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July 24, 2019 7:40 am  #1


GNR 640 - Morning Show

Did they turf Mike Stafford?

His Twitter (@Loogan640) is really cryptic, and Shurman is guest hosting "unexpectedly".  He was scheduled to fill in all week at 9am.  Tina T is back to reading the news this morning.

https://twitter.com/Loogan640/status/1153703138362347521?s=20
https://twitter.com/Loogan640/status/1153433200921853952?s=20



 

 

July 24, 2019 8:26 am  #2


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

I wouldn't be surprised if they did, after his latest racist tweets. They've since been deleted.

 

July 24, 2019 11:30 am  #3


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

what did he post ?

Last edited by cash (July 24, 2019 11:31 am)

 

July 24, 2019 11:55 am  #4


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

There are two reasons I very much doubt that Stafford is out.

1) I just heard his voice on a GNR 640 spot personally touting some service or other. I'm pretty sure if your morning guy was turfed, you'd get those off the air right away. 

2) I called Corus and asked to speak to him. (And yes, I actually got a human being and not a recording! Way to go Corus!) They didn't say something like "I'm sorry, he's no longer with the company," or "We don't have a listing for him." Instead, they offered to put me through to his producer or his voicemail. (And no, I didn't leave a message!) It seems to me that a dismissed employee would not have either of those. 

I can't say definitively that the suspicions expressed here aren't true, but the two examples above don't seem to provide any evidence that he's been let go. I hope not. The guy's very talented and the week before he changed time slots, he revealed that he's been dreaming of doing a successful morning gig for a long time. Those assignments are not easy to come by, especially in T.O.  

 

July 24, 2019 12:16 pm  #5


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

RadioActive wrote:

I can't say definitively that the suspicions expressed here aren't true, but the two examples above don't seem to provide any evidence that he's been let go. I hope not. The guy's very talented and the week before he changed time slots, he revealed that he's been dreaming of doing a successful morning gig for a long time. Those assignments are not easy to come by, especially in T.O.  

I heard one of his pre-recorded ads for Jiffy this morning.  However, the normal "Shurman in for Stafford" was replaced with "Shurman in for the morning crew".  He made a couple of mentions that Staff might be back tomorrow "depending on his disposition"

I certainly hope he's not going anywhere.  I've been a fan since the Mojo Days.  One particular topic that stuck to my juvinile mind during the drive home was a call-in segment where male and female listeners were asked to call in with their favourite euphemisms for self-pleasure.  ("Slaying the Beast" comes to mind).  After a crappy day at work, I laughed all the way home!

Fast n' Furious Fridays were great, along with the Happy Endings!   

Although that's gone, I'm happy for him to get the morning gig in whatever form it's in.

I don't know the radio business very well.  I'm just a casual fan.
If this really is due to some unfortunate tweets, I'm thinking this might be some sort of short adminstrative leave or suspension "pending an investigation" or some other HR BS.  Social Media can be a job killer nowadays.

     Thread Starter
 

July 24, 2019 12:57 pm  #6


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Aytononline wrote:

I don't think Mike is gone, 640 morning and afternoon drive shows are better then what's on 1010, so I don't think they will risk any major changes. If Mike typed something on Twitter or another site he may be told to focus his energy on his radio show and to stay away from the rest.

I hope you're right, but based on the screen grab in the tweet below, it may make things weird with his co-host.

https://twitter.com/hainsworthtv/status/1154055953265750016

I hope they'll give him the opportunity to address this on the air and offer a public apology.

     Thread Starter
 

July 24, 2019 1:23 pm  #7


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Aytononline wrote:

   640 morning and afternoon drive shows are better then what's on 1010 

out of curiosity, how do you measure "better"?
 

 

July 24, 2019 1:24 pm  #8


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

vwjets wrote:

Aytononline wrote:

I don't think Mike is gone, 640 morning and afternoon drive shows are better then what's on 1010, so I don't think they will risk any major changes. If Mike typed something on Twitter or another site he may be told to focus his energy on his radio show and to stay away from the rest.

I hope you're right, but based on the screen grab in the tweet below, it may make things weird with his co-host.

https://twitter.com/hainsworthtv/status/1154055953265750016

I hope they'll give him the opportunity to address this on the air and offer a public apology.

wtf is with that racist bs???  has he been known to spout this nonsense before? 

sorry, i'd fire someone, don't care who it is, if they were tweeting that crap. 

too bad, I had been listening to Mike and Tina during my morning drive recently and really enjoyed it. Great rapport between the two. well, fuck you Stafford racist old white guy. I thought you were different than the rest of that sad station but I guess not. good luck with my pillow, the jiffy app and Frank Leo.


 

 

July 24, 2019 4:16 pm  #9


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Got my popcorn. All set.

 

July 24, 2019 4:30 pm  #10


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Scraps wrote:

fuck you Stafford racist old white guy 

When John Moore had his breakdown, a fair amount of support came from this forum; perhaps a little compassion for  Mike Stafford would also be appropriate


 

 

July 24, 2019 4:47 pm  #11


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

Scraps wrote:

fuck you Stafford racist old white guy 

When John Moore had his breakdown, a fair amount of support came from this forum; perhaps a little compassion for  Mike Stafford would also be appropriate


 

Compassion for tweeting racist crap??


 

 

July 24, 2019 4:52 pm  #12


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

When John Moore had his breakdown, a fair amount of support came from this forum; perhaps a little compassion for  Mike Stafford would also be appropriate
 

Yes, yes. We're all aware that Stafford's the God Emperor of this forum. For some reason.

 

July 24, 2019 5:15 pm  #13


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Scraps wrote:

  Compassion for tweeting racist crap?   

If not "compassion" could you live with "concern"?


