Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - JJ and Melanie: Toronto Mike'd #481

Episode Date: June 26, 2019

Mike chats with JJ LaBorde and Melanie Martin about their respective careers in radio, working together at FLOW 93-5, and now podcasting together.

Welcome to episode 481 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Propertyinthe6.com, Palma Pasta, Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair, StickerU.com and Capadia LLP CPAs. I'm Mike from TorontoMike.com and joining me this week is JJ and Melanie. Hello. Welcome.

Thanks for having us, man. Hey, thanks for coming all the way from Barrie. How was that drive? I need to know. It's all right. I feel bad. I actually legit felt, oh, I feel terrible that like she's need to know It's alright I feel bad, I actually legit felt Oh I feel terrible that Like she's gotta jump on the 400

And come It's not that bad man It's like a 40 minute drive Despite what everybody says all the time Oh you need your passport to get to Barrie from Toronto Now you're gonna be alright, it's not that bad And JJ you did not come from Barrie Melanie picked me up at

islington that's line two i'm always like surprised how many stops there are i get to runnymede and i'm like all right next stop i'm getting off and i'm like shit oh fuck you jane sorry can i swear yeah you can swear well it's too late now i know you can swear but jj you get to go beautiful old Mill like that. You're outside and you can see through the glass. I thought you said beautiful Old Mill. I was like, wait, what? Did he just say?

Old Mill, yes, yes. I just, it's just, there's a lot of them. It's just so many. No, but you're coming from, I guess, from downtown Toronto? Yeah. Okay. Well, thanks for making that long trek. No sweat.

Pleasure. Pleasure to be here. And and jj like i honestly didn't know which last name to use you use several aliases and my like are you a king or a board what's going on here well it used to be king uh and then i changed it when i kind of came off the radio i was like why don't i just use my real last name your real name yeah so so labored labored capital b capital b he had another name too back in the day are you gonna share that one axel yeah this is way back i do because nobody remembers but you were on uh edge 102 as axel right what edge 102 energy well uh yeah energy 108 way back in the day then edge then kiss then Kiss as Axl, blah, blah, blah. Because you guys were, I mean, we'll get to this.

So you guys were all over the place, though. Like you hit on a whole bunch of key stations. Like, so we'll do this because you're each worthy of your own episode. But I thought it'd be fun to put you together. Are we really? Yeah, yeah. I don't know about that, Mike. I could have done the Melanie episode and I could have done a JJ i could have done the melanie episode and i could

have done a jj episode jj i think for sure jj has more of a career to talk about mine is kind of just simple it's like a couple shots and done well that's kind and generous but i disagree but um and we'll catch up with y'all but i need to ask melanie like i hope I say it right. Astisha? Yes. Okay is that right? Well you're starting with my kid's name. No. Wow. Starting off because I just and I know this because you're very public about this but and I don't know your age but you take your age and you minus 16 and that's the age of your child right? Yeah. Which means your child that that's, so how is Estesha? She's fantastic. She's living her life. She's doing good. Yeah, she's doing good. I had her very young. We've talked about this a number of times. It was a teen mom. So that's why it's kind of weird for people when

they try to do the math, which I understand. But yeah, no, she's good. She's awesome. She's like my, like my best friend. Well, I was going to gonna say like because I was 27 when my first kid showed up and I feel like I feel like we're buddies because we we're kind of into the same things and I so I always wondered like if I had a kid at 7 16 or 17 like I'm doing the math in my head that would make the kid like uh almost like 30 now and I would be thinking like that's pretty much buddy material like that would be the advantage I think to being a teen mom like you get to kind of be into the same things yeah there's no doubt that it's um it's a struggle when you're you know 16 and having a child those years were really tough but now that she's grown and now that you know i'm kind of i feel like it's the role has

reversed now she's responsible and i'm the one living in a tiny little apartment with a futon you know like we totally reverse roles um but we are like we're pretty close and yeah like you know it's we're not so far off and things that we're both interested in and stuff like that so it's good we have a good relationship. I always, Spike, Spike was my teen mom role model. Remember Spike?

Oh yeah. On Degrassi. Cause no, JJ really? JJ what? JJ shaking his head. Never watched Degrassi. Never? I wasn't a Degrassi guy.

Why didn't I know this about you? I don't know. I mean. I can push that in if you want. Like just to make it easier. I mean, I know some of the characters, Joey. Joey Jeremiah. Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey,'m not even drinking drake drake was on there he's like let me just drop drake next gen yeah go back to wheels like yeah you gotta go back to the uh degrassi junior high right okay so what did you pop up in there uh sunny side yes sunny side session great lakes brewery thanks man enjoy enjoy uh jj i'm shocked That's right. Okay, so what did you pop open there? Sunnyside. Yeah, Sunnyside Session IPA.

Great Lakes Brewery. Thanks, man. Enjoy, enjoy. JJ, I'm shocked. Like, were you born and raised in Toronto or maybe on the moon? I was born in Montreal. I came up in Burlington. I don't know.

We didn't have a TV for a lot of time, for a lot of time when I was a kid. Okay, because it is. Not because TVs weren't there though. That's right. I'm not that old. I was going to say. Made you sound really old for a second there. Look at him in Periscope here.

He's not. Okay. So you don't know Spike, but Spike. So like. I've heard of Spike. Right. Spike had the punk rock hairdo. Yes.

And she was, Shane got her pregnant yeah shane remember yeah i know i'm talking to mel now she knows what i'm talking about and this was the big storyline that she she wanted to keep her baby and she was like i think about 16 i think so yeah i guess yeah yeah i mean i can relate to that absolutely Absolutely. And especially then, like, sorry, I'm struggling here with my voice. Especially then, I feel like there was a lot of like sort of negative stuff around teen moms. Not that I'm saying it's any easier now, but it was tough. Like I battled a lot of attitudes and people looking at me like you're crazy and you shouldn't

have a kid at this age. And, you know, maybe I shouldn't have. I don't really know the answer to that. We're still figuring it out. Because now you have a wonderful, like the answer is, like, no, it happened and it's great that it happened, right?

Because you have a fantastic kid out of it. She changed my life. Like she totally changed my life. Obviously being pregnant at that age, I was getting into some things. I mean, let's be real getting into some things. I mean, let's be real, right?

So, I mean, when I had her, I had to change. I had to fix my life. So I do credit that decision for changing my life. Absolutely. Did you have to take a leave from school?

Like how did it work? I wasn't in high school, my friend. I was getting into trouble. As I just said, I know I wasn't really doing anything. I was just being a punk, like hanging around in Sudbury. That's where I was born.

At the Burger King. At the Burger King dances. It was Humpty dancing. You got pregnant to the Humpty dance? Did you? I might have. Did you know that? That or Keith Sweat, I'm not sure.

Did you know Humpty was, that was Shock G. He just put on a fake nose and glasses. That was a two different guy. Right, right. Yeah, no. So it was kind of like, yeah, like I wasn't, I wasn't really doing much with my life. And when I had her, I decided that, okay, like I've got to actually be someone and support this thing that I have now.

And so I went to university right after that. And I graduated from Laurentian University in Sudbury and came to Toronto, did the radio thing. And yeah. Okay. So how did you know you wanted to do the radio thing? Like, was there an epiphany or like a moment where you said, I want to do that? Yeah, actually. I've told this story a number of times. I feel like it's such a weird story. No, but you've never told it here. I know. Okay. So I was working in sales. I was selling photocopiers and fax machines for pet nebos. And that was, I just moved to

Toronto and my dad actually hooked me up with that gig. And I was sitting in my car just kind of crying all the time. Cause I'm like, this can't be my life. Like I want to be an actress. I want to be a dancer. I can't like like I just can't sell photocopiers and I was sitting in the car going to a call and at the time was listening to flow 93.5 because I had just moved here from Sudbury and everyone's like oh have you heard the hip-hop station it's flow and Sudbury we didn't have anything like that um so I loved flow and I was listening to the morning show then at the time. And I was like, man,

that sounds like such a fun gig. Like I could totally do that. What was the morning show? Do you remember? I do. Like, was it okay? Do you want to say,

come on? Yeah, it was, it was, uh, Mark and jam at the time. And, uh,

why are you looking at me like that? JJ, you're making me feel weird yeah I'm captivated by your story that's all why you heard this story um yeah so they were on and I love their show and I thought they were super funny and all and they just sounded like they were having such a good time and um so I went home to my boyfriend at the time and I was like I'm gonna quit this job and I'm gonna be on the radio and I started looking to be on the radio. And I started looking around. I applied at Humber.

I went to Humber and I did the fast track program there. And 10 months later, graduated. And a month later, I landed on Z103. And I started doing mornings there with Scott and Dave. So it was pretty quick. And then four years later, ended up doing the Flow Morning Show, which was kind of strange. Well, that's full circle, I think, which is pretty cool.

Now, JJ, this is just the Mel show. So thank you for coming. He's used to that, though. Actually, we worked together for a long time. I know my role. All right. You mentioned Drake. Look at that.

Yeah. Look at that. Now, my question is, was there a feud? Did you guys have a beef with Drake? I need to know if you had a feud with Drake. I'm going to give that one to JJ. I want JJ to tell like it is, real talk. He did some research.

I did some homework. It wasn't a beef. A beef would imply that both of us are in on it right uh i don't think he even knows who we are no or knows who i am um yeah he he said something once that kind of just rubbed me the wrong way um do you remember what it was he's good at digging this follow-up question up question uh so uh he we finally got him on flow after he became huge became drake and uh it was like flow day or drake day on flow 93.5 at the time some some such nonsense and uh so he's a guest at our radio station and he went out of his way to say that he preferred the previous morning show to our morning show. He said that.

He's sitting in my chair. He's sitting in her chair. By the way. And it's like, dude, that morning show was on the air at the time, like seven years ago. Why are you bringing that up? It's like you invite somebody into your house. It's like if you said this podcast sucks compared to the one we listen to in the car.

Does they know Joe Rogan? Right, right. I prefer Joe Rogan. Right, right. I prefer Joe Rogan. Right. Right, so it was like that. Yeah, that is a dick move by Drake. Exactly. I thought it was a dick move. Yeah, because he's in your house.

And it was never ever addressed, and the management at the time was like, eh, what are you going to do? He's Drake. He's Drake. And I'm like, all right, fine. But I see that, too. Like, what are you going to do?

He's Drake. I see that. I had Farley Flex on here like, I don't know, a month ago. And he credits Flo with making Drake, you know, breaking Drake, if you will. Like he's taking a lot of, he's saying

Flo was a big part in the Drake wheel. I don't disagree with that. I don't think that Drake or Flo was completely responsible for Drake's career. I think he was going to succeed regardless, but certainly played a huge role in, yeah, like, I mean, radio plays a role. This is the thing that makes me crazy, too.

