Presentation Report - Updated with Feedback

Yes Man!

Nutchey

February 6, 2020

One year since the launch of Virgin Radio Victoria, Chris Palliser reflects on how he got here. On a February afternoon, Palliser, a morning radio show co-host for Virgin Radio Victoria is going back to his roots to talk to students studying communications at Camosun College. Washing cars in your tighty whities is one piece of advice Palliser has for aspiring radio hosts.

From a young age Palliser was energetic and outgoing. “On my report card it just said Chris gets distracted easily and Chris talks a lot,” he says. “I think I’m the only Camosun student ever to get a detention for talking.” Palliser laughs. Fortunately, while being talkative did not make him a perfect student, it made him a natural fit for radio.

He decided to study Applied Communications at Camosun after seeing a pamphlet at the Admissions Building and was drawn to the idea of being able to talk on the radio as part of the program. “I think honestly for me; the draw was the entertainment aspect of radio,” says Palliser. “Where I get my fix is being kinda silly, doing silly things and just having fun with it.”

His advice to someone starting out in the field? “Never say no. I mean just like any gig, especially because media is such a changing industry, just say yes. And that’s how I believe I got to where I am, because it was like ‘who’s going to do the car wash in their tighty whities and I was like yeah, sure!’”

With 17 years in the industry, Palliser is no stranger to odd jobs. He started out doing a co-op term at the Wolf in Nanaimo handing out tattoos. After graduating, he worked jobs in broadcasting in Fort McMurray and Edmonton. He then spent 10 years as the radio host for the Beat 94.5 in Vancouver before it changed its name to Virgin Radio. Now he’s back in his hometown, as a co-host for Virgin Radio Victoria.

Palliser got experience by volunteering for jobs no one else wanted to do. He once emceed at a Canucks game for free and did so well they invited him back. He ended up with a gig there and tickets for all the games during the 2011 Stanley Cup play-off season.

He’s also a big believer in authenticity. “We want to give the idea to the listener that we’re just a bunch of friends talking about stupid stuff,” he says. “An ego in this business is going to kill you. Because the world is so much smaller with social media and everything, an ego is not going to get you that far.”

Palliser's humble 'yes man' attitude has gotten him where he is today and he wouldn't have it any other way. “I’m 37 and I feel like I’ve avoided real work and I’m trying to avoid real work at all costs,” says Palliser. “I feel really lucky it panned out for me.”