If you’ve spent more than five minutes in New York City, you’ve likely seen the red beret. It’s basically synonymous with Curtis Sliwa. But for someone who is constantly on the news, running for office, or patrolling the subways, it’s kinda hard to pin down what his actual day job is. Does he get paid to be a "Guardian Angel"? Is he a professional politician? Honestly, the answer is a mix of media muscle, nonprofit leadership, and a whole lot of community activism.
Basically, Curtis Sliwa makes his living as a broadcaster and the founder of the Guardian Angels. But since it’s 2026, his career has taken some pretty sharp turns lately. He isn't just "the radio guy" anymore, especially after that massive blowout with his old station.
The Radio Career: A Massive Pivot in 2026
For decades, radio was the bread and butter for Sliwa. He spent over thirty years on the airwaves, mostly at WABC-AM. If you tuned in, you’d hear him riffing on current affairs with a very specific kind of conservative, populist energy. But things got messy during the 2025 mayoral race.
In October 2025, Sliwa actually quit WABC during a live interview. It was pretty dramatic. The station’s owner, John Catsimatidis, wanted Sliwa to drop out of the mayor's race to help Andrew Cuomo beat the progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani. Sliwa, being Sliwa, didn't take kindly to being told what to do. He went on air with Sid Rosenberg, attacked the station, and vowed he’d never step foot in WABC again.
So, what’s he doing now?
As of early 2026, he’s moved over to 710 WOR. He started filling in for Mark Simone in late December 2025 and has been using that platform to stay relevant. Radio remains his primary professional identity outside of the streets. It’s where his voice reaches the masses, and frankly, it's where the paycheck comes from.
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Leading the Guardian Angels
You can’t talk about Sliwa’s "living" without talking about the Guardian Angels. He founded the group back in 1979 when the NYC subways were, well, a war zone. What started as the "Magnificent 13" grew into an international organization covering 130 cities.
Sliwa is the CEO of this nonprofit. While the organization is volunteer-driven, leading a global entity requires full-time oversight. The focus has shifted recently, too. In late 2024 and throughout 2025, Sliwa pushed the Angels to do more wellness checks on the homeless and people in emotional distress.
It’s important to remember that the Guardian Angels isn't a government agency. It’s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. While Sliwa is the face and leader, the organization survives on donations and grassroots support.
The Professional Candidate: Why He Keeps Running
Some people joke that Sliwa’s job is "running for Mayor." He was the Republican nominee in 2021 and again in 2025. In the most recent election, he even created his own "Protect Animals" ballot line. He lost to Zohran Mamdani, but these campaigns aren't just for show. They are a massive part of his professional life.
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Campaigning allows him to:
- Push his specific policy ideas (like tax cuts and animal welfare).
- Maintain a high-profile media presence.
- Build a donor base that supports his various causes.
During the 2025 cycle, his campaign raised millions of dollars, partly through NYC's public matching funds system. For Sliwa, the line between "activist" and "candidate" is basically non-existent.
Living on the Upper West Side
Despite his "tough guy from the streets" persona, Sliwa lives a relatively quiet life on the Upper West Side with his wife, Nancy Sliwa, who is an attorney. Their apartment is famously full of rescue cats. He’s an ardent animal welfare supporter, which actually became a central pillar of his 2025 campaign.
This isn't just a hobby. He uses his platform to advocate for "no-kill" shelters and better treatment for city animals. It's part of his "brand," if you want to call it that, but it seems to be one of the few things he’s genuinely soft about.
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How He Actually Spends a Workday
If you were to shadow Curtis Sliwa in 2026, his schedule would look something like this:
- The Morning Hustle: Prepping for radio segments, likely for his new home at 710 WOR or other media appearances.
- The Street Beat: Meeting with Guardian Angel chapter leads. He still does patrols. You'll still see him in the subway, red beret on, talking to straphangers.
- The Activism: Organizing protests or civil disobedience. He’s been arrested over 75 times. For him, being "unplugged" from the political establishment means he has to stay loud to be heard.
Why People Get Him Wrong
A lot of folks think he’s just a "vigilante" or a "shock jock." But if you look at his history, he’s a survivor. He survived a shooting in 1992 that was allegedly linked to the Gotti crime family. He’s survived decades of changing political winds in New York.
His "living" is essentially being a professional New Yorker. He sells his opinion, he sells his leadership of the Guardian Angels, and he sells a vision of a "law and order" city.
Actionable Insights for Following His Career:
- Watch the Radio Dial: Keep an eye on 710 WOR. His move there is a big deal in the NYC media landscape and signals where he’ll be exerting his influence for the next few years.
- Check the Guardian Angels Site: If you're interested in his community work, their official site details their current shift toward mental health and homeless outreach.
- Follow Local Pet Advocacy: Since Sliwa has made animal welfare a core part of his platform, local legislative changes regarding shelters often have his fingerprints on them.
Curtis Sliwa doesn't have a 9-to-5 in the traditional sense. He's a man who has successfully turned his passion for New York City—and his talent for talking about it—into a lifelong career. Whether he's on the airwaves or on the A-train, he's working.