Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Tom Brown: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1746

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

In this 1746th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Tom Brown about his career in radio and television, why he's no longer on CTV Toronto, Toy Mountain, his The Price is Right appearance and finding love with Daisy. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, the Waterfront BIA, Blue Sky Agency and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

Welcome to Toronto Welcome to episode of 1746 of Toronto of Toronto Mike Yes 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. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. Toronto's Waterfront BIA. Check out what's happening on Toronto's Waterfront, front this summer. Blue Sky Agency, the official distributor of Silence's quiet, comfortable

and customizable office pods. Create sanctuary within your workspace. Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball. Get your butts to Christy Pitts. We got one more game Saturday night and then it's playoff action. At Christy Pitts, be there. Be there with Damien Cox and I. We're going to have a great time. Recyclemyelectronics.ca.committing to our planet's future means properly recycling our Electronics of the Past, and Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Today, making his Toronto mic debut. It's Tom Brown. Hey!

I feel like we're wrapping up the show. You went through all the sponsors. I think we're out of time. Oh, I'm going to do it again. I'm going to do it again in about an hour. But Tom, what a pleasure it is. We're meeting for the first time. We finally made this happen.

We've been trying to do this for about two years. About so. Yeah, I think not that long ago, we were heading down to Pittsburgh to D.C. And we were trying to make it work because I'm not going to be here. Because you don't live near South Atopico. No, but what's funny on the drive over here, my fiancee lives in the area. So she said, we got to drive by my first house and we had to have a new Toronto resident. Can I back the truck up for a moment, Tom Brown, fiancé.

Okay, so let me disclose to the listenership that when you pulled into the driveway, you weren't alone. No. A beautiful woman was with you. And what was Mike's response? Tom Brown swinging above his belt class. You were punching. That's what the kids would say. You're absolutely punching. I swung for the fence and, yeah, I got a homer it. And I don't know.

We're going to go off track here, how we met. But we met during COVID, actually. Give me the full Tom Brown, before we're going to get into your career and everything that happened, right? And it's, again, it's amazing to have you here. What is the Tom Brown Daisy origin story And when you say

Your fiancé Tell me like when is the big date Next weekend So you're getting married next weekend August 23rd is our big day Congratulations Is that happening here in New Toronto It's actually

We're getting married in Schaumburg Okay that's near like Newmark Is that near Newark? Yeah just a little north Yeah Okay So Tom that's amazing So right off the top

Big congrats from the entire TMU The Toronto Mike universe Tom Brown getting married next weekend I can't believe I'm finally going to be a friend of Toronto Mike you're now my new designation FOTM no that's true so really quickly then I'm going to get the origin story

we're going to talk about Daisy for about an hour and then maybe I'll ask you about your media career I feel like the camera I told you this right why isn't the camera on Daisy oh yeah I can even move it here here we go here we go hold on okay oh my god oh my god seriously nobody wants the camera on

Tom Brown. I'm still here, Mike. I'm going to put my mic. Hold on. Okay. So that's, okay. So as long as you stay on that mic, you guys can, uh, canoodle.

Is that what that is? I think it is. This is how we watch television. So, uh, when we go to a concert, we only pay for one seat, you know?

The other mic is now open. Daisy, did you want to just for a moment for this origin story here? Because, uh, here, that, look, Tom knows what he's doing. So Daisy, what is it that attracted you to this fantastic Tom Brown?

Well, I would say instantly, and I know this sounds cliche, but the smile and his eyes, his gorgeous green eyes. He's good-looking, right? Like, I'm now, like, in person for the first time. He's a good-looking guy. And we bet she didn't know who I was, because remember, it was COVID.

We had masks on. So she didn't know. She had no clue who I was. So this isn't like a, you weren't attracted to the fame of Tom Brown. You were attracted to the real Tom Brown. No, no, no, no. That wasn't it at all. But what about the fact, Tom?

Like, she's, okay, so Daisy, I'm going to guess Tom's got, what, 20 years on you? Is that what's going to? No. He's only 35. Mike, I wasn't honest on the age when we met. Come on. Yeah, no, it was, it was one of those things where I think just everything lined up for us. We both came from very dark pasts.

Daisy lost her husband. I went through a nasty divorce. And we both, you know, weren't looking. And, you know, they always talk about people. They go out and they try and find their perfect match. Of course. But we weren't looking. As a matter of fact, it was Tim Hortons.

So you met at a Tim Hortons? We met at a Tim Hortons that, you know, during COVID, everybody was doing the drive-through. but it was just at the tail end of COVID. So they were open, but there was nobody in the restaurant. I needed to use the restroom. So I walked into Tim's, and there was one guy there, some young kids, 17, 18 years old,

and he's working, and I just walked in, and I said, I need an extra large cafe mocha in one of your egg bacon sandwiches. And I said, and quickly I need to use the restroom. So I went to the restroom. I come out, and Daisy's standing there. So as I walk out, I see just these beautiful fawn eyes. Yeah, absolutely.

And a mask. Beautiful hair, beautiful woman. And the kid turns around with two cups and he says, extra large cafe mocha, medium decaf. And then he looks up and he goes, are these together or separately? So I put my arm around Daisy and I said, obviously together. Wow. That's a power move.

And then the kid looks at me and I said, what? don't make a beautiful couple. Now, this is her reaction. She's laughing at this moment. Doing a roll eye. Doing the roll I thinking, okay, who's the playoff? And so he says, oh, okay, I just didn't see you guys come in together. I said, no, no, but just look at us.

Do we not make a beautiful couple? And he says, yeah, okay, sure. And so then she's laughing. Now I have to kind of back up. And I said, I'm just joking around. I said, you know what? Enjoyers? Because at this point, you have no idea if Daisy is married.

I have no idea if she's going to slot me in the face. I have no idea if charges are going to be present. But all I know is in the moment, I was just having fun. It was just the two of us there. And I just said, you know, in all seriousness, because she said, you don't have to do that. And I said, I'm good for the $1.87. I said, I said, anyways, in all sincerity, I said, you know, I'm going to go outside and have my sandwich and my coffee. I said, you're welcome to join me.

If you don't want to enjoy your coffee and have a lovely day, and I walked away. She followed and sat down. Wow. We sat there and we talked for maybe a half hour, 40 minutes. And then I said, you know what? at the end, we were kind of sharing, you know, our story, and I noticed she still had her wedding ring on at the time. And, and I just said, how was COVID impacting you and your family? And she told me she lost her husband. And then she said, you know, Frank and I said, well,

you know, Frank and I said, you know, Frank's my dog. I said, Frank and I, you know, our highlight of our day is going for a dog walk. And I said, but yeah, no, it's, it's tough to meet people. It's tough just to have a normal life. And, yeah, we just, we just enjoyed each other's company. And you just said, hey, come on in my bubble. There's room for you in my bubble. Well, I said, here's my card. You know, and I said, you know, if you want to do this again, have coffee, have lunch, I said, I would just enjoy seeing you again, no pressure, just friends, yada, yada, yada. Yeah. And I remember going to CTV that day. And I was just like, cloud night. Like, you think I'm in a good mood and happy all the time. I was skipping.

Yeah. So anyways, yeah, I just, uh, I thought about her all day. And I remember waking up in the morning and texting her cell phone number on her card. And I just said, good morning, Daisy. And she said, good morning. Everything okay. And I just said, I can't stop thinking about you. Wow. Me too. And we went on a picnic the following weekend. Tom Brown. Okay, so this is a COVID hookup. And I can tell you, so I'm looking at you guys right now. Like, she's glowing. Right. Like, yeah. Oh, no. Trust me. I walk through malls and stores and people will walk up and say, oh, you are lovely, and I'll look at them and said, how did I get her? Well, that was, again, I met you, I met you for the first time, 50 minutes ago,

but I saw Daisy came out first, and then I saw Tom come out, and yet Tom's got the- How come the smile went to a frown? It's like, Daisy gets out of the car, big Mike smile, Tom gets out and goes, oh, so he showed up. But yeah, no, it's just been an incredible, and now, yeah, August 23rd, we're getting married and we'll be surrounded by friends and family. And, yeah. This is the way. Big day.

Okay, this is exciting to get you here like a week before the wedding. Daisy Tom Brown. And Tom, by the way, I only know you from television, right? So I know this. It's a big personality you got. I think it's larger than life sometimes. Like, it's big. It's big.

But my first, again, so I have a lot of people. So my first thought was. But I've been on over 1,700 shows. You've met a lot of people, Mike. I met a lot of people. Yeah. Is the Tom Brown. And I wasn't sure Daisy would be here to be, I was a surprise.

Oh, here's, there's Daisy. Great surprise. Happy. So I told Daisy, one of my first crushes was Daisy Duke. So, you know, the name Daisy, I already kind of, I'm already interested. But you don't know a lot of daisies. Like when I met Daisy, it was the same thing as like Daisy Duke, Donald Ducks Daisy, Daisy Fuentes. That's it.

That's it. That's all I got. And then I got my Daisy. But I was wondering, will the Tom Brown I meet be a lower key guy? Like, does Tom Brown, when the red light goes on? Does Tom Brown assume a persona of a energetic? I just took down a Red Bull, I'm ready to go, or is that the real Tom Brown? And I've got to say, from what I've observed so far, it's consistent.

That's you. You just have a high-energy, big personality. Yeah, you know what? The other thing about television, and I did morning radio for 18 years before I jumped into television, and you feed off the energy, but also I just felt blessed my entire. her career, what I had a chance to do. And I know my mother would always say, and Daisy never had a chance to meet my mother.

But my mom would always say when she saw me on television or she saw me or heard me on the radio, where did that come from? He was such a shy kid. And all of a sudden, you know, uh, I went from being an introvert to an extreme extrovert. Wow.

