Charlie Brennan

After more than twenty years at KMOX, Charles Brennan is in charge of the station’s top-rated weekday mid-mornings. Brennan has been voted St. Louis’ favorite talk show host four times in the Readers Polls of the Riverfront Times. In 1998, he was named Media Person of the Year by the St. Louis Press Club. In 2008, St. Louis Magazine called him “one of the 50 most powerful St. Louisans.” He was also called “one of St. Louis’ most influential people” by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2008.

Charles Brennan blends serious and entertaining interviews along with breaking news, open lines, and community advocacy.

Charles Brennan appears as a regular on KETC-TV’s “Donnybrook.”

In 2004, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay expanded his city’s Problem Properties Court after a series of Brennan’s broadcasts on delinquent buildings. Brennan has used his radio program to send 1500 care packages to troops abroad, plant flowers in downtown St. Louis, and clean up city storefronts. He has led rallies against the unfair use of eminent domain.

Charlie was awarded the 2003 Civic Betterment Award by the Downtown St. Louis Partnership and he was made an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects.

Brennan has interviewed the Rev. Billy Graham, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Carter, John Kerry, Jay Leno, David Letterman, James Michener, Neil Diamond, Michael J. Fox, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, John Goodman, Henry Kissinger, Helen Hayes, Bob Hope, Lauren Bacall, Mark McGwire and many more.

Brennan’s 1994 interview with President Bill Clinton broke new ground when the president spoke candidly for the first time on Rush Limbaugh, Jerry Falwell, and cynicism in America. The text of the interview was published in The New York Times and replayed on PBS’ Frontline, ABC’s 20/20, ABC’s World News Tonight, CNN, the BBC, Japanese TV, A & E’s Biography, and elsewhere.

Brennan’s work has been noticed by The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, ABC’s 20/20, C-SPAN I and II, NBC’s Dateline, Charlie Rose, and others.

Brennan was the founder of Rediscover St. Louis, a not-for-profit corporation marking 27 historic sites with informative plaques in Downtown St. Louis. In May 2001, Brennan and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay cut the ribbon to a 1.5 mile trail linking more than 25 sites with a painted red line on the sidewalk. Charlie is co-author of “Walking Historic Downtown St. Louis” with Ben Cannon. The book and the plaques each won Silver Quill Awards in 2001 from the International Association of Business Communicators for their exceptional design.

The American Society of Landscape Architects presented Brennan with its 2002 Civic Stewardship Award. The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis recognized Brennan for “his outstanding job of community service” in 2002. The Jewish Community Relations Council gave Brennan its 2004 Norman Stack Award.

Brennan was named one of St. Louis’ Most Valuable Volunteers by the St. Louis Business Journal in July 2001. The Riverfront Times called him St. Louis’ “best non-native booster.”

Brennan made his really brief Hollywood debut in Bill Murray’s “Larger than Life.” He made an even briefer appearance in Michael Moore’s “The Big One.” He played himself in “The Big Brass Ring” starring William Hurt and Nigel Hawthorne. He also appeared as himself in romance novelist Bobby Smith’s “Renegade’s Lady,” (Zebra).

Brennan has originated his show from the Pentagon, Jerusalem, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Cleveland, Louisville, Park City, St. Petersburg and Jupiter, Florida. His show has also broadcast from various St. Louis locations in front of live audiences with top guests: Cal Ripen Jr., Yo-Yo Ma, Hugh Downs, Cokie Roberts, Stephen Ambrose, Newt Gingrich, Bob Costas, Stan Musial, Marsha Mason, David McCullough and others.

Brennan’s speaking engagements have included moderating candidate debates for US House and Senate. He has spoken on radio at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York several times. He has narrated ten concerts for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 1997.

Brennan successfully campaigned in 1997 to repeal the ordinance prohibiting musicians and street performers to work in downtown St. Louis. In 1998, he organized support for a measure allowing street vendors to operate in parts of St. Louis.

Brennan started at KMOX in 1988 after working in Boston radio since 1982. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio and a graduate of Boston College. Charlie is married to Beth Stohr. They have a son and a daughter.

Contact Twitter

Check out Charlie’s latest posts