The Wayne Norman Show

WAYNE NORMAN| AWARDS| ARTICLES | PHOTOS

THE WAYNE NORMAN SHOW ON WILI

Monday-Friday 6 – 10 a.m.

Rev Jesse Jackson outside the WILI studios after appearing on the Wayne Norman Show in September 1991. To hear the interview, click here and scroll to September 2, 1991 (near bottom of page). Wayne and Jesse met again on January 2, 2009 at the banquet preceding the International Bowl in Toronto.

WILI’s Wayne Norman show has changed considerably over the years–most notably in the 1990’s with the addition of interesting live, guests each morning.

Former Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell was a frequent guest on The Wayne Norman Show

The guest list has included Connecticut Governors Ned Lamont and Jodi Rell, UConn Presidents Thomas Katsouleas, Susan Herbst, Harry Hartley, and Michael Hogan, ECSU President Dr. Elsa Nunez, activist Jesse Jackson, actress Susan St. James, Academy Award-winner Kim Hunter (Stella in “A Streetcar Named Desire”), a D-Day survivor, a Holocaust survivor and liberator, acclaimed forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee, local and national political candidates, Steve Lyons and Roger LaFrancois of the Boston Red Sox, Pete Walker of the Toronto Blue Jays, and many fascinating faculty, staff members, and student-athletes from the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University and local high schools.

Wayne Norman with UConn President Thomas Katsouleas in 2019

Some of the most popular guests have included UConn coaches Jim Calhoun, Kevin Ollie, Geno Auriemma, Bob Diaco, Randy Edsall, Jim Penders, Mike Cavanaugh, Bruce Marshall and Ray Reid, and UConn basketball stars Rashad Anderson, Diana Taurasi, Shea Ralph, Rebecca Lobo, Nykesha Sales, Jamelle Elliott, Kevin Ollie and Ray Allen. But sometimes it’s the unknown names that bring the most captivating stories.

Wayne Norman with the 2004 National Player of the Year, UConn’s Diana Taurasi

The Wayne Norman Show is total information. John Tuite gives complete local and state news summaries at the top and bottom of each hour, with ABC News covering the rest of the world. Wayne’s sports reports follow the bottom of the hour news, with tape from the locker room. Meteorologist Pat Pagano has hourly conversations with Wayne that go deeper than the forecast, and are localized for the Windham region. Another popular feature is the WILI/McDonald’s Birthday Club, where local birthdays are recognized, and celebrity birthdays noted. (See our “contests” page for an entry form.)

Actress Susan St. James from July 1991. To hear the Susan St. James interview, click here and scroll to August 1, 1991.