After the release of their newest album “Come Back to Life” on July 16th, The Zola’s will be heading out on tour this fall. At the time, the deluxe album gained traction after the release of two singles “Another Dimension,” and “I Feel the Transition.” However, it was the release of the groups third single “Young Dicaprio” that caused the excitement level for the upcoming album to grow even more.
The album is heavily inspired by the 1990’s British Pop era and throws in a lot of personal anecdotes and political commentary. This album shows how creative the group can be, it is a fresh new sound for the Zola’s that I think everyone has enjoyed so far.
“Young Dicaprio” was inspired by the 1996 move “Romeo + Juliet” starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes. Zola’s front man Zach Gray was obsessed with the movie when it came out in 1996 and stated that “it colored a lot of the new stuff we’ve been putting out lately.” In an interview with Kaitlin Irving of exclaim.ca, Gray also mentioned that the movie reminded him of “how new love and new music can save your life. That’s how Romeo + Juliet’s soundtrack made me feel, and that’s how your meant to feel listening to this.”
(Youtube/The Zola’s)
I have really enjoyed this album since it released. I will admit, I did not know much about the Zola’s until a friend of mine introduced me to their music. Since the album came out, I have played it while going on long drives, or while I am doing stuff around the house. I guess you can say that their new album is the reason I am now a fan of theirs.
The twelve-stop tour starts November 4th in Montreal, and has the group going cross country, until they hit British Columbia for three shows, first in Rossland, second here in Vancouver, and finally finishing their tour off in Victoria for the final date in BC.
(Facebook/The Zola’s)
If you are a fan of the group, check out their show when the come to town on November 26th at the Vogue Theatre. I have not been to a live concert since before COVID, but my love for their new album might be the reason I see them at the Vogue at the end of November.
Band members Neil Osborne and Brad Merritt met at South Delta Highschool in Tsawwassen British Columbia in 1978. Osborne went off to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, when he returned, he formed 54-40 with Merritt and drummer Ian Franey. Their first show was in Coquitlam on December 8th, 1980, the same day as when John Lennon was killed.
The bands name “54-40”, comes from the slogan “54-40 or Fight!” which was coined after the unsuccessful expansionist agenda during U.S. President James K. Polk’s presidency. The intent of Polk’s agenda was to control a contested U.S.-Canada boarder area during the Oregon Boundary dispute in the 19th century. Enough history lets get back to the band.
In the same year as their first show the band produced their first recordings for the Mo-Da-Mul label in Vancouver. Four of their songs featured on the LP “Things are Coming Ashore.” The LP also featured Vancouver bands Animal Slaves, and Junco Run. In 1982, 54-40 released the LP “Selection”, and not to long after Drummer Ian Franey left the group. He was replaced by Darryl Neudorf, and Phil Comparelli was brought in to play guitar, trumpet, and do vocals.
Neudorf left in 1984, shortly after their album “Set the Fire” was released. In 1986 under Warner/Reprise records, the band released their second album, which is nicknamed “The Green Album” garnered them a lot of mainstream attention in Canada, thanks to their singles “Baby Ran”, and “I Go Blind”. Their third album “Show Me,” became their commercial breakthrough which had their popular songs “One Day in Your Life,” and “One Gun” on the album.
The Green Album, 1986 (Photo Credit/5440.com)
Although they were extremely popular on college radio across the United States, they never got the mainstream media attention they needed, and were dropped by Warner Reprise. Their popularity in Canada remained strong. They signed on with Sony, and in 1992 they released the album “Dear Dear” which went gold in Canada, in 1993 it went platinum. Their next two albums “Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret” in 1994 and “Trusted by Millions” in 1996 both went certified platinum.
The 90’s seemed to be the bands most high-profile year, with the gold and platinum records, American band Hootie & The Blowfish covered their song “I Go Blind” and was featured on the soundtrack for the TV show Friends. The royalties the band received allowed them to open their own recording studio here in Vancouver. Along with their success, on December 13th, 1994, 54-40 became one of the first bands ever to launch their own website on the internet! Pretty neat. Throughout the decade the were constant regulars on the Canadian billboard charts reaching as high as number 18 for an album, and number 11 for a single. The won best pop/rock album at the West Coast Music Awards in 1999 and ended the decade off strong.
