AUSTRALIAN FILMMAKER MARA JEAN QUINN LOOKS FORWARD TO RELEASING HER UPCOMING FEATURE FILM “ANDAMOOKA” AROUND THE WORLD

Being an Aussie stuck thousands of miles away from home, I’m always excited to discover music, films, tv shows, literature and art from Down Under, thanks to YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms. After my two-month odyssey trekking around the outback and the big cities last year, I’m even more passionate about arts and entertainment coming out of Australia. There’s a wealth of independent Australian films being made and, joy-of-joys, lots of women filmmakers with successful careers and being given the respect they are due. One such filmmaker is writer, director, producer and actor MARA JEAN QUINN (below), to whom I was introduced by my Brisbane mate, Marilyn C. Bromley.I dug around online and discovered what a multi-talented busy lady Mara Jean is!  But like indie filmmakers around the world, the toughest part is finding the funding to complete the film and secure distribution – she is currently at that stage and is eager to find that last injection of $s to get her film Andamooka into cinemas.

Andamooka is a feature-length road movie about a city woman whose life falls apart just before she turns 30. She goes to the outback on a quest to spend her birthday with her best friend in tiny opal mining town Andamooka. It paints an honest picture of womanhood, the pain of things not working out and the disconnected nature of city life. The film was shot on location in Western Queensland, Northern Territory & South Australia.I recently asked Mara Jean to share stories from the set, how she got the film made, who helped her and, of course, the challenges of being an indie filmmaker in Australia…..

Mara Jean, you’ve had quite the career journey since starting in theatre in 1999, then as a film actor in 2006 as well as doing some modelling along the way. Since then, you’ve written, directed, produced…even worked in wardrobe. How have all these skills worked to your advantage now that you’re producing your own films?  Having an understanding and interest in all the areas of the film means I have compassion and a basic grasp of what different departments are dealing with – this helps with communication and being able to really flavour the film. I think the most original work comes from sharing the weirdest and most honest parts of yourself. So if I can take a look at different areas of the film in an active way, I can colour the film and in the end like it more! In saying that I am very collaborative and love having input from other artists.  Doing all these roles has been both an exploration of the medium and a necessity. Having to do difficult things out of pure necessity, I have realized I am capable of substantial output. I still go through moments of thinking things are too hard for me and impossible to achieve, but I chip away and get there in the end. I think everyone is far more capable than they believe!What inspired the story of Andamooka? It looks like a very personal and soul-searching journey from the city into the outback that you may have experienced yourself.  I was in denial for ages that it wasn’t based on reality, but it is. I went through a tough time personally and I’d wanted to do an outback trip for years. Though, unlike the brave protagonist “Alex” I never wanted to do it alone. I did a number of solo trips in different parts of Australia and the world in my late teens to mid-20s, so I suppose this was a factor in writing a female lead solo journey film.You spent a couple of months working with just a crew/cast of 3…talk about indie/guerilla movie-making. How the hell did you manage all that on such a tiny budget?  I suppose it was treated like any sort of travel on a shoestring budget, the only difference was, we had a camera and a sound recorder and we shot scenes every second day or so. We were careful with our spending. We only paid for accommodation one night on the whole trip. That night we just really wanted walls, a roof and a washing machine! We free camped most of the time, as well as staying with different friends along the way. The hospitality we were met with was so heartwarming and the public facilities were great. The three of us have all been in the Arts for a long time, which unfortunately means we’re all used to living well below the poverty line. I think the sacrifices made to live a life of freedom and chasing dreams are worth it.  The lucky thing also was that we were all in a place in our lives where we could step away and just hit the road for a few months without any income. Were you given help and shelter by the locals as you travelled throughout Queensland, Northern Territory, NSW and South Australia? I understand you filmed on Traditional (Indigenous) lands – did that require specific sensitivities and/or were your “hosts” helpful and contributed to certain events in the script?  We were met with incredible hospitality by everyone. We filmed five scenes with Indigenous Australians – all of these were written with the talent themselves.   At the time of shooting, we got permission from some Traditional Owners to film on their sites, and since then we have gained retrospective permission to show all sites in the film. We had to remove some due to no-photography zones. The process of gaining permission to show sacred and non-sacred sites from the Traditional Owners has been mind opening and rewarding. We took the permissions to the next level gaining the blessings from the local people of all areas shown in the film, almost every shot! (Below, Sound Recordist Anthea Hilton and Director of Photography Danni Ogilvie on location)One of the greatest learnings early on in the trip was that Australia is actually made up of hundreds of nations all with their own languages and dialects, culture, art, song, knowledge, laws and protocols. We are essentially the United Nations of Australia! Seeing the Indigenous languages map (pictured below) gives a great visual to this perspective. This understanding was both inspiring and really devastating. Experiencing the depth and vitality of these cultures in the Outback made us reflect on what is often an absence of this culture on the East Coast. Living without the visibility of Aboriginal people or culture feels like living a lie, as though it never existed. It’s a hollow and unjust way to live, acting as though “Terra Nullius” was accurate. Being around different local languages and culture adds depth and understanding to a place, so on parts of the East Coast, where this is invisible, we are really missing out on a level of connection to country that has existed for over 60,000 years.I think we are in an exciting time in Australia where people are waking up, confronting truths about our ugly history. Aboriginal people are at the forefront in the Arts. People want to consume this art, and if they don’t, they just haven’t discovered the magic of it yet.

