Author Archives: Dean Herman

Vancouvers small comedy shows are funnier than you expect

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You didn’t plan on going to a comedy show. 

It was one of those last-minute “what are we doing tonight?” decisions, and somehow you ended up squeezing into a small room, not totally sure what to expect. 

Ten minutes later, you’re laughing harder than you have in weeks. And it’s a comic you’ve never heard of, in a room that feels more like a hangout than a venue. 

And that’s when it hits you. 

 Maybe Vancouver’s small comedy shows might be the city’s most underrated night out.  

For real, who doesn’t love to laugh? 

I actually did a quick interview with an amateur comic based right here in Burnaby. A great guy by the name of Markus Warde. I asked him how it feels to stand up in front of so many people with, essentially a stamp on his head that reads, I’m funny.  

One thing he made clear is how small and intimate the rooms are, “It’s intimate, the best comedians make you feel like it’s just you two in the room… can take a small space and make it feel cozy instead of cramped are special.” What I find funny about this statement is that it echoes some of the things our media performance instructors have beaten into us at BCIT. Markus also mentioned that the lights on stage can be distracting because of how hot and bright they are. So, it’s possible that all the eyeballs in the room aren’t the only thing burning into you while you’re on stage. 

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Smaller comedians are also more relatable. Some of the bigger names out there kind of lose their ability to connect after reaching a certain level of fame. According to Markus, its a charm you just can’t fake. 

There’s also more of a connected culture between smaller comics. They’re funny for one, but there are very few stand-up comedians at a small level who aren’t passionate about comedy. Trying to tinker with and perfect their craft until maybe one day it’s ready to take on the road. Or maybe some just find joy in telling a good story. A favorite of mine on that kind of comedy is Josh Wolf, who will perform in Vancouver in early June. 

A concern that Markus brought up is that, “Comedy is very much a “boys club” which is unfortunate because funny isn’t gendered.” and he’s absolutely right. Don’t let Amy Schumer fool you, women are funny too. 

 At smaller shows, not every joke is perfect. But it doesn’t have to be. You’re seeing comedians test out material and adjusting on the fly. They’re workshopping themselves. 

It’s that unpredictability is what makes it engaging. 

Small comedy shows in Vancouver aren’t about big production or big names. 

 They’re about connection, and most important of all, laughs. It’s the best medicine 

Vancouvers most exciting hockey team

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It was an exciting year for women’s hockey in Vancouver. The Golden Eyes inaugural season led by Sophie Jaques and Sarah Nurse might not have been the most successful on the ice, with the team going 9-1-4-14, but don’t let this blind you, it’s only typical expansion woes. Women’s hockey has been thriving not just in Vancouver, but around the league.  

For years now, women’s hockey has lived in the shadows. Popular during the Olympics, then largely forgotten. This is no longer the case. The rise of the Professional Women’s Hockey League is gradually becoming one of the biggest sports stories in the nation. And Vancouver, just one year into having their own team, is right in the center of it.  

In just its third season, the PWHL has shattered expectations. With over 1.1 million fans attending games this year and the average attendance jumped to over 9,000 per game. That’s a 71% increase from its first season. This isn’t slow, steady growth; it’s a surge.  

 The league is drawing crowds comparable to established pro leagues, while also expanding its reach globally through streaming and touring games across North America. With the PWHL takeover games being a great way for the league to scout possible expansion locations for the future. Which is how Vancouver got a team, after 19,000 fans filled the arena during a neutral site game. Proving the demand was already there 

The Vancouver Golden Eyes led the league in attendance, averaging over 12,000 fans per game, and selling out their home opener. Making it instantly one of the strongest markets in the league.  

So, why is the PWHL thriving when other women’s hockey leagues have fizzled out rather quickly?  

Well, the PWHL has their own brand of hockey. With different point systems and on ice rules, with my favorite being if a team scores shorthanded then their penalty ends. It’s the jailbreak rule. The league has built a reputation for being more connected with the fans. This has allowed them to tap into pulling in a whole new generation of hockey fans. It also comes down to better marketing than past women’s leagues. Some might even argue they market their games and stars better than some NHL teams.  

This is no longer just a feel-good story, the hockey and the league are legit.  

At a time when Vancouver risks losing teams like the Whitecaps, it’s nice that the PWHL can offer the opposite story. 

The Vancouver Goldeneyes are proof that Vancouver can support high-level women’s sports at scale. 

Is it all bad if the Whitecaps relocate?

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The situation with the Vancouver Whitecaps hasn’t exactly been the biggest secret.  

