Aaron Goldhammer, 27
Sports radio host, WKNR
Sports radio host, WKNR
The perfect date: For me the perfect date is almost just doing something that normally with someone else is really monotonous, but just because our chemistry is so strong, it’s fun and exciting. I’ve had first really great dates at the car wash and going to buy a book. That really gets you talking about the things that you like. It doesn’t matter what you do but about the chemistry with the other person.
Something most people don’t know about me: I would say that most people don’t know I’m a very good pianist. I started playing when I was five and stopped taking lessons when I went to college. I have a keyboard in my apartment, and I do it when to relax when I can.
My cell phone: I just got an iPhone 3GS and I love it. My whole life is in it. I really love it because it’s so functional. There’s nothing I would ever want this phone to do that it can’t. I use my computer so much less. I can e-mail, do Facebook, directions, weather; it’s a camera. I play games on it. I use it a lot for my iPod, and I can stream the station on it, and I’m a total geek with Pandora. I use it for a ton of different stuff. It’s just a conversation piece.
Biggest turn-on: Someone who’s funny. I think a lot of times girls are self-conscious and think about what guys think about them and the way the world is perceiving them that they’re not comfortable in their own skin to be really fun. And a girl who is really funny is attractive to me.
Biggest turnoff: Two things — smoking and Uggs. I’m very low-key and tucking your jeans into your Uggs is a deal-breaker.
I own too many: Working in the sports media, every time there’s a promo event with one of the sports teams, they send us the stuff. Because of that I have bobbleheads that I don’t know what to do with. I don’t know where to put them because having them around my apartment is kind of tacky. I get two new bobbleheads a week, from LeBron to C.C. They’re on my desk at work, but I don’t have enough room. I would say I have about 70. It’s one of my goals to have my own.
My favorite … place in Cleveland: Melt. I love the tomato soup. I go as much for the tomato soup as much as the sandwiches. ... sports team: I have to be honest on the air. I’m actually pretty vocal about it. I’m a very big Denver Broncos fan. … book: If on a Winter’s Night, a Traveler by Italo Calvino. The writing is just unbelievable. The prose is just incredible, the story is just great, and it just totally sucked me in. I’m also a big closet Harry Potter guy. The third book is the best book. … vacation destination: I would say my favorite is Lake Tahoe. … dessert: I’m pretty simple when it comes to dessert. My favorite dessert is hanging out on the couch with a bag of Starbursts, the original, cherry or strawberry. … blog: I read a blog called talkleft.com. It’s fun for me because I spend so much of my life around sports to read something that’s not necessarily sports related. It’s a more political blog and then also there’s two Cleveland sports blogs: Waiting for Next Year and Cleveland Frowns. I’m on the Internet all the time.
Facebook: yes or no? I actually have had a Facebook since 2004. I definitely use Facebook all the time; it’s a big way to stay connected with my friends. I am pretty open with my profile in terms of listeners being friends with me. I update my status to promote the show and the station. For my friends I use it all the time to stay connected with people. If I meet a girl out at the bar, it’s a great way to start connecting with that person.
My usual hangout: The Treehouse. I just like the relaxed atmosphere about it. At this point I’m not a big “go to the club” guy. I like that it’s a little more casual and not as crazy loud. Somehow it’s the place where the young urban professionals ages 25 to 33 hang out. It’s a good, diverse group of people.
In high school I was … I think I was kind of a dork in high school. I was voted most likely to win an Oscar and most likely to be mistaken for a freshman. I was really into theater, and a lot of that is reflected in the show that we do. It’s not hard-core sports; it’s as much about me and Tony playing characters on the air and acting as it is as breaking down last night’s Cavs game.
My passion: From a personal standpoint, I love making people laugh, and the way we structure the show is that if we are having a good time and laughing, then it’ll rub off on the listeners.
My best feature: Hair. It’s curly, it’s kind of big, it’s kind of busy. It’s been described as an Anderson Varejao ’fro. It’s brown, and when I’m thinking or nervous or on the air or questioning something, I’m playing with it. People joke that I twirl it all the time. It’s my most disgusting habit ever, but it’s something that people know me for. “The Cleveland Hair Twirl” is my fantasy football name.
My bad habit: Twirling my hair
My first kiss: Samantha Gergans. I was in eighth grade, and she was a girl who I met when I was in middle school at piano camp.
My guilty pleasure: I’m known on the air for having an affinity for expensive guy’s jeans. Most of the guys in our office wear Wranglers. I watch the game on a 17-inch Daewoo TV, but I have a $180 pair of jeans. I just feel like a better man in a great pair of jeans. I’m enthralled by them.
