Remember that Sesame Street song, “These are the people in your neighbourhood?”  Well, here’s a feature about the people at your community radio station!  You like to party, and we like to party, so why don’t we party together?  Join us for...

GET TO KNOW A CFCR VOLUNTEER!

This time, we get to know Berkley Staite, who has been a host at CFCR for eight years. Berkley produces the Spoken Word program Sex+ (Thursdays, 6-6:30pm), a sexual health program that delves into a variety of topics, from STIs, to gender equality, to selecting the best sex toy. Berkley’s casual-yet-knowledgeable approach to his show makes it engaging and interesting, and has long been a favourite of our listeners, and his reliable and responsible approach to being a CFCR volunteer broadcaster has made him a favourite of our Program Director.

Berkley has been an eager volunteer off the air as well, and is just a swell guy to have come into the studio each week, or to run into at a karaoke-based event of any kind.

After eight years of hosting, Berkley is off to pursue new opportunities and adventures, and though we're sorry to lose him and his Sex+ program, we wish him everything his handsome little heart desires.


How did you first come to learn about CFCR?

Way back in high school, it was this less-visible station that "all the university kids listened to," so naturally it became the only socially acceptable choice. We spoke of it only in whispers lest the secret escape and we lose our cool edge.

Why do you volunteer? Why is CFCR important to the community?

As much as I love music, it's the platform for spoken word that CFCR offers that really does it for me. The station's ongoing support of the arts, progressive politics, and alternative perspectives is really unmatched. It's been amazing being able to address topics that I think are important without having to worry about so many of the common social/organizational hang-ups.

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you on the air?

Oh there's never a dull moment on a sex show, har har. If I had to pick a single moment, though, it would be a listener-submitted question I received online. Whether the bulk of it got lost somewhere along the way or someone was just teasing me, it was just the two words "why sex." No question mark, no context. Spent a whole episode addressing that one.

What’s your favourite CFCR show(s)?

Again, it's the Spoken Word section that really gets me going. I'm really glad that The Laundry List has been running for so many years, supported by so many different hosts. It's very much A Good Thing. And a special shout-out to Mom, I'm a Thespian and Tonight It's Poetry Radio for so skillfully repping worlds I've been fortunate enough to move through in the course of my life.

Who is your favourite local band? Non-local band?

I'm very much a headphones-listening-at-home kind of guy, so my discovery of local bands is usually a little delayed, but hey: good music is still good music. Wolfen Rabbits, economics, and soso all totally do it for me. Beyond Saskatoon, my two top picks are Wax Mannequin and the eels. Honest music. (Editor’s note: Berkley seems to really have a thing for bands whose name typically starts with a lower case letter.)

Aside from radio, what else do you like to do?

I like lifting people into the air and spinning them around all showy-like. Does a body good. (Editor’s note, this is more commonly called Acroyoga.) I'm also very much into designing and playing games that don't necessarily look like games. Games that your mom would like. But here's the kicker: you might too.

What’s your favourite/least favourite pizza topping?

Favourite: cheese. Maybe that's a given, but there's really no bigger make-or-break pizza element out there.
Least favourite: gummy candy. Some friends and I tried to recreate one of (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) Michelangelo's wacky pizzas and it was a bad time.

What’s the best book you’ve read or movie/show you’ve seen recently?

The Netflix series Love! Kind of came out of nowhere for me, but that is some brilliantly real television. Life is messy and bizarre and so often completely unpredictable.


Below, Berkley talks about some of his favourite things, encompassing music, games and other interesting stuff:

Wax Mannequin - "Beware"
This guy, I tell ya. Real and raucous and raw. Amazing live show if ever you get the chance.

Aisle
Even if you don't generally play games, this is worth checking out. Text-based and plays in your browser, and all you get is a single action. Press enter to START.

Queeblo (NSFW)
Brad Neely is a genius cartoonist and music video man. He got a show on Adult Swim a while ago, but it's just not the same as his older scratchy stuff.


Who should we feature next time on "Get To Know A CFCR Volunteer?" Let us know who your favourite CFCR host or volunteer is and you could win some great prizes! Just email us at info@cfcr.ca and we'll take it from there.

Be a part of the community at CFCR by volunteering! You can apply to be a host and pitch your show idea --- OR you can be a part of the CFCR Army of Volunteers!

You could be the host of one of our existing daily/weekly programs (like Green Eggs & Ham, The Buzz or The Swing Shift), or you can pitch your own idea for a show to CFCR Program Director Jay Allen. You can contact Jay at the station at (306) 664-6678 or by emailing pd@cfcr.ca.Your friends and neighbours will envy you. You may even be featured here, for all the world to see! It’s fun and it helps both the station and the community-at-large. 

And if you just want to help out in the community or around the station without hosting a show, shoot a message to CFCR’s Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@cfcr.ca, or call 306-664-6678.