You recently acted in the zombie killer kangaroo feature film “The Red”was this where you met your cultural advisor and producer, the brilliant Indigenous actor Aaron Pedersen? And how did you convince him to come on board with Andamooka?  Yes! I first met Aaron on the phone when I was in the production team. We had great rapport straight away. I ended up auditioning for a role and acting alongside him and other amazing actors such as Terminator’s Michael Biehn. One day between takes, I told Aaron about my dormant project Andamooka, a pain in my heart, as it had sat untouched for over two years. It was a simple conversation and he took a look at the teaser. A few months later I was at my editor’s house in Sydney, just down the road from his place, and I realized I wanted him in the room. I wanted his take on the film and his input. I called him and asked if he’d like to come and see it, and if he liked then there was a role as a producer for him. I was nervous about how he would respond to the film and that he might have to let me down gently. Fortunately, he loved the film, jumped straight in, and was a great influence on the storytelling as well as many other hurdles in post. Aaron Pedersen (pictured below in the award-winning Mystery Road tv series) is not only a brilliant actor, but he’s an incredible story teller and human being. I bloody love Aaron and it is such an honour to work with him!Funding is always a major issue when completing film and tv projects and I understand you self-financed filming. How difficult has it been raising $s to finish post-production of Andamooka? Have the various gov’t-run funding organizations assisted or are you hoping to remain completely independent from all the red-tape, relying strictly on private funding?  It has been by far the most stressful, frustrating and restricting element. I did attempt to get government funding from a range of bodies, but because we had lots of volunteers on the film they cannot give us any funding. There is a huge gap in State and Federal government funding for indie films – most of the people I spoke to within these places are well aware of this and wish it wasn’t the case. Luckily one of the funding bodies wants to start supporting indie films and Andamooka has become a prototype for them. We’ve both been learning and figuring it out as we go. They have given us a small grant which has been really helpful. Initially in pre-production I did reach out to a few government agencies but was met with a lack of enthusiasm and pretty much flat out “no’s”. I don’t like pushing people to work with me. I have an enthusiasm requirement or I’m not interested. We have been lucky that some fantastic people have given in kind support as well as some deferred payment plans, such as Nicole Thorn who has done an amazing job editing the film, without her there’d be no film. We recently ran a fundraiser that resulted in AUD$11.5K raised, mostly from family and friends, so the team is super grateful to all those people. Amazing what a community can achieve when they rally to support the Arts.

I am also extremely privileged to have generous parents: I was able to borrow money from them this year allowing me to work on this project full time for the last four months. Asking for help was an emotional process as I am usually proudly independent. I have had to get used to living in debt and carrying the stress of taking financial risks. I’ve also spent half the year sleeping on couches whilst working on the film in Sydney.

So how can film fans help?   Please donate to our online fundraiser at https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2E9q000000EkNL
We are also looking for a distributor, a sales agent and all the things I am still learning about that make a film have a life!

And once completed, will you be submitting Andamooka to all the film fests around the world? What are the dream fests where you’d like to see your film showcased?  We hope to tour world film festivals, have a selected cinematic release, and house the film on a streaming platform. And we hope to premiere at the inaugural SXSW Sydney in October this year.  Andamooka is a universal story and almost everyone who has seen it has felt a strong connection, so the more people we can show, the more souls we will touch. It would be cool to end up in places like Toronto, Berlin, Mexico, New York, Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand.You can follow Mara Jean’s creative journey via:  https://www.facebook.com/andamookafilm and instagram.com/andamookafilm
And thanks to DoP Danni Ogilvie for photos from the set.

EXCITING NEW READ FOR FANS OF HORSE-RACING!

Growing up in Australia, I was aware from an early age how important horse-racing is to the country, along with cricket and footy. Every year on the first Tuesday of November, the entire nation shuts down and listens to or watches the run of the Melbourne Cup, one of the World’s richest turf races. The legendary Phar Lap mesmerized the country back in the late 20s and early 30’s before dying mysteriously in the U.S.; I had the opportunity to see him (well, his skin really) preserved and on display in a shrine-like case in the big state museum in Melbourne (pictured below)Since moving to Canada, I’ve followed racing and the annual quest for the Triple Crown so it’s no secret I am a huge fan of the late, great Secretariat, and have had the honour of meeting his equally legendary jockey, Ron Turcotte. When I learnt of the new book, The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty by author Curtis Stock, I knew I had to read it and with a little bit of luck, have the opportunity to interview the author for my entertainment column in The Rider (Ontario’s “voice of the horse”) newspaper. Talk about great timing – 2023 is the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown victory.Yes, fifty years ago, Secretariat, a horse so powerful and fast that many of his records still stand today, completed his historic Triple Crown campaign – his win was so popular with race fans that many winning $2 tickets were never surrendered to claim winnings. Secretariat’s rider was Ron Turcotte who grew up as one of 14 children in the small town of Drummond, New Brunswick, noted for its timber industry not horse racing! Four of Ron’s siblings – Noel, Rudy, Roger and Yves – followed their older brother onto North American racetracks and into the winner’s circle.This new 360 page book is the story of the family’s journey from their little corner of the Canadian woods to the pinnacle of the thoroughbred racing world. Each Turcotte found outstanding success, collectively winning a staggering 8,251 races for purse earnings just shy of $60 million. But the jockey’s life takes a toll; each brother was in a never-ending battle to maintain his riding weight, while Noel, Rudy and Roger constantly fought the bottle. And then came the losses, the injuries and the crushing heartbreaks: the unlikely triumph of one of horse racing’s greatest families was not without tragedy. Drawing upon over 30 years of reporting and interviews, author Curtis Stock takes readers on an unforgettable ride through the major players and race days of thoroughbred racing. (author Stock, pictured below)Part biography and part oral history, the book is a true underdog story and a sure bet for any sports fan. The 25th chapter, in particular, is an exciting telling of Secretariat’s Triple Crown campaign, each race written from a stride-by-stride perspective. It will leave you breathless!I asked Curtis about the process of writing his book and he was kind enough to share the following with me….