A lot of people now, you know, with Spotify, with all like, you know, sort of breaking your music online, radio still has huge impact in creating artists and helping artists get recognized. We know that. So yeah, Drake had the mixtape and he was doing his thing, but you still need radio. And Flo was really, I think I'm the first to play him and really get him out there. So yeah. Can you take full credit? No, but for sure.

A partial credit for sure. And that was a dick move. You know what? I'm banning Drake from the show. Okay. You totally don't have to do that. Flo had a partner. A partial credit for sure. And that was a dick move. You know what? I'm banning Drake from this show, okay? You totally don't have to do that. I had no idea. And if you do,

Drake's going to be just fine. I'm sure. Well, that is true. I don't, yeah, I don't. But wouldn't that be great if he showed up here for you? How great would that be? Actually, no joke.

Watch your head, Drake, when you're coming to the basement. Well, Leo Roudens was in here and he's like six, whatever, seven, or whatever. I've been working on Chuck D. He's coming to town for this beer fest thing next month

or something. I just tweeted at him. I tweet at him and I say, Maestro's been on, Mishy Bean's been on, come on, I'm a big fan. He followed me right away. Right away, he followed me. Next thing i think is going to happen is i think drake's going to not drake did i say drake i think chuck d is going to

dm me like hey give me some details or whatever so i like uh like a sort of like charlie brown when the foot when lucy's holding the football or whatever like i stared at my twitter inbox and i was just staring at it like and it's like five minutes ten minutes like and then a half an hour later I'm like I don't think Chuck D is DMing me like he followed me but he didn't do the DM part to initiate and so I've never heard. You thought you'd become a priority for Chuck D? Well I thought maybe he'd be like

okay when and where is it and then say when I'm in town I'll text you or like you know what I mean? Yeah. So anyway I never. You gotta stay on it man. You can do it. I'm gonna stay on it. So I don't want I don I never. You got to stay on it, man. You can do it. I'm going to stay on it. I don't want to burst your bubble, but not but a week and a half ago, I said something to Chuck D and he liked my tweet. Oh, no. I think he's actively out there.

But he's following Mike. But he's following me. He's also following me. Which means. He instantly followed me. Okay. I'm sorry. But you're JJ.

Like, I feel like you're somebody. Super doesn't mean anything. No, we're going to find out in this episode. Okay. So let's do that. Let feel like you're somebody. Super doesn't mean anything. No, we're going to find out in this episode. Okay, so let's do that. Let's do some housekeeping here. Mel's already cracked open a beer. I have indeed. That's good stuff, actually.

One of your six-pack. Yeah, that's very tasty, fresh craft beer that you have there. Thank you, Great Lakes Brewery. Great Lakes Brewery, not far from here. They're also, and this is the last episode I can say this on, but they're also hosting

TMLX3 tomorrow. What is that? From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thank you for asking, Melanie. So, a couple of live bands. I think you should be my co-host. I know Barry is a long way to travel. Yeah.

We'll have to meet in the middle. Like maybe like at 7 and 400. Should I just leave? Yeah. Bye, JJ. No, come on. We need you. We need you.

Now, TMLX3. This is the Toronto Mic Listener Experience. And we have the Royal Pains playing. They played the first two events. Then I make some rousing speeches. And then lowest of the low. Have you ever heard of lowest of the low? It's big in the early nineties,

but still making great music, but they're a Toronto band. They're fantastic. They're going to play. Everybody gets their first beer on the house. We're going to be the stickers. So here, this,

these stickers pile for each of you. Thank you. Our courtesy of sticker you.com. There's a Toronto Mike sticker. So here, these stickers, a pile for each of you. Awesome. Thank you. Are courtesy of stickeru.com. Oh, cool. There's a Toronto Mike sticker. That's my favorite. Come on, JJ. Oh, look at the six.

That's cool. Tweet it at me when you put that on something. Yeah, you each got like a six. I didn't get a six. Hey, Drake. Do you want a six? A six. Yeah, whatever.

That's cool. Okay, well, you can have a six here. And I'll take that back. Or is it an X9? That's right. That's right. Okay, so. How many people have said here, and I'll take that back. Or is it an X9? That's right. How many people have said that? You're the first. Am I?

Yeah, I think so. Because you're clearly at the CBC. I know you're smart. They don't hire dummies over there. Am I right? That's a sign. He's also all into music and has a whole new appreciation for music. What are you doing?

We'll get to that. That's coming soon. Okay. So you got your six pack from Great Lakes. Everybody who's listening should come to Great Lakes Brewery at 6 p.m. tomorrow for TMLX3. Milan at Fast Time has given out a watch. Palma Pasta. By the way, large lasagna for each of you.

What? Mel, I got you a meat because you were so indecisive on Twitter. Like... That sounded... JJ's like veggie. I was like, okay. Okay, so... What kind of meat are we talking about?

Okay, so that's the veggie. That's the veggie. Okay. And we'll make sure you guys get the right one. But there's a veggie and a meat. It's frozen right now, but you take it home, put it in the fridge, and then tomorrow or whatever, you cook that up. Is it heavy?

That's awesome. Thank you, man. Let's see if you can lift it. It's got some... It's got some weight. Weight. JJ, when you're a guest on my podcast, I don't give you anything'm sorry i feel really bad about this you push tequila on me i do that's the only thing that i give my guests is shots of tequila okay sorry no we're going to talk about

the podcast soon your podcast so you got your lasagna from palma pasta you got the beer from great lakes you got the stickers from sticker you and brian gerstein from property in the six.com he's going to be giving out... A new condo. A new condo. The Galleria Mall. Does anyone know where the Galleria Mall is? No, it sounds made up.

No. You don't know Spike or Galleria Mall? JJ, are you sure you're... Hi, JJ. Come on. Are you really a Torontonian? Come on. Probably not.

Here is... Is it in the beach? No, it's like Dufferin and DuPont. No. Dufferin and DuPont. I don't make it out west. You did today. As far as I go.

It's not even the end of the line. There's also a Kipling, so you can keep going. Let's listen to Brian from propertyinthesix.com. Propertyinthesix.com Brian Gerstein here. Sales representative with PSR Brokerage. Proud sponsor of Toronto Mike. And looking forward to TMLX Free tomorrow night at Great Lakes Brewery.

Galleria Mall Condos. We're going to finally sell them mid-September. We have about 500 units in two buildings. First one goes at 80%. We open up sales for the second one. 416-873-0292. Call or text me if you want to get in. Okay, you guys.

Now is the real question I want to ask. Kawhi Leonard. Clips? Raps? Let me know where he's going to end up. And if we lose him, if the Raps can actually be relevant, if Pascal will be an all-star next year to lead us to the promised land maybe again?

Hard-hitting question. There you go. Any insights? Any of you talk to Kawhi Leonard lately? Kawhi will stay. I keep messing up your chairs here. They're like, sorry. That's okay.

I actually find that annoying that they do that. It's supposed to be a feature, but I find it annoying. I feel like I'm slipping, but anyways, okay. Kawhi will stay for one more season. Yeah. And then he'll bounce. I agree. Kawhi will stay for one more season. Yeah, Kawhi will stay. And then he'll bounce. I agree. And he'll bring us to the promised land.

He'll bounce like my new bounce t-shirt. Oh, man. Look at you with all the sponsors. Well, I paid for them. Oh, okay. Real money. The most I've ever spent for a t-shirt, I think. 30 bucks US.

Wow. And I've never done that, but that's how enamored I was by the Raptors run in 2019 you used to have your own podcast I know I was well compensated I know I don't make a habit of 30 U.S. dollar t-shirts usually my t-shirts are free okay so Kawhi is staying Melanie do you agree with that

yeah I do agree I think that Kawhi is going to stay I don't the only thing I question was if he, um, would he be better off going to LA, potentially winning another, why?

Yeah. Potentially winning another ring there, another championship, and then really solidifying himself in the world of basketball, not, not just in Toronto, in the world of basketball as one of in Toronto, in the world of basketball as one of the greatest players ever.

I mean, if you drop into a place like Toronto and boom, you win the championship and then you go over to LA, the Clippers or whatever and like win another championship. Well, he's not Superman. Like I can't imagine why even get, the Clippers have to get by. They have the Golden State still there.

The Lakers just got Anthony Davis. Like I think. Yeah, but that's how we like, we kind of felt like that about the raptors for how long right i mean come on but then lebron left the conference like yeah there was like a window i hear you i hear you but i just thought maybe is he thinking like that like can i solidify myself as one of the greatest basketball players ever or do i just want to solidify myself as one of the greatest toronto raptors ever like that's that was the only thing I was kind of thinking about. I still think that he's going to stay.

I just, my opinion on this whole thing is, you know, the John Tory, uh, and Nav Bhatia plea to keep him here. Can we just like settle down on the begging? I feel like, I feel like we're like, I feel, I feel like Toronto is being right now just sort of like the, like me, the ex-girlfriend begging. Desperate ex-girlfriend. Like, please don't leave. It's just getting a little desperate.

I think it's just nice. Just chill out a little bit. We've got the mayor now putting out petitions. They were trying to get 100,000 signatures. They only got 24 in a few days. So not a lot of people are biting on this. It's so cheesy. It's just ridiculous.

I don't want anything to do with it. I agree with you. Let's just chill out. Let him make his decision. Leave him be and let him make his decision. Yeah, and I think even with the whole Nav begging for fans to leave him alone, I felt like that was a little bit of a step too far.

Yeah. You know, you're not the, I get you're the super fan, but you can't tell the fans how to behave. You're not my mommy. You know what I mean? It just felt a little strange to me. Be cool, Canada.

Be cool. You're looking really whack right now. I think that great players, the players that we consider great were great because they were obviously talented, but also because they stuck with a franchise. And when you think of... Right.

Kobe. Jordan, Kobe, Magic. Yeah. You know, Patrick Ewing, although they never won. Larry Bird. Larry Bird. I like this game.

David Robinson. Right. All of them. They all stuck with their franchise. Helped build the franchise. Although Kawhi didn't help. I mean, he will help build it for the next generation when we get our repeat and our three-peat.

Love it. Yeah. I love this guy. You can leave now. JJ is now my favorite. No problem. She's got her beer. She's out.

Bye. Thanks. Leave the beer take the lasagna okay it's a godfather reference come on okay so um godfather reference yeah i don't know i've never watched god you never saw the god the only thing i know is my ex-boyfriend used to say say hello to my little friend but that's not godfather that's scarface oh okay see that's what i'm saying that's like a decade later no i'm not gonna fascinating okay uh love you guys fascinating i do i do um i do you know so little oh fascinating on that i know it's not it's not just an act i have a question before i even proceed okay, you have to get us under control.