And, uh, yeah, it was just, uh, it was a calling. And, you know, I had, I did it for 30. 38 years, you know? And, you know, maybe, maybe I am retired. I tell people that I'd love to be back on the radio. I'd love to be back on television. I truly miss it. But, you know, yeah, I mean, what you see is what you get. And you were already with Daisy when you got it in that day. We'll talk about that day shortly, but that was a day where you weren't alone. You were in some good company. Like a lot of people at Bell Media got it when you got it in February 2021. Yeah, it was actually walking Frank in the park. And it was, you know, you get into the schedule because my shift started at four, but I always went in around 3, 3.30.

And yeah, it was a phone call just after 1 o'clock. And the call wasn't very long. And it was just, yeah, we no longer require your services, yada, yada, yada, and it was the phone call. Because I actually, so I did get an account from fellow FOTM Anwar Knight, who I believe got it the same day you got it. I think he got it minutes before me because, you. you know, I think Anwar actually did the news at noon that day and then got the call and I think they got off a phone with him and then went to me. Anwar's account is it was a Wednesday afternoon.

He said he got a phone call. He said it was two minutes long. And the quote he said was, your services are no longer needed. Thank you for your contribution. Is that similar? I'm guessing they just sort of have this run down a list or whatever. Pretty much.

Like many, many, many people that were beloved, not just in. television, but in Bell Media radio stations. I mean, when I think about Barb de Julio got it in that wave, Ted Wallachin got it in that wave, like a lot of FOTMs got it in that wave. And Daisy, for the record, has now moved to her own chair, no longer canoodling. Soon she's going to have the headphones on her own camera. Well, Daisy, I'm going to keep it open. So, Daisy, I'm keeping that mic open. And if you ever want to chime in, because I'm going to have a nice little hour here with Tom, but if you want to chime in on anything at all, please don't be shy, because you got a great voice.

Absolutely. Okay. In fact, you feel better? You're like his support animal there. You get some support there. It's funny because if people recognize me,

they turn to her. So you were on television too. So is this guy? Right. I was going to say, Daisy, he was on television? My goodness, grace. Okay.

So let me give you some wedding gifts and then we can get right into this. Okay. And we'll build up to February 2021. Find out what's happened since then. I pulled some interesting audio, this is going to be like everything you wanted to know about Tom Brown, but we're afraid

to ask. There's only three things that people are going to remember me for. One is going to be obviously the polar bear mic. I have that loaded up. The other one is going to be my appearance on the prices. I have that loaded up. Okay. You should produce this show. You've got it going on. Okay, what else? And obviously Toy Mountain. Yeah, so those are my

three audio clips. Okay, I set them up for you. But those are the three things, you know, I'm so proud of and, you know, I'm going to be remembered for, you know, all the all the weather coverage and everything else, you know, people yeah but those weather is of the moment right like it's like but but those three moments you shout it out or literally am i mean i'm going to flip over to my soundboard i literally have three clips and it is all those are the three moments like i was thinking what are the audio things i want

for tom yeah 100% i wanted the polar bear because you basically go viral and we're going to play it and talk about that then the price is right that's amazing i have tom brown and the price is right that's loaded up and i have a little promo for toy mountain yeah and we're going to talk about can you say Toy Mountain in your signature style? Absolutely. What are we building in a toy mountain? See, Daisy's applaud. That's what, you know,

once he did that and Daisy's like, I found my man here. Forget the free coffee. Wow. Okay, wedding gifts for the lovely couple, Tombra. So, and I'm sorry what happened with you,

Daisy and for marriage number one. I'm sorry, but is this marriage number two for both of you? Well, it's okay. you can tap out if you want but it's marriage number two for me

and for myself I was previously married before I So marriage number three This is marriage number three Okay wait look no shame I'm on marriage number two Hopefully two of two

That's what I always say We'll end the series here But again Sorry for your loss And this is an awful segue Because I realize I'm about to give you A gift from Ridley Funeral Home And I wasn't meaning to come off

The passing of your husband With a Ridley Funeral Home promotion So let me just say this is a measuring tape, which will come in handy. I see too late now. So I'm giving this to you as a wedding gift from Ridley Funeral Home. And they have a fantastic podcast called Life's Undertaking. We just recorded a new episode, Brad Jones and I.

So it's a pleasure to be co-hosting that show with Brad. I urge you to check it out. If you haven't, if you don't have enough Toronto Mike in your diet, okay, so there's Life's Undertaking from Ridley Funeral Home. I also have for you two some fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery. Brood right here. And so, Daisy, you're from New Toronto, or at least you lived in New Toronto. Yes.

This is a New Toronto. Oh, they're not New Toronto. They're north of it. But this is a South Atobico Institution, Great Lakes Brewery. They have a 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard is where they brew their beer, which is near the Costco in South Atopico. And you can take some tasty treats home with you guys. That is great. Thank you.

Very nice. Also, because what pairs nicely with fresh craft beer, how about a delicious lasagna? frozen in my freezer right now. It was delivered this morning from Palma Pasta. They're in Mississauga and Oakville and anybody who's tried Palma Pasta will tell you they got it figured out. That's authentic

Italian food. You will enjoy your Palma Pasta lasagna. We sure will. Lots of gifts. Yes. And with a crowd arriving at our place right? We've got a lot of people arriving this week. Wow. Okay, well that will, listen this is, it's large, it's delicious and you're taking it home with you. So thank you,

Palma Pasta. Thank you, Great Lakes Brewery. Yes, thank you, everybody. Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball, because you're going to need, you know, when you're not enjoying canoodling, when you're not canoodling, Tom, you might want to do some reading on the history of Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball. So there's a book there, the history of Leafs Baseball. I said this in the intro, but I was talking to Damien Cox yesterday. We did like two hours.

Sure. Checking in of Damo. Damo got it from Rogers, so you got it from Bell. So you're in some similar club here. Cable companies that have let go of great broadcasters. But Damien is going to make him. his Toronto Maple Leafs debut at Christy Pitts for the playoff game. And I'm eagerly awaiting, like, notice of what day and time

that playoff game will be. But it's coming up this month. So it's coming up soon. And I feel like Joe Tilly there. Coming up! Right? We got another FOTM, by the way, Joe Tilly. Oh, I know.

I know. I'll get to this. Let me get out these gifts out of the way. So that's the Toronto Maple Leafs Base Base Base Baseball. And I urge everyone to go to Christy Pitts because the ticket is free and it's a great vibe. And you can enjoy some hot dogs and some. Leaps Lager, and it's a good time. I'm going to be there for sure.

So thank you. And then, hey, because I want it to be all Tom and Daisy, Tom and Daisy, Tom and Daisy has a ring to it. Well, it's funny because everything, like we, with our kids, Daisy has a son and a daughter. I have a son and a daughter. So together we have four kids. But every time we get together, we call it Tadfest.

So, you know, so everything is, so this summer, tadfest is this date to this date. You know, and over Christmas, Tadfest will be Christmas edition will be this to this. So twice a year, all the kids make their way to our home, 10 days over Christmas and usually 10 days over the summer and we get together.

Amazing. Yeah, so it's a great way we blended the family. The kids all get to know each other. We include brothers and sisters and parents and my parents have passed, but you know, I've got this amazing relationship with Daisy's parents and, you know, she's Portuguese, so mom and pop have become my and pie and

I have a Portuguese note on that, but I will say that you're blended family reminds me of Dana Levinson's family and she's a good friend. She's a good friend of mine too. Dana had two kids, married a guy with two kids, a second marriage for Dana and they blended it nicely too. And she's so happy. She's so happy.

She's very happy without it. She said it was like, yeah, the love of her life. It sounds like you've met the love of your life as well. But I heard Portuguese. That's what I just heard. Teesey's Portuguese. Well, let me tell you, you guys will be interested that August 22nd to the 24th at the harbor front center. There is Taiwan

Fest, and you're like, Mike, you're talking about Portugal. Well, this year's Taiwan Fest is a dialogue with Portugal. It's going to explore the unique connections between the two cultures, and you can discover how artistic traditions connect through Portuguese tiles. I'm going to say this wrong. Daisy, you're going to

correct me. Azulejo. Okay. So I don't know what to do of the J. I'll be honest. So that's Portuguese different than Spanish, right? Just do this at the end of every word. You start sound like Sean Connery. Okay. Spanish is pronounced differently

from the Portuguese version of it, yes. Okay, so I'm learning a lot here today. But you can also experience the rich flavors of Haka culinary traditions and enjoy live musical performances. So, if you want to learn about the shared histories and celebrate the vibrant cultures of Taiwan and Portugal, that's on the waterfront, August 22 to 24.

I just want to welcome Blue Sky Agency, the newest partner of Toronto Mike. And they, well, the man, His name is Doug Mills, and he's eager to chat with any and all Toronto Mike listeners who are looking for dynamic and creative work environments. So his address is Doug at blue skyagency.ca.caiagency. Send him a note, say, hey, thank you, Doug, for stepping up and helping to fuel the real talk on Toronto mic so we can have these important deep dive discussions with Tom Brown and Daisy

and let them know you're an FOTM and then talk about dynamic and creative work environments because that's what Blue Sky Agency does. And a tip, last but not least, and then it's all Tom and Daisy the rest of the way. Last is a big tip. Recycle My Electronics.com.com. Tom, Daisy, you got a room full of old, I don't know, old laptops. Don't throw them in the garbage. Don't throw them in the garbage.

The chemicals end up in our landfill. Go to recyclemyelectronics. com. Put in your postal code. Find out where to drop it off to be properly recycled. I got those great clips loaded up, but I just want you to tell me a bit about this career before CFT. SIFTO, that's what you guys are calling, right? Yeah, you know what?

