Is The Mike Richards Show Coming to The FAN 590?

Published by Toronto Mike on June 23, 2010 @ 20:26 in Radio

radio Just yesterday, I wrote about changes at The FAN 590 being imminent. Paul Romanuk, a guy who knows a thing or two about sports radio in this city, chimed in with a comment.

Mike Richards, from the FAN in Calgary.

Mike Richards hosts The Mike Richards Show on The Fan 960 in Calgary, and I understand it's the most listened to sports radio morning show in the country. I remember Mike Richards from his days at The FAN 590 and he was one funny mofo. It would make sense for him to get the call back to the big leagues to take over for Don Landry and Gord Stellick here in Toronto.

If you're unfamiliar with Mike Richards, here's his Fan 960 bio.

After 20 years in the business, I realize that I'm not going to change. There will be no personal growth; no new found maturity; no insights into life of any depth….nothing. I'm ok with this. Mike Richards in the Morning is a culmination of working at many radio stations, CKBB, 1050 CHUM, CKFM (MIX) 99.9, FAN 590, Y-95, KISS- FM Toronto, The TEAM Radio Network and figuring out…..I wasn't doing my kind of radio at any of these stations. The FAN 960 represents what I want to do and how I want to do it.

It sounds different than other radio show because it's host has a strange, if not varied background. Born in Stouffville, Ontario, I played hockey at a high enough level that one of my summer coaches was Mike Keenan and my goalie coach was Jacques Martin. Through an ignorance about junior hockey, I basically threw my hockey away. About this time I started performing at Yuk Yuks in downtown Toronto as a stand up/impressionist. I was 18.

In athletics, I've been to the Ontario Provincial Finals in 4 different sports and an MVP in 2 of them. I've played the drums since I was 13 and still believe I'm Neil Peart. Currently, my greatest and most rewarding time is spent on the football field as a coach at St. Mary's High School.

We'll see if Romy's right about this one.

Update: I'm reading that Greg Brady has resigned from AM 640 and rumours are rampant that he's the guy who will take over mornings at The FAN 590. I'm hoping Greg Brady gets another time slot on The FAN and Mike Richards is still brought over for mornings. Remember, only Bob McCown is safe.

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36 comments

36 Responses to "Is The Mike Richards Show Coming to The FAN 590?"

Down Goes Brown
June 23, 2010 / 21:07

Is he the comedy guy who used to do the updates on the Fan before getting his own show?

sam
June 23, 2010 / 21:48

I always got Mike Richards and Jim Richards confused.

Toronto Mike
June 23, 2010 / 21:50

@Down Goes Brown

That's the guy. I remember him well. He was pretty funny.

Down Goes Brown
June 23, 2010 / 21:52

Man, I remember his deadpan delivery. "Current temperature is 16 degrees by the lake. Significantly cooler in the lake."

I had no idea he was still in radio, let alone doing this well. Good for him.

_Justink
June 23, 2010 / 22:23

Jeff Marek -> Greg Brady -> ?

Who's going to be next at AM 640? Right now I'm thinking Steve Kouleas. I really like Steve, I think he's got prime time talent and should get out of the score for bigger aspirations.

More importantly? What the hell is going on at the FAN? Looks like things are getting blown up. Really, the only people who'd I'd like to see stay are Mccown obviously, Jack Armstrong, Eric Smith, and Roger Lajoie. Anyone else, ESPECIALLY Landry and Stellick can go.

dale
June 23, 2010 / 22:43

Bob McCowan's time is done.
He will move back to LVegas & work from there. Does everything evolve around him at 590? Nobody is irreplaceable.

VegasGeoff
June 24, 2010 / 00:50

I had no idea McCowan is from Vegas.

Boomer
June 24, 2010 / 08:14

I don't get it. Listening to Greg Brady is just plain brutal. The guy consistently goes off topic and always makes one too many smart-ass remarks.

He is not even close to the same league as Jeff Marek.
Greg Brady? No thank you sir.

4x4 Time
June 24, 2010 / 08:15

Hey Mike...Just wondering, I have lived in the US for the past 3 years, what is Paul Romanuk up to these days?

Toronto Mike
June 24, 2010 / 08:53

Paul Romanuk is living in England. I think his wife got a good gig there and he's been there a while now.

Here's a little something I wrote about him back in the day.
http://www.torontomike.com/2009/08/it_is_over_paul_romanuks_most.html

Andrew
June 24, 2010 / 11:29

Zelkovich just updated the Fan story at The Star.

Hmmmm... I guess it's Sirius for me from now on.

Cheers,
Andrew

Andrew
June 24, 2010 / 11:30

Zelkovich just updated the Fan story at The Star.