Was it JJ? Who is it, JJ, that heard? Because I'm not even going to put you on the spot and ask you if you listen to Toronto Mike. You already have. You put us on the spot like four times already. Because you didn't know my name. You didn't know my name when you got here. Okay, that's fine.

Is that your real name? Everybody's name Mike. Yeah, I'm a Mike. Yeah, and like every second guy born in the 70s, his name Mike. Yes. Did you listen second guy born in the 70s, his name Mike. Yes. Did you listen to the episode in which, or at least hear the clip of the JJ and Melanie podcast being like heavily praised? That happened on this show.

Are you even aware of that? Like, is that? I am. You tweeted at me about that. I am aware of it. Martin, Melanie, Melanie Martin. Calls me Martin or poopy pants that's all you get or man or man um she let me know about it and i she said just fast forward to like an hour

into it and they say our name i just and i was like hey they did say our name and they didn't who i'm sorry who's mark weisblot from 1236. He was actually my guest. He comes in every month. What's 1236? It's a, he'll love this. It's a daily newsletter that goes out at 1236 that you can go to 1236.ca and subscribe to this thing. Oh, cool.

So he comes in once a month and we do a two and a half hour. We did it yesterday. Two and a half hours of everything that happened in the previous month you should be aware of. And he's subscribed to 800. I'm not joking. Okay. holy smokes why uh you'll have to ask him 800 yeah yeah 800 time i know uh i know i don't know like three and i barely have time yeah i can do eight i can't do 800 but uh yeah so he's unfiltered one of your subscribed uh One of my eight? Yes, it is.

Listen, we're going to talk about Unfiltered. It is one of his 800, okay? So he's like, he's talking to me about, he goes, you know, JJ and Mel from Flow back in the day. And I'm like, yeah, of course.

Like, because I know JJ and Mel from Flow back in the day. Did you? Yeah. If you go to TorontoMike.com. How long has Toronto Mike been around? This podcast?

This podcast? This podcast? Yeah. Since 2011, maybe? So how come it's taken you eight years to invite us on here if you've known us? He's running out of gas now. The bottom of the pile. JJ, you tweeted at me after hearing the praise heaped upon you guys. And then because you tweeted at me, I don't remember if I tweeted at you and Mel

or what I did, but at some point I had a like on my head and said, what if they came on together? That's where it all came from. You tweeted at me. Well, it actually came from Mad Dog, Jay Michaels, who messaged me and said, hey, Toronto Mike just gave you a nice little shout out. He's a big friend of the show. Yeah, I hadn't actually heard, sorry,

I hadn't actually heard your podcast. I knew you were. You're a berry. I didn't actually heard. Sorry, I hadn't actually heard your podcast. I knew you were. You're a berry. Based on. I didn't. You don't have the internet out there. If you want me to leave right now, you can say that again. Yeah, you can't get the internet that far up.

But yeah, he told me about it. So I had a chance to listen, which is. And then I was like, well, that's very nice of you. Mad Dog's the reason you guys are here right now, for better or worse. Thanks, Mad Dog. Now come with me in the time machine machine because we're going to go back in time 30 years ago. Do you remember 30 years ago?

Are you old enough to remember? Barely. Barely. Hardly. I'm like, well, how was what? I remember 30 years ago. I don't remember like last week, honestly. On this day 30 years ago, this was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. Oh.

This was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. Oh. Dun-dun. Hmm? I love looking at their faces. It's coming around. Waiting for the lyrics. Kind of feeling. Oh, it's the NKOTB.

No. Yes. I would have got it eventually. I don't remember the lyrics. Listen to Jordan. Don't feel obligated to sing. I don't remember the lyrics. Can you name all of the new kids on the block?

Has it been 30 years? It was my first concert ever. New kids on the block. So that's 89, 1989. Oh, God. Oh, yes yes this one it's Joey Joey McIntyre can you name the rest

Joey McIntyre Joey Bobby Ricky Mike wrong boy band who was it okay God Donnie Danny

Joey Donnie did God. Donnie, Danny, Joey, Donnie. Did I say Donnie? Yeah. Jordan. Yeah. Two Donnies. Who am I missing? You're missing Jordan's brother.

And I don't know how I know this. I just know it. Is it Mike? Nobody cared about him or Danny. Correct. Oh, it's cold. It's true, though. They didn't.

That's ice cold. What was his name again? Jonathan. Boom. How did I know that? Did's true, though. They didn't. That's ice cold. What was his name again? Jonathan. Boom. How did I know that? Did JJ get that? Yeah, he did. That's surprising.

He doesn't know Spike, but he knows the fifth New Canada Black Mesa. I think JJ doesn't care that he doesn't know Spike. He's like, yeah, it's cold. Okay, so fun fact, I suppose, is that

Why are we playing this? Prior to, yeah, I'll get to that in a minute, but Jonathan How are you allowed to play this much of it? Well, we don't, we don't talk about that.

I'm going to have to say on the ombre, Mel, come on. You got to, the trick is to be really fly below, fly below the radar. That's the secret to my success. Okay.

So I was gonna say Jonathan Knight, uh, before he came out of the closet, he was dating Tiffany. Yes. I think we're alone now. Right. Were they dating?

Well, like as much dating as you can do and you prefer the other gender, I suppose. Right. They were touring together. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They toured together. I don't remember that.

I don't remember that. Maurice White stuck them together. So this will look good. Yeah. This guy should write a biography, man. This guy knows. Tiffany's back out on tour, eh? She's doing malls?

She's back out on tour with... She's at the Galleria? The Galleria Mall? Yes, and you can get a condo there from Brian. Hook it up, Brian. Brian, bring me back to Toronto. Okay, so why... Give me that condo.

Brian's your man. Okay, so why am I playing this? Because remember, the time is brought to you by Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair. They've been doing quality watch and jewelry repairs for almost 40 years. If you mention you heard about them on Toronto Mic, you get 15% off any regular priced watch battery installation. Again, Milan will be at TMLX3 tomorrow.

Giving away the retail price of the watch he's going to give away is $300. So this is exciting. He's going to ask a Toronto Mic trivia question. First one to yell it price of the watch he's going to give away is $300. So this is exciting. He's going to ask a Toronto Mike trivia question. First one to yell it out gets the watch. Go to FastTimeWatchRepair.com for a location near you. Goodbye, new kids. That's a really high voice Joey had.

Yes. Yeah. Did it change? Do you remember when he had puberty, did that voice change? Or did you keep that? I don't remember. I think he stayed the same for a long time. He always in that i think is it not called falsetto falsetto yeah

i think yeah the bgs did falsetto like it's when you sing above your speaking voice right yeah yeah prince also oh we'll get to that i don't know well prince has every register we have a little prince coming on uh later in the the program actually and did you know this song melanie did you know this song yeah i've heard it a few times so i'll bring it down i was going to open with this but then i thought that's too stupid no but i did it anyway okay it's not stupid at all. It's so bad. Dude, I love corny stuff like that. All of my co-hosts have brought that out.

Have I? Yeah, I think you did. Was it you? It may have been me. Yeah, no, I think you did. And so has Chris, my current one. And there's that, I got a brand new pair of roller skates.

You got a brand new key. You remember this? I rode my bicycle past your window last night. Like, I'm not going to keep going, but you know this song. No, keep going. I don't know what it is. That was Melanie. Like, that was the big singer.

She was a big singer in like, I don't know, early 70s. Oh, her name was Melanie. Yeah, Melanie. And that was her big hit, Brand New Key. No. No. All right. I won't say it.

Oh, I got a brand new. Yeah. Pair of roller skates. I know that song. You got a brand new key. Nope. Yeah, I know it. You know it.

You know it if you would hear it. Did they play it on the grass here? No, but they should have. It's Spike's favorite song. All right, you got one of these too. These are pop sockets. Oh, yes. That's courtesy.

You put that on the back of your phone, and if you watch, I think it holds up your phone so you can watch on it. Can you put it elsewhere? You can put it anywhere you want. It's courtesy of Capadia LLP CPAs. Rupesh Capadia will be at TMLX3 tomorrow.

And here's a message from the rock star accountant. Hey, hey, hey, this is Rupesh here. And for all these condo buyers who are buying condos like that, there's no tomorrow. Please be aware. If you're going to assign the rights to your condominium to any new buyer, you will have to charge HST. And HST would not only be charged on the money that you're making on the assignment, but also on the deposits that

you have paid. So please be aware. And if you're not sure what to do with it, please call us before you make this decision. You can call Rupesh or one of my associates and we'll be happy to hold your hand and walk you through the process. You can reach us at any time between 9.30 and 5.30. Well, that ain't any time. Thank you. He's actually the cool cat, not your father's accountant. And if you guys need to discuss, he'll give you a free consultation. You can ask him anything you want and he'll give you like best practices, sound advice. He sees beyond beyond the numbers so that's available to you and if you're buying that condo

from brian at uh gallery mall you might want to talk to rupesh about this hst uh hey you never know he can hook you up all right i have a question from kara big fan of you both but kara wants me to say uh wants me to ask Melanie to talk about her Z103 days. How did you end up there and what can you share with us? And you do remember Z103. Of course I do, yeah. What can you share? I, as I mentioned earlier, graduated from Humber.

And I went out to Halifax for a month to do your, you have to do your internship, you have to do your hours. And I actually was lucky enough to work with Terry Williams, who was the program director at C100 at the time. And he allowed me to go on the air as an intern, which was really big in radio coming out of school. And I don't know, he just sort of took me under his wing and he was like, I really want you to go on the air. So he put me on the air and I was there for about a month. And I just like he met with me every day. We really worked on things. And I got a really good demo out of that.

So when I came back to Toronto a month later, I don't know. It was like I always just sort of saw the Z103 sign everywhere. And I just kept thinking to myself, like, you know, I think I'm going to start on Z. Like, I just had this feeling. And so I started sending them my demo. I sent my demo across Canada, obviously. But I was really persistent with Z. Like, I just wouldn't let up on that.

I'd send it to them. And then I'd, you know, call and try to follow up. And finally, Paul Evanov at the time got back to me. And we had some meetings. I met with Scott, we did some, you know, demo tests and stuff like that. And, and then they put me on the air. And, uh, so the Scott Fox, Melanie and Dave show began. They're not far from here. They're on like Dundas. Yeah. Yeah. They're still there. Well, different, different building, but yeah. Okay. Cause yeah, not far from Kipling's nation if you had stuck around one i think one more you would be so close okay cool now i don't know what else to say i had an incredible time working with scott and dave like you're still very good friends very good friends

i love them to death and like you know scott was um he to me really taught me uh what show prep was i had no clue i was so green so so so green like I mean I made some big mistakes there you know on the air um it's like it was just a new like it was kind of shocking to be on the air at the time it just fresh out of school and like oh my god I'm here doing radio and this is not a joke like I'm not in Timbuktu here like I'm being heard by people and so he really uh he was tough on me and we've talked about it a number of times. He was pretty tough, but really taught me the value of show prep. And, um, so, you know, I credit him for that obviously, and helped me grow as an announcer.