I grew up in the beaches, right? Yeah, I grew up in the beaches. Not the beach. No, you know what? I've been there since like 1964, so I grew up, it was the beaches. You got your Cube beach, your bonnie beach. Now I know Tom's age. Let me write that down.

So, you know, I grew up in the beaches, went to Norway public school. Hopefully a lot of listeners. Oh, Norway, yeah. I went to Norway, and then I went to Fairmont for grade seven and eight. And then I went to Melbourne Collegiate. Attended St. John's behind Notre Dame. So that was my area. That's where I grew up.

From there, I went to Fanshaw College. I graduated on a Friday, and I actually, Barry Sarazen, who was pretty much running the program, called me up on Tuesday, the following Tuesday, and said, CKLQ Radio would like to offer you a swing announcer's position. So I graduated on Friday, first radio offer on Tuesday, and I was off to Brandon Manitoba, where I worked at 1570, CK.

Now it's 880, CKLQ. Okay, let me chime in to say, home of the weakings. Home of the Brandon Weekings, absolutely. So I was there for probably, I'm going to say, two or three years. And then I headed all the way out to Moncton, New Brunswick, to Rock 103, C.JMO. I went by The Rock, the Rose You Home. Wow. So from three till seven, that's when you would pull your voice.

It'd be like, hey, I'm the Rock that rolls you home. And I've got some Zeppelin and get Robbie Van Halen and James. is crying coming up on the rock. No wonder daisy's into you. So I would do. Which is so funny. It's like the Simpsons. Put on the jacket,

homie. I remember one time they would bring like a radio tour of like, you know, 15, 20 people in and the PD would say. So, you know, clean up the studio and bringing a tour in. And they would come in. They were standing outside the glass watching me. And it'd be like, hey, Iraq 103. It's the rock.

And I'm right. Anyways, I do my whole thing, and then they walk in, and they're going, hi, Rock. And I go, hey, how's it going here? I'm sitting with a polo shirt on. And, you know, they were expecting my hair to be down to my waist and, you know, having a cigarette looking somewhat like Slash Howard Stern. And here I'm this clean cut guy. And then I'll say, any questions about radio?

Yeah, how long have you been doing? If I just a second, I've got to do this. Rock 103. Sunshine right now. Get outside and enjoy. I'm going to get you home coming up the doors. And a little Jimmy Hendrix on the rock. And then I turned.

But that was the fashion back then. I remember Tom Rivers and all. It's like, you had to have this, you know, even the... Oh, when I was at Fancho, I sat in at 680C FTR, and I was listening to Dan Williamson and just in, ah, you know. This is from Evelyn Maco. Oh, see, one of the best. One of the best.

This is when radio was radio back in the day. Remember Tarzan, Dan? He just created this theater of the mind. And when I was in... Of course, I remember. He politely... Dan Freeman is his name. He's still going.

He's in BC. Politely declined his Toronto mic'd invitation. Oh, like, but he, he did stuff on the radio where you swear he was, you know,

in this elements. And it was just, you know, a guy pushing buttons and Dan pointing fingers. Hey, what about Brother Jake? Did you ever cross past

of Brother Jake Edwards? In Winnipeg. Yeah, I was, I was in Winnipeg when Brother Jake was at 92 City. And I was at Power 97. And, yeah,

that was before Jake went out to B.C. Okay, well, Brother Jake, what an episode. you know, because he licenses from McLean and McLean, he licenses the the champ. So you probably, if those pipes, you could do a champ. So, and he went for it

and I hit him in the solar plexes. Oh, yeah. I love that. He had to be like this. Hey, champ. I go, you go, it's like, champ's wife is usually involved. Yeah. Hey, pass the tea bag. I said, pardon. I said, pass the tea bag.

It was such a silly bit, but it really caught on. And I didn't age well either, because I remember one, then I don't think it would fly today, but it was like, Hey, champ, I heard your wife's quite the Thespian. I said pardon. And I lose it. You know what?

I just got a notice from Jake Edwards. He says, cease and desist. Yes, exactly. You sound too much like him. Exactly. No, Jake was in Winnipeg because after I left Rock 103. So, wait, wait, so firstly, the fan shop, just for a moment. Sure. You got a radio broadcasting diploma.

Yeah. Do you think that exists today? I think now, like, I know my daughter went through the RTA program at Ryerson, so it's radio television arts. Now I think it's more or less journalism, radio television arts, whereas in my day, you know, CFRL and 6X FM, which I think 6X FM is still a community-based FM radio station. But yeah, right now, you know, it scares me because my, as I said, my daughter went through the RTA program at Ryerson

also worked at CTV and was a victim of the layoffs. After 13 years, she was actually doing the morning show out in Regina and Saskatoon. There are so many Bell Media layout waves. It was, I think, two years ago maybe. She was part of the big one. You almost have to be more specific. There's been multiple big ones over the last 15 years. And there are so many people that are no longer broadcast.

which should be broadcasting. There is so much talent out there that, you know, you just kind of look around and, you know, and I keep in touch with a lot of these people. I was just speaking to Chris Potter, not that long ago and Frankie Faragini. And did Frankie quit?

Yes. Okay. Well, he resigned. So, yeah, because you never know. No, I know. I learned this from Christine Bentley. Okay. And she came over, and this is early in Toronto,

Mike, when I was still young and naive. And Christine talked to me about the move at Bell Media, and she says, she called it the tap on the shoulder. So I've been calling it at the tap on the shoulder everything. The top in the shoulder that says, Christine, your services are no longer required. You're done. There's two ways to go. One, and Kate Wheeler did it this way, actually, because she was in the room at the same time.

But, hey, there's a box and you're done. Get your stuff out of here. Security pass is canceled. So there's that way. And then there's the, we spin this as you've decided to retire, quote, unquote, retire. And she said her pride got in the way, and she decided to. to take the latter, which is have it presented to the public as Christine Bentley is retiring, but in fact, she had zero interest in

retiring, zero interest in leaving Bell Media, but she just felt it would look better. But then what she realized very quickly is that when you tell the world loudly with a cake, and maybe there's keg gifts cards involved, who knows, I got to ask Anne Romer how many she's still got. But when you do that, nobody offers you a job because they think you've decided to retire. Right. But she had She wanted to work. Oh, no, I was the same way, you know.

But I always went to with Frank, because Frank, it was publicly presented as Frank said, I'm going to go, I'm done, but you never know. You know what? You never truly know. You can only go by what the individual tells you and, you know, shy of saying, I don't believe you. But no, Frank, from what I gathered, yeah, it was just, he had a long run and he wanted to spend more time with his family and he had other interests, obviously his love of gardening. Right.

So, yeah, it was his choice. but there are there are people obviously that myself I I said to Daisy there was a period I think it happened on February 3rd and I think we headed to the keys February 8th I just had to get out of here sure you know I was processing a lot of things kind of because I I don't want to say blindsided you know it's like my spider senses told me something was going on there was just a different change a feel but when it finally happened it's just I got to get I just want to get out of here my phone was ringing and you know it's different when you're

in the media. It's not like, and not to take away from anybody other's job, but if you work at Rona, and you get let go, exactly, and nobody knows, you know, but when all of a sudden, you're on the newspaper or word gets out quickly. Let's be honest, Tom, you were part of a very popular newscast that you were in people's living rooms every day, and there's people that have this, it's a custom, it's a, it's a ritual, if you will, they're going to watch, and they, there's a comfort in the same personalities being in your living room. And again, I actually am curious to wrap up the radio part before you get to CTV. So we will get to this, except to say that a lot of people in the GTA got, they like Tom Brown.

They enjoyed spending time every night with Tom Brown. And when Tom Brown is no longer in the living room very suddenly, it's very jarring. And it's really, I'll read some notes later, but people really miss Tom Brown. Well, and speaking to colleagues that are still there, they said when you, because I just disappeared. I wasn't given the opportunity. Do you want to retire? Do you want to do this? Do you want to?

It was just basically we're done. But I remember talking to Andrea Case and she said, you know what? The first, because it was on a Wednesday, they just figured you took Thursday, Friday off you back on Monday. That didn't happen. Then when you didn't come in the following week, they thought maybe you're on vacation. Because again, nothing was being said. Then the second week, people started thinking I was ill.

And then there was a rumor going around something. about my health. And then, you know, it just kept snowballing. It probably took four to five weeks before all of a sudden people said, I think he's no longer there. If I may interject, this is where I, yours truly plays a bit of a role because I typically, like, so it all went down on a Wednesday. Somebody will feed me the information on like Wednesday afternoon or something and be like this going on. And then on Thursday, you'll have a list of names. And then I always think of, okay, who are the Toronto public facing people that, you know, so I'll write something on Toronto Mike.com. I wrote about you and Anwar Knight. So I talked about what happened.

happened and then what will happen you talked about that process listenership you're right Thursday Friday I'll probably take the days off the next week maybe on vacation but then at some point maybe week two or three the person the Tom Brown fan who's like where's Tom is going to go to Google and it's going to type in something like Tom Brown I don't know CTV Toronto or Tom Brown CFDR whatever and inevitably they will probably end up on either tronelomike.com or a similar similar type aggregator and they will learn. But Toronto Mike.com is really, we're going to get the info, folks. So you go to Toronto Mike.com and you're going to see, you're going to say, oh, Anwar night.

Oh, there's a picture of Mike and Anwar by Toronto Tree because, you know, we didn't have one, Tom. Oh, yes, sir, by that Toronto Tree. First thing I looked at when I pulled in, hey, there's the Toronto Tree. But actually, I want my photo of Daisy, if that's okay. I'll take the photo. You know what? Would you mind taking a photo of Daisy and I by Toronto Tree? He's going to promote this podcast, but it's a picture of him and Daisy.