Apart from the obvious successes enjoyed by the Turcottes in the horse-racing world, what inspired you to write this biographical story, warts and all?  It was simply a fascinating story of five brothers from Drummond, population 700, out of a lumberjack town all being jockeys and all very successful. And then the tragedies that followed.

Did the family endorse your book and open up to you with tales from childhood to the winner’s circle?  Yes, the family (pictured below) was very accommodating. I spent three days in New Brunswick with Ron three years ago. At that time, I also visited Rudy who was in a group home in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. I also talked extensively with Rudy when I tracked him down in Florida and before he came to Alberta. Yves, lives in St. Albert which is a suburb of Edmonton where I live. He was extremely helpful. We spoke at least once a week. I met Roger many, many times when he rode in Alberta.  Noel was the only jockey I never met.How long did the research for the book take? Were you given full access to the racing industry’s archives, news footage and historical reportage (much of which I’m sure you wrote yourself!)?  The research and writing took 3 years but I actually started thinking of writing this book 20 years ago and I began accumulating their histories. I went through countless statistics at that time. Daily Racing Form manuals and archives from the stories I had already written as a sports writer with the Edmonton Journal for some 30 years and when Roger and Yves rode here in Alberta. So, yes, a lot of the information came from one-on-one interviews from that period.

You previously joined a syndicate that was successful with running winners – how did that feel, being on the other side?  I have owned shares of horses for some 30 years. Not many but usually with a group of friends. I currently own one horse, a three-year-old, that is just getting started with five friends. I covered horse racing for the Edmonton Journal for about 25 years so I was inside, as you say, for a long time. As for being on the inside, there is nothing more thrilling than watching your own horse run.

So 11 Sovereign Awards plus numerous other sports writing awards and kudos – is there any other writing goal(s) to which you aspire?  I have no future plans at this time. I would like to see the book become a movie. There was a very successful movie on Secretariat, the greatest horse of all time but nothing on the Turcotte family.How can fans follow you on social media?  Follow me on Twitter: @CurtisJStock

(Pictured below – Ron in wheelchair alongside the statue of him aboard the great Secretariat, located in Lexington, Kentucky)Thank you to Firefly Books who kindly sent me a preview copy. The book is available from Amazon and Indigo Books for $35.00 (ISBN: 9780228104247)

TORONTO JEWELLER JENNY GRECO CREATES STUNNING BLING FOR ALL OCCASIONS

At least year’s One of a Kind Show, I discovered this talented jewellery designer and immediately understood her unique vision and use of precious metals and organic materials. JENNY GRECO creates very wearable rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings that compliment any outfit from jeans to evening gowns, all at affordable prices and that guarantee lots of ooo’s and aah’s. Born and raised in Italy before coming to Canada in her mid-teens, Jenny’s sense of style and luxe shines clearly through her designs. She originally attended University of Toronto in the Science program but soon realized microscopes and Petri dishes were not for her so a switch to a more creative life via OCAD brought her to a life surrounded by bling and glitz! Upon graduating, she started her own line of jewellery and her imagination ran wild, incorporating all sorts of metals, precious and semi-precious gemstones, wood and leather.

I asked Jenny to share her story, her inspirations and her craft in a number of videos….

Being a pearl lover myself, I can’t wait to see how this large necklace works out.  Jenny showed me where all the magic happens – her workbench and the little room where all the fire and casting goes on.

With Mother’s Day is coming up soon, why not drop in and pick up something pretty for your favourite lady? Does she like earrings? A gorgeous necklace or a fabulous ring?

She also creates fab jewellery for men, too, so if you’re looking for something special for that hunky dude in your life, check these out…

So many lovely, sparkly, sexy wearable works of art – you gotta go visit Jenny’s studio located at 374 Danforth (2nd floor) which is the n.w. corner of Danforth and Chester just around the corner from the subway station. Follow her on social media IG: @jennygrecojewellery or Facebook/jennygrecojewellery.  And you can see more of her work on her website: www.jennygreco.com

Jenny invites custom orders – she’ll work with you to design your one-of-a-kind piece, and can also recommend beautiful gems for bridal gifts, presents for the bridal party or custom anniversary and birthday gifting, too.

In June, Jenny moves her studio/store to the Distillery District (15 Casegoods Lane) so watch for social media posts announcing her new location. Until then, see you on the Danforth!

www.jennygreco.com

 

 

 

 

 

ONE OF A KIND SPRING SHOW OFFERS BEAUTIFUL ARTS & CRAFTS AND TASTY TREATS

The first sign of Spring in Toronto isn’t the tulips or daffodils…it’s the annual Spring One of a Kind Show down at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place.  www.oneofakindshow.com/home/

Thanks to artist friend, Mark J. Gleberzen, who kindly gave me a comp. ticket, I was able to stroll the aisles filled with all manner of arts, crafts, toys, handcrafted clothing, jewellery and…yum yum yum…tasty treats. https://www.markgleberzon.com/ So let’s get going by first dropping in to Mark’s booth (below) And just around the corner was Mark’s gallery partner, Morgan Jones, whose work is so intriguing. I caught him sitting down having a quick cuppa tea! https://www.morganjonesart.com/ I soon found a new exhibitor with a great sense of humour and a fabulous new use for maps. Sadie & June take old maps or atlases and frame individual cities and countries – they’re very affordable as gifts, too. I was thrilled to find my hometown of Perth, Western Australia, as well as Perth, Ontario and Perth, Scotland! Best of all, tho, was the pairing of Bangkok and Beaverton (yes, I have a naughty sense of humour).  www.sadieandjune.ca I then met artist, Kate Brown and her husband BJ, who are new to the OOAK show here in Toronto. Salt Sky Studio is based in Halifax, NS, and Kate’s art is a series of brightly coloured wood slices of varying lengths. I was so intrigued – I found one piece that called to me and I told Kate & BJ that I would come visit their booth before I left for home. Hmmmm, I wonder if I went back to claim my new prize….keep reading.  www.saltskystudio.com  Artist/blacksmith Julian Amati-Lecours of Tap ‘N Anvil Forge had a wonderful booth full of copper, iron, stainless steel hand-crafted home accessories. I chatted with Julian who described his spectacular floor lamp (see video below). https://www.tapnanvil.com/