In the early 2000’s the band went through numerous changes within the group and didn’t reach as much success as they did in the 90’s. Although they still managed to tour and put out music as the years went on.
Throughout the Bands career they have been nominated for eight Juno Awards, have had records that have gone both gold and platinum, and between 1996-2016 they were among the top-150 selling Canadian artists and the top-50 Canadian selling bands in Canada. This year, their song “I Go Blind” was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.
They may not have had the mainstream success in the U.S. or around the world like they had hoped for. Yet, they are a beloved, and a widely successful band in their home country, which is something to be proud of.
School is now back in full swing. The BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps have played home games in front of limited capacity crowds, and the Canucks are not too far behind. Live Concerts have slowly made their return to Vancouver. With September ending, October is just about here, with many shows coming to the lower mainland for music fans of all genres to enjoy!
Isaiah Rashad
The American rapper makes his way to Vancouver on October 1st, 2021, at the Commodore Ballroom, promoting his third studio album “The House is Burning”. Rashad takes R&B, Southern Rap, and his unique lyrical style to bring his first album since his 2016’s “The Sun’s Tirade”. Being dubbed a “Comeback” album, Isaiah Rashad’s Vancouver show is sure to be a good one for his Vancouver fans.
The Show is a 19 plus event and requires two pieces of government issues I.D. to enter. Proof of vaccination is also required to enter the event.
Head over to the commodore ballroom website for tickets, and any other information you need for the event.
(Twitter/@IsaiahRDaily)
Eric Church
In 2021 the country music star released three albums within a month! That’s crazy. Well, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing people to stay home, Eric Church must have been writing new songs day after day to make the time go by. Starting with “Heart” on April 16th, followed by “&” on April 20th, and finally “Soul” on April 23rd, the triple album had Eric Church fans wondering what was coming next. Well, on October 29th 20201 Eric Church brings “The Gather Again Tour” to Rogers Arena. I have seen Eric Church live and I promise you, it will be a fantastic show.
Get your tickets by heading over to the ticket master website.
(Twitter/@ericchurch) Photo Credit: Anthony D’Angio
Yukon Blonde
With the rebuilt and restored Hollywood Theatre now open in the heart of Kitsilano. Kelowna band Yukon Blonde will be playing the West Broadway stage on Saturday October 23rd, 2021. Following their show at the Denim on the Diamond Music Festival in Kelowna on October 2nd. Yukon Blonde will head down to Vancity to put on killer show. The band will also have two shows leading up to there Vancouver date, one in Nanaimo on October 21st, and in Victoria on October 22nd.
To get tickets, head over to ticket master to secure yours!
(Twitter/@yukonblonde)
54-40
The alternative rock group from Tsawwassen British Columbia is currently celebrating their 40th anniversary! The beloved Canadian rock band will be playing three shows, October 7th, 8th, and 9th at the Commodore Ballroom.
The show is general admission and is a 19 plus event. All necessary I.D will be required to enter the event.
Proof of vaccination will also be required for entry.
To get tickets head over to the Commodore Ballroom website.
(Facebook/54-40)
Concerts are slowly making there way back to Vancouver. Get excited everyone!
Although they told Rolling Stone in October 2020 that they had not planned on making any new music. Mother Mother went back to work at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver and began to create what they called “a Pandemic Album.” This album would be their first album since 2018’s Dance and Cry which reached #53 on Billboard’s list for Canadian albums.
On March 9th, 2021, they released the singles “I Got Love”, and “Stay Behind”. On April 8th, 2021, the band announced their 8th studio album Inside, and that it would be released on June 25th. Along with the album announcement, Mother Mother released the video for I Got Love which was made up of clips sent in by fans, nearly 4000 submissions were sent in to be considered for the video.
(Youtube/MotherMother)
The group sent this message out in appreciation to their fan base for the support with putting the video together:
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone for all of your submissions for this video! There were nearly 4,000 – unbelievable! We are so grateful to each and every one of you for the time and effort you put in to make this video possible. And to everyone who didn’t make the final edit – we want to give you a huge shout out and let you know we see you, we love, and we appreciate you. You’re so integral to this community. So, thank you to all who participated, this video is a true celebration of our MM family.”
