Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Erin Davis: Toronto Mike'd #577

Episode Date: January 29, 2020

Mike chats with Erin Davis about the loss of her daughter, leaving CHFI and Toronto, her relapse, recovery and what's next for her.

Welcome to episode 577 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. StickerU.com Create custom stickers, labels, tattoos, and decals for your home

and your business. The Keitner Group. They love helping buyers find their dream home. And Banjo Dunk from Whiskey Jack. One of the most celebrated roots country bluegrass bands in Canadian music history. I'm Mike from TorontoMike.com and joining me this week is longtime Toronto radio superstar and legend, Erin Davis.

Hello, Mike. Welcome back, Erin. Thank you. Thank you for that lovely hyperbolic introduction. I appreciate it. It's nice. Thank you very much. Does it make you uncomfortable to hear yourself regarded as a legend?

Yes, because I sure don't think so. Is that true? Because people love you. Wow. I get the sense you don't realize how truly beloved you are by so many. Well, I guess I don't even know what to say to that. I feel very grateful, very lucky to have the contact with people that I do and a connection. I don't think legend, with people that I do and a connection. I don't think legend, there are legends.

And then there's just somebody who loved doing her job for a long time and was lucky. You made a lot of people though, made their mornings a lot better. That's something, I think that's pretty important stuff. Yeah, it's some heavy lifting some days because you're waking up and you don't know what the weather is and you may not like the person you're waking up next to or that you're waking up alone and you're going to a job you hate and you're going to be facing traffic and all those things that happen in the wee hours in the morning, especially the winter ones. make people laugh and maybe see the lighter side. But at the same time, what I love about you is that you're not fake.

You're not phony. Like, I want to say an open book. And you wrote a book. I did. And what's the name of your book? Morning Has Broken. And it's coming out in softcover, HarperCollins Canada, February 18th. And I'm very excited about its second incarnation. Erin, I love an exclusive, an exclusive piece of news.

I wish I had a drum roll because I'd play it right now. Do I have a drum roll? No. There you go, the budget edition. All right, we're ready. Everybody ready? Hit us with a huge piece of news that is nowhere else. Before you even tell us the news,

is this the first time this news is being stated publicly? I may have it on my Twitter handle or on my website, but only in passing, and who pays attention to that? Oh, you know what? I've never said it out loud, and don't make me say it. Yeah, you have to say it so I don't screw it up. Oh, okay. This year, I'm very honored to be inducted into the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Congratulations. Thank you. And well-deserved. I hope so. So you'll be coming back, that means, right? Because it's going to happen here? Yeah, I've got a couple of trips back to Ontario from BC in May, and that will be in the latter part of the month.

During Canada Music Week. Does it come with a huge cash prize? No, they promised me an appearance on Toronto Mike's. So I guess this is it. Thank you. Do you get a medal or something? I don't have any idea. I don't even know.

A plaque, maybe? Thank you. Do you get a medal or something? I don't have any idea. I don't even know. I don't know. A plaque maybe? A laurel and hearty handshake, as they say in Blazing Saddles. Yeah, it's just a tremendous honor. And I never even dreamt of it, really, honestly. And here I am. Hall of Fame. Yeah. Just like Larry Walker.

Yes, yes. Moose Lips. What's his Twitter handle? Yeah, Mo his twitter handle 33 or something like that isn't that funny yeah so that's taken i won't do it but um yeah there's a lot of people that i'm going to be thanking that's for sure but uh so breaking news aaron davis is going into the some radio hall of fame yeah the canadian broadcasting hall of fame canadian broadcasting hall of fame yes and this The Canadian broadcasting hall of fame. Canadian broadcasting hall of fame. Yes. And this will be happened during Canadian music week in May. Yeah.

Awesome. How is Rob doing? He's doing great. Mostly. He's probably watching this at home right now and definitely will be listening. And, uh,

he's got himself a cold. Like I, I, I headed out to Ottawa a few days ago to spend some time with my grandson and his family and new baby sister. And, and then he, he kept every time I called him,

he was up a ladder or he was wiring and he just loves to putter and get stuff done. I really think that my being home sort of cramps his style. Then he comes down with this cold and he's not a suck. Like when he gets a cold, he, he wouldn't miss hockey for anything. He canceled hockey yesterday.

So that's a sign. Yeah. And he's in California who gets a cold in California. He hasn't been on a plane that I know of. Maybe he took a quickie trip to Vegas and caught something. Well, there's a couple of strains of influenza flying around that aren't too fun. So true that he had his flu shot.

So we're doing what we can and the rest will just sort of, you know, wash too fun. True that. He had his flu shot, so we're doing what we can and the rest, we'll just sort of, you know, wash your hands all the time. That seems to be the best advice. But that's good advice anyways. I feel like people just realize this. Yeah, right? There's a piece that Beaverton did this week.

Local man is worried about the coronavirus and hasn't had his flu shot. And here the whole article is about... I saw that, yeah. Isn't that funny? Because it's like, I don't had his flu shot. And here the whole article is about, isn't that funny? Cause it's like, I don't know about my, my grandmother. She's in her nineties. She's really susceptible and stuff is like, dude, you haven't had a flu shot.

You know, you're just carrying this stuff every time you go in to see her. But anyway, I'm actually always a little surprised at how I have friends who are, you know, they're seem reasonable and reasonably intelligent who just, and I'll say, did you get a flu shot? And they'll be like, no, I never get a flu shot? And they'll be like, no,

I never get the flu shot. And I'll be like, Oh, why not? They're like, I don't know. I just don't do that. Like,

but it's such an easy thing to do. Like, it's like, I like to get it day one. So it kicks in ASAP. You know what I mean? Me too. I'm lining up like black Friday.

Give me one. Yeah, absolutely. Anything that helps. Absolutely. So, uh, uh,

so Rob, I'm sorry'm sorry he's sick but otherwise he's good he's in california he's great playing hockey twice a week with a bunch of other expats and northern americans who come down to the land of uh you know mountains and palm trees and play hockey i have a message so i'm gonna do this right off the top because i have a message for what's for you and for rob but really it's for Rob. I listened to it. It's from Banjo Dunk. Yes.

And I'll let Banjo speak for Banjo Dunk. Okay. Banjo Dunk here, still on vacation, and reporting to Toronto Mike headquarters from Cambodia this time. As a member of the Toronto Mike team, I'd like to welcome Aaron Davis to Mike's basement studio. Watch your head, Erin. Erin and I met many years ago through her husband, Rob Whitehead. Rob was a goalie in my pickup games for many years, and we became best friends very quickly, traveling the world with our skates and sticks. When I learned he was an

awesome bass player, I invited him to join Whiskey Jack and he played and sang with us for many years. We even did a bit of real estate together. Sadly, we never did get to perform with Erin, but we were honored to be invited to sing on one of her legendary Christmas shows on CHFI. She also emceed a couple of our shows. And the show with Erin that I remember best was a special collaboration between Whiskey Jack and the Gala String Quartet. We called it Box in the Saddle Again. Long hairs meet the no hairs. It was at the Eastminster United Church on the Danforth.

That's east of Yonge, Mike. You should check that area out sometime. Aaron, your return to this podcast, it's a very big deal. The audience will be huge. I really look forward to this podcast, it's a very big deal. The audience will be huge. I really look forward to listening to

your conversation with Mike. Might this even be the longest episode ever, Mike? Mike, you and Rob fly into

town for my next show at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville, Aaron. It's February 28th. It stars my

pal, the very talented Douglas John Cameron. Details at themoonshinecafe.com. Until next time. I think he's literally in a bunker or something. The sound's in that, right? Sounds like.

Oh, he does travel, and he does good work, too. He works with Habitat for Humanity and stuff. Duncan's a good guy. He's quirky as hell, but he's a wonderful guy, and he and Karen have been good friends to Rob and to me. Do you remember performing with them? Is that? Yeah, I emceed that one.

And I did do, they had a wonderful, wonderful vocalist with Arlene for many years. And she died a few years ago, ultimately of breast cancer. So those were some mighty big shoes to fill and I knew better than to do that. So of course I just, you know, encouraged Rob's fulfillment as an individual, as our wedding vows said, and just supported him in doing this all I could.

What a small world. Now there's a copy of My Good Times with Stompin' Tom by Duncan Fremlin for you to take with you. Thank you so much. Thank you. I appreciate that. It's funny how everybody's connected. It's such a small world.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. You never want to burn a bridge. That's for sure. Oh, now you tell me. I could use that advice last time you were here. But OK, so we got a Rob update. How is dad doing?

My dad, thanks for asking. He's, gosh, he's going to be 87 this year. Oh, good for him. Yeah, he's living in a residence in Kelowna, and he has a girlfriend, the girl next door. So convenient. Yeah, she's older. We call her a grave robber.

That's a good one. I know. That's great. They get along great. She couldn't be more different from my mom. My mom was much like me, very independent, very, come on, Donald, let's do this. But she's a sweet lady who just thinks the sun rises and falls with him,

and he reads to her every night. And it's just the disconcerting part, Mike, was when he told us right off the top that about three years after Mama died and he'd moved into this residence that he was seeing someone but he wanted us to know that there was no penetration that's the word he used dad i know it's like i never want to hear that again because you know he says we both have plumbing problems i can barely even get it out now i know isn't that cute though that at the age of in your 80s you will still be thinking it, even if you can't be doing it.

Well, you know, I always hear stories about, like, in homes like that, like, you would be careful to be, like, as, yes. And then it's like, oh, yeah, I forgot, like, old people do it, too. They sure do. And now that you can get the little blue pill, what's to stop anybody? Something to look forward to. Well, there you go. Yeah. So if Rob's listening, there's, look, there's hope.

You'd be knocking orthopedic shoes, Mike. There you go. Wow. Okay. And of course, how is your grandson Colin doing? Colin is fantastic. He's five years old. He's got a new baby sister. His mom, Brooke, gave birth to a gorgeous little girl September 30th last year. And Colin is just diving into the role of big brother. Now you have two children who, well, have gone on to have younger siblings. And what did you find? Was it like Damien from The Omen? Or were they really happy to see the little one?

Oh, no. My daughter, who's now 15, like she embraces this role like she was born to play it. Like she is the best big sister ever and that she's so nurturing and loving and she calls them her little munchkins.

