Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Sandra Plagakis: Toronto Mike'd #1255

Episode Date: May 15, 2023

In this 1255th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Sandra Plagakis about her years on 102.1 the Edge CFNY and move to Ottawa where she's been on the radio for the past two decades. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, the Yes We Are Open podcast from Moneris, The Moment Lab, Ridley Funeral Home and Electronic Products Recycling Association.

Welcome to episode 1255 of Toronto Mic'd. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery. A fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times, and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Thank you. of Yes We Are Open, the award-winning podcast from Moneris, hosted by FOTM Al Grego. RecycleMyElectronics.ca Committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. The Moment Lab.

Brand marketing and strategy. PR, advertising and production. PR. Advertising and production. You need The Moment Lab. And Redley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 1921. Today, making her Toronto mic debut is Sandra Plagakis. You don't scare me. I could be intimidating, Sandra.

Don't kid yourself. Sandra, I can't wait. We are essentially friends who have never met because we have several people in common. I think we would probably get along. I mean, I've heard some shitty things about you,

so I'm not sure. I'm kidding. Well,, so I'm not sure. I'm kidding. Well, hey. I'm totally kidding. I think we would get along as well. It's funny because I've been watching you from afar. And from afar, I mean on the Twitter machine for years now, posting and talking about your podcast.

And again, we are friends with the same people. And I will say this right off the top. Could I have been last on your list of people that need to have you run out because like everybody i know has been on your podcast except for me and i thought the fuck is this that's what i thought so let's address that there's a reason for this and it's that i actually fucking and i'm gonna drop some f bombs because that's what you do and and I match my guests' swears. I will just say I fucking hate Zooms.

Okay, so you, all right, okay. Is that, that was a pre-planned answer because you knew this was going to be addressed off the top. No, nothing's pre-planned. Nothing's pre-planned. But seriously, you're in Ottawa, right? Like you're in Ottawa right now. That is correct, yes. It's never been a problem for anyone else, but that in Ottawa, right? Like you're in Ottawa right now. That is correct. Yes.

It's never been a problem for anyone else, but that's fine, Mike, if you want to be that way. You Toronto folk. This is not Bob's basement, okay? I want people here. Like I like it, honestly. I mean, even Alan Frew from Glass Tiger, he said, hey, Mike, can I do this on Zoom or on the phone? And I said, Alan, no, you can't fucking do this on the phone. You have to drive in traffic

and get your ass here. And we're going to record here. I said that last week to Alan Frew. And next thing you know, he's right there. But you're Ottawa. You can't drive over. Like I could, I just don't want to. You have a motorcycle, right?

I do. And by the way, just one other thing about what you just said. Yeah. To drop Alan Frew's name like he's Bono is beneath you. It's slightly beneath you. I'm just warming up. I'm just going to throw that out there. Nothing against Alan Frew.

But if it was Bono, he wouldn't have even taken the call. So stop with your bullshit. And that. I guess I have a bullshit. And that, and that, I'm just wondering if that might be a pleasurable experience to like get on your, what do you got, a Harley? What kind of bike you got?

No, I have a Vulcan. I have a little Vulcan. It's a little, it's a great little bike. It's lots of fun. So you're saying that I could have gotten on the motorcycle and driven to Toronto? And I think you might have enjoyed it. Like you could probably have, you probably have friends or family in the GTA. You could have spent the night or something. How often do you get back to Toronto?

Not often. When I left, I legit didn't look back. I have an aunt in Collingwood, but really I don't, I have some friends of course in the city, but I didn't look back once I left and it's been 20 years. So no,

I won't be getting on my motorcycle and driving on the 401 to die there. I feel like that's a very poor idea. And that's why we're Zooming today and that's why you're episode 1,255. I accept that now. I will. I'll accept that. At least I'm not 1,280.

That would have been the shits. I'm going to take a note to find out who does get that number. And then I'm going to play that clip of Sandra Plagakis. Tell them, you know, you're a piece of shit when you're 1,280. You're a piece of shit. You know, at my rate, I might be recording that next week. So who knows? Perfect.

Okay, Sandra, listen, you did work at a station that I like to talk about on this program. So, like, you were at CFNY 102.1 The Edge when you were there. And I do, like, have an affinity for that station. I work today with Humble and Fred. I produce their show. And, I mean, Brother Bill and I, Brother Bill's going to be here. I'm at Brother Bill. Sandra, listen to this.

Don't. I know where listen to this. Don't. I know where this is going. Don't. He lives in White Rock, British Columbia. But guess what? I made him get on a fucking flight. He's on the program in person at the end of the month. Never liked that guy.

Never liked that guy at all. Okay, so we're going to get to that. He's my sweet boy. I love everybody you just mentioned, by the way. I love them all so dearly. And I also have an affinity for CFNY. There's a certain, there's, you know, everybody has that one moment in their career that they're never going to forget that one family atmosphere they're never going to forget. And that's what I had with CFNY. I mean, what a ride that was. Okay, so we're going to get into it because I like the details. But I want to know, how was your nap?

We had to schedule this for the afternoon because you were going to nap. And how was the nap? The nap was glorious. The nap, I woke up with what looked like train tracks on the side of my face because I fully slept on it. But it was glorious. And it's Monday, and I don't do well on Mondays. So that's my issue is because I,

I, I, I party like a rock star on the weekends and I, I say that, you know, in jest, but what I mean is I stay up till midnight and, I,

I sleep until seven and then I have to regain my schedule again, starting on Monday. So Mondays are garbage for me. So how long was a nap? Like what time do you try? Like, give me the details on the fucking nap, Sandra. This is about the nap. This, this podcast is already starting off with,

it's a compelling start. Uh, it was like three hours, a three hour, three hour motherfucker. It was, I woke up, I didn't know where the hell I was under the covers. I was sweating. I was hot. I looked over to make sure there wasn't a guy next to me. I felt like I was on vacation and I'd had too much to drink the night before. The usual. Isn't that too long for a nap? I don't want a man explained to you how to nap, but isn't that too long? Like at that point, don't you just want to like just ride that baby out? Like, let's go. Well, you put a dent in it. So I had to get out of bed because of you. I'd still be in there right now. And you know what? I'm bed because of you. I'd still be in there right now. And you know what?

I'm a grown ass woman. I'll do whatever the fuck I like. So how, like how early are you waking up in the morning to be? And again, I apologize. I'm not Ottawa, Mike, I'm Toronto,

Mike, but where are you now in the rate? Like, what are your call letters there? And what time do you have to wake up to be on the air in Ottawa? I want to thank you for doing your research. It's literally right in my Twitter handle, but that's okay, Mike.

Thanks for not paying attention even remotely. Maybe you need a goddamn nap. Kiss 105.3. Kiss, okay, Kiss 105.3. What time do you wake up on a Monday to be on the air on Kiss 105.3? Write it down so you don't forget. I wake up at 2.55 a.m. to do,

because it's a hair day. But if it's not a hair day, it's 3 a.m. Oh, you get the extra five minutes. Okay, that's early. We do a lot of videos now in radio. Radio isn't radio anymore. Radio is social media. Radio is video.

Radio is digital. Radio is everything. So like girls got to have a nice, a nice mane. Like when you're getting your mane done up or whatever, do you ever think like, I didn't, radio is everything. So girls got to have a nice mane. When you're getting your mane done up or whatever, do you ever think, I didn't sign up for this. I'm a radio person so I don't have to do my hair. No. I never

push back on change because change is inevitable in radio. Change is inevitable in every business. I'm sorry but you got to go with the flow or this business is going to leave you behind. So I never had a problem with the way it evolved. Pun intended. Go with the flow.

That's right. Oh, no. Okay. So your map, your nap, your map was good. Your nap was good. Yeah. You know, you're in Ottawa. You've been on the air now.

What is it, like 20 years? How long you been on the air in Ottawa now? I've been in Ottawa for 20 years, on the air now. What is it, like 20 years? How long have you been on the air in Ottawa now? I've been in Ottawa for 20 years, but I'm at the current radio station I'm at now, Kiss 105.3. This August, it'll be 19 years. Before that, I was at Hot 89.9.

So, you know, to be honest, the reason I reached out to you this time, and I don't know, Sandra, I feel like at some point over the last several years, I might have reached out to you in the past. Like, I feel like we did talk about you coming time. I don't know, Sandra, I feel like at some point over the last several years, I might have reached out to you in the past. I feel like we did talk about you coming on. I think you invited me and then ghosted me. I think that's

how that went. And then I got over it really quick. Because I said I can't compete with Alan Frew. I can't. You can't compete with Alan Cross. That I agree with. 100% I agree with that statement. I love Alan Cross too.

