Marilyn Denis on not retiring when retiring

For this week’s MVP, we’re chatting with Marilyn Denis.

Though she’s moving on after 40 historic years on CHUM radio, Marilyn Denis is definitely not retiring. In fact, best steer clear of the word, I was told, so of course I accidentally-on-purpose blurted it right out with a whole batch of nosy questions for the radio legend and Order of Ontario recipient. If not retiring, why leave a job you love after four decades at the top of your game? If not to put your feet up on a cruise ship balcony, what are your plans for the future? 

In this week’s MVP, the Edmonton-born Denis talks to us about how she played (and won) the media long game, putting down the mic (at least for now, ahem), leaving at the top of her game, and the understated art of a gracious Irish goodbye. 

You’re stepping away from CHUM, but you’re not doing the thing that some people do at your age?

That’s it. I’m stepping away from the morning show and from the station that I love so much, but I’m not going to… you know.

Yes, it is “retirement” from the radio station. Why does retirement have such a bad name? I don’t know. I have friends that are “retired” or they are “not retired,” but they’re doing little projects here and there. And they’re saying to me, “It’s great over here. You’re going to love it.” And then I say to them, “but what am I going to do?” 

So, what are you going to do? You seem like someone who’ll always have lots going on. 

I used to be a lot like that in my 40s, 50s, and early 60s. Now, I dial it back a bit because it’s a lot. I’ve been dialling it down since 2023, when I left the Marilyn Denis Show. I do have more free time. But isn’t it amazing how quickly we fill it? Working out, meeting with friends, going to the dry cleaners, going to the baker. All of a sudden, the day is filled and it’s four o’clock.

That’s my way of saying I don’t know what’s before me. The future is unknown, and I like that.

How hard is it to leave a job you love after 40 years? 

I’m in the middle of it and still working, so I don’t really have the answer to that yet. But, I know it’s time to go for me. I got into radio in 1976, into CHUM in 1986 and—what year is it now? I’m turning 68, so I’ve been thinking about leaving for a while. But it’s been on the back burner. Leaving a job you don’t like doesn’t really matter. But when you leave something that you love, that’s a tough one. 

There’s something super cool about walking away on your own terms at the top of your game, like Seinfeld. 

I can tell you’re in your 40s, because my version of that is The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I watched her documentary where she alluded to that. She said it was time to go because the ratings were good, and they’d done everything they could. I don’t know what her signposts were, but you leave when it’s good. You don’t want to be the person that’s told to leave when you don’t want to. You go away angry. I don’t say goodbye at parties either. I just leave. The Irish goodbye.

Speaking of Ireland, will you be travelling? 

My husband and I are going to go to New York to visit some friends. Hopefully, we’ll go to Europe at some point, although it depends on what’s happening in the world. We always go to Barbados, whether for Breakfast in Barbados with CHUM or just on our own.

I’m also planning on spending lots of time at home with my almost seven-year-old granddaughter, whom I adore. She and I are into all the same things. We both have the same schedule. We eat at five, and go to bed at seven. We take a nap and still go to bed early.

Will you write a book? Make a podcast?  

That’s homework. Why are you giving me homework?

I’m tired of talking for the moment. People have been after me to write a book for 20 years. I think there are other things to read about and you don’t need to hear about me, but who knows? Never say never. 

I used to say to my son, “Don’t make a decision as a 14-year-old about what a 30-year-old would want.” I’m not going to make any decisions until I feel what it’s like after I walk away. It’ll be a different chapter of my life, and I’ll be doing different things. At some point I’ll find something that resonates and then I’ll do that. No matter what you do, you always have to have a purpose.