Well, you know what? You know what? That'll get me the traffic. Okay, so all this is to say that it does, there is a delay. I notice this because I look at the analytics and I can see, oh, suddenly people are waking up to the fact that Tom Brown is not on their favorite newscast or whatever. But hey, can we, again, we're jumping around like it's a Tarantino film, which I kind of dig, as you might know if you've ever heard an episode.

But I got you, so it sounds like you get this diploma. You're in Brandon, home of the Wheat Kings, and then you're going all the way to Moncton, where I've actually been. I've walked on the Bay of Fundy. Absolutely. So you've got to do that. Yeah. Then I go to Frederick.

Fredericton's next. CFNB. Okay. So I go to Fredericton. I do the morning show now. So now I'm doing mornings. This is my first morning. And you're knowing as Tom Brown?

You didn't get like a terrific Tom or something? No, no, no, no. Nobody believes Tom Brown's my real name. And if it's a cruel joke, then my son has to deal with that too. My grandfather, my great grandfather, myself and my son are all named Thomas Brown. I've heard faker sounding names like Anwar Knight, for example. By the way, great guy didn't deserve this at all. And I wish him nothing but continued success.

And he has that ability that, you know, he can. can do anything. He's just that talented. He can do the podcast. He can do television. He can do radio. And that's it. He was doing, I think energy 108. I'm trying to think of where, but he was a radio guy in the market. And that's why he would do knights and he had the last name Knight. And it seemed awfully convenient to me. Yeah. So after I left Fredericton, I went to Winnipeg. I was on Power 97. You met the great aforementioned brother Jake Edwards in Winnipe. Yeah. Tom and Larry, brother Jake, Don and Bo. I mean, they were all, in Winnipeg, and these guys really just

circulate throughout the stations. You know, Brother Jake will be at Power 97, go at a 92, go back. Kind of like Jesse and Gene would do here, right? Okay, right now they're on Q and 07, then they're on 680, then they're on 640. Yeah, yeah. So from Winnipeg, I went to Regina, where I started the early morning tea party on Mix 92,

the early morning tea party. And yeah, they allowed me just all the freedom in the world. As a matter of fact, I had a great program director, David Jones, and he just basically said the show is yours, run with it. I have no rules. Wow.

I expect at least 10 complaints a week. If you don't get 10, you're not doing the job I want you to do. And while I was in Regina, that's when I made the jump over to television. At the time, Greg and Zioski, over at ST, STV, which is now global television, their weatherman, Dave Mitchell, was going on holidays for a week, and he had nobody to do weather. And he reached out and said, you know, how would you like to do weather for us, a celebrity weather fill-in for a week while David's away? I said, you know what?

I've never done television. Right. I'll do it Friday night. And I said, and if I bomb, I'll go on the radio and say, now you know why I'm doing radio. If I get through it and I can hold my head up high Saturday morning, I said, yeah, I'll fill in next week. So I filled in the following week. And after maybe a year, CBC television came along and they wanted me to back up Howard Thornton. And it's like, wow, CBC.

So I was still doing morning radio. Right. But I was now on television as well. You know, that's a, we call that the John Gallagher. Joe and Bo Jackson. John Gallagher, yeah. Well, John Gallagher would do the city TV sports at night. And then he'd be up whatever time you have to wake up for doing the Q morning zoo or whatever on Q10.

And it takes a toll because I was getting up at 4, 4.30, being at the station at 5 o'clock. And I was still on the air at 7 o'clock at night on television. And then eventually a CTV came along and, you know, instead of being a backup, they just said, would you like to join us in a full-time capacity, CTV Regina, and be our full-time weather guy? And your shift will be 11 to 7. So you'll do noon and 6. And I thought, wow, here's a chance to have a normal life sleep in, weekends off. Right. So I took the leap of faith. And I was at CTV Regina for four years. And Larry Stout, I don't know if many remember, but the great broadcaster Larry Stout was out working with the reporters on their stories. They're writing

their presentation skills and he came up to me in our little cafeteria tapped me on the shoulder and he said, how old are you? And I looked at him, I said, pardon? He said, how old are you? So I told him my age, he goes, we got to get you the hell out of here. He said, yeah, you're way beyond the Regina market. He said, I need to get you in a bigger market. And the following week, yeah, Robert Hurst was in Regina and he phoned me up and said, can we do breakfast? And it's funny because I answered the phone. I was actually on the treadmill, and I get a phone call in the morning. I'm on the treadmill. I'm winded, and I answer the phone. He goes, I go, hey, hello. He goes, Tom Brown. I said, yep. He said, Bob Hurst. I said, hey, Bobby, what's going on? Don't know who Bob Hurst is.

Kids getting into broadcasting. Know who the president of your organization is. Anyways, he says, let's restart. Tom Brown. I said, yes. He goes, Robert Hurst, President CTV News. Mr. Hurst. He said, what are you doing? I said, I'm actually on the train. treadmill. He goes, how soon could you meet me for breakfast? And I said, I can be there in 45 minutes. He said, I'll see you soon. I met him for breakfast. And we sat down and we were looking at our menus. There was this awkward silence. And he had an assistant with him. And he put this menu down. He said, three cities. I said, pardon, he said, three cities you want to work in.

I said, Toronto. He said, why? I said, I grew up there. I said, that's my home. Right. I know the people. I know the city. I know, he goes, choice number two. I said, Ottawa. He said, why? I said, it's close enough to Toronto. I could still see my mom and family. And it's a great city. And he said, third. I said, you know what? I don't have a third. But I'll say Vancouver. I have no reason why. It's beautiful. I've never even been. But I said, Vancouver. He said, Toronto is your first choice? I said, it's my first choice. That would be my dream come true. He said, then I guess we have to get you there. Wow. Two weeks later, I was flowing into Toronto. You know, Tom, okay, so you got what I call the reverse tap on the shoulder. Okay.

So I've heard the Christine Bentley's story tap in the shoulder. You got the tap and the shoulder. And that guy's name was David Jones that tapped down the shoulder. Am I right? That was Larry Steele. Larry Steele. Okay. David Jones,

I just took a mental note. David Jones was my program director. Okay. Yeah. That is the real name of David Bowie, David Jones. Yeah. Just a fun fact there. Okay.

And shout out to the monkeys in the late great. Shout out to Rayleigh Funeral Home, Davy Jones. Okay. So we have a, just basically this is, and was it, who owned CFTO at that time? That's not Bell Media yet, right? No, it's not Bell Media. That was back at the day of Ebonfitts on, Rick Brace, Robin Fillingham, Suzanne Boyce, Trina McQueen. This was the time for television.

I was so blessed. I'll tell you what, when I came to Toronto, like I said, when they flew me in two weeks later, it was basically on a trial. They didn't know if I was the fit, you know, because obviously they were looking at a succession plan for the legendary Dave DeVall. And I mean to meet Dave DeVall in person for the first time. He's still with us. You got any relationship with Dave? I want him on Toronto Mike. I got Lloyd Robertson on.

I would love Dave DeVos. Well, yeah. I mean, you know what? And I'll get... You're going to broker that deal for me? He doesn't have to go to the basement. But when I came to Toronto, and even though it's home for me, when you drive through, and I've never worked at a station that has security gates and security guards, I mean, this is big

time. This is like Hollywood North. So I drive through the gates, and I'm here for a couple of months, and I'm doing my thing. And I still don't know if I have the job. They're still holding my job in Regina. This is just a trial to see if I'm a good fit. Right. But after a couple months, Paul Rogers, Doug Coles and Steve Kassar, called me in the office,

and I'm a good fit. They want to make it permanent. I think a couple weeks later, I drive through the gate and I have a parking spot at the front of the building. Now, when I pull in, I see T. Brown to my left, I see L. Robertson, S. Rinaldo, L. Flan. Like, tell me I'm not in heaven. These are the heavy weights. These are the heavy weights, and now I see T. Brown in that group.

Wow. No what? I never took that for granted. All the years I was there was there 20 years. I never took that for granted. I would drive in with a smile. I'd go by that gate and the security guard would say, Mr. Brown. And it would be Mr. Brown. And then you pull in and you see the L. Robertson and you see the, you know what? To this day, I just, that's when you felt you made it. Just to see your name alongside those individuals. And you did 20 years you were at that station. In this parking lot, this is age in court. Yeah. Eventually they ended up taking all the nameplates down for security reasons, but for a while there. Then it just became like T or not even T. It was like a code names. Exactly. Okay, I have a question about you being, you know, becoming Toronto's foremost weather anchor. Okay, Tom Brown. Those were my words, by the way. Well, you know what. I'm just reading the script. Delivering daily weather coverage for CTV News at 6 and CTV News at 1130. That's the, I think that was like the final bio before they said, before you got a different tap. in the shoulder. But okay, so you're at, so you obviously, this, I know we just talked about your history. There's no meteorologist. How do you say that word? Meteorologist.

Come on struggling with it. But I can't even say brewery. No. Tom, I need you. And they're one of your sponsors. I know. Okay. So meteor, media, media, say it again. Meteorology. Meteorology. Okay. It's meteorology. Okay. You don't have such a degree or no, I do not. No, I do not. Did that ever cause any guff with, I mean, did quite, I don't even know the answer because I got to get Dave, did Dave have that, have that? I don't believe Dave had it, but Dave also had an Air Force background.

