Oct 4, 1999

A Little Joy - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of radio station CKNW. I have been known to, in my unabashed, sometimes crass way to constantly plug and harp about or for the station. (Incidentally, you can find it on your radio dial at AM 980.) But in May of this year, I like many loyal ‘NW listeners, felt angry at the stations axing of many popular personalities. One of them was Joy Metcalfe, the station’s gossip and items queen, was a popular fixture on the air for some 12 years, until that ‘Bloody Monday’. Well-known and liked in many of the social and swishy circles in this town, I was an eager listener, even at 7:15 in the morning, when her broadcast would air. She’d cram her five minutes with everything from: what Joe Leary’s been wearing to what Jimmy Pattison’s new yacht would look like or what diva Judith Forst was munching on at Jacqui Cohen’s house, the night before. I, myself had the pleasure of having my name ‘dropped’ on the journal one morning, oh, about 3 years ago.

Oscar-winner Faye Dunaway was touring in Terence McNally’s, Tony-winning MasterClass, and during the Vancouver run, Joy promoted the do, with a contest. To the uncultured, MasterClass was a brilliant play chronicling the classes taught by soprano and opera diva, Maria Callas. So Joy, and the promotion department at CKNW, concocted a giveaway whereby the winner would have dinner with Joy at the ultra-swish Diva at the Met, at the Metropolitan Hotel, spa treatment at Wendy Listogar-Cochia’s Spa at The Century, limo service and ticket’s to the even more swank opening night of MasterClass. What you had to do, was write a letter why you wanted to win, and if it was good enough, you won. So, I wrote a letter, because hell, I wanted to win and I did. One morning in June, on Joy’s Journal, the name of yours truly was dropped alongside, fitness guru Ron Zalko, the amazingly rich Joe Segal and the debonair Count Durbazinki of some Eastern European country. Suffice, to say it was a doll of an experience. Joy was charming and interesting as hell. The dinner was okay, the play was magnificent and the chance to rub elbows with Tony Parsons, Jennifer Mather, and Rod Gunn of WIC, was heaven.

Joy Metcalfe is an amazing dynamo of energy. It’s so surprising that so much energy could be in a woman, not taller than up to my neck. She covered this towns goings-on much the way Wasserman did eras ago, and Mac Parry does now. After 5 months off the air, Joy is back, although not at CKNW. Her journal has found a home alongside Greg Douglas on 600AM, The Bridge. CKNW did a disservice to the legacy she was upholding, a legacy that kept this town listening for so long. Her roving self, has been missed and it’s great to see her bounce back. The grandmother of 4, is on the air this Monday morning and throughout weekdays at 7:50 AM on 600AM. Nice to have you back, Joy baby.

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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .