Mad Dog and Billie
Encyclopedia
Canadian
broadcasters Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
and Billie Holiday
(real name Amanda Dunn) hosted a succession of prominent morning drive time
shows in the Toronto
, Ontario
radio market as Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie and then Mad Dog and Billie again.
After CISS 92.5 FM Toronto
, was acquired by Rogers Communications
and moved from a country music
format to contemporary hit radio
in 1999, and after a transitional period as Power 92 and a temporary morning show with Toronto radio veteran K.J., Jay and Daryn Jones
became morning show of what became known as KISS 92 FM. From entertainment reporter, Billie rose to succeed Jones when he departed to focus on his television career.
During the contemporary hit period at KISS, the show frequently featured voice actress Stephanie Beard
as "Suga BayBee".
Jay and Billie stayed with the station through its transition to urban contemporary
music format.
On the day that CISS switched to the JACK-FM format, their longtime program director
at CISS, Julie Adam, was named general manager and program director of Rogers' Toronto adult contemporary station CHFI
. Erin Davis
, morning co-host and an icon of the station, was let go, and her longtime on-air partner Bob Magee
moved to afternoons. Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie, became the new CHFI morning show three days later.
During this period, CHFI was somewhat troubled in ratings and strategic direction, and Davis temporarily re-emerged at crosstown competitor CJEZ
with morning host Mike Cooper
. In June 2005, the station let go of Jay and Billie in favour of Davis and, after his employment with CJEZ expired, Cooper.
After a long absence from Toronto radio airwaves, it was revealed that Mad Dog and Billie would be returning to mornings on CKFM-FM
(then branded as "Mix 99.9 FM"). Their first air date was August 8, 2006. When the radio station was rebranded as "Toronto Virgin Radio" on August, 2008, their morning show was rebranded as "The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie".
On July 13 2011, Billie was fired from the station after five years. Her termination came on the heels of the end of her marriage to Peter Luciano, a business lawyer with Toronto firm McCarthy Tetrault and former member of Canadian boy band VIP. The couple are parents to a two-year-old daughter. Station owner, Astral, released this statement on the termination:
"We will be taking the Virgin Morning Show in a new direction ... as a result we will not be renewing Billie's contract at the end of July. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Billie and wish her success and happiness in her future endeavors."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
broadcasters Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels
Jay Michaels
Jay "Mad Dog" Michaels is a Canadian broadcaster who co-hosts The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie on Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto....
and Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (broadcaster)
Billie Holiday is the professional name of Canadian radio and television personality Amanda Dunn.The daughter of a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, Holiday first became involved in radio at the age of 15....
(real name Amanda Dunn) hosted a succession of prominent morning drive time
Drive time
Drive time is the daypart analog to prime time for radio broadcasting. It consists of the morning hours when listeners wake up, get ready, and/or head to work or school, and the afternoon hours when they are heading home and before their evening meal. These are the periods where the number of...
shows in the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
radio market as Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie and then Mad Dog and Billie again.
After CISS 92.5 FM Toronto
CKIS-FM
CJAQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 96.9 FM in Calgary, Alberta. The station uses the on-air brand name Jack FM. It is the second Jack FM station in Canada and the world, after its sister CKLG-FM in Vancouver.-History:...
, was acquired by Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
and moved from a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format to contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
in 1999, and after a transitional period as Power 92 and a temporary morning show with Toronto radio veteran K.J., Jay and Daryn Jones
Daryn Jones
Daryn Jones is a Canadian comedian and television personality. In 2006 he became the host of MTV Canada's flagship series MTV Live, alongside co-hosts Nicole Holness and Paul “The Intern” Lemieux....
became morning show of what became known as KISS 92 FM. From entertainment reporter, Billie rose to succeed Jones when he departed to focus on his television career.
During the contemporary hit period at KISS, the show frequently featured voice actress Stephanie Beard
Stephanie Beard
Stephanie Beard is a Canadian actress, voice actress and television and radio personality. Her radio host persona goes by Suga BayBee, and as co-host of The Zone, she was called Sugar.Beard was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
as "Suga BayBee".
Jay and Billie stayed with the station through its transition to urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
music format.
On the day that CISS switched to the JACK-FM format, their longtime program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
at CISS, Julie Adam, was named general manager and program director of Rogers' Toronto adult contemporary station CHFI
CHFI-FM
CHFI-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts an adult contemporary format at 98.1 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. Like most Toronto radio and TV channels, it broadcasts atop the CN Tower with and ERP of 44 kW and has a sizeable amount of American listeners...
. Erin Davis
Erin Davis
Erin Davis is a popular media figure in Toronto, Ontario. At present she is a co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show along with Mike Cooper. She also appears regularly as an MC or keynote speaker for many local organizations and events in Toronto.- Early life :...
, morning co-host and an icon of the station, was let go, and her longtime on-air partner Bob Magee
Bob Magee
Bob Magee is the professional name of Denny O'Neil, a Canadian radio personality. Formerly, he was co-host of the morning show on CING-FM in Toronto. Previously to that, he hosted the afternoon drive time show on Toronto's CHFI-FM from 2003 until 2009...
moved to afternoons. Mad Dog and Billie, later Jay and Billie, became the new CHFI morning show three days later.
During this period, CHFI was somewhat troubled in ratings and strategic direction, and Davis temporarily re-emerged at crosstown competitor CJEZ
CJEZ-FM
CHBM-FM is a radio station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada owned by Astral Media. It broadcasts an adult hits format at 97.3 FM and is branded as boom 97.3 - 70's, 80's, 90's, and is also the only adult hits station owned by Astral...
with morning host Mike Cooper
Mike Cooper (broadcaster)
Mike S. Cooper is a Canadian radio personality in Toronto, Canada, co-hosting the 98.1 CHFI morning show with Erin Davis. Cooper was born in Hamilton, Ontario.-Career:* Announcer at 1050 CHUM in Toronto...
. In June 2005, the station let go of Jay and Billie in favour of Davis and, after his employment with CJEZ expired, Cooper.
After a long absence from Toronto radio airwaves, it was revealed that Mad Dog and Billie would be returning to mornings on CKFM-FM
CKFM-FM
CKFM-FM, branded as 99-9 Virgin Radio , is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 99.9 on the FM dial in Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned by Astral Media...
(then branded as "Mix 99.9 FM"). Their first air date was August 8, 2006. When the radio station was rebranded as "Toronto Virgin Radio" on August, 2008, their morning show was rebranded as "The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie".
On July 13 2011, Billie was fired from the station after five years. Her termination came on the heels of the end of her marriage to Peter Luciano, a business lawyer with Toronto firm McCarthy Tetrault and former member of Canadian boy band VIP. The couple are parents to a two-year-old daughter. Station owner, Astral, released this statement on the termination:
"We will be taking the Virgin Morning Show in a new direction ... as a result we will not be renewing Billie's contract at the end of July. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Billie and wish her success and happiness in her future endeavors."