Like he taught me a lot. Um, and so did Dave, of course. I mean, Dave's awesome. Dave's always a funny guy. We had great times. We never stopped laughing. It was just like every morning was really what you heard on the air. It was like a party in there. We were having a great time breaking things behind the scenes. It was ridiculous. We were crazy.

Yeah, we were crazy. Did you also, and here's what I'm going to bring Mel to flow where she teams up with JJ. And then before we talk about that, I'll get JJ to flow where he teams up with Melanie. And then we'll before we talk about that i'll take get jj to flow where she where he teams up with melanie and then we'll kind of have you together so were you also on mojo radio like were you doing something at mojo god you really did some homework man you did some shit on mojo i didn't even know that yeah holding out on me just for like a second though it was literally a minute before z it was before z so after i always forget that part because i just i'm not really i i just so i got when i yeah sorry you don't seem proud

of the mojo no it's not that i wasn't proud of it i think i just looking back now what it was as a woman now i would never subject myself to that again. It was like Maxim magazine. It was really you know you were a promo girl and so I when I graduated went to Halifax came back and that time that I was sort of waiting for this gig to happen on Z which happened really quickly I got this other promotions job with Mojo Radio and I became a Mojo girl. So is it fair to say like you're like a Hooters waitress or something? It felt like that, yeah. It felt like that. I've also been a Hooters girl. Oh yeah?

Melanie Poopypants Martin. You know that I worked at Hooters. I never knew you worked at Mojo. As a Hooters girl. Never. You didn't know that I worked at Mojo? It was so brief. I think I was there for a couple weeks. I have Googled you extensively. I don't even remember.

Yeah. And I just remember like going into the morning show. We had to go in for something and I can't remember who was on the air at the time. Is this Humble and Fred? It might have been. I don't even know. Because they were the first morning show. I have no idea.

Okay. That's how little I remember about it. That is quite little actually. And I remember walking in and I was looking at them and they were making a joke about being hot or something. And I was looking. Oh, that's Humble and Fred, making a joke about being hot or something. And I was looking. Oh, that's Humble and Fred, I think. In the back of my mind, I was like, I'm going to have your seats.

I don't want this nonsense. Oh, I like this. Like, I just kept thinking in the back of my mind, like, this is not for me. I need to be on the air. Because you felt objectified, I'm sure. I did. Like, you weren't there because of your witty ability to like. No, not going to lie.

Like, thankful for the opportunity. I made some good money. I got to go to a lot of Toronto, the Leafs games, because you had to go and hand out lie, like thankful for the opportunity. I made some good money. I got to go to a lot of Toronto, the Leafs games because you had to go and hand out t-shirts, which is cool. But yeah, it was, it's very weird being a promo girl.

It's very strange being a promo girl. It really is. It's like, I mean, if you can do it great and it's, there's money to be made there. But for me, I did feel objectified.

I was not comfortable with it and I just wanted to be on the air that was what i wanted yeah they couldn't get away with mojo today oh yeah talk to julie adams like i remember talking to her about it and um she probably doesn't know who i am now but it was like a brief moment oh she knows who you are i had inter i got a chance to talk to her and she said to me and i will never forget the advice she said mel, if you want to be on the air, get on the air. And I was like, all right, I don't really get that. Like, I got to really sit with that. But what she was saying was do not settle for anything else.

So as I was doing this mojo thing, I was like, oh, no, no, no. Like, I can see how you can fall into the trap of staying behind the scenes, not really pushing yourself forward. And I was like, no, I can't do this. So I just kept hounding Z and then I got the gig. That's kind of the story about Mojo. No, that's some Mojo, some real talk. I feel like that's an important part of your story that you should not leave out.

Right. It is. All right. Because you saw you're better than that. Like, and you basically. No, but I feel bad saying that because I like, there's lots of people who do promo who like doing, my daughter was, she was doing promo for the argos yeah and she loved it she loved the gig you know she really she loved being part of the dancing but yeah there's lots of girls who love doing it so i

don't mean to you know put that down like mike is saying it's a good sort of not settling for yeah less story yeah i wanted to be added to your story because it's true. It happened, right? Like, so why not add it? Like, it doesn't look bad on you at all. Like you're, it's a part of your story. I think you got to add that.

JJ, how is your story? Oh, yeah. JJ's coming up, but you're at C103. No, JJ's coming up. It's equal time. I have a rule, equal time. It's just,

it hurts my neck a bit to look at JJ. I know you think, why are you looking at Melanie the whole time? I have to turn my left to my left. It's easy on the eyes. It's nice to look at her. It's obvious later why i'm why are you looking at melanie the whole time it's like i have to turn my left to my left it's easy on the eyes it's nice to look at obviously yeah it's just a coincidence she's sitting there so um melanie uh how do you get to flow 93.5

so you're at z103 and then you end up at flow so just maybe share that little uh um well i mean you know i got an email from someone and asked if we could have a meeting. I have a copy of that email. Yeah, you probably do. It's freaking me out over here. Who sent you this email? I got an email and that's, you know,

it's much like a headhunter or, you know, your competition in any sort of career that you may have where they're like, hey, we've heard about this person and they might go after them. And that's kind of the story behind that. Uh, someone came to me and asked me if I'd be interested in that. It was actually the three of us, they, they called, um, for a meeting. And then, um, you know, like some conversations later, I took the gig. It was, you know, and it was kind of your dream to get there. Like that was, that's what sparked the whole journey, right? Um, it wasn't really your dream to get there. Like that's what sparked the whole journey, right?

It wasn't really my dream to get on Flow. I was really, really happy doing the show that I was doing, actually. I was really happy. I was. No, I know. I was super happy, but. Money. Just say it.

Okay. So a previous guest, Bob Lillette, who worked at Evanoff for years, has gone on the record on this show to say that uh evanov group does not pay very well like he said this i don't know i've never worked for evanov group yeah i'm not gonna say that because i don't know what they pay now i just know at the time i was offered more money and i needed more money so it has nothing to do like evanov i don't people can say whatever they want what i what i experienced were people who, when I needed a moving van, they gave me a moving van. You know, the bosses were my friends. They gave me things I needed.

They helped me out in ways that I needed help all the time. I never wanted for anything there. You know, if I said, Hey, I'd love to go see this concert, you know, it was when announcers still mattered we'd get the tickets you know and like they treated me very well so I have zero complaints about that it's just that yeah I was offered more money and there was a part of me I didn't want to leave Scott and Dave because it's very comfortable and the show was just growing and it just felt like it was turning into something. Um, but there was a part of me that was like, maybe I should take on this new challenge. Like,

let's see, you know, where this takes me. Sure. So, you know, it's kind of, yeah,

that's really what it was for me. Okay. So you're, now that you're a flow, I'm going to turn my head to JJ here. Axel, Axel, Axel.

Not in a while, man. No, but we're going back now. Okay, so what comes first? The beat or 102.1? Oh, um... Well, 102.1.

What's the beat? 91.5, the beat. What? Kitchener, right? Like where I'm at? Yeah. You were there? Yeah. You guys should talk more often. Come Yeah. You were there? Yeah. What the hell? You guys should talk more often. Come on.

We talk all the time. More than we ever talked when we were on the air together. Yeah, but there's like a whole bunch before. Okay, no, do that. Hey, that's it. So bring us to flow from the beginning. Like when did you realize you wanted to be in radio? I'm going to quickly skim through this because i had an intern ask me my story but i have the yawned in the middle of me telling the story go fast but i'm allowed to

ask follow-up questions if i put in my hand all right uh so humber to humber college to 680 news uh but doing what at 680 um production just board hopping basically and and uh and yeah and then uh i left radio after that i was like oh this sucks and then i went out west got really high out west how far out west uh langley bc okay um and then came back and uh energy 108 right uh Writing kicker stories for Larry Silver. Most of them he didn't use. And then interning there. Not interning, but volunteering there. And then driving to Winnebago for a good long time at Energy 108.

And then they put me on air doing like weekend swing. And then they gave myself and Mastermind a show, and then that went for a little while, and then Energy Want to Wake Up by Shaw, which was chorus, and they let Mastermind go, and then I wrote out Energy to the End, doing different shifts, then Edge 102 right after that because it was chorus, and then Kiss 92. Okay, what did you do at Edge 102?

So it was right after they let uh vishna go you remember her yes um so they let her go and so i vishna's got a j in there right that's right yeah i was doing overnights and weekends there just for the summer that summer whatever year it was 2002 and then uh kiss and then kiss folded really quickly after i got there they turned to jack i went over to flow and was doing weekends at flow and then i folded really quickly after I got there. They turned to Jack. I went over to Flow and was doing weekends at Flow and then I was like, I've got to make more money than this.

That was the first Kiss. Kiss 92. That's not the country Kiss. After country. Kiss 92.5, but before it does the Jack thing. You were doing Afternoon Drive. No, I was doing.

Okay, not afternoon drive. I'm not always correct. Afternoons. Sometimes I make them up. I was like the half. Like midday? Half midday. Yeah, half midday and then one weekend day.

Were you still Axel? Yeah. At that time? And then I think it was Josie was doing the other half of the week and I was doing the first half of the week and I was doing the first half of the week or something like that. Funny. I don't,

I don't know you from, from kiss. Like I, and I remember I used to listen to kiss. Yeah. Is that what, what year was that? 2002.

See, like I would have just been starting, I think in and around that time. And it was like, and I remember Josie, I was like, I want to be just like Josie. Right.

DJ X was on there with that whole, that whole end era where kiss kind of went a little bit more hip hop. And then they folded and went country and i went to flow like i said was doing swing there swing weekends then went to the beat did mornings there it was not a good fit for me out there so then my wife and i went to australia for a while and then came back from australia and i lived in colona did the radio scene in Kelowna, that does not pay. If you're thinking of going to Kelowna, they do not pay in Kelowna.

Is it at least beautiful? Yeah, but if you can't buy anything, you need new shoes, it's not beautiful. No, it's gorgeous. The lakes and the mountains and whatnot. And then Flo, I answered a Milkman ad was a blind box no maybe not flow was looking for a morning show producer and they hired me as the morning show producer

for a new show called slim and melanie in the morning we have a slim question by the way okay and then you know everybody that's so interesting because I'm just remembering now what you said about doing 91.5. Yeah. In Kitchener. I'm literally just connecting that right now that it's the same station I'm doing now. Yeah. It's so weird. I know, but we've talked about this and I know the history there, but it's like so weird that it's now I'm doing.

