The CBC has made some seriously questionable moves in the past few years in order to try to maintain its relevance and budget in a quickly evolving media world. Some examples include the slashing of thousands of jobs, allowing the iconic Hockey Night in Canada theme song to be bought by another station, hiding their blatant knowledge of Ghomeshi's workplace harassment...and trying to revamp Hockey Night in Canada for a new, younger audience.
The revamp of HNIC consisted of a change of music, stage, personalities and technology, it was a full overhaul from the low-key tradition of the show which boasted a crazy old man in flamboyant suits yelling for 15 minutes about icing rules and anti-Russian sentiments. The old Hockey Hotstove was so boring it would cause comatose patients to wake up just to change the channel. Unfortunately, the all-new was just that, all new. It was like taking an 80 year old woman and putting her in hot pants and heels trying to make her sing Nikki Minaj and Beyoncé. It's fine to update the classic things, but let's not overdo it. Visually, the revamp was as garish as a cougar with a neon sign. One of their main new show pieces was Canadian mini-celebrity George Strombolopolous (who we will henceforth call Strombo for obvious reasons). Strombo was well-known to most Canadians, especially those in the 25-45 age range, the CBC new target audience.
Strombo started out on Canadian TV as a MuchMusic VJ; for those of you under 25 a VJ was a host on a music channel who talked about music and music videos...before YouTube made this possible for everyone to do. He was handsome and knowledgeable, he hosted the Punk Show and seemed to have a cool edgy vibe that resonated with teens and young adults. He was given his own radio show, another dead media form, but "The Strombo Show" prospered; showing he was more than a pretty Greek face and had charisma and charm as well as well-rounded knowledge of the Canadian, American and international music scenes. He gained notoriety for this interviewing skills, reputable members of the music scene would actually seek out his show as he was intelligent and knowledgeable. This lead to him being showcased back on television on 'The Hour", a late night talk show. This was not a Leno or Letterman type show, it played more to his interviewing skills and was geared more towards his 'hip' vibe, with his gelled hair and skinny jeans, he was still aimed at the younger viewers in an attempt to get them interested in the world around them. This allowed Strombo to extend his influence beyond the music scene and into pop culture, politics, current events etc. His continued success on "The Hour" caused him to be brought south of the border to CNN, where they gave him a similar type of show, thinking that Americans would take to his hip youthful style that CNN vets like Larry King weren't as steeped in. Unfortunately, although his show was (in my opinion) very well done and very intelligent, Americans just did not welcome the tight-trousered canuck into their hearts. His stint on CNN ended after one year's brief run and he came back to Canada.
The CBC welcomed him back and excitedly offered him the hosting job of the iconic and beloved, but rating slumped HNIC. A hip new host was believed to be exactly what was needed to get Canadians back on CBC for Saturday nights and through the far too long playoff season.
They were so wrong.
Strombo is a media man, he is intelligent, he is witty and charismatic. He is NOT a hockey guy. He has never played even semi-pro, he has never coached, he has not spent time as a sportscaster, sports journalist or, judging from his conversations, really watched many games. He is also a terrible actor (see his comedy hosting on Just For Laughs). He cannot pretend to be a hockey guy convincingly, often coming off as well-suited for a hockey conversation as Donald Trump would be for a talk on foreign policy. If there is one thing Canadians take seriously, it's hockey. The average Canadian hockey fan could write you an essay on most topics without so much as glancing at Google. They know a true fan when they see one, and they can spot a fish out of water. Strombo just never fit in. As boring as the Hotstove was, those guys knew their hockey and provided insight, analysis and ideas that fans who are loyal enough to not change channels during intermissions look for. It's like any show that changes hosts- you can't just bring in the new guy because your network brass think he fits the target audience and will learn on the job. Sports fans are fiercely loyal, sometimes to a fault. We've proven that the age and hipster wardrobe are of no concern to us judging by the uproar that occurred when Don Cherry was at risk of not being renewed. In 2016, with no Canadian teams to justify watching the playoff coverage, people all over Canada couldn't stand the 'new' style enough to watch, and the rating dropped. It was a clear sign that something more was needed.
