Name: Jon Willemsen
Program and year: Journalism, 3rd-year
Relationship status: Single
What was the defining moment that made you realize that journalism was for you?
I always loved watching sports as a kid, but I enjoyed watching the intermission broadcasts as much as the game itself. I’ve wanted to be a sportscaster since I was like 5 or 6, so I can’t remember any specific moment I decided to pursue it as a career. But I didn’t pursue it seriously until I was around 12 or 13, when I realized I wasn’t going to make it to the NHL!
Tell us more about your radio show!
I have two radio shows, technically. I have a show on CKCU called “Two-Man Advantage” with my friend and fellow journalism student Alex Brockman. It’s honestly my favourite half hour of the week, because every Tuesday from 11:30-noon we get to talk sports, crack jokes, and be sarcastic while forgetting about any stress from school for a bit. I give Brockman a hard time because that makes the show work well when we’re butting heads and joking around, but he’s great at it and our chemistry makes the show work so well. And if he sees this, I will vehemently deny it so I don’t let it go to his head.
The other radio show is one I’m not a main host of, but I’m the sports anchor on the Charlatan Live radio show, which coincidentally airs half an hour before my own show! I do sports because no one else knows how to talk about them, and I love that gig too! It’s more scripted and less improv and random humour than TMA, but it’s a nice change-of-pace. I’ve always wanted to be a TV sportscaster, and still do, but I really love the calmness of radio. Doing a ton of stuff outside and inside school for TV, it’s a very stressful medium with everything organized right down to the very second. Now that I’m doing radio too, I see how much more relaxed it can be than TV, but I’m still shooting for a TV sportscasting career.
What are some of your hobbies?
Outside of talking and writing about sports, I love watching sports as a hobby. I always say I may not be incredible at playing sports, but I’m really good at watching them! In terms of non-sports hobbies, I enjoy watching movies, and binge-watching TV shows in a few days when I have time. Other than that, I like trying to make other people laugh when I can because it always keeps me, and anyone I’m joking around with, in a good mood.
Who was your biggest inspiration growing up?
James Duthie from TSN is someone I’ve looked up to for my entire life. I’ve aspired to be like him since he rose to prominence at TSN. And since he’s also from Ottawa and a Carleton journalism alum, we’ve kind of had similar paths along the way to becoming sportscasters, except for the whole “get hired anywhere, let alone the biggest spots network in Canada” which I’ll have to face when I graduate. Two other people I really looked up to are Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole from TSN. Anyone who’s ever watched SportsCentre knows they were the two hilarious anchors of TSN’s morning sports highlight show until they recently went to the U.S. I’ve looked up to them a lot too because they’re doing something I want to try to do one day: being a funny sportscaster. I couldn’t have asked for three better inspirations as an aspiring sportscaster growing up.
Favourite bands/songs?
Bands- The Black Keys, Passion Pit, Of Monsters and Men, The Killers
Songs (right now)– “Get Me Golden” by Terraplane Sun, “Magnetic” by Fenech-Soler, “Pompeii” by Bastille, “Magic” by Olympic Ayres
Who is your favourite fictional character?
Great question. I’m a Batman guy because he’s such a badass superhero and wasn’t even blessed with superpowers like all the others. But if we’re looking at more than just superheroes as fictional characters, I’m a huge fan of Ron Burgundy. Anchorman is honestly the funniest movie I’ve ever seen and Will Ferrell played that character so well! I can drop Ron Burgundy quotes and Anchorman references with the best of them.
Any guilty pleasures?
Long walks on the beach, watching sunsets, bubble baths, crying while watching teen romance movies, being a free spirit, trying new things, and giving cliché answers to questions.
Something people might not know about you?
I’m really good at giving lip-synching performances like on Jimmy Fallon, and I can also perfectly execute the entire Cha-Cha Slide routine after countless middle school dances.
What is your ideal date?
I’m not very picky when it comes to my “ideal date” because I’m more interested in doing something she will enjoy. But there’s not much better than the staple dinner-then-movie combo. And if she somehow likes sports remotely as much as I do, drinking beers and watching the game is perfect for me. But whatever she’s interested in and whatever we decide to do, I’ll do whatever I can to get pizza involved somehow in the date!