The Man Behind Philly Phun Phacts

WHYY-FM’s John Weber has written and recorded hundreds of them

**John Weber, creator of Philly Phun Phacts, also hosts the station’s Saturday “Weekend Edition.”**

If you listen to WHYY-FM radio, 90.9 on Saturday morning, chances are you’ve heard the voice of John Weber.

For over a decade, John has hosted the station’s Saturday “Weekend Edition” program. He’s also a regular fill-in for Jennifer Lynn on “Morning Edition.”

But I know him better as the man who started and continues to write Philly Phun Phacts for the station.

History in 60-second bursts

So far, John has written some 150 to 175 of these interesting 60-second historical radio spots. They routinely run at 9:39 a.m. on Saturday and 8:39 a.m. on Sunday mornings … plus several other times throughout the week.

His first subject was: the Philadelphia Orchestra, possibly about the time of its 100th anniversary celebration in 2020.

Four years: that’s the amount of time it took John to get management approval to create the spots. Or as Weber puts it “to finally break them down.” John Mussoni, former audio program/general manager at WHYY (now retired), is the person who finally gave John Weber the go-ahead.

Expanding his panel of writers

I first met John Weber late last September … after he reached out to several writers and/or tour guides for help with Philly Phun Phacts. I was the only one who responded.

John had been working with David Brigham of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and wanted to expand his list of contacts. (I’m amazed at how many they did together.)

So far, John and I have now done about 16 of these Philly Phun Phacts. And Vince McCafferty, a fellow guide and a docent at Carpenters’ Hall, just researched and taped one on Mount Moriah Cemetery. It sounded great to me.

School trips to Philadelphia

Obviously, John likes history, and he fondly recalls trips to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall from central New Jersey, where he grew up.

He considers the Philly Phun Phacts, for which he is not paid, “a way to give something back to the station: A little Easter Egg,” he says: “Interesting and entertaining.”

Another benefit to WHYY: Philly Phun Phacts “also became a way for the station to fill some dead space.” With fascinating info, I believe.

He’ll be broadcasting
on July 4, 2025

John was recently happy to learn that he will host WHYY “Morning Edition” on July 4 of this year.

“I feel privileged to be here. I’ll be doing Morning Edition a block away from those buildings,” he says. “It’s not lost on me that the Constitution Center, Independence Hall and Liberty Bell are right here.”

WHYY’s studios are at 150 N. Sixth Street on Independence Mall, very close to where anti-abolitionists burned down Pennsylvania Hall in 1838, four days after it opened.

Calls from people who have heard me with John

Since I’ve started doing Philly Phun Phacts with John, I’ve learned who I know listens regularly to WHYY-FM. How? They make a point to tell me they’ve heard me on the radio. And I’m always flattered.

John recalls the day his nephew was moving and had WHYY-FM on in the house. When the moving van driver commented about the station, John’s nephew said, “My uncle works for WHYY. John Weber.”

The driver nodded approvingly: “Philly Phun Phacts. Oh, Yes.” I’m sure John was pleased.

Unlike many people, John doesn’t seem to mind criticism

“I like negative feedback,” he says. “It means people pay attention and care.”

When one woman complained about John’s piece on the Union League, saying it was a racist organization that admitted no blacks till the 1970s and no women till the 1980s, John replied back: if he had to eliminate every Philadelphia organization with a racist background in Philly Phun Phacts, there wouldn’t be much to talk about … including the Phillies Phillies.

The woman agreed and said she probably would take a step back.

Another person, who loved the spot John and I did on the Maxfield Parrish “Dear Garden” Tiffany Mosaic, was far less positive about the names of these 60-second history lessons.

She said, “Thank you! I love Maxfield Parrish, and I’d never heard of this piece — can’t wait to go see it! (I have to say, though, I hope I never run into the “phun phact” creator. I deeply abhor “clever” spelling affectations like this.”) Actually, I think she would like him.

Thankful for community colleges

A self-confessed “knuckledhead,” John went to Mercer County Community College and is grateful for the experience and opportunity he received. “I owe everything I am to community colleges.”

John’s had an eclectic career. He started in radio in 1979, worked as a copywriter, has been a senior associate editor at AM Best since 2008 and a part-timer on weekends at WHYY-FM since 2013. I’m not sure when he sleeps.

Along the way, this native of Central New Jersey has also written two documentary films, spent some 30 years as a wedding DJ … and also worked at a Turkish TV station.

He vividly recalls watching Al Meltzer, a legendary Philadelphia announcer, broadcast Big Five basketball games from the University of Pennsylvania’s storied arena, the Palestra. Maybe that memory played a part in his career choices.

Should WHYY-FM make better use of these Phun Phacts?

Personally, I think WHYY-FM is wasting John’s marvelous talent and backlog of hundreds of Philly Phun Phacts by not running them more often. And I will pass that suggestion on to its president, Bill Marrazzo.

My evidence: I posted a Philly Phun Phact about the “Dream Garden” Tiffany Mosaic on Next Door, Linked In and Facebook on April 3.

I called it 1-Minute of History and said:

Have you heard this 60-second Philly Phun Phact? It’s from WHYY-FM, John Weber and me. Please give it a listen. I think you’ll enjoy it. This one is about the “Dream Garden” Tiffany Mosaic. Check it out: https://www.realphillyhistory.com/podcast/dream-garden

My website got almost 200 hits that day, one of my highest daily responses ever. And for a 30-day period. “Dream Garden” totaled 297 page views, the third highest total of the month.

To me, this says these Philly Phun Phacts, or one-minute history lessons, are an asset WHYY-FM is wasting.

We’ll see if station officials change their mind … or at least try using these a little more … to test out my theory.

I think they should also use them at BillyPenn.com, which is affiliated with WHYY-FM.

BillyPenn.com asks a question in print about Philly history every day. But it could also be supplementing that question with these powerful audio Philly Phun Phacts.

FAST FACTS

Name: John Weber

John’s Favorite All-Time Historic Character: Ben Franklin. He’s currently reading: “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America” by Stacy Schiff.

John’s Favorite Philly Phun Phact Story: 30th Street Station: “It has its own morgue and heliport. And it was cool to learn how important it was to the Pennsylvania Railroad.”

His Favorite Baseball Philly Phun Phact: Babe Ruth played his last game at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl. Ruth had three home runs the game before. But here, he made it to third inning, took himself out and ended his career. PhilliesNation.com says, “The Big Bambino limped out to left field to start the first game, batted once and then retired to the clubhouse and pet his creaking joints,” wrote Stan Baumgartner in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

John Enjoys: Playing very competitive pool, driving his 2-seat Mazda Miata and most recently, taking gliding lessons.

A Great Experience: Seeing Penn play Princeton in basketball at the Palestra with his brother Carl, who died in 2023. Now, John needs to get to Penn’s Franklin Field for the first time.