Charlie Sykes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charlie Sykes
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Sykes in March 2019
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| Born |
Charles Jay Sykes
November 11, 1954 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Education | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (BA) |
| Occupation | Radio talk show host, author |
| Employer | WTMJ (1993–2016) WNYC (2017) The Weekly Standard (2018) The Bulwark (2019–2024) |
| Spouse(s) |
Christine Libbey
(m. 1975; div. 1978)Diane Schwerm
(m. 1980; div. 1999)Janet Riordan
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 3 |
Charles Jay Sykes (born November 11, 1954) is an American writer and radio host. He is known for sharing his opinions on politics. From 1993 to 2016, Sykes hosted a talk show on WTMJ radio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He also worked as the editor-in-chief for The Bulwark, a website that shares political commentary. You might also see him as a guest on MSNBC, a news TV channel.
Contents
Who is Charlie Sykes?
Charlie Sykes is a well-known voice in American politics. He has worked in many areas, including writing, radio, and television. He is known for his strong opinions and for discussing important issues.
Early Life and School
Charles Jay Sykes was born in 1954 in Seattle, Washington. He grew up in New York and later in Fox Point, Wisconsin. His father, Jay G. Sykes, was a lawyer and journalist. He also taught journalism at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
After finishing Nicolet High School, Charlie Sykes went to the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. In 1975, he earned a bachelor's degree in English with highest honors. While in college, he was part of the Young Democrats, a student group interested in the Democratic political party. At age 18, he became a Catholic. In 1974, he ran for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly, which is part of the state government, but he did not win.
Starting His Career: Writing
Charlie Sykes began his career as a journalist in 1975.
From Newspapers to Magazines
He first worked for a local newspaper in West Allis, Wisconsin. In 1976, he joined The Milwaukee Journal. He reported on local news and later covered stories at Milwaukee City Hall. After seven years in Milwaukee, Sykes moved to Cleveland in 1982 to write for Cleveland Magazine. However, the magazine closed that year.
In 1983, Sykes returned to Milwaukee. He became a managing editor at Milwaukee Magazine and then its editor-in-chief in 1984. He wrote many articles for the magazine, including investigative stories and opinion pieces.
Author and Editor
Sykes has also written several books, mostly about education. His first book, Profscam: Professors and the Demise of Higher Education, came out in 1988. From 2018 to 2024, Sykes was the editor-in-chief of The Bulwark website. He has also written for major newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Talking on the Radio
Charlie Sykes became a popular voice on talk radio.
Early Radio Days
In 1989, Sykes started hosting talk radio shows as a substitute host in Milwaukee. By 1992, he had his own show on WISN. A year later, he moved to WTMJ and hosted a morning show there until 2016.
In 2002, Sykes and another WTMJ host, Jeff Wagner, helped lead a campaign. This campaign aimed to remove Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament from office. Ament was involved in a scandal about changes to county pension policies. Sykes's influence was noted by others. For example, a political group leader said in 2005 that Sykes made it hard for some politicians to disagree with their party.
His Views on Politics
Sykes did not support Donald Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. He even voted for a different candidate. In October 2016, Sykes announced he would leave his radio show for personal reasons. In December 2016, he wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times. He suggested that the conservative movement had lost its way during the 2016 election. He noted that people had learned to ignore information from mainstream news.
From January to April 2017, Sykes was one of the hosts for Indivisible. This was a call-in talk show that discussed the first 100 days of Trump's presidency. In 2018, he became the host of The Daily Standard podcast. He also founded The Bulwark and hosted "The Bulwark Podcast" until 2023. He left The Bulwark in February 2024. He said he would continue writing and giving commentary, but at a slower pace.
On Television
Sykes also worked in television. In 1983, he was an investigative reporter at WISN-TV. This means he deeply researched stories. From 1993 to 2016, he hosted a local Sunday morning talk show called Sunday Insight on WTMJ-TV. In 1994, he contributed an essay to a PBS TV series.
How His Political Views Changed
Over his public life, Charlie Sykes's political views have changed. He started as a mainstream liberal, then became a conservative Democrat, and later a strong conservative Republican. He also held libertarian views, which focus on individual freedom. As of 2024, he is known for being strongly against Donald Trump and often appears on MSNBC.
Family Life
Charlie Sykes has been married three times and has three children. In 1975, he married Christine Libbey. They had a daughter and later divorced in 1978. In 1980, he married Diane Schwerm. She later became a judge on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and then a federal judge. They had two sons and divorced in 1999. In 2000, he married Janet Riordan, an opera singer and author.
Images for kids
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Sykes in March 2019
