Shock-Jock Dean Blundell To Head Fan590 Morning Show
Morning radio host, Dean Blundell, who was previously removed from the air
Photo: deanblundell.com
for uttering homophobic remarks has found work with another company, Rogers Digital Media.
In a press release issued Wednesday (Jan. 21, 2015) Sportsnet (owned by Rogers) announced it’s hiring of the host. Blundell will take to the airwaves March 2, 2015 on Sportsnet’s ‘The Fan’ 590AM, as part of a station shuffle following the departure of afternoon team Tim & Sid who are launching a new television show. Blundell will replace current morning show co-host Greg Brady, who will fill the afternoon vacancy. Brady’s co-host Andrew Walker will maintain his morning position, becoming part of the new show which will be called Blundell & Co.
For years Blundell hosted The Dean Blundell Show on Corus Entertainment’s Toronto-based station 102.1 The Edge. The show was very controversial at times, with a number of complaints being made to the CRTC and CBSC. Much of the controversy revolved around Blundell’s misogynistic and homophobic remarks.
Blundell’s 13 year run as Ontario’s top earning (and top audience drawing) radio host ended just over a year ago, on January 6th, 2014. After a number of suspensions where Blundell was temporarily taken off the air, the straw that broke the camel’s back was on-air discussion about a show producer’s involvement on a criminal case jury.
Derek Welsman had served as foreman of the jury on a case where a man was convicted of sexually assaulting three men that he had met at a Toronto bathhouse.
In court, Welsman swore on a Bible and stated that he had no bias against homosexuals before being named as jury foreman.
However, Welsman and Blundell discussed the trial on-air on three separate occasions – once before the verdict was announced, and twice in the days following the conviction.
In once instance, Blundell summed up the case for the listeners by saying it involved “…a few guys, some aggravated sexual assault, a couple of bathhouses…some lube, four Dutch clogs, a stuffed Buffalo…a metre stick. Stigmata of the anus.”
Three days after the verdict, Welsman and Blundell discussed the jury decision , with Blundell joking about the man’s sexuality and implying prison rape by saying “All I know is that you have damned a man to five of the greatest years of his life.”
“True. I have done my job, my civic duty,” Welsman replied.
The Toronto Star later published an article detailing the on-air conversation, causing the lawyer of the convicted to seek an inquiry into the jury foreman’s behaviour, and to express her opinion that his bias may have influenced the jury’s decision.
Roger’s decision to hire the disgraced radio host comes a month after the company announced a project which it claims aims to stimulate discussion and provide information about sexual assault. Project97 takes it’s name from the estimated 97% of sexual assaults that are unreported to law enforcement. The Project97 website assembles articles from various Roger’s properties as well as other media organizations, and states it’s goal is to host a “year-long conversation about sexual assault, abuse and harassment. Time to change the numbers.”
How Roger’s can justify hiring a man who has repeatedly trivialized sexual assault while projecting the image of a corporation that just wants to see social change in regards to assault and harassment remains to be seen, but management has been careful to insist that they have full confidence in Blundell to host a different type of show on ‘The Fan’.
Blundell has remained largely silent following the announcement, however, we find it interesting that Blundell’s Twitter account has taken a turn recently, after having been a showcase for his opinions and often having shown controversial tweets. The account has recently taken to posting ‘happy’ images of puppies, older couples, and children. Could it be that Dean Blundell has turned a new leaf, or is the host simply trying to present a harmless image given this new opportunity?
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