So you were top of mind last week because maybe it was two weeks ago now, but when I reached out to you, it was like a week ago, that I had this piece of audio from 1997. It was the morning show and I mentioned I produce Humble and Fred's show, but I guess Humble took a day off, or maybe he was on

vacation. So Brother Bill, who we've already mentioned on this show, Brother Bill filled in for Howard. So I dropped like two hours of the CFNY morning show from 1997, and it's got Fred Patterson, it's got Brother Bill

filling in for Howard, it's got Mrs Patterson. It's got Brother Bill filling in for Howard. It's got Mrs. Alan Cross, Mary Ellen Benninger doing the news and it has you doing traffic. Oh, wow. 1997 was the first year I started doing mornings. Actually, I kind of slipped in there doing traffic after they had made a staff change and I was doing a split shift in 1997. It was the best worst year of my life. Funnily enough, I was doing afternoons with Alan news and traffic.

I'd go home to Mississauga, have a little nappy poo, not a luxurious one at all. And then I would take the subway back to do the after or sorry. And then I would do that. Sorry, the morning shift in the morning. And then I come back in the afternoon. And that went on for a year and a half. That would kill like an average person. And here you are today to tell the story that ingratiated me with Humble and Fred. I got my foot in the door, even though I was a piece of shit every day. I was getting sick. I was exhausted. I gained 30 pounds. It was really, really hard to live any kind of a healthy lifestyle because I was always either napping or working or on a subway. Like it was, it was ridiculous for a year and a half.

I didn't, I was told, I mean, I was told in jest, don't get sick, lady. And I didn't. And I sucked it up. I worked. But that year and a half, again, I ingratiated myself with Humble and Fred. I got to be in their studio. I got the FaceTime that I wanted. And when another staff change was made and Mary Ellen left to do her own morning show in Hamilton, was it Y105? Y?

95? Y95, right, in Hamilton. So she went off, they offered me the job and thank God I was the natural choice. So it worked out great for me. As shitty as that year was, it worked out great for me. Okay, so just before you jumped on this Zoom here, Sandra, I went back to that 1997 morning show

and I just pulled the very first so it's early in the morning i guess i don't know what time this is 6 a.m or something and you are doing some traffic so are you ready to hear 20 seconds of sandra plagakis from 1997 shit no go ahead though well yeah you have no choice here we go checking traffic my other buddy sandro uh we still have light rain in and around the city right now the roads are wet Yeah, you have no choice. Here we go. Checking traffic, my other buddy, Sandro. We still have light rain in and around the city right now. The roads are wet. It's not really doing any damage.

Normal volume eastbound QEW from the 403 to Walkers line. The rest of the QE Gardner stretch is pretty good. Same goes for the 401 through Metro. More traffic in 15 minutes. Sandra's Traffic, a presentation of KFC. Hey, there's Jason in there. Jason Barr. Yeah, I think like two minutes before, he's in the a presentation of KFC. Hey, there's Jason in there, Jason Barr. Yeah, I think like two minutes before,

he's in the guise of Danger Boy talking to... Oh yeah, Danger Boy, sorry, of course. Well, no, I think it's like this. I think when it's a Scottish accent, it's Danger Boy, and that is an example of actual Jason Barr. Yes, that's right, who I now work with in Ottawa. So Biggs and Barr are working. But wait a minute, not the same station because you're all morning people. Is Biggs and Barr, are they afternoon drive?

No, they do the morning show at Shea 106 in my building. So when I work with them, I mean I work in the building with them. So it's funny, coming full circle, seeing someone I used to work with at the very, very early days of my career, and then seeing him now, I mean, we really didn't keep in touch much over the years, but now it's like, you know, it's so nice to have an old friend in the building. Well, it's such a small world, like, that you're just, there you are at the same building doing radio in Ottawa. It's crazy, and thank you for playing that. That was a long time ago. You know, you look back, and I've heard some clips here and there and they're so cringy.

I was in my 20s. I'm seriously out of my league at that point. I'd been in radio for only three years, two years, and they gave me a shot in Toronto. I believe the talent pool was weak when I applied, which is how I did get the job in the end. I'll never understand how I did, but I did. I only had like a year and a half experience. And and I, you know, thanks. You mentioned Mary Ellen. She was like my mentor.

She really, really worked with me to get me to not sound like a piece of garbage every day. Listen, you sounded great. And now I need to know this like origin story. Like, so take us back. I want to find out how you end up at 102.1 The Edge. But like, when did you realize you wanted to be on the radio? Like, give me the Sandra Plagakas origin story. like anybody else, it's a dumb, dumb story of somebody who was on her way to becoming a history professor. I was taking history in university in Concordia. I am in fact a history buff. And like I've often said about history, it would have been a lot easier had I studied it 2000 years ago because there's a lot of shit to remember. But I love history. I love studying history. I love maps. Oh, it's a fucking weird little, it's like a kink.

Well, can I tell you, let me share along the way. I will interrupt you. I'm a rude, rude host. You need to know that. But I want to just tell you. I've already gotten that from you. I am also a history major. No way.

Well, I have a double major. English and history. Pauly Psy. Pauly Psy. No, English and history. Okay, that Psy. No, English and history. Okay, that makes sense. And what were you going to do with that garbage to the degree? I had no idea ever.

Like I never knew what I was going to do. I just knew I needed to do something after high school. And I didn't know what I was working at a grocery store. And I just needed to do something. So I went to University of Toronto and I got like a piece of paper I could hang on my wall. But I actually don't know where it is right now. Do you know where your degree is? I didn't get my degree. I had gone to SESHA in Montreal and I was like all over the place. I didn't know what I want.

I started, I did two years of Concordia University. My girlfriend was taking communications and she would ask me to voice all of her audio projects and I really liked it and I was really good at it I'm like darn it I'm a good talker I can read and talk really good and uh I applied and they rejected me and it was the best thing that ever happened to me because I really fucking pissed me off it's the first time I'd ever really been rejected like you're garbage uh see you later you're're a moron. I couldn't even like for a communications wannabe, I did a poor job communicating in the interview. Like it was poor. And then I was sitting around one day and I'm like, what do I want? I mean, really, what do I want? And I was like in the basement of my family's home in Montreal. And I was doing what we do,

recording songs off the radio putting together my favorite playlist uh playing dvds old records cleaning things out and then you know I was listening to Shome in Montreal and uh I can't remember what DJ came on or what jock came on and and he was fucking slick and I was like I want to do that too and I thought why I have personality galore I can drink everybody under the table that's got to be a DJ thing I'm the funnest person I know in this city the fuck I'm going to radio and I applied for Algonquin College immediately in Ottawa and I got on a wait list that also did not come easy to me and I called the program coordinator every day until he said, yeah, yeah, we're just going to put you in if you could just fuck off and shut up. I didn't get in because

I earned it. I got in because I was a squeaky wheel. I just wanted to start my life. And that's how it started. Okay. So you were a persistent mofo and it worked out. And I think that's, I hear that a lot. Like people who just like, they're kind of just, there's a fine line between like annoying and persistence. Like you just got to dance on that line, I guess. I'd like to think I was adorable, Michael, but whatever. I actually don't mind when you call me Michael.

Like it's working for me. You can do that. Okay. I was going to whether you liked it or not, but fine. Okay, so this is a school for broadcasting? What are we talking about here? Yeah, yeah. Algonquin has a great little radio program. It's a two-year program at the time it was.

I think they've merged the radio TV people now. I'm not sure. But it's 30 kids. 15 will graduate because the first 15 realize radio is actual craftmanship, craftsmanship. I can't say the word. So obviously I shouldn't have been in it, but you know what I mean? Like they, this is not what they thought. So I, I wasn't much of an announcer to be honest with you. I didn't do a single jock show very well, uh, at all, but I was a hell of a news writer and a hell

of a news reader. And I decided that would be an excellent way to get into what I wanted to do, which was morning radio. And I wanted to be a personality. I didn't want to be a jock. I didn't want to be a news reader. I just want to be a radio personality because I just, I thought I had the chops and I wanted to be a star. And I didn't, you know, some people will say, I wanted to use my voice to make the world a better place. That's not why I got into it. But now that's something I embrace. Well, I thought that was a Michael Jackson impression you were doing there.

I don't know what it was. It was me trying to be adorable and cute. Make it a better place. But you know what I'm saying? Some people are like, well, I just want to be community community that's the one i got into it uh you know i just wanted to be a star and i wanted to go and have laughs every day howard stern was hot at the time his book had come out his movie had come out i love the culture i love what i was seeing which of course was not even close to what it was i mean it's work that nobody just gives you a thing

and says okay here's your lines for the bit that you're about to do. You give a lot of yourself to the business. And I knew I would love it. And I love it even more than I thought. What was your first radio job out of school? I got a job two weeks out of school. And actually, that's not true. I got a job right away out of school as a stringer,

doing as a Parliament Hill reporter on Shea 106. And they trained me. So when the real reporter like died or got sick, they would, you know, they tag me in. And I did two or three days of training on Parliament Hill. And that was so unforgettable because they have the gallery, the press gallery in there. They did at the time. And it was just a bank of phones. And the guy I guy I was with is like yeah you can call your mom if you want in Montreal you've got an aunt in the states your friend and I'm like nice taxpayers dime

right working hard here so I remember spending a lot of time calling internationally to all of my friends from the press or the the Corey hotline theory and do you know what else what else we would like have we would go into the cafeteria and all the ministers are sitting there having lunch and the press people and i'd be like going oh shit oh shit so it was it was cool and then i got a full-time job two days or three days into this little training session i got offered a full-time job two days or three days into this little training session. I got offered a full-time job in Brockville. Okay. So you're getting closer to Toronto here. Okay.

