Daria O'Neill

Daria Eliuk (O'Neill) (born April 26, 1971) is a radio and television personality and an entertainer in Portland, Oregon, United States. With a background in theatre, she is known for her irreverent humor. Her first major media roles were as a morning host on local radio station KNRK and as a weather woman on Portland's WB affiliate. She has starred in local theatre productions and emceed various events, and selections from her Local Entertainment Guide are available on compact disc. She currently hosts the afternoon show on KRSK "the Buzz" (105.1 FM).

Early life and career

Born April 26, 1971 in Tipton, Iowa and raised in Wyoming,^[1] and Montana,^[2] O'Neill is a graduate with a degree in theatre from Portland's Reed College.^[3] She held jobs as a lifeguard at the Multnomah Athletic Club and as a teacher's aide at Wilson High.^[1] She was a co-host with Mike Chase on the morning show "Mike and Daria," and later Bill Prescott, at KNRK Radio in Portland from April 1997 to October 2003. She gained prominence as the weather woman on Portland's Warner Brothers television affiliate, from 1998 to 2000.^[1] She was named "Best use of breasts in a weather forecast" in the Willamette Week newspaper's annual "Best of Portland" issue in 2000.^[4] In November 2003, she joined the afternoon drive time show at KRSK's "the Buzz" (105.1 FM)(The Afternoon Buzz w/Dr. Doug, Daria & Skippy). In 2007, Dr. Doug & Skippy followed an opportunity to have their own morning show on another station. Daria stayed at the Buzz, bringing on board, Mitch Elliott (a popular Seattle DJ from the now-defunct KLSY Mix 92.5) and her old sketch comedy playmate, Ted Douglass, as producer/side-kick, creating "The Afternoon Buzz w/Daria, Mitch & Ted" (aka "Daria & Mitch w/Producer Ted" or "The Daria & Mitch Show").^[2] She was named Portland's favorite radio personality four years in a row.^[5]

A comedian who writes much of her own material, one of her signature features is "Daria's Local Entertainment Guide", a daily feature in which O'Neill combines references to local attractions with reminiscences from her youth and college days. Material from the Entertainment Guide has been released on compact disc, with proceeds going to Dove Lewis Animal Hospital.

O'Neill appeared in Triangle Theatre's Down South in 2002 and Bad Dates in 2005.^[3] She has also modeled for the alternative weekly Willamette Week. She hosted the political event Candidates Gone Wild in 2004, along with activist Steve Novick and others.^[6] She anchored the Entertainment Zone on KPDX, a Portland television station,^[7] from 2004 to June 2006. She introduced a concert in the Salem public library's World of Music at the Library series in 2006.^[5] She also starred in the 2006 short film Room to Breathe with Everclear singer Art Alexakis.^[8] She has also performed several times over the years with Portland's sketch comedy troupe, The 3rd Floor (which is where she met her current producer/co-host Ted Douglass).

Although O'Neill has had offers to build on her career in other cities, she has expressed a strong desire to remain in Portland.^[3]

Besides radio and television, Ms. O'Neill has also made appearances in the realm of comics and fantasy fandom. On 10-26-08, for instance, Ms. O'Neill took on the role of Wonder Woman for 'Wonder Woman Day,' a nationally-noted fundraiser for domestic violence services. Also in 2008, she performed the live voice parts for both Lois Lane and Superman's mother, Lara, for "The Superman Orchestra," at Portland's Hollywood Theater. She has also appeared at comic book shows and other fantasy events, dressed in-character.

O'Neill married Portland LumberJax goalie Dallas Eliuk on December 31, 2007.^[9] The couple welcomed their first child, Alexander Charles Eliuk, on May 26, 2009.^[10]

References

External links

• Interview with Daria O'Neill
• Daria's radio program