Oh Strombo, he tried, it didn't work. It's not his fault, but it's best that he hike up his absurdly tight jeans and stick to music. Ditch the poor man's Vegas-style set they have going, get rid of no nothings Kypreos and Healy who bring about as much insight as a pineapple with brain damage, and give us back Ron McLean. Like it should have been from the start. There's nothing to be ashamed of Strombo- I'm sure Dennis Miller would agree- sportscasting just isn't for everyone.
So, good luck Strombo, wherever you end up. But seriously, take Glenn Healy with you...
White Girl Blogging
Showing posts with label canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label canada. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 June 2016
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Some notes on my beloved Toronto
I'm as close to being considered a 'world traveler' as Kim Kardashian is to being considered a scholar. I was born and raised in the city in which I still reside, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I am very Canadian... I love Tim Hortons, I watch hockey, I hold doors open for people, I speak French and I love poutine. I didn't start leaving Canada to visit other places until later in my 20's and more so now in my 30's (although I still maintain that my age is perpetually 24). The list of cities/countries outside of Canada to which I have been is very short, especially compared to most of my friends, many of whom have been on more trips than I have failed diets attempts. However, while my travels are limited and none can be considered exotic, each one has given me new appreciations and lamentations regarding the hometown to which I return at the end of each journey. So here I lay out some of the new perspectives, wishes, complaints and perhaps even ideas that I have brought back with me to Toronto, for Toronto.
The number one issue is the one I think all Torontonians would agree with...public transit. The TTC sucks the big one in so many ways when you compare our transit system on a global scale. New York City and London may have much larger populations than Toronto by 2, 3, maybe even 4 times over...but their transit systems outshine ours in exponents that can only be calculated by NASA. We have 3.5 subway lines for the largest population in Canada and a city that is building so many condos in the downtown core it's as if they have a hoarding problem. Only 2 of the lines are ever really used, because the only time the Sheppard line is ever used is when people without cars need to go to IKEA. The Scarborough "SRT" line isn't a subway....it's pretty much just a bus in a cave. Looking at a map of London's underground, it's so thorough and complex it's its own small city. If you don't live on Yonge Street or Bloor/Danforth, Toronto's subway is useless. Even if you do...do not bother trying to ride it at any given rush hour as the capacity is roughly 10% of the actual human traffic. To top it off, what's our big solution? Building a line nobody wants or will use in Scarborough....*slow clap* bravo. At least I can say that our subway cars are nicely air conditioned....lookin at you Rome metro! 40 degrees, jammed in like sardines and no air conditioning? Is Caligula back in charge?
History. Canadians don't have much of it, we're not even officially 150 years old yet while some European cities are so old they were built by cro-magnon man. Having recently visited the "Eternal City" aka Rome, Italy...you cannot help but develop an extra large sense of appreciation for history. Their prize ruins are exactly that, ruined pieces of once monumental buildings from an age long dead; ruined by barbarian invaders, pollution, nature and time. But they are still there. They are preserved, valued, kept up, prized and studied. They live modernly alongside history in a way that should be more of an example to other cities. I don't think Toronto has said 'no' to a request to tear down a beautiful old building...ever. Toronto doesn't blink an eye at the idea of tearing down something old and historic to throw up some ugly new condo building as long as the right amount of money changes hands. Walk along the river Tiber and look at the buildings along the water. Now walk along the waterfront of Lake Ontario and look at the sea of concrete and glass condos....makes you want to throw up in your mouth. I am all for progress and development in the city...please do tear down some of the ugly useless buildings and make them bigger and better...but if I see one more century old building that's as old as Toronto being torn down for some concrete tower...I'm moving to Barrie. (not really, that's gross). I realize I could also praise London and Edinburgh for their gorgeous old buildings...but Rome is the gold standard.