So, yeah. So is Brockville like, cause that's like a train state. Like I take my daughter goes to McGill and I'll take the train to Montreal and Brock, that's like a station. Brockville's a station. That's right.

It is. But that's all I know. I just know it's a station on your way to like Montreal or Ottawa. At the time, Brockville was very much a revolving door. Like talent would go and within a year or two, like if you stayed more than three years in Brockville, you overstayed your welcome. Time to go and move on. It was a great launching pad for a lot of different careers. So I was there for really only a year and maybe nine months. I did afternoon news and afternoon news. And I was a,

a weekend, sorry. What the fuck did I do? Oh, I was a weekend anchor. Sorry. I was the weekend. It was a long time ago.

Yeah. And then I was a reporter three days a week. What's the name of these stations? I want to hear these call letters of these stations. I don't listen to back in the day. It was CHXL, the river and the AM side was CFJR,

AM. Okay, The River. They played a lot of like Joni Mitchell and Bruce Springsteen. I'm trying to think of River songs. They were like a rocky station, and now they're just another move station. Alright. Okay, well, Billy Talon also has a great song called, oh, River Below. That's the

Billy Talon song. Okay, I digress here. Okay, so how do you end up... I know the CFNY reference, I see. Well, they are from Streetsville, so... Well, Ben Kowalowicz worked at CFNY. Right, he was like Strombo's intern or something. Yeah, he was like the promo guy. I remember Ben sitting at the promo desk all the time on Yonge Street,

and he was like the nicest, the nicest guy. He was so sweet. He was so kind. And then he, you know, an email came out that he was pursuing his career in music. And it's like, fuck, yeah, that was awesome. I'll never forget that email. I thought that's insane. I didn't even know he was in a band.

And it's like a band, a band, a band, a band that was a fucking huge band. Like, what is it like when... Oh, no. Try Honesty. That was the first song, I think, that CFNY played by Billy Talent. Remember, try honesty, try honesty. Good jam. That's a mind blow when you're like,

hey, that's the kid who was hanging around here doing promo. That's the little punk who was handing out prizes when people would come in and collect their shit. Then we'd do the paperwork and get them to sign off on their shitty prizes. Are you, cause that's a good question.

Where are you? Are you at the Eden center broadcasting? Like where are you geographically at this point? Yeah. Well, we have the big tower. We have the office at Young and Dundas. I think it was like the 16th floor.

And then, yeah, we were, do we did our morning show from street level, street level on Young. Yeah. That wasn't dangerous at all. No, I was was gonna ask you like

were there any o'clock in the morning i'll never forget one morning i came in and there was like broken hockey sticks and there was a note from brother bill saying don't touch police evidence oh i'm like the the fuck happened here last night some guy came in and i probably attacked him i'll ask him he's here in may 31st or something about that because i remember night. Some guy came in and I probably attacked him. I'll ask him. He's here in May 31st or something. Ask him about that because I remember the note going, I think I'm in over my head. Why are we opening these doors

and we have zero security except for Ben Kowalowicz? There's no security here. This is very unsafe. But you know what? We're missing something because I do want to ask about these personalities, but I need to get you there first. So like you apply for an opening. They post an opening. How do you get there? Yeah, I think it was in broadcast dialogue. I didn't see it. Some guy I worked with in Brockville, he saw it and he said, you should apply for this. I said, come on, come on. You're crazy. The afternoons with Alan Cross. Are you fucking insane?

And I thought, well, I have nothing to lose. And I submitted my song. Also a Billy Talon song. Nothing to lose. I have nothing to lose. That was a big Billy Talon jam. Need more friends with wings. All the angels I know

put concrete in my veins. I'd always walk home alone. So I became lifeless just like my telephone. There's nothing to lose. Oh, and no one knows your name. There's nothing to lose. Oh, and no one knows your name. There's nothing to gain. But the days don't seem to change. Never played truth or dare I'd have to check my mirror

To see if I'm still here My parents had no clue That I ate all my lunches alone in the bathroom See how it works? But the days don't seem to change Just let the change Mine all but will See how it works? I drop an episode of Humble and Fred featuring Brother Bill in the Toronto Mic'd feed.

I just drop that. It's two hours from 1997. Of course, I've already listened to it a couple of times. I'm hearing voices like Fred Patterson and Jason Barr, of course, Brother Bill. And I'm hearing voices like Fred Patterson and Jason Barr, of course, brother Bill. And I'm hearing Mary Ellen Benninger and a traffic person named Sandra Plagakis. And of course, I remember Sandra Plagakis from the Humble and Fred show. And I also know Sandra's been in Ottawa for a couple of decades now, almost. So I invite Sandra on the program and I let her do it via Zoom because Sandra

can't drive to Toronto from Ottawa. And here we are and I'm loving it. And I want to thank Palma Pasta for making this possible. Palma Pasta has four locations in Mississauga and Oakville. Go to palmapasta.com. It's delicious, authentic Italian food. You can thank me later. It pairs authentic Italian food. You can thank me later. It pairs perfectly with Great Lakes beer, fresh craft beer. Find them in LCBOs across this fine province. RecycleMyElectronics.ca is where you go if you have old tech, old devices, old electronics that you need to dispose of. RecycleMyElectronics.ca. Go there now. If you want to take your business to the next level you need the moment lab they specialize in public relations and they have a team of experienced professionals who know how to craft stories that resonate with your audience and generate positive

media coverage whether you're launching a new product building your reputation or managing a crisis they've got you covered. I'm happy to introduce anyone listening to Matt and Jared at The Moment Lab, and you can learn how they can help you achieve your public relations goals. Does Sandra Plagakis like this song? Does she like Billy Talent? Let's find out. I'm sorry. Can I be honest with you?

You don't know any of this music. I know. I never really. I like Ben, but I was never into the. Is it too hard for you? It's too hard for me. But I thought you were like a Foo Fighters girl. Yeah, but to a certain degree.

Like, take it back. Take it back a little bit. OK, you're flying a little high right now. Just they're just not just relaxed. They're not for me. I don't want to explain myself to you. No, but now I'm curious what is for you like Engelbert Humperdinck. What are you listening to? Excuse me. I'll have you know that I'm going to Vegas in a month and I'm throwing my panties at Wayne Newton. Well, I don't want to hear I'm going to Vegas in a month and I'm throwing my panties at Wayne Newton. And I don't want to hear it. I'm going to, I don't want, not the good ones, the granny ones, the good ones I'm going to save for a handsome man. But the rest, Wayne Newton is getting. Okay.

That's how I roll. And there's no, there's no shame in that game. Like, I don't judge people for their musical taste. I'm just naturally curious what kind of music somebody digs. Like if you were kicking a jam. I'm still like, I get, I'm all over the place with my musical tastes because i go through like little spurts of nostalgia every once in a while so i do like you know the 70s a lot because that's the music i grew up with in my house my mother would play all that stuff so i still have you know i still love that

stuff i love the stuff we played on the edge still all the you know I still like hear Weezer or whatever and I'm like you know and I hear that stuff old random uh one hit wonder songs and it's like huh but um you know in the 80s I love the Smiths uh Joy Division you fucking name it I love it all and I've been to so many concerts that were not even radio related. Before radio, I'd been to a lot of concerts in Montreal. Like, do you have a favorite song? It doesn't have to be the favorite because that could be fluid. No, I can't. I couldn't do that to a song.

It's unfair. I don't. I'll be honest with you. I hate the idea of rating art. It doesn't feel right to me. You know who told me this okay so i often have guests back to kick out the jams we're literally in fact brother bill's gonna do this i'm gonna drop his name 100 times this fucking episode but you tell me your 10 favorite songs of all time you sit there we play the songs and talk about them but there's somebody who told me he

philosophically disagreed with the premise so much he refused to do it. And that man was David Marsden. Oh, really? He said, I don't rank songs. I will not participate in this abomination. I kind of feel the same way. I would need like a year to put my list together because I wouldn't be able to have it off the top of my head. I just couldn't. There's too many great songs out together because I wouldn't be able to have it off the top of my head. I just couldn't.

There's too many great songs out there. Too many. I couldn't. And there will be no Billy Tallent. That's what I'm saying. I won't do it. You can't make me. If nominated, I will not serve.