He's a pilot. He understood. And the thing is, in our position, and not to take away from meteorologists, because they are a gift. And you know what? They went to school and whether it's a science and, you know, the Anthony Farnels, who is a meteorologist and Chris Potter, you know, yeah. But all those people, you know, they are, they know their stuff and everything else.

But I find sometimes not with those individuals, but, you know, when people start to explain the weather and I've watched meteorologists on television during the big storm and it's like everything you've said does not impact the viewer or the listener because it's news they can't use but present it in a way that they can use the information they want to know they don't care really I mean to say that this is the 14 day forecast it's unrealistic right you know so give them the weather that's going to impact their life over the next 24 48 hours should they leave earlier for work should they dress their kids this way should they pack an umbrella you know I mean you have to give them the news they can use. And also you have to keep in mind that weather, especially in a newscast, it changes the pattern, the pace of the newscast. You can't go from a homicide story into Tom Serwyn a microphone in a polar bear tank. You know, so you would change the flow. Oh, you're setting out my next clip there. That's perfect, actually. But it's true. You know who went off on people like yourself, who are reading the weather but aren't meteorologists? It was Hurricane Harold Hussain, who came over here.

And again, he's a legend. He's a legend, but he's got those credentials. And he says, just reading the weather, like you did for so long. But I never read the weather. I never put anything imprompter. Okay, so you're, you know what's interesting? Kim McDonald was just sharing on social media that there is no teleprompter at the weather network.

Well, the information's right beside you. I would put in points, especially if it was related to a community event where, you know, there's so much information, especially when, you start getting into hurricanes and severe weather that you maybe put in points. So what would you say to Harold, though, when he basically called out people like you, Tom Brown, for being people who just rip and read? I never rip and read. I never rip and read.

People would use, say, Environment Canada as a guide. Yeah. But it's not necessarily 1,000%. I would always have to verify it. And we had the technology that we could run scenarios. And if I truly didn't believe it was going to happen. And sometimes, you know, my weather wasn't exactly. like everybody's weather because I had to stand by it.

There were times that, um, you know, in the industry now, they tape, you know, a late night newscast and I would go in live because the weather changed and I would check the weather at seven o'clock after I went home and it'd be like, there's a pop-up shower, a thunderstorm and it's moving up from London. It's going to hit around 10, 30, 11 o'clock. I got to go in because when I did my pre-tape, I never mentioned it. Wow. Okay.

And credibility was more important to me than, you know, obviously, you know, having that time off and going to bed. Because people are probably surprised to find out it was pre-taped. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. But I think, I think there's a, uh, an understanding out there that it's live. Well, my shift as I took over for Dave DeBal was four to midnight. So it was live. But there were times when, say, somebody was on holidays and they would say, you need to cover the noon. Could you do noon and six and pre-tape the 1130? Gotcha. But then all of a sudden you go home thinking, oh, I got my evening free. And all of a sudden you see a flicker of lightning. It's like, oh, I got to go back. So now all of a sudden you're on noon until midnight.

And even though, you know, it wasn't required for you to go back in, again, it's credibility. If that storm's coming through, I've got to mention it. All right. This clip is going to lead us to the other things you did besides doing what you've been talking about so far. But this is the clip you perfectly set up for me, Tom Brown. I think there's a job for you in broadcasting at some point. So let's listen to this. And the humidity is 76%.

Okay. So we know it's Halloween, and what do polar bears like at Halloween? And we're joined by Linda. And first of all, the name of the three polar bears? Anookshook's the one in the water, Nikita and Aurora. Okay, now that water is cool, but I know Anookshook loves it. We hope he does. You're like, okay, here we go.

We've got three pumpkins, and I think Anook's going to get the first one. Three, two, one! Now, will they eat the whole pumpkin? We hope so. Look, it's floating. Okay, will the girls go in the water? Well, Nikita probably not. Here we go. I got one. Ladies.

One, two, three. Those two went well. So far, so good, Tom. Don't worry, ladies. We've got one more. One more. Here we go. Ladies, three, two, one. You could actually hear the plop. That was the mic going in the water.

Did his mic go in? I can't believe it. With the pumpkin. Well, what are we going to do? do. Well, we can talk. What's he going to do? I don't know what he's going to do, but I'm, well, now that he can't say anything, let's say something about that snow that we

just saw. I know, you're a goof. No, he's talking about the fact he'll jump in after it. Oh, right, I don't think so. We'll see if we can talk to him again. Coming up next, we all know how important our eyesight is. For children, eyesight, can often be the difference between A's and B. Okay, what happened there,

Tom? Okay, if you've ever held a volleyball, Any large ball pumpkin. Now I have my mic because I'm doing the weather at the Toronto Zoo, right? So I've got my mic. Now the first two times I just threw the pumpkin. But the last time, the last pumpkin, I guess I opened both hands. Right.

And there goes the mic. There goes the mic. Now what happened after that is obviously we had to get the polar bears out of the water and out of their exhibit because we were worried a polar bear would think it was an education toy and go down and swallow it, get it lodged in its throat. So it was like, let's get the, it was a scramble. It was a panic to get those polar bears. Well, that's a potential PR disaster that one of our beloved polar bears choked to death.

Did you imagine my legacy? CTV Toronto microphone that Tom Brown erroneously threw into the water. So we had to get those polar bears out of the exhibit and they went into their own little habitats. Then we had, because this is, this is October, so it's fall. The polar bears throughout the day have been rolling in the, the mud and the grass. So when they're diving in the water, now the water is like gravy.

It's dirty. It's murky. And there's an actual viewing window below the water that you can actually. I remember this. But we were down there and we had our flashlights trying to figure out where this mic is thinking we could get a net, you know, like when you clean your backyard swimming pool and get the mic out. The water was so murky, so dirty, we couldn't.

So we had to get all the polar bears out. Then we had to drain the entire tank. And then somebody just went down on a ladder and grabbed that microphone. So, okay. What were you thinking when you see your walk? I've had an experience, nothing like this, because it wasn't, thankfully no one recorded it, but I was on the Humber Bay Bridge, okay?

This is going over the Humber River on a bike, and I wanted to take a photo. Long story short is, I took a photo, but basically I had this apparatus on my bike that had a spring thing in it, and it projected my phone into the Lake Ontario. And I remember, so I'm standing there on the bridge watching, and it felt like an eternity.

It was only probably about two or three seconds. But I'm watching my phone go into the lake, and I'm thinking, That was dumb. Like, what did, were you thinking when you're watching this microphone going to the water? Well, you know, I watched that clip and I remember there was so much nervous energy because I was truly embarrassed thinking of the repercussions. I was thinking about the polar bears. There were so many thoughts that we're going, but I'm live on camera.

It's not like I can just turn and get into panic mode. I don't know if the camera's still on me. They can't hear me. But I'm trying to explain to them that my mic went in the water. You make light of it. And I actually thought at some. point the Toronto Zoo would have displayed that microphone and because there was a baby polar bear a cub that was born, I don't know how many months later. And I said they should have called it

Mike, M-I-C. And it explained, this is how this bear came to be in his name. But it was one of those things where I panic. I have such an incredible relationship with the Toronto Zoo, one of my favorite places in the Toronto. I've had such a long history with the Toronto Zoo. And I just thought, did I just tarnish that relationship by something that I did? But it wasn't intentional. It was purely accidental. It wasn't like it was a fake microphone I threw in there. It was just it happened. It was an accident. It was an accident. But you can understand how, when you watch the video and you can find it on YouTube, you can understand how that mistake would happen. But again, this went pretty viral in that it's, it's probably the most popular Tom Brown clip on YouTube, for example. And it's shared, you know, far and wide, Tom Brown, Weather Anchor. One of the bloopers, Anderson Cooper called up. Yeah. And he made it sound like it was my polar bear. But they should be thanking you because you brought so much attention to two, you brought so much. You brought so much attention to the zoo and the polar bears and you brought so much attention to c tv

toronto's newscast again it's one of those things come on tom think about it if you orchestrated that it couldn't have worked out better no no no it was it was not it was not premeditated it was not orchestrated it was an accident but you're right uh it's one of those things that people will say when they meet me and they'll go oh remember the polar bear thing yeah like people like you said off the top people aren't going to say oh remember when you talked about that uh that snow no storm that was coming or whatever. They don't mention that. No, they want to talk about you throw in your microphone in the polar bear pond or whatever they call that.

And I go to the, I go to the zoo, we haven't been lately, but we used to go over and see how our polar bears are doing. And I've heard once or twice standing there looking at the polar bears, somebody, you know, a few feet away, say, remember when that guy, I remember when that guy? Yeah, you know, there's worse things to be, I always think about dear FOTM, Steve Anthony, okay? And a lot of time... Another incredible broadcaster. Right, absolutely. Although he also swears to me that he decided to leave CP24 of his own volition.

So again, we can only take him in his word, which is what we do with people. But, Steve, you're lying to me. No, I don't know that to be true. So Steve Anthony, though, one of the most moments everybody talks about is when he broke his hip trying to like drop kick a monster truck tire when he was doing like a live eye for CP24 at like a monster truck rally. So it's like, I feel like your microphone. and no one got hurt in this incident

is better than, oh, this is the guy you drop kick, the monster truck and shattered his hip. I remember when I was in Saskatchew and I was doing a little bit of a weather thing with the Saskatchewan Rupp Rupp Riders. Of course. And I was out there and they suited me up

just like a football player. Anyways, Don Narcisse at the time was running towards me and I was supposed to kind of grab Don. Don is fast and he's a moving muscle. Don move so quickly that when I went to grab him

as we had rehearsed I missed him and I ended up hitting the ground at such four I cracked three ribs Oh my God and it was like

everybody's kind of clapping okay that's a wrap and it's like I can't move I can't move I can't breathe and I want that footage for the next Tom Brown

appearance play that one so I'm going to roll right into the next clip though Okay It's not as good audio because it's a recording

of a recording Hey, baby, how are you doing? Mary Ann? Welcome to the show. Look at it? Yeah. Drew Carey, everybody. Next prize, please.