Yeah. So the beat. It's funny. To pause you there, Yerouj Islam wants to know what happened to Slim. Like Slim just, Yerouj thinks Slim just disappeared, but he probably just left the industry.

Do you know anything about Slim? Yeah, I talked to him from time to time. I don't know. So Slim was doing, it was Slim and Melanie in the morning. For whatever reason, that didn't work out. And then they put me in the co-host position.

Melanie wrote off, and I wrote off into the sunset. And Slim, he was doing some sort of artist promotion the last I heard. I haven't talked to him in about a year. So I mentioned, and a half or so.

So this comment was left on an open mic on TorontoMic.com, which means it was in public, which means the aforementioned Mark Weisblatt saw it. And then Mark Weisblatt told me that Slim was doing PR from Mr. Peanut. Does that sound, or Planters Peanut, I guess? I don't know. I have no idea. Which is cool.

It just means he left radio. Okay. All right. Was that a joke? No, this is all straight up stuff. I do't know. I have no idea. Which is cool. Like, it just means he left radio. Okay. Okay. All right. Was that a joke? No, this is all straight up stuff. I do not know. You know what, though? Like, I mean, regardless, I don't, like, I didn't follow.

Unfortunately, the way things happen, I wish I would have been able to stay in contact with Slim because he's a really sweet person. But I, like, there's a lot of people people who it's so funny because in the industry, people talk about, oh, they're no longer in radio. They might, you know, they're doing this or they're just doing this. And it's like, nah, some people choose to get out. It's a pretty tough industry to be in. It's really tough on your ego. It's really insecure. I mean, you've never, it's not as rewarding as you think yeah it's not stable and even me going back you know coming back in after everything happened it's a scary thing to be back in radio so

i applaud anyone who's made the decision to not listen to ego because we're on the air mostly mostly for ego that's it's true it's what we do we love doing it but your ego is fed when you're when you're on the radio. And so if you can release that and get into something that just makes you happy, I applaud that a thousand percent. I've heard other people say that about other female co-hosts,

like, oh, she doesn't do anything anymore. And I'm like, good for her. She's finding her own business. She's doing her own thing. She doesn't need to be on the radio to be successful. You know, so just, sorry, but like- No, no, no. Yeah.

I think if he's doing PR for something, that's amazing. As long as he's happy, it's amazing. No doubt. And he probably made a lot more money and again, much more stability. So Slim is laughing all the way to the bank on this one. Slim, if you're out there, reach out.

We want to hear from you. All right. So now we've got you both together. So you're basically, you two are the morning show at Flow 93.5 that's where you say yes that's true yes yes 100 all right so how long how long were you guys doing uh doing that show nine years no we were like a couple months away from 10 yeah that's still i still think nine's okay i'll go with nine yeah i say 10 we're closer to 10 round up well that's a that's a that's a very like long run but a good long run totally a long very good times so any uh what can you share like with regards to like

how it ends for your show like walk on a daily basis how it ended or how the show ended how the show after almost 10 years why don't we start go to how it started yeah it was do it all a rocky start okay very why so very love hate between you two that perked him up you're like oh what you too because you guys uh you see i know people like each other when they actually podcast together because you're not doing you're not doing that for the money not like each other when they actually podcast together because you're not doing that for the money. We did not like each other. I just found her... JJ liked me a little too much and it was uncomfortable.

I just found her unbelievably frustrating. I was pretty tough. In that you could not reason with the unreasonable and she was very unreasonable, I found. I was an asshole. I was quite unreasonable in my regard as well. And when you get that sort of thing, you get friction. No, I was an asshole.

I came from the school of Scott Fox. And like I said, I love him to death, but he was pretty hard on me. So I felt like I really felt that bossy nature coming into this new show. Like, why didn't't have these clips and where were these clips and so we had a lot of those arguments i was like fuck you yeah like who are you no but jj was very much like chill okay well even this brief clip what do we have we're like we've been together for an hour so i know you have one hour it was like 52 minutes but we chatted for at least eight minutes before i pressed record okay so we've been together for an hour. So one hour, it was like 52 minutes, but we chatted for at least eight minutes

before I pressed record. So we've known each other an hour. I can already tell the personalities, it's very interesting how you compliment each other because your personalities are very different. Like this is, JJ is the straight man,

right? And Melanie, you're the zany madcap fly by the seat of her pants. Yeah. Is that okay? Zany madcap fly by the seat of her pants. I've never been called zany, but fly by the seat of my pants, my friend.

You got me. Right. But it's almost like you would drag her down to like reality, if you will, when she starts floating away or whatever. And then you would pick them up and like get them off the ground, you know? I think that's happened more. That dynamic's happened more when I am a guest on your podcast, that's kind of happened more. But when we were together, both of us were kind of flying by the seat of our pants a lot of time.

And we were it was the show was very fluid and organic and real life. And we talked a lot about our lives lives and and uh our relationships or lack of relationships or whatever the the case may have been melanie was often my filter um i feel like her sitting here beside me right now just even yeah glances she'll give me i'm like all right yes you know there are a lot of glances we have you know comfort yeah and um we had yeah we had a very cut by by the third year second year we had a very comfortable yeah uh thing going on yeah you it's like any other relationship you know you're like okay this is really gonna work and like i think we both saw a potential right from get-go like whoa like we've got something here jj and i had something i think i knew that right from the

beginning i was kind of being a bit of an asshole i wasn't sure of my place i was confused by a lot of things going on just in my life i was still young anyway whatever i've always been old yes but all you know like you're just working through the stuff in life period and then you're coming from a school of really hard show prep really hard this and jj wasn't that person he was like hey we've got to be a little more gentle with each other and be a little more respectful why can't you just be nice yeah and Scott and I would go head to head like fuck you like we would fight but we loved each other it's just we were hard on each other so I kind of came with that attitude so then JJ's this like calm really like let's let's talk about our feelings. Not exactly, but sort of that.

I get it. And so we had to work through that for the first, like you said, maybe year, year, two years. And then once we figured it out, JJ had to give me shit and scare me a few times. Uh, he walked out of the show once and left me hanging there, which scared the shit out of me. And I was like, okay, I got you, man. Like I got to be a little different with you

my tone needs to be different and from then i think it was like okay like we had our moments like every morning show does yeah but it was it was mostly fun i for the yeah the remaining seven years or whatever it was or eight years um it was really like showing up for work every morning hanging out with my with my drinking coffee, talking shit, listening to great pop and R&B. It was dynamite. Dream job. To speak to your stability, JJ,

am I right that you've been married 17 years? 19 years yesterday. 19. I listen to an old podcast. That's why. Totally hashtag relationship goals. Okay. So first of all, that's amazing.

Because doing the math in my head, you got married very young. I see. Okay. Which I did too first of all, that's amazing. Cause I'm doing the math in my head. You got married very young. I see. Okay. Cause which I did too, but I didn't make it to 19 years, but okay. So that's fantastic.

And it's sort of, uh, again, that speaks to though, that you're the stability. Like I feel like, so you, you've got this relationship on air.

So you're almost like a work husband, wife, right? Like, uh, I call them Wubby all the time. He was my Wubby. We did though. He was my Wubby.

And I never liked it. Still don't like it that much. And he walked me through how many different relationships? Several. Now like five or ten. Five or ten. I think it was three. Yeah, whatever.

Maybe three. That's not bad. Over ten years? Three? Yeah, that's not three. That's not bad. Over 10 years? Three? Yeah, that's not bad. That's pretty good. Yeah, he taught me a lot of stuff about that stuff. Credit is due to Susie because I learned how to center myself and deal with others through my wife.

Susie Q? No. Susie Laborde. you know through my wife so suzy suzy q no no jj always gets like uncomfortable when i ask him about his relationship on my on my podcast and he's like i don't want to be the guy but is it because your wife doesn't want it out in public like so maybe she's private so you know she's pretty cool but um people are shitty when you know you have a whatever decent relationship and people can get shitty about things and i hold it very dear and i just don't want people shitting on it and i don't want to preach to anybody and so melanie makes me preach she's like i make him preach because i think he's

an example and i know he hates when i do this see his eyes are rolling already but it's true it's an example that a lot of people like i look up to. I said this on a recent episode of mine. Like, I'm not good at relationships. It's not my best moments. But through the years, I've said, you know, there's a lot of shitty guys in the world. But I've been surrounded by a lot of great men who are in great relationships. My dad is one of them, my brother. And JJ is one of them.

I have always watched the way he respects his wife and how they love each other, and I do learn from that. I know he hates it, but it's true. Sorry, JJ. That's okay. Moving on. He's like, let's stop talking about it. All right, so after it took,

it sounds like it took a couple of years for you guys to figure out how to gel together and how to work together, but then it sounds like the next eight years or whatever when you're at Flow. It's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing. Together we had some really great times. We had a lot of management changes

and a lot of owner changes as well. And those were varying degrees of happiness and success with them. Some of them were just horrendous experiences. Now when nucap buys the station so nucap which has now been bought itself by stingray but when nucap bought the station uh they decided to rebrand like they did that i still remember this because i wrote about this on my blog i didn't have a podcast back then but i wrote about the rebrand and we'll get into the you know the murky details here in a second here but like i remember uh part of the rebrand was like a like a mass i want to say mass layoffs or whatever you call it in radio

you were all a bunch of you were fired and as i recall because i remember restructuring restructuring right but there was a like a bunch of you got it when the move was coming in is that right looking at mel because i uh wait you bit it in the move oh the move yes yeah like i was thinking about the flow oh yeah the one before that when it was like a bloodbath yeah i was thinking about that like two to four years right there's a bloodbath okay so heads up to young people getting into radio there's a bloodbath every two to four years. I just, I was thinking that you were thinking about when we were purchased by before new cap and it was right. Well, do you want to talk about that before we keep it chronological? It wasn't good. It wasn't a great time. Uh, and, and much like you said in radio,

it can happen and they got a clean house. It was just really, it was tough. We saw a lot of friends go, you know, it's Yeah, it's awful, awful. So yeah, they moved to, they changed to the move and I got the cut. I got the cut with three of the other girls. So that was the part I remember because I actually saw that I tweeted about this. So I guess I tweeted at the time. So everybody in that purge, at least everybody I knew of in that purge was female. Like it just seems strange.

Like that might probably a coincidence. I don't know. New Cap would have the answer to that. But it just, the optics were, I found were kind of bad. Yeah, the optics were bad. There's no doubt. And I think, you know, that's, I don't know. Like I think that was maybe someone up top

not paying attention. I really think that they just weren't, I don't think that was like a deliberate. I would never suggest because I really think that they just weren't. I don't think that was like a deliberate. I would never suggest, because I really don't know, that there was like an intention to fire all women. That would be the dumbest move in the world. Like, come on. So I think that someone just wasn't sleeping.