Nice. She couldn't be better. And my son who just turned 18, also very good. Like I'm always surprised at how good he is with the three-year-old

because you wouldn't think the 18-year-old and the three-year-old, but they're very sweet together and he knows he's the big brother. But I mean, there's such a big gap.

They're not really, you know, although the five-year-old now is really into like pokemon and things like this and then my 18 year old is like telling him tales about like the pokemon days and like the early 2000s or whatever so it's sort of interesting to kind of but yeah everything's really good on that front oh colin's all about toy story and. And this is a story that's important to us because when Lauren, his mom, who passed away in 2015 and left Colin as a seven-month-old baby, when she was little, we took her to Toy Story 1, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3. And Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to our story because she was going off to school just like Andy was,

Andy Davis, I might add. And so it was, you know, Rob and I were there in the theater just pouring tears. Lauren's kind of like, oh, come on. But it was the perfect ending. And then when Toy Story 4 was coming out after Lauren had died, we went, uh-oh, do not go there. But Colin's parents said, yeah, go ahead.

When we begged to take him to see Toy Story 4, first time in the theater, and you know how big that is for a child. Then we got to take him again, and now it's all his toys are Toy Story. Well, not all of them. He's got the power, the Marvel characters and stuff. Yeah, the Avengers. Oh, yeah, yeah. But all about Toy Story. We must have watched Toy Story 4, or at least parts, yeah, yeah. But all about Toy Story.

We must have watched Toy Story 4, or at least parts of it, about eight times that I was there. It's the most beautiful connection through our daughter with him to Toy Story. Yeah. I've yet to see 4. It lives up to it. It's worth it. It's really worth it.

Today I learned that Andy's last name is Davis. I had no idea. There's some trivia for you. You got a friend in me. I do trivia every night when I put Jarvis to bed. Ask me something. And Morgan. I'll give them trivia. What do you call

a group of fish or something? School. You're good at this. That's pretty easy. What do you call a group of crows uh murder oh that's easy too aaron come on come on i was captain of my w5h team in grade eight that's going back a bit whoa and made the the villager which was the local like paper because the school that you were one of the village people too. See, I'm so old that I only had four Ws. There was only W4 when I was young.

Oh yeah, they added one. They did. They did as time went by. What? There's another question? Yeah, W5H. That's right. So, oh, okay.

So how is Aaron Davis? How are you doing? Better. Better. Pardon me. I just had a drink of water. I just flew in. Well, then I have to check and make sure it's water yes it is thank you and uh tomorrow the 30th will mark seven months of sobriety and i don't you know i only say that and i don't talk about it a lot i tweeted something

about it in december because i said you know i just marked six months today and i'm just saying if you know losing your only child isn't a good reason to get drunk off your face all the time, then maybe sobriety isn't impossible. And I just put it out there to let people know, you know what, if you think you've got a problem, you're not alone. And it happens to everybody or not to everybody, obviously, but it can happen to anybody. And I will never give advice, but I can give support and tell you what worked for me so that's that's how I'm doing I went last year I checked myself into rehab did that too and a lot of people thought oh it's going to be lovely you know fluffy pillows and uh and um nice

nice people in in white outfits it wasn't it was very difficult um didn't have my phone I could just start with that can we talk about not having a phone for seven weeks? Six weeks. I can't go seven hours. I know. I know. Can you go seven minutes? Right.

And lining up for meds at the end of the night and, you know, doing the cleaning and the scrubbing and all of that. But the important thing was that there were a lot of people there who were ready to help. thing was that there were a lot of people there who were ready to help anyone from a 17 year old who had died on the sidewalk and was brought back to, you know, people in their 70s with different addictions, gambling, sex, drugs, rock and roll wasn't in there. But you know, you can get addicted to anything. And I just thought I just need to stop drinking because this is hurting my brain and I need it. Um, you know, my, my pole dancing days are long over, so I got to use my mind. Erin, so much to unpack there. I know. Okay. So here's, here's how I'll set us up. Here's how

I'll set us up. Okay. I will let people know that you have been here before, even though there's no photo evidence of it, because that was before I had the, every guest takes a photo with me in the same spot rule. He only took picture of good looking people. No way. No, that's definitely not true. I'll show you a few of them. I know, radio, right? That couldn't be further from the truth.

Okay. But July 9th, 2014. Wow. In this 84th episode, Mike chats with Aaron Davis about getting fired and rehired by CHFI so that story's in there so I guess I want to read the description I wrote at the time

bring it so this is 2014 and if people want to do the deep dive because I do different types of episodes the deep dive this is your life Aaron Davis as to that point is in this episode so go dig this one up uh your classic blue jay songs because i love them i love them i love them oh thank you

and a non i guess do i love them ironically i don't think so i just think i love like how this innocent period in time when you could put out parody songs and we would all like kind of enjoy them and buy them it was for variety village right yes it was and we it was like uh like that couldn't today we're all too jaded and cynical like it would be it couldn't fly today but it did work in like the late 80s early 90s i gotta tell you mike i had one of those um that thing you do moments when i was grocery shopping and one of the songs came on in Loblaws and you just stop your cart and you go, that's me. I know.

That's how crazy. Do you remember which one? For the Blue Jays. I don't know, but I think it would have been, uh, out here having fun and our Blue Jays are number one. Yeah.

And you did three songs, right? Blue Jays be good for Johnny be good. Right. And I don't know. What was the third one? Oh crap. I didn't load them up because i'm like i'm not gonna play the jay songs this time it's in that episode but i remember i had two of them in that episode and rob mentioned because your husband was with you for that first episode yeah he was sitting i had another mic open for him and he said

there's a third you don't have it and i'm like i don't know the third and you sent it to me and i then shared it with the universe uh but there's three Aaron Davis and it was like the CHFI lights. Is that? Yeah, that instead of the shy lights, you know, have you seen her? But it was just it was it was actually our bandmates from a band called Generations. We played in a rock and roll tribute band. And the four, we called them the old guys, the front four who started at believe it or not, as a barbershop quartet. And then the rest of us who were all young and are still living, the front four have all passed on. Oh my goodness. Yeah.

So that was just a great time. And we got to sing the anthems at Blue Jays games. We went on cruises together. It was wonderful. Man, yeah. So that was an interesting time. And I try to share these pieces of audio. I just today was talking to Mike Willner because he's coming on for Valentine's Day he's my special

Valentine oh he's my Valentine you can't have him and I asked him I said will you bring me a rose and he says he might do that so stay tuned okay oh we met up in Seattle when I came down from Victoria to see the Jays during one of their home stands down there and Mike was just the sweetest guy and that's where I had a nice long hug and kiss with Jerry Howarth, who is just, he's been my angel. And last year, it was so funny. He had a book, I had a book, and we were both kind of back up and down, up and down with the bestseller nonfiction. And it was so fun offering each other encouragement. He's just the real deal. He's a lovely man. Have you had him in here? Yes, I have.

Good. He was wonderful. So Jerry Haworth, Mike Wilner, Aaron Davis all have something in common. You're all FOTMs, friends of Toronto Mike. Well, thank you. Where's the guy with Wilner? Oh, yeah. So I had him on once.

He's about to make his fifth appearance. I don't know. I can't give him a jacket because Mike Richards just made his fifth appearance and I didn't give him a jacket. So I can't give Wilner a jacket because Mike Richards just made his fifth appearance and I didn't give him a jacket. So I can't give Wilner a jacket. But I did at one point have him over just to play the old Blue Jay songs. And we listened to a lot of Aaron Davis on that. Well, thank you for that. I'm sorry for the torture. Now, what do you guys talk about on the fifth time? Do you talk about current

sports? Or what do you do? For the fifth time with Wilner, it's just before he goes to spring training. So we're you do? For the fifth time with Wilner, it's just before he goes to spring training. So we're going to set up the 2020 season. And basically it's like a, we'll do a little catch up on like what's going on in his life and stuff. But mainly it'll be about the 2020 Blue Jays. So very cool. And okay.

I've not even finished this description yet. Look at this. Sleeping with the boss. Yes. You slept with the boss. I did. And look where it got me. Yeah, my husband was my boss for a very short time in the mid-'80s.

Scandalous. Oh, yeah. And this is before or after he was known as Miles Long? Ah, before, because we were both working at the now-defunct radio station that was at 99.1 CKO. You gotta listen to talk, you gotta listen to talk. Well, turns out people didn't gotta listen to it. So, we met there, we got married, we left just after we married in February of 88, and then in 89 the station unplugged.

So there you go, and we were gone. And then Mike started work. Mike what? Rob started work. Whoa! Is that work. Mike what? Rob started work. Is that a Freudian slip? Oh, maybe. Could be showing. Is that for Mr. Cooper? He's my work husband. And still, we're desperately good friends, all three of us.

Oh, it could have been for me, maybe. It could have been. It's a Mike. There's a lot of us. Yeah, I've always loved a Mike, you know, as she sits here talking into one. So, yeah, in fact, we spent Christmas with Cooper. He came down to be with us for Christmas and we had our non-Christmas,

but we had a turkey dinner and spent a little time in Vegas, maybe. Okay. Yeah. Because ironically or coincidentally, the Miles Long moniker for Rob, and then it's going to be all about Aaron, don't worry. I don't care.

We can do the Rob show. Sure. Was because he was working with Bob McCowan. Right. And was he producing Bob McCowan? He sure was. So there's quite a fun, and I say it coincidentally because Bob tweeted today

he was on his way to Vegas. I know. And I know Rob's listening to this and he's, you know, as I said, he's sick in bed with a cold. We'll find out if I hear machines behind me when he calls tonight to see how I'm doing. But we're only a four hour drive. Palm Springs is only four hours from Vegas. It's just the wrong amount. Okay, so you live on the island. Where do you live? And you winter in Palm

Springs? I know, don't you hate that? That's a verb. But here it is. We moved out to Vancouver Island to Victoria. And a lot of people get confused. They hear Vancouver, don't hear the island. And they think you're living in this massive city on the mainland, which is beautiful, but not for us. So yeah, we live on the Saanich Peninsula near Victoria, about 20 minutes out of Victoria. In fact, Harry and Megan were walking the hills in the park near our neighborhood in our neighborhood we live in a place called dean park they were walking the streets christmas day with two dogs did you see them i wasn't there but my yoga instructor saw them and she struck up a conversation

when i was very young there was exciting news that matt dylan was filming a movie nearby and he was just hanging out in the local park. I don't know why that thought came to me. Matt Dillon's probably not as exciting to people as royalty. I should say so. Oh my. To me, it's more exciting. Okay.

So that's home for us. And then last year we spent some months down in California and said, yep, we like this. And then we decided to make a home there. Good for you. Okay. Good home there. Good for you. Okay, good for you. Good for you. Because it's cold here today.

It is, but the sky is blue. And I want to see a cardinal or a blue jay before I go home because we get neither of those. Neither on the island. I didn't know that. No, we have stellar jays in BC, but no blue jays. And we have no cardinals. We have hummingbirds year-round.

Okay, well, we got those, too. That's not exciting to me, but is there any other silly... Not year-round, you don't. Maybe you're right. Is there any other things like that that bring to mind that's different? Obviously, other than weather and mountains and ocean. Killer whales. Yeah, other than ocean stuff.

In the harbor, yeah. The time zone. It's really weird waking up in the morning and Toronto and the stock markets and everything, they're all on their way. You know, you could have missed a couple of hours of impeachment hearing just getting a few hours of sleep. So it is, it's different.

And I'm afraid that I missed one phone appointment this week because I was in Ottawa and I had booked it in my calendar and, you know, that three hours difference. Wrong time zone. Other than that, I hate being this far from friends. That's the hard part but luckily we live in parts of the world where people want to come and visit.

So yay us. For sure. You haven't been out. I heard you were on the island last year. I know I was like this close to you. I was in victoria last august we could have put up the whole family yeah i don't now you tell me again right it's too late but i'm gonna be careful though i might show up at your door in august 2020 moved no you said there i just said it for the podcast mike absolutely it's not one of those showbiz things i don't say

stuff oh i gotta finish this description okay so sleeping with the boss did i mention sleeping it for the podcast Mike. No absolutely. It's not one of those showbiz things. I don't say stuff. Oh I gotta finish this description. Okay so Sleeping with the Boss. Did I mention Sleeping with the Boss? And Lessons Learned Along the Way. That episode was a hundred and hundred. It was an hour and six minutes and that is a date I'm pretty sure that predates any sponsorship

of this program. I think so. I had to pay you. Sad. But that was great. I had to pay you. Sad. But that was great. I brought a few cans of food. Anything helps. You know, maybe you could.

You should do that when people are doing a podcast for you. Tell them to bring donations for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Oh, I thought you were going to say for me and my family. No, I wouldn't.

You know, the Daily Bread Food Bank, see, I'm not a broadcaster. It's okay. You're fine. It's very close to here, like the headquarters for Toronto. It's very close to here. That's a good idea.

I like that. Okay. Now, okay. All right. So we recorded in July 2014, and I remember we were talking about your daughter, Lauren, and she was on the radio in Ottawa. Yeah. And you were very proud, of course.

And she was doing it for Bell Media Station. She was, yeah. And you're, of course, Ms. Rogers. Yeah, right. And great pride, you and Rob, of course, your only child. Now, again, if you're uncomfortable, just tap your head or whatever. This is my life. But a lot has happened, like an incredible amount has happened in your life

since you visited in July 2014. So would you mind sharing with us what happened in May 2015? Yeah, and you know, Mike, it's quite amazing when you said July 2014. The first thing that comes to my mind, and I've talked to Rob about this too, And you know, Mike, it's quite amazing when you said July 2014. The first thing that comes to my mind, and I've talked to Rob about this too, is we go, oh, we had a daughter then. Your whole world is split between the moment that changed everything, and that was May 11, 2015. I was in Jamaica doing a broadcast, a breakfast broadcast, and it was about 10 to 6.

And Rob was called out to the lobby because someone wanted to talk to him, and it turned out it was Phil's stepmom, Phil being Lauren's husband of just over a year, to tell Rob that Lauren had died in her sleep. She hadn't awakened. That was Monday. The previous day was Mother's Day her first and my last and that day May 11th Colin turned seven months old and and that's when the whole world changed her heart just stopped in her sleep and the baby was crying and Lauren didn't awaken and Phil couldn't awaken her she was gone for I know I have seen you since. So I've seen you since.

And I said it then, but again, I'm so sorry. My condolences. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, I can imagine that life completely changes forever in that moment. And Rob gets this phone call. Yeah. I can't even imagine what Rob, when he's hearing it,

like, I can't even imagine. I can't imagine. I hope I never have to find out what that feels like. I do too. With all my heart, I do. And then he needs to tell you, and you're in Jamaica and you're receiving this news, and I'll be honest i'm

surprised you didn't uh find an open bar at that moment you know what i was sober at that time for 10 years and the sobriety continued until i stopped radio that's another element to the story but so many elements to the story yeah um yeah I went out to the lobby because Rob had been gone about 10 minutes and the show was to start at 6 and he was always my right hand along with our very capable and wonderful producers on site. But he kind of went back into producer role for me because, you know, you're missing everything when you're in another country. So I said, where's Rob? And I got up and walked out to the lobby, a dark, quiet lobby where all you could hear were the tree frogs. And it was damp and the floors were damp from the overnight dew. And he was sitting in this bench right across from the front desk where there were two people there with their heads down.

And our promotions director with us at the time, Jackie, and she's still with Rogers. She's just a gem. I love her like a daughter. She had tears streaming down her face and her mouth was open. And I said to Rob, what is it? What is it? And he was slumped over and he said, it's Lauren. No. And I started naming people I thought might be ill or something. Is it my dad? Is it Phil's dad's dad he said it's lauren she died in her sleep and um i i i in writing the book i had to ask rob what my reaction was because i couldn't remember right our memories our minds are very good at that and he he says that i shouted out no and then sat down next to him and put my head down um and then the people at the hotel had a little room just off the front desk where they keep the luggage when you're going to play all day. And they had opened it up so we could go in there.

But I didn't want to go anywhere. And I certainly didn't want to make any kind of a scene in the lobby because that's, you know, it's showbiz, right? That's the thing that goes when it's so much in your blood, you just, you know, always put on the best face. And so we dried our eyes and walked into the, into the ballroom. And I walked past all these people with their mugs raised and because everybody would come to these live breakfast broadcasts, bless their hearts. And, um, I said to Ian, our producer who had known Lauren, he was at her, he was at her christening and he said, I said, well, Lauren's died. And he told me to F off. He said, don't even kid about something like that.

And then I went around the desk and I said to Mike that Lauren's died. And he, he said what everybody else through the day said, which was what? And then I sat down ready to do the show. Wow. I know it's just, it's so insane. But you know what it is, Mike? When everything in your world has suddenly just shattered, you hold on to the thing that's, you know, you get under the table in an earthquake, right? You hold on to what is not moving. And to me, radio was always the place where the world made sense. So if I was going to sit down and do the show,

we were going to get through this. But of course, that was insane because Lauren working for 580 CFRA in Ottawa, they broadcast it first. And then it got all over the wires. And I remember going back to the hotel room right away because, you know, everybody said, no, no, we'll, we'll figure this out. And they brought in Daryl Henry right away to come and do the show from Toronto and they said it was technical difficulties, which had happened to us before on remote. So, and I remember having to get in touch with my girlfriend, Lisa, who also knew Lauren as a baby and had mentored her and Lisa Brandt in London. And I had to tell her because she was going to see it on the wire

and I couldn't let that happen. Right, we're in an age of Twitter. It would be everywhere instantly. My goodness. Now it's interesting. I once read that like, if you're going through something traumatic, like something like to brush your teeth, like I read this once cause they said, brush your teeth because it's like muscle memory and somehow it'll kind of ground you and, uh, calm you was some that's an interesting thing that's not insane but it's almost like that brushing your teeth for you we're sitting down to do a show we're sitting down to do a show yeah it's almost like that's how you could everything's collapsing around you

but you can ground yourself it's almost like the muscle memory will kick in because you're a let's face it you're a natural born broadcaster and you, you have the show must go on mentality. And there were people sitting there, like it's not only the people at home listening, but the people sitting there, you know, sleepy eyed on the first full day of their vacation. Um, and, and on the worst day of your life, you're probably thinking you don't want to let anybody down. Probably. My goodness, Erin, I didn't know you uh it's insane it's insane but you know what there will be a lot of people who will tell you the stories of what they did that sounded insane in the in the very worst moments of their life oh yeah no please no judge

no judgment i hope it doesn't come across like that i'm just uh yeah it's uh aaron davis is a human being i have a news flash for you you're a human being. I have a newsflash for you. You're a human being. So you returned home. That same day. Yeah, they got us on WestJet right away. And they were so kind. Mike, you remember the kindness of people. Not so much the RCMP guy who wanted to know why we were supposed to be away for a week

and we're coming back like two days later. But we told him and couldn't believe the words coming out of our mouths. And they still searched the luggage anyway, which is completely understandable. But the kindness of the flight attendant who said, you know, we've got curtains up front here if you want to just come and, you know, and we said, no,

we just sat there with tears just streaming down our hands and down our elbows, you know, looking out the window and wondering what on earth had happened to our lives. Do we know what happened to Lauren? Like, do we know medically? No. And thank you for asking. I will, as long as I live, beg people. Well, it's not going to be that long because I don't think the drug is going to be available.

They just can't. They can't keep prescribing it. It's called Domperidone, but it's known as Motilium. And I can't, the coroner couldn't 100% connect it to Lauren's death, but he was trying, trying, trying, because he was almost certain. It's a drug that is banned in the UK. No, banned in the US, prescribed with caution in the UK. But it's like, I can guarantee you right now across Canada, there are doctors writing prescriptions for mothers who are having trouble producing breast milk. Okay. So this, this drug is supposed to help a mother produce breast milk. Yeah. Yeah.

Oops. Sorry. I moved the chair. Um, and, uh, and it's supposed to be the, the minimum dosage for the minimum amount of time. And the last time she re-upped her prescription, the pharmacist said, wow, that's a lot. And I don't know how much Lauren was taking, but she hadn't had her heart tested. And her father has a very slow heart rate. And this drug, what it does, if you have a heart problem, again, I will say that as a codicil or whatever, it jumps in between the heartbeats and can stop it. So that's what it does. And that's what we believe happened in Lauren's case. But I just want anyone listening who knows someone who's breastfeeding or is breastfeeding, just make sure your heart is healthy because she did done anything.