 

Next, it was time for the foodie section and I made a b-line for the No.7 Mexican Hot Sauce booth as I needed to re-stock my cupboards. I met owners Sandra & Carlos Flores several years ago when they were doing a demo session at the now-closed Williams-Sonoma store up on Bloor West in Yorkville, and I am so impressed with how they’ve grown their company since. www.no7hotsauce.comNext, the Little Shop of Lobsters – THE best lobster or crab mousse ever!! Every OOAK show, I head there to pick up a jar of each but within 48 hours, it’s all gone! So deelish.   https://littleshopoflobsters.com/It was such a challenge but I managed to walk past all the tempting chocolate booths, even this yummy fudge booth…I ate with my eyes! So I carefully (and quickly) navigated past the sweet-treat aisles and found this lovely lady who was demo’ing beautiful natural fragrances.  www.piperandperro.com Time to go home but not before heading back to Salt Sky Studio where Kate & BJ were waiting for me and I claimed my new art piece. Isn’t it pretty? A sea shore scene with 2 little plovers inspired by the beach near their Halifax studio. Thank you Hope you all make it to the show this weekend…it’s good to support Canadian artisans and craftspeople.

THAT CANADIAN GUY, GLEN FOSTER, CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF FUNNY!

Anyone who survives 40 years at the same job deserves a prize, and stand-up comic & writer GLEN FOSTER has certainly earned kudos and bravos for building and maintaining a career in the comedy business. Glen has been touring for the past four decades and has become a mainstay on the Canadian comedy circuit – he didn’t just work the road, he’s one of the comics who built it! His comedy is clever and intelligent, combining reflections on his own personal experiences with razor sharp commentary on current events and popular culture. I’ve known Glen for all his 40 years of funny, representing him first during the 80s as part of  Yuk Yuk’s Komedy Klub and its in-house agency Funny Business, then working with him again several years ago when he launched a series of independent comedy showcases featuring the best of the best of Canadian comedy talent. To give you a little background on Glen, he got a “Cinderella” start in showbiz – after several months grinding away on amateur nights, he  found himself part of a Yuk Yuk’s tour out west in 1982. When he took the stage in Winnipeg that first night, suddenly Glen was a “professional stand-up”. As he tells it, “Things progressed quickly from then on. I was barely six months off amateur night when I was flown to Los Angeles to appear on “An evening at The Improv” with movie legend Tony Curtis as celebrity host”.  He has appeared eight times at the world-renowned Just For Laughs festival, had his own TV specials on the Comedy Network, is a frequent guest on CBC Radio’s “The Debaters” and a club and corporate event favourite across the country.  I spoke with Glen recently and he shared his thoughts on his long comedic journey, navigating his way through one of the most volatile entertainment sectors (stand-up comedy),  sharing tales of survival and the shenanigans along the way….

So Glen, has it really been 40yrs? I remember when I was booking you through Yuk Yuk’s back in the 80s and I knew I could always rely on you to deliver a killer set wherever I sent you.   November 4th, 2022 was the actual fortieth anniversary of my first Yuk Yuk’s Western comedy tour, which kicked off in Winnipeg in 1982.  This past November I returned to Winnipeg to do a special show to commemorate that event, almost forty years to the day of the original show.  For years, I’ve kept an old Winnipeg Free Press article about the 1982 tour and now I have a matching one from 2022 as well.I’ve actually been doing comedy for more than forty years, although two years of Covid lockdowns and club closures does kind of mess with the math. I started performing at high school variety shows (1977-78). Soon after that, I did my first “real” comedy club set at Yuk Yuks, which had just opened in Toronto. Unlike today where there are hundreds of comics scrambling to get just a few minutes of stage time, there were only a handful of us and we were working all the time. As a result, I was able to progress very quickly. I was barely six months off amateur night when I was flown to Los Angeles to appear on “An evening at The Improv” with movie legend Tony Curtis as celebrity host, no less.  So no matter how you do the math, I am quite confident saying that I have been a “professional comedian” for at least forty years.Your stage personae and material appear to have changed considerably as your career has developed.  How would you compare the comedy themes or styles of 1980s Glen with today’s Glen?  I always admired comedians like George Carlin, Bill Hicks, Bill Maher and others who were actually saying something with their comedy.  So at a point, I decided that it wasn’t enough to just be funny, I also wanted to be relevant. I started doing material about all of the things that frustrated me as a Canadian:  High taxes, government incompetence, the sad state of our armed forces and especially, what was known at the time as “political correctness”.  That material really resonated with crowds and got big laughs as well.  I even created a very popular t-shirt (shortly after the first Quebec referendum) that featured a “puzzle”  map of Canada held together with band-aids and stitching with the caption, “My Canada includes every bitching whining Province, Aboriginal, Feminist, Minority and Special Interest Group.”
Recently, I’ve been going over some of my old videos and like many comedians of my era, there are definitely a few “cancelable” offenses to be found.  More than once I have said to myself, “There is NO WAY I could do that joke today”.  On the other hand, there is also material that I wouldn’t WANT to do today because, like society in general, my attitudes have changed and my comedy has evolved.