So, with the growing likelihood that they likely won’t be in the city much loner, let me ask you, what would the reality be if the Whitecaps moved? 

If you’ve been to a Whitecaps game, you’re already familiar with the vibe. The noise hits before the game even really begins. Inside BC Place, drums echo from the Southsiders’ section, flags whip through the air, and a low, restless buzz emanates across the crowd, you can feel the tension building. 

Every high danger chance pulling a collective gasp, and when the ball finally hits the back of the net, the place erupts. And during this season, it feels more special than ever. Not only because the Whitecaps are hotter than the sun to start the season, but because it might be the last season they belong to the city.  

But it’s not for lack of trying. The Whitecaps have been begging for a new owner and stadium deal. The locals have stepped up with the “save the Whitecaps” movement gaining traction. But it all feels like it could be for nothing. 

With the recent news that an official bid to move the team to Las Vegas, the final nail in the coffin doesn’t feel far off.  

So, what does it mean going forward? The province doesn’t seem to care about the Whitecaps. They seem to be preoccupied with bringing an MLB team to Vancouver. I’m not going to lie, Vancouver has never felt like MLS city to me, and the way things are going for the soccer club, it feels eerily similar to the Vancouver Grizzlies in the NBA. Would not surprise me if things went the same way.  

If things really are as bad for the Whitecaps as the rumors say they are, maybe relocation isn’t all bad. One of the biggest issues for the Whitecaps has been stadium economics at BC Place. The team doesn’t fully control revenue streams, which limits how much money they can reinvest into players and facilities. Reports say that because of this, the Whitecaps bring in significantly less than other MLS teams.  

A move to Vegas makes sense. Partly due to its declining casino life, the city has quickly become a major sports hub. Look at the NHL’s success with the Golden Knights, or the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL drawing huge crowds.  

For Vancouver, maybe another club would come one day. Or maybe the focus would shift entirely to international events, similar to the FIFA World Cup games being played here later this year. 

If the Whitecaps leave for greener pastures, soccer fandom in Vancouver wouldn’t disappear, but it would feel incomplete, like a city still waiting for its mouthpiece to come back. 

DOXA film fest is worth checking out

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Vancouver has earned a reputation for being deeply involved in the film industry. There’s a time of year in Vancouver where you can’t walk to a pub without running into a filming location. Everyone and their dog has been attached to some filming project in the city. Even I got in on it a couple times, including set construction and being part of a lighting crew.  

But it’s not just big films and corporate studios that make Vancouver a hotbed for filming. It’s the amateur stuff that makes it special. Cause those films are not being made to make a profit. Those films are made out of love and passion, or because the filmmaker has a message they believe is worth sharing.  

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That’s where the DOXA Documentary Film Festival comes in. 

The city’s renowned film festival is going out with a bang this upcoming weekend to close out their ten-day event.  

The festival has built a reputation for highlighting voices that don’t always get mainstream attention. This includes Indigenous filmmakers, international perspectives, and deeply personal stories that reflect the complexity of not just the city, but also the globe.  

DOXA focus isn’t on production, it’s all about perspective. It’s all about documentary storytelling about real people, real issues, and stories that feel a lot closer to home. The cool thing about DOXA is it is held across multiple venues and theaters, keeping a fresh experience during every screening you head to. 

What separates DOXA from your average movie night is what happens after the film ends. Directors often come out for Q&As. Panels dive deeper into the topics you just watched unfold. And outside the theatre, the film into something more than entertainment. It becomes a conversation. Its an experience that stands out. 

 Which circles us back to this weekend. If you usually check out film festivals and haven’t had the opportunity to check out DOXA yet, now is the time!  

And even if you are new to film festivals, that’s okay. You don’t need to be a film expert or documentary superfan. You just need an open mind. Walk in and pick a film that sounds interesting to you and see where it takes you. You can’t lose anything but time.  

DOXA offers a unique peek behind that filming curtain that includes behind the scenes, culture, and deep personal stories. Not a lot of events can offer such a variety of perspectives as this. It is an event that will give you something to chew on and think about.  

And catching the finale? That’s just the best way to be part of it. 

Gym culture

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I am a huge advocate of going to the gym. Not to toot my own horn, but I typically go about 4 times a week which means I do around 700 crunches alone on an average week.  

It’s not easy, but that’s why I get so much enjoyment out of it. To have that high and the slight burn that feels so good from pushing or pulling as much weight as I possibly can. I’m also a huge fan of music, so I have my headphones on, blasting everything from POORSTACY to the Tragically Hip and everything in between. Anything to get me that little more pumped up. 

