August 6, 2012
THE BLONDES: Gerry Dee
Once in a while, a gym teacher comes along who's so hilarious that he ends up on NBC's 'Last Comic Standing', goes on to nail it at the 'Just for Laughs' Festival in Montreal, and then goes on to star in his very own comedy series on CBC. The funny man? Gerry Dee. The series? A brand new show called 'Mr. D', based on Gerry's real life story. Gerry grew up in Toronto, and spent 10 years teaching gym and coaching hockey at De La Salle College, a private co-ed high school. But the whole time, he was sitting on a pretty special gift: stand-up. Gerry started performing around the city, landed a role in the 'Trailer Park Boys' movie, and even got to play hockey great Wayne Cashman in the TV movie 'Canada Russia '72'. Mr. D premieres on CBC in January 2012... and meanwhile, Gerry's taking this glorious nation by storm with his one-man comedy tour, 'Life After Teaching'.
August 6, 2012
THE BLONDES: Samantha Bee
As 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart''s Most Senior Correspondent, Toronto's Samantha Bee has investigated some of America's most-pressing issues, from who's going to win the race to be president, to what's really going on in the Occupy Movement, to why there are so few Asian men in porn (seriously). Although she's based in New York, she still finds time to come home to visit - and work, appearing in shows like 'Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays' and 'Good Dog'. And she's picking up accolades, such as the Crystal Award for International Achievement, from Women in Film & Television - Toronto. Take note: that's international. 'Cause comedy, like news, knows no boundaries - and there's no telling where Samantha is going to take us next.
August 6, 2012
THE BLONDES: Coeur de Pirate
Béatrice Martin, aka Coeur de Pirate, may be young - she was born in 1989 - but she's hardly new to the music game. She started playing piano at three years old, and was a gigging keyboardist with post-hardcore band December Strikes First when she was only 15. Her first album under the Coeur de Pirate moniker, a self-titled record, came out in 2008, and was subsequently nominated for Francophone Album of the Year at the 2009 Junos. Her music is getting attention in other parts of the world as well: 'Blonde', from 2011, reached number five on the charts in France, and number two in French Belgium. Watch her performance to discover what everyone's talking about - a powerful yet vulnerable voice writing fresh yet classic-sounding songs.
August 7, 2012
THE LEGENDS: Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy's not often the main character in the movie, but the minute he shows up, you know he's gonna steal the show. Of course, Eugene's not just in movies, he writes them too. He and Christopher Guest have teamed up on story lines for four mainly-improvised comedies - like the classic Waiting for Guffman, and A Mighty Wind. Eugene won a Grammy for that film, and it also starred his longtime friend Catherine O'Hara from SCTV, a show that became a huge influence on the next generation of comedians. Eugene's also worked extensively with Gilda Radner. Since her death from cancer in 1989, Gilda's Club was established to provide social and emotional support to people whose lives have been touched by cancer. Their annual gala is called 'It's Always Something' and this year, Eugene takes the stage alongside some of this country's funniest people to raise money and pay tribute to a friend.
August 7, 2012
THE LEGENDS: Martin Short
Few performers have given us as many unforgettable characters as Martin Short: Ed Grimley, Jiminy Glick, Brock Linahan...and, of course, Franck. And now, all those characters from Martin's past have found their way back into his present. He's been touring a one-man show called 'Party With Marty'. It's a show that puts his phenomenal talents to good use, and it's given him a chance to reconnect with the characters he created at Saturday Night Live and SCTV to see how they've aged with him, and where they fit in today's world alongside the work he's done more recently - shows like 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Arrested Development'. Now, Martin's returning to another important part of his past -- his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. (Go Ticats!) He's working on a new TV special called 'I, Martin Short, Goes Home'. (If you don't get the reference, check out some of them classic SCTV shows.) The show reunites him with some of his pals from SCTV - many of whom have become family to him. And it returns Marty - who's lived in L.A., New York and Toronto - back to his roots.
August 7, 2012
THE LEGENDS: F***ed Up
You wouldn't think a band with a name as... commercially problematic as F***ed Up would have much chance of - or even much interest in - succeeding in the mainstream. But as with so many other things about them, the band's name is an attempt at pushing musical and conceptual boundaries. From frontman Damian Abraham's old tendency to stage-dive naked into the crowds at shows to mixing hardcore tunes with lyrics about plants and rebirth to releasing a 78-minute rock opera. That's their latest record, 'David Comes to Life', and as with their last couple of albums, it's received almost universal critical acclaim and won them new fans while pleasing the old. You can definitely expect the unexpected from F***ed Up. Just don't expect them to slow down.
August 8, 2012
THE FAMILY: Alan Thicke
For years, people have thought of Alan Thicke as the ultimate father figure: first, he was Kirk Cameron's TV dad on 'Growing Pains'; lately, he's been better known as R&B singer Robin Thicke's actual dad... But if there's one thing all awesome dads have in common, it's those crazy stories from their past - the stuff you never knew that make you see them in a whole new light. Alan Thicke? Well, he broke into show biz with the CBC, where he wrote musical segments for Tommy Hunter and did some comedy with SNL creator Lorne Michaels. After moving to LA, he worked as a TV writer for a list of Hollywood legends: Richard Pryor. Flip Wilson. Bill Cosby. Plus, he never stopped writing music. Theme songs for "Diff'rent Strokes" and "The Facts of Life"? Written by Alan. And once he found his role as Dr. Jason Seaver on 'Growing Pains', Alan found a career-defining role. Now, he's back on CBC to talk about another lifelong passion: hockey. He's defending 'The Game' by Ken Dryden, in this year's edition of Canada Reads. It might just be the greatest hockey book ever written, but it's also raises universal questions about character, toughness, and what it takes to succeed.
