The Stroumboulopouli

The Stroumboulopouli

The place to get the latest news on what’s coming up on #Gtonight. Find out what Canada’s boyfriend is up to. Share stories, pictures, favourite tv and radio episodes.

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Why We Love The Hour

To inaugurate this blog, our thoughts on Why We Love The Hour.


I can't recall a news show where the host befriends his viewers, "Hi, I'm your buddy George, and this is The Hour." I think that is what got me hooked. I vaguely recall a time in childhood where the same invitation for friendship was extended by The Friendly Giant or Mr Dressup.
Ok, so I was hooked on my buddy George but, what kept me watching was the content. I did not always agree with the subject matter but that is what makes it interesting. I found myself reacting to the issues presented whether my reaction was positive or negative, it did not matter to me. I might be smiling one segment and growling the next or just plain fascinated (or not). George's gesture of friendship with an invitation to interaction with the show could not be resisted. A plea from George to email was too tempting not to reply to. So email I did.
An invitation on the website to see The Hour being taped soon followed so I booked a seat and went to the taping in Montreal. After the show I met George but that is another post for another day. I am sure he could not pick me out in a lineup after meeting me but, I will be at the taping of the season finale next Thursday representing the Stroumboulopouli. After that he may have a chance picking me out of a lineup. Just hopefully not a police lineup.
My regular emails are usually nice and complimentary. Then, George ran a segment about the use of the F-word. I wrote and told him as politely as I could that there are alternatives to using the F-word like swearing in French. He read my letter on the air. If I wanted to be funny right now I would say 'That was F-'en great!" But I would never say that! Whenever I tell other fans about George reading the letter I wrote on air about the F-word they say 'That was you!" Yup.
I don't always agree with the Man but I do admire the heck out of him.
Barbara W. of the Stroumboulopouli
---
Why do I watch The Hour? It's easy to answer! George is a talented host sharing his view of the world with us. He's not the conventional tv guy, have you ever seen an other CBC Newsworld's host wearing white Adidas, jeans and a studded belt? No, George is like you and I, and cares about important issues that matter to us too. He's also friendly and invites the viewers to say what they think. And, he's still a kid at heart, remember how he loves little animals and that he called his mom during the show? And there's more than that, George knows a lot of things about a lot of subjects from pop culture to politics. And he cares about the viewers, he went on the road to meet us!
And it's not only about George; it's also about the content. It covers a variety of subjects, it's not only about the news of the day. Sometimes The Hour makes you smile, sometimes you're really angry and you wished he hadn't say that, but after all he is allowed to think whatever he wants. And by the end of the show, you're glad you watched because you learned stuff and were not feeling like that you just had a good time watching the show.
Evelyne
---
As a student of The NewMusic and The Punk Show, I started out watching The Hour purely on a "Well I enjoyed him there basis," and besides, talking about current global issues I just needed the TV Guide to tell me what channel do I turn to, and I was on board. Even during the first couple of shows, and my gravol induced stomach - due to the camera movement - nothing could take me away from the 8pm time slot. George and company managed to marry the success of what made him so popular on MM - the no bullshit attitude, along with new music tips and witty commentary - and bring all of that while sitting down and talking about socially relevant issues. There are times when I do the 'Oprah nod' and find myself not completely engaged in what is being said, but for the most part I'm fully animated in the content. The topics brought up always, without fail, produce heated 'dinner talk.' And really, what more can you ask for out of a news program, then a reason to throw food at someone if you don't agree with them? The Hour is like an extended member of the family, and each night George enters into our collective spaces and gives us all something to talk about the next day besides who was last voted off the latest reality show. And for that I thank you.
Allison
---
I am a Beatles fan, so on December 8, 2005 (The 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death), I switched to Newsworld to see if they were covering the ceremonies in New York. I came just in time to see one of The Hour's many contributors (Nick McCabe-Lokos) talk about what a "sanctimonious crybaby" Lennon was, and how his 'working class hero' was ironic, as Lennon was worth millions. This sparked some sort of rage in me, something I had never gotten from a TV program before! That contributor made my feel like I should do something about it, e-mail in, something!
Well, I never did e-mail in, but I did get hooked on 'The Hour', I think I've only missed six episodes since then (five of which a family member has taped for me). I am, as a teasing classmate likes to call me, a Strombohead (I should put a copyright on that...).
Since December I have driven with my mom south to Calgary, where I saw one of George's shows (which was beyond cool). I have luckily met others (now the Stroumboulopouli) over the blogtracker on The Hour's website (I think my school friends were sick of me quoting George), and just recently I got an e-mail read on the air during 'The Strombo Show'. All this means so much to me because some people want to be authors or fashion designers, so they write stories or sketch outfits, I want to become a journalist, so I watch 'The Hour', and take part in it. It makes me feel like I'm always getting one step closer to my goal.
In the end, I don't watch George because of how he dresses, or because he's for a younger demographic, I watch him because he has a true passion for what he does (and let's admit it, the man's hilarious!), and because of him I feel like I can make a difference in the world. If I've had a terrible day, I know I just need to wait until 6 p.m., and I know that that music and those opening credits will instantly make me feel better. That's why I love and watch The Hour.
Thank god for Nick (and George, of course).
Becky
---