As a side note, I really get a kick out of or find myself giggling to someone doing ten sets of, I don’t know what that is. Or the guy on the leg extension machine who’s been playing Clash Royale for the last 7 minutes straight.  

As I spend so much time working out, it’s important to have a good gym culture.  

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For many, especially in that 18–34 demographic, going to the gym isn’t just about health anymore; it’s about self-improvement in a visible way. This is one of the good things about social media, it’s made gym culture more mainstream. For some, it’s used as motivation. It builds community, accountability, and even inspiration. You see someone else’s progress, and it pushes you harder. 

That’s why it connects so well with athletes, too. For anyone involved in local sports, whether it’s junior hockey, soccer, or even rec leagues, the gym is where the improvement actually happens. 

However, it’s not without its cons. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have turned fitness into content. Some people walk into the gym with cameras and tripods. The gym isn’t a personal space, it’s a public one.  

There’s also the issue of physique inflation. Look at Tobey Maguire’s body in the first Spider-Man movie. That was a superhero physique in the 2000’s. Now? It’s now seen as below average. It can be really hard to think you’re progressing when you see all these influencers who are bigger, broader, and definitely on more steroids than you. Comparing yourself to these people can lead to image issues and body dysmorphia. Coming from a guy who grew up really skinny, those issues can be really difficult to (protein) shake. 

One of the biggest misconceptions about the gym is that you need to be highly trained, on supplements, and never miss a day. When its really just about showing up and being consistent. If you do it enough, it’ll feel like second nature to you. 

Besides, even if you don’t want to go in the moment, you’ll always feel better after getting some physical activity in. Its scientifically proven. 

The grind of junior hockey

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When people think about hockey in the Lower Mainland, they picture watching the Vancouver Giants or dreaming about one day making it to the Vancouver Canucks. Packed arenas, big hits, and highlight-reel goals. 

But outside of the devoted families who put their kids through junior hockey, it kind of gets lost in the fold.  

For junior hockey players across Vancouver, Burnaby, and the rest of the Lower Mainland, the game isn’t just a few hours under the lights. Even hockey at that level is a full-time grind that starts long before anyone is watching. 

Whether it be the early mornings, the really early mornings, or the late-night conditioning, it’s more than about the game, it’s a lifestyle.  

This is the part of hockey that rarely gets talked about. There are no crowds for morning skates. No highlights for off-ice workouts. No recognition for the hours spent refining small details like edge work, positioning, and timing. It’s such small but crucial details that most fans will never notice during a game. Then they do it all over again the next day. 

And yet for young kids and professionals alike, it is where their passion and work ethic turns into a potential career. For every player who makes it to the next level, there are dozens grinding just as hard without the spotlight. Playing in leagues like the BCHL, PJHL, or other local development systems. Scratching and clawing at a chance at a scholarship, a roster spot, or just the opportunity to keep playing the game they love. 

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Even if junior hockey isn’t at the same level as the professional league, the culture remains the same. It’s the same big cellys, arena rattling hits, right down to that damp stench of the dressing room. Kind of gross but over time it feels just like home. 

On a personal level, I grew up never getting a chance to play hockey. In fact, I rarely ever even got to put on skates. So, I’ve always been a little jealous of anyone who got to play any level of hockey growing up. To anyone who had that sense of a team or comradery, no matter how hard those hours of training and working out feel, I hope you cherish it. Cause not everyone gets that chance.  

That’s the junior hockey grind in the Lower Mainland. 

It’s much more than just the games you see, but the work you don’t. 

Burnaby Olympians you forgot about

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You may not realize it, but Burnaby is an underrated hotspot for athletic talent. Not just one star. Not just one generation. It’s a pipeline. 

Most people know Christine Sinclair. She’s arguably the greatest Canadian soccer player ever, an Olympic gold medalist, and a global icon. 

But Burnaby’s story doesn’t stop with Sinclair. Let’s take a look at some of the Olympians out of Burnaby that get lost in the fold.  

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Ryan Decenzo 

Ryan Decenzo grew up skateboarding around Burnaby and the Lower Mainland. Before boarding became an Olympic sport, Decenzo was already making a name for himself the old-school way. Filming and posting videos, landing tricks, and building credibility and recognition in the global skate scene. 

By the late 2000s, he had X Games medals, sponsorships, and a reputation as one of Canada’s best street skaters. 

The kicker is Decenzo never had his eyes set on Olympic competition. But when skateboarding was added to the Olympic program in Tokyo 2020, of course he jumped at the chance to compete. 

However, he needed to adapt some of his style. The clash between skater vibes and polished Olympic structure was there. But it didn’t matter.  

