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Miami Herald
Meet the duo that brings the flavor of Miami to satellite radio
By Michael Butler,
2 days ago
The energy inside SiriusXM’s Miami Beach studio is electric. Surrounded by the newest latest in broadcast equipment, Hits 1 Radio hosts Michael “Mack” Weaver and Jennifer Morejon, hosts of Mack & Jen have broad smiles as they prepare for their noon show that airs on SiriusXM’s Channel 2. The pair exude a fun, inviting energy: Mack with his stylish Nike sneakers on and Jen with her fresh from Brickell City Centre look.
After a lively discussion with their producer Nick, the team has decided about their topic of discussion for the show: Whether Nick should sell his pair of Taylor Swift tickets for $20,000.
A caller chimes in with some insight, saying she wouldn’t sell her own Taylor Swift tickets. She describes how amazing the show is to Weaver.
“But is it $20,000 amazing?” he demands.
The studio erupts into laughter.
In the year and a half that the Mack & Jen team has been on SiriusXM, they have created a show that feels like a Miami house party. The pair discuss pop culture and laugh with famous guests in a way that makes listeners feel like they are catching up on chisme with old friends.
They get visits from Miami royalty like Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull and entertain listeners while they break down topics in a way that reflects Weaver’s radio savvy and Morejon’s affinity for social media — from debating the value of Taylor Swift concert tickets to gasping at the lengths fans will go to meet celebrities.
Since SiriusXM’s new Miami Beach studio opened in May 2023 with its top of the line Panasonic equipment and 50-seat performance space, it’s become a destination for stars who are visiting Miami. In-studio events in the past year include Howard Stern, Kevin Hart, LL COOL J and Andy Cohen. Mack & Jen are part of what makes the studio feel like a home away from home for celebs.
Weaver, 40, was inspired by Stern and Elvis Duran, and has been working in radio in Chicago and Miami for two decades. Years ago as a recent high school graduate in Philadelphia, he went to an open audition at MTV in New York City and while he didn’t land the job, what happened next stuck with him forever.
Michael ‘Mack’ Weaver speaks to callers during a broadcast at SiriusXM Studio on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Miami, Fla. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com
“I ran into [hip-hop radio host] Sway in the elevator and he’s like, ‘What are you here for?’ I struck up a conversation. He’s like, ‘You just got to keep grinding.’”
Years after their chance conversation, Sway recorded an episode of his show from the Miami Beach studio and Weaver was elated to see him again under different circumstances.
Hialeah native Morejon graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from Florida International University in 2017, she worked as a television reporter for five years in Georgia and different parts of Florida.
Jennifer Morejon reacts to callers during a broadcast at SiriusXM Studio on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Miami, Fla. D.A. Varela/dvarela@miamiherald.com
In March 2023, she began working as a cohost with Weaver.
Working in satellite radio from Miami allows Mack & Jen to reach listeners globally while capturing Miami’s unique cultural flavor. The amount of artists and celebrities that regularly vacation in and come to work in Miami makes the show even more attractive to potential guests.
Interviewing celebrities has become easier for Morejon, but one group in particular that she watched on Disney Channel as a kid left her starstruck.
“It was definitely Jonas Brothers,” she said of the hitmaking siblings. “It was my first really big interview, so I was so nervous. I grew up watching these guys on TV and listening to their music, so the fact that we were in this same area with them sitting here and performing made me wonder, ‘Am I really here?’”
The team’s session with Enrique Iglesias was one of Weaver’s favorites because of the Latin pop star’s humble demeanor.
“He’s a cool guy and he was just hanging out,” Weaver said. “The interview was done and he’s like, ‘So what else do you guys want to do here?’ We could have busted out a board game.”
The relaxed environment guests encounter when they meet Mack & Jen has become the draw of their show. Celebrities appreciate the discreet way they can enter the studio and be themselves and often end up performing or interacting with other SiriusXM employees.
Weaver loves the way coworkers come down during interviews and sessions as if they were fans off of the street. Whether they pop in for an LL Cool J performance or an impromptu Flo-Rida concert, Mack & Jen’s coworkers look forward to their guests almost as much as they do.
“It’s just a great space,” Weaver said, “If you’re an artist or celebrity, this is the place you want to stop.”
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