Jerry Seinfeld famously said that he won’t play colleges anymore because younger crowds are too easily offended.  These days, comedy seems to be all about diversity, “safe spaces”, and inclusivity.  As an older white male, are you still able to remain relevance?  And are you able to entertain “the kids”?  There is no question that audiences, especially younger ones, have become much more sensitive and far more easily “triggered” than in the past.  The smart thing would be to just avoid certain topics altogether, but for some reason, I can’t seem to do that.  My style has always been to poke the bear, but I have had to become much more nuanced and creative in my approach, so the bear doesn’t rip my head off.  I’ve become quite adept at dancing around hot button topics and of getting very, very close to the line of offense without going over.  As a result I’ve discovered a rather unique style of saying things without actually SAYING anything at all, to the point where many of my punchlines have become blank spaces that the audience has to fill in themselves.
Fortunately, I think we are finally starting to see a turn around. People are waking up to woke (pardon the pun) or at least becoming weary of some of the more extreme examples of cancel culture and the very real dangers that it poses to free speech and artistic expression. For me, it’s a vindication, though it does feel odd to be behind the times and yet, ahead of my time… at the same time.

Since the 80s, you’ve appeared on numerous tv shows and even had two of your own 1-hr TV specials on the Comedy Network – do you and other comedians receive royalties on those shows? I mean, they play them over and over on the various CBC or CTV networks…surely you must be “that wealthy Canadian guy” by now?  The short answer is no, and the long answer is not much.   It depends on the show.  I do get a small amount for re-runs of CBC shows, but other shows are a single payment “buy out” situation.   Certainly no one I know is getting rich off of the television royalties from Canadian stand up.  It’s interesting, every now and then I’ll get a call from someone who will say “We’d like you to do this gig. It doesn’t pay a lot of money, but it will be great for exposure!”  And I always joke, “This is Canada, people DIE from exposure.”   But if you think about it, because there is very little money, just about every show you do in Canada is for exposure.  And you do get that.  If I perform a set at Just for Laughs, for example, they will take that and sell it all over the world in every medium you can think of: TV, satellite radio, DVDs, CDs, streaming and even in-flight entertainment.  The trade off is that the producers wind up making exponentially more money than the actual talent.

Speaking of “That Canadian Guy”, how did that nickname come about?  And, despite the fact that you have not been on television for a while now, is it still something that comedy fans recognize and respond to?  I have an advertising background (I was copywriter) so I’ve always understood that in order for people to remember something, you had to make it easy for them.  So beginning with my first comedy special “That Canadian Guy” that is exactly what I did.  I even joked that the viewers wouldn’t be able to remember my name, but they would remember “That Canadian Guy”.  I also included a line about my website.  Sure enough, the morning after the special aired, I received a pile of e-mails from people saying “I couldn’t remember your name, but I remembered “That Canadian Guy”.
Remember when I talked about exposure?  Well, the curse and the blessing of Canadian television, is that everything I have ever done has been repeated and repeated… and repeated!  In fact, someone messaged me just the other day to tell me that my original “That Canadian Guy” special from 2000 was going to be on again!
An interesting thing has been happening recently.   People are coming up to me after shows saying things like, “I was so surprised to see you here.” and “I’ve been watching you since I was a kid!”  Of course, these fans are now in their late thirties and forties. A few are even younger than that, which makes me think that their parents may have been a bit too permissive, or just abandoned them to the electronic babysitter, as my parents used to call the tv.  It’s all very gratifying and it makes me ponder whether there could be a larger, as yet undiscovered group of fans out there somewhere.  I even have some ideas on how I might actually do that. I’ll let you know how it goes.Apart from your television appearances, you’ve also produced four comedy albums.  Any plans for a fifth?  And what about podcasting?   A lot of comedians have gone that route and many have become quite successful.  I’m actually working on my new album, tentatively titled Unsafe and Unnecessary right now.  It’s kind of an extension of my last album Unchecked (a reference to all the “boxes” I don’t check as an older white male).  It’s a bit of a challenge with four previous albums out there; I don’t want to repeat myself, so I have to structure my live sets in such a way that I can develop and practice the new stuff, while keeping enough of the old stuff to have a cohesive set. Plus, I have to maintain a certain comfort level for myself and still entertain the crowd, so I can’t do too much new stuff all at once.   As for doing podcasts, I have a few ideas, but I have so much to do and I am chronically disorganized (my To Do list remains “unchecked” as well).   If I find something that excites me, I could happen…..I will keep you posted.

Thanks for sharing, Glen.

Glen also publicly shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel on the recent Bill C-11 which has since passed, and the slippery-slope it creates with its proposed limitations and censorship of the ‘net

Follow Glen on social media:  Facebook.com/thatcanadiancomedian or  Twitter.com/fosterfunny
and visit his website: https://glenfoster.com/

 

CANADIAN NATIONAL CHARITY “BIRDSONG NEW MUSIC FOUNDATION” LAUNCHES DEBUT DBL CD TO SUPPORT SONGWRITERS LIVING WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES.