-Mother Mother, April 8th, 2021
The Band released a second single titled “Sick of the Silence” on June 10th, until finally the entire album was released on June 25th, 2021.
The band did a fantastic job of transitioning from one song to the next. Every aspect of this album felt right, from the flow, to the way a more aggressive song transitioned to a more laid back/relaxing song felt right, nothing felt out of place.
I will admit, I am not the biggest Mother Mother fan. I really enjoyed this album and have played it on numerous occasions since I first heard it.
Adding a little extra to the big announcement day of April 8th, Mother Mother also announced that they would be going on tour! It will begin on December 2nd, 2021, in Vancouver, go across the United States, even heading over to Europe for a short while, returning to Canada playing in Victoria BC on April 29th & 30th 2022, and finally ending the tour in our nation’s capital on May 20th, 2022.
We are so incredibly grateful to all of you who’ve bought tickets for the #INSIDETour. Most of these shows are already sold out or have very low inventory, which blows our minds. THANK U. Hurry tho, and grab your tickets before it’s too late.❤️🎟 > https://t.co/QhrJpsnThPpic.twitter.com/3Aa3eUFxjZ
If you are getting back into a somewhat normal way of life with COVID, go check out this show. I can only imagine what songs from this album will sound like live. It might be a nice way to enjoy your return to live shows!
Kosta returns to Foodpedia, this time talking about Home Cooked Meals! hear about why there’s nothing better, some favourite meals to cook, and what’s hard and easy about cooking.
Kosta talks with local Vancouver baker Natalie Cumberbirch. We talk about her business Merci Boulangerie. Hear about Natalie’s baking journey to where she is now, find out what types of pastries she makes and offers, and find out where you can get some of her delicious baked goods!
Growing up I was not a big reader. The only books I read were the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series. If it did not have anything to do with sports or WWE, no one bothered to give it to me. As I got older and having to read novels in high school English classes, I started to enjoy reading much more. The people I give the most credit to for my love of reading have to be my twelfth grade English and Creative Writing teachers, Mr. Yuen, and Ms. Hughes. So, thank you to the both of them.
Over the years I have read books that cover all genres. There are some that I have read multiple times over the years that I will read again occasionally. Of course, growing up, I loved and read the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series. I am not sure what my childhood would have been like If I had not read them.
Here are my six favourite books that I hope you will try out one day.
The Winter of our Discontent: John Steinbeck
The story of Ethan Allan Hawley, a member of a once very wealthy family who has now gone broke. Throughout the novel we read about an honest man’s internal struggles with the temptations of easy money, and his own morals.
I have read a good amount of Steinbeck’s work. Even though this novel is my favourite, I would suggest checking out the rest of his work. You will not be disappointed.
The Great Gatsby: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Now I am sure a lot of people may have read this in a high school English class. If not, well then, The Great Gatsby should be at the top of your list. The story is about the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. The book is narrated by the character Nick Carraway who moves to New York, right next Gatsby. As the story is being told in flashbacks, we read about the mysterious Jay Gatsby and the way he lives his life to achieve the one desire he has, to reunite with the love of his life Daisy Buchanan. We see Gatsby go from living in poverty, to living a very wealthy lifestyle, from being with Daisy to…. well, you are going to have to read this novel to find out the rest.
The Great Gatsby is a classic piece of American fiction. It has been touted as one of the best American Novels. I have read it numerous times, and it is a novel I always recommend to people.
The Call of the Wild: Jack London
One of Jack London’s most popular books. It is the story of a 140-pound dog named Buck, who has been taken from his comfortable life, and thrown into the madness of the Klondike Gold Rush, and the harsh living conditions of a frontier lifestyle. Now living a harsh lifestyle, Buck meets John Thornton who saves him from his previous abusive masters. The two proceed to go on a wild adventure that perfectly shows that a dog is man’s best friend. This is a story that is heartwarming, tragic, and truly shows what loyalty is all about.