That's exactly what it was. Because I did not let go. And I remained. And they were like, oh, what did we do yeah this looks horrible they knew it was you know and that was not they're like throw some dudes in the pile so it doesn't look so bad yeah so and uh it must have been awful like that's a long time to be at a station and things seem to be going very well and you have this great chemistry with your co-host jj and i guess i don't like i'm trying to I mean you tell me I

know it's probably not a happy memory you probably don't want to go back and think about it again but to get it and then see that your partner JJ doesn't get it like does that add like insult to injury or make it worse on some level now be honest listen he's still your friend it's all good it's all worked out but um no i wasn't uh like i wasn't upset with jj if that's no you weren't like wishing he got it too but it must like why did you get it it was shocking that j it was shocking that it was just me and jj didn't but then i started figuring out okay what they're doing here like there was an ease out of jj and melanie let's move jj let's like just kind of slowly make the transition and so I was like oh I kind of get

I get what they're doing so I couldn't hate them for that it was a smart decision I think it was a smart decision and I got let go like a year and a half yeah so and we all knew his time was coming we talked about all the time it was like his time behind the scenes like this ain't working and I'm gonna be let go any dead men walking yeah yeah so kind of knew, we just knew that there was some sort of strategy behind it. Um, and so, yeah, no,

I, I wasn't, I wasn't, I wasn't even angry. I hadn't, I've, I've had moments. Mostly sad.

I was just, you were, you were optimistic as well because you had, uh, uh, oh shoot, should I even go here? You had,

uh, yeah, that's a whole other thing. Yeah. But you had plans. Yeah. And, but I, you know i i mean i was sad for a minute but i had been doing it for so long i was happy about sleeping in honestly i

was like i'm gonna go travel i'm gonna do my thing which i did that's all i meant is that you wanted to travel and you were able to go do that and i and i felt like okay this it's fine but i also felt like it's gonna come back around though But I also felt like, it's going to come back around, though. JJ and I are going to be working together again. Like, this isn't forever. Right. And, you know, now three years later, is it three years almost? Yeah.

Yeah. And we're not. I will say that. So it's actually been a slow, like, oh, shit, maybe we're not going to work together again, you know, shocking thing. Because I really thought that at some point we would work again but here we are on toronto mic together there you go and i'm on your podcast all the time yeah so that's kind of yeah yeah i can't wait to talk to you about all the podcasting stuff now i will say that okay so you're kind of you consider yourself like a brand like a i mean obviously you're off

doing your own thing independent you're not married married you're not tied to the hip or whatever but you you you are a jj and melanie it is a brand and i always think about what i think You're off doing your own thing. Independent. You're not married. Not married. You're not tied to the hip or whatever. But you are a JJ and Melanie. It is a brand. And I always think about what I think about is like, let's talk about like the Tucker and Mora. Okay. So Tucker and Mora, Virgin, Purge, it fires them.

And now they're on the air in Hamilton. Via Toronto. Hamilton slash Toronto, isn't it? Right. But that's because they're in Hamilton and trying to get advertisers. Right, right.

It's my employer. Easy now. They have weird ideas, that's all. They've tried this before. Are you surprised that all these bundles seem to be... Why hasn't JJ and Melanie ended up back on the air together like do we have any thoughts on that she's on the air in barry and i'm doing stuff here

so i don't know why yeah i don't know why we didn't get picked up in in i mean i think maybe timing is everything right like we literally timing is everything and i think at that time i my mind was somewhere else i was going to move to argentina that was what my belief was i was going to be with my boyfriend is that the thing that he referred to and you weren't gonna talk about okay so my focus was all about argentina i was like okay radio just gave me the boot it's my time it's like listen to the signs and yes i'm that girl and i'm like these are the signs you gotta go and then things didn't work out there but then and then they came back and then a lot is like ongoing thing over a couple of years of a real emotional roller coaster so my focus was not on radio back here it really it wasn't yeah i was in mexico i was learning to

i got my yoga teacher um certificate I went and I did school there. Like I was kind of just bouncing. So JJ and I weren't focusing on, hey, we should really push to have our show somewhere. Right. Or try even. I think. Okay. Sorry.

I was employed. And yeah. And JJ was still working. They gave me, they put me in the morning show with Blake. Which was smart because they broke up the team. Right. So. So I wrote that out for up the team, right? Right. So I rode that out for 10 months or however long it lasted.

And by that point, Melanie was doing something else. And, you know, I was, had other, you know, goals in mind and got picked up by CBC. And now we're doing those things separately. Which is amazing. It's very cool. Now, okay, so Mel, you were part of that group that got let go bc and yeah now we're doing those things separately which is amazing it's very cool now okay so mel you were part of that group that got let go and with the rebranding to the move happened and blake blake carter is now co-hosting with you jj so is that like what i did afternoons for a

while okay okay and then the blake car Carter thing happened and it didn't work. Right. She was on with Adam Wilde on like 92.5 or something and then she, yeah. Okay. And it's, what's the guy's name? Peter Cash with a K. So he comes in to co-host with Blake when you get it, when you get let go.

When I got axed, he moved in. Yeah, he was in. Yeah. He was doing evenings and. Like, do we, I mean, do you care to speculate why, like, why did they make that change? Like why? Because it, it wasn't working. It wasn't working. So think of it this way.

I've said this before, but you have a marriage between Melanie and myself and then we're forced to get divorced right and then they give me a new wife and they're like make it work right it's like i've been married to this other girl and you had 10 years of like knowing each other's looks and so and then to put me in with somebody and say make it work i i didn't know how to make it work um the way they wanted it to um and it was it was you know it was a chemistry thing maybe it was it was a chemistry thing and it was a history thing you know because the station didn't change frequencies everybody knows who jj is everybody knows the stories that i've told for the last 10 years with melanie and then you want me to now retell them with

with blake right? That's ridiculous. So it was doomed to fail from the get-go. Man, okay. Well, if you think about, I'm just speculating now. I don't know what the higher-ups were thinking, but I truly believe there was a breakup, JJ and Melanie, because if we go somewhere else, we're still a team.

Um, and, and, and that's smart, you know, so for a year and a half, no matter what happened, JJ was still on the air there and I wasn't.

So it kind of, you know, but it's, it's smart, but it's also evil, right? Like it is a Machiavellian. There's some evilness there as yeah,

because they know I, I can't quit. I got to get paid. I got a family to read. So it's not like I'm going to be like, all right, you know what? I'm going to take a stand. Screw you. Like's the business. Because they know, I can't quit. I got to get paid. I got a family to feed. So it's not like I'm going to be like, all right, you know what? I'm going to take a stand.

Screw you. Oh, like in private parts when they fired Robin Quivers and she asks Howard Stern, why didn't you quit? And he's like, I have to stay on the air for us.

Like, do you remember this? Yeah. So you like that? It's radio. Yeah. That's good to happen. I never saw it from that vantage point.

That's why I'm glad to see that perspective because if, yeah, you're right. So Melanie's got to go out and do her own thing because she doesn't have her JJ because her JJ's still being paid by NuCap over on the moon. Don't call me her JJ. That's weird. I like that.

Do you have any other JJs? No, I don't. And you're a Jason, right? Jason, yeah. You spell it wrong. My mother spelled it wrong. No. That is true. I doubt you had much to do right? Jason. You spell it wrong. My mother spelled it wrong. No. That is true.

I doubt you had much to do with that one. Okay. And now, JJ, like what do they, and I'm always curious, like do they ask you to come in a room and there's two people with a folder and then they pass on a folder to you? Is this how it goes down? When they fired me? Yeah. Is that what you're asking? Yeah.

I mean, I've been fired. I'm not Is that what you're asking? Yeah. I mean, I've been fired. I'm not better than you. That's for sure. Yeah, no, like I said, I saw it coming

a mile away and when it happened, I was like, all right, yeah, go, here, this is it.

You get the email, hey, can you see us after the show? You got the same email, didn't you? I got mine during the show. Yeah. I got mine at like 9.05. But I always wonder, did you, did you see it, you would you got the same email i got mine during the show yeah so did i but i

always want to know did you did you see it you you would see it coming jj but melanie you might not have seen that coming like this is 10 years at a gig and your things seem to go on fine we're having conversations we had conversations was on like the rest you always know we could tell there was some stuff it's better to know you can brace yourself and then i didn't i didn't actually know for sure but i like we were talking about it going hmm yeah um and then yeah i know i just got an email during my show and then uh you always know i'm i got the email and i was like oh man here we go because it had never happened to me i didn't know i'd never i made all the cuts up until that point and so would i had never been turfed. It was like 14 years straight. Well, you're nobody in radio till you get that first firing.

So they say. But I would argue that because Marilyn Dennis, I don't think she's ever been fired. And like, hello. But do we know about Calgary? I feel like you never know. Maybe early days there was fire. I don't think so.

I don't know. I was always saying the example they always talked about was Ashby. He had never been fired. But I kind of think this recent retirement was a bit of a firing, but that's a little controversial opinion. Probably a mutual agreement. Yeah, but I think he'd still like to be doing that show

in the mornings. If he was in charge of his life, he'd still be going in and doing that show. I don't know. It's a solid do, though. What up, Reddra? Oh, yeah, I know. He's a sweetheart. He's been over here, too. He's been a great guy. Now, okay, so, JJ, now you're let go as well. So, how do I get you to the CBC? Like, how do you end up at the CEEB?

So, I called my friends, obviously, as I'm leaving 93.5 for the last time, driving home. I'm like, all right, call everybody you know. Good idea. And Angeline Tetawayo was a friend. She was formerly of Flow, and she was one of the ones that got turfed with Mel. And I said, help me. And she's like, they might be looking for somebody here,

and I called, blah blah and uh through a very lengthy process of of uh submitting writing samples and demo samples they brought me into their talent development program i may have been the first person in their talent development program or their new vamped development program and uh just started to fill in for ang for whatever nine months ten months whatever it was and then actually one year to the day of getting let go from 93.5 they picked me up as an associate producer slash swing host essentially i need to know the uh you know to compare and contrast working for the commercial stations and commercial radio and then the CBC.

What are the biggest differences? Well, I can't just go on about poop and farts and stuff like that. That's for sure. Obviously, I miss working with Melanie. Right now, at this point in history, I don't miss being,

uh, in, uh, private radio. Um, just because I don't, I don't know how to act anymore. Things are changing.

We're at a very pivotal place in history. And, you know, I'm used to speaking to Melanie and I'm used to speaking to my wife. And those are the two women in my life right now. And I got to CBC and I'm like, I don't know how to talk to people. And so, you know, if you ask any of my coworkers at CBC, they'll be like, yeah, he's a pretty quiet dude. It's like, yeah, because I don't know what to say to people anymore.