Food. This one I will say, each city has its strengths. Toronto has amazing variety of food, it's a great place to be a foodie because you can find any cuisine imaginable offered somewhere in the city. Rome...the quality of the ingredients is just unparalleled, it's all so fresh and nurtured that the food has to be super simple otherwise you lose the fresh tastes. I will dream of that buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto for the rest of my days. New York.,..American portion sizes are enough to solve world hunger. They give you enough food on one plate to keep you full for a week. Montreal, your poutine should have its own religion. London....umm...well....I approve of the high levels of tea availability. I'm not even including Edinburgh in this...you should be ashamed.
Public washrooms. I'm a woman...I need to pee frequently. Toronto is great for washrooms...if you need to go, you're probably within a 5 minute walk of a decent bathroom. London is also great, they have pay toilets but it's very cheap and just ensures that they are funded to be cleaned...one I went into even had a hair drier and a hair straightener....genius! New York...they were fairly frequent but pretty hepatitis-y. A lot of trying not to touch anything and always hover-pee. Montreal....I really don't know...I spent so much time so drunk that I don't know what I did or where I went. Rome...oh Rome....you bastards. Not only are there zero washrooms anywhere but the ones they do have are more like torture devices. Did people not pee in BC times? Did Michelangelo not need a potty break when painting the Sistine? Bah!
Art. Rome has the Sistine Chapel, works older than most civilizations and sculpture that would bring a blind man to his knees. London has some of the most beautiful treasures ever found from the world over (granted, most of them not created in England....*cough* Greek). Montreal's art exhibitions are always super impressive and hip. New York embodies art in so many ways outside of the staggering art museums that it's everywhere. Toronto....umm....we...don't match up. The AGO? Good god, the building itself looks like something a 2nd year architecture student sneezed out and the most impressive shows we get are Andy Warhol's 3rd cousin's uncle's sketchbook rejects. Our taste in art as a city on the whole seems to reflect in our huge buildings...flat, boring, unoriginal. We have small pockets of great stuff...but going to a museum or 'big' show in Toronto is just... exactly.
So those are my chosen 5 categories...there are a million other comparisons that could be made but I feel like these first few would be a good start to improving the prospects for my humble T-dot. Perhaps after my next planned destination (Paris) I will have more insight...if nothing else into the French-English rivalry that Toronto-Montreal can quasi join in on. So...how do I send this to John Tory to get a move on? He seems to be on Breakfast Television every other day...time to stalk Frankish!
The number one issue is the one I think all Torontonians would agree with...public transit. The TTC sucks the big one in so many ways when you compare our transit system on a global scale. New York City and London may have much larger populations than Toronto by 2, 3, maybe even 4 times over...but their transit systems outshine ours in exponents that can only be calculated by NASA. We have 3.5 subway lines for the largest population in Canada and a city that is building so many condos in the downtown core it's as if they have a hoarding problem. Only 2 of the lines are ever really used, because the only time the Sheppard line is ever used is when people without cars need to go to IKEA. The Scarborough "SRT" line isn't a subway....it's pretty much just a bus in a cave. Looking at a map of London's underground, it's so thorough and complex it's its own small city. If you don't live on Yonge Street or Bloor/Danforth, Toronto's subway is useless. Even if you do...do not bother trying to ride it at any given rush hour as the capacity is roughly 10% of the actual human traffic. To top it off, what's our big solution? Building a line nobody wants or will use in Scarborough....*slow clap* bravo. At least I can say that our subway cars are nicely air conditioned....lookin at you Rome metro! 40 degrees, jammed in like sardines and no air conditioning? Is Caligula back in charge?
