Bri Cook's blog
THE SECRET IS OUT...
The secret is out. I made a big announcement on my show tonight... that I'm leaving SUN FM and Kelowna :-(
Where to begin?? I moved here in the summer of 2007 to launch the BC at Nite show and it has been a dream first gig in radio. But it's time to give someone else their dream now... and move on with mine...
I'm soon off to work at a radio station in Edmonton. So many mixed emotions! I'm excited but scared and so sad to leave. Trust me it's going to be really hard to move away this place! I'm getting the sads and teary eyes every moment trying to take in the beautiful scenery each chance I get... Knowing that I'm not going to be surrounded by mountains and water soon is tough! Seriously, this is paradise...
But on the other hand... I get to be on air in my hometown where I have family and friends to reunite with. I think I'm lucky that I have friends all across this country, I know I can go anywhere! And that goes with the job description when you're in radio... you gotta move sometimes.
I came to Kelowna in July 2007 straight out of broadcasting school from Vancouver... I was 21-years-old... moving to a place where I didn't know a soul and I have now met some of my best friends here.
I will look back at these times as the best growing experience of my life. I've learned sooo much in my career in these last two-and-a-half years... you couldn't ask for a better place to get your start! And I went through a lot personally too. I found out my Dad was very sick shortly after moving here and he was the one who encouraged me not to quit when finding out that news. I owe it to him that I've made it this far, he was truly my biggest fan and supporter. I know he would be so proud of me and the fact that I'm going to be on the air in my hometown.
Thank you to Mark Burley, my program director at SUN FM for giving me my first break. I owe so much to you! Thank you to Doc Roberts for showing me the ropes when I first arrived and had no idea what I was doing. Thank you to all the announcers, past and present, who I've worked with over the years, Tarzan Dan Freeman, Susan Knight, Sonia Sidhu, Ara Andonian, Kevin Lim, Rob Daniels... you have all taught me so much and I have loved learning from you.
Thank you to the many OPs who have pressed all the buttons whenever I broadcasted on location and made me sound good. Thank you to Daniel O'Hara for picking out hot music for me to premiere every night and pressuring the bosses to let me play them! Thank you to Dustin Clement for making all the BC at Nite imaging so I could sound like a pro. Thank you to the many sales reps for setting me up with awesome clients to work with. Thank you to all the SUN FM ambassadors for helping me out and keeping me company on location. Thank you to Craig Campbell, Amy Norton, Jamila Van Steinburg, and Diana Arend for letting me be a part of awesome SUN FM promotions and events!
And thank you to everyone past and present at Astral Media Kelowna, whether we worked directly together or not, you were an amazing team I have been so proud to work with. I know I was mostly here at night and didn't get to see you every day... But on those days I filled in for Sonia or Lim or Ara, and you stopped in the studio to say hi and tell me you were happy to see me always meant so much!
I have so many friends at work I will miss and keep in my heart forever I can't possibly name them all! Never forget. xoxoxo
To my friends I have made outside of work, you are my CREW and I don't know what I will do without you!! Nobody will replace you ever ever ever.
This week has been was overwhelming... after I announced I was leaving I got so many supportive and lovely facebook messages/ tweets/ emails/ text messages/ phone calls. I've never had so many in one show before! I thank you soooo much for that it means the world to me.
My last day on-air is Saturday, November 28 live-on-location at Superstore from 12noon-6pm for Stuff a Bus so I hope to see you there with some non-perishables or a monetary donation for the food bank... and to say hi/bye of course!
Add me on facebook so we can keep in touch FOREVER! - www.facebook.com/miss.bri.cook
...and be nice to my replacement...
I miss you already!!!
xoxo ♥ Love Bri
DANCING WITH THE OSMOND
This just proves that the only people who watch this show are 68-year-old women...
Donny Osmond and his big toothy grin have won the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars. Apparently it was a big shocker because it was believed that either Kelly Osbourne or Mya would win. However, Kelly placed third and Mya came in second.
And of course because his sister, Marie, had competed in an earlier season of the dance competition, it was Donny's goal to beat her. GROW UP ALREADY!
♥ BRI
HAYDAIN NEALE (JACKSOUL) HAS DIED
NOVEMBER 24, 2009
This is just the saddest thing I've heard in a long time because the jacksoul singer seemed to be on the mend after sustaining serious head injuries more than 2 years ago. In August 2007, Haydain Neale was knocked off his scooter and in October of this year, he made his first public appearance since then. It was obvious that he still had a long way to go, but fans were optimistic.
In the end, Haydain lost his life on Sunday to lung cancer, a battle he fought for 7 months. He was 39-years-old and leaves behind wife, Michaela, and daughter, Yasmin.
A new jacksoul album called Soulmate is slated for release on December 1. I guess it was for that reason that I thought he was going to be OK but now realizing all the material was written and recorded prior to his 2007 accident. All proceeds will go to the Haydain Neale Family Trust. So don't illegally download this one...
Rest in Peace xoxo.
♥ BRI
NEW JANET FEAT. SYTYCD CANADA STARS
Janet Jackson's brand new music video for Make Me:
SO COOL, that sexy guy in the vid is Nico, the first winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada! And the blonde dancer is Natalli, one of the Top 4 from that same season. They will also be on stage with Miss Jackson at the American Music Awards tomorrow night. Way to represent!
