I recorded over 220 episodes of Toronto Mike'd in 2023. I thoroughly enjoyed most of them, so coming up with a top 20 was no easy feat.
I didn't include any remote recordings. That means Lloyd Robertson, Jason Priestley, Randy Bachman, Vernon Reid, Jane Siberry, Sylvia Tyson and many other great episodes were disqualified.
Of the remaining in-person episodes, I tried to focus on first-timers. The overwhelming majority of these top 20 Toronto Mike'd episodes of 2023 are Toronto Mike'd debuts.
Now, on with the list, in chronological order.
Lorraine Segato from Parachute Club
Lorraine has the Order of Canada, was the lead vocalist for and a principal songwriter of The Parachute Club, and "Rise Up" is a Toronto anthem. Her Toronto Mike'd debut was the first episode of 2023.
I was literally listening to Gord Miller calling a World Junior game from Sweden this morning. He made his Toronto Mike'd debut in January and was full value.
Behind the Scenes of the John Tory Sex Scandal with David Rider
This was the most popular Toronto Mike'd episode of 2023, recorded the morning after John Tory resigned as Mayor of the city. David Rider led the Toronto Star team that broke the story about his inappropriate relationship with a City Hall staffer.
I've been listening to Brent Bambury on CBC Radio for decades, and it was a treat to finally get him in the basement to tlak about Brave New Waves and more.
On May 4th, Mike Stafford returned to Toronto Mike'd almost two years after being fired at AM 640's morning show host. What happened in this chat was brutally honest, and six months later, Mike returned for an update.
Scott MacArthur mysterioiusly disappeared from the afternoon drive show on Newstalk 1010, and in this episode he shared why he stepped away from Toronto radio, and Toronto itself.
Michael Williams politely dodged my invitations for a decade before finally agreeing to visit, and by the end of this epic chat he was already booked for his return.
Erik Tomas has just announced his retirement, which makes this lengthy deep dive into his career all the more sweeter. From Tom Rivers to Raceline Radio, Erik's done it all.
Hayden does not like being interviewed, but as a fellow soccer dad, he agreed to visit. What a convo! By the end, Hayden was on board for a return visit.
Sam Roberts visited to chat about his career as a humble rock star, and Amy Milan from Stars surprised him mid-episode. They both live in Montreal but had to visit my southwest Toronto basement for a catch-up.
I met Jonathan at a Hollywood Suite breakfast event and he seriously kicked ass in his Toronto Mike'd debut. From the Toronto Sun to Seinfeld and did I mention he hosted Video Singles on CFMT?
I had previously Zoomed with Art a couple of times, but his in-person debut blew me away. There was laughter, anger, tears and by the end Art was convinced this was the best interview he'd ever had.
What a fascinating career in both journalism and politics, and I couldn't have respected and enjoyed my guest more. Our politics may not align, but we were in sync for this entire conversation.
Steve is a regular guest on Toronto Mike'd, and he asked if he could bring a friend. That was his former TVO co-anchor Mary Hynes, who has just retired from a lengthy career hosting Tapestry on CBC Radio. We covered it all, including the tragic loss of her husband Randy Starkman. What a debut.
It took a while to get Ken over, but he totally got the vibe of the show and in many ways is an ideal Toronto Mike'd guest. We'll definitely do this again.
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