What is that line? Yeah, I think I think Dave had the right idea on that one. I can't. I'm not. Who the fuck am I to tell you what the best song is? Nobody. I'm just some i'm just some chick who smoked a lot of dope in the 90s you know that's it okay so you're at now you're at cfny which is a big fm station in the capital of the universe toronto ontario canada like sandra and you're still young you're like 24 years old whatever you're very young i'm very young i am 24 years old okay see. You're very young. I'm very young. I am 24 years old.

Okay. See, I did do my homework, Sandra Plagakis. I did. What do you know about my age? You're guessing. You're grabbing at straws. I'm guessing correctly. So you get there and you're working with Alan. What are you doing? News or what are you doing with Alan? Yeah, I'm doing news and traffic in the afternoon. And I'm wildly, wildly intimidated by the man because as friendly as he was, he wasn't sitting there to be my friend. He was sitting there to put on a show and I did my job. And if he asked me to do something, I would do it. But we didn't, we weren't chatty chatty at all. And at the same time, his wife, Mary Ellen Benninger was the news director and she was my boss. And she would, I would see her all the time

where we'd speak on the phone whenever we could. And she would give me pointers. Um, and I work weekends every once in a while. And she would, uh, she was great. She was like, so she was like probably the best news writer and reader. Like she was the best in my humble opinion. I will rank that, but I will not rank music, but I will rank news writers and readers. And now she writes as M. Cross. She writes books. Yeah. Isn't that great?

No, it's wild. And I would think that like working with Alan who's married to your boss is a little bit of a conflict of interest there. Like that's not so cool, is it? I was fine. They were, like, they're both pros. And they're actually, I mean, I, you know,

at the risk of having it blow back to me, they're, like, the cutest married couple in the world. You know, he would, like, when he did talk, when he was, you know, he would unbusy himself to talk to me, they would each just tell me hilarious stories of their dog. Their dog was their life and they were very, very cute.

They would each tell me cute little stories about each other and their dog. I loved them both to pieces. I will say all my experiences of Alan Cross have been very, very good. He was over pretty recently. Him and Rob Johnston came over to celebrate the anniversary of the ongoing history of new music.

I guess it turned 30? No, 20? No, let me do the math. 30. No, it's got to be more than 20. It's 30. Yeah, it's got to be 30. Holy shit.

Yeah. Wow, what a legendary show. Yeah, he's a good guy and it is a great show and it's still going, it's still going. Although it's owned by Chorus, so that's one thing. It's not like Alan has to stay friendly with Chorus or I guess he can host that show, but he's managed that pretty well.

So you're doing news with Alan in traffic afternoons. So was your goal to get on the morning show? Like, was this your personal goal? Yeah. I mean, of course, who doesn't want to work with Humble and Fred? I listen to them every morning.

Wait, do you want the list? I got the list here somewhere, but okay, go on. They, yeah, like,

of course I wanted to work with them and I would, you know, when there was a vacation, when Mary Ellen would go on vacation or the traffic person would go on vacation back in the day, would they have to a news and a traffic person right that whole that that episode I dropped had Mary Ellen Benninger doing news and you doing traffic yeah so I would fill in I would get a chance to fill in twice and uh in that time I got to hang out with Humble and

Fred and I oh my gosh I'd never experienced anything like that in my life certainly not in Brockville and uh just this this high functioning morning show with lots of different players lots lots of action and uh just the fact that you know I'd be on the air and Humble would just stop everything and start talking to me I was like oh shit uh it was uh it was relaxed they knew I was young they wanted to see what I was made of they tested shit. It was relaxed. They knew I was young. They wanted to see what I was made of. They tested me. And, you know, I had a really nice experience filling in to the point that, you know, like a year and a half, not even just over a year into the job, I got the morning traffic.

So it took time, but I slowly, slowly weaseled my way in. I think you're the perfect person to be on the Humble and Fred show because I don't, you're not, and again, I don't know you that well, but I know of you and I've talked to you a little bit now, but you seem like you're not particularly, you're not going to be overly sensitive. You're going to be able to roll with jokes. And I think the odd dick joke or poo poo pee pee joke is not going to offend you in the least. I love dick jokes. I will be the first one to tell you. I fucking love dick jokes. See, that's perfect.

Perfect for them because they can be themselves because Humble and Fred love dick jokes. Fuck. I've never laughed so hard. I never laughed so hard not just during the show but from the time I walked in

to the time i left they they taught me i think the greatest lesson in morning radio the show does not happen when the mics are turned on the show starts from the time you walk in studio to the time you leave you're putting that energy in the whole time you're fucking around you're feeding off the energy of the people around you and that's that's how I still do morning radio. It's not a quiet room when the mics are off at all. I don't like that. I don't think that's the way to do it.

That's interesting because I've never worked in radio, but I would imagine calm, you know, whatever, whatever. Then the red light goes on and all of a sudden you're like zany and madcap. Like this is like. I know that there are still some that prefer to do it that way and everybody has their own way. But my way is energy, right? Go for it. That's why I can go for it.

That's why when nine o'clock comes around, I literally can't talk for 10 minutes. I'm done. I'm like, I just have to sit there and just decompress. It takes 10 minutes. Well, that's why you're taking three hour naps because you're exhausted. Because you keep the callback is happening here.

Just so we're clear, usually my naps are not three hours, but today was a special, I don't know what happened. And when you're my age and you can still grab sleep, you don't say no. See, it sounds... Don't ask the next natural question, you piece of shit. Today's going to be the day you die. Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home.

Pillars of the community since 1921. With love. If anyone's out there planning to die, I recommend Brad Jones and the good people at Ridley Funeral Home. Will they kill you too? I have people who can do that for you. I am glad to hear that Humble and Fred treated you well, but again,

I think you're the ideal personality type for their show, so I'm not surprised they wanted you. Let me say this. It wasn't always easy. I was young. There was a lot going on. Howard Stern, remember, had entered the marketplace at Q, and i remember there was a lot of

stress in that room because of that because it was such a fucking shit well like you know i mean you're talking about the best morning show in canada and all of a sudden they're in an unbeatable situation well let's be honest it's it sounds you guys it sounds like howard stern took a huge chunk of this demographic that was listening to Humble and Fred. He did. He absolutely did. And there's no way to push back against Howard Stern. There's no amount of marketing you could do to beat Howard Stern in the situation that we were put in. I mean, it was a big deal.

It was huge when Howard came to Q. Huge. And I remember there was pressure for sure in our studio. And it wasn't always sunshine and lollipops. But every morning show has its growing pains. Every morning show has its darker times. And I had some dark times in there too. So shortly thereafter, replacing Howard Stern on Q107,

the brother station there, is John Derringer. And I mean, Humble and Fred would go on their podcast and tell stories of John Derringer making people cry in the hall. Like people would be crying. Like were you with tears being shed on the Humble and Fred morning show? With John Derringer in the hallway? No, not necessarily John. I see John all the time in the hallways. And all John Derringer, first of all, John Derringer never would have fucked with me

because Howard would have eaten him for breakfast. Wow. And John, I don't think, they were so, they knew I was young. And even though I was tough, I was still young. And to wreck me early in my career would not have been good business for John. You know, that's not good for anybody. But John would see me and I was like, hi, John.

I was always high, high, high in the hallway, so excited. And he would be like, look at a doll he ever said to me. All he ever said to me was fucking a. Well, good. Glad to hear that. Now, I was actually thinking more of you're going to ask me if howard made me cry yeah that's actually that was the original i wasn't uh even asking if uh john derringer made you cry but i'm glad he didn't make you cry but i was curious fuck he would have not made me cry little asshole yeah you know i've talked to a lot of people who

he did make cry and uh they all had one thing common, which is they all would be on the air with him. So you not being on the air with John Derringer would probably keep you pretty safe in that regard. I would imagine so. Go ahead. Ask your question. No. OK, just I like I work with these guys today and I enjoy working with these guys. But, you know, they they they're open and honest on the air about a couple of things. One is that Howard has totally like softened. What's the term I'm looking for? He's calmed down like he's matured. He's he's not nearly as likely to blow up as he might have been in the 90s.

I'm just curious how it was working with 90s Howard. It was volatile some days. You know, I say this only because Howard and I have discussed it. And Howard has, we have spoken about it. We've talked about his volatile Howard and 90s Howard. And the best thing about Howard is, yeah, he could be a dick in studio. 100%. He was a dick at times.

But the one thing Howard did was always fix it. As soon as he realized the damage he had caused and he, you know what I mean? Like as soon as he knew that he hurt somebody in the studio, he immediately pulled you aside and talked it out and addressed it and apologies were made.

And that's why it was easy to forgive Howard because he was human and he had his little blow ups, but he didn't want to be that person. It was very, he didn't enjoy it the way maybe other people may have. Right. Like in full credit to Howard that he recognized his flaws and he worked to, he worked on them. So he would, you know, he would talk to a psychiatrist and he would basically work on his anger issues. And that's, I think the way to put it is we have a kinder, gentler, humble Howard today because he worked on himself. Right. I'm not going to lie. He made me cry more than once.