Because Melanie was the person I would speak to the most. And there's not many people like Melanie out there in the wild. No, and there's not many people like my wife either. And those are my two go-to people. I've been there for a year now, and I'm learning to kind of come out of the shell that I had to go in there with and drop my armor a little bit. But it's a different culture at CBC.

It's more adult than private radio. Did they teach you how to speak CBC? Like there's a certain pattern there. Yeah. Well, there's like everything is somewhat scripted at CBC. So, you know, yeah, there's definitely a way to, more of a way to deliver than a way to speak. Okay, you have to articulate. Yeah, definitely.

But they also say they want you to be yourself. So it's a bit of a balance. It's a bit of a, yeah, kind of do it this way, but be yourself, kind of do it this way. So I'm finding that, that, that, that happy medium between those two things. Okay.

Be really specific. And like if somebody listening now says, Oh, JJ is on the CBC. I want to hear him. Like what specific show? I'm going to hear you. I'm an associate producer there.

I'm, I produced the show Marvin's room and I produced drive. Um, and, um, you can hear me from time to time filling in on the top 20 but i'm a fill in there uh again for angeline to the whale and um you can i i host host which is not the same as being a host in private radio i host something called my playlist um which is just they insert my voice

saying coming up blah blah blah blah blah and're going to hear them talking about blah, blah, blah. That was blah, blah, blah, blah. Coming up next, blah, blah. So that's, I mean, my face is on the thumbnail for it on the website, but I mean, it's not, you don't get a sense of who I am. Is that called the voice tracking when they do that? Or is it, am I misusing the term voice tracking? Well, I mean, it's pre-recorded.

Yeah, right. Yeah, it's not live. Okay. Danny Graves was just here and he says he's doing some fill-in work uh yeah there's a few a few people who do uh who do fill-in work just three or four of us great acapella singer by the way i'm thinking of uh his name is danny graves he sang for the watchman yeah remember the watchman let me sing something but i was thinking for TMLX4. I don't know. All right. I'm going to share an idea.

I haven't met him yet. Oh, he's a sweetheart. He owns and runs a bar in Perkdale. I know you're not a West End guy. Never mind. If I tell you it was at Dufferin and Dundas, you'll be like, what is that? So where are you? Like East York?

Where are you? Beaches? I'm in the beaches, yeah. Okay. I always call it the beaches, but then people correct me. I don't care. Whatever. Very nice. Sometimes I bike to Ashbridge's Bay or whatever, and then I'll go on Queen. Oh, the bridge!

I'm just kidding. I don't know what you EastEnders are like. I'm a WestEnd guy. As you know, because you're in my basement right now. That's excellent that you're at CBC. Melanie, how do you end up at Big 101.1 FM? In Barrie.

In Barrie. I just, I was in Mexico teaching yoga on the beach. I would have stayed there. That sounds amazing. It was.

Why'd you come back? Got hungry. Ego. Okay, so where's your kid in all this? Like, is your kid here

or is your kid's an adult? She's an adult living on her own. I don't know. Okay, so where's your kid in all this? Is your kid here? Yeah. Because your kid's an adult. She's an adult living on her own. I don't know her age, so I'm trying to do minus 16, but I have no idea. She's doing her own thing. Yeah, so I was living in Mexico at the time doing that, and I don't know. My ego was telling me, like, you got to get back on the air.

I had, while I was there... You could have podcasted. I could have, but... For your ego? Yeah, but I wasn't really thinking about podcasting. I think it crossed my mind, but I wanted to be on live radio. And then I got a job while I was in Mexico doing some voice tracking for a small radio station up north. And I was like, oh, this is really cool. I'm doing like a morning show from here. So I was doing it from Mexico, which just was brilliant. Which is the dream. Yeah. You're living the dream. But it wasn't very much money, oh, this is really cool. I'm doing like a morning show from here. So I was doing it from Mexico, which just was brilliant.

Which is the dream. Yeah. You're living the dream. But it wasn't very much money, blah, blah, blah. And then I got a call from someone, you know, a program director who I'd worked with before. And he was like, hey, you know, they're hiring out here. And do you want to try it out? And I thought, oh, well, I'll try it out.

And I went and tried it out. And then I took the gig. So how long ago did you... There I am. When did you start? Like approximately how long ago? It's been two years. Two years, okay.

And Big 101, I don't know how, so it's Big 101.1 FM. Yeah, Big 101. Big 101, okay. The biggest hits of all time. Okay, so... Biggest what?

Hits. So is that like, can I ask you? Is that like... That was cheap. was cheap that was that wouldn't pass at cbc i tell you that was some low-hanging fruit my friend yeah i i i'm the host i make eye contact so the uh so okay you so you moved to barry from mexico to barry yeah like i mean i had a home base like uh you know i had my stuff at my cottage, which is up north. I moved all my stuff to my cottage.

I had some stuff in storage. So that was like my home base. Okay. And my truck, actually. I have a CRV. I had like most of my shit in there. I was just really like roaming for two years. You were walking the earth like kung fu.

Like I would go to Argentina, come back, I'd stay at my girlfriend's house for like a month. I'd go to Mexico, come back, stay at another friend's for a month. You're the opposite of JJ. Like this guy's slow and steady to win the race and you're all over the place. I was excited though. I was having a time. She was having a great time. I was having a great time.

Call me occasionally crying but outside of that. Moments. Yeah. I had really scary moments. And then I had opportunities to work. Some places I got offers and I was like, I can't move there, I can't do this, blah, blah, blah. Barrie just felt like it was still kind of close to Toronto. I wanted to come back home.

It's close. And also, Chorus owns this station. Yes. So is there any mindset that maybe you end up on whatever, 102.1 or whatever? I think for a minute I did think that. Yeah, I was like, oh, we'll get back into Toronto this way. But, yeah, like, yeah. Q107?

Maybe you could be a takeover for Joanne Walls over there? No. That's not my thing. But what are you playing now on One Big? What are you playing now? The biggest hits of all time mike is that i don't know what that means like is that a hybrid when i got there when i got there it was big hits and real classic rock which was okay i'm gonna challenge myself to a whole new format right you know i'm hip-hop and r&b girl i'm z103 dance and and you know chr but i'm gonna mojo stickers gonna do this right rolling stones queen bohemian rhapsody shit i'm gonna do this

stuff and i play some bob marley from time to time yes which is like that's my jam ever play prince now now we do we didn't before look at the influence but yeah like that was a like a whole new world and challenge for me not only a new co-host and barry uh but it was you know oh my god i don't know this music i'm just like way unfamiliar i don't know the demo i don't know the audience I don't know how to speak to that audience. It was really tough. But you've risen to the occasion. Well, I don't know about that. But you're still there.

I'm doing my best. But now we're playing big hits, the biggest hits of all time. And I feel a little more comfortable in that. Although some of them are still, you know, a little before my time. There is a lot of like, we'd play a lot of Prince. And we're like dropping stuff that i'm more familiar with which makes it a little bit easier okay cool i mean i'm there i don't know what else to say no i mean we want to so let's let's okay two things there's podcasting but first like you're

both uh voiceover actors jj does jj is more professional work than i do like i try i want to i'd like to do more i listened to an old episode the one that made me think you were married 17 years so this is probably two years old or whatever and it's like at the beginning there's like a cold open or whatever with like brought to you by jj laborde like our jason laborde like my old podcast that's jj's podcast okay that's jj's that was called friday junior friday junior right okay junior podcast that's no longer a thing. That was just something to do while I was looking for work.

Okay. So that's no longer a thing. But it was still good, fun to hear you together. And so tell me, though, about the voiceover thing. Like, you're... I've just been doing that on the side for a good long time. A good long time. Way back when I was at Energy 108.

Okay. Jock, Mike Devine. Do you know who that is? No. But I like all mics. You do like all mics. All of them. He was probably born in the 70s too.

Yeah, most. Yeah, most mics. Anyway, he hooked me up with his agent and I just kind of wrote it from there. Is it like radio ads or is it like different things? Yeah, radio ads, different things. Okay, like television. I can envision like a corporate video

and your voice is like. Yeah, like whatever, internal corporate stuff. I was imaging voice. Do you do answering machine messages? I do. I was the voice of Pizza Pizza answering machine for years and years and years. That is actually a pretty high profile.

Yeah, nobody was me though. That's why he's wearing orange today. What do you want? Didn't you also do Bacardi Guy? I was Bacardi for a while. Some stuff. Pretty good gigs, man. Mel, you're not doing voiceover stuff.

Although I like your voice because it's got a texture to it that I like. Is that from smoking and drinking vodka? Like where is that coming from? It's from drinking tequila. Get it right.

You did your research. Yeah. I like it. I always liked that little tiny like a husk. A little sandpaper. Yes.

A little husk. Like not quite Janice Joplin but that kind of thing. I don't know what to do with myself. Stop attacking me. Little husk. Like, not quite Janice Joplin, but that kind of thing. I don't know what to do with myself. Stop attacking me. What? Yeah, no, I'd like to do more of it. I do, and I have done some national spots, like, you know, I get a lot of car stuff.

And I was like, I don't know why. Nissan Sentra. But yeah, like, I get that kind of stuff. But I'd like to do more stuff for television, for sure. And audiobooks. I'm, like, totally trying to get into that right now. Now is the new podcast. Well,

Friday jr is gone. So, although if I Google like junior, the podcast, if I Google like JJ and Melanie podcast, that's actually like, is that what comes up? Melanie's podcast doesn't come up.

No, it's like, I have a feeling, I have a feeling. That's why I want to educate the listeners right now. So the, what's the active, is it unfiltered?

Unfiltered. And this is the one that you're actually like doing now. It's under unfiltered with Melanie, but like I was going to change the name to unfiltered with Melanie and mostly JJ. Cause it's mostly JJ on the podcast. But I, to be clear, but JJ always says,

it's your podcast. It's her podcast. I am a guest on, on her podcast. She has had other guests. And you do it in the same room? Like, does JJ have to go to Barry or is this done on Skype or something? We were doing that.

And I was coming to Toronto or he was coming out there, mostly to Barry. But now we've got a little, you know, program online and we just do it over. I do it from my basement. Cyberspace. But then you can't read each other's looks. Yeah, we do. Oh, you have a camera? Yeah.

So it works. I think it works great. There's a little bit of a delay and obviously it's not the best studio quality that we would ideally like, but... It's no Toronto Mike. Well, please. But we do our best.

I'm just trying to be the next JJ or Mel. I'll take either or. Like, come on. Hey, you've got sponsors. We don't have sponsors. Well, that's coming next. Now that we're exposing it to people, like telling people to discover Melanie Unfiltered.

