Hi, I’m Chris Rooke But You Can Call Me ‘Rookie’ And I’m New Here At DeanBlundell.com
The big boss, radio king and beautiful human all around, Dean Blundell, told me it was a good idea to compile a blog post introducing myself to our loyal readers. This is an awkward situation for me because, contrary to popular belief, I don’t like to talk about myself. I think it’s weird, but for Dean, I’ll do it.
It all started on a frigid winter day back in 1991…just kidding. I’m not going to do that to you because, let’s be honest, you really don’t care. I love to make people laugh. It’s how I’ve lead my entire life thus far and it’s worked! I got my first taste of broadcasting in university at Radio Laurier, where I hosted two sports shows called “The Sports Crunch at Lunch” and ” Hawk Box”. Ultimately, I entered the Broadcast Journalism program at Conestoga College down the road.
Fast forward to the summer after I graduated, hungry for a job. I ended up getting a gig interning as a Story Editor at the NHL Network. I worked my ass off for 7 months doing the night shift 5 times a week, running tapes, making coffees, doing food runs all the bitch intern stuff, just like in the movies. It started to grind on me, as it would for anyone, but I loved it anyhow. When the NHL network moved back to New York, people started to get the boot. Guess who they started with…interns. I sat in a cold office with a guy I’d never seen before and as he began to write my 2-week pay cheque he said, “um so what were you like a newsroom assistant?”. At that point, I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. Alas, I said nothing, took my cheque and left. I was sad, pissed off and depressed my dream job was taken away from me. I still think about it to this day, if the NHL never got acquired, would I still be there?
Following the Network, I spent time working for a startup company called HighlightHub for more than 3 years. Funny enough, through my girlfriend’s father, I heard Dean Blundell was looking for bloggers after a few meetings I was writing for the website.
Now a year and a half later, I’m blogging full-time and a co-host and technical producer on the “DeanBlundell.com Podcast with Daren Millard” and “The Chirp With Daren Millard”. I do all the edits for the podcasts, as well as post videos that make people smile! You’ll catch me posting sports videos, music blogs, viral videos and much more. I am also the co-host for the podcast I started with my two best buds Brad and Mike called “El Rancho Fantastico”, which hopefully will be debuted on DB.com in the near future. Dean hates the name but it will grow on him, I know it!
(No It Won’t)
When I’m not posting or editing for the boys, I co-own a successful natural gas installation company coupled with a fireplace company. I love building things, and in my spare time, I build gas pipe furniture out of reclaimed wood and natural gas pipe.
I love what I do and couldn’t be more excited for what the future holds. If you guys hate me feel free to tell me on my twitter, that I haven’t used since 2012. I can’t wait to fill your minds with all the hilarious videos and cool things I find on the internet. In the meantime, don’t forget to listen to “the DeanBlundell.com Podcast”, “The Chirp with Daren Millard” and “El Rancho Fantastico”. They’re all really good, even my mom thinks so!
Talk soon, my friends.
Chris Rooke aka The Rookie
Chris Rooke
Content Director-Producer-Writer