The Baltimore Grill: Reagan Warfield

Mix 106.5’s Reagan Warfield isn’t all about Lady Gaga and morning chitchat. He’s become the go-to emcee around town for foodie events (he recently hosted the big Anthony Bourdain/Eric Ripert show at the Hippodrome) and will take on all comers in his “Smarter than Reagan” pop culture trivia challenge. Here, he takes on The Baltimore Grill.

Where did you go to school?
Loyola College. Oh, high school? Old Mill. It’s, uh, the Gilman of Glen Burnie-area public schools.

What book or film most changed your life?
Dead Poets Society, simply for this quote: “Carpe Diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?
Dr. Ben Carson, with David Hasselhoff a distant second.

What is the best advice you ever got?
My dad encouraged me to act on problems I see. It had something to do with overgrown bushes, but I’ve applied it beyond yard work.

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Not studying abroad. To immerse yourself in another culture for six months, when you’re in your 20s? How did I not jump at that? Fool.

Best celebrity interview?
Jon Stewart was a favorite. He calls every so often, and when I’m talking to one of the smartest and funniest men in the country, it makes me feel pretty damn lucky about my job. And making him laugh is awesome.

Worst celebrity interview?
Screech was bad, but Spencer and Heidi from The Hills were slightly worse. They made outrageous claims about how popular they were, and they bet us $1,000 that they weren’t lying. They were, we proved it, and we’re still waiting for our money.

Most surreal celebrity encounter?
I somehow turned a standard interview with Bon Jovi into a cocktail party. We were in his hotel room and he was making me and Richie Sambora his signature drink. (Cosmopolitans—odd choice, right?)

You seem to pop up as a judge at a lot of cooking/tasting/eating competitions. Explain yourself!
Ha! Well, my first job ever was cooking for Oprah. Really! I worked in catering on the set of her movie Beloved. She loved my orange roughy. Now I just cook constantly on an amateur level, and I have tremendous respect and admiration for chefs. It’s an art.

Anything exciting coming up for the Jojo and Reagan morning show?
I’ll need help from listeners as my fiancée and I plan a wedding! Beyond that, we’ll have more fascinating stories, celebrity gossip, and plenty of Lady Gaga.