R.I.P.: Bob Burns, Longtime WOND Atlantic City Talk Host

Bob Burns

Longtime talk radio host Bob Burns died late Monday night. He was 70, according to pressofatlanticcity.com.

Since 1997, Burns was a radio personality at WOND 1400 AM, co-hosting the weekend automotive show “Your Neighborhood Garage.” In 2011, Burns was given his own weekday talk show, “Bob Burns in Your Afternoon.” The show hit on topics calling on Burns’ expertise in politics, history, insurance advice and “whatever you want to talk about,” as he would often say.

One of Burns’ producers at WOND, James Rabic, said Burns rekindled in him a love of radio, and made coming to work a joy.

“He was absolutely the best (coworker). Everyone I talked to today had the same feeling: There was never a bad day with Bob,” Rabic said. “You could have come in having the worst day, and you spend 10 minutes on the air with Bob and you’re having the best day.”

“We had some interesting political battles over the years,” current Mayor James “Sonny” McCullough, a Republican, said of his time on committee with Burns, a Democrat and a former mayor. “But as years went on, we became friends. … And I believe Egg Harbor Township owes a debt of gratitude to his three years of service (as mayor) to the township.”

Dave Coskey, the former president of Longport Media, which owns WOND, remarked on Burns’ innate ability to calm guests.

“When you’d bring somebody in to do a radio interview, they’ve never done a radio interview before, sometimes they’d be a little nervous,” Coskey said. “You’d try to get them to understand: You’re going on with Bob. … Bob will make you instantly feel at ease, and at home.”