I almost left radio on some of the bad days. But I do what 90s radio chicks would do. I got into my car. I cried on the way home. I pushed it deep, deep down for a therapist to deal with later. And I came in the next day and I sucked it up. Because that's what you did. Because I really wanted this radio career.

And, you know, would Howard have been an HR problem back in the day? I don't know, because he was so good at fixing his mistakes. He was, he was, he was so fucking charming, but he's one of the most charming people I've ever met. And I'm rooting for Howard. I was always rooting for Howard and Fred and they're really nice men. And, um, yeah, like I don't have a bad thing to say about Howard. I love him to bits. I was always rooting for Howard and Fred. And they're really nice men. And yeah, like I don't have a bad thing to say about Howard. I love him to bits. I've learned more from Howard in the period that I work with them than I've learned like from anybody in radio. Now, let me ask you about a couple of interns that show up in 98. Okay. Oh, shit. Okay.

All right. So full disclosure, I don't think i need to disclose this but uh bingo bob willett is on my program every month because i have these special episodes called toast and he and rob pruse who was the uh the keyboardist for the spoons they join me once a month and we kick out thematic jams and it's great fun in fact i'm expecting bob to be here on may 23rd so when is that next week i think so yeah bob shows up in 98 as an intern for humble and fred and he tells a story about an intern that was there named uh now this is the term that howard gave him and i don't know if it aged very well i don't think it has but the you know where bob got the name Bingo Bob, somebody got the name Little Ravi Shankar. Do you remember this name?

You know, it's funny. I didn't remember the story, but I bumped into Bob. I know you're going to hate me when I say this. I bumped into Bob in Jamaica a few years ago during a broadcast. And I, you know, we were with our own stations and he was the PD of a station there and he was traveling with them and I was with and I remember on the Friday night before we left Bob and I finally got a chance to talk so we're sitting down we're having drinks and he retells this story

to me I cried laughing because I didn't realize that I am the reason he is working today yeah so literally the reason Bob Willett is now the program director for Chorus Own Station in Kingston, Ontario is because in 1998, when Bob, who had no radio background, you didn't even, don't even think he went to school for radio.

He just kind of showed up. He wanted to be the intern for Humble and Fred, but I guess Humble and Fred chose again, the name that they gave him with little Ravi Shankar. And at some point, you're here to correct this on the record, but the person, the intern known as Little Ravi Shankar

dry humped you? That's right. He thought it would be funny to come up to me and dry hump me. 90s radio, man. 90s radio sounds like a blast. Like, like, like this is commonplace,

right? Fred tells a story on the podcast about putting his penis on Howard's shoulder. Yeah, that's right. Okay. All right. What a time to be alive.

I missed out on radio. I'm just saying that we had a certain vibe in that room and everything that happened. Can I just say right now off the bat was consensual with me we would we would i mean i would dry hump them it was okay so let me understand you you and the humble and you and humble for example would be dry humping each other consensually but you never you never consented for three seconds right well three seconds it's not my god this God, this sounds really bad.

Well, consensual dry humping, you just have to say it was the 90s and we'll go, oh, okay, that's different. It wasn't even the 90s. We would do anything to make each other laugh. And Howard did it to me because once he knew that I was cool, I would laugh because he was so funny. And we were just doing bullshit to make each other laugh.

Okay, but this intern known as Little Ravi Shankar, you did not consent for him to dry hump you. I didn't know that fucking guy. He walks in there, wants to be part of the vibe, but hasn't earned his right to dry hump me yet and dry humps me. So I didn't like it. Yeah, sorry.

I'm sorry. So I didn't like it. I mean, you know, you just can't dry hump Sandy P and dry humps me. So I didn't like it. Yeah, sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't like it. I didn't, I mean, you know, you just can't dry hump Sandy P. You just can't. No, here's how you start a relationship. You're a hundred percent right. But here's what I'll look.

Just, I'm not, I don't know. I don't know. I'm not, it's not that I'm protecting little Ravi Shankar's by not using his real name. I literally don't know it, although I wouldn't use it. I don't know it either. But, and it doesn't matter,

except that he's trying to fit into an environment where dry humping is all the rage, okay? I almost can understand why he thought he could dry hump Sandy P. I do too, except, except, like you say,

I don't even know his real fucking name. At least I should know that, that one little fucking piece of information. You know what? He just, all I'm saying is this. Had he waited maybe three months, he could have maybe squeezed in a hump. Just a little one. Yeah, you got to.

That's not an opening move, sir. It is not. Read the room. He did not read the room. Right. You got to warm up the engine before you hit the road, right? You know, you got to. So I guess I had said something to Howard or they had seen it and I did not read the room. Right. You got to warm up the engine before you hit the road, right? You know, you got to. So I guess I had

said something to Howard or they had seen it and I did not like it. Anyway, that was Ravi's last day. Right. So basically the rest is history here, but Ravi Shankar is basically told to leave and don't come back because you dry humped our Sandra Blagakis.

And then Bob Ouellette got the call and Bob became the intern for humble and Fred at some point, uh, years later, Bob would be the producer of humble and Fred. Bob would leave, uh,

mojo radio for mix 99.9 with humble and Fred. He'd get fired with them, blah, blah, blah. Today. He's a program director at Kingston own stories, uh,

stations in King's chorus, Kingston, blah. Today, he's a program director at Kingston-owned stations at Chorus. Chorus-owned stations in Kingston. See, I'm not in Radio Sandra. And it's all because you were dry humped that day in 1998. Correct, sir. That is right. That's a great story. Not for Ravi Shankar, it wasn't.

Little Ravi Shankar. I can't believe you bumped into Bob in Jamaica. Like, oh, you know, I was, you know, you're upset I dropped the name Alan Frew. You're bumping into Bob Ouellette in Jamaica. Well, I mean, I wasn't really bragging. It's not like you brag about bumping into Bob Ouellette. Love you, Bob.

Shout out to Bob's basement. Okay. Shout out. So you're now, just wrap up your humble and Fred years. And then basically we talked about danger boy, but danger boy, of course,

Jason Barr is in the same building as you in Ottawa. Now was Todd Shapiro. What was his role? Did you remember? Was he the producer? Yeah. Todd had had worked with us with Dean. I worked with Dean Blundell as well.

So when Howard and Fred moved over to Mojo, I stayed at the edge with Dean, Todd and Danger Boy. So it was the four of us. Right. And, uh, Dean took the job despite knowing I was pregnant with my first child.

He still came. And, uh, uh, and then, uh, yeah, I took maternity leave for four months.

I came back, I got pregnant again, and I moved to Ottawa. All right, the big question is, why did you quit this gig at 102.1 The Edge to move to Ottawa? For my family. You know, I thought, who the fuck gives up this job? Brand new morning show, hot new morning co-host, things are going really, really well. I'm having fun. But I didn't have any family in Toronto. One kid, one on the way. Cost of living

was high. My family was from Montreal and my first husband's family was from Ottawa. It just seemed like a really smart move. Yeah, you know, we all make sacrifices for family and you made one that ended up working out for you in the long run. Yeah, you know, I don't regret it at all because my quality of life improved unbelievably moving to Ottawa. It's literally, I think, as sad as it was and I'll never know what could have been in Toronto, I am never going to regret the decision to move to Ottawa.

I have come to really love the city. I love it here. No, and you're doing well there because you're morning show host for whatever it's been, 17 years or whatever you've been there. It's 19 if you were listening. I was listening. All right. So here, so as we leave CFNYfny for ottawa and again you actually

because i i want to prove to you i did some homework because i always do homework but you actually uh went to hot 89.9 yeah yeah i went there with carter brown we were the first morning show never met him totally an arranged marriage very odd way to start a morning show. And yeah, we started that radio station from the ground up. There were four of us in the end on that morning show. And about a year and nine months in, we crossed the street to go to Kiss. And you're still there. That was the second best decision I ever made. Some people will say, well, you went there and you never really achieved the rating success you had at HOT. And that's true. But I

have met some of the best people I've ever met in my life through my connections at KISS. I don't regret the move for a second. I think it was the right one for me still. Good. No, good. That's everything. So now we did, you know, you did accidentally answer the question I didn't ask about, did John Derringer ever make you cry? But I do want to know, just before we leave that chapter of your radio life, were you aware of what was going on down the hall? Because Humble and Fred said they knew what was going on down the hall. I'm just curious, did you know that he was yelling at colleagues

and calling them terrible names and making them cry? Like, were you aware of that? No. You know what? It's funny because I maybe my memory is shot or maybe I mean, I don't. I just knew that he was an asshole and everybody said he was an asshole. And I was very careful to be polite to him in the hallways because I didn't want to have a run in. I had no idea until I heard about it years later what was going on.

Again, you know, I mean, when Jennifer Valentine came forward, that was, of course, years later that went on. And Maureen Holloway, who was actually working with him at the time. That's right. She was. No, I had no idea. And I had seen Maureen at a couple of functions and she's so freaking cool, like one of the coolest ladies ever. And I would never in a million years guessed that that was going on. So I didn't know. Now, she did say it got much worse when she had to go in studio because a lot of Maureen's years in the beginning were remotes like she was ISND, ISDN? ISDN.