Yeah, or Unfiltered with Melanie. I don't want to get that wrong. Okay, so where do you want people to go? Like, should they search their favorite podcatcher for unfiltered whatever tell people now if they want to go subscribe plug it right now

it's unfiltered with Melanie or Melanie unfiltered it comes up both ways so it doesn't matter what you search you can find it on Spotify you can find it on iTunes and you can find it at Melanie unfiltered.com

It's my jam. It's your jam right there, JJ. Ooh, child, things are going to get easier. That's my jam. Look at JJ. That's your jam right there, JJ. Fun fact, I had Maestro Fresh Wes over for episode 416, and we were kicking out the jam, so we were playing his 10 favorite songs of all time. This was number one.

Was it? Wow. Me and Wes. Look at that. A little bit in common. It's a classic. I always think of Boys in the Hood when... Furious is talking to Trey. Exactly.

Volkswagen Beetle. After he sees Doughboy get arrested. What a scene. Classic scene. And this song makes it, man. So yeah, tell us why you love The Five Stair Steps. Oh, child. You know, I like any song really that tells you everything's going to be okay.

This is from my era. I'm from the 70s as well. And Bob Marley said that a lot. Yes, he did. So did Alanis Morissette. Everything's going to be fine, fine, fine. Right. And I just appreciate a song like that.

And I just love. Everything's going to be fine, by the way. I'm a 70 these guys are from Chicago but I just they got this Philly sound too that I've always loved and the song just speaks to me

honestly there's nothing not to like about this song this is an uplifting wonderful song and it was their only hit their only hit one hit wonders go big then go home. What a perfect way to end the podcast. Is that it? Is that what you were saying?

Do you want to leave? Melody's got a jam too. Am I getting a jam? Should we just listen to this one? Yeah, I'm going to listen in. I was just going to use this as a teaser, although I don't know if JJ's ever coming back, to be honest.

If you ever did come back... Do I seem grumpy? I'm just messing with you. I'm looking for a washroom. Do you need it right now? We can shoot the breeze. Okay, I didn't know you had a... Go pee.

Have you ever had somebody... No, go... Yeah, take off your headphones, though. Because they're attached to the board. And then when you come back, we'll play your jam and I'll get you out of here. I didn't know you had a heart stump. Okay, so she's tangled up, but her... Okay, don't hit your head on the way back either.

Hey, tell me something. Hey, talk to me, JJ. Do you ever have somebody come in here, you know, to your basement, use your washroom, just stink it up to be damned, just foul it, and then just say, alright, see ya, Mike, and walk out. Marilyn Dennis ever come here, foul up your private room,

and then just walk away like nothing happened? In all honesty, no guest has ever done number two in there. No? Never. No, never. They don't call her poopy pants for nothing, just so you know. If Melanie did stink up my bathroom, it would be fine with me. Like, you know, I would, it's a badge of honor. But, yeah.

Great song. Thanks for playing that. Great song. Do you and Melanie ever, and maybe you can't say this because you're happily employed at CBC, but do you ever apply for things? Like when you mentioned Milkman Unlimited or whatever, I know that that's like a site where they post like,

okay, Bigs and Bar, for example, I'm just going to throw this out there. Bigs and Bar were on Hits at 97.7 in St. Catharines and then they took a gig in Ottawa, right, to take over for two guys named Doc and Woody who were retiring or whatever. I saw a job opening for the morning show

on Hits 97.7. Now, I'm just using this as the only example I know of an opening. But would you and Mel apply for that? Well, I'm pretty happy at CBC to be honest with you.

Is that the toilet? Can you hear the toilet flushing? No, they can't. That's why it's unidirectional. All right. Yeah, I'm pretty happy at CBC and until they say we don't want you anymore, I can't see us applying for anything.

It would really have to be like something amazing. Like I have a family and the thing with radio these days, like I said earlier in the podcast, it's like, you know, every two to four years there's a bloodbath and I got small children and I'm looking to go the long road.

I'm playing the long game with whoever I can play with and at this point, it looks like CBC will hopefully, God willing, be the long game for me. How old are your kids? Seven and, sorry, yeah are your kids seven and sorry yeah no seven and eight my daughter will be nine this in july very cool very cool melanie's back yes we missed you i heard some of your conversation what i had beer i had to pee all i'm saying is they don't call you poopy pants for nothing oh shut up oh God. You ever just let that die already? Please, for the love of all things.

Good. In case you didn't know. Hey! She pooped her pants once. Hey, there it is. Real talk. Mel's got to get back to Barry. Is that right?

So we got to beat Rush Hour here. Yeah, let's do it. There comes a time Every man's life He gets tired Fooling around Juggling hearts In a three-ring circus

Someday drive a body down to the ground I never imagined That love would rain on me And make me wanna settle down Baby, it's true, I think I do And I just wanna tell you that I wanna with you And baby, if you do too Oh, forever I want to keep you. That one hurts me a little bit. Talk to me.

Tell me why you love this jam, why you love Prince. Oh, that's a big question, man. I don't have time to tell you why I love Prince. I just, I've loved Prince since forever. This is genius musically. I mean, come on. This is just, I don't know. This is one of my favorite songs.

It's from Sign of the Times and I think I loved it on the album, but I super fell in love with it when I watched the concert movie, Sign of the Times. Have you ever seen that, Mike? I don't remember watching it, but I'm sure I did. You need to watch it. You need to watch it. It's like one of the best, I think

pieces of, yeah, like ever. And he comes out with his guitar and this moment. And he's with the band and cats there. Like, it's just, ah, it's one of the best moments. And then the lyrics. I mean, lyrically, I love this song. It's all about a guy like who's totally in love and wants to settle down finally in his life. It's a beautiful song.

It's like, I mean, I don't know what else to say. You asked me to choose like one of my favorite songs. And I'm like, dude, A, I don't know what else to say you asked me to choose like one of my favorite songs and I'm like dude hey I can't choose my favorite song of all time and then to choose

a favorite Prince song it's impossible this is definitely did you pick this on her behalf no no I told them yeah

this was one of them for me it's just impossible to pick like a favorite song I don't know did you ever see him live? yes lots of times

lots of times yeah stupid question they were friends do we get any any special friends? like what's going on here? everything's good

I wanted special friends I thought that I thought Prince and I were gonna get married I know like probably a million other girls but that was my dream was to marry Prince

it's so hard for me to listen to him I still like I still struggle other girls, but that was my dream was to marry Prince. It's so hard for me to listen to him. I still like, I still struggle with certain songs forever in my life is one of those songs that make me very emotional. It's still very, very difficult. I'm not dealing with it. Well,

no, I mean, that's still recent. Like that's still, that's the answer. It's very difficult. Yeah. Part of,

I think Melanie's reputation and part of her legacy in Toronto Radio was the fact that she was such a huge Prince fan. Yeah. And what's sad is that we weren't on the air together when he died. And that was a big deal for both of us. It was. We're both very big Prince fans. And the fact that she was at home when it happened,

that was a tough day. It was a tough day because we would have supported each other through that. We really needed to be together during that moment. After years and years and years of this mutual love for Prince, one of the things that kind of brought us together was his music, This mutual love for Prince. This mutual love for Prince. One of the things that kind of brought us together was his music. And then to not be, you know, able to mourn together, you know, live with, you know, Toronto's arguably one of the biggest cities that are, you know, Prince fan cities.

And to not be able to be there with them. Yeah. Well, and it's weird because like all the years on the radio, like JJ said, I think when we were together, um, even on Z one Oh three, everyone there knew I was like a massive Prince fan.

When I danced on stage with Prince at the ACC, it was when I was at Z one Oh three. So they did not hear the end of that story. It was like every day. Remember I danced on stage with Prince, like remember this. Um, but yeah,

like it, and, and it's amazing because at that time it was nice to actually have social media because all of the listeners from flow and even from Z were reaching

out like I got thousands of mess I can't even tell you like thousands of messages from people saying you're the first person I thought of you're the first person I thought of. You're the first person I thought of. Oh my God, Melanie. It was all these intense, like, and I just, I remember looking at my phone.

It was blowing up. And I was like, whoa, you know? And I actually had a program director reach out to me, many, but one in particular who said, you know, it just sort of stands and shows the relationship that you developed, that your listeners remember your love for Prince and how much this would affect you now,

even though you're not on the air. Who is that? Oh, I don't want to get into that. It's kind of personal. The PD that it was. Yeah. Oh,

yeah. All right. Yeah. But, um, I'll tell you another time. He'll tell you in the drive to the station. But you know,

I mean, I just, I think that was the nice thing about having the social media, but yeah, it was, it was kind of a weird thing for me because I was thinking if I was on the drive to the station. But you know, I mean, I think that was the nice thing about having the social media. But yeah, it was kind of a weird thing for me because I was thinking if I was on the air right now, I wouldn't have been able

to do what I did. My best friend and I went to Minneapolis to be at Paisley Park as soon as we heard the news. We're like, we're going. We need to be with other Prince fans.

We didn't know what else to do. We were completely lost. So we made the drive. We just packed up the truck and we drove. And I was thinking if I was working at this time, I wouldn't be able to do this.

Like, I don't know if I'd be able to take the time. Right. So it was kind of this weird thing for me. Well, you would have, but they would have said, okay, bring a kit with you and broadcast live.

And really my focus was just, I wasn't even, I don't even know. I was floating for a good six months with that news. So, I don't even know. I was floating for a good six months with that news. So, yeah. I'm sorry Prince is gone, but I'm glad you're having a blast in Barrie. And JJ, I'm glad you're kicking ass on CBC.

My tax dollars are going to, you know, good efforts. Oh, thank you. You're welcome. And I really do appreciate, because I know this wasn't easy driving all the way from there. I don't know where he is. It's not that bad. Okay. Have us back before eight more years.

Yeah. I promise. I will invite you back. Okay. We'll see if you accept. But I was going to say, you can come back and do your top 10. I know it was impossible to do a top one,

but people come back and kick out the jams. That's how people come back. Oh, that we could totally do. Yeah, we'll totally totally totally hook that up and that brings us to the end of our 481st show you can follow me on twitter i'm at toronto mike jj did you steal this from me at toronto jj uh maybe such a good idea thank you hey thanks mike thanks for having us on, man. Appreciate it.

No, thanks for coming. Melanie, though, you're at Melanie Martin, but the spelling is funky, right? Because there's a numeric three in there just to throw me off. Do you want to tell us? It's at Melanie Martin. The first E is a three. So M3. Right.

Okay. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Propertyinthe6.com is at Raptor's Devotee. Palma Pasta is at Palma Pasta. Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair is at Fast Time WJR. Sticker U is at Sticker U. And Capadia LLP is at Capadia LLP. See you all tomorrow at TMLX3. And I don't know what the future can hold or do

For me and you But I'm a much better man for having known you Oh, you know that's true because Everything is coming up Rosy and gray Yeah, the wind is cold But the smell of snow Won't stay today.

And your smile is fine, and it's just like mine, and it won't go away. Because everything is rosy and gray.