Say Hello to Trending Now's New Host: Ralphie Aversa

Ralphie Aversa

With my first official week coming to a close, and no sign of anyone asking me not to return (yet), I figured it was time for a formal introduction. I’m Ralphie Aversa, and I’m the new host of “Trending Now” at Yahoo!

I’m originally from Niagara Falls, NY. Don’t believe the press: Western New York is a great area to live in, and I enjoyed growing up there. I experienced all four seasons, ate some amazing food (not to mention my mom’s homemade sauce) and had a number of travel options at my fingertips if I so desired.

The Bills and Sabres are hard to root for but because I grew up with them, the heartache they cause almost serves as a kinship between myself and other Western New Yorkers. Oh, and I call them chicken wings – not buffalo wings.  I also cheer for the Yankees, and yes I think we should have resigned Cano but not for that much money!

Syracuse University is my alma mater. I dual majored in broadcast journalism and marketing. I’m still on the fence about attending the SU/Duke basketball game. If you have ever been on the SU Hill, you know that the student body plus 35,000 people might make that area a tad bit overcrowded. But I love Syracuse, and bleed orange.

After college I moved to Scranton, Pa. to host an entertainment radio show. Yes, Scranton is home to “The Office” setting and Vice President Joe Biden’s birthplace. But trust me, you would be surprised at the number of celebrities that stopped in the area for appearances and performances. That, along with the city’s close proximity to New York and Philadelphia, provided a number of opportunities to cover artists and music headlines.

In October of 2012, I moved to New York, and Cumulus Media named me the host of a weeknight show on 95.5 PLJ. In addition to New York and Scranton, “The Ralphie Show” (I know, so original) is also heard in Providence, R.I. and New London, Conn. A typical workday involves bringing you some of the Internet’s most interesting stories on “Trending Now,” and then heading to the radio studio for my show.

I feel very lucky to be able to do what I love for a living. Thanks for stopping by.