Em Rusciano has addressed radio industry rumours that she is a "diva" and difficult to work with.
The 2DayFM breakfast host has said while she tries to tone down her strong personality in the workplace, she can still be a "shit" team player. However, after snapping at a colleague she will lie awake at night riddled with guilt.
The radio personality made the frank admissions to fellow comedian and commercial radio host Will Anderson for the latest episode of his Wilosophy podcast. During the hour-long chat, Rusciano said she gets her fiery nature from her father.
"I'm kind to a point," she said. "My dad doesn't have a middle ground, no crescendo. He's Italian. As a kid, you went from everything's fine to him just screaming and throwing things at you. I'm the same a bit.
"I just turn… and then I become a different person. I know there is a perception about me and I am hyper aware of it. I'm difficult or that I'm a diva, I'm hard to work with or just hard work in general."
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Australian comedian, singer and radio presenter Em Rusciano.
Photo: James Brickwood
Rusciano said she feels like she creates a "self-fulfilling" prophecy sometimes by trying to tone down her personality.
"I will go into a situation initially kind, just listening to everyone," she said. "But then I'm pretty impatient. I'm a perfectionist and a little bit nutty. When someone I feel like is getting in my way or slowing me down or isn't listening, then I just turn.
"Then I'm impatient, I'm mean, I'm a bitch. I'm not a team player. I'm shit in a team. I think I'm a good leader, but I'm not good at listening to other people's opinions if they're different to mine. But if people could look into my soul, they could see that I'm not a shit person."
The 2DayFM breakfast host survived last year's reshuffle and now broadcasts alongside Grant Denyer and Ed Kavalee. The trio recorded a one point gain in last month's radio ratings, putting the program just above Triple J for the first time since Rusciano picked up the timeslot.
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Broede Carmody is an entertainment reporter at Fairfax Media.
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