That's the one. ISDN, whatever. So when she wasn't in the room with him, it was much, much easier. And then when she was forced to kind of be in the room, that's when things went south very quickly. Yeah, I never saw her actually in the radio station. I'd only see her at station parties.

So she was still working remotely with him when I was working with Howard and Fred. So I never heard any of these stories firsthand. And, you know, you ask yourself, what would you have done had you heard it? And I mean, I don't know. I don't I I don't know. But being a woman in the business, seeing these things happen to other women is pretty terrifying. And maybe that's one of the reasons I didn't know too much about what was I don't know anything about what was going on. Maybe it for the best otherwise who knows if i would have left or not that's scary well i was gonna ask you what it was like being a woman and well you still are a woman in radio but what it's like being a woman in radio because you know i've had

people on and jackie delaney and colleen rush home and all these people kind of uh andrea ruse is a great example so andrea ruse talks about what she experienced of John Derringer. And when you speak up, you end up getting shipped out of town or demoted or let go or something. Like, because at that time, they were protecting their revenue generating talent in the mornings on cue. So, like, if you had spoken up or said something, you might have found yourself, I don't know, in Wawa or something doing traffic. I don't know, in Wawa or something doing traffic. I don't know. Right. You know, I've had moments in my career that I'm not going to get into where I've witnessed other bad behavior and I've wanted to say something and I was told to shut the fuck up, that it would it would blow back on me way harder than I wanted it to for saying something. So that

has happened to me at one time in my career. And I still look back and I think, God, you know what? What if I had said something and said, I see this happening. It's happening in front of me. I've witnessed this. And I was it was very hard to not say anything. But at the same time, I honestly believe that it was going to correct itself. Like, I really believe that it would there would be a positive outcome to the story and there wasn't I was wrong and you have kids you can't you know you're like I need this job right you need the money you need the job but I was going I was like you know trying to get a divorce I had other shit in my life and I'm like god damn it what what am I if I say something what's going to happen so I that that probably is the biggest regret of my career that I didn't say something when I did see something going on. You know, it wasn't, it was, it was,

again, I'll just, it was about discrimination against a pregnant co-worker. Wow. Yeah. It's hard to be a woman in this business and be pregnant. I'm going to tell you, I never had that experience. I'm lucky. I'm lucky. Howard and Fred, they loved it. Dean took the job when I was pregnant. Like who takes the job to work with a hormonal pregnant lady? He did. He didn't care. Good. Go on that leave. All good. Like it was not, it was a non-issue. Hot 89.9 hired me pregnant. Non-issue. When, non-issue when they want you they want you and they treat you with respect I was always treated with respect in regards to my pregnancies but not every

woman in this business can say that I feel like I had Mike Cooper on the program and I think he was doing a morning show on Easy Rock like Christine Cardoso I want to say and she went on mat leave and then during her mat leave Aaron Davis took over. And the rest is history because they...

That's one of the reasons why it's scary to go on, you know, taking a year off of mat leave and radio. It's a risky game. I took four months with my first kid, three weeks with my second. I'm not here to fuck around. Three weeks, Sandra. And literally that was to

protect your job right i mean you you were well we had started a new radio station at the time i made the offer they certainly never never forced me i mean i still had stitches in me and i'm going into work oh my god oh my god sandra okay so because i was hoping you'd share with like a compare and contrast like late 90s being a woman in late 90s radio versus being a woman in like 2023 radio like are things better now are things improving is it still an uphill battle like just let let me i'm the first i'm the first one to tell you that and i i shamelessly say this and i'm i'm sad that there isn't enough female representation in radio, even in 2023. There are far too many morning shows in this country that don't have female talent on it. And I don't understand why.

I won't name them because you can all look around. Sometimes it just works out that way. I get it. You put your cast together and you find the right chemistry. But I always think how unfortunate there aren't any women on that show. There should be. Why aren't there women? Especially when you have radio stations that skew female.

Why the fuck isn't there a woman on that show? That blows my mind a little bit. Still, that there are more than one morning show in this country that don't have women on them. So there's that. I was lucky, Mike. I didn't have really terrible experiences with my coworkers. I'm a tough broad. I didn't have really terrible experiences with my coworkers. I'm a tough broad.

I don't complain. I fight back. And, you know, I've learned. Yes, Howard made me cry. But after Howard made me cry. He's made me cry, too, for what it's worth. He's made everybody cry. Fuck.

And then he hugs you hard. He's the best hugger, too. So it's the cry in combination, cry hug. But after Howard, I said, I'll never let a co-host ever do that to me ever again. It's like, I will never, ever, ever get to the point where somebody makes me cry. We're going to figure it out before that.

So let me ask you a real hypothetical here, okay? Let's pretend this is all hypothetical, Sandra, but let's say you find out today that you're pregnant. Are you with me? Okay. Yeah. Okay. All right.

You're pregnant now. So you have two children, right? This was like a third on the way now. It's in the bun is in the oven, as we used to say back in the day. Who's the baby daddy? Give me a nice scenario, please. I want a good scenario.

I was going to ask you. Can it be a bearded biker? Of course it can be a bearded biker. But yeah, of course it can be a bearded biker. Okay, so the baby daddy is a hot bearded biker. So you're attracted to bearded bikers. Oh, yeah. That explains why I feel no sexual chemistry here.

Because I'm the opposite of a bearded. I'm a non-bearded cyclist. And you're like, fuck that. Fuck that. You're too skinny. And fit. Disgusting. Oh, do you like a bearish man?

Yes. I like tall, large. I like, yes. John Goodman with a beard? Not that. Like, not. Reel it in a little bit. That's too much.

His ass has to be bigger than mine a little bit. So there is. That's a bit of a. You have a type Sandra. This is fascinating. Okay. So one of these. Okay.

So fine. Put a baby in me. You're starting to sweat here. Okay. So yes. A big gutted bearded biker has impregnated you. Okay. How much time are you taking off that kiss there?

What is it? Are you taking an 18-month maternity leave because you're like, fuck it, I've earned this? What's going on? Are you going to be back in three weeks? It's all hypothetical. It's not binding. I feel like I'd take a year because I've

earned the right to take a year and the first two I blew it and those are big regrets yeah we have a three-week one that was a big mistake yeah three weeks a year or six six months to a year for sure yeah no problem I wouldn't even I wouldn't even think twice about it it wouldn't it would be a non-issue now because I've been around for so long and um I wouldn't even think twice about it. It would be a non-issue now because I've been around for so long and I wouldn't worry too much about it. But I will say it does suck that you've because I can totally see your mindset because

I've seen it in action. Out of sight, out of mind, if you're not on the air and then they have to make adjustments because they've got to go without Sandra, those adjustments might work or be good and they might be like, hey, those adjustments might work or be good. And they might be like, hey, we're going to keep the adjustments and we'll find something else for you to do. And you could end up doing fucking traffic on Alan Cross's show. Fuck, downgrade.

Yeah, I mean, that's that's, you know, if we're going to dig deep, deep here, that's the fear is that the person they replace you with is going to be way better than you. And they're going to get the chemistry that you never had with the morning show. Yeah, that's absolutely a fear. And it's a real fear for a lot of women in radio, which is why many older broadcasters like women who, you know, maybe were broadcasters in the 80s, 70s, 80s, 90s, didn't have babies. There's so many women who chose not to have babies. And they'll say it was because I didn't want babies. And I'm not saying that that's not true.

But I'm saying they were also in a career that certainly wasn't warm and welcoming to mothers. Very interesting. Now, you have a male co-host on KISS. My sweet Chris. Chris. Okay. What's Chris's last name?

Chris Love. Okay. Let's Chris's last name? Chris Love. Okay. Let me see his birth certificate. I don't believe he's got love on there. Come on. Who gives a shit, Toronto Mike? All right, Plagakis. I bet you that's on your birth certificate.

Okay. You know it. So, does Chris have any kids? Yeah. He has a daughter named Lily. She lives in Toronto and he goes and sees her quite often i live in toronto okay i know i'll tell him to go and pass by sometime what a coincidence okay uh hypothetically speaking if chris uh takes uh what do they call it uh parental leave because you know

this is the one thing okay so i have four kids okay i never got a day of parental leave like i never got a day of parental leave because Like I never got a day of parental leave because I didn't want to take, like, I didn't want to cannibalize time from the mother. Like this was my mindset. Like, okay, don't take time. Cause that just gets extracted from the time that the mother gets. Cause you share this. You know, I should probably have said that my uh my first husband also known as the plaintiff he did take uh paternity okay so he took time okay i got you so i got you got you so the kids did get but in radio i'm just parents i got you i got you no i'm glad you pointed that out just not the better parent also known as the plaintiff i like that okay so uh this is i'll

get off this very very quickly here but, but, uh, when I, when I'm like a Chris and I'm using him, like just hypothetically, like Chris, uh, takes a parental leave. That's also a diff like that's not any easier for him. Like he might also be hesitant to take any parental leave because I would decide out of mind and radio, somebody's always gunning for that job. Like I could see a male, uh, father, if you will, not taking parental leave for the same reasons you didn't want to take parental leave. Yeah, that's absolutely fair. I could see him, although, I mean, he's my number one.