We get a pair of surfboards, dude. This nine foot long board and six foot two and shortboard are entirely mansion laminated for unmatched performance in any wave condition. All right, thank you, Rachel. Palo Fugger, no, that's... What's up, dude?

Uh, what are you good? Mary? $900. Colby. $800. $800. Thomas. $12.25.

$12.25. Mary. $11,100. $1,100. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Somebody gets... 500 bucks because it got the price right on the nose.

Who could that be? $500. Goes to the person that bid 1225. Some guy named Thomas. So corporate. Actually,

if you've ever been to Price is right, what's ever on your government idea? D is what they put on the name tag. 500 bucks American. Welcome to L.A. We can wear shorts and relax. Weather's nice.

Yeah, it's like 70-7 degrees today. It's a beautiful day here in Los Angeles. And tell us what to do in Toronto. I'm the weatherman. This is Tom Brown, everybody. If you know what I'm saying. George, what do we have for the weather band in Toronto? This is partly cloudy there, Thomas.

Pack to the surfboard. So, I mean, I have more here. You can be like the conductor. and tell me if I need to bring it up. But how did you end up on the price is right? You just got out. No, what happened is my daughter, Alexandra, she graduated from school and, you know, a grad trip.

She said she wanted to see Hollywood. So I took her to Hollywood and, you know, you go on this website and I think it's, I can't think of it now, but it's like live audiences, live to see, something like that. Anyways, you basically put it in the day to you there. And they tell you what shows are,

production and where and whether you want to be part of the live studio audience. So I just checked off 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, all the way down the list. Yeah. And within days, you get, and all of a sudden, you know, we've got two tickets to the tonight show with Jay Leno. We've got two tickets to a tapeing of two broke girls. We've got taping to pretty little liars. And we got two tickets to prices right. So I thought this makes for an awesome trip. So the thing is, when you go to the price is right, you have to be in line at 8 o'clock in the morning for a 1 o'clock taping because you have to go through four stages. You go through the first stage and it's just, you know,

do you have ID and you give ID? So they give you whatever it says in your government-issued ID, Thomas Brown, so Thomas is your name tag. Then you go to the next one and they verify whether or not you have a social insurance number. And if you have one, they put Thomas... What you mean social security number? Oh, social, no, yeah, well, either or in the states or, yeah,

just basically for tax purposes, because if you win something, they're going to tax you. So now Thomas, with a why, because I had mine, Alex didn't, so she had an N. And then they, anyways, you go through this. And then the final stages in groups of, say, 20 people, they have five guys sitting in a director chair, and one guy standing there.

And he says, okay, folks, we're about to go into the studio, but I just want to get to know everybody. And so let's just go around the room. And so Mike, where you from? And you go out from Toronto. And it's like, okay, Mike, and what do you do? I'm the godfather of podcasts. And I was like, okay, Mike.

And so say you want a, I don't know, a motor home. And you go, oh, that would be awesome. always want to take my family camping. They're going, well, we hope you win that motor home. So then they go, Thomas. So, uh, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? I'm from Toronto. And what do you do? I'm the weather man. You're the weather. And they're going, and they're going on my station. I said CTV. And then they all get out their phones. Like, is that a station that we brought on. So they're going, okay, he's not affiliated with us in any way. Okay. And then he's going, so Tom, uh, you're driving down, uh, you're on your way to do

the weather and you're driving in your brand new compartmental. Like, oh my God. Anyways, he laughs. He says, okay, anybody, he does this for every single. person. Sure. And then he says, all the best. So we go into the studio. Now, we're so late that we're in the back row, as you could, you might have saw in the video. Anyways, and then you hear, now it's so loud and it's such a common name. What if like seven Thomas Brown stand up? Because you don't hear your name. They say at the beginning of the show, it's going to be so loud, there's going to be music, there's going to be clapping, that we will put the names in in post-production. Because this is not live. This show doesn't air for two more months. Right. So I

was in there in February. It didn't air for like another six, seven weeks. Right. But they said there's a person that walks out with a big white card with your name. So all of a sudden, Thomas Brown, come on down. You only see Thomas. So I stand up, but the split second, I'm thinking, what if like seven of us do this? But you got to assume it's you. I did assume it was me. And I was thinking during that pre-interview, whatever that was, how did they know, right? But when they, when they detect this big, you got a big, you got a made for TV personality. You know, everything's got to be bigger on TV. Like, it's right, because everything kind of shrinks or whatever.

But you're an ideal, I think you're an ideal, the price is right, guess. Apparently, they did too. And shout out to Brian Dunn, who's listening, who's the only guy I can think of. Oh, there's a guy I know named Mark Ho as well. But these are also big personality guys who are kind of ideal for prices right. But you nailed the price of that, what was it, surfboards? 1225. You nailed it.

I nailed it. Know how I nailed it? How? Because I had no idea. I think that was the second bid I made, like the second run, because the girl before me actually won a Harley Davidson. And I thought, oh, that's what I wanted. So then all of a sudden the surfboards come up.

And if you watch the video clip, I turn around and I say to the audience, I have no clue. Wow. The lady that is directly behind me in the blue top, she says, I sell them for a living. There were 1225. Oh, my God. And if you watch the clip again, you'll see here.

I sell them for a living. They're worth 1225. Wow. So I turned back and I kind of shrug my shoulders, 1225. Wow. The only number I had. Yeah. And sure enough.

So they give you the $500. U.S. dollars. I put it in my pocket. I put it in my pocket and I'm thinking I'm giving this lady the $500. But during commercial, because as soon as you win, you do your little game, I did Tick-Tac-toe and I won some prizes. Amazing. Yeah.

And I won a trip to customer. Rika, as a matter of fact. Wow. I didn't take any of the prizes. I'll get to that in a second. So anyways, they take you, and now they put you on the left side of the studio. You're in the front two rows. And as soon as I go to commercial break, somebody comes over and says, I'll need that money back.

I said, but I just want it. And they said, I know, but we have to give it back to Drew in case somebody else gets the exact price. And we don't have just bundles of $500. So I have to give it back, but she says, I've already documented it here, that I took the money, blah, blah, blah. So then at the end of the show, the two rows of all the winners go backstage. Now all of a sudden, they're saying, first of all, you have to sign a confidentiality closet.

You will not tell anybody that you're on the show, what you want, or blah, blah, blah, blah. But they tell you when the show will air. It'll air. Because you could tweet about how, hey, don't miss this day. I'm going to win this. All I'm thinking is, Price is Right is on City. I work at CTV. This is going to cost me my job over surfboards.

So I'm in panic mode because I can't tell anybody, but I have to tell my employer, and I'm kind of fighting as I'm walking. walking around L.A. going, do I let them know? Do I just let them discover it? I don't want to catch them off guard. Do I tell them the day before it's aired? So anyways, they take you into this room and they sit down and they said, so Thomas, you won the surfboards, you won the $500, you won the trip to Costa Rica, you won this, that, and the other thing. So based on federal state tax and, you know, it's 37% tax. So it's kind of like buying stuff, 37% off. Right. So I was kind of looking at it and they're going, so the surfboards, we don't actually have them, we'll give you a gift card, you have to go South Cal and you have to pick

them up. How am I going to go those back on a plane? I thought if they're just going to ship them, it's hang them up in the rec room, great conversation piece. Right. So I really didn't need that. I think I want a fridge, but the fridge, a little fridge, only deliver it to Buffalo. They don't ship to Canada. So you have to go to Buffalo to get it and then pay duty to bring it back. Right. And then it was like in Costa Rica, you have to fly from L.A. So you still have to get from Toronto to L.A. to go to Costa Rica. These were very expensive gifts you were winning. It was, I think my taxes on it. But you got the $500, right? No, you get taxed on that too. Okay, but still, that's still...

Oh, I know, but I think the whole package alone, it was something like, you know, we need you to give us 4,800 American to claim your prizes. And it's like, no, I know, the experiences really might take away. But it is interesting that, you know, that's a great story. We're talking about it right now.

I wish I had better audio. But it's a great story, and it was a great experience here in L.A. and everything. But then at the end of the day, you actually politely decline the gifts, and then you're now worried about the fact you need to disclose to your employer that you're going to be on a competitor's station.

And it's funny because I called Paul Rogers, hands down, best news director I ever had. Or, yeah, like he was just amazing, amazing, amazing. I was so blessed to be able to work with people like him. Like I said, the Doug Coles, Steve Kazars, and even get to work in television during the Yvonne Fitzon, Rick Brace. It was just an opportunity. That time in television with, you know, Ken, Christine, Michelle, Dave DeValle, Lance Joe.

That was a time that I will cherish for the rest of my life. But I remember calling Paul Rogers. He says, hey, what are you calling me? You're on vacation. You know, how's L.A.? I said, well, Alex and I just went to the prices right. Now there's this awkward pause. And he goes, you were on the prices, right?

I said, uh-huh. Did you win anything? I said, uh-huh. He starts laughing. I said, is this going to be a problem? He just laughed. this is not going to be a problem. Enjoy your time.

We'll talk more when you get home, and he's just laughing. The day that the show aired, I'm literally in my front room, and I know it's going to be on any minute, and I'm watching, and soon as the show starts and you hear that clip,

Thomas Brown, come on down. My phone dinged like it was a school bell. I'll bet. Look at all these messages, emails, text messages, because I didn't tell anybody but Paul. Right. Right. So it's like, oh, my God, Tom, you were on the prices right today.

