A New West resident is bringing his brash brand of talk radio to B.C.'s airwaves.
Justin Wilcomes, known by his nickname Drex, recently began hosting an evening talk show on CKNW, tackling offbeat topics and mainstream politics with his characteristic fearlessness and no-B.S. Aussie style. Drex also happens to call this city home, moving here in February 2013 after he got fired from a radio station on Vancouver Island for asking Christy Clark the infamous MILF (a crude acronym) question when she was on the campaign trail.
The incident seemed like a good starting point for my Q&A with the notorious talk show host.
NH: For better or for worse, you'll always be known for asking now-premier Christy Clark the MILF question (he was working at Courtenay's JetFM when he asked a question to Clark about what she thought of being a MILF). Were you surprised by the reaction and your eventual firing?
D: Yes, very much so, because it's just a silly thing to fire someone over.
NH: It was big deal, though. It really blew up.
D: It was a big deal because the company I was working for made it a big deal. They made it a big deal, didn't realize how powerful that publicity would be and then made the ultimate mistake by getting rid of me, instead of using the publicity in their favour.
NH: Do you regret asking the question?
D: No, not at all.
NH: Why did you pick this community?
D: When I was planning to move to Vancouver, which was quite a quick turn-around ...
NH: ... because you got the job at CFOX? Did you get the job immediately?
D: Yes, it was the next day, the day after I was fired, so I was like 'What do I do?' I couldn't quite afford to live right in the city, so I thought if I live in an outer suburb ... So I looked on a map and I liked the name New West, and the rent was affordable and it seemed British, so why not?
NH: What do you like about it?
D: I just love it. It feels like a small city - everything is within walking distance, everyone is super nice. There's a farmers' market on Thursdays just up from my house at Tipperary Park, and Friendship Gardens. The best barbecue in the city (Re-Up BBQ) is right here in New West. It's just a good, fun community. It's nice during the summer, I can ride my bike along the esplanade down there.
NH: You recently celebrated your five-year "Canniversary" ... what brought you here to Canada?
D: I just wanted a change from my life in Australia. My great-grandfather was born in Victoria, B.C., and I thought it would be fun to live in another country, so I applied for a working visa. I knew within the first week of being in Canada that I wanted to stay here, because it's such a beautiful country. You guys take it for granted, I think, whereas I see it like a five-year-old sees it.
NH: How did the CKNW opportunity come to you?
D: That's weird, huh? I was working at the Fox and I'd do fill-ins and stuff. I'd fill in for Mike Eckford and Sean Leslie, and I guess they liked my style, so they offered me a full-time job and I said, 'yes.'
NH: You describe yourself as a "35-year-old sarcastic rule-hating smartass," how does that come out in your radio show?
D: I just say whatever I want. Obviously there are certain rules and regulations but ... in this city it's weird, up until now no one really had an opinion on the radio.
NH: Do you think we are too polite or cautious?
D: Who? Canadians, in general. No, I think some Canadian radio announcers are too polite and too courteous. There's a lot of B.S. going on in our world and no one is calling anyone on it.
NH: You've criticized the majority of radio hosts for being old rich white guys talking to old rich white guys. What's wrong with being an old rich white guy?
D: There's nothing wrong with old rich white guys, but younger people need a voice too, and they don't have one.
NH: Who are your radio heroes?
D: I have many - there a few Australian guys. I think Canadian guys: Bill Carroll from AM640 in Toronto, he's great. ... He just actually has an opinion, like he just speaks his mind. He's a good guy. We've spoken on the phone a couple of times. I appreciate him a lot. Dori Monson at KIRO in Seattle is awesome as well.
NH: What about Howard Stern? You get kind of compared to him.
D: Stern is interesting. He was very rude and racy back in the day, but I think in his older age he's kind of settled down a bit and turned himself into almost like a Lettermanesque-type of personality where he is known to have a great interview. He knows how to interview people well ... he's still re-writing the rulebook for radio.
NH: What makes a good radio guest?
A: That can vary. Someone like (Burnaby mayoral candidate) Sylvia Gung, just keep talking because you are digging your own hole. Some politicians are the worst because they just talk out their ass, and they just toe their political party line and they add nothing more to it. I interviewed Linda Hepner, who is running for mayor of Surrey, and I found her kind of fake. I didn't get it. I don't understand why people don't be human.
I'll give you an example, like Spencer Chandra Herbert, the environment critic for the NDP, he's a normal guy and you can have a normal conversation with him and he gives you normal answers. Obviously, he's still part of a political party, but he knows how to talk to people, whereas when you speak to someone who is a career politician, they just give the same answers all of the time. It becomes a little bit irritating.
NH: How about Mayor Wayne Wright, he was on your show (recently). How was that interview?
D: He's a nice guy. A lot of people questioned why he is running for a fifth term and why he's not letting anyone else have a go. We asked him that, too, and you know he still says he has things to do.
NH: Have you interviewed Christy Clark in recent times?
D: The last time I interviewed her was the MILF thing, so she's not coming on my show anytime soon.
NH: She wasn't upset with you, though, was she?
D: No, she wasn't upset at all, but there are things I've said on the radio since then that have upset her office.
NH: Such as?
D: Well, she was on CKNW, she was there for 30 minutes and took two phone calls. I don't know, you're the premier of the province, maybe give an hour and actually answer some people. ... there's no access to her, and she's running our province. You should be able to email her a question anytime and get an answer. I don't know, I just think our politicians need to be accountable a little bit more.
NH: Do you think that's what you've tasked yourself with, calling for accountability?
D: Oh, absolutely, if we are voting these people in, then we have a right to ask questions and we have a right to get actual answers that aren't B.S. political spin.
