Sure, love blooms in the workplace. But how many couples have news of their hush-hush relationship blasted over the radio during the morning drive? That’s what happened to Q104 deejays Jen Toohey and Tim Richards, with the announcement of their 3-month-old romance unexpectedly trumpeted to station listeners in September.
During a fill-in stint for Rebecca Wilde on the “Wilde and Fee” morning show, Toohey’s a.m. cohorts announced a hot couple had been spotted canoodling at the Dave Matthews Band concert. “I thought it was Jessica Simpson or something,” she recalls.
Instead, they announced it was Toohey and Richards who had been spotted looking cozy at Blossom Music Center. Toohey smartly sidestepped the ambush. But faster than you can say, “yeah, we’re together,” a Q104 employee tracked Richards down at home and secured an on-air confirmation. Soon, listeners were calling in to voice their support, including an ordained minister who offered to perform a marriage ceremony for the couple on the radio.
“It’s an unbelievable family atmosphere,” Richards says. “The listeners know us. They’ve lived with us and are happy for us.”
The couple say they get along great, which we’ll chalk up at least a bit to the fact that Toohey and Richards each get time to themselves. She works afternoons; he works evenings. And three months in, they’re ready to offer advice to anyone else thinking about taking a dive into the workplace dating pool.
“Set your terms and boundaries from the beginning,” Toohey says. “Decide how you’d handle it if you should break up. If you have an argument, keep it out of work.”
“That’s not being pessimistic,” Richards agrees. “It helps.”
