Candy Man blocked from his final broadcast on NBC Radio

Radio personality Shevrelle ‘Candy Man’ McMillan had his security clearance revoked last week, and he was blocked from saying his final goodbyes on air to listeners of the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Radio.

Despite this, the popular entertainer says he has no ill feelings towards management {{more}}of the State owned radio station.

McMillan parted ways with NBC Radio after being employed there for 10 years. He resigned to take up a new job at Xtreme FM 104.3 from Monday, April 4, where he will man the morning programme from 6 to 10, Mondays to Fridays.

According to McMillan, his last day at NBC Radio was supposed to be last Friday, March 11, but the day before what would have been his final broadcast, he received a message from his supervisor telling him that he should not turn up for work the next day.“….my supervisor sent a message saying basically don’t turn up and that’s it, so I just went to pick up my stuff and I realized that my security clearance was revoked.

“I didn’t make a big deal of it, because Friday was my daughter’s birthday and I was throwing a party for her and I needed the time anyway, so that was good for me,” said McMillan.

He said that the decision to revoke his security clearance and block him from his final broadcast could have only come from one person, but in his opinion, the only persons who suffered were his diehard fans who would have loved to say farewell to him. “…They wanted to say farewell to me, but life goes on.”

McMillan, who is known for his humour and unique dramatic performances, said that his new job pays more, but the money was not the main reason why he decided to leave.

“The main thing is that I’m getting the chance to be more flexible and more creative and I felt that the constraints at NBC Radio, I needed a little more leeway for my creativity and Xtreme is offering me that, to do what I want to and have more input in programming and bring what I want to bring,” said McMillan.

“I don’t want to be in a straight jacket where I have to be somebody else. I want to bring my uniqueness and a difference to radio and that is what they offering me.

“People are understandably unhappy that I am quitting NBC Radio, but it has been 10 years and after 10 years, it’s time to move on.”

He said that his fans can look forward to his charm, humour and innovation.

“I am going to do unique stuff. Xtreme Radio is new and people have become used to innovation from Xtreme and I’m that guy. I like to go outside of the box.

People seem to think that morning radio has to be politics every day, but that’s not true. When we do give politics, it’s going to be fair and balanced and it’s not going to be anything personal.

Life is something outside of politics and we going to give that,” stressed McMillan, adding, “I want to thank all the fans. I learned a lot at NBC Radio and I think I made my contribution there and I am satisfied with what I have done and people have stuck with me over the years and I think people are going to stick with me and all I have to do is hope and promise that I will satisfy them.

“A lot of people have been saying that they are looking forward to hearing me on Xtreme and people gravitate towards me.”

In response to allegations that on Monday, March 7, after he announced that he was leaving NBC radio, he played Shertz ‘Problem Child’ James’ single ‘For all ah them’, McMillan said that if he did, it was not done as an insult or in an attempt to annoy anyone. He said that he can’t recall playing the song, but the possibility exists that he did, as he always plays soca music, including that song.

“I probably played the song, but it is something that I always play. It’s a popular song, a soca song. I don’t know if I played it and anybody took offence to it. If I did, I did not play it with any words to the effect that I meant anything to anybody. I played the song, probably during the week, but it was not to anybody; it’s just a soca song.

Every morning I play ‘Can’t Even Walk’ by Grace Thrillers, so how come nobody think that is directed at them. I play a lot of music and I don’t think that any of the fans took that as it went towards anybody.

“Personally, I think it had to do with some personal things that I don’t wish to get into, but I am too much of a happy guy to dwell on that. Those personal issues that people might have on me, that’s really none of my business,” stressed McMillan.

He added, “I’m a happy guy.”

McMillan joins a number of other radio personalities grappling to be king of morning time slot. These include Boom 106.9 FM’s Dwight ‘Bing’ Joseph; Hot 97.1 FM’s Chris ‘2 Cool’ Jones; We FM 99.9’s Donnie Collins and Hitz FM 103.7 Joel “Dr Fugi” Bibby.

When contacted, general manager of NBC Radio Corletha Ollivierre declined to comment.