By the time he reached the Olympic stage, he wasn’t just representing Canada; he was representing a whole generation of skateboarders who came up before it was on the international stage. Decenzo was engrained in the culture.  

Pretty cool to say you were one of the first to represent skateboarding at the Olympic games. 

 

Lindsey Butterworth 

Coming out of SFU like fellow Canadian Olympian Justina Di Stasio, Butterworth had her sight set on running in track and field.  

 While enrolled at SFU, Butterworth became one of the top middle-distance runners in Canada, specializing in the 800m. Which is notorious for being one of the most mentally demanding events in track. 

Her route was structured and disciplined. It wasn’t about exploding onto the scene. Instead, she built her career year by year, shaving seconds off her time and learning how to race smarter. Putting in hours of sweat, shoes pounding the track, and making sacrifices to accomplish her dreams.  

By the time she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics, she had become not only a national champion, but proof that putting in the hours while in a local system can pay off if done right.  

 

 Trevor Hofbauer 

If there’s one story that feels the most relatable, it’s Trevor Hofbauer’s. The blue-collar Olympian, if you will.  

Hofbauer’s rise came through distance running. This is among the least glamorous, most grind-heavy discipline in athletics. It’s not flashy stuff.  

Training for a marathon means running massive mileage every week which can drain a person. They’re long, lonely, and for not much payoff. Only incremental progress by shaving a couple minutes off your run is the biggest dopamine hit you’ll get out of long-distance training.  

Paint a picture. Its a lonely rainy morning in November and you have to run a marathon amount of distance for training. Hoping to cut two minutes off your last time. It’s cold, wet, your calist feet slapping against the wet pavement. That would be enough to make any less obsessed person walk away from the sport. But not Trevor. 

Hofbauer’s breakthrough came when he won the Canadian Marathon Championships, putting himself on the map and earning a spot at the 2020 Summer Olympics. 

Finally, having a stage for people to recognize all his grind and efforts.  

These three athletes couldn’t be more different, a skateboarder from street culture, a university-developed middle-distance runner, and a self-made marathon grinder. And yet, they all came from the same place. 

That’s what makes Burnaby so special. It’s not about producing Olympians or professional athletes. It’s having the environment that makes that opportunity possible. And we take that for granted, cause most people don’t have it.  

It means that kids and teens have access to the same places as these Olympians do. It’s the same tracks, parks, rinks, and community you drive past every day. We get to live in it. How special is that? 

What even is goalie interference?

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For anyone who is new to getting into hockey, trying to keep up with all the rules can be extremely daunting. Like what does offside or icing mean? And it can be really challenging to ask these questions when you’re sitting next to a season veteran of the game, you don’t want to look like you’re wearing a dunce cap while watching the match. 

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 However, one thing can unite new viewers and longtime watchers of the game, what the hell is goalie interference? 

Now, I have been watching NHL games since I was about 5 years old. I would put on all my road hockey goalie equipment and mimic Roberto Luongo. And there’s even times where me, a 16-year watcher of the league, has no idea what’s going on. 
Even the referees will be huddled up like a group of high school girls discussing gossip sometimes and spend upwards of 10 minutes reviewing a play because they don’t know either. 

Sometimes an identical play will be called differently, or not at all. Let’s take the play where the goalie interference meme really took off. In 2017, a non-call allowed a Ducks goal in Game 5 despite contact between former Canuck and one of the most hated players around the league, Ryan Kesler and Oiler’s goalie, Cam Talbot. Sounds relatively harmless, right? If you look at the video, Kesler is lying on top of, and holding Talbots pad with one of his hands.  

This is textbook goalie interference. By the NHL rulebook, “goalie interference occurs when an attacking player impairs a goalkeeper’s ability to move freely within the crease or defend their goal.” and yet it went without being called. 

The problem isn’t that there are missed calls; you’re always going to have those. It is how wildly inconsistent they are. It’s absolutely maddening.  

Imagine you’re Trying to convince your friend to get in the hockey. You sit down for an action-packed sports evening. You got the snacks, maybe a couple cold ones sitting around, and you’re both excited. 

However, imagine how your friend is going to feel if he has to sit through multiple goalie interference and offside reviews that take forever. Maybe one of them is even so confusing that you can’t even explain it to him. How embarrassing is that to you, and what lasting impression will this game leave on your friend. You think he’s really going to want to further pursue watching hockey after that mind boggling snore fest? 

Your friend leaves utterly befuddled that anyone would waste their time with that, and you feel like a chump for putting him through it. 

That’s a night to forget.  

