Remembering Cal: Radio industry pays tribute

There were tears, smiles and memories of some precious times as the radio industry paid tribute to comedian Cal Wilson, following her sudden death at the age of 53.

Joel Creasey started yesterday’s Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel show on Nova by reflecting on happier times, saying he’s shattered by the news of Cal’s passing.

“Beautiful Cal Wilson. I’d worked with her for 15 years and you’d be hard pressed to find a nicer person in the comedy industry.”

Joel said the name of the Melbourne suburb where Cal lived is a true reflection of who she was.

“She was a proud Sunshine resident and SHE was sunshine.”

This morning on 2Day FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin, fellow comedians Hughesy and Ed told stories about their friend.

They also reflected on Cal’s last interview with the show.

The Hit Network’s Tommy Little was overcome with emotion as he too paid tribute to Cal, with whom he had toured the comedy circuit across Australia and the world.

On the Carrie and Tommy podcast, Tommy said of his good mate “She was a ray of sunshine, and I know that is a cliché, but it couldn’t be more apt.”

“From her kindness and her attitude to the clothes she wears – it’s literally a burst of colour in every sense of the word.”

From a comedy standpoint, Tommy noted that there was nobody quicker when it came to improvising, saying Cal was in a league of her own.

Fellow stand up comedian Danny McGinlay posted some of his favourite memories of Cal, including her performance on a comedy cruise during a squall.

“She was so seasick she did her full 45 minute show lying on her back on the stage ‘cause if she stood up, she’d vomit.”

“She still smashed the gig.”

Then there’s the tale of her near-miss whilst driving.

“The story she told me backstage once of her almost having a car accident but forgetting she could honk her horn so she just yelled ‘TOOT … TOOT!!’” says Danny.

Cal joined me on the Food Bytes podcast in June this year.

As co-host of The Great Australian Bake Off, Cal reckoned she had the best job in the world.

Cal also reflected on her time in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

With no phones, no screens to watch and nothing to read, Cal described the experience as an amazing reset.

“I made some really beautiful friends and friendships out of it and it showed me that I was way more resilient than I thought I was.”

“It just made me reflect on how lucky I’ve been with the career I’ve had.”

Cal also had us in stitches as she reflected on her worst ever comedy gig.

“It was at a chicken factory. It was their Christmas dinner and they’d hired us as an improv company to come and entertain their workers. But we found out afterwards that the reason they’d booked the entertainment was that they were trying to slow the drinking down.”

“The party started at four o’clock. We got there at five o’clock to do our set, and it was already too late. They were already extremely drunk, and there was a bad vibe in the room, because they were the chicken processors, and for their Christmas dinner, the company had just given them platters of chicken drumsticks.”

“Our little stage was in front of the bar, so we were physically blocking access. But it didn’t stop people just walking up between us and ordering another jug of beer.”

“It finally got to the point where they’d had enough of us and our wacky theatre sports and they started pelting us with chicken drumsticks.”

Comedian Adam Hills says the outpouring of love for his friend has been heartwarming to see.

“She was one of life’s best people and she made everyone happy,” he wrote.

“That’s how you live a life.”