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April 10, 2024 6:38 am  #1


Favourite Guest

Who is your favourite guest on either 1010 or 640? Is there anybody, when you hear they are on any of the shows, you stick around and listen or catch later on a podcast?

 

April 10, 2024 6:56 am  #2


Re: Favourite Guest

While I like "Touchdowns and Fumbles" with Bob Reid, a CFRB staple for years, (it airs every Friday at 11:50 AM) there's only one guest I make it appointment tuning to hear.

His name is Tom Korski and he's the executive editor of an online publication called "Blacklocks Reporter," which keeps an eagle eye on the goings-on behind the politics in Ottawa. By going over thousands of documents no one else has time for, they come up with some amazing exclusives, many revealing the often jaw-dropping waste that seems endemic to every government. 

But it's not just that - the ex-radio veteran is also singularly hilarious in delivering these stories. 

Clearly, he's become a desired guest, because he's now on at least four times a week on three different GTA stations - Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:45 AM on AM640, 11:30 AM Thursday on CFRB, and Friday at 8:35 AM on Sauga 960. He also turns up at least once a month on a Sunday at the end of Roy Green's weekend show on Corus.

The guy just makes me laugh, even while delivering bad news. That's quite a talent. 

 

April 10, 2024 7:38 am  #3


Re: Favourite Guest

I agree completely about Tom Korski. I listen to him whenever he is on the Roy Green Show. He is informative and hysterical at the same time.

     Thread Starter
 

April 10, 2024 9:15 am  #4


Re: Favourite Guest

I enjoy listening to Dan Riskin when he’s a guest on 1010. He’s their science go-to who has a deep interest in bats. Good natured, well informed guest with a sense of humour!

 

April 10, 2024 10:14 am  #5


Re: Favourite Guest

My very favourite guest was Sir George Martin, Producer of the Beatles and his son Giles; while I was at CFRB.

 

April 10, 2024 1:18 pm  #6


Re: Favourite Guest

I never voted for him, but I really like former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair's insights on politics on CFRB and iHeart. As a former party leader, he knows how the game is played, what's going on behind the scenes, and the general machinations taking place in Ottawa. His insights are interesting and sort of give a peek behind the curtain. And since he's no longer beholden to anyone, he can be brutally honest when he wants to be. 

 

April 10, 2024 1:58 pm  #7


Re: Favourite Guest

I agree about Mulcair.
He's much better as a political commentator than he was a political leader.
Great to hear his insightful views now that he's not censored by political affiliations.
I also like Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, Canada’s non-profit foundation committed to independent research. 
She really knows what she is talking about.
I worked with her briefly when she was a journalist and she's also a really nice person.


 

 

April 10, 2024 2:20 pm  #8


Re: Favourite Guest

Tom Mulcair is also on CTV News Channel's Power Play every week on one of the panels with Vassey.  I always watch when he is on.  I am the same as RA, in fact I have never voted for the NDP at all, but had Mulclair been allowed to stay on as leader, I could very well have voted for him. 

He is very fair and balanced in his comments and really doesn't seem to take sides.  I have been surprised how many times he has actually agreed or complimented both Doug Ford and Pierre Poilivre and their position on certain issues.  And he has been fair to the NDP and shown no bitterness at the way he was removed as leader of the party.  Tom seems to enjoy his role as a pundit on TV and radio, and he is good at it.  

 

April 10, 2024 3:00 pm  #9


Re: Favourite Guest

Like others, I do enjoy Mulcair as a guest.  He's sharp, and doesn't just pound on the party drum like that liberal hack Scott Reid.  I like Korski, too.  Then again, I always looked forward to hearing Lord Black on Oakley until he was gassed, and replaced by Frank Stronach, struggling with the English language while promoting his organic restaurant.  Thankfully, he is long gone as well.

 

April 10, 2024 6:41 pm  #10


Re: Favourite Guest

Shorty Wave wrote:

I enjoy listening to Dan Riskin when he’s a guest on 1010. He’s their science go-to who has a deep interest in bats. Good natured, well informed guest with a sense of humour!

Agree, he's always interesting and makes whatever he's talking about relatable. I also enjoy Carmi Levy who has a knack for explaining how data theft and other tech stories can actually impact the listeners.

