Movember's Power Couple

As the host of City TV’s Breakfast Television Edmonton, Ryan Jespersen delivers a “weekday wake up call” with a style reminiscent of the early days of MuchMusic: hip, cool, and relevant, with a “guerilla-like” approach. There is an ease to Jespersen’s rapport with the audience, his guests, and his co-hosts that makes him immediately likable. He’s the slightly sardonic “man’s man” the men want to drink with, and the affable “cute guy” the women want to flirt with. There’s a hint of rebelliousness behind that ear to ear grin and the warmth with which he flashes it makes us like him even more. Combine this with his strong opinions and willingness to say what is on his mind, and Jespersen is no typical morning show host.

Seated on the edge of an oversized armchair within the street level City TV studios on Edmonton’s Jasper Avenue, 34 year-old Ryan Jespersen invites us to start the day with a laugh, a hint of sarcasm, and a “get up and get ‘er dun” attitude that any Edmontonian can relate to.

But meet with Jespersen in the company of his wife, and the grin takes on a different meaning. Seated at a table in a downtown pub, Jespersen places his chin in his hand, eyes glued to Kari Skelton’s face, spellbound as she speaks in the chair next to him.

“There are times when I crush on her all over again,” he says. “She’ll say something and she isn’t trying to be sexy but it’s just so sexy.” The look on Jespersen’s face says it all:

“I still can’t believe this woman loves me.”

If Ryan is entirely lovestruck by the pettite, vivacious, caramel blonde in the chair next to him, no one can blame him.

There is no denying Kari Skelton is an uncommon beauty — the type of woman men slay dragons for. But spend a few moments in conversation with her, and one immediately realizes that beneath those mile high cheek bones is a savvy, down-home girl quite capable of slaying her own dragons (thank you very much), and willing to share a cheese covered plate of nachos and a drink with the boys once the battle is won. One drink.

“I’m a lightweight,” she says as she refuses another glass of wine. “One is good. Any more than that and I’m under the table.”

Despite her diminutive stature, 30 year-old Kari Skelton is anything but a “lightweight”. Most recently recognized as one of Avenue Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” (Jespersen is also an alumni of this esteemed recognition), Skelton is a whirlwind of a woman. Her weekday mornings are spent as co-host of the Up! 99.3 morning radio show Wake Up! with Jason and Kari. And wake Edmonton up she does.

Refusing to delve into the murky waters of morning drive radio broadcasts that appeal to the lowest common denominator, “Wake Up!” is a positive start to the workday. Smut free, it’s a breath of fresh air in a market saturated with the salacious. Like Skelton herself, “Wake Up!” is an invitation to positivity. In addition to that, Skelton is a host/producer for myEdmonton on Telus TV. Balancing a nearly 80-hour work week with marriage, family, friends and her dedication to the city she lives in is no small task.

“It’s not okay with us to go months without spending time with our friends or with our families. We make time to be with them. We don’t just run into them after months of not seeing them.”

When Skelton is asked how she and her husband manage to squeeze in everything, her response is enough to make any adversary of early morning hours shudder.

“I’m up by 3:30 every morning. Ryan sleeps in until 4:00. Really it’s not that different than getting up at 6:30. It’s the first half hour that sucks.”

The schedule this young “power couple” keeps is unimaginable to most of us, and yet in addition to the somewhat inhumane hours required by their jobs, the duo are always willing to support a local charity via public appearances, championing a cause, and charity event hosting. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Kari and Ryan in person, you most likely did so as a result of their community involvement, something they do on their own time and with unparalleled enthusiasm. When asked about the sacrifice this requires in terms of time alone as a couple or personal “down time”, Jespersen is quick with his response:

“Being fit. That’s what I’ve sacrificed. I was in pretty good shape when we got married. Kari makes time for exercise and taking care of herself. She schedules it. She doesn’t compromise that. I don’t know how she does it. I need to but I don’t. But I was in great shape when we got married.”

A dreamy look comes over Skelton’s face. “Oh, his biceps! When we got married his biceps were so BIG.” She finishes this commentary with a throaty laugh and a playful slap to Ryan’s knee. He smiles and laughs back.

“It’s no sacrifice,” Jespersen adds. “Why live in a community and not be involved in it? If you can do something, why do nothing? I see people who could do something but are not doing anything and sometimes it pisses me off. I’ll support anything I can in this city. Kari and I will promote any worthy cause to help it succeed. It’s what we do.”

He means it. This couple literally walks the walk through their involvement in the YWCA “Walk A Mile” campaign, the “White Out” campaign to end domestic violence, and Edmonton realtor Jerry Aulenbach’s “#yegHelp” event to benefit the RLP Shelter Foundation, which they co-host.

At the heart of these two Edmonton champions is the “Movember” fundraiser. Both are fully dedicated to the Prostate Cancer awareness and fundraising campaign. For Jespersen, it’s personal and hits close to home.

“Ryan lost his grandfather to prostate cancer,” Skelton explains. “This campaign means a great deal to him and so it means a great deal to me.”

Jespersen raises funds through his Movember web page and raises awareness by growing a mustache of near Tom Selleck proportions that he flaunts on BT Edmonton throughout the entire month of November. “This charity is the one I personally raise money for. That’s not to say I don’t work for other good causes, but this is the campaign I put my whole heart into.”

Skelton’s response to Jespersen’s dedication to the Movember campaign was to organize the MoSistas of Edmonton, along with Amanda Babichuk and Jackie Whitson.

“We wanted women to know how they could support the men in their lives and what they could do to encourage their partners to get checked. There are so many aspects of prostate cancer women aren’t aware of because survivors don’t talk about them. It’s hard for men to talk about the after effects. Women need to be educated about prostate cancer just as much as men do. If it affects the men in our lives, it affects us. We can participate. We can help.”

With that, this young couple share a brief glance. In that moment there is no one else at the table but the two of them. It takes them a minute and an “ahem” to remember they aren’t alone, and a question about their future plans brings them back from each other.

“I want a dog,” Kari says. “I really miss my dog. I left her with my parents because we can’t have pets in our condo.”

“Someday we’ll get a dog. But it’s not sleeping on the bed.” For the first time during the interview, Jespersen is entirely unconvincing.

“You’ll change your mind,” Skelton says with a smile.

Ryan smiles back but says nothing. It’s obvious from the look on his face: his mind was already changed when Kari said “I want a dog.” He looks across the table and shrugs.

“I can’t resist her,” he says.

We get it, Ryan. Neither can we.

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Photos supplied by Jimmy Jeong.