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Interview: Patrick Henry Charles |
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Q92's morning man behind the scenes laughs just as much off the air
by Lauralou Cicierski
Coffee, a bagel and Q92's morning radio show with Aaron, Tasso and Suzanne make a complete breakfast for many Montrealers. For six years, Patrick Henry Charles has also been part of the morning routine, but with much less fanfare. As morning show writer, Charles has introduced listeners to memorable characters like Tasso's Mayor Tremblay; catchy quiz games like "Name That 70's Tune"; and the musical duo "Willy Nilly," that sees him partner with show producer Leo Da Estrela. We spoke with Charles to learn how a 38-year-old from Pierrefonds became the man behind the scenes at one of Montreal's most popular morning shows.
Montréal Magazine: What led you to radio as a career?
Patrick Henry Charles: : I was?DJing for parties and companies. I wanted to start doing voiceovers. I saw this ad for the Montreal Radio and Television School run by Robert Vairo, who was on [CTV Montreal's] Pulse News for years. I spoke to him and?he talked me into taking the course. Midway through?he told me that Aaron and Tasso were looking for interns?so he sent me over for an interview. Fast forward a couple of weeks when I actually start and Aaron asks me to write a joke out of a story in the newspaper. I did and he wound up using it on the air. This went on for a few days and he offered me the job.
MM: What inspires your comedy?
PHC: Pretty much everything. We moved into a new building last August. You know the old song Downtown? We turned it into a parody?because the building wasn't really finished. We're in Place Bonaventure and it was this whole thing about wires hanging from our studio and stuff. So anything is fodder for the show.
MM: The show starts at 5:30 every morning. When do you arrive?
PHC: 5h36. I'm out of here by noon, but I don't feel like writing again until later so I wind up staying up until about 11 pm. So that's kind of a drag. I'm the last person in the building pretty much every time.
MM: What do you do after work?
PHC: I've always been into music. I play a little bit of piano and I play guitar. I have three iPods and a Zen Creative and a Sony PSP. Last night, I added an album from a group called Client that's pretty cool. There are 4,000 songs in my iPod.
People always ask me, "Are Aaron, Tasso and Suzanne funny off air or are they just really grouchy?"
MM: Casey Kasem's American Top 40 airs on Q92. He's 75 years old and he's still in radio. What will you be doing at 75?
PHC: I will not be in radio! I will not be in anything! I will be somewhere warm and pretty much just hanging out?I listen to Casey every week because I'm actually working when he's on. I remember the first radio I ever had?I (listened) to him.
MM: If you had to write a song about Montreal what kind of things would you include?
PHC: Garbage in the streets, the potholes, something about parking problems, parking meters and incomprehensible signs?all those typical Montreal things.
MM: What about the good things?
PHC: Those are the good things - they unify us by letting us complain about them. I don't know what we'd do if the roads were OK! If we can complain about that I don't think there's really a lot that's wrong. We're very metropolitan and open but at the same time?you don't feel like you're in New York when you're downtown.
MM: Can you tell us something about Aaron, Tasso and Suzanne that nobody else knows?
PHC: People always ask, "Are they funny off air or are they just really grouchy?" We actually laugh as much off air as we do on air.
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