She did do anything. She died, I think, trying to feed her baby and didn't want to go formula because she felt shamed enough that she'd had a cesarean. Oh my God. The shaming of mothers. Oh God. and didn't want to go formula because she felt shamed enough that she'd had a cesarean. Oh, my God. The shaming of mothers. Oh, God. Fed is best. Fed is, I hear this often from my sister-in-law,

like says fed is best all the time. Okay. Now, the, okay, so the coroner thinks it's this, but couldn't put it in writing, I suppose, or some kind of like. Just couldn't, no, he just couldn't make the definite association. They had tissue samples. They just tried everything. And another friend of ours who's a coroner said it was a slam dunk.

Absolutely. But it's just, you know, the breastfeeding lobby is so strong. You know, I remember tweeting about it. And thank God, Today's Parent did an article about it. Go it and thank God Today's Parent did an article about it. Go on and look for Today's Parent Domperidone. Is it the miracle drug or whatever? Just and read that. And this one woman, and I even know where she works because it was in her Twitter handle, but she said, LOL, it only kills old people. And I'm like, if you can put an LOL in something about the death of a 24 yearyear-old girl who was so healthy,

but they're absolutely adamant that they know best because they took it and nothing happened to them. Wow. It's like a 90-year-old smoker saying, how can smoking be bad? I've been smoking all my life. You know, whatever. It's a rather small sample size. Yeah, it is. I'm sorry, there are some idiots out there.

And there are. There are. There are. And they all have Twitter. That's why we have the mute button. Yeah, I don't use it enough though, Mike. I take it all in. And that's just insane.

You know, for years I didn't. For years I thought like, oh, you can't mute. And then at some point I realized, and it was only about a couple years ago, I realized that because I was getting shots for stupid stuff and and I realized, like, life is too short. We're all trying to be our best selves and move forward, and these unknown anonymous people are going to drag you down? Like, they don't get that right. Well, listen to this.

It's a guy who was an ad exec, an absolute genius named Zig Ziglar. He said, don't mind the critics. The bite they take out of you may be the only taste of success they ever have. Right. Isn't that great? It's great. I wish I ever remembered. So my advice to you, your advice is excellent. So any, anyone listening to us who knows somebody or is taking this drug, say the drug. I didn't, I almost want you to spell it. It sounds like Domperignon. Yeah, it does. It's Domperignon, D-O-M-P-E-R-I-D-O-N-E, but it's better known as Motilium.

Get your heart checked. Yeah, just make sure your heartbeat is normal. And if you feel any fluctuations or anything once you start taking it, please, please, please see your doctor. And I've heard from mothers who said, I noticed something and I thought of Lauren and I stopped taking it. And that's all I can do is maybe help a baby grow up with his mom. Now, Colin has a wonderful mother now and things have really worked out beautifully for him. And we're all just trying to make the

best of everything that we can. Now, I have a friend who sadly, so basically when my friend's son was less than a year old, my friend's wife, the mother of this one-year-old, got lung cancer, never smoked a cigarette in her life, by the way. She was 29 years old and she died of lung cancer very quickly, very quickly. And then my friend remarried somebody. And yes, Colleen is mom to gabriel even though and but they always very from the beginning they would tell gabriel like they would tell him like your mommy your mommy is heaven or is and this is your mommy and but i'm your mommy too like it was sort of they were always like very uh like so so like, is Colin aware of Lauren? No, that's not a decision we've had yet or a discussion we've had.

And it's not our decision to make, Rob's and mine. What age was Gabrielle told? You're right. I don't want to put a number on this because I'm not sure, but it may not have, you're right. Cause your, your grandson's only five, right? He's five. And, and we trust them.

We trust them. I mean, his dad, when Lauren died, he just leapt in. And it was his whole shattered life was taking care of this little boy. And their house had a horrific flood. He was in a hotel room for like months. I want to say two or three months. I can't even remember. It was hell. Just him and this baby.

And of course, we'd go to Ottawa whenever we could. And he had a small network of support, but I, I, I will never stop giving Phil so much credit for the way that, that he stepped up and then Brooke coming into his life and stuff. And, um, I, I know they don't love me talking about them anymore. And it, you know, it was in the book and last year was a lot of that in the book tour and stuff. But it's just, it's in, it's in the greatest of respect

for both of them. Really, truly. And Phil has a great radio show, by the way, a podcast. Can I give him a plug? Oh my God,

of course. It's called The Album Drop and it's on every, let's see, this is, it's every Tuesday afternoon and he interviews and talks about bands

that basically haven't even been made yet. That's how new the music is. Oh, wow. It's really cool. He's very, very good. Oh, yeah. Because he met Lauren at the station, right? So he's broadcasting.

They met at Algonquin. They were going to Algonquin. And then they were both working at 580 CFRA. And Phil was a producer, just like Lauren's dad. But he also, he loves music. And so he does this podcast. Oh, very good, very good. So people should give that a listen.

Lauren, 24 years old and otherwise healthy, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, she gave up everything when she was pregnant. She was so healthy and just her life was about that baby. I was lucky enough to, you invited me to the memorial and I attended it and it was beautiful and it was,

I mean, it was like there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was the saddest thing but it was beautiful as well and you made a very eloquent speech about how she was always in a hurry. Like I remember this so distinctly

and how well you spoke about how she did everything like as if she was in a hurry almost as if she somehow knew maybe somehow that she didn't have you know you know 90 years to do all these things yeah well thank you for remembering that it was I never forgot like it was just and it was like as you explained the thing she did earlier like like and you and Rob would be like you know know, there's no rush, slow down. Why can't you wait? Why can't you wait?

Why can't you wait? Right. And it's almost like she, because at 23, most people haven't got married and had a child yet. I mean, 23, 26, I'm sorry. No, she was 23 when she married and had a child. You're right. Yeah. Yeah.

So it's, I just thought it was a beautiful service. Thank you. Yeah, we did it at Kerner Hall. I wanted to, you know, you know how hard it is to find a place to do anything in May in Toronto with weddings and graduations and everything else. So Kerner Hall it was. And we had the beautiful David Warwick with whom I'd done Cinderella in the panto. Oh, the Ross Petty. Yeah. He played the piano, and we had the lead singer from Lighthouse, Dan Clancy, who sang, and we did Billy Joel's Lullaby with some reworked lyrics, and Beatles, Golden Slumbers,

and Carrie that, well, not Carrie that way, but Golden Slumbers. So there was a lot of musical moments to it, and A.V., because that's how rob and i paid tribute to her was through all that and of course we've just done her wedding not two years earlier yeah so it's a it's a heavy one some some episodes of trono mike they're all fun and games and then

sometimes it gets real but that's that is real talk that's life it's life and that's what my keynote speech is about too i mean i'll start start off with a joke just so people know, all right, it's not going to be all about, oh, my God, this woman lost her daughter. And I never want anyone to say, oh, would you shut up about that, please? You know, like they do with Meghan McCain on The View and my dad's John McCain, all that kind of stuff.

I really am, I'm very conscious about that. But there's a lot to learn from this whole experience. And that was what the book was about, about talking about loss, talking about death, picking up from the worst possible thing that can happen to you and finding joy in every day, seeing the blue sky and being grateful and spending time with you and reasons to laugh and knowing it's okay. Am I talking too much here, Mike? Oh my God, not enough. Are you kidding? I think I might be talking too much. So let's talk about your work husband for a moment here. So Mike Cooper. Yes. So at this time, when you, so how much time did

you take off work? One month to the day. Uh, she died May 11th. I was back on June 11th. And that was your, I'm guessing cause because you have great employers, that this was your decision. You wanted to come back? Yeah, it could have been as long as I needed. And how rare is that? Oh my gosh. On a day when everyone is saying, you know, let's talk about mental health,

let's talk about being allowed to grieve more than three days when you lose a parent. It's just, it's not right. We are better than that. And that's Bell too. But I don't know what Roger's policy is because I never had to push and ask. I was, they were so, so good to me. Julie Adam, again, total props to her. And, uh, and just everybody kind of wrapped their arms around me

and said, we'll be here until you're ready to get back. And so I was ready. I needed that rock. I needed the, I needed a reason to brush your teeth. I did. And I needed to laugh. I needed the, I needed a reason to get up in the morning. You needed to brush your teeth. I did. And I needed to laugh. And eventually it felt less and less like, you know, running out of oxygen or air in your, in your scuba tanks. It just, it got lighter and lighter. Like for the first week or two or three, Mike, I would come home and just collapse on the couch or just, just try and, and cause I'd used all the strength I possibly had to get through those four hours.

But how lucky I was to be surrounded by so much kindness and love and laughter. And I get the impression that you're very close with Mike. Yeah, we are. So, I mean, that makes it easier because you're kind of going to spend time with somebody who makes you feel good. Yes, and our producers, Ian and Gord, they just, they had my back all the time. And really, you know, I was talking with somebody about chemistry, what chemistry is in a radio show. And so much of that is trust. And it's having your back. And when you know that someone's there for you, if you screw up, if you're, if you're an idiot, if you break down, they've got you. And that trust is where the chemistry comes from and the love. So let's talk about, let's fast forward a little bit to January 2016. Yeah. So Mike retired to spend time with his wife?

Yes, yes. All the time that we were going through with Lauren, there's Debbie, his wife, his tender morsel of passion fruit, as he calls her, childhood sweetheart, together 50 years, and she was battling stage four. Which cancer? Why is this out of my head now? Oh, I'm just, I'm so, I'm overwhelmed right now, and so my brain has kind of just gone off on vacation.

She was very sick. Oh, she was. Stage four cancer and colon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Get my head out of mine. And she was the healthiest sick person you ever met.

This woman was so positive, so loving, so positive. And I said positive again that's how positive she was talking about lauren like that i'm sorry it's just um it's like when i spoke with ralph ben murgy which you produced i went into a funk um because i don't i don't dig into that i couldn't tell by the way for what it's worth i know i hover around it i hover above it and then when i have to land and walk through the wasteland. Well, can I be honest with you? I was worried. Not worried.