Catch-22: Joseph Heller
Catch-22 is a satirical novel which is centered on Captain John Yossarian, an American bombardier who is based on a Mediterranean island during World War 2. We read about Yossarian’s wild attempts to stay alive, his theories about the war being a personal attack, and how the military is trying to send him to an untimely death. Through most of the novel we see Yossarian produce creative ways of escaping his missions and staying alive.
Scar Tissue: Anthony Kiedis
The story of the Red-Hot Chili Pepper’s vocalist Anthony Kiedis. It is easily, the best autobiography I have ever read. It is so good, I had trouble putting it down. It follows Kiedis’ life from the year he was born in 1962 to 2004 when the book was released. We lean about his life growing up, his experiences and difficulties with drug addiction, the bands creation and rise to the top, and most importantly his journey to becoming clean and sober.
For a while Kiedis had regrets about releasing Scar Tissue. But after hearing about the positive impact on people the book had, he realized that it was worth it because people became inspired to get their lives back on track after hearing his story.
This is a must read for not just fans of Kiedis and the Chili Peppers, but for anyone that wants to read about the wild life of a rock star, who went from the top of the mountain, down to rock bottom, and all the way back up again.
(Free-Photos/Pixabay)
The Sixteenth Round: Rubin “Hurricane” Carter
This book was written while Rubin Carter was in prison and was first published in 1974. From his difficult childhood to becoming one of the top contenders for the middleweight boxing championship. It looked like Rubin Carter’s life would become everything he had every dreamed it would. Until May 26th, 1967, when his life and career was changed forever. Carter, along with another man were wrongfully convicted and found guilty of the murders of three people and were sentenced to three consecutive life sentences. He spent 20 years in prison. We read about his journey from the ring to solitary confinement. This book became his cry for help to the public, his way to set the record straight, and force a new trial.
Bob Dylan’s classic “Hurricane” was about Carter and his struggles. Muhammad Ali and thousands of other people learned of his story and began to help his cause.
You may not be a sports fan, or even a boxing fan, this man’s story is one you will want to read about. “The Sixteenth Round” is a shocking story of racial injustice and the inhumanity of prison that ended up helping save Rubin Carter’s life.
(kalhh/Pixabay)
I never used to read. Two of my high school teachers led me on a path that helped me find my love of reading, and now I read like crazy. I have read so many terrific books over the years, these six books are the ones that have had an impact or mean the most to me. I would highly suggest any of them to anyone, any day of the week.
If you are like I was and reading is not your thing, just pick a book and give it a try. We can learn so much from the words these authors have put it front of us. Whether these stories come from someone in present day or in the past, there is always a message behind them. You may find one that speaks to you and inspires you to do something special, or they may just inspire you to keep on reading.
As we get through the first month of school and lead into the fall only one thing is for sure, the NHL is near its return. After a disastrous 2020-21 season, some would call one of the worst in franchise history. The Vancouver Canucks are nearing their return to the ice. Revamped, refreshed, and ready to make a return to the post season.
Last season saw the Canucks, along with the rest of the Canadian NHL teams play in the North Division. The Canucks had good stretches, but the bad outweighed the good. Vancouver ended up finishing dead last in the division, one point behind the Ottawa Senators. This was shocking to see considering the Canucks were one of the hottest teams in the playoff bubble the season prior, and almost eliminated Vegas in a hard fought seven game series in round two. Their last place finish meant a spot in the draft lottery, and a chance to end up with the 1st overall pick. Vancouver ended up with the 9th selection, and the off season was on.
As the off season began, General Manager Jim Benning stated that the team was going to be aggressive, they were going to do what they needed to get rid of their awful contracts, he was going to make the team better. Canucks faithful laughed it off as Benning had spoken such words in seasons past, but to no avail. With the Expansion draft nearing, Benning took advantage of Dallas’ roster issues, acquiring center Jason Dickinson for a third-round pick. The trade was virtually liked around the hockey world, with Benning being applauded for acquiring a very solid player of Dickinson’s caliber for cheap.