My friend since the 80s, Margaret Konopacki, launched the BIRDSONG NEW MUSIC FOUNDATION a few years ago to help remove the stigma associated with those living with a mental health issue, specifically supporting Canadian songwriters struggling with mental health diagnoses while trying to forge a career in the music industry. Her beloved musician son, David Martin (pictured below), passed away several years ago without receiving the necessary help or understanding from the doctors and other medical professionals from whom he sought help. After working with songwriters from across the country, she’s about to launch Birdsong’s first album, the double CD BIRDSONG: FIRST FLIGHT 101 on February 14th, Valentine’s Day – the international day of love. The album features 21 original songs composed by 12 unique musicians, many of whom claim that music saved their life. The music was recorded from Nov. 2017 to Dec. 2022 in Toronto at B Musique Studio’s, in Ottawa at Sound Decisions and in Vancouver at NYG Productions.  The singer/songwriters on the album include: Jordan Gow, Paakwasi, Earl Johnson, Dustin Harder (Prairie Soul), Ashley Bell, Thomas Messenger, Allan Kinney, Robin Benedict, Matthew Johnston, Jhmal King,  Statia, and David Martin. Margaret is the executive producer and Bryant Didier, Ted Adler & Nygel Asselin are the engineers.   “It is the hope of the Foundation that this music will be respected and heard, and that the stigma of having a diagnosis of mental illness including substance use disorder will eventually be eradicated,” says Birdsong Founder Margaret Konopacki (pictured below with David) “it’s about creating hope through music and a village of people who can support each other musically and emotionally. I am watching music heal people, myself included. No mother should go through the trauma of losing their child to mental illness, but my son has directed this creation somehow through me – to have a different medical approach to treating trauma.  There is no greater gift at this time than to listen to the incredible music from these Birdsong composers and hear their message and story.”  She continues “We’re giving an opportunity to these individuals to work as spokespeople for their illness. Too often people with mental health issues are explained, stigmatized, or spoken for by others, and their feelings of hopelessness and loneliness is eventually what ends their life. Birdsong is a pro-active organization that spreads hope to the discouraged and is paving the way for a new approach to healing as part of a new psychiatric approach in Canada. We are giving the mic and power back to this marginalized, talented group. I wish that a program such as this had been available for David.”  The album can be purchased online at:  https://birdsong.hearnow.com/ and available on ALL streaming services on Valentine’s Day. All proceeds from sales will be split between the artists, who own the copyright to their songs, and Birdsong New Music Foundation, a registered Canadian charity.

All donations to the Foundation support the creation of new music, videos and live performance opportunities for Birdsong artists.  You can donate now here: https://birdsongfoundation.com/products/birdsong-foundation-donationsCharitable registration:  77756 4873RR0001

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CANADIAN ARTISTS…AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING BIRDSONG.

www.birdsongnewmusicfoundation.ca

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE Pt. XVIII – A VISIT TO KINGS PARK

Towards the end of my 2-month Down Under odyssey, I took a day trip to the fabulous gardens overlooking the city of Perth, Western Australia, and although it was only just the start of Spring, the flower beds and meadows were filled with colourful wildflowers and trees indigenous to Australia.Many years ago, as a child, we would often take family Sunday drives through the acres and acres of bushland in the heart of the city. This time, I got to go with my kid sister, Jenny, and traveling companion Suzi, reliving so many memories and realizing how much has changed over the past 50+ years. There used to be a massive fallen tree trunk, either a Jarrah or Kari tree (Australian hardwoods), where we would pose in front for photos but it had long disappeared from the park. There used to be a giant flower clock as well as a fancy-schmancy restaurant where my father would often host business dinners that I actually attended as a well-behaved (!) little kid.  But my memories of school trips from up in the hills down to the park every ANZAC Day (April 25) to pay respects to all the fallen & wounded old Diggers (Aussie soldiers) from WWI and II came rushing back. I remember standing to attention as WWI veterans marched by, some on crutches some in wheelchairs and some a little bent over but marching proudly.

The trees were magnificent, especially the Queen Elizabeth II tree she planted as a sapling on her first visit back in the 50s. Look at it now…So many plants and blooms to view…and the fragrances were heady and exotic, too. We also visited at night to view the spectacular city lights and skies….wow! Just typing this brings back memories of the scents and sounds, as well as the views I saw a few months back. I really hope I can make it back to Perth again…such a beautiful city – clean streets, mostly graffiti-free, friendly and welcoming. Am buying more lottery tickets this week…I just got a feelin’.  LOL

https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/kings-park

 

 

MEET THE YOUNG GUNS OF OPAL HUNTING DOWN UNDER

During the 2yrs of Covid lock-down here in Toronto when there were no film, tv or theatre productions for me to promote, I got hooked watching Outback Opal Hunters on TV’s Discovery Channel. Turns out, that was a good thing ‘coz when travel restrictions were lifted last year, I booked my ticket home to Australia and headed out to the opal fields in Queensland to buy a pair of opal earrings. I’m obsessed with the stunning ancient gems, as well as pearls (yes, I purchased a really big pearl in Broome, WA, too).  For the uninitiated, opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit. This cycle repeats over very long periods of time, and eventually opal is formed.  Below is the gorgeous pair of earrings I bought in Winton, Qld, direct from Opal Hunters miners Joe and Tash.Another team of miners from the international hit show is known as “The Young Guns” and they are comprised of 3 mates, young fellas who are not the usual grizzled, snaggle-toothed old miners like most of the other teams featured on the show. In fact they’re really cute and the show has taken viewers from their early days down their mine, learning as they go and discovering all sorts of amazing treasures. We have also witnessed their frustrating days of no finds or machine break-downs that have set them back thousands of dollars. I reached out over the Christmas holidays and spoke with team leader Jaymin Sullivan who kindly shared stories with me of great finds, hopes and dreams for the team…..

