A decade after leaving Milwaukee for Washington D.C., local journalist Kidd O'Shea has returned to the city he calls home, joining TMJ4's morning news team as traffic anchor and community correspondent.
The Mequon native and Homestead High School graduate began his broadcasting career at age 16 with WKTI-FM in Milwaukee, the same building where TMJ4 still operates today. His homecoming has been filled with visits to familiar faces and favorite places that shaped his early career.
Watch: Traffic reporter Kidd O'Shea returns home to his favorite places and faces
O'Shea's return tour began at Winkie's in Whitefish Bay, the family business where he worked from age 6 to 13 as what he jokingly called the "self-proclaimed manager of the lower level." His parents are small business owners who still operate the store.
"When he was very young he could take care of customers, because he's always been really good with people," his mother said during the reunion.
His father joked that O'Shea's unofficial management role had its challenges for other employees.
"You would not take any orders, and the other employees that were actually getting paid did not like that," his father said, laughing.
Those early days at the family store included trips to Chicago buying shows with his father, where a pivotal moment occurred at a museum. O'Shea and his dad recorded a fake newscast, an experience that would spark his broadcasting dreams.
"We got to wear jackets and pretend we were on TV," O'Shea said. "I'd lie in bed at night and just pray that we could do it again."
Before leaving Milwaukee in 2015, O'Shea co-hosted "Kidd and Elizabeth in the Morning" on WMYX-FM (99.1 The Mix), a show celebrated multiple times by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association as the Best Morning Show.
His decade in Washington D.C. included joining WJLA-TV's "Good Morning Washington," where he delivered lifestyle and community reports covering high-profile events like The Oscars, CMA Awards, and the Kennedy Center Honors. His commitment to visibility within the LGBTQ community earned him recognition as Best Radio Personality and Best TV Personality by the Washington Blade in 2024.
As a travel correspondent, O'Shea connected viewers with over 20 international destinations, showcasing cultures from Iceland to Jordan and regions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The return to Milwaukee has been filled with observations about how the city has changed during his absence.
"After a decade in D.C., which was incredible and awesome, you forget how nice people are in the Midwest," O'Shea said. "You hear that all the time, but I'll even top that and say people in Wisconsin are the nicest."
His tour included stops at familiar haunts, including the Public Market where he was a regular customer, visiting three to four days a week for the same order: three ground beef tacos, "gringo style." The owner immediately recognized him upon his return.
"He always comes for the same thing! Tacos, but he can try something else," the owner said.
O'Shea also highlighted other Milwaukee favorites, including Zaffiro's pizza, which he called "absolutely my favorite pizza."
The homecoming wouldn't be complete without visiting his former radio co-host, Elizabeth Kay, at The MIXX, where they worked together doing morning radio before his 2015 departure.
"It felt like you were at a sleepover with your best friend and you didn't want to go to bed, like up all night, there was never a shortage of things to talk about and say," Kay said about their on-air chemistry.
Kay had predicted Milwaukee would welcome O'Shea back with open arms.
"I said Milwaukee, this city, will embrace you when you come back, if you come back—and they sure have, haven't they?" Kay said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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