Hmmmm... I guess it's Sirius for me from now on.

Cheers,
Andrew

Chris in EY
June 24, 2010 / 13:06

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/827876--major-shake-up-at-fan-590?bn=1

G Valentino
June 24, 2010 / 13:23

I always quite liked Landry and Hogan as a team, and felt that it was a horrible move to separate them, especially with Stellick, who as a radio personality makes a great GM.

McCown I have no problem with staying, if only because even if I don't agree with him (and I don't think I'm supposed to at any time), at least he creates good conversation.

Howard Berger and John Shannon staying (as far as I can tell) shows that you will always have a job there if you can be a hockey apologist, show no real insight, and know next to nothing about any other sport.

sam
June 24, 2010 / 15:40

The FAN 590 is undergoing a major shake-up as a raft of on-air personalities were let go Thursday morning.

According to sources, the departed include morning co-hosts Don Landry and Gord Stellick, mid-morning host Mike Hogan and news announcer Rick Ralph. In addition, Jack Armstrong’s mid-afternoon show has been killed, though Armstrong and co-host Eric Smith may remain on staff.

Rogers Sportsnet’s Daren Millard, host of the noon hockey show, has been replaced by Greg Brady. Millard will likely return to a full-time job at Sportsnet.

Brady was hired away from AM 640, where he co-hosted The Bill Watters Show. His departure from 640, which recently axed its noontime Leafs Lunch show, leaves Watters’ future in doubt as his show has languished in the ratings and has not made any headway against The FAN.

Brady will host a two-hour hockey show, followed by an hour of general sports talk leading into Bob McCown’s Prime Time Sports at 4 p.m.

That means the FAN has basically remade its entire schedule, with the exception of McCown’s show.

It is not known who will replace the morning duo who have been together since 2004, nor who will replace Hogan, another longtime FAN employee.

While program director Don Kollins did not return The Star’s calls Thursday morning, it is believed the moves were made to boost ratings.

While McCown soared in the recent ratings book with a 10.8 audience share among adult males, the rest of The FAN’s ratings were considered static. All fared relatively well in the last book, but much of that boost came from the Vancouver Olympics and was not expected to continue.

@Sam
June 24, 2010 / 20:53

Too bad The Star scooped you by several hours. No, wait, few ever get my sarcasm, so let me 'splain.

1. We've already been given the link, so there's really no need to reprint it here verbatim.

2. And since you are reprinting it here verbatim, you cannot do so without acknowledging where you got it.

Toronto Mike
June 25, 2010 / 00:15

I still can't believe they fired Gord Stellick today. Gord's been at The FAN forever, and I just assumed they'd find him another spot on the station. Of all the firings today, that's the one I'm most surprised by.

McNulty
June 25, 2010 / 07:39

I think as we have learned with other stations, length of service means nothing to the bottom line.

That's why the radio business can suck.

GTA Rob
June 25, 2010 / 08:56

Stellick said hours after learning his 17-year career at The FAN had come to an end. “I don’t think anybody saw this coming.”

Really? No one saw it coming? Honestly?

Hector
June 25, 2010 / 10:14

Did Stellick's horseshoe finally fall out?

I liked Landry....I always thought Stellick was the wrong guy to co-host with him. It never felt right.

Anonymous
June 25, 2010 / 15:42

I sure hope they do not bring in Mike Richards. I remember when he was at the FAN 590 before. Same old Arnold, Stallone, etc. impressions. PLEASE bring in something fresh, not a recycled hasbeen that was already bounced once before.

Alex White
June 25, 2010 / 15:43

Alex White
June 25, 2010 / 15:46

Donny Cooze
July 15, 2010 / 14:27

Sincerely dissapoointed with the changes at the Fan590. Also at the idea of them pulling away from sports radio in any small fashion.

I left AM 640 when they ditched MOJO radio and went to the Fan590. Maybe AM 640 will become an option... if they hire some of the old Fan590 team.

Donny Cooze
July 15, 2010 / 14:27

Sincerely dissapoointed with the changes at the Fan590. Also at the idea of them pulling away from sports radio in any small fashion.

I left AM 640 when they ditched MOJO radio and went to the Fan590. Maybe AM 640 will become an option... if they hire some of the old Fan590 team.

Dan
January 21, 2011 / 12:00

LOL come back to the big league? More like the crass bush league if you have to be on the air in Toronna.

randy
January 25, 2011 / 13:12

"I sure hope they do not bring in Mike Richards"
"Same old Arnold, Stallone, etc. impressions"

Well from most of us in Calgary, we hate to see him go anywhere, especially if he's not appreciated.
As far as his impressions go, I haven't heard him do "same old arnold,stallone" even once, here in Calgary and some of the stuff he has been doing is absolutely brilliant! (Lovie Smith/Tiger Woods, awesome!!)

