WE VANCOUVER'S BEST OF THE CITY: KID CARSON

By Martha Perkins - WE Vancouver

When it was announced at the WE Vancouver office that Kid Carson had been chose as Vancouver's Best Radio Personality in our Best of the City readers' choice survey, some of our female staff members swooned. Would he be coming into the office for an interview? Would they get to meet him?

Why? Because, as they said, the host "gets" women. They love listening to him because he listens to them.

Alas, Carson was on holidays last week so we had to interview him via email. His insightful answers say a lot about why so many people love his show.

WHO TAUGHT YOU TO BE SO THOUGHTFUL ABOUT OTHERS?

My mom. I remember many discussions at a young age about how everyone is equal regardless of race, gender, religion, sexuality or financial situation. That was hammered into me almost as if she was terrified to have a child who felt otherwise! Ha. Thumbs up for mom!

I think we're all connected in a very literal way. It's obvious that emotions and experiences are contagious. We feed off each other as intimate partners, as co-workers, and even as a city. Reading "The Intention Experiment" by Lynne McTaggart was an eye opener for me. She discusses what the fringe sciences have discovered about how we're connected.

WHO WERE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES GROWING UP?

Ad companies probably. Haha! I know that sounds like a smart-ass answer but really... our subconscious was mostly programmed by them. (Without our consent I might add.)

I've been trying to shake off most of what I learnt as a kid because none of it seems to be true. For example, most my early goals as a kid were to obtain 'stuff' and now as a wiser adult it's like, wait a sec... none of this stuff has helped me to be happier at all, WTF! My mother loved me, and I had a couple solid mentors along the way, but sometimes your biggest influencers aren't always your best.

YOU SEEM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT LIFE'S ISSUES AND BLESSINGS FROM ALL PERSPECTIVE

I just came to accept that I'm not 'right' about anything... There's always a book, or a person or an idea that reminds me how little I know. That keeps me open to new ideas all the time. Sometimes people don't get that about my personality on the radio, because when you're doing a radio show, you have to polarize the audience to spark a discussion. So I'll dig my heels in and represent a hard opinion on something, when in reality... what the hell do I know!!?? My view is just a snapshot of the moment. I'm hopefully evolving all the time.

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AS WOMEN SEE IT TOO?

My family was tiny... my mom, sister and me. I think dudes who grow up around women have a natural inkling to understand more.

That being said, men and women literally have a different brain and speak a different language. A woman says to her man: "We never go out for dinner!" And what she means is, "I feel like going out for dinner." Meanwhile the man hears: "You're a lame partner, you don't take me out enough." And it bruises his ego. FAIL.

Yah, maybe it's not normal for a dude to read books about this stuff, but I get off work at 10am... what the hell else am I going to do??

FINAL WORDS

I'm also most proud of the commitment I made to myself to meditate daily. After years of reading about its profound benefits, I finally got down on the floor and did it. It's not easy to break in a new habit, especially one that involves siting still. Ha. But I committed, and I followed through. Haven't missed a day. Not only I'm reaping the benefits of the meditation itself, but following through on a goal is powerful in itself. It feels good knowing you can count on yourself. Right?