You'd think 1010 would be smart enough to put together regular promo spots for both Dan and Carmi. CFRB could sprinkle the promos in and brighten up those unwieldy and ginormous commercial islands. Make it a real feature with a catchy tagline.

I enjoy Maureen Holloway as well.

I've seen Josie Dye make guest appearances on various Bell shows and with her charm and brains think she'd be a natural on 1010 for not only guest appearances on pop culture stories but also parenting and other topics. Perhaps even as a pundit on one of the roundtable discussions. There's a huge gap at 1010 when it comes to younger listeners and the crossover from the CHUM audience could only help 1010.

 

April 10, 2024 7:08 pm  #11


Re: Favourite Guest

He's not exactly a "guest," but the new 30 secs. promo features with Alan Cross on the History of New Music are fun.

They air a new one every weekday on AM640, repeated a few times over the course of 24 hours. Even if I don't always learn something I didn't know about (although I frequently do), they're very quick and highly entertaining in most cases. It's probably the one time I don't mind a show throwing to a break!

 

April 11, 2024 6:42 am  #12


Re: Favourite Guest

This is already an excellent list of people. Allow me to add: Sylvain Charlebois, Moshe Lander and Marc Saltsman.

     Thread Starter
 

April 11, 2024 7:05 am  #13


Re: Favourite Guest

Thomas Mulcair and Maureen Holloway

 

April 11, 2024 7:17 am  #14


Re: Favourite Guest

Prof. Eric Kam, an expert in economics from Toronto Metropolitan University, appears frequently on Roy Green's show. He's a pretty good interview and always has something interesting to say. 

 

April 11, 2024 8:13 am  #15


Re: Favourite Guest

We can't forget Dave Phillips from Environment Canada.  Dave, who will be 80 in September, is a senior climatologist for Environment Canada and is still a favourite for radio and television stations across the country to explain weather and the environment.  Most people like his bright funky blue rimmed glasses. 

Years ago he was being interviewed live about some odd weather conditions in Southern Ontario.  The interviewer started talking climate change right away and Dave interupted that what was happening wasn't climate change.  His line was..."it's just weather.." 

He is the author of three books- The Climates of Canada, Blame It On The Weather and The Day Niagara Falls Ran Dry.  He also was the author of The Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar. 

 

April 11, 2024 9:14 am  #16


Re: Favourite Guest

Excellent choice! As a de facto weather obsessive (because I need to know the best time to walk the dog) if they promo that Dave Phillips is coming up, I will be sure to listen. He's another appointment tuning guest. A real treasure and I can understand why Environment Canada won't let him retire. 

 

April 11, 2024 3:04 pm  #17


Re: Favourite Guest

Another guest usually worth listening to or watching would be David Frum.  He is very well versed on both Canadian and US politics and appears in media on both side of the border.

Frum was the first major conservative writer to call out the Republican party back during the Tea Party days.  He generally is a conservative pundit but of the older much more sane and progressive variety.  For years now he has been one of the harshest critics of the 45th president and of the Republican party.  In fact he was a critic of Donald Trump long before he became president.

Once a semi regular guest on FOX News Network, Frum has been banished from the network for years.  Through all of this he has been on CTV, CBC, Global,TVO, CNN, CBS, NBC and various radio programs for a couple of decades. Currently he writes for the Atlantic and spends the summer and other parts of the year in Prince Edward County on Lake Ontario. 

Born and raised in Canada and the son of Barbara Frum he is well versed in Canadian and provincial politics. 
  

 

 

April 11, 2024 3:18 pm  #18


Re: Favourite Guest

Kevin Donovon 

 

April 12, 2024 5:51 am  #19


Re: Favourite Guest

Yes, Kevin Donovan as well.  

 

April 12, 2024 2:26 pm  #20


Re: Favourite Guest

Will add to the Tom Mulcair love. We had him for an in-studio interview when he was NDP leader. He actually took the time to look at my pass and register my name, even commenting on the rarity of my surname. Sure, the cynic in me says he was just after my vote but he sure came across as genuine.

Will also add Maureen Holloway and David Frum as not necessarily appointment tuning but if I stumble across them appearing somewhere, I'm staying put for the rest of the segment.