Scruff Connors

Scruff Connors (born David Jeffrey Newfield 1952 at Toronto^[1][2]) is a Canadian radio broadcaster known for conducting controversial on-air practical jokes.

His career included host duties at various radio stations in Canada and the United States. His most prominent work is with Q107 in Toronto, where he became morning host in 1980.^[3] After broadcasting in other cities, he returned to Q107 in the early 1990s to join the "The Q Morning Zoo". In 1980, after Terry Fox was forced to abandon his Marathon of Hope, Connors responded by raising CAD$72 000 for cancer research by continuously hosting a 36-hour "Scruff-a-thon" on Q107.^[1]

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Radio stunts

At one point while working at Q107 in 1982, Connors confined himself to the station's on-air studio and repeatedly aired the Led Zeppelin song "Stairway to Heaven". ^[3]

Connors conducted a contest in 1989 as an announcer at CHTZ-FM in St. Catharines, Ontario, claiming that the Mayflower would be stationed at a nearby port so that 40 winners would be eligible to have a Thanksgiving meal there. However, what actually appeared was a moving truck from Mayflower Transit.

While still at CHTZ-FM, the disc jockey announced during a 21 March 1990 broadcast that "new kids" would appear at the station the following day. The music group New Kids on the Block were scheduled to play in nearby Hamilton later that week. Although that band's music was not aired on the rock-oriented CHTZ-FM, hundreds of fans of the boy band appeared at the station, expecting to see their idols. Limousines arrived at the station, but instead of the expected band, several mothers with newborn infants (or "new kids") emerged from the vehicles. Some of the upset crowd tried to enter the station building, requiring the station to secure the facilities.^[4][1]

In January 1995, while working in Winnipeg, Connors was given a week's suspension by CJKR-FM management after he announced a contest where selected listeners could watch Super Bowl XXIX in Miami. 1200 entries were submitted by fax of which 30 were chosen to meet Connors at Winnipeg International Airport. However, the winners boarded a bus at the airport rather than a plane, and their destination was Miami, Manitoba to watch the game on a monochrome television at Chatterbox Lounge. Connors reacted to the controversy stating "How was I supposed to know Miami was in Florida?"^[1][5]

Controversy

When Connors was working for The Bear (CFBR-FM) in Edmonton in 1992, he was charged with sexual assault that purportedly occurred at a hotel in October 1992.^[2] He was acquitted of these charges in January 1993, although Connors reconsidered his broadcasting career due to the stress of this case.^[6] The broadcaster sustained a reported nervous breakdown in October 1995, which he blamed on job stress and uncertainty.^[5]

During a broadcast at Toronto's MOJO Radio on 16 November 2001, Connors and co-host John Derringer joked about obtaining job at a multicultural radio station. The duo called Fairchild Radio only to receive a voice mail message, at which point Connors proceeded to speak around the recording with a phony Chinese accent. The Executive Director of the Chinese Canadian National Council complained to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) charging that the broadcast was racist. However, the CBSC ruled that this incident did not breach the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Code of Ethics regarding "abusive or discriminatory" material, although the dialogue may have been of questionable taste.^[7]

Current situation

The broadcaster's most recent job at MOJO radio was terminated in July 2005 when the station changed its format. Within a few months, a pair of heart attacks required quadruple heart bypass surgery. Connors previously incurred injuries to his two rotator cuffs, limiting his arm movements. Then in early 2006, it was reported that Connors had contracted bladder cancer. As of January 2008, there were no available reports regarding his health status.^[1]

Career

Connors' work included the following radio stations:

• 1980 - 1985: Q107, Toronto^[8][3]
• late 1980s: WYSP, Philadelphia^[9]
• 1989: CHTZ-FM, St. Catharines, Ontario^[1]
• August - October 1992: CFBR-FM, Edmonton^[2]
• January 1993 - July 1994: Q107, Toronto^[10]
• July 1994 - 1995: CJKR-FM Winnipeg^[1][10]
• 2001-July 2005: CFMJ (MOJO), Toronto^[11][1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Bonokoski, Mark. "Trickster DJ Scruff Connors is knocking on heaven's door". Retrieved on 2008-01-01.  Indicates birthplace and age 53.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Williams, Ian. "Disc jockey charged with sexual assault; CFBR `shock jock' in court today", Edmonton Journal, 9 October 1992, p. B2.  Indicates age 40.
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Three decades of Q107", Toronto Sun, 22 May 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 
4. ^ Hunter, Stuart. "DJ raked for kidding around", Toronto Sun, Jam!/Allpop.com, 23 March 1990. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Scruff recovering from breakdown", Edmonton Journal, 15 November 1995, p. B12. 
6. ^ Coulter, Diana. "Judge clears 'shock jock' of sexual assault; Connors may quit radio career", Edmonton Journal, 27 January 1993, p. B3. 
7. ^ CFYI-AM re Scruff Connors and John Derringer Morning Show (CBSC Decision 01/02-0279). Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (7 June 2002). Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
8. ^ "DJ Scruff Connors lands job in Toronto", Edmonton Journal, 25 February 1993, p. D2. 
9. ^ MacInnis +, Craig. "Toronto-area listeners get another taste of Scruff", Toronto Star, 9 September 1987, p. B2. 
10. ^ ^{a b} "Q107's Connors moving to Winnipeg", Toronto Star, 22 June 1994, p. D4. 
11. ^ A shot of audio testosterone - the aural fix Toronto has been waiting for - Corus Entertainment Launches MOJO Radio – the world's first talk radio station for guys. Corus Entertainment (19 April 2001). Retrieved on 2008-01-01.