No. I was anxious on some level about this episode because I was really looking forward to catching up with you. And then I realized, like so much had changed with you, but I realized it didn't change. Like a lot of things are devastating things happened to you since you were last on. Yeah. And I know you've written a book, which fantastic. And we're going to talk more about that. Number one bestseller. Thank you very much. And I know you've written a book, which is fantastic, and we're going to talk more about that.

Number one bestseller. Thank you very much. And remind us the title of this book. Mourning, M-O-U-R. Mourning Has Broken. And I didn't write a book to make money off my daughter's death. Somebody actually emailed me and said that.

Really? Do they know? I had this chat with Stephen Brunt, and Stephen Brunt says, there's only one way you might make a dollar on a book in Canada. He said, you have to write about hockey hockey and it has to be out for Christmas. That's what he told me.

Well, let's say the house in Palm Springs is not thanks to book sales. But it was an extraordinary exercise in love and support from the people who were there with me. But I'll just tell you right now, there's a pain going up my arm, across my shoulders. And that's me. My body is telling me this hurts, this hurts, this hurts. But I don just tell you right now, there's a pain going up my arm, across my shoulders. And that's me. My body is telling me this hurts, this hurts, this hurts. But I don't let myself. So I'm back. I've got my breath now.

And I can talk about Debbie. You mentioned it's a Let's Talk Day. And regardless, if it wasn't Let's Talk Day, we'd still talk about this. So I don't want to pretend. That's a coincidence, okay? It is. But I'm glad you kind of talk about this because i don't want to pretend that's a coincidence okay it is but uh i'm glad you kind of talk about this because you suffered a great loss and then then i want to ask i guess

what i'm curious about is the mike cooper retirement yeah that was it how does that hit you like i know you're gonna be very kind because this was uh his wife was sick who he loved you want to spend time with her yeah she passed away a year ago last october debbie was so fantastic mike if you're listening i I'm sorry to hear this. I listen to Cooper on CFTR. I go way back with Cooper. Sure, sure. It was a loss.

And that was one of the other nails in the proverbial coffin, if you will, for us leaving Toronto. Because with Mike gone, sure, a new partner was brought in, Darren B. Lamb. But he had his own way of doing things, and he's a very different kind of cat from Mike. And I talk about the trust. It's the dance steps, and I just didn't have it in me. The way I'm feeling right now was how I felt every morning, this numbness and the pain and the smiles on a let let's do the show. Um, I just couldn't do it. I couldn't learn new dance steps. I didn't have it

in me to teach new dance steps. The trust wasn't there and he's doing great with Mo now. And it's just fantastic. I'm so glad that she's gotten a chance to really shine and show everybody what she's made of on CHFI. So's great but by december i just said you know what it's time it's time know when to leave the party as the designer bill blast said probably just before he died but anyway who knows okay so just to get the timelines right so cooper leaves january 2016 cooper retires yeah uh darren b. Lamb, he had left Roger, wait, who was there? Roger Ashby and Marilyn Dennis and Darren B. Lamb.

And Darren slides over to CHFI. Yeah. Now again, I've never met Darren, but this has nothing to do with Darren. No disrespect to Darren ever intended here, except that chemistry

is an interesting thing, right? Like clearly you had this comfort level and this love and trust with Mike Cooper. darren b lamb is not mike cooper like that's just a fact so sure there is no other mike cooper he is he is one of a kind and uh and and the fact that mike and debbie and rob and i just loved each other so much and and we just unfortunately darren and i just didn't get a chance to establish that trust. There wasn't that openness or, you know, just, it, it just wasn't there. So, so you decided, I guess you and Rob, I guess, decided that you were going to leave

Toronto. Yeah. So do you mind sharing with us, and this sounds like there's a lot of factors but maybe the the soup or the soup of that it's a big move it is it is huge um i i left chfi early uh they were very kind to let me out of my contract uh we had to sell the dream home that we had built um on lake simcoe uh before all the dreams vanished everything that we'd hoped for and then we had a little condo downtown, which I sold to Cooper. And the bugger tells me how much money he made on selling it last year. Mike, I don't need to know that because I didn't make a profit on it. We didn't want it. We just wanted to say, hey, here, take this.

Anyway, so it was that. It was leaving. If I couldn't be on the radio in Toronto, I couldn't be in Toronto because the two were so closely intertwined for me. And, and the city was just filled with too much sadness, so much of Lauren and everyone had moved on. But us is, is the way I describe it. You know, Phil and Brooke had started their lives together in Ottawa and they'd been in Ottawa all along, but it was just like, no, you guys need room to, to build what you've got going there, your new life. And it just, there was just, we had to go and I needed to go to someplace different to heal, Mike.

So help us understand why you chose British Columbia. Well, you ever go on vacation and you're sitting on the beach? Actually, you were in BC last summer. So you know what I'm talking about. Say you're on a beach in the Bahamas or Jamaica or wherever, and you're sitting there and you're having your little drink under the umbrella with the umbrella in it and saying, you know what? I could live here. I'd have to sell everything. I'd probably start up a moped dealership. I don't know, but I could do this. everything. I'd probably start up a moped dealership. I don't know, but I could do this. Well, that occurred to us at the darkest time in our lives in the summer of 2015, just after Lauren had died. We went and visited my aunt and uncle in Victoria and we're there and I'm looking at the ocean and the mountains and I'm going, we could live here. And Rob said, you know what?

We could. So that's when the wheels started turning toward it because I'm born in the West. I'm born in Edmonton and mountains are in my DNA. So, okay. But once you and Rob decide you could live there, there's that, the other part of it is that, and I don't, I haven't seen your T4 slips or anything, but you had a very lucrative job. I'm, they weren't, you know,

that was before they stopped paying the big bucks for the great morning show talent, right? I'm guessing a lot of stuff, but you'll tell me if I'm wrong. I'll tell you if I'm wrong, if you're wrong. they stopped paying the big bucks for the uh the great morning show talent right i'm a guess i'm guessing a lot of stuff but you'll tell me if i'm wrong i'll tell you if i'm wrong if you're wrong so you you had to am i right that you you quit a very lucrative like very rare like it's a kind of there's not a lot of gigs like that oh i know like how tough is that decision though that you're i mean and i know i mean you're talking to a guy actually i wish i was more motivated by money to be honest it's almost says the guy wearing the jaws t-shirt it where is that from when did you get it no i actually

tell me it wasn't in 77 no it wasn't in 77 okay it was because uh gourd downey was wearing this shirt during his uh i'm looking at him now that That's why I'm looking, because Gord's right there. On his farewell tour in, was that 2016? Well, he had, he was dying of cancer and he was wearing this shirt and I never heard him explain why he wore the shirt,

but I would see him. I saw him in Toronto, but I would see him wearing the shirt because I would watch the footage come in as he went across the country to Kingston, right? And then I always, the picture,

I love the movie, first of all. That's an aside though. But like there's this kind kind of there's this ocean and you see this young woman swimming here and then the shark is kind of underneath and it seemed to symbolize something like the shark's cancer maybe and then gourd's it just I just I was kind of like there was a my maybe it's because I was an English major at U of T and you're supposed to like you know dissect things till it means nothing or whatever. But I had to have this t-shirt. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.

That's much cooler than a Finding Nemo shirt. That's Ellen. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So where were we before I totally derailed you with the Jaws t-shirt? Oh, I was asking you very rudely. How could you walk away from the morning show gig? You were also, let me pat you on the back a bit here that uh i see a little bit of these ppm ratings

and the books come in i see a little bit yeah and you you were kicking ass in your targeted demographic right you could do a little do a little gloating or whatever like you were doing well i was you know what we we had the best audience. And a radio station that promoted us and wasn't afraid to do good TV commercials and billboards and everything else. We were so lucky. I've been, I've had a lot of luck. I've worked, worked myself into the bottom of a Pinot Grigio bottle. So the work and the drinking was combined, the stress. But, but, but i was extremely lucky too

and uh anybody who didn't like me said yeah you were anyway so because because my yeah i'm getting to the relapse next yes i need to talk about that but i need the money part yeah you you basically like i guess do you sit down with your accountant no rob rob rob's the we looked at it and and you know what i also sat down with my shrink, a very, very good psychiatrist. And I said, I think we found the house that we really need and want to have in order to, like it overlooks the Harrow Strait and the mountains in Washington. And it's just gorgeous. And there's deer in there sometimes.

Deer in the backyard. Yeah. And hummingbirds and bunnies. And it's just, it's like, I don't know, one mouse away from a Disney movie. But I said, we found this house. And he said to me, you know what? A year can be a very long time, which is, that's obvious. Yes, and there's 60 minutes in an hour.

But he was right. And we just said, nope, we got to go. So you announced this in November 2016. Yes. The morning that Trump's election was announced. Oh, wow. Sorry. That's okay.

I know that I... The election was the night before. Oh, that's funny. Oh, wow. And I said to our PR folks, because they were doing it sort of Rogers-wide. It was going to be BT, all this. Yeah, sure. And I said, the election's Monday night. Should we maybe make it another

morning? And they said, no, because everybody thought Hillary, right? But even if it is Hillary, still you'd think they might move it one day just to talk about the first woman president. Well, yeah, but it wasn't, you know, I'm over myself and I think, okay, not that big a deal, but oh my God. Wow. Yeah. What a what a time those two things intertwined and so it was that following Friday that I started drinking and I was I was personally as just a guy who observes Toronto radio stuff I was surprised that you didn't leave after Christmas because I know CHFI is known for its uh Christmas music this is the big thing oh yeah and it's huge

for them right um because you were gone i don't know mid-december yeah december 8th or 9th or something like that it just i don't remember exactly mike but it made sense and uh it meant i didn't have to go through another december of christmas music because i found it very very hard oh because of memories oh god yeah i mean i did a christmas eve show christmas eve at aaron's and this time i will i will brag one time that the ratings were taken 50 of all radios that were on in the dta were listening to that show that's impossible it's like mash stuff that's impossible it was such a wonderful tradition we'd have everybody in and do the show and and it was just oh it was so magical

six to midnight christmas eve and lauren of course, grew up before listeners' ears on this show. So it ended right after she died, of course. And then the next year was just bye-bye. Man. Yeah. So what is it like now, just to go off and come back? What's Christmas like in 2019, for example? It's getting a little better.