How my ex would describe me: The positive things — I’m just really nice, really caring and really good in a relationship. I think the negatives are that I’m late all the time and I’m not good with conflict.
Blondes or brunettes: Oddly enough brunettes, but I don’t discriminate.
Going out or staying in: I’m a pretty social person, but I’m cool with either.
Early, late or right on time: I’m constantly late. It’s my New Year’s resolution every year [to be on time] and then I’m late to the New Year’s party.
Dogs or cats: Dogs have a better personality. They’re just better. I think they are more friendly. The cats I know jump on you, scratch and look at you funny.
My longest relationship: Four years
Beer, wine or martinis: Beer. Overall Cleveland has good microbrews, but Colorado has better microbrews. Great Lakes is really solid.
Roses or chocolates: I would say neither is really my style. If I had to choose, I would pick chocolates.
My No. 1 dating rule: I think that I’m not a big game player. The most important thing is to be honest. If you like someone and want to spend more time with them, then you should.
My deal-breaker: Uggs
I hate when a date orders … anything with nuts. I have to sound like an allergic guy, but I’m really allergic to peanuts, so it’s an awkward conversation.
Worst pickup line: We were in Vegas in March, and a guy went up to one of my friends and said, “Hey, I’ve got mad karate moves. I’m just kidding, I wanted to come up and talk to you.”
If I could marry anyone: Emanuelle Chriqui, who plays Sloan on Entourage. I think she doesn’t take herself too seriously even though she’s becoming a big-time actress. The character she plays on Entourage has characteristics of the girl that I’m looking for. She’s legit funny, and she grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household, so my mom would be happy.
On a first date I never … call that night after the date. As a guy, it’s nice to get that text that says, “I had a really good time.” I definitely do know guys who, when they think it goes well, call right after the date.
Best place to meet someone: The laundry room. People are who they are when they are doing laundry. They’re not all done up like they’re going to the bar, and it’s kind of quiet, and it’s a fun place to meet someone and start joking around with someone.
Most unusual place I’ve met someone: I just usually meet people who I date through my friends. I’ve met someone because they rode a mechanical bull before. I met them in line for the bull in New York.
My take on Cleveland’s single scene: I think for my age group Cleveland is tougher to meet people than in New York or Chicago. Most of the people who are my age who grew up here are living somewhere else. There’s not a huge scene of late 20s early 30s in Cleveland. The positive thing about it is that if you know where and how to look, the people who you meet are really great people here. People are down to earth, and people are really nice and understanding. There’s not a huge population of people.
Something most people don’t know about me: I would say that most people don’t know I’m a very good pianist. I started playing when I was five and stopped taking lessons when I went to college. I have a keyboard in my apartment, and I do it when to relax when I can.
My cell phone: I just got an iPhone 3GS and I love it. My whole life is in it. I really love it because it’s so functional. There’s nothing I would ever want this phone to do that it can’t. I use my computer so much less. I can e-mail, do Facebook, directions, weather; it’s a camera. I play games on it. I use it a lot for my iPod, and I can stream the station on it, and I’m a total geek with Pandora. I use it for a ton of different stuff. It’s just a conversation piece.
Biggest turn-on: Someone who’s funny. I think a lot of times girls are self-conscious and think about what guys think about them and the way the world is perceiving them that they’re not comfortable in their own skin to be really fun. And a girl who is really funny is attractive to me.
Biggest turnoff: Two things — smoking and Uggs. I’m very low-key and tucking your jeans into your Uggs is a deal-breaker.
I own too many: Working in the sports media, every time there’s a promo event with one of the sports teams, they send us the stuff. Because of that I have bobbleheads that I don’t know what to do with. I don’t know where to put them because having them around my apartment is kind of tacky. I get two new bobbleheads a week, from LeBron to C.C. They’re on my desk at work, but I don’t have enough room. I would say I have about 70. It’s one of my goals to have my own.
My favorite … place in Cleveland: Melt. I love the tomato soup. I go as much for the tomato soup as much as the sandwiches. ... sports team: I have to be honest on the air. I’m actually pretty vocal about it. I’m a very big Denver Broncos fan. … book: If on a Winter’s Night, a Traveler by Italo Calvino. The writing is just unbelievable. The prose is just incredible, the story is just great, and it just totally sucked me in. I’m also a big closet Harry Potter guy. The third book is the best book. … vacation destination: I would say my favorite is Lake Tahoe. … dessert: I’m pretty simple when it comes to dessert. My favorite dessert is hanging out on the couch with a bag of Starbursts, the original, cherry or strawberry. … blog: I read a blog called talkleft.com. It’s fun for me because I spend so much of my life around sports to read something that’s not necessarily sports related. It’s a more political blog and then also there’s two Cleveland sports blogs: Waiting for Next Year and Cleveland Frowns. I’m on the Internet all the time.