Jaymin, what first inspired you to head out to the opal fields with your mates to dig for treasures, fame and fortune?   Honestly I was living a pretty average life working 9-5 at a local hardware store paying rent and mortgage and just felt I was getting nowhere and that there had to be more to life. I remember thinking about dream jobs and what I really wanted to do and that lead me to “treasure hunter”, a job that’s hard to do in Australia as we don’t exactly have Viking hoards of treasure or maps leading to ancient ruins. Luckily however my father was an opal miner and I decided to look at mining in a new light as treasure hunting. And it really is when you uncover something precious that’s been hidden for millions of years and you are the first human being to ever see it and on top of that it can be worth thousands even millions, it is treasure and it is definitely exciting to say the least. There is also something to be said for the fact you can, as an opal miner, be poor in the morning and rich in the afternoon that’s a strong motivator for wanting to do the job!  As for the fame, I didn’t really go there for that hahaha that just sort of happened along the way. Did you recruit your mates Noah and JC once the idea took hold or were they in it with you from the beginning? And what special skills do you each bring to the team?   Noah and JC where in a similar boat to me, JC was working as a lawn mower and Noah worked at a local fast food place. Not, I guess you could say, living life to its full potential. Initially, I invited all of my friend group  to come out and give it a go, of the 8 guys only Noah and JC where willing to make the 14hr drive out to the opal fields and see what I was up to.  I think JC brings to the team a lot of enthusiasm and hard work, Noah has a lot of perseverance and a willingness to learn new skills and me, well I’m obsessed which means I’m pretty full on with every aspect from the work itself to filming and editing for our YouTube channel to opal cutting and marketing.  What was it like the first time you discovered opal? And what was the biggest haul you pulled in?   There’s nothing like your first time, when you uncover opal that’s actually worth money…worth thousands…and that it’s there sitting in your hands; it’s incredible to know your hard work had won something so beautiful and precious is a really cool feeling and when it keeps on coming out of the wall and you’re onto a big find your hands can literally shake.  I think our biggest find in one afternoon was around $80-90k in the rough; we didn’t end up selling rough, we mostly cut it and made it into jewellery which ends up going for around 5-8x the amount. It’s a long game, trying to sell the finished product and we have still got a lot of the material and jewellery, but with all the hard work to find it, it’s important to make as much money off the opal as possible and the best way is to sell direct to the customer and cut out all the middle men.  It is always going to be cheaper purchasing opal direct from the miner whether it be jewellery or rough stones as oppose to buying it in a shop or from resellers.Selling your finds to local specialist buyers can be nerve-racking….do you, as young miners, feel you’re treated fairly or do you think buyers in the big city are a good option? How does it work?  We do some deals of rough opal though that is quite rare, you never get a good price for rough opal so we tend to avoid it…. when we aren’t desperate for rent or food or fuel. We live in the age of technology and we have the ability to reach thousands of people online so we have a pretty good understanding of how to market our opal online and sell direct to the customer which allows us to get a fair price as well as the customer.Do you enjoy cutting/polishing the opals yourselves or do you only deal with rough or partially polished stones?   I love cutting opal – I actually do a cutting demo in White Cliffs (in the state of New South Wales) every morning for tourists who come to town. I take a rough stone and walk them through the whole process until we have a finished polished stone. Cutting opal is super relaxing and it’s amazing to see it go from a rough state to a finished piece, you see it transform in your hands!   On average, how much does it cost to run all the equipment, house, feed and water the team each season?  The costs vary depending on the set-up, but we probably spend anywhere from $20-40k per season which is only 6-8months (in the cooler months) in order to run our mining business.How long have you all been working the opal fields now? Any goals for future explorations – any new claims you have your eyes on?   We have been out here for the last 4 years now and loving every minute! Future goals would be to get an operation set up in Lightning Ridge in NSW, and in the Queensland opal fields. We love White Cliffs but want to do some more work on the other fields we have visited also.
When did you join the cast of Outback Opal Hunters and has the fame brought you more secure income from sales and/or any sponsorships?   Opal Hunters was definitely an experience and was actually a lot of work. We joined the show because we thought it would be fun and for the most part it was. We met some incredible camera men and we learnt a lot watching them film us. The show is great in that it’s helped the opal industry a lot internationally and definitely helped us initially get our name out there.
If you take a look at all the other teams on Opal Hunters none have the same sort of following we do and the simple reason is if you want to be a real presence you have to create your own content and promote yourself. Which is why we started our YouTube channel and why we use Instagram, Facebook and TikTok – these platforms allow us to better connect with our audience and grow a meaningful community. We are super reachable which we pride ourselves on; we reply to 90% of messages sent to us and are more then happy to help serious newcomers to the industry.

One of our biggest goals has always been to promote opal mining as an alternate lifestyle, not everyone is meant to fit into a standard 9-5 work life and we have seen the positive impact it has on your life first hand once you do follow your dreams and work for yourself. We hope more people find in life the thing that makes them happy and can turn it into a job that gets them paid enough to support themselves and family.  As for sponsorships we weren’t really allowed to have them while working on Opal Hunters though we have been pursuing this more now with our YouTube channel, and if all goes well we may have something exciting to share in the future.  As for the impact of Opal Hunters on our sales, the show definitely helped give us credibility and helped customers purchasing opal online feel secure in the fact they’re buying direct from miners and from a source they know.

Discovery Channel is very popular here in N. America, esp. the Outback Opal and Gold Hunters shows – do you have a good fan following home and away? Ever get asked by fans for a “ride along”?   We love that so many people around the world have become so interested in opal and the process of mining it, I was actually a fan of the show before we joined, but since joining, however, I no longer watch it hahaha as it’s too weird seeing yourself on tv. The most common thing people will reach out and ask us for is a job. I would love to say yes but at this point we only really make enough to keep us in the game. One day if we can scale the operation or get really lucky, I hope to open up some more opportunities for those who are really interested.  In the meantime, we’re actually working on setting up a mine where fans will be able to come out and do some mining for a day or so and give it a shot! We hope to have that up and running by 2024.