Myk Aussie
January 31, 2011 / 12:10

Hi, Apparently he is now coming back to Toronto to be part of TSN radio.

I read this last week "TSN Radio is a reality, and Mike Richards has been signed to become the morning drive host in Toronto. While officials at TSN declined comment Friday, The Globe and Mail has learned that the long-rumoured radio operation will go ahead later this year, after BCE Inc. takes full control of CTV Inc., the parent company of TSN. The radio initiative to challenge The FAN 590 and extend the brand to its TEAM stations across the country has been one of the prime projects championed by BCE's Bell Canada unit as it takes over operations.

Richards has signed on for the proposed new station that will broadcast on the 1050 band in Toronto.

Richards, who declined comment Friday, did not appear on his FAN 960 show Friday morning and his identification is being removed from the website. Sources tell Usual Suspects that the 47-year-old sent his resignation late Thursday night to the station where he’s worked the past six years. While no dollar figures were revealed, it’s believed that Richards will have full creative control over his show, which will likely be simulcast on TSN or TSN2."

jason
February 4, 2011 / 22:53

im from calgary and i listened to mike richards every morning on my way to work. he is frikin funny. i was p.o.ed when i found out he left, no anouncement or anything, just disappeared and no one talked about it. it would have been nice to at least get a goodbye or somthing. everyones acting like he never even existed in calgary. you cant even listen to his audio clips on the fan960 website anymore, his name isint even on the website anymore. if you guys can find his clips anywhere let me know where to find them. if he is doing radio in toronto you guys are lucky and im now back to a borring drive to work in the morning. good luck mike richards. and make sure you do lots of pinball clemens impressions.

stephen smart
February 6, 2011 / 12:25

thanks mark. too funny. i agree jason i listened every morning but they say he posted something earlier saying he was leaving. i didnt see it but that's the word. as far as someone not liking this stuff they must lead incredibly dull lives. ill be listening on the web as soon as he get's a home. his foster hewitt and diamond dave are frikken funny. if you've ever heard the one where he does bono in edmonton jesus i was cryin from laughing so much.

brewster65
February 11, 2011 / 18:22

Enjoy Mike Richards Toronto (if that rumour is true)....he wore out his welcome in Calgary with his poor taste at humour at the expense of minorities...."Gay or Not Gay" segments were NOT funny. I'm not gay, but they were just dumb stories about guys who thought they had been hit on by other gay men. Most men can't figure out when a woman has hit on them let alone another man!! Just dumb stories from ignorant people and a laboured host. Have fun with that.

stephen smart
February 18, 2011 / 07:57

brewster dude apparantly your not a fan of the show and it looks like you missed the one on gay or not gay where the 2 guys were in their truck and one says hey great tune on the radio from whitney houston. the other guy says no thats celine dion from the soundtrack titanic. im not sure where you heard guys tryin to pick up other guys but it wasnt that show. right at the start of the show he tells it like it is if you were listening closely which you wernt he says point blank its not about 2 guys doing gay stuff just goofy stuff called gay. i was pretty dissapointed that the fan960 had him take that show off they bowed to the frikken tards who wernt getting the humor and it wouldnt suprise me brewster that you would be one of those. im sure the same would have been done if it was straight or not straight cause that would imply it must be gay if your not straight. as soon as mike gets to his new home my dial is gonna be on lock. make sure yours is off ok brewster which you should have in the first place. if you dont like the stuff turn it off nobody is forcing you too listen now that would be gay.

Greg
February 18, 2011 / 08:36

Hey brewster,

If you don't get mike's brand of humor why don't you listen to LIGHT-96 and leave the rest of us who actually like a good laugh alone!

Mike was the best radio host Calgary has ever had, not for everyone but he had a huge following here.

When he starts up again, I'll be listening.

Anonymous
February 20, 2011 / 06:15

light 96 now that's gay.who needs gay or not gay when you have light96 hold on im gonna hurl. greg did you catch the one where mike does neil diamond doing all these songs they play at games and how bout all the veejay and michelle wie stuff jesus this is great stuff. too bad he couldnt have left the web sight up with all the bits on there that was too frikken funny.

john
April 2, 2011 / 22:59

mike richards is not funny,go back east where you belong.typicall ontario mind set.

Anonymous
April 19, 2011 / 21:53

Never heard Richards but the Fan590 sure blows now. McCown and a bunch of boring tools. Anyone know if Hoagie or Landry have turned up anywhere?

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