The Hour Video Podcast http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/ Want a different look at the news? Watch to The Hour. The Hour isn't your average newscast, it's more like hanging out with someone who's really interested in the world. The Hour - a current affairs show hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos. Watch new video clips every weekday. Want a different look at the news? Watch to The Hour. The Hour isn't your average newscast, it's more like hanging out with someone who's really interested in the world. The Hour - a current affairs show hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos. Watch new video clips every weekday. CBC, Strombo, George, Strombolopolos, Stroumboulopoulos, News, Canada, podcast en-ca The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos thehour@cbc.ca (The Hour) CBC - The Hour copyright 2007 CBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. thehour@cbc.ca News no http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/itunes_graphic.jpg http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/ http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091109MargaretAtwood.mov Margaret Atwood comes by to talk about 'The Year of the Flood' and to play a duet on the piano with George. Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST 14:17 **20091109_atwood**, TheHour, Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood comes by to talk about 'The Year of the Flood' and to play a duet on the piano with George. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091109ViggoMortensen.mov Viggo Mortensen returns to The Hour to chat about fatherhood and his new film, 'The Road'. Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST 14:17 **20091109_**, TheHour, Hugh Dillon Viggo Mortensen returns to The Hour to chat about fatherhood and his new film, 'The Road'. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091029_HughDillon.mov Star of 'Flashpoint' and 'Durham County', Hugh Dillon also has a new album. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 15:09 **20091029_dillon**, TheHour, Hugh Dillon Star of 'Flashpoint' and 'Durham County', Hugh Dillon also has a new album. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091029_JulietteLewis.mov With a new movie and a new album, Juliette Lewis has a lot to talk about in this visit with George.. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:49 **20091029_lewis**, TheHour, Juliette Lewis With a new movie and a new album, Juliette Lewis has a lot to talk about in this visit with George. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091023_SteveBallmer.mov Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer chats with George. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 17:19 **20091023_ballmer**, TheHour, Steve Ballmer Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer chats with George. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091023_SnoopDogg.mov Snoop Dogg visits with George. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 20:53 **20091023_snoopdogg**, TheHour, Snoop Dogg Snoop Dogg visits with George. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091023_BrianBurke.mov Leafs GM Brian Burke joins George on the show. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 16:25 **20091023_burke**, TheHour, Brian Burke Leafs GM Brian Burke joins George on the show. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091023_MichaelMoore.mov Michael Moore discusses his new film, 'Capitalism: A Love Story'. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST 15:22 **20091023_moore**, TheHour, MichaelMoore Michael Moore discusses his new film, 'Capitalism: A Love Story'. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20091023_Richard Dawkins.mov Scientist and atheist Dawkins visits with George. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST -1:00 TheHour, **20091023_dawkins**, Richard Dawkins Scientist and atheist Dawkins visits with George. George Stroumboulopoulos http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090527_jewison.mp4 Some people are born story tellers. Jewison has been doing it for more than fifty years. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST -1:00 TheHour, **20090527_jewison** Some people are born story tellers. Jewison has been doing it for more than fifty years. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=5421652 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20080408_moby.mp4 Releasing his sixth studio album, a tribute to New York's club scene. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 14:56 **20080408_moby**, TheHour, INTRVW, CLBRTY, Moby, George Stroumboulopoulos Moby - aka Richard Melville Hall - is a rarity in the electronic music world. He started in the early 80's playing with a hardcore punk band - 'The Vatican Commandoes.' And he learned to play the piano and drums - skills that would come in handy as a one man production machine. In the mid 1980s, Moby switched to DJ'ing, and by 1990, he released his first single, 'Mobility.' The b-side to that was a song called 'Go' and went straight to the top 10 in the UK. Then in 1999, Moby hit it big in '99 with his album 'Play.' How big? Try 9 million sold, plus, it became the first album to have all of its songs commerically licensed. But Moby's not just about the music. He's used his success to fight for animal rights, the environment, and lesser known evils, like road safety in Africa. Plus, he's still making music. His latest CD - called 'Last Night' - comes out in April. