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Ex-KNIX producer Joe Wallace talks dismissal on Matt McAllister's 2nd Facebook Live

Randy Cordova

The Republic | azcentral.com

Matt McAllister (right) with his wife, Vanessa (left) and son Jude; former producer Joe Wallace; and Wallace's girlfriend, Sophie Agbayani.

For the second time in less than a week, former KNIX-FM (102.5) personality Matt McAllister took to Facebook Live to discuss his life following his surprise dismissal over the Christmas holiday.

Unlike the first chat, no new ground was broken during his appearance at on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 16. But this time around, McAllister brought along former morning show producer Joe Wallace, who was let go along at the same time. Or, to be more precise, five minutes later, Wallace said.

VIDEO:Matt McAllister, ex-KNIX morning host, opens up in Facebook Live

Here are some high points from the chat.

McAllister on his job prospects: "Nothing great to talk about, no great updates," was how he summed it up. It's not gloom and doom, however. "I'm still gainfully unemployed, but tomorrow we have a good phone call ... who knows, could be something, could be nothing, but, I don't know, we're optimistic, we're hopeful."

Wallace on the dismissal: The friendly producer took a decidedly spiritual perspective on the whole affair, which has been a heated topic on social media. "It’s a hard thing to explain. But I’ll say this, and again, I don’t have a lot of facts grounded in reality to justify this, I’ll just say the timing felt right. … It was a shock, I wasn't expecting this … but at the same it just felt like, 'OK, this is a good time for this chapter to end and for the next chapter to begin, whatever that may be.' And I honestly don't know what that is."

Later, he discussed the subject in more detail.

“I'm 100 percent convinced that everything happens for a reason," he said, adding that there "is the feeling that, 'OK, yes, a big part of this is out of my hands and out of our hands,' but it's happening for the right reasons. ... It's all going to work out the way it's supposed to, that has to do with higher powers and everything else."

McAllister said that it was probably a blessing that they were both fired, because, “Joe and I were both terminated, but had he been, I would have quit, and vice versa. I think they did one of us a favor.”

McAllister on his Facebook Live presence: After seeing the positive reaction to last week’s chat, he said, "I just realized we started something here and it’s powerful, and you guys are powerful … I feel like this thing, whatever it is and wherever it goes, it’s exciting.”

There was an unusual aspect to the whole affair, however. After McAllister announced the time and day for his Facebook Live appearance on Monday, KNIX apparently scheduled a Facebook Live chat for the same day and time.

On KNIX and the new morning show: Some people took shots at his former station, but McAllister, like first lady Michelle Obama, never went low. “We’re not allowed to,” Wallace said. "That's not our game anyway," McAllister said. "We’re high-roaders. We’re positive.”

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On a future working with ex-partner Ben Campbell: A Facebook user asked if Campbell would join the team at another Phoenix station. McAllister said that was unlikely, but Wallace added, "The invitation’s open ... we don’t have a place or a job yet.”

McAllister reiterated his hope of staying in the Valley: “I’ve had interest from other places, one of them is in Boston … right now Joe and I want to focus on what we want, which is being here in Arizona and getting set up on another radio station to be with you guys.”

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Reach the reporter at randy.cordova@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8849. Twitter.com/randy_cordova.