Wil Andruschak

So, what’s the plan now for you?

Kelly Brothers is a company I have with my brother Rob. I’m going to write and produce a short film and we also do corporate video. And I’m interested in what the world has to offer.

So, you’re going to go on a bit of a fishing expedition?

Yeah.

When you co-hosted the Breakfast Show, how did you stay enthusiastic after 25,000 interviews?

Well, for me it was because the people were interesting. I wasn’t so enthusiastic about something that someone was embarrassed about, or it wasn’t like I was saying, ‘Is it true that you murdered your father?’ These were people who were excited about what they were doing.

When did you actually leave?

On New Year’s Eve.

Did you cry after?

I cried during, for God’s sake. I didn’t think I would but on the last ‘Goodbye’ I didn’t blubber and I didn’t completely collapse but I certainly had some tears.

What is one of the worst interviews that stands out for you?

During one cooking segment a person came on and cooked something that we didn’t like. Tara and I couldn’t eat it at the time because it smelled and tasted like manure. We just said, ‘Well, that’s really interesting,’ and left it right there on the table. It was just vile.

Who’s your replacement?

From what I know, they didn’t have any intention of replacing me. At a certain point they likely will, but there’s no talk yet.

How did you go from being a junior high school teacher to being a TV host?

I taught drama and then I took a whole bunch of theatre classes in the evenings until I was a good enough actor to quit teaching and take up acting. While I was teaching, I did a show on Access, a TV show where teachers got on and taught language, arts, science and math. It was school to theatre to TV.

Why did you leave — are you pregnant?

No, we’re not. I’m just open to the world to see what I find.

When you decided to move on, was it because your hair went grey?

It was, in a way. There’s a hair sponsor for the show and they always wanted me to look hip and cool. When I started on the show, they were doing all kinds of shit with my hair and later on, they said, “You know, you’re getting grey.” My stylist and I decided to let it go grey but the guy who owned the shop said, “Don’t you dare, because once you go grey, you can’t go back because you look older.” I didn’t like the feeling of faking it. Around this time last year, I spent a lot of time looking in the mirror, saying, “Who are you? Is it time to say goodbye because you’ll never find something else when you keep getting up at 3 a.m. every day?”

Are you as clean-cut as you seem on TV?

I got a beautiful card from a guy that I worked with and it said, “People ask me all the time: Is Dave Kelly like he is on air? And I said, ‘He’s exactly the same, except he sometimes swears.’ ”

For Fast Forward Weekly’s annual Best of Calgary readers’ poll, you have been voted “sexiest man” seven times, tied once (with Chris Gaillus) and came in second three times.

Why were you voted for so many times?

I have no idea but I want you to know, that I used those plaques as many times as I could in the bedroom, telling Blythe (wife), “It’s your chance to be with the sexiest man.” Every now and then she’d go for it.

The only year you didn’t win a spot in that category was in 1998. Was there something wrong with you then?

I think that year was just bad for pizza; I just ate too much.

Do you think that now that you’ve left the show, it has hampered your chances of being awarded sexiest man?

I’m very nervous about it; I think this could signal a changing of the guard, yes.

You have lots of siblings, correct?

Yeah, there’s 10 of us. We can keep expanding the company and never have to change the name.

What did you think when Ralph Klein hosted the show?

It was the show when he pied me. He’s such a funny, odd duck. I remember him standing at the urinal and I’m washing my face because he just pied me and he looks at his watch and says, “Seven o’clock, how long does this show go to?” And I said, “You’ve got till 10,” then he goes, “Three hours! Are you serious?”

Have you ever considered entering politics?

I’ve had some people approach me about that. It doesn’t seem like a fit right now but maybe some day it will.

If you got into it, what party would you run for?

Gosh, I have no affiliation now, so it would be whatever fits.

At this point, do you miss the show?

During the 12 years, my body got used to it, getting up at 3:20 a.m. But I miss the people.

Now, what do you do with your mornings?

This morning, I made it all the way to 5:20 before waking, so that’s the longest I’ve gone yet. I usually come into the office at Kelly Brothers and I write. It’s a good time because it’s quiet and I’m used to doing my work early.