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=732455935 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090209_ramsay.mp4 Chef Gordon Ramsay talks about *@%#, *%#@ and %#*ing. Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 12:32 **20090209_ramsay**, TheHour, Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay started his professional life with the Glasgow Rangers, in the Scottish premier soccer league. Kitchens and cooking weren't even on his radar until a knee injury ended his career. After making the switch from soccer to fine dining, he worked his way up in British and French restaurants. By 26, he was running his own kitchen and around that time, Britain's Channel 4 produced a documentary on Gordon called 'Boiling Point.' That opened the door to a TV career, that started with 'Kitchen Nightmares.' Then, there was 'Hell's Kitchen' and now his latest - 'The F-Word.' Along the way, Gordon built an empire. He became a multi-millionaire, with dozens of restaurants around the world and he's written more than 10 books. His most recent is called 'Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1028982716 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090218_mandel.mp4 Howie Mandel somehow manages to be both hilarious and heartfelt without even trying. Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 5:47 **20090218_mandel**, TheHour, Howie Mandel Howie Mandel broke into show business in the early 80's. Growing up in Toronto he was a notorious 'class clown - who pulled a few pranks in high school - and got expelled. By the time he was 24, he was in the carpet business. nThen, in 1979 - during a business trip to Los Angeles - Howie's life took a huge turn. He and some friends went to the legendary club - "The Comedy Store."nIt was amateur night and Howie's friends convinced him to get on stage. Well, a producer was in the audience, liked Howie's routine and booked him for a TV appearance. Next thing ya know, Howie was opening for Diana Ross in Vegas and a star on 'St. Elsewhere.' Then in 2005, Howie hit it big again with 'Deal or No Deal.' Now he's back with a new show called 'Howie Do It'. It goes back to one of his first loves - pranks and practical jokes. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1040025129 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090303_burton.mp4 LeVar Burton discusses his career, online presence, tattoo and learns something new about Geordi La Forge. Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 11:35 **20090303_burton**, TheHour, LeVar Burton For a certain generation, LeVar Burton is synonymous with one of the most powerful programs in TV history - 'Roots'. At 19, in the role of 'Kunta Kinte' LeVar became instantly famous. That was 1977, in 1983, along came another landmark moment. LeVar became the host and co-producer of a PBS program called 'Reading Rainbow' encouraging children to read. It lasted 25 years and won 13 Emmy awards. Oh, and don't forget, in 1987 LeVar landed the role of Lieutenant Commander Geordi Laforge - the blind chief engineer on 'Star Trek - The New Generation' nThat show was hugely popular and LeVar appeared in every episode. If that weren't enough, in the Will Smith film 'Ali' LeVar played Martin Luther King Jr. Now, he's starring in a drama on Super Channel called 'Taken in Broad Daylight.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1051793156 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090319_atwood.mp4 Margaret Atwood was inspired to write her latest book after seeing ads on the subway. Find out why. Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:01 **20090319_atwood**, TheHour, Margaret Atwood Margaret Atwood started writing at the tender age of 5. In university, she self-published her first book of poems and won her first Governor General's Award in her 20's. Margaret is best-known for her novels like 'Surfacing,' 'A Handmaid's Tale,' and 'Oryx and Crake.' But she's also written essays, satire, kid's books, operas, and cartoons. She's also won almost every major literary award under the sun. In her latest book, Margaret tackles the subject of debt. She started working on it back in 2005 - when we are all living high and it hit stores just weeks after the financial crisis kicked in last fall. It's called 'Payback - Debt and The Shadow Side of Wealth.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1067285525 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090331_frum.mp4 How did a Canadian born kid go on to become a speech writer for George W. Bush and a respected political analyst in the US? Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST 12:06 **20090331_frum**, TheHour, David Frum David Frum is an American citizen who grew up in Canada - surrounded by news and politics. His mother - Barbara Frum - was one of this country's most respected journalists. David went to Yale before graduating at age 27 from Harvard's law school. From there, he worked on the Wall Street Journal's editorial board and as a columnist for Forbes magazine. His ties to the Republican party go back nearly 30 years. He backed the war in Iraq and as a speech writer for President George W. Bush, he helped put these words together. Frum has also written several books - earning a reputation as a respected political analyst and columnist. In a recent piece for Newsweek magazine, he takes direct aim at Rush Limbaugh, the piece is simply titled, 'Why Rush is Wrong.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1079829841 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090311_katvond.mp4 How does a classically trained pianist become one of the most famous tattoo artists in the world? Watch and learn. Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 9:47 **20090311_katvond**, TheHour, Kat Von D Kat Von D is an artist and her canvas is the human body. As a kid, Kat was into sketching, she was always drawing something. By 14, Kat had dropped out of school, got her first tattoo (an old english 'J' on her ankle and started tattooing her friends. By 16, she had her first legit gig at Sin City Tattoo - honing her skills on convicts, junkies and gang members. For the next while, Kat paid her dues in shops around California, until she got a job at a place in Hollywood called 'True Tattoo' - with ink legend Chris Garver. Eventually, Chris got his own reality series - 'Miami Ink' - and he wanted a woman on the show. Two seasons later, she opened her own shop - High Voltage - which became the backdrop for her own show 'LA Ink'. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1059731780 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090225_clark.mp4 Joe Clark talk about politics and getting punched in the nose Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:15 **20090225_clark**, TheHour, Joe Clark In 1976, Joe Clark came out of the blue to win the Progressive Conservative Party leadership. A few years later, Joe Clark - just 39 at the time - became the Prime Minister. He didn't last long in the job though, just seven months later, his government fell on a non-confidence vote on the budget. But Joe didn't disappear, he remained in Parliament as an MP and when Mulroney led the Tories to a majority government in 1984 Clark joined his cabinet. In 1993, Clark called it quits, but five years later, he was back as leader of the dying Progressive Conservatives. He fought against a merger with the more conservative Canadian Alliance, but in the end, Clark couldn't stop it. Clark refused to join the new Conservative party and he spent his final days in Parliament as an independent Progressive Conservative before leaving for good in 2004. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1046635445 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20081106_leon.mp4 What you get when you mix three sons of a Pentecostal preacher and a cousin from Tennessee. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 11:43 **20081106_leon**, TheHour, CLBRTY, Kings of Leon How did a bunch of home-schooled boys from Tennessee go on to sell out stadiums around the world? Well, Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill are brothers and along with their first cousin Matthew they are 'Kings Of Leon.' The brothers grew up driving across the south with their dad - a Pentecostal preacher. They didn't really have a home, they lived on the road, going from one church service to the next, sleeping in hotels, churches, even their car. They didn't listen to rock music, or watch TV. But just over ten years ago, everything changed. Their dad left the church and divorced his wife. So, the boys started to get into music, formed a band and by 2002, 'Kings of Leon' had interest from nine labels. After a bidding war, the guys released their debut EP in 2003. Five years of touring and four records latern'Kings of Leon' sells out arenas now, in under an hour. They're huge in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. And are starting to hit it big in the U-S. They've opened for U2, Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam. 'Rolling Stone' magazine recently asked "How good can these guys get?"nTheir new album is called 'Only By The Night.' It debuted in the top 5 in Canada, with the hit single 'Sex on Fire.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=922448193 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20080918_peters.mp4 His roots, his future and his unwillingness to believe that Barry White is dead. Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 10:53 **20080918_peters**, TheHour, CLBRTY, Russell Peters, George Stroumboulopoulos Russell Peters is the golden boy of comedy, or as he may put it, the golden-brown boy of comedy. Growing up in Brampton, Ontario, Russell was a child of the 80's, weened on hip-hop & boxing, before diving into comedy 18 years ago. Since then, there's been no looking back. He's revered as one of the superstars of comedy, having sold out Madison Square Garden,nSydney's Opera House and The Air Canada Centre (two nights in a row. He's on the show tonight to talk about his roots, his future and his unwillingness to believe that Barry White is dead. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=860202048 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20080922_spike.mp4 From his first film, "She's Gotta Have It", Spike has made films his own way. 20 years later he still is and the world's still watching. Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 17:28 **20080922_spike**, TheHour, CLBRTY, Spike Lee Spike Lee was born in Atlanta and grew up in Brooklyn, the son of a jazz musician and art teacher. His road to the top has been an amazing on, it all started with "She's Gotta Have It" 1986, since then he's followed up with "Do The Right Thing", "Jungle Fever", "Malcolm X", "Inside Man" and more. His films have dealt with race, politics, wealth and with his latest, "Miracle at St. Anna" - war. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=864316555 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090205_uncutbettman.mp4 The full, uncut interview with Gary Bettman. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 30:59 **20090205_uncutbettman**, TheHour, The full, uncut interview with Gary Bettman. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1024154659 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090205_mewes.mp4 Jason Mewes, AKA "Jay" from "Jay and Silent Bob" sits down to discuss how he's working his way back up from rock bottom Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:40 **20090205_mewes**, TheHour, Jason Mewes, If adversity makes you stronger, Jason Mewes should be 'Superman' by now. Jay was raised in a working class town, in New Jersey. His mother was an ex-con and a heroin addict. Growing up, Jason used to hang out at a rec center - where he met his best friend Kevin Smith. In 1994, Kevin cast Jason in his debut film - 'Clerks.' Jay and Kevin played 'Jay and Silent Bob' - who went on to become cult heroes. But here's the thing - in the mid 90's, Jason got hooked on heroin. Around the same time, Jason's mother was diagnosed with AIDS. She died in 2002 and Jason's addiction got so bad, Kevin wouldn't let him work on his film 'Jersey Girl.' A few months later, Jay hit rock bottom, so in late 2003, under a court order, he did 6 months of rehab. He's been clean ever since. Not only that, but Jay is acting again. He was in Kevin's latest film - 'Zack and Miri Make A Porno.' He's also the creative director and producer at 'Seven Star Pictures' and developing projects of his own. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1024150469 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090119_agassi.mp4 Shai Agassi is looking to make electric cars a reality and he's taking cues from the mobile phone industry to do so. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 10:53 **20090119_agassi**, TheHour, Shai Agassi, Electric Car Shai Agassi left a successful career in computers to start 'Better Place'. His vision is to make electric cars a reality. Now electric cars aren't new. They've been around for over a hundred yearsnBut they never quite took off. Batteries are heavy, expensive and they don't take you very far before they need recharging. So how does Agassi plan to get around this? Well the cars would be cheap and outlets to charge your car would be everywhere. You'd have a fee plan like you do for your mobile phone, an unlimited miles plan, a maximum miles plannor even pay as you go. Lastly, if you don't have time to charge your car, you could simply go to a station and they'll exchange your battery in minutes. He's got Israeli President Shimon Peres on board and they're planning to make Israel one big electric car experiment. Denmark are interested toonSo are Hawaii, California and even Ontario. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1006288241 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090119_jackson.mp4 Joshua Jackson shares the secret of his "Dragon Room" and talks shop about his latest work. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 12:18 **20090119_jackson**, TheHour, Joshua Jackson, Pacey, Dawson''s Creek Joshua Jackson has managed to pull off what a lot of actors don't. He went from being a teen idol, to a serious actor working with some of Hollywood's biggest stars. Joshua got his start at age 9, when he landed the role of 'Charlie' in that Emilio Estevez classic "Mighty Ducks." That film was a hit and he went on to star in the sequels. By 1998, they knew who he was down in Hollywood so he landed the 'Dawson's Creek' gig and for six seasons, he was pretty much every teenage girls' "imaginary" boyfriend. Along the way he starred in movies like "Scream 2" and "Skulls." He played a gay teenager in "Cruel Intentions" along with the lovely Sarah Michelle Gellar. When Dawson's Creek ended in 2002 Josh went on to look for "more mature" films. There was "I Love Your Work" alongside Giovanni Ribisi and Christina Ricci. 