Then, the unthinkable happened. Hours prior to the start of round one of the NHL Draft, it was announced that the Canucks had acquired defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Conor Garland from the Arizona Coyotes for Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, their 9th overall selection, a 2022 2nd round pick, and a 2021 7th round pick. The unthinkable happened, Benning ridded the Canucks of their awful contracts that could not produce for the team, and yes, he brought in the same amount of cap, the only difference is the players coming to Vancouver can produce, and instantly made the team better.
In Conor Garland, the Canucks receive a 25-year-old legit top six forward, who can be apart of the core for many years to come. Being a restricted free agent, he was re-signed to a 5-year $24.75 million dollar contract. In Ekman-Larsson, the Canucks are getting at worst a top four, and at best a top pairing defenseman who can take some of the load from star D-man Quinn Hughes. His play has declined the past couple of seasons, yet with a fresh start, there is reason to be hopeful that he can regain some of his game that made him one of the best defensemen in the NHL for many seasons.
Jim Benning proceeded to buy out the contracts of goalie Braden Holtby, and highly publicized local boy Jake Virtanen to give the team a little more cap room. Now there was some roster spots to fill. Goalie Jaroslav Halak was brought in to be Thatcher Demko’s back-up. Brandon Sutter was brought back on a team friendly one year deal. On the backend, Tucker Poolman was signed to a four year 10-million-dollar deal. Travis Hamonic returned on a two-year deal, and fan favourite in his brief first time around, Luke Schenn was brought back on a 2-year deal.
Adding to the high-profile offseason, the Canucks organization announced that they were bringing their AHL team to Abbotsford. To help fill out that roster, Benning signed BC born players such as Brad Hunt, Nic Petan, Kyle Burroughs. and Devante Stephens. To finish off adding to the farm team, Phil Di Giuseppe and six others were brought in to cap off Benning’s monstrous number of signings.
We know the date! (Oct 22nd) 🗓 We know the time! (7pm) ⏰ We know the opponent! (@HSKnights) 🐴 We know the place! (@AbbyCentre) 📍
Tell us below who you are going to the #AbbotsfordCanucks home opener with!
— X – Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) July 21, 2021
(Twitter/@abbycanucks)
2021 draft pick Danila Klimovich was signed to an entry level deal and has made his way to North America, looking to compete for a roster spot. Although as stated by Jim Benning, the most likely destination is the QMJHL playing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Earlier this offseason, top prospect Vasily Podkolzin was signed to a three-year entry-level deal, and has just touched down in Vancouver, now looking to make an impact with the big club. He will likely start on the third line, with the likes of Jason Dickinson and Tanner Pearson. Although, there is the high chance that Podkolzin moves into the top six many times throughout the season.
Klimovich rocking a “trust your skills” hat in downtown Vancouver with #Canucks teammates Podkolzin and Hoglander. pic.twitter.com/PRdvIumgGY
Two final pieces of business need to be wrapped up as we get closer to training camp. New contracts for star players Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. This offseason has seen communication between the Canucks and the two stars agent Pat Brisson go back and forth, with talks going silent multiple times. Deals will get done, it’s a long process that in some cases takes longer than we want. It remains to be seen if deals can get done before training camp begins, if not, the hope is before the regular season kicks off. Canucks fans can only hope that the deals come sooner rather than later.
Jim Benning did what he said he was going to do, he was aggressive. The work Benning and staff has done has given the team a fresh look. A revamped, well balanced, strong forward group. A backup goalie that is more than capable of carrying his share of the workload, and a more solid top four group of defensemen. The biggest worry Canucks fans have, will be the defense group and it’s depth as a whole.
The Vancouver Canucks have a new look, the returning players hate how the team performed last season and are hungry to return to the playoffs. With teams now returning to their normal divisions, the Canucks have a good chance to have a top three finish in their division and make the playoffs. The California teams are weak, the only team that could cause some issues are the Kings. Calgary did not do much to improve their roster this off-season. So, the two teams I feel that will give the Canucks the most problems are Edmonton, and Vegas. Even so, I feel like the Canucks will get their fair share of victories over the two teams this year, and I do not see how a top three finish in the Pacific division is too hard to believe.
Hockey fans, Canucks fans, we must be patient for a little while longer. Hockey is almost here; I cannot wait for the season to begin.
