Herald’s Q&A: OZFM Rush

Stephen Lethbridge, Hugh Campbell and Stephanie O’Brien of the OZFM Rush talk cruiser teams, summer fun, music memories and more in our latest Q&A

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What do you think are the key intangibles to bring to the role of an OZFM Summer Cruiser?

Stephen: You’ve got to be outgoing, that’s the number one thing.

Stephanie: Personality is key.

Hugh: The job is pretty much all personality, so if you’re willing to show up, be energetic and meet people, you’re good. 

Stephanie: You’ll learn the rest. But a personality and being outgoing is so so important. Social skills are super important in this job because you spend the entire summer meeting and greeting new people all of the time. 

Stephen: Knowing how to give out cash is generally a pretty good asset as well.

It’s pretty common knowledge that the OZFM Cruiser Team is one of the most sought after jobs of the summer. 

Hugh: If there’s a fun summer event going on, you’re there. 

Stephen: It’s the best way a young person can see a lot of Newfoundland. The best way to really see a place is to talk to the people. We’ve had so many teams over the years say they had never been to the Burin Peninsula or Corner Brook or Lewisporte. This is such a great way to get to know the province, and I think we have a lot of people coming out on the other side of the summer with a Newfoundland appreciation for our home.

Not to mention the fact that so many former cruiser team members have gone on to successful careers in media.

Stephanie: It’s a launching pad for a lot of people’s careers. Danielle Butt, Lorraine Pope … there are tons of people who have come off the cruiser team who have launched into a career in radio of communications. 

Stephen: You get out of it what you put into it for a lot of people. If this is something that you want to get into, communications or marketing, you could not ask for a better opportunity at an early point in your life to really get that kind of experience. 

Stephanie: You don’t have to be interested in this as a career to do it and do it well. If you just want to have a super fun summer, are outgoing and want to see concerts, then this is it.

Summer is right around the corner. So if you could have one ideal summer vacation – dream or reality – what would it be?

Stephanie: I’d go back to Hawaii. I’d go back a thousand times over.

Hugh: The city in the world that I’ve been to that I love the most was Rome. I went there in the summer and I’m itching to go back. I could spend so much more time there.

Stephen: I could visit Sandy Cove Beach in Eastport every single summer and I try to as much as possible. As far as a destination goes, I always thought Ibiza would be really cool.

If you could be forever hot or forever cold, which would you choose?

Hugh: Cold. You can do more about it! If you’re too hot there’s a point where you can’t do anything more. If you’re too cold you can just pile the layers on. 

Stephanie: What is worse than getting in bed and you’re too hot and you can’t sleep?! What do you do? Sweat, and you get crooked, and you think more about being hot. 

What’s your go-to summer activity? Something you wait the entire year for? 

Stephen: Swimming at the cabin.

Stephanie: You know what I love? I love going to bed at night with a little bit of a sun-kissed tan. It stings just a little, and you’re really beat out from being outside and swimming and stuff. That’s what I look forward to. I don’t want to be burnt, but that you know you’ve been outside sting. 

Stephen: Canada Day as a whole for me, because it’s Canada Day for one, but I have a really good friend of mine whose birthday is on Canada Day every single year. Every year it’s a huge blowout party, so it puts me in mind of hanging out with my friends.

Hugh: A big underrated one, croquet! Yes please. 

What are some of the earliest songs you can remember jamming to, or some far off memories of music that stand out?

Stephanie: Hanging Tough by New Kids on the Block. I remember being on Commonwealth Avenue/Smallwood Drive intersection and said ‘Mom, stop talking and turn it up!’ 

Stephen: Back in the day it was New Kids on the Block. I’d listen to Step By Step over and over. It was the first tape that I ever owned. I had a Jordan Knight doll. I thought it was an action figure, but it was just a doll. I remember the end of summer 1995, I wanted a cd player more than anything. I bought my first cd in June, and my birthday is in September.  I bought Bon Jovi These Days. I had that and would just look at the cd and read the liner notes all summer until I got the cd player. 

Hugh: For some reason I always remember the summer of grade seven I was either listening to Ludacris or Sum 41. It was those two back to back. 

OZ Rush! Join Stephen, Stephanie, and Hugh every morning from 6:00- 9:00 or vist them online 

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