Dean Blundell

Last updated
Dean Blundell
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)radio personality, podcaster
Years active1990s–present
Known forThe Dean Blundell Show (CFNY-FM, 2001–2014),
Dean Blundell & Co.
(CJCL, 2015–2017)
Website deanblundell.com

Dean Blundell is a former Canadian radio personality. Best known as a longtime "shock jock" morning host on CFNY-FM (The Edge) in Toronto, Ontario, [1] in 2015 he was named the new morning host on sports radio station CJCL (Sportsnet 590 The Fan). [2] His show on Sportsnet was cancelled in February 2017. [3]

Contents

Blundell worked for CJOK-FM in Fort McMurray [4] and CIMX-FM in Windsor, Ontario before joining CFNY in 2001. [5] His self-titled show on CFNY debuted soon after Corus Entertainment reassigned his longtime predecessors Humble and Fred to talk radio sister station CFMJ. [6]

The Dean Blundell Show

During Blundell's stint on CFNY, his program frequently faced complaints to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council regarding offensive content.

These included complaints about sexually explicit discussion, [7] vulgar terminology used in a comment on the sexuality of Justin Bieber, [8] derogatory comments about women, [9] and comments that appeared to support violence against women. [10]

The program received a one-day suspension following a 2004 appearance by Jackass cast member Steve-O, in which Steve-O urinated on the studio floor, used several profanities, and performed a stunt that involved wrapping duct tape around his penis. [11]

In 2009, he was sued for defamation by Linda Jackson, the mayor of the Toronto suburb of Vaughan, after reportedly calling her a "fraudster" and a "fat pig" on the air. [12]

In 2011, he granted an interview to Shirley Phelps-Roper in exchange for the Westboro Baptist Church dropping its controversial plan to picket the funeral of 2011 Tucson shooting victim Christina Taylor Green. [13]

In 2013, he was widely criticized for comments that appeared to mock the death of hockey player Kristiāns Pelšs, suggesting that Pelšs (whose death was accidental) had committed suicide because that was preferable to living in Edmonton. [14]

Through 2012 and 2013, Blundell's show was the subject of nine separate complaints to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, [15] and was formally censured six times. [15]

Blundell was indefinitely suspended from CFNY in December 2013, [16] following reports that he and cohost Derek Welsman had discussed on the air a jury trial in which Welsman was the foreman. [17] The trial concerned a sexual assault charge against a client of a gay bathhouse, [17] and Blundell and Welsman's commentary about it was criticized both for homophobia and for potentially causing a mistrial by publicly discussing the jury deliberations. [17] The program's cancellation was announced in January 2014. [18]

Subsequent career

Following his departure from CFNY, Blundell launched a podcast, and announced plans to launch his own Internet radio stream. [15] He guest hosted an episode of Fan 590's Jeff Blair Show in May 2014 [1] and was named to the station's permanent new lineup in 2015. [2]

Rogers Radio executive Scott Moore expressed confidence that Blundell's controversial history would not detract from the station's brand, noting that "He knows that this is a very different show. His mandate at the Edge was to be edgy and he knows a) that's not what we’re asking for and b) it would be unacceptable." [2] He was dropped from Fan 590 in February 2017. [3]

Blundell said in 2018 that he regretted the on-air controversies from his show on CFNY-FM. [19]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Dean Blundell to hit the airwaves for first time since ouster from 102.1 The Edge". The Globe and Mail , May 21, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Dean Blundell takes over morning show on Sportsnet 590 The Fan". Toronto Star , January 20, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Dean Blundell axed in 590 The FAN morning show reboot". Toronto Star , February 8, 2017.
  4. ↑ Thomas, Russell (January 1, 2013). "40 YEARS OF YMM RADIO". Middle Age Bulge.
  5. ↑ "Roll call". Windsor Star , April 21, 2001.
  6. ↑ "Morning mayhem: Toronto's morning FM radio market offers gags, opinion, even news, weather and traffic". National Post , April 23, 2002.
  7. ↑ "Edge 102 rapped for 'sexually explicit' morning act". Toronto Star , July 17, 2002.
  8. ↑ "Une station de radio est réprimandée pour des commentaires sur Justin Bieber". Canadian Press, October 20, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Edge 102.1 rebuked for female comments". Toronto Star , January 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Dean Blundell loses longtime sidekick after latest shock jock wrist-slap" Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine . canada.com, July 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Pushing the Edge too far". The Globe and Mail , March 27, 2004.
  12. ↑ "Vaughan mayor sues CFNY over 'pig' insult; Lawsuit says Jackson called 'fraudster' on-air". Toronto Star , April 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Church drops protest, gets airtime: 102.1 FM airs 'lunatic' views of extremist family to stop picket of girl's Arizona funeral". Toronto Star , January 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Shock jocks cross line from funny to offensive". Toronto Star , June 19, 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 "The second coming of Dean Blundell". The Globe and Mail , May 16, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Radio show suspended after jokes about trial: Shock jocks had apologized for 'homophobic' remarks". Toronto Star , December 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 "Jury foreman's jokes spark call for judicial review: Radio producer joins in mocking gays on broadcast after accused is convicted of sex assault of three men". Toronto Star , December 8, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Corus axes Blundell radio show". National Post , January 7, 2014.
  19. ↑ Szklarski, Cassandra (July 20, 2018). "Dean Blundell says he regrets shock-jock antics". The Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
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