Canada, along with the comedy world has lost a legend. Norm Macdonald passed away on Tuesday September 14th, 2021, after a private, near decade long battle with cancer. His approach to his craft made him one of the most unique and irreplaceable voices of modern comedy.
Born on October 17th, 1959, in Quebec City, Macdonald got his start in comedy working clubs such as Yuk Yuk’s in Ottawa in 1985. In 1986, after competing at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, the Montreal-Gazette touted him as “one of the country’s hottest comics”. By 1990 he performed as a contestant on Star Search. Building on his momentum, he was hired on as a writer for TV sitcom, Roseanne. He would later quit and make his way over to Saturday Night Live.
Early on he would perform impressions of celebrities such as Larry King, Burt Reynolds, David Letterman, and Quentin Tarantino. His time at SNL is remembered, most notably, for anchoring the Weekend Update segment which is the shows longest reoccurring sketch. For those of you who do not know what the sketch is about, it was a fictional news program that comments, and parodies on current events. Macdonald’s version of the sketch involved punchlines about Frank Stallone (Yes, Sylvester had a brother), and the Germans love for David Hasselhoff. In his final two seasons, Macdonald started a new gag, where he would read a news story, and then record a note to self on a tape recorder about the story he had just read. In 1998 he was removed as the Weekend Update host and replaced. The true reason for his dismissal was debated for many years after.
In the years after his time on SNL, Macdonald would do lots of TV and movie work, being involved in the Dr. Doolittle franchise, and starring in his own sitcom “The Norm Show,” later trimmed down to “Norm, which lasted for three seasons on ABC. He also played the role of Frank in “Billy Madison.”
Now, I did not discover Norm Macdonald until I saw the Roast of Bob Saget. I was caught of guard. At first, I was watching this comedian, who looked like he was bombing his bit. Later, I realized, that was the beauty of the whole thing. One instance, he mentioned that “There are times when Bob had something on his mind- when he wears a hat!” The crowed went silent, and Bob Saget laughed, but looked confused and extremely uncomfortable. Norm decided to go all in with his dud of a joke and said, “No thoughts at all-JUST A HAT!” He went on with it, and the crowd laughed soon after. Now you may read this and think to yourself, where is the beauty in that? Let me break it down for you. Norm Macdonald thrived in situations where there were moments of silence, and pure discomfort. Whether it is a stand-up act, or during a roast, most comics use their position as an excuse to bully or put someone or something down. Macdonald’s ways were odd, but they worked. Sure, he threw insults in during his bit, they were simple, and baffled the crowd. It was “anti-humor” in its purest form, and Norm Macdonald was the best at it. If you watch his bit during the roast, you can tell he knows exactly what he is doing and enjoying every single second of it. He could execute one liner’s and have the room howling like no one else.
Being from Quebec, Norm Macdonald grew up a huge hockey fan. He was a big supporter of the Montreal Canadiens. In 2018, he told the Toronto Star’s Garnet Fraser which Canadian team he hated the most, the Vancouver Canucks. His reasoning was simple and hilarious:
“I would love to see any Canadian team win, except Vancouver. I don’t know why I dislike them so much. I think when they first came out, they got my wrong side because their logo was a F*****G hockey stick and that drove me crazy.”
In 2011 he did show support to Vancouver and picked them to win the Stanley Cup.
Here's a clip of Norm MacDonald talking about the Canucks – "a derogatory term for Canadians😏" pic.twitter.com/3WQUoQdqRN
Now if you do not know who Norm Macdonald was, or you know him and want to watch some of his comedy gold, check out some of his best moments on TV.
Norm’s portrayal of Letterman
It was noted that Norm Macdonald idolized Letterman. So, it must have been a huge honor for him to portray one of his idols in one of his skits. Now this portrayal was nicer and not as savage as his portrayal of Tarantino (check that out as well). Yet, he impersonated Letterman to near perfection.
Cobras vs Panthers
Norm Macdonald was the leader of a street gang. SNL’s skit of Westside Story had me laughing hysterically. You may notice an appearance from Robert Downey Jr, and SNL mainstay Will Ferrell. This skit had numerous dance numbers, with Macdonald’s portrayal of the Cobra leader being dumbfounded at the fact that all these dance numbers were extremely well rehearsed and continues to get angrier as his gang cannot help themselves from continuously breaking out into song and dance.