So he's fine. If he wanted to take a year, I'd be waiting with open arms for him to come back. That's beautiful. Yeah, he's like one of my favorite people in the world. And we started our relationship. I didn't like that guy. I didn't like that guy one fucking bit. But now he's one of my best friends.

It's funny how that happens sometimes. But it can go either way. Like sometimes that does happen and that's beautiful. But sometimes you're like, I knew there was a reason I didn't like this prick. I always thought I was a good judge of character. And I thought that he would be absolutely, him and I together would be horrible. And I didn't feel that we had any chemistry whatsoever.

But the powers that be felt different. And I honestly, I just, I couldn't. I did not see it. I became very pissed off. I was frustrated every single day for nine months. Wow. And then finally something clicked, and I thought, fuck, I like this little fucker. He grew on you like a rash.

He grew on me like a rash, and he brings a lot to the table. And I had to stop living my life with blinders on. It was my fault. It was my problem. stop living my life with blinders on. It was my fault. It was my problem. And once I got over myself,

I opened my heart. It's a Madonna song, I think. Open your heart to me. It's been really great. This is my favorite time in my career right now. So how long have you been with Chris Love? Just over five years now. Good for you, Sandra Plagak. I know.

I didn't think I had it in me to start another morning show. It's like a lot of work you're building from the ground up. It's like a thing. And it's like, fuck, nobody knows him. And we have to go out and do those fucking coffee runs again and meet people and do all that shit all over again. What if Chris Love wins the lottery next week and he says, Sandra, I love you, but fuck, I'm rich.

I'm out of here. Peace. Like, can you start again? Yeah, I'll start again. Because you're still very young. I want to go until I can't go no more. And I still got a lot more to give. I hope I stay around for a little while longer.

Well, I think we're the same age, so you're about 39 as well I think. Don't. You're such a smart ass, Toronto Mike. I went from Michael to Mike to Toronto Mike. I feel like I'm going the right direction. Okay, can we get serious for a moment?

All this was the pre-interview. Okay, let's get serious for a moment because I want the pre-interview okay let's get serious for a moment because i want to know uh because i did do my homework and i can't even say this okay but gmg i don't know what gmg is okay let me start again then i'll clean this up in post no i won't the fuck are you talking about now myastheniaia gravis? Oh, yes. My little disease. Okay. Well, you know, I'm just curious. Okay.

So apparently you can also, it's also like GMG. Like it's like a faster way to say that difficult thing I just said here. So just in a, I don't want to, we don't have to dwell on it, except that you had these symptoms. Yeah, I've had it for a long time. It's a pain in the ass, but it's fine. Like literally a pain in the ass? Is that the symptom

your ass hurts like what is the uh it's neuromuscular so i wish at least i'd feel something again uh it's neuromuscular and uh so i would have like problems like lifting my arms problems walking problems speaking which was obviously the worst of it because i would conceal it uh and uh yeah i had a droopy eye i just thought i was tired because i did morning radio so that's walking, problems speaking, which was obviously the worst of it because I would conceal it. And yeah, I had a droopy eye. I just thought I was tired because I did morning radio. So that's how it started. And it took seven years to diagnose. So why so long the diagnosis? Just it's rare. What is the deal there? It's just rare. Did they think you had a stroke? Like what was the they told me it was all in my head. Oh, psychosomatic told me it. You know, I've since found out that women are treated a lot differently in the psychological world, in the medical world than men are.

That was probably the, looking back on it, I can easily see that I was brushed aside because I was a woman. I was treated like a hysterical woman who, you know, she's, you know, she's slurring her words. Oh, she must be drinking or she's just a new mother and she's, you know, out of her depth and she's losing control. They, they, they told me I was crazy. Okay. And again, so the symptoms are you, you slurring your speech, you had motor neurology, like you couldn't lift your arm. Is that what I'm hearing? And you had like a droopy face thing. And they think this is just you like malingering symptoms, like for attention or something, or just psychosomatic,

like you're just making this up. They told me one, they actually, the company was concerned. This is when I worked at the edge later days, the company became concerned because they could hear it on the air every once in a while, the slurring.

And, you know, even when I went to parties, people thought I was drunk at seven o'clock. I wasn't drunk. I just couldn't, you know, the, the, the later the day had gotten, the more my symptoms were exacerbated because I was tired, you know, better in the morning, worse in the evenings kind of thing. And people thought I was like, I'm like, I'm not drunk. I'm not anything, but I, I just tried not to talk too much for a long time. And now I'm getting it all out in this podcast, ironically. Uh, but, uh, yeah, uh, those were the symptoms

and they told me I had globus hystericus, which is a disease, um, a psychosomatic condition that Asian women get who are, um, oppressed by their husbands. Do I fucking look oppressed? You don't even look Asian. husbands. Do I fucking look oppressed? You don't even look Asian. Ironic. Okay. Shitty, shitty, but seven years, eventually seven years and you get a diagnosis and what's the treatment? Uh, I take a bunch of pills every day. I have a, you know,

I have my pill box. Just say, well, I want to make you feel better because I do think we we are similar age. I mean, you can tell me your age if you want. I feel like we're similar. I will do not know such thing. I would like to remain. I'm just doing the math on like when you show up and how maybe you got a couple of years on me maybe, but okay. I'm also taking pills every day. Uh, so don't feel bad. Like I take blood thinners, like an old man, like I'm like an old man. I don't feel bad about it. It's just a pain in the ass. And like I I've been doing it for so long that like, for example, I took a motorcycle

ride out to a cottage this weekend. I forgot my pills. Yeah. And I'm just like, you know, like that's that's like it's such a it's it's such an afterthought. It's just part of my routine. And I don't even think about it. My conditions, I'm under control completely.

Every four months I go to the hospital. I get what I call an oil change. Uh, they put some antibodies in me and I'm all fresh and ready to go. Well, that's good. Okay, good. I'm glad to hear that. Uh, yeah, it's fine. Like seriously, my health is, thank God I haven't been in crisis in 15 years. Okay, good, good, good. Tell me if you, uh, if you have a minute, I hope you, I don't have another nap to get to or something, but, uh, tell me what, are you still like involved with the cherry,

like this lifestyle subscription box for women who are fun, flirty, and a little dirty? I most certainly am, Michael. All right. Tell me, no,

I'm Michael again. I like it. Okay. Because, you know, uh, I think, uh,

lifestyle with a side order of sexy. Yeah. So it's a subscription box. You know what that is? It's a box and there's stuff in there. Yeah, that's right. It's said very appropriately by a man. That's just shit, right? Yeah, it's shit in a box. I said stuff.

I was going to say shit and then I said don't say shit. It's women's lifestyle, but the twist is that it's seasonal. So every season you get a box. You sign up for the subscription. You get a box. And every season you get a dirty little surprise inside, which is basically a sex toy.

But you don't know what it is until you receive it. Okay, and you are like a founder of this cherry company? Okay, good for you. Is it a solo project or do you have a partner on this? I have a business partner and it's been, gosh, is it two years? Two years. Very interesting. Since we started it.

Yeah. And, you know, I knew I was getting a divorce. I knew that my life was going to change. I knew that I was going to be on a single income and I was going to try to carry my house and keep the kids and keep everything intact. So I decided that this would be a good little side hustle. Maybe not for now because I don't know too many small businesses that make money off the get go. But over time, I think it will. Amazing. OK, listen, two things here.

One is I do have a podcast you might want to listen to called Yes, We Are Open because Al Grego has been traveling the country talking to small business owners and entrepreneurs about their stories of success and their trials and tribulations on their way. And I think that if you listen to Yes, We Are Open, especially season four, which is happening now, that you would be inspired. So that's like a legit pro tip for you. Thank you. I actually will listen to it. I love podcasts. Yeah. And it's brought to you by Moneris too and it's very good.

