The syndicated program aired weekday mornings from KLOS-FM in Los Angeles, California, and blended comedy sketches, listener phone calls, interviews with in-studio guests, and the occasional road trip.
At the peak of its popularity, the show was syndicated to 21 other markets in the western US, including San Francisco, Honolulu, Portland, Oregon, and Tucson Arizona.
He had a reputation for nurturing morning show talent and worked with Jeanne Tripplehorn aka "Jeannie Summers" on the air at KMOD Radio in Tulsa, OK before she ever got into the movies.
One day, West came into Music Director Stephanie Mondello's office, sat down and said, "I've been listening to these audition tapes and there are these two guys, Mark and Brian."
Soon afterward an offer to move west and take over the morning slot at KLOS led to the premiere of The Mark & Brian Show in Los Angeles on September 8, 1987.
[2] On October 27, 1995, Mark & Brian convinced Frank Jordan, mayor of San Francisco, California to shower with them, completely nude, during a live radio show just before election day.
[citation needed] On June 13, 2012, Thompson announced that he was retiring from radio after 25 years at the end of his contract, and would be moving to Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife.
[citation needed] In September 2022, Thompson released his memoir, Don't Bump the Record, Kid: My Adventures With Mark and Brian (ISBN 979-8352202470) and appeared at various events on his book tour.
They had a "special appearance" in a 1993 episode of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., (S1 E14, "Mail Order Brides"), playing two cowboys walking into a whiskey only bar.