History. Canadians don't have much of it, we're not even officially 150 years old yet while some European cities are so old they were built by cro-magnon man. Having recently visited the "Eternal City" aka Rome, Italy...you cannot help but develop an extra large sense of appreciation for history. Their prize ruins are exactly that, ruined pieces of once monumental buildings from an age long dead; ruined by barbarian invaders, pollution, nature and time. But they are still there. They are preserved, valued, kept up, prized and studied. They live modernly alongside history in a way that should be more of an example to other cities. I don't think Toronto has said 'no' to a request to tear down a beautiful old building...ever. Toronto doesn't blink an eye at the idea of tearing down something old and historic to throw up some ugly new condo building as long as the right amount of money changes hands. Walk along the river Tiber and look at the buildings along the water. Now walk along the waterfront of Lake Ontario and look at the sea of concrete and glass condos....makes you want to throw up in your mouth. I am all for progress and development in the city...please do tear down some of the ugly useless buildings and make them bigger and better...but if I see one more century old building that's as old as Toronto being torn down for some concrete tower...I'm moving to Barrie. (not really, that's gross). I realize I could also praise London and Edinburgh for their gorgeous old buildings...but Rome is the gold standard.
Food. This one I will say, each city has its strengths. Toronto has amazing variety of food, it's a great place to be a foodie because you can find any cuisine imaginable offered somewhere in the city. Rome...the quality of the ingredients is just unparalleled, it's all so fresh and nurtured that the food has to be super simple otherwise you lose the fresh tastes. I will dream of that buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto for the rest of my days. New York.,..American portion sizes are enough to solve world hunger. They give you enough food on one plate to keep you full for a week. Montreal, your poutine should have its own religion. London....umm...well....I approve of the high levels of tea availability. I'm not even including Edinburgh in this...you should be ashamed.
Public washrooms. I'm a woman...I need to pee frequently. Toronto is great for washrooms...if you need to go, you're probably within a 5 minute walk of a decent bathroom. London is also great, they have pay toilets but it's very cheap and just ensures that they are funded to be cleaned...one I went into even had a hair drier and a hair straightener....genius! New York...they were fairly frequent but pretty hepatitis-y. A lot of trying not to touch anything and always hover-pee. Montreal....I really don't know...I spent so much time so drunk that I don't know what I did or where I went. Rome...oh Rome....you bastards. Not only are there zero washrooms anywhere but the ones they do have are more like torture devices. Did people not pee in BC times? Did Michelangelo not need a potty break when painting the Sistine? Bah!
Art. Rome has the Sistine Chapel, works older than most civilizations and sculpture that would bring a blind man to his knees. London has some of the most beautiful treasures ever found from the world over (granted, most of them not created in England....*cough* Greek). Montreal's art exhibitions are always super impressive and hip. New York embodies art in so many ways outside of the staggering art museums that it's everywhere. Toronto....umm....we...don't match up. The AGO? Good god, the building itself looks like something a 2nd year architecture student sneezed out and the most impressive shows we get are Andy Warhol's 3rd cousin's uncle's sketchbook rejects. Our taste in art as a city on the whole seems to reflect in our huge buildings...flat, boring, unoriginal. We have small pockets of great stuff...but going to a museum or 'big' show in Toronto is just... exactly.
So those are my chosen 5 categories...there are a million other comparisons that could be made but I feel like these first few would be a good start to improving the prospects for my humble T-dot. Perhaps after my next planned destination (Paris) I will have more insight...if nothing else into the French-English rivalry that Toronto-Montreal can quasi join in on. So...how do I send this to John Tory to get a move on? He seems to be on Breakfast Television every other day...time to stalk Frankish!
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Remember?
It's that time of year, the Halloween freaks have put their costumes away for another year and we start into a new month of Mo-vember. I support the cause behind Movember, I am all for fundraising and awareness for men's health, even though I hate the way that those awful moustaches look on the vast majority of men. Nonetheless, when I see a man with a bad moustache this time of year, I take notice of it and applaud the effort. There is something else I am looking for on all men and all women at this time of year also...and frankly..the results suck. Poppies.