One of my favourite first memories of George was from back when he VJ'd for Much Music. He was hosting a show called Fandemonium, where two contestants battle eachother to see who's the bigger fan of whatever given band/artist/group they love. I don't remember what artist the episode was focused on, but I do remember that it was two girls, and George was bombarding them with questions. He turned to one of the contestants and asked her, "Do you look in the toilet after you go to the bathroom?" and she replied, "I guess if I didn't, I wouldn't know about the colour green". I laughed uproariously as George responded with "Good answer!".
Since then, I've been hooked on the "rocker dude" and followed him as he left Much Music and ventured over to CBC Newsworld to host The Hour, which for me, is the perfect mix of news regarding both Canada and the rest of the world, and spectacular interviews that would never be seen on any other show, all in a context that truly allows you to decide how you feel about it without the forced opinions you may encounter elsewhere. And with just the right amount of music-driven conversation that lets you know what's fresh and upcoming in the music industry, George seams it all in effortlessly with everything you need to know about what's going on in the world around you, while providing you with information and interviews with everyone from the melodic Coldplay to the in-your-face Black Flag.
Where else can you go to learn about Brangelina's baby, which Vice President shot who in the face, and the onset of H5N1 without even changing the channel?
As fate has revealed, The Hour also brought us girls together, as we discovered eachother through The Hour's online Blog Tracker, having our own links showcased on the website. It was our love of George and The Hour that brought us together, so in turn we can show you the world of Mr.Stroumboulopoulos, and why you should be in it along with us.
Alana
---
I admit I’ve always been both a CBC freak and a news junkie. So when it was announced that CBC Newsworld was launching a nightly current affairs show hosted by that cool guy from MuchMusic, naturally I had to check it out. The first episode of The Hour aired opposite the debut of Hatching, Matching and Dispatching, which I was also keen to watch, so I thought I would flip back and forth, but I have to admit, much as I love Mary Walsh and Shaun Majumder, the Much guy won out.

The thing I love about The Hour is the compelling mix of in-depth news analysis, interviews that really get to the meat of a story, and off-the-cuff sassiness and irreverence. We can be hearing about mercenaries in Afghanistan in one segment and, with a quick segue, be watching a clip of the 30-second bunnies performing The Shining.

And it is all presented in such a riveting and fresh manner by the force of nature that is George Stroumboulopoulos. This is not a talking head in a suit giving us the goods, but nor is it a vacant Much DJ with a fringe. Rather it is an intelligent, perceptive, magnanimous individual who just happens to be adorable. And with The Hour actively inviting participation from viewers – reading emails as they are sent in, taping shows in front of live audiences in other cities across Canada, linking blogs on the website, it’s no wonder The Hour can boast such a loyal following.

It’s been speculated by some cynics that George will be eventually lured into transforming himself for the American market. My understanding is that one of the main considerations underlying his move from MuchMusic to CBC Newsworld was that he was not expected to transform himself into a suit. Personally, I think that he is one of the most intelligent and interesting voices of Canadian culture, and I like to think that this staunch Canadian has too much integrity to be lured away.
Barbara B.
---
I was introduced to “The Hour” and George S. by our very own Barb Bruederlin, who I have the pleasure of working with, about a year and a half ago. As I did not have a subscription to cable television at that point in time, my only source of information was Barb herself and the website. As well, I watched occasional shows while visiting my brother in Toronto. I do have a cable subscription as of March this year, and I was most excited about watching the show from the comfort of my home and my beloved couch. Well, lets get to why I watch the show. I like it mostly because of George himself. He is the most amiable host, he is smart, creative, very contemporary and unconventional. With his casual attire, he turns this news hour into something more, it feels like an interactive show, very unlike the other conventional news programs. Social issues, global problems to entertainment/music/art/films, he has got everything in his bag. And like other members of this blog, although I may not necessarily agree on all issues, I love this show. It is different. And dare I add that I love the way George S. speaks, his smile and his eyes. :)
Peace out.
Jas

31 comments:

Barbara said...

Shall I be the first to comment?
We would like to thank Jeremy and Sarah of CBC's The Hour for all their help, support and encouragement. We would also like to thank all the crew of The Hour for all the hard work they put into the show. Oh yeah and God love George for responding to the baby goat post. ;-)
I hope you like h'our blog.

Wandering Coyote said...

Hey guys! Great blog and great idea. I'll put a link to here on my blog, and look forward to future posts. I cannot believe the season finale is next week. What are we going to do?????

Unknown said...

How do I join(ie. Contributors)? :D

Alana Elliott said...

LOL, contributor requests already. I can see where this is heading...

"The Stroumbo Blog With 10,000 Contributors"

Jeeze. :P

Sheryn said...

Congratulations on your new blog Barb! It looks great. I'm jealous! I wish I had at least one contributor, you have like 10!

Kudos!

Anonymous said...

whew, there is someplace to comment!

Barbara said...