If you couldn’t mine any more, what profession would you choose to pursue (and JC and Noah)?   I think opal mining is in our blood now forever haha we all do have a taste for adventure and if it wasn’t opal I know we’d love to go for gold and may very well some day. Outside of mining, I’d love to explore creating other YouTube content and we do have some of that in the works.
As for Noah, he’d love to continue exploring/adventuring for a living – I’m not sure what form that would take but there is always a way.
JC recently got himself a new dream job raising baby Ziah his son. He’ll still be mining with us but right now he’s loving every minute of being a dad!Thanks, Jaymin, now I can really appreciate all the hard work & long sweaty hours spent underground as well as the millions of pesky flies and the inherent danger of working in unstable conditions. I will happily spend the $s for a piece of their glory…and so can everyone else. If you love opals, you can purchase rings, pendants or earrings (and even vials of opal chips for your own jewellery making) directly from the Young Guns and they will ship around the world.

Etsy – https://etsy.me/3mSG7uI Ebay – https://ebay.com.au/usr/younggunsopal Check out their Shopify store: https://younggunsopal.myshopify.com/  and visit their social media pages, too.
Facebook: Young Guns Opal Hunters
IG: @youngguns_opalhunters
and their YouTube channel @younggunsopalhunters

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, PT. XVII – A VISIT TO THE MUSEUM/ART GALLERY IN PERTH

Wherever I travel, I always make a point of visiting the museums and art galleries to get a better understanding of time, place, culture, history…and back home in Perth was no exception. I grew up and was educated there in the 60s under the old colonial school system that had been so white-washed as to obscure any references to the first Australians, the aboriginal guardians of the land, sea and sky. This was a civilization that was over 50,000 years old and when Capt. Cook and the first fleet sailed into what is now Sydney harbour on August 22nd 1770, that culture immediately became endangered – the original Australians were vulnerable to European diseases as well as being easy prey for slavers and target practice.  It was a history that had been wiped from the pages of our school history books…but thankfully, no longer are white Australians ignorant to the facts of conquest, settlement and stolen lives and land. I’d learnt a lot over the past 5 years, all the way over here in Canada – another land conquered by Europeans. When my sister Jenny and traveling companion, Suzi, visited the museum, we saw an amazing collection of indigenous art and stories from more current times that illuminated the culture, life and legends …the spectacular canvas and bark paintings caused one to stop, stand and stare for a long time, taking in all the colours, textures and lines.
We checked out several of the other galleries and floors and of course, we had to play with the dinosaurs (Jenny, below) and the giant blue whale skeleton that I actually remember from the early 80s when visiting the family for Christmas. ….and what’s an Aussie museum without a great white?Another display that caught my eye featured stories and ephemera from the post-WWII immigration push that my family was part of…yes, we were “ten pound poms” – British families who emmigrated to Australia under a programme that required payment of 10 pounds per person (I got to go for free) and you got practically free passage Down Under, with basic accommodations upon arrival which were nasty, cold nissen huts on mud floors with wooden slat flooring, and communal baths, laundry and dining – awful things that we fortunately only had to stay in for a month or so before getting a nice little house in Melbourne. We sailed from England in 1959 on the Fair Sky, one of two Sitmar line ships that had previously been used as troop ships in the early 40s. The Gibb family (i.e. the BeeGees) came out about the same time on sister ship the Fair Star. Lots of posters, recruitment info and other bits and bobs from that time were on display and they brought back memories from my early childhood. Wow, what an adventure I had at age 5! The museum also had a thylacene (Tasmanian tiger) in a glass case. They had been killed off back in the 20s and 30s and although there have been many recent “sightings” (just like Big Foot) there is no proof that the poor wee beasties still exist. I felt so sad looking into those glass eyes….There were also meteorites I could touch as well as displays of rock formations, precious gems and night skies…what an amazing visit I had! If you ever find yourself heading Down Under, do visit Perth’s museums and art galleries…you’ll see things you’ve never witnessed before.

https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/

MY AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURE, Pt. XVI – PERTH’S RAAFA AVIATION HERITAGE MUSEUM

Some of you may know that I am a history junkie…my father was in the RAF just at the close of WWII – he worked on engine maintenance and was stationed in the middle east incl. Palestine and Cyprus. As a little girl he used to show me his book on enemy aircraft recognition (silhouettes of planes) as well as British and Allied planes; I learnt to tell the difference between a Spitfire and a Junker at an early age. This past September, my sister Jenny took me to Perth’s amazing aviation museum where I geeked out on all the aircraft displayed in the huge hangars, as well as all the exhibitions on the history of Australia’s air force, outback transportation and flying doctor service. I was in my element, as was my young nephew Maclean, who has already started flying lessons at 16yrs old.

I remember learning about aviation hero Charles Kingsford Smith, above, for whom Sydney airport is named and it was cool to see/touch his belongings. If I remember correctly, I wrote an essay on him in primary school that scored me an A. I stood in front of the Spitfire and read all the details for quite some time before I was drawn over to the spectacular Lancaster bomber, one of the planes that flew the legendary damn buster raids over Germany in WWII. Maclean joined me in front of the giant plane (below) and one of the knowledgeable guides kindly explained the mechanics of the “bouncing bombs”. I was thrilled to be invited to climb up into the belly of the beast…the guide was kind enough to explain what it was like inside for the crew (bloody scary and very uncomfortable)…
Earlier that same day, I received a “butt dialed” call from back in Toronto from my friend, Christopher, whose stepdad, famed Hollywood director, Michael Anderson, had directed the award-winning “The Damn Busters” movie (1955)…what synchronicity, eh? So I made a video for Christopher which I’ll share here so you can see just how huge the plane was.

I was amazed to see how many women were involved with the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) during the war…and pleased to see they got the recognition they earned.
So many incredible artifacts are on show and Maclean loved his experience in a virtual reality simulated bomber flight, courtesy of Aunty Glenda! I encourage you to explore the museum’s website for lots more info as well as visiting hours & directions – this is a not to be missed tourist attraction when visiting my home town of Perth, WA.   https://aviationmuseumwa.org.au/