♥ BRI
OPRAH ENDING TALK SHOW IN 2011
Oprah Winfrey is going to announce tomorrow that she is ending her talk show when her contract ends in 2011.
According to Harpo Inc, O is going to make the official announcement on Friday's live broadcast from Chicago and explain her reasons to end her long-running talk show which has been on the air since 1986.
I need a moment...
OK.
It is being speculated that Oprah may be continuing with a talk show on OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, but Harpo Inc has refused to confirm or deny. So don't get your hopes up...
But she better! What will the world do without Oprah?! Self-destruct, that's what.
♥ BRI
SEXIEST PIRATE ALIVE
Last year it was a wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and in 2009 it is a pirate, matey. I'm talking about People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive and this year Johnny Depp has been given the honor.
Depp joins George Clooney and Brad Pitt as the only two-time Sexiest Men Alive.
Also hot (but apparently not hot enough) in this order are Ryan Reynolds (#2?! Shoulda been number 1 if you ask ME), Jake Gyllenhaal, Bradley Cooper, Robert Downey Jr., David Beckham, Gilles Marini (Dancing with the Stars contestant/Sex and the City flasher), some Glee guys (but not all of them), Nick Cannon, Adam Lambert, John Cho (AKA Kumar's smoking buddy), Chris Daughtry, Jerry O'Connell, John Legend, and Robert Pattinson.
Yes, in the twisted universe that the staff at People magazine live in, Nick Cannon and Chris Daughtry are hotter than Robert Pattinson. OK then.
♥ BRI
BEYONCE AND GAGA
NOVEMBER 17, 2009
When it was announced that Beyonce and Lady Gaga were shooting some top secret music video together, people lost their minds. Now you can die happy because it has arrived.
The video for Video Phone:
I'm sorry, does Beyonce draw inspiration from Soulja Boy and Sarah Palin now?
♥ BRI
DRUNKEST GUY EVER REMIX
NOVEMBER 4, 2009
The Drunkest Guy Ever is the gift that keeps on giving. Some genius has turned the already glorious video into a silent film parody. And OH it is GOOD:
I smell an Oscar!
♥ BRI
THIS IS IT - BRI'S PERSONAL REVIEW
I know this is "so last week" but I just saw Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT tonight and there are no words to describe the experience of it, but I'll try...
It made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me cry, it made me sad, it made me want to be better. It makes you realize nobody will ever be MJ again. Nobody can sound like him, move like him, or put on a show like him.
He was so involved in every aspect of his show and although he was a perfectionist, he never lost his cool and always stayed humble. He had mutual respect with his crew and yes, he may have had creative differences with the people around him at times, but he always worked it out by saying it with "L-O-V-E!" Sure he may have been the King of Pop but he wasn't a divo (male version of a diva), that's for sure. MJ even allowed his musicians and dancers to share in his spotlight.
But it's not all about the show that never was. This Is It proves that Michael not only cared about his art, his fans and the people around him but he cared about saving the planet so, so, so much too. And we should all be more like him. It starts with the "Man in the Mirror" don't you know?!
How can one person I never knew inspire me to be a better person? He makes me want to love better... He makes me want to be better at what I do... He makes me want to "sizzle"!!! He makes me want to pick up the things I've left behind like start dancing again and start playing the piano again. Seriously, I just want to take a dance class right now! He was a huge part of my dance life, every dancer's life. Every singer. Every musician. Every fan.
Watching This Is It makes me want to watch it over and over again so that it's NOT IT! It's so hard to wrap my head around the fact that that is it. Michael may live on through his music forever, but it's nothing like seeing him in the moment and capturing the magic of each lyric and every beat.
We lost a legend, but would we have appreciated Michael Jackson this much if we didn't lose him? That's another thing... some of us would have. Most of us wouldn't. So if you take anything from this movie, it should be to take the time to slow down, "let it simmer", and appreciate who you have in your life and more importantly, let them know.
And final thought... K did you notice one of his dancers was that chick who plays Dixon's girlfriend on 90210? I love that show, but damn, that girl is WAY too talented to be on that show. She danced with the greatest!!! So seriously, how do you go up from there?
Amazing movie. Amazing tribute. Amazing man. Amazing talent. Amazing lesson. It was going to be the most phenomenal concert ever...
I'm going to go cry now.
xoxo
♥ BRI
THIS IS IT EXTENDED
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
Everyone I have talked to who has seen Michael Jackson's This Is It can't stop raving about how amazing it is... yet, for whatever reason, it's not doing as well as expected at the box office. It doesn't make sense?
This Is It was expected to make $40 million thus far, but instead it's only made around $20.7 mil. Even so, it was still number 1 at the box office this weekend. But because the numbers fell short and they didn't make bank, Sony Pictures is now saying you have longer than 2 weeks to see the documentary. Originally This Is It was only supposed to be in theatres for 2 weeks and THAT WOULD BE IT. But now it's being extended to 5 weeks which is a good thing because now you have longer to see it on the big screen. Even though it will be out DVD afterwards, it won't be the same experience as seeing it in SIZE HUGE.
This is good news for me! I'm hoping to see it tomorrow and was worried that it might be sold out but I guess it won't be if nobody is watching it! Nothing worse than showing up to the theatre to watch a movie but you can't get in... and you don't want to waste the trip so then you're forced to watch some other stupid one you never cared to see anyway. And I really don't feel like peeing my pants watching Paranormal Activity...
♥ BRI
