Me Here, You There: My Three Decades Overnight, Under the Covers, Schmoozing S-P-O-R-T-S as Captain Midnight for WFAN

by Steve Somers

A captivating  memoir of New York sports radio from the legendary  host who saw it all On July 1, 1987 The city that never sleeps debuted the first 24-7 all-sports radio station in the USA. Steve Somers was here— and perhaps you, there— in WFAN's earliest days, an anxious sports media journeyman who had accepted a minimum-paygrade contract and the nocturnal, six-hour time  slot that came with it. It was here, overnight and under the covers, that  he made a name for himself as Captain Midnight, the  steadfast on-air companion to New York City's   its truck drivers, bartenders, students, partygoers, and insomniacs;  butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers; those looking for after-dark quiet from noisy days; and, of course, those seeking the precious company that radio, being intimate and personal, can give. While Somers has been called the soul of WFAN, it was those listeners and callers that became the soul of his   Jerome from Manhattan, Short Al from Brooklyn, Doris from Rego Park, and Jerry from Queens (who knew a thing or two about making a show about nothing). In  Me Here, You There, Somers reflects on  life  as a Schmoozer from San Francisco with a dream-come-true of working the concrete jungle. From a  childhood calling play-by-play into a lightbulb he pretended was a microphone,  to three decades in the WFAN studios, Somers details the luck, leaps of faith, and memorable characters that, for better and for worse, shaped his improbable career.   By turns wry and enchanting, Somers has authored a must-read for die-hard New York sports fans and anyone who appreciates a good story

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 2025

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great radio personality who recently retired, Steve Somers does deserve a book.
This book however feels a bit thin to the reader. The story is full of our hero’s adventures but they are over and done in a page or two.
And so the book becomes stuffed with emails to Jerry Seinfeld and then quotes from notable people in the business.
Too bad because Steve has great material that any reader would enjoy reading. The end does offer a taste of his wonderful monologues but the book needs more of his thinking and less of what Robert Klein thinks.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost certainly of interest only if you grew up listening to New York Sports Radio 66 the FAN, the first 24/7 sports-radio station in the country, which debuted on July 1st, 1987.

A friend got this book for me, and it made for some light evening reading. Which is appropriate, because the evenings were usually when I listened to Steve Somers, for the most part back in middle- and high school.

Mike and the Mad Dog were on during daytime hours back then, and I used to listen to them a fair amount as well, but Mike (Francesa) became pretty unbearable after he and "Dog" split. When I listen to sports radio or commentary, I need just a little bit of humor and perspective- a hint that the person talking understands that sports are entertainment, and that he/she's lucky to be able to BS about them all day for a living. I'm really getting away with it, aren't I? To say you never get that awareness from Mike Francesa would be an understatement.

But Steve with his very distinctive voice would usually come on after a Mets game (often a loss), maybe 10pm EST or so, and his chill, relaxed vibe was perfect for that time of night. He really was a bit of a poet with those opening monologues, with lots of wordplay and good-natured humor. I still feel that way, even though the more he belabored his quirky monikers and turns of phrase in this book (like calling the Islanders the "Icelanders"), the less nostalgia I felt for them.

I still remember being up late with a roommate about ten years ago, a Friday night/Saturday morning about 3 a.m. He'd never been into sports. We turned on the radio for some reason, found the FAN, and he was stunned to hear Larry from the Bronx or whoever stroking out over the state of the Yankees' bullpen at such an hour. I could see the realization dawn slowly on my friend's face- that for some people, it never ends.

There's an interesting section here where Steve comments that he thinks the act of late-night radio listening has at least as much to do with people wanting some company as the actual content of the show. It's probably the best part of the book, and you can tell he felt genuinely fond of his regular overnight callers: Doris from Rego Park, Jerome from Manhattan, Short Al from Brooklyn, Bruce from Bayside. Genuine New York characters. I don't know if the late-night magic that guys like Steve or (in a very different lane) Art Bell produced really exists anymore in the age of podcasts, but the better parts of this book felt like a link to that time, when voices in the night were something precious. When you still had to worry that eventually you might find yourself alone with your thoughts again.

I'm not going to pretend the book's particularly well-done, even grading on the sportswriting curve. Steve may be too nice of a guy. There are times he seems to allude to juicy behind-the-scenes gossip, but he rarely expands on the story. There's about a 10-page stretch in which he just produces a series of extremely uninteresting and unfunny e-mails between himself and Jerry Seinfeld. There's another stretch that's just made up of testimonials from co-workers about what a nice and talented guy he is (Francesca's is conspicuously brief). There's an overall confirmation that, although he's probably one of the brightest people who ever worked at the FAN, he still doesn't have much curiosity about the world beyond the travails of the Mets, Jets, Knicks and Rangers. But we've all got our artificial horizons. He comes across as a warm-hearted guy all the same, and this is probably worth a look if you were ever a Somers fan.

[Bob Engeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the 'Scmoozer' many nights on the radio and there was nothing on radio quite like many of his epic opening monologues. When I learned the book was out, I first sought it out at my local library and was disappointed it wasn't at any of the Nassau or Suffolk county libraries. I told my wife it would be a terrific gift for me for Christmas. She listened and I was delighted when my niece surprised me with it.
It was a delightful, easy to read trip down memory lane and I could hear Steve's voice in my head as I read it. As a 'Short Islander' and lifelong 'Metropolitans' fan, the book hit home but for someone previously unfamiliar with 'The Captain', I'm not sure it would be enjoyed nearly as much.
I learned a lot about Steve's early years, his family, his health issues and his career other than at WFAN sports radio but I only wish he delved into different items more deeply rather than often just jump around on the edges.
I was saddened when I learned he was retiring but look forward to his occasional appearances now and then and after reading his book, I miss him a bit more but smile when I remember favorite moments or 'Schmoozerisms' from his shows.

[Dorothy Brown-Richman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having listened to the “CAPTAIN” for many years I was very sad when he retired. This book was a joy to read and learning more about him just makes me like him even more. Now if only he had been a Yankee fan life would have been perfect.

[Andy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Daphne Clausen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the entire book in his voice and cadence excellent no notes

[Jeff Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice bio of the “Schmooze” and incite into WFAN

[Jake Zimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent glimpse inside one of the best broadcasting personalities in NYC sports!