The Hour Season Finale.

The Sisters meet The Hour. (updated)

All the Stroumboulopouli girls were invited to the season finale taping of The Hour by Jeremy, the original web producer of The Hour. I had once told Jeremy, I go to Toronto to play. Well, to me it sounded like a great invitation to play. The other Stroumbi (short version of Stroumboulopouli) bloggers had to decline this time but, we hope to all go together in the fall (season three). The Hour plans for live studio audiences for each show next season.

Since I was going alone to Toronto, I invited my sisters, Judie and Carolyn, who live in the area, to come to a taping of The Hour. I had no idea how this was going to turn out... They thought I was way too into all this blogging, let alone all this talk of The Hour and George, and they were ready to give me an intervention. They thought we were just going to sit in the audience and watch a show... I knew that it was going to be so much more.

We arrive at the CBC building with time to spare. They tried to keep me distracted by playing around with Glenn Gould on the bench in front of the building. I am thinkin' how am I related to these two?


I ask them what they are going to say to George when they meet him. They tell me a few things to make me laugh and cringe in fear at the same time. They had no idea what they are in for.

We are greeted by Jeremy and friends in the lobby of the building. It was a real pleasure to hug the guy that started linking us bloggers together via the blogtracker! After a proper greeting and introductions, he then gives us the tour of the studio. The Hour studio is a bit bigger than it looks on TV. There is the half you don't see, the one they pack and unpack for CBC Sunday. Then the half you do see, with all the very cool background of the streets. We were taking a better look at the street scene when our buddy George himself shows up. More introductions are given. When it come to my turn and I introduce myself he smiles and grabs my arm. He knows me. He thanks me for all the kind words. He is so sweet and obliging in telling us all the personal details that went into that photograph. If you have seen, or are going to see, The Hour on the road he will tell you all about it then. He poses for pictures and thanks me again.

He leads us on a tour of the control room and introduces us to the hard working crew. They are getting ready for taping but take the time to talk to us as they prep. Time runs short, and we all go back downstairs and take our seats.

George does a practice run and a taping of the shows opener. In between takes he comes over to talk to us. I tell him at one point that my sisters are here for my intervention, but they are the ones being won over. He signs autographs and poses for pics and answers question after question. All of this in between segments. The show is more tape than live on this day.

Jian Ghomeshi arrives in studio and George introduces us to him. I ask him for a hug straight off. Pic too of course. Jeremy tells me that Jian has a website. www.jian.ca It's now a favorite link on this blog.
Jian also tells me the The National Playlist may come back in September... I hope it does!

It was a big surprise to see Peter Mansbridge on the show. George was as surprised as anyone. That was fun to watch. No I did not get to chat with Mansbridge.

If you saw the season finale of The Hour you would not have seen our little 6 seat studio audience. But we were there in the dark enjoying every moment of it. After the show we were invited to the after party. I am so glad I brought my sisters along on this adventure. They were nothing but fun.

We also had a tour of the the offices of The Hour just after the show ended. You have seen the area a few times on the show I am sure. I took pics of Georges office without stepping in.


More about the after party on another post.

Come to think about it, this might take a few posts.


Guess who went to bed late and woke up way to early 'cause she had to blog!
still smiling
Barbara