To summarize, the NHL needs to work on cleaner, faster reviews. This not only keeps down the blood pressure of longtime fans, but it would also encourage new fans to not get bored or frustrated with watching the craziest sport on Earth. 

The missing NHL award

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What is missing from the NHL awards? 

Most Vancouver hockey fans will be familiar with the Norris Trophy, after Quinn Hughes won it in 2024, given to the best defenseman in the league from that season. 

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But there seems to be a serious problem with the Norris. Year after year, it seemingly always ends up going to whoever racks up the most points from the blue line. All offense, which feels like it’s only one half of the defenseman’s responsibilities.  

Another player Canucks fan should be familiar with is Chris Tanev, a stay-at-home defenseman who eats tough minutes, eats pucks for breakfast, and is usually at his best when you don’t notice him. This is likely the type of game that comes with the most miles put on a body, backed up by the fact that Tanev spent most of this year on the injured reserve list in Toronto. 

A player like Chris is exactly why the league needs a new award for the best defensive defenseman.  

I believe that a new defensive defenseman award would be great for highlighting players like Chris Tanev, Jacob Slavin and Miro Heiskanen. These type of players do not get enough attention for their work and effort because their offensive game just isn’t good enough or flashy enough to be in the conversation for the best all-around defenseman. It is important that this archetype of players get the recognition they deserve. 

Imagine you’ve stepped into this role at the NHL level. You’ve got the privilege of matching up against and shutting down guys like McDavid, McKinnon, or even Tkachuk. So, you’ve been skating hard all night, you’re gasping for air every time you hit the bench. You stink of sweat and damp hockey gear. You’ve been blocking shots all night and even took one to the face, possibly knocking a couple of teeth loose. Time to make a dentist appointment.  

And after all that, the guy that gets the most hype and respect from the fans is the guy who skated circles against lesser competition and got 2 secondary assists. 

Brutal. 

Putting yourself in those shoes, does it not become apparent just how much we need something to  

Some proposed names for the award include, the Larry Robinson or Rod Langway award. Robinson for his career +722 stat, and Langway for his solid positioning that rarely required frantic movement.  

I’m not asking the NHL  to reinvent the wheel, just to recognize a part of the game that’s been overlooked for years. 

Because the next time someone eats a 100 km/h one timer with their body in the dying seconds to save a game… that deserves more than just a quiet tap on the bench. 

It deserves a trophy. 

The psychology of Elias Pettersson

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If you could ask any Canucks fan, if you could make one change to the team, what would it be?  

And then specify you mean on the ice, when they say they would change the owner. 

The answer is Elias Pettersson.  

Move him, dump him, buy him out. It’s all in the same tune. 

And yea, it has been bad. On March 2nd, 2024, Pettersson signed the biggest contract in Canucks history. An 8-year extension at 11.6 million a year. He was supposed to the top line elite center, but his play on the ice looks more like a top end third line guy. 

You know the rest of the story, almost by heart at this point. 

Its now that you need to realize that this is more than about hockey. Pettersson is a guy who needs to have his confidence, and will shatter like glass without it. The reports of JT Miller being extremely hard and extremely frustrated with Pettersson has probably been weighing on him. Pettersson isn’t the guy who can sluff harsh words off his back. He sits in them, stewing and marinating.  

Another thing that doesn’t get remembered enough is that in the last year, Pettersson and his wife have had not one, but two miscarriages. Could you ever imagine what that would be like to go through? 

In addition to this the Canucks are not a very good team. And it’s worse than finishing last in the standings. For years now there has been reports spilling out of many players that the team lacks culture and has a country club like mentality. 

Finally, there’s the “fans” who continue to throw shade at him. And I don’t mean criticize his on ice performance. I mean the people that spew foul and acidic toxic language that doesn’t help to fix anything and is completely unnecessary. And Pettersson see’s all of it. It probably whispers in his ear during a game. It’s no wonder why he’s been deactivating most of his social media. 

Whether its on the ice or in his personal life, things ain’t going very well right now for Petey. In all likelihood, a trade might spark him back to his old self. The man desperately needs a change of environment. Unfortunately, that big shiny contract acts more like an anchor at this time. No team will likely take the full thing on without retention.  

The only option the Canucks have in hopes of moving him, is rebuilding his value, and that actually could start with the fans.  

I mentioned earlier that Pettersson requires his confidence to be at his best. 

If he feels like he has full support of the fanbase (just forget about his contract), he might take his first steps to being in a better headspace. This means no more heinis comments, booing, or referring to him as Mr. 11.6 online. 

It’s like that advice Thumper gives in that old Disney movie, “If you cant say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”