This was the first year, because Cooper was with us. It was Aaron and Mike and Rob and we just, Rob loves to make a turkey for any occasion so we had a turkey. We were in Vegas until Christmas Eve then drove home that day and did nothing. We watched

I think we watched Rocket Man. I'm not sure. Great Christmas movie. Why not? Stay up into Christmas. That wasn't in the Man. I'm not sure. Great Christmas movie. Why not? Good music? Yeah, stay up into Christmas. That wasn't in the movie. I'm glad.

But yeah, and then Christmas morning, we surprised Mike with a few presents because we wanted him to have some things. So, you know, shirts and stuff, fun stuff. And Rob and I exchanged presents for the first time. And I think this Christmas, we may go to Ottawa to be with our grandchildren. Oh, that'll be nice. That'll be the first time that we've done it in a long time.

Wow. Okay. So when you leave and you move out west, any buyer's remorse or were you okay right away with this huge change? It just seems like such a radical, a lot of things happen. Big changes happen. Well, Lauren being the biggest one, of course of things happen, big changes happen. Yeah. Well, Lauren being the biggest one,

of course, Lauren passes and then Mike Cooper retires. And then you, you, and by the way, what's the terminology here? Did you retire? Like what?

I call it rewirement. And, um, I guess technically Mike isn't retired because Saturday nights, he still does Coop's classics, which is kind of a ratings behemoth on CHFI. Yeah, six to midnight. He just scaled down. On Saturdays. Yeah, yeah, he did. And so he still really keeps his toes in the water in that way. What happened? Once again, here's

radio saving my life. I get out there and I'm all at odds and ends. I got no purpose. I've got no friends. I wasn't saying what have I done? But it's like, what am I going to do? And Ocean 98.5, which is a Rogers joint there in Victoria, run by the wonderful Susan Knight, program director there, they lost their midday host and they said, can't you come in for a few months? And I said, sure. So we rigged it up so I could do the show from home, which was fantastic. Anytime you can work in your PJs without being Hugh Hefner, it's great. So I did that and it turned out to be nine months. And so, yeah, it was great. And you know what it made me do, Mike? It made me get to know the names of the Victoria streets, the names of the areas around, so I didn't screw them up and sound like the new kid. And if I did,

I'd just laugh. So again, there's radio saving my life so it was it was a blessing and then of course writing the book as soon as i announced i was leaving and then december 2016 harper collins approached me and said we think you've got a book in you because i never would have written a book and put it out there but i they're right because well it turns out they were right but you you have been again you've been blogging since 2000 and i don't know two or three okay yeah we had this argument last time because i started in 2002 and then so and then you stole it from me so i stole it from jan arden jan arden she was my inspiration and she still is she's the og okay honestly but you you have a a loyal following because you still you still journal uh i don't know if we call them blogs anymore but you still call them whatever you want twice a week now i had

to cut back. After I came out of rehab, I just thought enough is enough. And I love writing and there's so many days I go, oh, I should write a blog. But I do it Monday and Thursday. This week I did one on Wednesday as well because of Let's Talk. So it's my thing. So you have been writing.

Oh gosh, yeah. And these are not just like hammered out, you know, on an iPhone thing or whatever. Like these are well composed and you got quotes and inspirational messages. And Rob will do the final edit for me and then he uploads it. Wow.

So yeah, we're a team. So I'm not surprised you had a book in you because you're a storyteller. Thank you. I love, I love stories. I love being told stories.

I love telling stories. There, there's supposed to be another book, I think, but now it's just a matter of what, because I'd love to talk about, you know, someone called it the morning after,

which is such a great title because it's recovering, coming out of mourning, living your life and the morning after as in hungover. So it's got, I love my double entendres. Yes. Okay. Let's talk about that.

I feel like these, you know, Eminem has these albums like Relapse, Recovery. Anyways, I was like, let's do, let's talk about the Relapse here.

Cause you were very open and honest with us the first time you came on Toronto Mike talking about battles of alcoholism in the past. This is 2014 or whatever we recorded. Tell us again, when do you start drinking again? Well, it's, it is funny. I had 10 years sobriety. And I'd just done it all on my own because, you know, I can do that.

I'm strong. And then survived Lauren's dying. And then at the end of 2016, I was on a flight. That Tuesday, I had announced my leaving. And Trump had been elected. And I just, I couldn't. And then I was on a flight. Rob and I had planned a vacation, and I had a Virgin Caesar, and I asked for another, and it had vodka in it.

And I went, oh, hey. By accident. Well, yeah, but it wasn't like Barney on The Simpsons where he's sober and then all of a sudden he's like, hey, Homer. No, it wasn't like that. I consciously chose because I'd had alcohol on my lips before, you know, at different events where you pretend to be toasting and stuff. It wasn't that. It wasn't like if I have a sip of alcohol, I'm gone. I just decided to wait a minute. I don't have a job anymore. I don't have people to answer to. I can get up at 11 in the morning if I want. And my life is very sad.

So why not? So I decided to see. Nobody would judge you for drinking? Right. If not now, when? Right. So I decided to see if I have an off switch. Guess what?

Spoiler alert. Okay. Are you on the air at Ocean at this time? Like you're just sort of managing both? Oh, yeah. I mean, I was an evening drinker. I would have my bottle of wine and, you know, wake up early in the morning going,

what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this? Why are you poisoning your brain like this? You know better. You know this. But the show at Ocean was pre-taped. I loaded it in, sent it away and then if something happened on the malahat or there was you know a celebrity death or whatever i would

just jump into the studio and re-record a break and in theory it was so i could do shows and go about my life there was this wasn't supposed to tie me down it was something i was supposed to do for a favor for ocean which was actually a favor for me. But it kept me in the house. So I was managing, and I was always a very, and I know some people hate the term high-functioning alcoholic, but I was. Right.

I was. And you weren't the kind of drunk who is going to be late for things. No. Right? No. Appearances and performance first, always. But Rob must see this, right? You're not hiding this from Rob.

No, I wasn't. He didn't know how much I was drinking. He didn't know when I was drinking an ice beverage that maybe I had poured some vodka in it in the kitchen when we were watching TV. I guess I had it from him. But I'm not going to speak for Rob, but considering what you've been through,

he might understand a little. He was grateful. He was grateful that I was drinking because it meant, it didn't mean he could drink more, but it meant that I was a little bit more, I was a little looser. Sure.

No, he wasn't grateful, but he wanted to see he was hoping that there was an off switch until he saw that there wasn't so so how when do you come to the realization that you need help um okay so moved out there 2016 last year was 2019 so i had periods where i would go a month or two without drinking, because that's what someone with a problem does. You stop, you start, you stop, you start, you say, I don't drink during the week, I'll only drink on the weekends. I'm only going to have two glasses tonight instead of one. People who don't have a problem don't count. This is one of the things I learned in rehab. It's amazing. You're watching a TV series and somebody leaves a full martini at the bar and you go, how could they do that?

That's a martini. Do you know what those cost and how good they are? So anyway, it was on and off, on and off, on and off. And strangely enough, it's funny how things work. There was a rehabilitation center being built right near our home. And I thought, oh, this will be good. I'll go there. And I'll, you know, have my homemade cappuccino in the morning, then pack up my lunch, go to rehab,

come home at night. So I went and looked into it. And for one thing, it was just it was beyond expensive. Anyone who can get in on a company program, don't put it off, do it now. Or through government or whatever. So that was expensive. And I thought, well, okay. And then they said also, no, you're in here for the duration and you're not going to be going in and out. This is not day camp. Okay.

So I decided instead to do an outpatient treatment in downtown Victoria. And it was wonderful. And I was there for one week when they said, no, no, no, no. You need to get to why you're drinking. You're drinking. You can control. You need to get why why you're drinking. You're drinking. You can control. You need to get why you're drinking. The source.

Yeah. And so that's what I did for six weeks. And I was there, as I say, with people who had been brought back to life off the sidewalk. And 70-year-old women wearing designer... Sorry, I'm moving your chair again. No, you need a PhD to operate that chair. That's okay. It's very complex. Yeah, so I guess when I get awkward or uncomfortable,

I start propping myself up in the chair. Yeah, but anyway, so I'm here to tell you that if you think you need it and you can avail yourself of it, do it. And you were, again, because you've always been very honest with your fans in sharing that because i still remember you kind of letting us know that you're not going to be replying to tweets and uh emails for a period you're going off the grid here for for how many how many weeks six weeks yeah six weeks it was 40 days or something they promised me four weeks which

turns out they promise everybody it's going to be four weeks. Oh, is that the end? Spoiler alert. And then you start, you know, you feel like you're somebody who's looking at their parole and, ooh, I got all my plans.

And they said, no. And my sister was visiting from another country and I said, no, I got to be out. She's coming especially to see me. I got to be out. So I managed to make it up for half of her visit, which was good. But great support. And I managed to make it out for half of her visit, which was good. But great support.

And I'm a huge fan of 12-step. Okay, so the 12-steps worked for you. Oh, yeah, they are. Is there like an atheist 12-step? You know what? There is. There's another name for it. And if I thought really hard, I'd come up with it.

And that's what really turned me off of the whole thing was, oh, I don't want to be like God this, God that, higher power, all of that. But I'll tell you, if you replace God with your own higher power, whether you believe it to be whatever you think it is or he or she or whatever, then it works. And what you're doing is firing yourself as CEO of your life because you've done a really shitty job of it. And, you know, I could take my ego and say, but I've done a good job of it. Look how it's all turned out. But no, now you're, now you're friends with, you know, your best of me is Pinot Gris and, and love you some gray goose. So it's not working out for you. So get it right, girl. You know, get straight with your life.

And it worked for you. So, you know, who... Well, it's working. It's working, you're right. They say one day at a time for a reason. Because I could go to my hotel right now and there could be a bottle of wine on the coffee table. I can't even tell you, Mike,

how many times we would go to listener trips and they'd be all inclusive and you walk in and there's all these upside down bottles with the pour spouts and you just go really let the record show i have not given you a six pack of fresh craft beers so yeah well i could take that and give it to my friend alan who's visiting the hotel room tonight but i'm not i'm not tempted like that i'm you know what's hardest flying because that was the first time and i usually sit in the pointy end of the plane so they're coming along with the trays and the drinks and it's quiet time and nobody's going flying because that was the first time. And I usually sit in the pointy end of the plane. So they're coming along with the trays and the drinks and it's quiet time and nobody's going to see me

and I'm either working or relaxing. Is there anything else? And that would be the easiest time to slip up. And so. Okay. Let me ask you this then. Let's say tonight you're in your hotel. Let's say you go to the spa, you're relaxed, you're in your hotel. Let's say there's a bottle of wine there right now. Is there, and you tell me, if you feel tempted, is there somebody you can phone? Oh, there definitely would be. First, I won't be tempted. And I can tell you that because I have made a promise to Rob.