August 8, 2012
THE FAMILY: Ron James
Okay, it's no secret that Canada has produced some of the world's funniest people, and one of the funniest people currently working in this country is Ron James. Ron grew up in Nova Scotia, surrounded by friends and family who knew the value of a good story. He studied history at Acadia, but couldn't shake that feeling that he was ignoring his calling. After graduation, Ron moved to Toronto and joined the great Second City. Back then, he wanted to be an actor, so following in the footsteps of many a Canadian entertainer, Ron went to Los Angeles, and three years later, like many a Canadian entertainer, Ron came home. Undeterred, he turned his LA experience into a comedy special, 'Up and Down in Shaky Town'. The show was a hit, and marked the beginning of Ron's career in comedy. Now, Ron's got a weekly platform to express himself: 'The Ron James Show', here on CBC. It's Ron trying to make sense of our screwed-up world, from his own unique point of view.
August 8, 2012
THE FAMILY: The Sheepdogs
Okay, so whatever happened to good, greasy southern-fried rock? Bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers, singing ggroovy songs about bikes, bad attitudes and boogie nights? Well, that's the sound of the Sheepdogs. But there was a time when these Saskatoon rockers couldn't catch a break. Then the Sheepdogs entered a contest; beat out 16 other unsigned bands and landed on the cover of Rolling Stone. That led to a record deal, sold-out shows and a brand-new EP - it's called 'Five Easy Pieces'.
August 9, 2012
THE AMERICANS: Jason Segel
Back when Jason Segel was in high school, his drama teacher gave him some advice: The best actor in the world is doing dinner theatre somewhere, so if you ever start to feel entitled... don't. It's a lesson that stuck with Jason, even as he went from lanky teenager to one of Hollywood's funniest humans. When he was just 18, Jason was cast in the NBC show 'Freaks and Geeks'. Despite some serious talent, the show was cancelled after just one season.The years that followed were a low point for Jason's career, but it also forced him to focus on his writing, and become a better actor. Eventually, he landed a spot on 'How I Met Your Mother', made a memorable turn in 'Knocked Up', and then, his breakthrough: he wrote and starred in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', a film that exposed Jason to a whole new audience. Now, with more creative freedom, Jason is able to do the kind of work he always wanted - and, as it turns out, what he really wanted was to work with The Muppets. For Jason, it's an opportunity to help revive his childhood heroes, and an indication of how far he's come.
August 9, 2012
THE AMERICANS: Jeff Ross
Do you ever look around at some of today's celebrities and want to punch them all in the neck? But then you take a deep breath and acknowledge that kind of behavior isn't really encouraged in society, and really the next best thing would be to publically humiliate them with endless blistering insults? If you answered "yes!" to the two mandatory questions above, Jeff Ross is your guy. Donald Trump. Charlie Sheen. Pamela Anderson. Joan Rivers. Jeff Ross has roasted them all - you may have caught one of his well-known zing-fests on Comedy Central. As a kid growing up in New Jersey, Jeff was often the butt of jokes. He worked his way through the tough-talkin' Jersey stand-up comedy circuit and after years of hard work, he now holds the prestigious title of 'Roast Master General'.
August 9, 2012
THE AMERICANS: Trombone Shorty
The man born Troy Andrews isn't particularly short, but given that he started playing the trombone at age six - and has given the instrument a popular profile it hasn't had since last century - the name Trombone Shorty is a good one. Hailing from the Treme neighbourhood of New Orleans, Shorty has been a tireless ambassador for his hometown sound, but he isn't interested in Big Band revivalism: he describes the music he plays with his band Orleans Avenue as "supafunkrock", something beyond jazz, rock or anything else. "Supafunkrock is basically high energy, it's funky, it's rocking, it's just a musical gumbo," he has said. "There are so many things rolled into one, that we just call it supafunkrock." Shorty and Orleans Avenue recently released the album "For True" on the Verve Forecast label, and have been bowling over everyone from fans, critics and fellow musicians in shows around the globe.
August 10, 2012
THE CREW: Russell Peters
When it comes to how Canadians feel about skin colour, ethnicity and stereotypes, no comedian has had more impact than Russell Peters. Russell grew up in Brampton, Ontario, the first member of his family to be born in Canada. When he started doing stand-up, he talked about his Indian heritage, and how South Asian and Asian culture fit in North American society. Like the best stand-ups, Russell sometimes made people uncomfortable, but his comedy spoke to people all over the world. These days, Russell has entered a new phase of his life: Married, with a young daughter, and a growing acting career. His latest movie is called "Breakaway", about a group of Sikh-Canadians who decide to form a hockey team. Just like Russell's comedy, its a light-hearted reminder of the values that really matter.
August 10, 2012
THE CREW: Angelo Tsarouchas
We all have fantasies, right? Like being a rock star, winning the World Cup, riding a pink unicorn (hey, it's a fantasy). But who ever actually goes out there and chases their dreams? Angelo Tsarouchas, for one. Angelo always wanted to be a comedian, so when he was in his mid-thirties, he put his thriving travel agency on hold to give stand-up a go. His gamble paid off: Angelo has toured the world with his hugely successful show, 'It's All Greek To Me', and appeared in dozens of films and TV shows. Now he's bringing it home with a new tour, 'Lil Angelo's Big Canada Show'.
August 10, 2012
THE CREW: k-os
k-os (AKA Kevin Brereton) is a genre bending artist rooted in hip hop, who has won multiple Juno Awards, a Grammy nomination, and a Source Award for Best International Artist. A self described "mad musical scientist," k-os has written, performed and produced nearly all parts of his 4 albums.
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