If you live in Canada, were born in Canada or are not under an oppressive regime's rule...you better have a poppy on your jacket. I don't want to hear your excuses, the most common of which being "I can't find a collection box"....bullshit. They are not hard to find if you just look around you, they are at all LCBO's (which you know you frequent), many Tim Horton's, Starbucks, dollar stores, coffee shops, etc etc. This shouldn't be something you just toss a quarter at and grab if you happen to see one while going about your business...this is something you need to seek out and make sure you have. Why? Because of the way the elderly veterans smile at you when you donate or pass you when you wear one. You are not wearing that symbol for you...you are wearing it for what it stands for and for the people who fell for its meaning. Look at yourself, look at your house, your family, your job, your possessions...how much of that do you owe to what the people before you have done? Yep, every single solitary thing.
If you are not originally from Canada, you still better put one of those on, because without the people you're wearing it for, you wouldn't have had a country to come to. Call it racist, but I see an extremely small portion of visual minorities in Toronto wearing poppies, and I can't say I know why.
Those of you who know me know that I am not just ranting my usual one-off rant...I take this particular thing to heart, which is why I have a poppy tattoo along with the names of the 2 bravest men I've ever known, both of whom fought in war and to whom I owe everything. I guess what I don't understand is the utter selfishness of people who think that we can forget how we got where we are and why we get to be, do and grow as do in Canada. Sure, Canada is not perfect, no country is...but think of how much worse it can be. Look at the wars, the bombings, the tyrants, the starvation and the suffering around the globe and then tell me that walking an extra block and spending your change on a pin is far too much work to show that you're proud of where you live.
Are you a woman? In many countries you'd have no rights and be denied education, put on a poppy.
Are you gay or have gay friends? In some countries, homosexuality is punishable by death, put on a poppy.
Do you have food for dinner? Millions of people don't, put on a poppy.
Did anyone in your family ever fight in any war? Yes, they did, and they did it for you, put on a poppy.
I bet you'd walk an extra few blocks for your favourite coffee, so c'mon....let's make this hapPIN. (yep, couldn't go a whole post without a pun).
If you live in Canada, were born in Canada or are not under an oppressive regime's rule...you better have a poppy on your jacket. I don't want to hear your excuses, the most common of which being "I can't find a collection box"....bullshit. They are not hard to find if you just look around you, they are at all LCBO's (which you know you frequent), many Tim Horton's, Starbucks, dollar stores, coffee shops, etc etc. This shouldn't be something you just toss a quarter at and grab if you happen to see one while going about your business...this is something you need to seek out and make sure you have. Why? Because of the way the elderly veterans smile at you when you donate or pass you when you wear one. You are not wearing that symbol for you...you are wearing it for what it stands for and for the people who fell for its meaning. Look at yourself, look at your house, your family, your job, your possessions...how much of that do you owe to what the people before you have done? Yep, every single solitary thing.
If you are not originally from Canada, you still better put one of those on, because without the people you're wearing it for, you wouldn't have had a country to come to. Call it racist, but I see an extremely small portion of visual minorities in Toronto wearing poppies, and I can't say I know why.
Those of you who know me know that I am not just ranting my usual one-off rant...I take this particular thing to heart, which is why I have a poppy tattoo along with the names of the 2 bravest men I've ever known, both of whom fought in war and to whom I owe everything. I guess what I don't understand is the utter selfishness of people who think that we can forget how we got where we are and why we get to be, do and grow as do in Canada. Sure, Canada is not perfect, no country is...but think of how much worse it can be. Look at the wars, the bombings, the tyrants, the starvation and the suffering around the globe and then tell me that walking an extra block and spending your change on a pin is far too much work to show that you're proud of where you live.
Are you a woman? In many countries you'd have no rights and be denied education, put on a poppy.
Are you gay or have gay friends? In some countries, homosexuality is punishable by death, put on a poppy.
Do you have food for dinner? Millions of people don't, put on a poppy.
Did anyone in your family ever fight in any war? Yes, they did, and they did it for you, put on a poppy.
I bet you'd walk an extra few blocks for your favourite coffee, so c'mon....let's make this hapPIN. (yep, couldn't go a whole post without a pun).
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