I bet you, I know that feeling, actually. That's amazing. And no repercussions from your employer. No, they embraced it, actually. So did you go to those other things? Were you in the Jay Leno audience? Yeah, actually, Jay Leno, his guest that day was Taylor Swift. Unbelievable.

Yeah, we really luck out there. So what year are we talking about for the prices right? I'm trying to think, I want to say 20, I mean, you can, probably look at the date on the clip, and I'm going to say 2016, 2015. Just curious, but that's a big deal. Taylor Swift, okay, okay. So that's, you know,

we talked about the polar bear. Now we've talked about the prices, right. I need to talk about one more thing. I pulled a little, you mentioned Andrea Case, who I've had the pleasure of meeting. Right. Good friend of Dana Levinson. Absolutely. Here we go. Toy Mountain. Hi, everybody, and welcome back. We are making

Toy Mountain kits for a cause for our teens and our babies. By the way, tomorrow night, Why not grab an unwrapped toy and join us at Promenade Mall? We are going to be by entrance number four as we build a toy mountain. Back in a moment. Tom, talk to me about Toy Mountain. One thing I am so, so, so, so proud of, and I miss dearly. It truly became part of my Christmas tradition.

I had, I celebrated Christmas not one day a year. I celebrated Christmas for an entire month. month. Every day was like Christmas. And the people I met, the generosity, the hugs, the moments, the stories, the lives that it touched. Because I did it for 17 years, I met people that received the toys when they were children now giving toys. Wow. If somebody had to said to me, you know, we want you to do a toy fundraiser and the goal is $60 million in toys. I would let, not a chance. Right.

But we did it. You know, in those 17 years, $60 million in toys. And your efforts, Tom Brown, were recognized. You were presented with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for your work with the Variety Village. Actually, the, yeah, the medal was actually through the Salvation Army because of Toy Mountain. Right. The Toy Mountain, Variety Village, again, near and dear to my heart, an incredible organization. I'm basically there whenever they need me.

I've hosted the Lieutenant Governor Games for, I think, 15, 16 years. Last year, I didn't. The Arena Foundation, again, an incredible organization, which I consider an extended family. Because I still, even though I'm not, I don't have the megaphone or the mountain to scream the message from, but I still believe in those causes and I still want to give as much as I can. So if they can utilize me, I'm there. Amazing.

Yeah. Amazing. You also, I want to give you some props here. Maybe this is what Daisy was attracted to, but you earned the Lieutenant Governor Community Volunteer Award. From a dear friend David Onley. You know, the late David Onley.

The late great David Onley, also in FOTM, by the way. Anne Romer got him on, a remote lead for the 30th anniversary of Breakfast Television. Yeah, they are such tight friends. and I remember when I parted ways with CTV, both David and Ann called me that afternoon. And let's get together and let's, you know, and they were both so upset. David talked to me probably for two hours,

Anne was talking to me and she just, you know, Anne, she gets as excited and passionate about things as I do, and she was so upset. And I think that was my takeaway is how many people were so upset and had my back. And I remember saying to Daisy at the time, well, I have a no-compete, but once the compete runs its course, I'll be back on the year. But in our line of work, out of sight, out of mind.

And then people think, well, I guess he retired. Well, it's four and a half years ago now, if my math is correct. So February 2021, that's when this went down. We talked about it earlier. I quoted Anwar Knight, who got it the same day, that Wednesday afternoon, phone call, two minutes. Your services are no longer needed. Thank you for your contribution. and we talked a little bit off, but just to revisit this day.

Because I wrote about it, and I mentioned that earlier, I start getting comments, and a lot of people want to send me notes. Like, I feel like I'm some kind of interface or something. Well, you're my publicist, Mike. Pretty much, but, like, I was thinking, oh, my God, I won't read them all, but I'll pull one here just to give a taste of it all. But Jack wrote this. He said, see, I'll read what Jack wrote at the time.

Okay. CTV, and he wrote this in it's posted on Torontomike.com. CTV News Toronto reaches the largest audience in Canada. And I will pause and interject my own points, which is, that's a fact. This is the most viewed newscast in the country. CTV News, I'm just making sure the listenership knows that. Okay. While both print and electronic media have long been confronted by decreasing ad revenues, the firings of Tom Brown and Anwar Knight raise troubling questions.

How do networks grow their ad revenues when they periodically dump their finest broadcast If CTV viewers change the channel out of disgust, how does that help CTV's bean counters reverse the decline in revenue? More troubling is the manner of these firings. Bell Globe touts, let's talk, while demonstrating complete disloyalty and disrespect for its broadcasters. What does it say about decency when CTV leaves them with pre-recorded cryptic messages advising them that their services are no longer required? So then he says time to tune out CTV. That was his personal stance on that. But there is that troubling, you know,

balance between the, which I noticed they've toned down a bit in recent years, actually, but let's talk was this dominating thing. I think it was every February, but it seemed to coincide with a almost a yearly event, which is what I called the Bell Media wave of, like I mentioned some of the names, but just people have been in this basement, like the Barb de Julio's, the Ted Wallish, and so many people in the 1010 newsroom, so many people, you and Anwar, people that we'd see on the screen, the most watched newscast in the country, I don't understand at some point

how much profit is enough profit where you don't need to disrupt both the listenership and human beings like yourself who get these abrupt calls. Well, you know what? Disruptive calls. Yeah, but for me, you know,

it's the personal side and the business side. I will never be able to thank CTV for the opportunities that were given to me over, because of the company, here 24 in Regina, so 24 years. So the opportunities that were given to me The things I had a chance to do, fly with the snowbirds. And, you know, I mean, to be in one of those jets, incredible.

I've done weather with three prime ministers, you know, John Kachin, Paul Martin, Justin Trudeau. You know, the opportunities that were given to me, that were given to my family, not just on the camera, but the life that we were able to live, I can't thank them enough. You know, to have a career that spanned 24 years doing something that I truly loved and look forward to, like I said, shifted and start until four. I went in an hour early just to hang and suck it all in. I remember when I was hired and I went in, I was supposed to start on the Monday, but I landed on Friday and I went in to kind of get a fuel for the station on the weekend. I remember walking in the studio during the 6 o'clock and it was Andrea and Tom Hayes. And I remember standing in the back of the studio of my arms folded and Tom during a commercial break said, hey, who are you?

And I said, I'm the weather guy. He goes, no, you're not. I said, I'm the new weather guy. And he says, well, you're freaking me out just standing there staring at me. Tom and I became very good friends, but it was, it was one of those things where, you know, the nameplate, going through the feedback, being able to do Toy Mountain, getting the Queen's Jubilee Medal, getting the Lieutenant Award, all those things, none of that would happen, the people that I met over the years. I mean, none of that would have happened. It was, it was truly a pleasure and an honor, and even though it didn't end the way I wanted, sure, I thought, every, you know, at one time would joke. I remember Wendy Freeman, Bob Hurst, you're the next Dave DeVall. You're

going to be here until you're 80. And you're a lifer. You know, that's what I was always told. I was a lifer and it didn't pan out. I never had that opportunity to have that retirement moment, that best of video and the send-off from my colleagues. So, yeah, I mean, that stuff, it hurts, absolutely. But I understand it's a business.

And I can't control that. You can't control revenue. You can't control, you know, costs and profit. That's out of my control. So if my service- This is a tremendous attitude, really, because this is essentially, don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened. Well, I wouldn't say I'm glad.

No, I wouldn't say I'm glad it happened because I truly wanted to keep working. I mean, uh, no, I meant be glad that the 20 years happened. Absolutely, absolutely. And they also, and they get, no, no, and my daughter worked for them for 13 years. So, I mean, they gave, it gave her an opportunity as well. And I mean, to follow in my footsteps and, and make her own mark out in, uh, Western Canada. So, I mean, not a lot of people get a chance to be on television. You know, so that, that in itself is a gift.

So just celebrate it, have those memories. I feel bad because, you know, finally, Daisy and I only met in October months before this happened. So, I mean, she didn't even have a chance. At first she didn't know who I was. And then when she realized who I was because her parents watched and she said all of a sudden she's at her parents house and they're watching the 6 o'clock news and she hears my voice and she turns around. She says to my parents, I'm actually dating that guy. That's amazing. Like, wow, okay, so, Daisy, what are the parents' reaction, though, when you tell them you're dating that guy?

Oh, well, you know, when I first, I mean, it's a long story, but to, you know, the long and short of it is the fact that when I first told them, tears just rolled down their face. And they couldn't believe it at first, and they weren't really making the connection. I think at first they were in disbelief. but then we set up a phone call for you to actually connect with them. And so they heard you and it just became real. And then that very first visit when you came to meet them, you know, it was to this day they say that it always felt so natural. It never,

it always felt like Tom had always been in their kitchen. Like it was like you were always. Well, this is, by the way, this is a sensation people have, like the people I heard from when, Tom got it, or he's family. Absolutely. There is, and especially now the world is a little more fragmented as we go on here with YouTube people, YouTube stars and podcasters, like many people who are nothing to do

of mainstream media. But in the era of Tom Brown, television and radio were two pillars that basically put you in their homes, in their cars, if you were on a radio and in their homes for a newscast like yourself, and really did embed you in the family of the viewership. Oh, and we hear that time and time again when people. People say, you know, it feels like you were a part of our family because you were in our living room, you know, every day. I know for my parents now, and I speak for them, obviously, they're not here to be able to express, but I know for them, I mean, there's a total disconnect between you being Tom Brown, which the world knows, and their son, which now, to them, that's what you are. So there's a disconnect.

