Categories: Uncategorized

Seen in Toronto: Bad Boyfriend Poker and Sex in Clown Shoes

Misery loves company, but misery loves getting a thousand bucks even more! These posters have been all over Accordion City’s subways, promoting Virgin Radio’s “Bad Boyfriend Poker” call-in contest. Players are supposed to call in with not one but three stories about a bad boyfriend they had — what they call a “hand”, with the best story being the “ace” — and the caller with the “best” hand (that is, worst stories) — wins $1000, which presumably will be spent on therapy.

Of all the example bad boyfriend stories that they’ve posted, this one’s my favourite. I have just one question: which version of God Save the Queen? The British national anthem, or the Sex Pistols song?

Joey deVilla

View Comments

  • I've seen those ads, and something doesn't sit right with me about it. As far as I can tell, it's a ladies-only contest, meaning us guys- who *would* have bad girlfriend experiences (and, heck, bad boyfriends) are shut out. It helps fuel the demonization of males in this city (a problem that I think is already pretty bad) by reminding women that men are really up to some really nasty stuff and that women can really "do no wrong". There is no need for it to be gender-biased, and perhaps the only reason why it is likely is because if this were gender-flipped, there would be outrage. Perhaps at some point people in the city will realize that discrimination knows no gender, and we'll stop cringeworthy stunts like this.

    Interestingly it's not native to Toronto- it originated out of Charlotte, North Carolina on "The Ace & TJ" show in 2009, when one of the show's hosts was inspired by a bargain bin book. At least in that show their stunts are gender-neutral- I hope at some point Toronto learns the same lesson.

  • I listen to the show regularly and guys both gay and straight do call in from time to time. No one ever said they Couldnt. They just dont. So I guess there really is a gender inbalance between the men and women here in the GTA.

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