'Aurora Borealis' with Donald Sutherland and Juliette Lewis and 'Bobby' with Anthony Hopkins and Helen Hunt. Last year, Joshua returned to TV as Peter Bishop, in the series "Fringe." He also came back to Canada to star in the road movie "One Week" - a film about a young man's motorcycle trip from Toronto to Vancouver. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1006295904 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090211_noth.mp4 Chris Noth, AKA - Mr. Big, AKA - Detective Mike Logan, AKA - a transvestite prostitute? Wait a sec... Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 11:36 **20090211_noth**, TheHour, Chris Noth, You know him as Mr. Big, or if 'Law and Order' is more your thing, he's detective Mike Logan. Chrish Noth made his film debut in 'Smithereens', a film released in 1982 in which Chris plays the role of a transvestite prostitute. Perhaps not the most note-worthy role, but in 1986, he made his TV debut on 'Hill Street Blues.' Three years later, he landed his first lead in the film 'Jakarta.' The next year, Chris got his big break - 'Law and Order.' He left the show in 1995 and three years later, scored his other major series. Over the next six seasons, he played Carrie's on-again, off-again, on-again boyfriend. He also reprised his role on 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent.' nLast year he hit the big screen again with the 'Sex and the City' movie. Now, Chris is in town to supporting the 'women & babies' program at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and their "One Night Live" concert fundraiser. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1031522067 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20070918_bseferg.mp4 Not quite as tough as he seems. Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 2:16 **20070918_bseferg**, TheHour, INTRVW, TOPCAL, Craig Ferguson, George Stroumboulopoulos Craig Ferguson does a little bit of everything. A writer, actor, producer, director, pretty much anything under the sun. One of Great Britain's great comics, you have seen him all over the television and movie scene. From his own show 'The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,' 'The Drew Carey Show,' and 'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.' So we thought, this guy has bound to have a few decent stories in that multi-purpose head of his. Craig Ferguson's Best Story Ever. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=739101299 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20071031_kennyspenny.mp4 The best of friends and the worst of enemies. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:24 **20071031_kennyspenny**, TheHour, INTRVW, TOPCAL, Kenny vs Spenny, George Stroumboulopoulos Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. But there's more to Kenny and Spenny - than petty fighting and humorous challenges. Their fathers were friends, and these guys have known each other as long as they can remember. In their teens, they began documenting the life of a homeless man known as Shorty Gordy. Next came 'Pitch' - their gonzo documentary about trying to sell a script about a transsexual mobster. And of course, their show 'Kenny vs Spenny,' where the two engage in hilarious challenges (Who can dance the longest, Who can drink the most alcohol, Who is the most 'sane' with the loser forced to do something incredibly embarrassing at the end. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=734556352 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20090121_pinette.mp4 You may remember stand up comedian John Pinette from the final episode of "Seinfeld" - he's the one that gets them all locked up. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 11:26 **20090121_pinette**, TheHour, John Pinette For more than 15 years, John Pinette has been making people laugh and he's done it, mostly by poking fun at his own life. According to John, it's the funniest thing he can think of. Like every great comic, he has paid his dues. His first huge break came in the early 90's, when he became Frank Sinatra's opening act. John has also starred in the hit Broadway musical 'Hairspray' and appeared in 'Duets' with Gwenyth Paltrow, 'The Punisher' with John Travolta and 'Junior' with Arnold Schwarzenegger But his passion is stand up. John's been named Comedian of the Year at the American Comedy Awards and he was nominated for a Gemini Award for a routine at Just For Laughs. He also holds the Just For Laughs record for the fastest selling solo show in festival history. These days, John is back on a Canadian tour called 'I Still Say Nay Nay.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1009543138 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20080407_cho.mp4 Outrageous, outspoken and has a new stand-up tour 'Beautiful.' Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 11:30 **20080407_cho**, TheHour, INTRVW, CLBRTY, Margaret Cho, George Stroumboulopoulos In 1994, Margaret Cho got her own sitcom on ABC, called 'All American Girl.' It was the first prime time series, featuring an Asian family. But before it had a chance, a TV exec told Margaret she was too heavy, and her face too round. She dropped 30 pounds in a month, got hooked on diet medications and alcohol - which led to kidney failure. And after just 19 episodes, the series was canceled! But Margaret channeled her anger, frustration and drinking into comedy. And, Margaret doesn't shy away from anything. She hits on sexuality, politics, racism, religion, plastic surgery, and even her mom. Her 1999 stand-up tour 'I'm the One That I Want' was a huge hit. And it led to a string of tours, 'Notorious C.H.O.' in 2001, 'Revolution' in 2003, 'Assassin' in 2005, and she was part of 2007's 'True Colors' tour featuring Cyndi Lauper and Deborah Harry. Now, Margaret's at it again, touring a new show called 'Beautiful.' Plus, she's working on a reality show and just directed a short film. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=732421762 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20061114_connolly.mp4 One of the funniest men ever. The great comedian Billy Connolly. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 8:06 **20061114_connolly**, TheHour, INTRVW, TOPCAL, Billy Connolly, George Stroumboulopoulos He's Scottish, he's vulgar, and he yells a lot. He's been called the Scottish George Carlin. And the Big Yin. The great comedian Billy Connolly. He's on tour in Canada until December performing his show 'Too Old to Die Young.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=728668650 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20080924_judah.mp4 Bigfoot expert? Check. Famous actor? Check. Hilarious stand-up comedian? Yup. Folks, Judah Friedlander is in the house. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 8:08 **20080924_judah**, TheHour, Judah Friedlander, CLBRTY Judah Friedlander is a stand-up comic and an actor who can steal a scene with a single line. As if that wasn't enough, he's also the "World Champion of the World." What does that mean exactly? Well, in Judah's words - he's "the greatest athlete in the world." Judah is a 12th Degree Black Belt in more than 4-thousand, 500 forms of martial arts. He's scored 243 goals in a single soccer match... And is the number 1 air hockey player in the world. Oh, he's also a Bigfoot expert and a former Navy Seal who - in the words of the champ himself - "bangs a lot of chicks and is a role model to children." How can this not be the best interview you'll see all day? George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=866711796 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20081202_cheechchong.mp4 Cheech & Chong toke and joke. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 10:53 **20081202_cheechchong**, TheHour, Cheech Chong Cheech and Chong got their start at a strip club in Vancouver. Tommy Chong was managing it and Richard 'Cheech' Marin was - well, he was around. Cheech had moved to Canada in the late 60's, to escape the draft for Vietnam. Tommy convinced him to join an improv troupe he was putting together and the next year, 'Cheech and Chong' went back to L-A, and started playing clubs. By the early 70's, they hit it big with a series of comedy albums and in '78, they made their first film, the classic - 'Up in Smoke.' It was the highest grossing comedy of the year, earning more than 100 million dollars. In all, the guys did eight films, nine albums and they won a Grammy Award. They were riding high, but in 1985, 'Cheech and Chong' broke up and not on the best terms. After going their separate ways and achieving both success and notoriety independent of one and other, the guys have finally reunited for a tour called 'Cheech and Chong Light Up America and Canada.' George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=949023008 http://podcast.cbc.ca/thehour/itunes/videos/20081015_mitchell.mp4 Finesse Mitchell freely admits to having stumbled into comedy. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST 13:16 **20081015_mitchell**, TheHour, Finesse Mitchell, CLBRTY When Finesse Mitchell was born, his mom was just 15. Eventually, she became a teacher and she made sure Finesse understood the importance of education. So after high school, he went to the University of Miami, to get a degree in finance. But Miami is also a football factory. Finesse tried out for the team, and ended up making it - as a walk on. At the same time, Finesse was hanging out in Miami's comedy clubs and decided to take a chance on "open mike" night. That was his first taste of real comedy. Along the way, he finished school, moved back to Atlanta and worked in the insurance biz. But Finesse never stopped telling jokes. Eventually, the producers of 'Comic View' - on 'Black Entertainment Television' - saw his stuff. He quickly became a favourite and eventually, got a call from 'Saturday Night Live.' Finesse spent 3 seasons on SNL. He also wrote a book called 'Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much' - where he gives dating advice to women. If that weren't enough, he's also the host of this year's Just For Laughs Tour. George Stroumboulopoulos http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=891584392