Longtime San Diego morning personality Jerry ‘Jer’ Cesak passed away on January 4 at the age of 74.
Cesak, co-hosted the “Showgram with Jeff & Jer” with Jeff Detrow at multiple San Diego stations between 1988 and Cesak’s retirement in 2015. After working in Washington DC and Baltimore, the duo first came together in 1982 when Cesak was hosting mornings at 94.7 WMJC Detroit as Jerry St. James and was joined by Detrow. They would move to 103.5 WFYR Chicago in 1985 and to 94.9 KBZT San Diego in 1988. The duo would then move to “B100” 100.7 KFMB-FM in 1990, “Q106” KKLQ in 1994, and then for eleven years at “Star 100.7” KFMB-FM starting in 1998. After a two year stint doing an online show, the duo would join AC 96.5 KYXY in 2011. Cesak retired in October 2015 with the remainder of the show exiting in 2017. Jeff & Jer were inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2016.
The official obituary follows:
Jerry Cesak, the beloved San Diego radio icon known to millions as “Jer” from the legendary Jeff & Jer Showgram, passed away peacefully on January 4, 2026, in the arms of his loving wife, Pam.
Born in Maryland, Jerry graduated with a theater degree from the University of Maryland before embarking on what he humorously called a “short 30-year diversion” into radio broadcasting.
His career began in Washington, D.C., and took him through Baltimore, Minneapolis and Detroit, where he met his longtime radio partner and co-host, Jeff Detrow.
Performing under the names Jerry St. James and Jeff Elliott, the duo’s partnership spanned three decades, becoming one of the most enduring shows in the industry. After successful runs in Detroit and Chicago, they brought their hilarious, heartfelt, and listener-driven morning show to San Diego in 1988, where it quickly became the most popular program in the city’s radio history.
For 27 years, the Jeff & Jer Showgram delivered laughter, empathy, and community spirit to their devoted “eleven” listeners across San Diego. The show was responsible for numerous landmark community events, including a post-9/11 “Human American Flag” that drew over 110,000 people!
The “Jingle Ball” holiday concerts benefiting Becky’s House (a sanctuary for victims of domestic violence), “Whirl till You Hurl,” and the “Chargers Human Bolt.”
Throughout his career, Jerry was honored as “Personality of the Year” by Billboard Magazine and Radio and Records. In 2016, Jeff & Jer were inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Jerry retired from daily broadcasting in 2015, closing a chapter he described by saying, “Radio was never work. We always had so much fun every single day, it’s like high school with pay.”
Beyond the airwaves, Jerry was a lifelong and passionate advocate for animal welfare. He served on the boards of the Humane Society of the United States and the Rancho Coastal
Humane Society.Together, Pam and Jerry founded the Unicorn Foundation, which produced the multimedia show Bless the Beasts, touring the United States to raise awareness about animal cruelty. Jerry used his microphone for animals whenever he could and was instrumental in passing Prop 2, a bill which ended suffering for millions of farm animals.
Jerry’s most recent contribution was the establishment of Charlotte’s Medical Center at the Rancho Coastal Humane Society. The CMC is a 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that offers free or low-cost medical care to shelter animals and foster groups.
Jerry’s creative talents also extended to writing and the arts. He authored the beloved children’s book My Personal Panther, a Mom’s Choice Awards selection, and wrote and directed the play Nickels & Dimes, which sold out 16 performances at the Lyceum Theater to raise funds for animal causes.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Pam Cesak, and his devoted animal family: Winston, Gigi, Savanah, and Isabella.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Rancho Coastal Humane Society.
As he often said, life comes in chapters; Jerry’s was one filled with warmth, humor, and unwavering kindness. He will be deeply missed.