And right now he is my higher power on this trip because of the money that we spent in rehab last summer. I was like, don't you freaking dare, lady. Oh, I shouldn't do that. I'm kidding. He would never slap me. Not in live to tell about it. No, we wouldn't.

And he wouldn't. We love each other very, very dearly. We're one of those couples that managed to get closer through tragedy. But anyway, Rob, I have made a promise to Rob. I have a sponsor back in Victoria. You know, not like a beer company or i'm gonna say aaron that's a bad idea uh no but she's yeah she's a sponsor and i and you can call anyone you can call an a i'm not gonna say those two letters because it's supposed to be anonymous

you can call a 12-step number in your phone book you can look it up on the internet there is always someone to answer your call if you're in trouble. Always, always, always. And that's the people that I speak to who write to me and they say, well, I'll try. And I just, I just remember how much courage it took to walk through the doors of a meeting for the first time. And I couldn't, I feel like I couldn't have done it in Toronto. But then you say, Elton John went to meetings four or five times a day. Get over yourself. Right. You know? Right. And he's still standing. Better than he ever did.

See? What city TV show used that as the theme? It was Breakfast. No. No. It was City Line. City Line. It was Deanie Petty.

And then when Marilyn took over, they kept that theme for the longest time, too. Right. Yes. I'm thinking of the Deanie Petty City Line now. I'm still standing. It's too funny. Yeah. Yeah. I think back in those, this is quick aside,

but back in those City TV heydays in the Moses environment, I think sometimes they used popular songs for themes without licensing them. Like they would just use it. And then they would get like, if they got a cease and desist, they might change it up. This is my understanding. The school of forgiveness and permission, right? Right. all been there back in the i got my degree in that

it's true it's true okay do you you mentioned you'll get like messages from people saying i'll try and stuff and i wonder now like are you often hearing from uh parents who have lost a child like have you become a uh yes and I'm so grateful for that. Somebody asked me, it was your friend Ralph Ben-Murgy, if it's a burden, how I carry this, you know, people reaching out and telling me about the loss of their children. And I take it as an honor, and I take it as,

without getting too precious, a responsibility. And it's just because when you meet someone, imagine yourself dropped on a planet where there's nobody who even breathes the same air as you, and someone comes up to you and speaks your language. All of a sudden, your life changes. And that's what it's been like for me with people who have lost their children, because we all speak this different kind of language. And we understand things that hurt and things, the crazy things, the sick things that make us laugh. It's just, it's just an honor. And I take it very seriously when people reach out to me. I've had guests on who have lost children. I'm thinking like david schultz or uh ken daniels or uh

joe tilly for example joe tilly we've uh we've discussed that and he's a lovely man yeah he's he's great he's great uh love that you're coming up i think that was it right that's the catchphrase coming up i'm talking about the joe the joe tilly but yeah uh so my i guess i'm wondering they say uh as time progresses here and you're kind of moving on in various regards uh does it does it does it get easier because i hear like does it get easier or what do you hear from them i i think uh how david said it so elo, I'm trying to recreate that, but it was, it does get easier, but it never, it's not a wound that heals. Right. It's forever.

Right. It's, you don't get over it, you get through it. Right. And every day something is going to tear that scab off just a little bit. But when you remember, it's like kissing a scar. It's, it's, it's always going to be there. And Rob and I have talked about getting tattoos. I'd like one because I can come up with a few different little letter things that will be good. He said he can't, he can't have something that every time he sees that ink on his arm reminds

him of his loss. So I wear Lauren's nomination bracelet she got when she was 11 or 12. And she had given it to me before she died. I also wear this ring that I gave to her, and then she was wearing it the day she died. So I wear them, and they're my constant reminders that she's with me, and I'm good with that because she keeps me strong. What is it? Again, if it's too much, you don't have to go there.

But what's like what's mother's day like for you like for the longest well yeah because it's right around the time she died and i i would wrestle with am i a mother like what is this don't wish me don't send me one of those emoji things with the i nominate you for world's most beautiful mother. Piss off. I think I've come, I came to where, I don't even remember, maybe it was in rehab or in counseling, that I came to the place that, yeah, I'll always be a mother because I gave birth. She was my daughter. She is my daughter. So are you okay? Yeah, I'm okay. I know. I know. What am I. No, no, no. And I see this a lot.

And it's just my sadness reflected back to me. And I love that. That's great compassion and empathy, Mike. Thank you. Thank you. I know. It just sucks, doesn't it? And as much as I can write a book, you know, about reclaiming joy

and stuff, it just sucks. Um, but, uh, numbing that pain doesn't make it go away. It just adds to the, adds to the litany. And I, I came at the end of the book, I, uh, I used a conversation that another mother had whose son died by suicide. And he came to her and said, how did you live your life, mom? And that has to be the way that I live my life now is so that I can answer Lauren and say, you know what? I did the best I could. And I did the best for other people that I could after you left. So, um, yeah, it's, it's what you do with it, what you're going to do. You're a dad. And you know, who else cried like this was Ben Mulroney. And that surprised me a lot.

He's got a great big soft heart. You know what Ben and I do, which is why I think we cry, is that we put ourselves in your shoes. And then I can't even say it, but I think about a father's day and one of my kids aren't there because of something that happened. Think about a Father's Day and when my kids aren't there because of something that happened. And I can't process that sense of loss is so enormous that I have to kind of, like you said about going up, don't stop drilling down and go back up there where you won't cry on a podcast of Aaron Davis. Oh, well, you know, it's, it just, it shows you. People say, I don't think I could survive,

but you know what most people do because that's what we're made of. And when you've got the kind of support that I had, and I think you would have, Mike, and may you never, may you never find out. But just the people who wrapped their arms around us and told us they pulled their cars over and cried and other people pulled their cars over and hugged them the morning

that the news came out that Lauren had died. It's just been, it's, I imagine it to be like what a big family or church congregation would be like, and that's how you survive. It's a community, right? It is. And nobody's meant to get through this alone. And just the fact that you can empathize and feel for someone's pain is, uh, it's just a beautiful thing. It is. And nobody's meant to get through this alone. And just the fact that you can empathize and feel for someone's pain is just a beautiful thing. It is. Don't lose that. And good for you. It's a jaded freaking business. My secret is I'm not in the business.

There you go. Now, I'll close with questions from listeners, but I'm going to, I guess I'm curious if you, will we ever hear Aaron Davis on the radio again? I don't know that. Ah, cause you're not retired. FYI, even, you know,

you're not, I can, I can tell I'm just sitting here. If you like, I feel like, I feel like you should be on, you should have a show now. Oh,

you know, I would love it. I would love it. And Rob right now is just kind of going, Oh lady, give your head a shake. Because it was always like, when do I get my wife back? And, uh, and he shared me for a lot of years and I'm grateful for everybody who even wanted to share me. Um, I love broadcasting. I love radio. I love doing this. I love talking. I love sharing. I love maybe helping and offering a little bit of hope.

And I miss it, miss it, miss it. I don't miss the early morning hours. I am sleeping until I wake up, Mike. And it's just the greatest glory in the world. Approximately what time is that on a typical day? Nine. Okay, good for you. That's good.

Nine, it's beautiful. Okay, but there is radio beyond morning. Of course there is. Of course there is. Or even broadcasting. You could start a podcast. But you know what? Here's the little voice in me who says, you're no good.

Because there's a million and six podcasts out there. Look how long and how hard you worked to make this thing a thing. And you said like in the top 10 in your category? I was number 11 as recently as last week. Well, that's a spinal tap thing, isn't it? It goes to 11. So good for you. Okay.

But Aaron, yes, you're Aaron Davis. I'm a guy in his basement. So it was a lot of, you're right. And Harry, I'll pat my own back,

but it was, it's been years and it's, it's a lot of work and it's still a lot of work because, but, but you, you have headstart. Yeah, but would,

oh, thank you. But would my demographic, which is, you know know 40 and over for the most part and certainly i love them i love them would they listen to a podcast that's the question um you know how do we do it uh and it is well that's rob's rob could probably cook up a schema and and have you podcasting by next week? Well, you know, I am going to be doing a podcast for the Canadian Real Estate Association. So I'm kind of their conduit, their interviewer, that sort of thing.

That's not the podcast out of my heart and soul. That's the podcast that I'm going to enjoy doing as a challenge, right? You know, some freelance, love it. But you might do that and then get the itch to create something. I'm just spitballing with you here. I know, and you know you're preaching to the choir because I want to do this with all my heart. And I hope that talking off the side of the mic hasn't been bad because I want to be

talking about it. No, I see, I'm watching. First of all, my first thing is forget those cameras. Well, I'm looking at people because you know, I'm used to, if you're on camera, you acknowledge the audience. But, yeah, I'm sorry if I've been messing with your levels, my friend. So radio, I don't know. Uh, I look at Jan Arden as the, the, the, the absolute epitome of anything can happen in your fifties. And, uh, hell I'd like to, I'd like to, you know, be a guest host on the talk. And there was discussion

of that, but it's, it's kind of fallen by the wayside so i just i'm learning patience grasshopper i'm learning patience that's but i i think you alluded to it twice but i should spell it out for people that as recently i don't know when that was a week ago when when did you do ralph and murgie's show i guess a week ago it's all kind of i know me too it's like is it a week ago or two weeks ago? I think two. So, but you did it,

you were in, near, Victoria? Can I call it Victoria? Where were you? I was in my closet in Palm Springs. Right, okay.

Where nobody is, incidentally, if you've ever been there. Right, so Aaron was still in the closet, and in Palm Springs, and you did a remote conversation with Ralph and Murgie,

but Ralph was sitting where you are. I was sitting where I was. I was muted and I got to enjoy it. It was really great. And I just want people to know that soon, I got to find out exactly when, but very soon, the episode of Ralph Ben-Murgy's podcast, Not That Kind of Rabbi with Ralph Ben-Murgy is going to drop and it's going to feature a conversation with Aaron Davis.