 

 

July 24, 2019 5:19 pm  #14


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

Scraps wrote:

  Compassion for tweeting racist crap?   

If not "compassion" could you live with "concern"?


 

I'm sorry, I should be concerned for Mike Stafford, why?


 

 

July 24, 2019 5:26 pm  #15


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Why not?

 

July 24, 2019 5:40 pm  #16


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

Why not?

I don't get it. 

Stafford tweets racist nonsense and I am supposed to be compassionate and concerned for him...why???


 

 

July 24, 2019 5:59 pm  #17


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Scraps wrote:

       I am supposed to be compassionate and concerned for him...why???     

. . . you posted a while back that you have been listening during morning drive and enjoyed it.    This is clearly out of character for a professional broadcaster.    That's why

geo
 

 

July 24, 2019 6:03 pm  #18


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

Scraps wrote:

       I am supposed to be compassionate and concerned for him...why???     

. . . you posted a while back that you have been listening during morning drive and enjoyed it.    This is clearly out of character for a professional broadcaster.    That's why

geo
 

Yes, I have enjoyed him the past few weeks. Now I see racist tweets from him. My thoughts aren't, ohhhh maybe he's having a breakdown and is suddenly a racist. 

I'm done with this. Good luck with your life Stafford.


 

 

July 24, 2019 6:04 pm  #19


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

geo wrote:

This is clearly out of character for a professional broadcaster.  
 

Well, then. Someone clearly pushed him to this rant. And that someone should apoligise.

Last edited by Chrisphen (July 24, 2019 6:05 pm)

 

July 24, 2019 6:55 pm  #20


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

 

July 24, 2019 8:20 pm  #21


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

"humid haired" ???

 

July 24, 2019 9:23 pm  #22


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Mike Stafford had had one hell of a time last week, a fall, back injury, and that was just the beginning...

When John Moore took his month off, I genuinely wished Stafford could do the same, to catch up on his health issues.

I think everyone should be given the chance to learn from their actions, and I hope Corus and Stafford find a way to move forward from this.

I'm with geo, concern/compassion is warranted, and deserved, and Stafford has more than earned it.

Last edited by betaylored (July 24, 2019 10:04 pm)

 

July 24, 2019 9:34 pm  #23


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

RadioActive wrote:

This just in from Canadaland.com:

Global News Radio Investigating Mike Stafford For Offensive Tweets

Reading his tweets again in the Canadaland piece.....wow, so offensive. Way to kill your career buddy. But good to see your true colours before I got to like your show too much.

There is no excuse for that. You fanboys here can be concerned and compassionate all you want. Good riddance I say.

What a sad trashy station.

 

July 24, 2019 11:13 pm  #24


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Who the hell is scraps?

 

July 25, 2019 10:44 am  #25


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

scraps is absolutely right. while, sure, this might be "out of character" -- it's also indefensible. these tweets are racist and the guy has no place on the radio. move over and make room for broadcasters who see other people as actual PEOPLE -- not as ethnic stereotypes. gross. 

 

July 25, 2019 10:46 am  #26


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

and for the record i worked with stafford long ago and i thought he was funny and nice. but this kind of stuff isn't okay and if he doesn't KNOW it isn't okay, he shouldn't be on-air. if you're that tone-deaf or resistant to change or just straight up racist - you shouldn't be on-air.

 

July 25, 2019 11:46 am  #27


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

I don't completely disagree with you, although I can't help but wonder if some sort of chemical was involved. (He talked about hurting his back so seriously he needed help, so he may be on painkillers.) That said, there's no room for those kinds of opinions, especially in a morning show host that's so publicly prominent. And the "I wasn't in my right mind" defence doesn't cut it any more.

My original post was simply lamenting that it now appears so much talent will be going to waste if they let him go. But if that happens, it will be entirely by his own (typing) hand. And given the nature of the posts, it will be hard for him to find another gig. (Maybe CKNT has room?) In any event, what a sad way to end a great career. 

If Stafford is turfed, I can't conceive of who might take his place. Will Supriya be back since they were so closely associated with each other? They're not likely to move Oakley back to mornings, and Peter Shurman has made it known many times he doesn't want a full time gig. So who's left? Possibly an outside hire or someone from another Corus talk station.

The other aspect of this: how many careers have been ruined by Twitter in the last few years? The number is starting to get very high and I think we're going to see more and more of this until people learn to keep their mouths (or keyboard fingers) shut! 

 

July 25, 2019 12:35 pm  #28


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

RadioActive wrote:

...although I can't help but wonder if some sort of chemical was involved. (He talked about hurting his back so seriously he needed help, so he may be on painkillers.)

Does the involvement of chemicals, alcohol, etc. plant racist thoughts in one's mind, or simply reveal already existing prejudices?
 

 

July 25, 2019 12:40 pm  #29


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

My point exactly. It may loosen lips, but it doesn't plant the beliefs. And therein lies the noose. Hard to say "the pills made me think that way." (Just ask Roseanne Barr who blamed Ambien for her racist Tweet when she infamously lost her TV show last year.)

Of course, in fairness, it's important to note that's simply my speculation. There's no word if he was taking anything for pain or if it factored in in any way. Whatever the motive, the Tweets speak for themselves. And what they say are terrible.  

 

July 25, 2019 12:52 pm  #30


Re: GNR 640 - Morning Show

Nothing personal against Stafford; who I always believed to be a very funny, talented person.  I will agree with some that this seems quite out of character for Mike.

There used to be a written rule as part of your employment contract.  I'm sure it still exists.  "If you publicly embarrass the radio station or parent company in any way, this will mean instant dismissal." I do hope there is some explanation.

Last edited by AMFM (July 25, 2019 12:53 pm)