Facebook: yes or no? I actually have had a Facebook since 2004. I definitely use Facebook all the time; it’s a big way to stay connected with my friends. I am pretty open with my profile in terms of listeners being friends with me. I update my status to promote the show and the station. For my friends I use it all the time to stay connected with people. If I meet a girl out at the bar, it’s a great way to start connecting with that person.
My usual hangout: The Treehouse. I just like the relaxed atmosphere about it. At this point I’m not a big “go to the club” guy. I like that it’s a little more casual and not as crazy loud. Somehow it’s the place where the young urban professionals ages 25 to 33 hang out. It’s a good, diverse group of people.
In high school I was … I think I was kind of a dork in high school. I was voted most likely to win an Oscar and most likely to be mistaken for a freshman. I was really into theater, and a lot of that is reflected in the show that we do. It’s not hard-core sports; it’s as much about me and Tony playing characters on the air and acting as it is as breaking down last night’s Cavs game.
My passion: From a personal standpoint, I love making people laugh, and the way we structure the show is that if we are having a good time and laughing, then it’ll rub off on the listeners.
My best feature: Hair. It’s curly, it’s kind of big, it’s kind of busy. It’s been described as an Anderson Varejao ’fro. It’s brown, and when I’m thinking or nervous or on the air or questioning something, I’m playing with it. People joke that I twirl it all the time. It’s my most disgusting habit ever, but it’s something that people know me for. “The Cleveland Hair Twirl” is my fantasy football name.
My bad habit: Twirling my hair
My first kiss: Samantha Gergans. I was in eighth grade, and she was a girl who I met when I was in middle school at piano camp.
My guilty pleasure: I’m known on the air for having an affinity for expensive guy’s jeans. Most of the guys in our office wear Wranglers. I watch the game on a 17-inch Daewoo TV, but I have a $180 pair of jeans. I just feel like a better man in a great pair of jeans. I’m enthralled by them.
How my ex would describe me: The positive things — I’m just really nice, really caring and really good in a relationship. I think the negatives are that I’m late all the time and I’m not good with conflict.
Blondes or brunettes: Oddly enough brunettes, but I don’t discriminate.
Going out or staying in: I’m a pretty social person, but I’m cool with either.
Early, late or right on time: I’m constantly late. It’s my New Year’s resolution every year [to be on time] and then I’m late to the New Year’s party.
Dogs or cats: Dogs have a better personality. They’re just better. I think they are more friendly. The cats I know jump on you, scratch and look at you funny.
My longest relationship: Four years
Beer, wine or martinis: Beer. Overall Cleveland has good microbrews, but Colorado has better microbrews. Great Lakes is really solid.
Roses or chocolates: I would say neither is really my style. If I had to choose, I would pick chocolates.
My No. 1 dating rule: I think that I’m not a big game player. The most important thing is to be honest. If you like someone and want to spend more time with them, then you should.
My deal-breaker: Uggs
I hate when a date orders … anything with nuts. I have to sound like an allergic guy, but I’m really allergic to peanuts, so it’s an awkward conversation.
Worst pickup line: We were in Vegas in March, and a guy went up to one of my friends and said, “Hey, I’ve got mad karate moves. I’m just kidding, I wanted to come up and talk to you.”
If I could marry anyone: Emanuelle Chriqui, who plays Sloan on Entourage. I think she doesn’t take herself too seriously even though she’s becoming a big-time actress. The character she plays on Entourage has characteristics of the girl that I’m looking for. She’s legit funny, and she grew up in an Orthodox Jewish household, so my mom would be happy.
On a first date I never … call that night after the date. As a guy, it’s nice to get that text that says, “I had a really good time.” I definitely do know guys who, when they think it goes well, call right after the date.
Best place to meet someone: The laundry room. People are who they are when they are doing laundry. They’re not all done up like they’re going to the bar, and it’s kind of quiet, and it’s a fun place to meet someone and start joking around with someone.
Most unusual place I’ve met someone: I just usually meet people who I date through my friends. I’ve met someone because they rode a mechanical bull before. I met them in line for the bull in New York.
My take on Cleveland’s single scene: I think for my age group Cleveland is tougher to meet people than in New York or Chicago. Most of the people who are my age who grew up here are living somewhere else. There’s not a huge scene of late 20s early 30s in Cleveland. The positive thing about it is that if you know where and how to look, the people who you meet are really great people here. People are down to earth, and people are really nice and understanding. There’s not a huge population of people.