Well, thank you. Wow, you just plugged yourself. Is that? Kind of. But if you can't plug yourself on your own podcast, what's the point of having a podcast? Who else is going to do it? You got it.

All right, you have a Toronto Mike sticker that you're taking with you to put on your laptop or something. I will, or I may give it to my son-in-law in Ottawa. Phil might really dig this. Yeah. Thank you. Great.

That'd be amazing. And that's courtesy of StickerU. And I did give away the four passes I was giving away to the, there's a big opening of the Sticker Museum at 677 Queen Street tomorrow night. And I will be there. And I've already via Twitter reached out to those who won the contest guess how many stickers on the wall and the winners know and they're on the list and I'm going to be there so say hi to me say hi Mike so that's tomorrow night wear your Jaws t-shirt so

they know okay actually I was actually you know like this I was going to wear a sticker you t-shirt just uh well there you go so you should have a sock on it. Cause it like, it's stuck to it in the laundry. And you mentioned your real estate podcast that you're doing. And I want to say, uh, I want to thank Austin Keitner of the Keitner group at Keller Williams, because Austin Keitner of the Keitner group at Keller Williams, which is a mouthful, but that's why I read it. Uh, they are proud sponsors of this program and thank you very much for your support. And Palma Pasta,

palmapasta.com, they cater your events. You go skip the dishes and get it. They don't deliver to BC or Palm Springs. Could they deliver to my hotel tonight? That'd be nice. Oh, they can do that for sure. Skipthedishes.com, Palma Pasta to your hotel. no problem there.

And here's a few questions, real quick hits here. William Dunlop says, I grew up in Oakville, raised by Don and Aaron fans. But he's not raised by Don and Aaron, but raised by Don and Aaron fans. Okay.

And that's Don Daynard, of course. Oh, I used to love hearing that. My parents love you. Oh, please. I know. But you know, every listener is appreciated. The really horrible joke of the day always featured someone from Oakville. As a matter of fact, Don would say, yeah, so this guy from Oakville, as a matter of fact,

and he wants to know why Oakville? Apparently, Don was stooping somebody in Oakville. And that was kind of his little shout out to her, believe it or not. Oh, that's funny. Is that a Yiddish word? Ask your friend, Ralph. Yes, it is. That's funny.

I was curious, has Miles Long heard from Bobcat since he stepped in there? Yeah, oh, yeah. We were on the phone to him immediately. And Bob, let's just say we could hardly understand him. He was on his way to the bank, and we couldn't make out what he was saying for all the laughter. So that's all I'm going to say about that. He's doing all right there.

We don't need to have a food drive for Bob. There's going to be no GoFundMe. There will be no GoFundMe for Bob McCallum. Good on him. Love that man. We'll see where Bob, I'm sure he's got to get paid. I'm sure he's got some kind of a non-compete or something, but we'll see

where he surfaces when that all clears up. Linda, who's a huge fan of yours. Hi, Linda. And Linda, for those who listened, she's the one who at TVO's The Agenda got Ed Conroy, also known as Retro Ontario, on as a guest on Steve Paikin's show.

So that's a quick aside for listeners. That's some inside baseball for you, Erin. Thank you. For those of you homescoring in bed. Have you ever been subject to ageism in the radio industry? Oh, you know what? I thought that I was when I was canned in 2003. I was just about, about I just turned 40 and I you know when

they brought in Mad Dog and Billy which was it was a good business decision but it was it well it was at the time on paper it looked great they were pulling the plug on Kiss down the hall right and Mad Dog who is now of course Jay Michaels who's on uh News Talk 1010 and he's a wonderful guy um when when they they said okay we're pulling the plug on this station we've spent all this Jay Michaels, who's on News Talk 1010, and he's a wonderful guy. When they said, okay, we're pulling the plug on this station. We've spent all this money promoting them. Why don't we move them over to CHFI, Euthify, or euthanize is the word that one of the bosses said. Euthanize CHFI, which inadvertently they did.

So I felt at that time I was quite literally the victim of a hip replacement, so to speak. Ageism now comes in voice work because I've always had a voice, like my husband said, you've never sounded like the 17-year-old or whatever the young voice is that does all the commercials. The cartoon character. Yes, and so I've always sounded like this. So I nail a lot of the auditions for elderly people. If you know,

I'm, I have diabetes and I'm just going to have to live with it. You know, that voice, that's me bringing in the money. So, um, in that way,

I don't advertise that I'm in my fifties because people will go, the, the embryos who are hiring you, um, they will, they think 50 and they think of Granny Clampett. Or, you know, somebody ancient like the Golden Girls. When, you know, never mind.

Don't get me started. But I always thought, I was hoping that Mike, I was going to be the one who was going to be the old broad who died at the microphone. Like all the old guys were allowed to do. Yeah, the guys seem to be allowed. Yeah, but time had other plans, or fate had other plans, and so to hell with it. I'm sleeping in. And Marilyn Dennis is still doing it.

She is, and she rocks. You will not meet anybody who doesn't like Marilyn Dennis, and if you do, they have to answer to me. I always felt her. She was such a, she loomed so big in my conscience or consciousness for so long because i wanted you know she got the tv show i wanted a tv show i did two years on rogers it wasn't major television i tried my hardest and i never ever got the break and she worked so hard for everything that she did so she always was uh i always kind of felt yeah and of course people

called me Marilyn all the time. And you know what? It didn't, it doesn't bother me. It didn't bother me. I just have nothing but respect for that woman. And I wish that I had spent more time finding ways to listen to her. It's not too late. She's, she can still do that. Yeah, but she, she's up too early. Stop it. That's true. That's true. They have podcasts now. Does, okay. And again again do you see ageism in the industry but we kind of i think a lot of people do see it um especially if you're supposed to be the young the young tittering sidekick who really has nothing to say uh and that's

unfortunate but i think that that is becoming less and less of a show model as time goes on good uh i admire how her honesty about everything she has experienced in her career and personal life. But? What has been the most surprising? That's me. That's my, oh, here it comes. What has been the most surprising comment she has heard from someone about what she has shared about her life? Well, there was a douchey McDouchardson who, who tweeted to you the other day, who said that i wasn't nice and that uh yeah she's been through some stuff but so has everybody and i just thought oh so now you know i heard you you dick douchey mcdoucheerson please unsubscribe from this podcast that's right

yeah he won't listen he doesn't even know me if that's what he thinks i'm sorry i shouldn't let people like that get see there's my shoulder again. Okay. This one's a nice joke. Okay. No, no. What's the most surprising thing? I will get to, and this actually became a part of the book. It was the at leasts. At least you still have a husband. At least she didn't suffer. At least you have a grandson. The things that people say out of the utmost kindness. And I realized that, that they're trying to the utmost kindness, and I realize that, that they're trying to mitigate your pain, but what they're saying is, it's not so bad. And as I said at that funeral, it's ours to say, we get to say the at leasts, and we do every day. So that's the

answer to that. Don't say at least. And last thing from Linda is, you mentioned you moved out to Vancouver Island without knowing too many people. Have you established some solid roots there now? The best is my 12-step group, I'll tell you that. And my solid roots are I've got a friend out there who was a listener who made a point of getting to know me. And she is a dear, dear friend and her husband to Robin to me. My aunt and uncle live there.

And other than that, not much. We are Rotarians. We're in Rotary. What does that mean again? Rotary Club is a service club. It's like the Lions or anything like that. Okay, it's like a club. Yeah, we volunteer.

We do things. We help with Habitat. Because they put on the Rib Fest near here. You know it is. And they're really good people. And I would urge you to join or at least looking into joining your local Rotary Club. They do good work. I never even considered doing that.

Erin, you know what? Morning Has Broken is this book. There's a launch of a soft cover on February 18th. Yeah, and it's literally a soft launch. The hard cover gets all the press. You do all the interviews. You travel and that sort of thing. The soft cover is,

it's the natural follow-up to a bestseller. And thankfully, it did debut at number one and stayed in the top 10 for the year, Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. So it was amazing. But we're all hoping that the book manages to reach the people who need it. It should be a Netflix series. Oh, God.

Who can I get to play me? Who can I get to play me? I want, I don't know. Laura Dern, maybe. She's so busy. She's playing everybody. I would go for Jamie Lee Curtis. Jamie Lee Curtis.

Any age. Jane Fonda, any age. Yeah. Oh, I hear the music. Are you playing me off? No, I don't want to, but I promised you 90. Do you want me to bring her down? Because we could chat longer.

How much can people take? Good Lord, woman. Write a book. Any regrets about your second appearance on Toronto Might? Are you feeling okay? I am feeling all right, and it's so good to be here, and I'm so happy and proud for you, my friend. Keep going.

You're in the eighth year or ninth year? Wait, now I need to bring down the music so you get the show. Sorry, Mike. Gotta go. All right, I will tell you the answer. That's a good question. Erin, it was August 2012 that the first episode dropped. So what is that?

You are in your ninth year. Right. So that's a long time for a podcast. It is. Well, you're episode 577. So look at that. I wish I was 580 like Lauren's station, CFRA. You can come back.

Oh, you're not making us walk a vocal here, are you? Oh, yeah. We're talking on the S. I am. Because it's a podcast. We don't have the same rules you have at CHFI. Okay. We break rules here erin let me

just say uh honestly amazing conversation and i'm so glad we could catch up and uh call me if there's a tempting drink anywhere call me ah thank you okay because uh we need to keep you uh sober and strong because people need you you gotta reply to all those dms and everything i have no problem with that. You all, everybody, everybody just keeps me going. So thank you. Thanks for this. Thanks for your love of radio and TV and sports and broadcast and everything.

It's my passion. It always will be. It flows in my blood and my husband's and our daughter's and our son-in-law. Keep it going, Mike. I will. I will. And that brings us to the end of our 577th

show. You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. Aaron is at Aaron Davis. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Palma Pasta is at Palma Pasta. Sticker U is at Sticker U. The Keitner Group are at thekeitnergroup.com.

That's K-E-I-T-N-E-R and Banjo Dunk. Hello in Thailand. Hello Thailand. Banjo Dunk is at Banjo Dunk with a C. See you all next week. Bye-bye.

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