They forget at times that you were this person that they watched every day and that they admired. And my dad, to this day, always says, you know, he was the best dressed on TV. He's the best dressed nobody. Which I find funny right now because we bump into people. Yes. And they still act like I'm still on television. Oh, they do. Yeah.

Or if, you know, somebody in Florida. wanted a signed picture, not that long ago. You know, is there any way I could get a signed picture for my sister who lives in Florida who is like your biggest fan? It's like, but again, and I always have a tough time with it because I, I can look at it like, okay, but I'm not in a television, who am I today. And she's going, but you're still who you were. And people don't forget that.

They will always remember that. I mean, even at times when we're just out, you know, out and about running errands and Tom's wearing his shades and his ball cap and, you know, here he's. He's thinking nobody's going to recognize me. And sure enough, they hear his voice. The voice does it. And that's the giveaway. I bet you in a grocery store, somebody in an eye, he's going to hear that voice and be like,

oh, that's Tom Brown. Yes. Yeah. And then once they realize, oh, there's Tom Brown. Is it basically, once they realize you're actually not on it. Because you're right, I bet you a lot of people think you were on like last week. Like this is just how people are. They think, oh, this person was there for 20 years.

They're actually still there. They don't realize it's been alone. And just you saying that means so much to me because, again, I never took any of those moments for granted. I never shunned away if someone walked up to me on the street and just wanted to make small talk. I never shunned away from someone wanting to get a photo because I remember being out with Gordy Howe and Bobby Hall. Now, if you've ever been with Gordy Howe, you know, Gorty takes 10 minutes to sign an autograph. Wow. And he does the big G and he does the O and then he does H of F. And you know, anyways, I remember turning to Gordy and I said Gordy and at the time they

released Gordy and Bobby stamps. I'm ready. They did the whole hockey thing. Yes. So I was out doing weather with the two of them and we have a line of hundreds of people waiting in line to get a Gordy and Bobby autograph and Gordy's taken his time and I looked at my other side and Bobby's doing the same thing. Be, oh, and I'm going to go, oh my, we're going to be here for weeks at this right and Gordy puts the pen down. He said, I worked too hard for this privilege. And it stuck with me because it truly is whether you're a hockey player.

not comparing myself to Gordia Bobby by any stretch, but... Elbows up. Yeah, but you work hard for that privilege, and it's a privilege you never take for granted, and I'll talk to anybody, and I'll do whatever anybody asks, because I had an opportunity that was given to me, that I embrace, I enjoyed, I loved, I truly miss, and I will continue to help in any way that I can. Okay, you mentioned Tom Hayes. I just want to let the listenership know.

Tom Hayes did make his Toronto mic debut January 2020. Tom's the coolest, by the way. Episode 14.12. People want to go back and check out Tom Hayes. Was he Tom Hayes? I don't know. We talked a lot about teenage head though. Okay, because he is a rocker. He's got the band, yeah. I've got my teenage head drumsticks right here, but he's a big teenage head fan. We did a lot of rock talk for sure with Tom Hayes here. But I got to say, the big question, people are going to want an answer to before we say goodbye. And before I take all of my photos with Daisy by trying to me, okay? You'll be a phone. There will be a full gallery tonight. You don't mind taking these photos. You probably get asked that a lot. It's not new to you. I wake up every morning.

How did I find her? How did I get her? Well, you had to take a leak, as I recall. Thank God for a full bladder. If you had, you could have changed, your whole life would be different. You know, and just, you know, when you're going through like a second marriage for me, yeah, this is, and I've said it to her and I've said it to her and I've said

other people. I don't want this to be a gushy romantic moment, but you know it's right when you feel like you're being loved for the first time. That's beautiful. Actually, I mean, I've only been the room with you guys for like an hour and a bit now, but I can feel this mutual admiration. There's a lot of love in this room right now, and it's not just Daisy and I.

And you guys are like, she does, every time she looks at you, she has this glow. Now, I've got my head to the side. I don't know if there's something going on here. Daisy and I, winking at each other. We get out on the car on the way home. I recorded this. You can review the tape, you know. It's like there's a pruder film.

You can go through it frame by frame. What's what Mike and Daisy doing over there? It's all good up there. But this was amazing. But so when you got that unfortunate two-minute call, which was February 20, 21. Yeah. So that's four and a half years ago. Can you give us, like, after your non-compete expires, I guess that's some salary

continuance or whatever that is in the HR world. But when that expires, are you a, applying for things? Like what does Tom Brown do? Do you think there was still? I don't want this to sound the wrong way because ever since, like I said, I graduated on a Friday from Fancho. I got the call for my first job on the following Tuesday.

Right. I had never sent out a resume. I was lucky, blessed, and fortunate that whatever I did, whether it be at a radio station, I would always get a call. Would you be interested in talking about working for us? and that's the way my career has gone. So I've been totally blessed.

And I figured, you know what? People will give me some time to process what happened. And eventually, you know, I'll get the call or a text message. I don't do social media. So I only do LinkedIn and that's how you and I connected. Right. So that's the only thing I do is LinkedIn. So I don't do Facebook.

I don't do Instagram. I don't have any social media postings. And maybe that, you know, shoots me in the foot. But at the same time, you know, I just thought, okay, there's going to be an opportunity. because I still feel, I still have the energy, I still have the passion, I still feel like I'm young enough that I can deliver. Right.

And I still want to do it. It's not like I, I'm so hurt that I will never go back to broadcasting because I love it. Just you asking me to be on here meant the world to me. I only had to ask a 56, 57 times. I thought it was twice. But, you know, it means the world to me. And the fact that we're sitting here having a talk and I can introduce you to Daisy and we can

reminisce about my career, which I'm extremely proud of, uh, means the world to me, Being sitting here in your studio means a lot to me. I don't take this for granted. This was not an inconvenience. I truly feel blessed that you reached out and asked me to be part of this.

To be a friend of Toronto, Mike, that's something to be proud of. Oh, music to my ears right there. My goodness gracious. And I got to say, this was an absolute pleasure. And I can't believe you're getting married next weekend, like this timing. Think about us, August 23rd, everybody. Don't worry. I'll be thinking about Daisy before then.

If you were licensed, I'd do it right now. you know what I am like I'm an ordained something I'm sure I'm sure it's legal if Toronto Mike marries you so my sincere my congratulations to you you both seem happy I'm excited that you're this new chapter begins next on the 23rd of August that's awesome it was a pleasure to meet you Daisy it was a pleasure meeting you as well you get some lasagna for this trip here gonna get some you got to come to our place she's Portuguese and I invited to the wedding she's an amazing cook and we go into a restaurant, I feel like we're settling because I go home and have incredible meals.

You know, I think she's beautiful. Yes, can she cook? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, she loves me like nobody's ever loved me. Do you speak any Portuguese, Daisy? I do. And Tom's picking up on a few good ones. I don't know.

Can you just, I won't know what you're saying, but somebody will translate it for me, maybe Hamilton mic or somebody, but can you say something in the mic there on her way out? You know what you need to do? When you see your wife, later today, Mike. Well, she's upstairs, yeah. Just say to or I'll tiamo.

That's all you need to say. That's all you need to say, I'll Tiamo. But this day was a pleasure. Very very good for this opportunity. And now, you're going to have to learn how to say that. This is beautiful. This is all too beautiful

for Toronto Mike to. Should I have recorded this? This was great. Should I hit this button? Oh, I thought this was just the preamble. What if I throw this in the polar Bear Pond there. Okay. Amazing. Again, thank you for finally making it, you're not only making it an official with Daisy, but making it official here.

You're now an FOTM, Tom Brown. And I wish you nothing but continued success. You are doing incredible things, bringing incredible interviews and letting people know that, hey, us broadcasters that you don't see on radio and television, we're still out there. So as I say goodbye, it's really important to me that we serve the talent. Like to me, Tom Brown, you were the talent, you were the talent, you were the person. and in front of the camera, people were loving. And I feel like if you're a giant cable company

and maybe you have some of these terrestrial stations via television or radio, these are not, this is not your property. Tom Brown doesn't belong to you. You may decide to make a business decision, the bean counters, whatever the stockholders, there may be a decision at BCE. We're going to cut this huge Tom.

We're going to cut this huge Tom Brown salary. Maybe this will please some shareholder somewhere or whatnot. But the bottom line is you're a human being, you're living a life, Daisy at your side. You're getting married in the 23rd. I want to talk to you, get to know you for 90 minutes, and that's really my role in this. I'm fiercely independent.

I don't belong to Bell, Rogers, Chorus, CBC, anybody. Just me. But if any of them are listening right now, my resume is left on Toronto Mike's desk. Listen, I'm going to tell you on LinkedIn, and I'll say, hey, if anybody needs a quality beloved

broadcaster, hire me for goodness sakes. And maybe Tom will show up for lunch. Tom will be my wingman on that one. And that with some friendly giant in the background. That brings us to the end of our 1,746th show. Go to tronomelmike.com for all your Toronto mic needs.

Much love to all who made this possible. Again, that's Great Lakes Brewery. Tom and Daisy have their fresh craft beer. Palma pasta. I got a lasagna for Tom and Daisy. Toronto's waterfront, BIA. Taiwan and Portugal. We got a Portuguese Daisy here.

It can be at the waterfront for that. Toronto Maple Leafs, baseball. Let you all know when the playoffs are coming. It's in about a week or so. Recycle my electronics.ca, blue sky agency. Welcome to the family and Ridley Funeral Home. You got your measuring tape. See you all. Quickly checking here. Who's next in the calendar before my song runs out. I should have done this before, but I didn't. My next guest on Toronto. Daisy. It's absolutely. It is Daisy Brown. Jack Berkovitz. Jack Berkovitz. Okay. I see you all then.