There is a time and place for everything and B.C. Premier Christy Clark of all people should know this, as she has experience not only in politics but in broadcasting as well.
In late-December, Clark was on the radio station 98.9 JetFM, coincidentally with former Mountain FM morning show host Justin “Drex” Wilcomes, and was asked by a listener, through Wilcomes, whether she considered herself a MILF or a cougar, sexual terms relating to an attractive, mature woman or women who prefer younger men.
Clark showed poor taste by answering the question (shockingly MILF) and but what was more shocking was that Wilcomes was fired and many suggest that it is due to the situation with the premier.
Strangely enough, when billionaire and Virgin Group CEO Sir Richard Branson suggested that Clark should kite surf nude with him last spring, the premier did the right thing and said the remark was disrespectful.
She also took a shot at Branson saying, “Somebody said to me as a joke that if that’s his best pick-up line then maybe there’s a reason he called his company Virgin.”
A look at 98.9 JetFM’s website shows that it is similar to Mountain FM and in fact, both stations are part of Vista Radio – they both play rock music and while there is news, it is not an all-news station. Rock and music stations tend to be less serious, in terms of topics of conversation amongst on-air personalities, as opposed to an all talk or news radio format.
Based on that, it shouldn’t be surprising that a question like that comes up on a station like that. What should be shocking is that the premier answered and Wilcomes was dismissed after.
The station won’t comment on the firing but said it was an “internal decision” but if it is based on the now famous incident, it isn’t a dismissible offence.
The station won’t comment and not being a listener of the station, there’s no way to know if Wilcomes was walking on thin ice with management.
The question alone shouldn’t be enough for him to get his walking papers and again, it’s not a serious, news talk radio station, so a question like that shouldn’t be unexpected.
If anyone should be reprimanded, it should be Clark for exercising poor judgment.
– Karl Yu is editor of the Grand Forks Gazette