Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
December 27, 2005

Levittown native, Neshaminy High and Bucks County Community college graduate Anita Gevinson, in the midst of her second stint subbing for Andre Gardner on WMGK 102.9-FM from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., is thrilled to be back home.  

The former Philadelphia radio personality who relocated to Los Angeles twenty years ago said,  “I’ve always worked in L.A., but never clicked there like I did here.” 

Many rock fans remember Gevinson from her days as Philly’s first female morning drive host on WMMR 93.3-FM and her “Ask Anita” lunchtime segment on WYSP 94.1-FM. 

“Anita” had a devoted following in Philly, but was fired from the morning shift on WYSP the summer of 1986 to make way for Howard Stern. 

When WMGK 102.9-FM broadcast a salute to rocker Warren Zevon, who died a couple of years ago, ‘MGK personality Debbi Calton called on Gevinson, who had a relationship with Zevon, to contribute to the tribute.

After that appearance, she was asked to substitute for Gardner in August. 

The response was so positive from the listeners, that management brought her back for this week.

Gevinson wrote her memoirs about her adventures in rock and radio.  Though excerpts were printed in “Philadelphia” magazine, she is still looking for a publisher.

Her days hobnobbing with Zevon, Jackson Browne, and Jefferson Starship are chronicled in the book. A couple of her former boyfriends included Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates and Maury Povich.

“For a girl from Bucks county who would run to (the old department store) Korvette’s when the latest Jefferson Airplane album would come out, to eventually go to a party with Marty Balin (of Airplane/Starship) hosted by Roy Orbison, it was pretty incredible.”

There were some drawbacks. 

“Women who did the morning shift were never paid the same amount as men,” she recalled.

And though she occasionally dated some famous people, Gevinson joked, “It wasn’t great when my stalker was the only person sending me flowers on Valentine’s Day.”

So will Anita ever return to her hometown permanently?