Reed and Will Lochamy share their humorous takes on topics on the radio and TV.
One’s a teacher, normally seen in a necktie and slacks, and the other’s a dad, sporting a zip-up hoodie. At first glance, they couldn’t be more different, but the brotherly duo of Will and Reed Lochamy bring a natural banter to Alabama airwaves and the SEC Network by taking a satirical and entertaining look at anything and everything.
The brothers host “Oh Brother Radio” heard on “Birmingham Mountain Radio” and frequently appear on The Paul Finebaum show airing on the SEC Network. (The brothers also have another tie to Finebaum’s show: Their father, Bob Lochamy, was Finebaum’s radio sidekick about a decade ago.)
The guys have developed a style and chemistry all their own and continue to grow an audience with the addition of “On The Green Screen with The Lochamy Brothers,” a video segment with Al.com. Each week, they discuss topics important to the people of Alabama in that familiar Lochamy way.
The brother’s unique relationship in front of the camera and on radio has lead to quite a following with every gentle jab and sarcastic flow of thought.
“Will and I really are quite lucky in the way we complement each other,” Reed says. “His strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. That makes for a good partnership for sure, and he is really good at what he does.”
Will agrees and says they each have their areas of expertise. “Plus, his lack of style always makes me look more stylish,” he adds. “He has been a 40-year old man since he was 4.”
And that is how an interview with the Lochamy brothers begins. So how does a typical day for a Lochamy brother look?
“Our days are completely different. Reed teaches high school and coaches tennis. That stuff dominates his schedule, and he’s very productive. I manage all of our media stuff and chase two kids around (Lyla, 6, and Liam, 4),” Will says. “I wake up and try to do some kind of morning exercise, sit in front of my Mac for hours or speak to groups. I exercise again in the afternoon and then I play with my kids. It’s a lot of pretending to work — trying not to get old.”
After teaching, chasing kids and “pretending” to work, the two take the mic. On Thursday nights, Will and Reed are on air with their “general interest” show, “Oh Brother Radio.”
“We discuss topical events, play trivia that we steal from Mental Floss and try to interview interesting guests,” Will says.
“Our guests are generally local (or locally relevant), and almost all of our musical guests are Birmingham musicians,” Reed adds. “We love our town. One of my favorite things about ‘Oh Brother’ is the opportunity it provides us to showcase some of the great things about this city.”
It is never a dull moment on a Lochamy show. The first segments with Paul Finebaum and the SEC Network left some network executives scratching their heads.
“If I remember correctly, I think we said just enough things in that first segment to offend a few university presidents and cause the network execs to wonder why in the world they had invited us on air,” Reed says. “But, we eventually slipped into a comfortable place somewhere between serious football commentary and satire.”
One of the most unexpected things for the brothers has been all of the celebrity personalities they work with. For the most part, everyone has been kind, Will says.
“We once recorded a roundtable interview with two infamous Finebaum callers from Crestwood,” Reed remembers. “The shocking thing was that there was enough usable footage from that shoot — stuff that didn’t have to be bleeped out for a total lack of appropriateness for television, cable or otherwise — to create a watchable piece. The fact that it existed at all is a miracle.”
On their new show with Al.com on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — “On the Green Screen” — Will and Reed dive into hot, sometimes controversial topics.
“While I’ve always lived by the motto, ‘Nothing ruins a good time like talking religion and politics,’ Reed and I find ourselves now doing just that,” Will says. “Keeping with our satirical nature, we are tackling the most intriguing and controversial issues that our state faces.”
Additionally, the two will continue to make fun of everyone’s favorite college teams. The short videos will be informative, entertaining and as the Lochamys say, “sometimes infuriating.”
To finish the week as part of the video series, the brothers respond to comments left on the site. Why? Will explains in their introductory video: “We will because Lord knows someone needs to.”
After launching with only a podcast produced in Reed’s basement, these hometown Hoover brothers continue to bring their own brand of humor and sometimes even anger to their loyal listeners and viewers.
Listeners can hear them on “Oh Brother Radio” on Birmingham Mountain Radio (BMR) 107.3FM Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. They are also on The Paul Finebaum Show on the SEC Network from 2 to 6 p.m. three days a week as commentators and on SEC Nation 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday during football season.
For more information, visit Lochamybrothers.com or follow them on social media at @LochamyBrothers, @ReedLochamy and @WillLochamy.
This article originally ran in the September issue of Hoover’s Magazine.