And the cherry, I would just like take this moment to tell women listening, hopefully some women are listening, tell them like, like how can they get,

like subscribe to this subscription box for women who are fun, flirty, and a little dirty. A lot of my listeners are fun, flirty, and a little dirty, I've noticed. Are they? Good. Well, this works out

perfectly. It's thecherry.com. Cherry spelled C-H-E-R-R-I-E. Okay. And we actually just sold out of our spring box, and our summer box is coming out in two weeks. So, new shit's on the way. It's a good one. Okay. No, seriously. Women F-O-T-M,

or, you know, whatever. Dudes for their chick, I can see. You know, whatever. Whatever. Ch's a good one. Okay. No, seriously. Women FOTM or, you know, whatever dudes for their chick. I can see, you know, whatever, whatever chicks for their chick. I don't know. Get the cherry here. That's very cool that you're doing that. Yeah. It's, it's, it's really fun. And it's been a real, like just doing small business. I really had no experience with it. So it's been quite the learning curve. A lot of, a lot of mistakes made, but we're getting there. Okay. And since we got serious with your illness, which you are now recovered from, and I'm very grateful

because I just met you, we just became friends, and I would hate to think you were unwell, but you look great. Okay. I get here, so let me share this with you, and then we'll just touch on it because you have a unique perspective on this. But I'm on Twitter because I like Twitter, even though it's ridiculous now. I still like it better than the other social media.

Twitter is bullshit. It is bullshit, but it's the best bullshit. I just can't find a replacement for Twitter. What do you use, or do you just opt out of social media, Freddie P style? Oh my god, TikTok. I love TikTok. I felt I was too old for TikTok. Oh, we're not too old for TikTok.

TikTok is where the party is at. I'm sorry, as much as I'm sure a lot of people would hate to hear it, TikTok has replaced conventional television for me. Every night before I go to bed I bring my little ticky-tocky machine into the, you know, and I just for 20 minutes I look at videos. You'd be amazed

how many great ideas I get for the show. Okay. Watching TikTok, how much good content I get with people telling their stories. Watching TikTok, how much good content I get with people telling their stories. There's a lot of great stories. I mean, there's a lot of bullshit. I don't need to see young girls shaking their booty at me. I'm not there for that.

And the dance is not there for that. But there's a lot of great storytelling that's happening on TikTok. And I don't think TikTok gets the credit it deserves for that. And I've used some great stories on the air. And it's it's given me some really good content it's working for you okay so and this is not even necessarily a twitter thing except that's where i am so that's where it hits me or whatever but uh you know a few

weeks ago or whatever maybe a month ago i'm on twitter you know just checking in on the zeitgeist and then i see kid fucking rock is out there with like an ak 47 or something shooting up like beer in a field. Okay. So I'm like, what the hell? Like what the hell's going on here? And then it turns out that he's shooting up Bud Light because Bud Light works

with like a thousand and one influencers and one happened to be a transgender person. And then there was this outrage from, I don't know, the right, the far right, who felt like this was very woke of Bud Light and they were offended by it somehow. Anyway, when this is all going down, I'm like,

this is just speaking for Mike, Michael, Toronto Mike, my many monikers here, but I'm feeling like, can we stop the planet so I can just get off now? Like, I don't understand this whole Kid Rock shooting his gun at a case of Bud Light. And I'm just curious, now. Like, I don't understand this whole Kid Rock shooting his gun at a case of Bud Light. And I'm just curious because this is coming on the heels of Dave Chappelle who I thought was very smart and funny and I very much enjoyed his specials

but he's chosen the hill to die on will be, he'll be transphobic and I, this is me talking, I find his content to be transphobic. And I had this conversation with Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath, who came on this show, and they were talking about their transgender daughter. And you'm just curious, what's your thoughts on this Sandra Plagakis? Well, you're obviously asking me because, you know, I have a trans son. And I've talked about that pretty openly over the last few years very proudly. Yeah, like Colin Mochrie, I too am incredibly concerned for the direction in which our planet is going against these human beings.

I can't. Kid Rock, I think, made a very misinformed, idiotic decision that day. Very misinformed. I think he thought that Bud Light was going to be the new face of, you know, Dylan Muldaney, who is the transgender woman who. She was simply sent a can of beer with her face on it. They weren't launching a campaign. They were sending her a beer to say, hey, we think you're pretty awesome. And she is. She is like amazing and brave as I've ever seen anyone. And chronicling her journey very openly on TikTok and

social media and really doing some good things and spreading some good vibes and leave it to that fucking moron Kid Rock with his fucking droopy eye, speaking of, to go and do something so insulting and so stupid. And violent. And talk about a moron if that's the hill he wants to die on. I don't even think he was fully informed. Fully informed about why that beer was sent to her. He just overreacted. And then it started this whole thing of idiots shooting beer cans and running over them and throwing them in the garbage.

Like, Bud Light is not a good beer. I get it. But find a better reason to destroy your Bud Light than that, you know? Absolutely. And by the way, we only drink Great Lakes beer on this program. Shout out to the Fresh Craft beer we get in South Etobicoke. Great Lakes lager, Great Lakes beer. You can buy it in LCBOs across this fine province,

which means you can get it in Ottawa. Thank you. I really appreciate that shameless plug. One last thought on this. Yeah, well, it wasn't that shameless. I want to hear, obviously, so you're transgender. I am of the opinion, so I have four kids, and if I had wrongly assumed the wrong gender to one of my

children okay i would i would personally not want this qualifier i don't we always say uh transgender man uh in my humble opinion man you don't need that qualifier transgender man like i feel like i agree with you lose it and you know my my son schooled me on that, too. A long time ago, he said, I don't want to be a trans man. I'm a man. Right. Fine. And that's why I don't really it's such a non-issue in my life. It's it's become such a non-issue in our family. I have two sons and that's like the end of the story. There's no but. Right. Right. There's no qualifier required right none whatsoever so we agree good good last question then we're gonna say goodbye because i don't know if i promise an hour or not but i took like an hour 15 but i just want to know if you were in it must be fucking

interesting well i didn't say that sandra plagakis okay i well you must have nothing better to do i have to listen back and then i'll let you know how awesome you were or were not. I will get back to you. But I do want to ask you about announcing for pro wrestling. So, like, I've got my George the Animal Steel right here. Okay. What is your question? Like, what?

You just decided you would be an announcer for pro wrestling? Like, can you give me a little context here? Like pro wrestling was at the Greeley Legion. Okay. Everybody take it down a fucking notch. Okay. It's not like Hulk Hogan was there or what's his fuck? That other guy who does movies now.

Oh, the rock, the rock. It's not like, it's not like they were there. I have a friend. I have friends in the wrestling world, and a female wrestler, in fact, Persephone Weiss, who's lovely and terrifying at the same time. And they asked me to announce, be the ringside announcer.

And I thought, I can't think of anything more outside my comfort zone. So the answer is yes. And it was a riot. Okay, So it's not an ongoing thing. It was a one-off. No, it was a one-off maybe once or twice. Yeah, no. But I honestly, if I was asked to do it again, I think I would, because it's just such a, it's just like, I like to get dressed up. I like to wear gowns. I like to wear heels and I like luxury makeup. I also happen to like bearded bikers and motorcycles. And yes, I also like wrestling.

So, you know, I'll do it. Yeah. Fuck yeah. Sandra, this was great. I just really appreciate it. And if, I don't know if you're ever hanging around Toronto with an extra five minutes, I would bike by you and give you a,

I won't dry hump you because it's too soon for that, but I'll give you a high five. I'll take a fist bump and don't even slow down on the bike. And that brings us to the end of our 1,255th show.

You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. Sandra Plagakis is at Sandra Kiss 105.3. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. at Toronto Mike. Sandra Plagakis is at sandrakiss1053. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Palma Pasta is at Palma Pasta. Moneris is at Moneris.

Recycle My Electronics are at epra__canada. The Moment Lab are at The Moment Lab. And Ridley Funeral Home are at Ridley FH. See you all next week. Well, I want to take a streetcar downtown Read Andrew Miller and wander around

And drink some Guinness from a tin Cause my UI check has just come in Ah, where you been? Because everything is kind of rosy and green Yeah, the wind is cold but the snow, snow Wants me to dance And your smile is fine and it's just like mine And it won't be the day And your smile is fine And it's just like mine

And it won't go away Cause everything is Rosy and green Well you've been under my skin For more than eight years It's been eight years of laughter And eight years of tears 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 green 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 Cause everything is rosy and gray Well, I've been told that there's a sucker born every day But I wonder who Yeah, I wonder who

Maybe the one who doesn't realize There's a thousand shades of grey Cause I know that's true, yes I do I know that's true Yes I do I know it's true, yeah I know it's true How about you? All them picking up trash And them putting down rogues

And they're brokering stocks The class struggle explodes And I'll play this guitar just the best that I can Maybe I'm not and maybe I am But who gives a damn? Because everything is coming up rosy and gray Yeah, the wind is cold But the smell of snow Warms me today

And your smile is fine And it's just like mine And it won't go away Cause everything is Rosie and Gray Well, I've kissed you in France And I've kissed you in Spain And I've kissed you in France and I've kissed you in Spain And I've kissed you in places I better not name

And I've seen the sun go down on Sacré-Cœur But I like it much better going down on you Yeah, you know that's true Because everything is coming up rosy and green Yeah, the wind is cold, but the smell of snow warms us today And your smile is fine, and it's just like mine, and it won't go away Because everything is rosy now Cause everything is rosy now Everything is rosy Yeah, everything is rosy and gray Thank you.