Longtime Twin Cities sports radio personality Joe Anderson was fired Friday by 1500-AM, where he had been working for more than a year as the co-host of the station's 9-noon program with former Star Tribune writer Judd Zulgad.

Anderson – better known as "Mr. Phunn" – announced the news via Twitter, saying the parting was amicable.

In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Anderson said the station's management wanted to go in another direction and that the move had nothing to do with the impending loss of the Twins in 2013 to the FM dial.

"They weren't real specific about it, but I think it's been pretty apparent that I'd run out of steam on the whole sports talk," Anderson said. "I've been thinking about it. My contract was up at end of February, and they had made decision not to renew. They decided to pull the plug now."

Anderson said he will be paid (along with health benefits) through the end of his contract.

Before joining 1500-AM, Anderson worked for about a decade on KFAN, with most of that time spent on Dan Barreiro's afternoon program.

As far as what the future holds?

"For the time being, I'm going to focus on my real estate business," said Anderson, who works with RE/MAX Results, "and see what comes up in the world of marketing and public relations. I love doing (radio). I think I'd be interested in doing something from a fill-in perspective. But you reach a point where you move on and want to do something different."

It is not immediately clear how 1500-AM will proceed in terms of filling Anderson's role. Anderson speculated that the station could hire a more sports-oriented co-host or have Zulgad work solo.

"Ultimately it's going to be a good thing for Judd," Anderson said. "He has such a passion for sports."