Turd Ferguson
SNL’s version of Celebrity Jeopardy. Macdonald plays Burt Reynolds, who changes his name to Turd Ferguson during the game. Throughout the skit Turd Ferguson continuously taunts and insults Will Ferrell’s Alex Trebek. I will not say more but find the skit if you want to laugh.
The Moth
In a 2009 appearance on Conan, Macdonald mentions how he sometimes gets material from the strangest of places. He proceeds to tell a story about a joke he heard from the driver he had that brought him to the studio. I am not sure if I was lost, or just straight up confused when watching the clip, but again in his own unique way, by the time the punchline rolled around, the crowd, and myself were laughing uncontrollably.
Bob Dole
I had not seen this skit until I started writing this article. As a lot of people have said Macdonald’s rendition of former senator Bob Dole, is one of the most accurate and hilarious impersonations in SNL history. After listening to the real Bob Dole, I agree. Using the third person and making fun of the senator’s catchphrases was top notch stuff. One of the biggest fans of the skit was in fact Senator Dole himself. Senator Dole would tweet out after Macdonald’s passing, “Norm was a great talent, and I loved laughing with him on SNL. Bob Dole will miss Norm Macdonald.”
These days the style of comedy is much different than what Norm Macdonald was known and famous for. He was a master at his craft, and made people laugh for so many years. I urge you to check out his stuff, you will not regret it.
Rejoice everyone, the NFL is back. Week 1 has come and gone, and there was tons of excitement from Thursday’s opening night game, all the way to the chaos that ensued on Monday night between the Raiders and Ravens. Now before we discuss some games, lets talk about some key takeaways that came from week 1.
TJ Watt is worth and has earned every penny
Every team has defensive monsters that have the ability to disrupt any play and change the pace of a game at will. The Pittsburgh Steelers are blessed to have multiple, and leading the way is TJ Watt. Going into week 1 vs Buffalo, Watt had just signed a 4-year $112 million dollar extension, and back it up in a huge way. Watt was responsible for 5 of the Steelers 8 quarterback hits and was a huge part in the Steelers week 1 victory 23-16. The revived Steelers defense is in good hands with Mr. Watt.
(Peter Diana/Post-Gazette)
Was the Saints domination of the Packers that big of a shock?
From the start of this game, until the moment reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers was pulled, things were ugly. Was it really that big of a shock? To me, it wasn’t. This offseason saw a situation between star QB, and the front office turn toxic. While Rodgers did make his way to camp and get ready for the season, you can tell things were not what they usually are like in Green Bay.
On the other hand, the New Orleans Saints prepared for life without Drew Brees. That started with former first overall pick Jameis Winston taking over from the Saints legend. Boy oh Boy was he prepared. Winston outperformed, and outplayed the disgruntled, and uninterested reigning MVP. While he didn’t need to throw the ball too much, his efficiency was off the charts going 14 for 20 for 148 yards, tossing 5 touchdowns and throwing 0 interceptions. A big change from the QB who once threw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in one season. I see more frustrating times coming for Green Bay and their QB.
Russell Wilson is still MVP Caliber
While I am not a Seahawks fan, and not the biggest fan of Russ, the man balled out on Sunday, and looks to be in MVP form. During this off season it looked like the marriage between Wilson and the Seahawks was over, the Bears thought the deal was done. That wasn’t the case, and Wilson stayed put. Wilson and the Hawks went down to Indianapolis to play the Colts and looked to be in mid-season form. Wilson looked to be a super early favourite for MVP, going 18 for 23, throwing for 254 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interception, and a passer rating of 152.3. The biggest play of the day being Wilsons 69-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett, a beautiful play, that should be appreciated by fans and nonfans of Russ and the Hawks.
