The Loveline Story
Loveline was a syndicated radio call-in program in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, offering medical and relationship advice to listeners, often with the help of guest celebrities like actors and musicians. The show followed a call-in question-and-answer format, primarily aimed at helping youth and young adults with relationship, sexuality, and drug addiction issues.
The Early Years (1983-1993)
Loveline began in 1983 as a Sunday night dating and relationships segment on Los Angeles radio station KROQ, hosted by DJ Jim “Poorman” Trenton and DJ Egil “Swedish” Aalvik. About a year later, Trenton added a segment called “Ask a Surgeon,” hosted by his friend Drew Pinsky, who was then a fourth-year medical student at the University of Southern California.
The two segments eventually merged into a single show, co-hosted by Trenton and Pinsky. In February 1992, Loveline expanded from a Sunday night show to airing five nights a week, live from Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to midnight PT (Monday through Friday, 1 to 3 a.m. ET). KROQ-FM in Los Angeles was the flagship station, and the show was syndicated to rock, alternative, and adult talk radio stations across North America. It could also be heard on a day-delay basis on other stations and online.
The Rachtman Years (1993-1995)
After a strained relationship with the station, Trenton was replaced in August 1993 by former MTV VJ Riki Rachtman. Dr. Drew and Rachtman were joined by Adam Carolla in October 1995, just as the show was beginning to be syndicated nationally. However, due to competition for airtime between Rachtman and Carolla, Rachtman decided to leave the show in January 1996. Carolla then became Dr. Drew’s permanent co-host.
The Carolla Years (1995-2005)
During the “Pinsky/Carolla” years, the show’s popularity and reach expanded dramatically. Dr. Drew, a practicing internist and addiction medicine specialist, provided medical expertise, while Carolla’s humor and insight increased the program’s entertainment value. Carolla often described his role as being “a sheep in wolf’s clothing”: using humor to draw in listeners in the hopes of helping them improve their lives and deal with serious issues.
Carolla and Dr. Drew’s natural chemistry refined the format and brought even greater success, leading to speaking tours, a television show on MTV (1996-2000), a book, and several cameo appearances in movies and on television. The MTV version of Loveline followed the same general format as the radio program but featured a live audience and a female co-host, including personalities such as MTV VJ Idalis, Kris McGaha, Catherine McCord, Diane Farr, and Laura Kightlinger.
Carolla remained with Loveline until November 3, 2005, when he left to prepare for his new morning radio show, The Adam Carolla Show, and explore other media opportunities.
The Post-Carolla Years (2005-2016)
After Carolla’s departure, numerous celebrity guests temporarily filled in, with candidates like Carson Daly, Joel McHale, Danny Bonaduce, Steve-O, and Daniel Tosh expressing interest in the role. On July 23, 2006, KROQ disc jockey Stryker was named Dr. Drew’s new co-host.
On April 22, 2009, Stryker announced he was leaving due to financial cutbacks, and his final appearance was that night. Afterward, Dr. Drew was joined by various celebrities until Mike “Psycho Mike” Catherwood, from The Kevin and Bean Show, became the permanent co-host in March 2010.
In December 2011, Simone Bienne formally joined as a co-host, becoming the first female co-host of the radio show. She was introduced by Dr. Drew through Lifechangers. However, she left the show in November 2012. On December 7, 2012, Carolla rejoined Loveline for a U.S. tour.
Catherwood left Loveline on March 31, 2016, to focus on raising his daughter. On April 21, 2016, Dr. Drew announced that Loveline would end on April 28, 2016, with Carolla returning as co-host for the final show.
The Podcast Years (2016-present)
On September 8, 2016, Loveline was rebooted by CBS as a weekly podcast, hosted by Amber Rose and Dr. Chris Donaghue. Unlike the original format, neither host was a medical professional, there were no live calls, and the content was uncensored. The podcast ran until March 17, 2018.
On November 1, 2018, Loveline was revived on the LGBTQ network Channel Q, with Dr. Chris Donaghue as the solo host. The show aired from Monday to Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. ET. Channel Q, owned by Audacy, Inc., broadcasts via the Audacy streaming service and HD Radio subchannels in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other large media markets.