Matty In: Siegel Back On Kiss 108 Day After 'Quitting'

BOSTON — Matt Siegel was back in the host's chair of his popular "Matty In The Morning" show on KISS 108 Thursday, a day after he ended an on-air rant by saying he was quitting.

"I had long, long conversations yesterday with the company, and the company said, 'Listen, man, do your thing. We'll get out of your way,'" Siegel, 71, of Newton, said. "I didn't expect that and, so, I'm back."

He then went on to make a joke about Demi Lovato —the same kind of joke that prompted the reprimand that led to Wednesday morning's blowup. On both mornings, Siegel suggested he was being censored and that he was simply saying "what a lot of people were thinking."

"They didn't apologize," Siegel said Thursday. "Basically they said 'We appreciate the work you've done for us. Say what you have to say. We trust you.'"

Whether the dust-up was a legitimate or a ratings ploy remained unclear, but it set off a day that left fans confused and sponsors worried. The Boston Globe and other outlets reported Siegel confirmed his intention to leave after Wednesday's broadcast. But WBZ, which shares iHeartMedia as a parent company with KISS 108, reported Siegel would be back through the day Wednesday.

"Matty In The Morning" made its debut on Jan. 12, 1981, and Siegel outlasted other, high-profile deejays who mixed discussion about current events and artist interviews with music in what was once a competitive radio market in Boston. Over the past 20 years, Siegel's show has been a ratings juggernaut and consistently been the highest-rated Boston radio show among women ages 18 to 49.

The show has 450,000 weekly listeners. In addition to a cast of regular co-hosts and characters, Siegel's guest have included Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Bette Midler, Cher, Tom Hanks, Rosie O'Donnell and Michael J. Fox.