Now I thought this game was going to either be a huge blowout or a super close game like it ended up being. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their Superbowl victory in an exciting way. A back-and-forth affair which saw Tom Brady go 32 of 50, passing for 379 yard and tossing 4 touchdowns. Tight End Rob Gronkowski had a big day with 8 receptions for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns, while receiver Antonio Brown had 5 receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. Kicker Ryan Succop secured the victory with a 36-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the game. With the literally the entire championship team returning, look for the Bucs to be the favourites to win again, and repeat as champs.
Chiefs 33 Browns 29
Did anyone think the Chiefs wouldn’t make a comeback and win the game? I was one of those people. It looked like Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns had the Chiefs number on Sunday, but right on que QB Patrick Mahomes led a wicked comeback, highlighted by a wicked crossbody dart to Tyreek Hill for a touchdown. Tight End, Travis Kelce had a slow start, but made up for it with two touchdowns in the comeback, which my fantasy team is greatly appreciative of. Two things to take away from this game. Never doubt the Chiefs, and two, regardless of the loss, the Browns mean business this season.
Rams 34 Bears 14
The Rams traded Jared Goff and a boatload of draft capital this off season for Matthew Stafford, and boy game one with Stafford behind center was pretty. Stafford threw for 321 yards and 3 touchdowns leading the rams to week 1 victory, while the Bears kept rookie QB Justin Fields on the bench in favour of Andy Dalton.
Bengals 27 Vikings 24 (OT)
Rookie Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase can definitely see a ball with no stripes just fine, as he caught 5 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. QB Joe Burrow looked solid in his return after tearing his ACL and MCL in his rookie season. This game was shockingly exciting, and the Bengals offense looks like it will be fun to watch this season.
Cardinals 38 Titans 13
I, along with a lot of people were shocked to see the Cardinals Dominate the Titans like they did on Sunday. But when your quarterback is Kyler Murray, it shouldn’t be as shocking as it was. The former 1st overall pick was the leading fantasy player of the week going 21 for 32, throwing for 289 yards with 4 passing TD’s, 2 to Deandre Hopkins, and 2 to Christian Kirk, and running one in himself. Chandler Jones was a beast on defense sacking Titans QB 5 times, equaling the Cardinals franchise record for most sacks in a game. The Cardinals will be an explosive and fun team to watch this season.
Texans 37 Jaguars 21
Well, it wasn’t the regular season debut that rookie phenom Trevor Lawrence was hoping for. Lawrence threw for 332 yards and 3 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions. He also overthrew many open receivers and was a victim of several dropped passes. Lawrence also added that it was the first game he had ever thrown 3 interceptions in at any level of football. Which is a stat I am not surprised to hear. Lawrences’ dominance in highs school and college football is well documented. The revamped Jags have a lot of work to do, and don’t expect much more from the basement dwelling Texans.
Dolphins 17 Patriots 16
The Dolphins were the only team from the AFC East in week 1. They cut it close against the Pats and rookie QB Mac Jones, who was solid in his debut. QB Tua Tagovailoa became the youngest QB to win in Foxborough, going 16 for 27, throwing for 202 yards with one TD pass to rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle, and running one in himself, and also threw one interception. The Dolphin’s defense was the biggest story of the day, continuing their ways from last season. When it looked, like Mac Jones was going to lead the Pats on a game winning drive Eric Rowe stripped running back Damien Harris of the ball on the Miami 9-yard line, and star cornerback Xavien Howard recovered the ball. The Dolphins ran the clock down and secured a week 1 victory. It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. Miami now prepares for their week 2 matchup against division rival Buffalo
Raiders 33 Ravens 27
The Monday night game had a wild finish. The Raiders trailed in the fourth quarter but built a comeback which was complete after QB Derek Carr led the Raiders down the field and capped it off with a game tying 55-yard field goal in the final 37 seconds. OT came next, and chaos ensued. The Raiders threw an opening drive interception, followed by a delay of game penalty on their second drive before a field goal attempt. Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib strip sack of Lamar Jackson got Vegas the ball back, and another chance to win the game. Derek Carr threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Zay Jones to win the game and end off week 1 in a wild way.
Week 1 has come and gone. There were some fantastic games to kick off a new NFL season, there was also some shocking results. Buckle up football fans, the NFL is back, and it’s just getting started.
