View source for Caesar the Geezer

{{Short description|Talk show DJ popular in the early 90s}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=March 2010}}
{{COI|date=July 2014}}}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Caesar The Geezer
| image              = 
| caption            = 
| birth_name         = Chris Ryder
| birth_date         = {{birth based on age as of date|40|1997|07|02}}
| birth_place        = 
| nationality        = 
| other_names        = Chris Rogers
| known_for          = British radio personality
| employer           = CTG Broadcast / SFM Radio – Sittingbourne
| spouse             = 
| children           = 
| parents            = 
| relatives          = 
| website            = 
}}

'''Chris Ryder''', (born Chris Neophytou in {{Birth based on age as of date|40|1997|07|02}})<ref name=":0" />  also known as '''Caesar the Geezer''', '''Caesar the Boogieman''', and '''Deck Rider''', is a British [[radio]] personality.

==Early career==
He began his career as the on air character "Deck Rider" on the ''[[Kenny Everett]] Radio Show'' on [[Capital Radio]] (London) in 1974.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} He went from there to London pirate station, Skyline Radio, and then on to get his first "paid gig" on the ''Rod Lucas Show'' on [[BBC Radio Kent]].{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

Shortly afterwards they both moved to the newly created Invicta Radio.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

==Invicta FM==
Ryder later changed his radio name to Caesar the Boogieman when he landed his own show on [[Invicta Radio]] after Rod Lucas left the station. Caesar the Boogieman orchestrated some ambitious on-air [[practical jokes]] during his time at Invicta. One example: he built up the premise that an asteroid was about to hit the moon, creating a bright light. It would only be safe to look at the light by wearing sunglasses. The show had its serious side with legal advisors and social workers as constant guests helping listeners with problems.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

The popular shows in his 9pm–1&nbsp;am slot featured characters including Barry Bethall as 'Basil the Butler', [[Ian Collins (radio presenter)|Ian Collins]] as 'The Yob', and [[Bobby Prior]] as 'Venus', Richard Knight as 'Clarence', 'Number 5' and 'Grandad' and Steve Mallion as 'Spartacus'. In 1991, Invicta sacked him over fraud allegations.<ref>[http://www.caesarthegeezer.co.uk/#/to-my-critics/4571916210 Welcome – caesarthegeezer.co.uk]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221121316/http://www.caesarthegeezer.co.uk/ |date=21 February 2014 }}</ref>

==Essex Radio==
Ryder joined [[Heart Essex|Essex Radio]] 96.3/102.6 FM where he presented a competing night time show to the one he had left at Invicta, before moving onto [[Kiss 100 London|Kiss 100]] hosting the early breakfast show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/caesars-goodbye-kiss-1436903.html|title=Caesar's goodbye kiss |last=Williams|first=Rhys|date=19 May 1994|work=[[The Independent]]|location=London|access-date=24 March 2010}}</ref>

==Talk Radio UK==
Ryder joined [[Talksport|Talk Radio UK]] for its launch in February 1995 where he became known as a [[shock jock]]. He presented the weeknight (Mondays–Fridays) [[phone in]] between 22:00 and 01:00. He was joined on some Friday evenings by football agent [[Eric Hall]] and lawyer [[Gary Jacobs (solicitor)|Gary Jacobs]]. He regularly combined his programme with a similar American show presented by [[Tom Leykis]], alternating between UK and US callers.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

He continued his practical jokes during his time at Talk Radio. Another such wind-up involved making listeners believe he was broadcasting his show from the street outside the Talk Radio building in protest at the station's anti-smoking policy. In reality, he was producing his show from inside the studio with a microphone hanging from the window to pick up the background noises of the street below.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

During his tenure at TRUK, he was often accompanied by the show's Canadian producer Colin Lloyd, assistants Dixi, Jane and Aphrodite, and the man on the phones, also called Tony (Caesar referred to him as ''Bogey'' – "Because he always gets up my nose").{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

He was fired from Talk Radio in September 1995, along with fellow controversial presenter [[Terry Christian]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/jocks-shocked-by-sacking-as-talk-radio-cleans-up-its-act-1599492.html |title=Jocks shocked by sacking as Talk Radio cleans up its act | last1=Williams |first1=Rhys |date=5 September 1995 |website=The Independent|location=London|access-date=28 June 2014}}</ref> as part of a station shakeup to tackle sagging ratings.

==After Talk Radio==
After this, he brought his phone-in show to [[Galaxy 101]] in Bristol for a short time, as well as a brief stint, slightly toned down, on London's [[LBC 97.3|LBC]]. At around this time, he also started doing voice links for the UK [[porn]] TV station, [[The Adult Channel]];<ref>{{Citation |title=Caesar's Rude Arena |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3637454/ |type=Game-Show |access-date=2023-03-09}}</ref> and presented a programme called ''Caesar's Rude Arena'' for [[Television X]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3637454/|title=Caesar's Rude Arena|access-date=24 November 2017|publisher=IMDb}}</ref>

Ryder joined Capital Gold in February 1996 and did his own weeknight show called Elvis hour which would regularly overrun as he is an Elvis fan himself, he pulled in an audience of over 3.4 million with his weekly show from 8pm until midnight Monday to Friday{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} In mid-1997, he resigned and was sentenced for breaking the law regarding undischarged bankrupts.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=McCann|first1=Paul|date=2 July 1997|title=DJ Caesar Jailed for Deception|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/dj-caesar-jailed-for-deception-1248477.html|url-status=live|access-date=28 June 2014|website=The Independent|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225005526/http://www.independent.co.uk:80/news/dj-caesar-jailed-for-deception-1248477.html |archive-date=25 December 2012 }}</ref>

He then retired from radio to pursue a career in marketing and promotions, returning to the air in 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2012/07/caesar-the-geezer-returns-with-sfm-radio|title=Caesar The Geezer returns with SFM Radio – RadioToday|website=RadioToday.co.uk|date=23 July 2012 |access-date=24 November 2017}}</ref> with Sittingbourne's SFM Radio.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041024131313/http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/Caesartracker.htm Aircheck biography]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040923083427/http://www.wirelesswaffle.co.uk/hall.htm Hall of Fame @ Wireless Waffle]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051212150834/http://www.tommyboydshrine.co.uk/talkradio.htm Excerpt from Caesar's first Talk Radio UK programme]
* [https://www.sfmradio.com/ SFM radio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caesar the Geezer}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British radio personalities]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Shock jocks]]