Michael Riedel is leaving the New York Post after 20 years as its theater columnist.
Riedel is leaving the paper to work at radio station 710 WOR as the co-host of a morning talk show alongside Len Berman. Though Riedel is no longer covering Broadway full time, he said theater will be one of the features of the general news talk show.
“You can talk about Trump only so long,” Riedel said in an interview with Broadway News. “You’ve got to get Bernadette Peters in there somewhere.”
However, the way that Riedel will talk about Broadway will differ from the tone of his columns at the Post.
“I’ve been a tough columnist over the years, but when I talk about Broadway on the radio, I want to talk about Broadway in an enthusiastic way,” he said.
That is to say, instead of attending first previews of shows or focusing on behind-the-scenes drama, Riedel said he hopes to attend opening night parties and talk about the shows he enjoys.
However, Riedel said he may also continue to write his column for the Post on a freelance basis. The Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Riedel’s last column as a full-time employee of the Post will be Friday. He will begin Monday at 710 WOR, which is owned by iHeartMedia.
Broadway will also remain a key component of Riedel’s life, as he is working on a sequel to his book “Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway.”
Riedel had been gradually moving into radio after being featured on episodes of the syndicated talk show “Imus in the Morning,” where he and Imogen Lloyd Webber would talk about entertainment news. Then in October 2017, Riedel began guest co-hosting the WOR morning show with Berman, before being asked to officially take on the role. He said he left the Post on good terms.
“I left the Post only because this was an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down,” he said.
Still, Riedel said leaving the job is “bittersweet,” as he remained one of the last theater columnists at a daily paper.
“It does feel a little bit to me the end of an era,” he said.