Thank you wandering coyote, Lenny, sheryn and Debz. We now have an email address link on the sidebar You can send your ideas for 'guest posts' to us there.

hilary m. said...

congrats!
you guys are on the blog tracker.

that was a great entry, it pretty much summarized why so many people are compelled to watch the hour.

best wishes to the stroumboulopouli!

hilarym.

Wandering Coyote said...

Wow, already on blog tracker! Congrats! The 'guest posts' is a great idea, because I'm sure you'll be inudated with requests for people wanting to be contributors.

I'm pretty chuffed because I just received my The Hour mug in the mail, a gift from a friend. I almost don't want to drink out of it...

Wandering Coyote said...

Umm...inundated, I should say...

Anonymous said...

Barbara W. of the Stroumboulopouli do you work on "the hour"?

"I am sure he could not pick me out in a lineup after meeting me but, I will be at the taping of the season finale next Thursday representing the Stroumboulopouli."

how did you get to be at the taping of the season finally next thursday and how can i go? what do you mean by "representing the Stroumboulopouli."?

Tammy

Barbara said...

Hi Tammy,
The Program Director of Newsworld (thier boss' boss) sometimes refers to George's fans as
"the Stroumboulopouli."
That is where we got the name.
We don't work for The Hour. You could say we play for The Hour.
The Stroumboulopouli girls were invited to the season finale for all the hard play we have done to set up this blog. The other Stroumboulopouli had to take a raincheck on that kind offer. I could not resist the invite so I am going and bringing a list of questions from the girls.

Unknown said...

I know it's not really The Hour related, but did anyone watched The Foreign Correspondents special on CBC Newsworld? :)
I went there on Tuesday night.

Anonymous said...

Barbara that's sooooo krazy kool. i'm SO jealous. ask him 3 qustions for me: 1) is he a symmetrical or asymmetrical kind of person (i'm guessing asymmetrical but i could be wrong).

2)if he knew he was going to die, (knock on wood he dosen't soon)the last album he would listen to before he passed away.

3)his personal mantra (if he has one).

thanxs!!!!

Tammy

hilary m. said...

wow barbara, that's going to be a fabulous experience for you!!

if you don't mind at all, it would be absolutely wonderful if you asked a question for me..?

if so. it would be.
Why do you think your show appeals to so many people across the Country, and do you think that it is important to make the news both interesting and thought-provoking for the people at home?

but please do so only if it's not an inconvenience.

hilarym.

Barbara said...

I'll do my best to ask all the questions. I might have to talk as fast as George does to get them all in. A mile a minute.

Allison said...

Thanks Karma! We hope to keep you informed and entertained.

Elron said...

George deserves a fan club *G* ... for the record, I agree with the praise ... its teh best hour of news on televison, IMO ...

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Hi Elron, welcome. I couldn't agree more. While I wouldn't call this site a George fan club - more of a forum for The Hour junkies and the curious to discuss all kinds of aspects of the show - we certainly do appreciate that the presence of Mr S has a large impact on the popularity of The Hour. It is the best hour (of news or anything else) on tv, IMO as well.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I don't watch the hour- I will be going with Barb on thursday to the season finale- will I become a convert? stay tuned.....

Barbara Bruederlin said...

Yay, Judie! I know we will all await with baited breath. I'm betting you will feel the love, though. Have fun!

Barbara said...

Judie it is going to be so much fun. More fun than the last thing we went to together. You'll convert.

Barbara said...

Hey Lenny I just watched the Foreign Correspondents special. Did you get to ask a question?
Did you see yourself in the audience? What did you think of the answers offered?

Unknown said...

I didn't ask a question, but there was a part where I saw my face for about a second.
There were parts from the second mic, my head was shown from the back.

Alana Elliott said...

Wooo! Go Lenny!!

Unknown said...

I still have it on the computer. I no longer use VCR.
Will I re-watch it again? Probably not :)
Basically, the computer is connected to the TV and Bell Expressvu receiver box.
I'm using Windows XP Media Center Edition.
The only problem is that I have taken the "BBC approach in the 1970s ala Doctor Who(I still remember The Hour piece on Doctor Who)" and deleting the eps for The Hour and other TV shows.
I pretty much deleted last week's worth of The Hour.

So, I probably have to burn The Foreign Correspondents Forum on DVD soon in order to save some hard drive space.

Alana Elliott said...

Ah, embrace the geekiness.

Geeks are the new sliced bread, you know. :P

Anonymous said...

being geeky is cool. trust. it's hip.
in high school right now if you'r not doing something a little geeky you're doing something wrong. and when it's not cool, it'll always be cool to me!

Tammy

Anonymous said...

Because the Hour is one show where someone could proudly stand up and say, "Let's Make Bono History!"

http://www.eliminatebono.com

Barbara Bruederlin said...

The same is true in the business world, Tammy, geek is very chic now. But true geekiness lies in the heart, not the wardrobe. It's got to be real.

Haven't checked out that site yet, Anony, but the Hour does lend voice to all sides of every story, in my experience. Can you get t-shirts there?

Brooksie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.