Jian Ghomeshi popped out of his hiding place Wednesday in Toronto and saw his shadow–meaning six more months of intense media coverage. The former CBC Radio host was arrested and charged with four counts of sexual assault. He’s out on $100,000 bail and staying at his moms. Cops and cameras all over the place. Nobody’s
On a special Monday edition of our weekly radio chat, Scott Thompson of AM900 CHML wanted to crack open the can of worms known as Bill Cosby. First of all, it feels like all the comedians I grew up with–Joan Rivers, Robin Williams and now the Cos–are suddenly gone. Somebody please watch over Bob Newhart, and
What with traveling and deadlines, it had been a while since I last spoke with Scott Thompson. So last Wednesday, the AM900CHML host finally got my take on the whole Ghomeshi thing. We kick it around. We also discuss a possible prequel to The Sopranos as well as the launch of new digital streaming services in Canada such
This week, CHML’s Scott Thompson reached me in Winnipeg. I was in Manitoba on location with the cast and crew of the upcoming City comedy Sunnyside (see previous post). Cramming things in on a Friday, I had set things up for the station to reach me on cell. Being an aviation nut (wing nut?) I was trying
This week, CHML’s Scott Thompson was shocked–shocked!–to hear that Bell was getting out of the TV news business. Well, that was their threat anyway. Bell’s brain trust, along with other industry weasels leaders, have been in Gatineau, Que., the past week-and-a-half. They’re attending something called “Let’s Talk TV: a Conversation with Canadians.” The CRTC called
Thursday I took a hike west along the QEW to interview the folks behind the revival of Tiny Talent Time. A staple of CHCH in Hamilton, the original kiddie show aired from 1957 to 1992–35 years. If you’re old enough to remember the theme song (“This is the end of our show…”), you may have
This week, CHML’s Scott Thompson asks about another radio voice: Don Pardo. Pardo died Monday at 96. He’s best known, of course, as the announcer on Saturday Night Live but he began his NBC career in 1944 as a radio man. We pay homage to Pardo for ten minutes, or about as long as it took
This week, CHML’s Scott Thompson asks my thoughts on the passing of Robin Williams. This one is longer than usual at 18 minutes. We talk about the reaction on social media, some news reports I found objectionable and Conan O’Brien’s shocked reaction at the end of his show Monday. I even tell the story about the meeting