, a famous horse. He then won the Santa Anita Handicap.