Behind the scenes at HNIC

On a personal note

As a fan of The Hour, later GST and of George Stroumboulopoulos the person, I sometimes feel a bit left behind since he has moved on to his weekend job as host of Hockey Night in Canada. I just loved his interview style and his down to earth friendly personality. He is always able to relate intelligently to each person on a variety of topics whether they were a guest, or a fan, or a passer-by on the street. Music, travel, motorcycles, sports, politics, business, spiritual issues, film and television shows. All of that was open for conversation on his talk show. For Hockey Night in Canada obviously the focus is on all things hockey. His talent translates well to hockey talk but you can't convince all hockey fans of that yet. It does not matter to them that he started in sports radio, is a seasoned broadcaster and a huge fan of the game..

I like hockey but have never been a dedicated, jersey wearing, statistics gathering, entire season watching fan. I have only been to one NHL game in my life because a friend gave me a ticket and I had a great time. I used to live one block away from The Forum in Montreal (when it was still The Forum) yet never went there for a game. Hockey was always a luxury out of reach for us common folk. The Expos, The Jays and the Allouettes just seemed more affordable and in touch with the people. I do remember watching Hockey on CBC as a child and wanting to be the camera guy; that was my connecting point. Live broadcasting...that's where sports finds her audience.
 
Blogging for George and The Hour, that's how I connected to 'infotainment' television.  That's one reason I find this article from The Globe and Mail's media reporter, James Bradshaw, so fascinating. Connections... 

Hockey Night confidential: A sneak peak at the controlled chaos of the country's most iconic show


JAMES BRADSHAW - MEDIA REPORTER

The Globe and Mail


Published Friday, Jan. 09 2015, 9:07 PM EST

To see what makes the revamped Hockey Night in Canada tick, media reporter James Bradshaw looks beyond the smooth-talking analysts, the spherical cameras and the gleaming, $4.5-million set to find controlled chaos – or what HNIC staffers refer to as ‘the zoo’

MORE

Todd Shapiro interviews Strombo

George Stroumboulopoulos opens up to his friend, Sirius XM radio host Todd Shapiro, on Canada Laughs.
They talk about everything from Radio, hockey, motorcycles, politics to relationships...  enjoy!

Hockey Night in Strombo starts!

This weekend you can see George Stroumboulopoulos talking hockey. He loves hockey and is geared up for the new job on Hockey Night in Canada. Lots of nay sayers will soon realize it's really a natural fit.

Read more about the big changes in NHL coverage here

2014 NHL Awards hosted by Strombo

2014 NHL Awards returns to Las Vegas  June 24
Broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos is hosting tonight's NHL Awards!

LAS VEGAS -- The National Hockey League announced today the order of the presentation for tonight's 2014 NHL Awards. Hosted by renowned television and radio broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos, the 2014 NHL Awards will broadcast live from the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN in the U.S. and CBC online but at 8pm on CBC TV in Canada.
see more

George is in Las Vegas now and  tweeting about hosting the NHL Awards show. In previous years Strombo, a huge hockey fan, has presented at the show but this year it's all his!

StroumboulopoulosVerified account ‏@strombo

My Whip! #NHLAwards starts soon. @CBC @NBCSports @NHL #vegas pic.twitter.com/pTlfit2AL6

Paradise, NV

• 

Strombo is in Calgary on Friday June 6

George tweeted Thursday evening from the airport in LA that he is traveling to Calgary for The Canadian Olympic Team's Parade of Champions. 

Stroumboulopoulos (@strombo)

2014-06-05, 8:04 PM Peace to LA! #Calgary bound. Looking forward to seeing you at the @CDNOlympicTeam: Parade of Champions tomorrow pic.twitter.com/LkRT0Na7A3   The Canadian Olympic Parade will take place on Friday June 6, 2014 at 11:30 am, and will depart from 8th and 10th Avenue SW, running east along 8th Ave. SW. The Parade will culminate at Olympic Plaza where an outdoor Celebration will take place with live entertainment and Olympian interaction, including autographs and onstage interviews.

More about The Conversation with Strombo

George Stroumboulopoulos interviews His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in the first ever Canadian interview. This was recorded in London and the half-hour special will air Tuesday, May 20 on CBC-TV at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
Prince Charles sits down with George Stroumboulopoulos in London for his first ever Canadian TV interview to discuss his relationship with Canada. In the interview, Prince Charles discusses his love for Canada and its people, multiculturalism and diversity, his charity work, his sense of duty, and also touches on several of his passions, including architecture, organic food and public service.

The full interview will air as a half-hour special, Prince of Wales: The Conversation with George Stroumboulopoulos on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV. Two new Coronation Street episodes will air in advance of the special, starting at 7 p.m. on CBC-TV.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, will be arriving in Halifax on Sunday, May 18 and will be attending events in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba over the following four days. Go behind the scenes of the Royals visit to Canada by following @CBCNews and #Royals, visiting CBCNews.ca, and tuning in to CBC News Network for all the Royal details.

*Expect more Conversation with George Stroumboulopoulos in the future, this is just the first!

Strombo chats with Prince Charles

George Stroumboulopoulos flew from LA to London earlier this week to interview Prince Charles. 

Here is a link to a small clip of that interview. The full interview will be aired next week.

Strombo Show Brings You Coeur de pirate!!

George welcomes both Québec recording artist Coeur de pirate, and CBC's Tara Henley to The Broom Closet.

Born Béatrice Martin, Coeur de pirate was playing piano by the age of 3, and by the age of 9 she entered le Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal. By the age of 15, Béa was playing keys for post-hardcore band December Strikes First.  She then briefly played for indie pop band Bonjour Brumaire, before adopting the stage name Coeur de pirate.  She released her eponymous debut album in 2008.  Coeur de pirate which was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Francophone Album of the Year in 2009.  Her next album was the English language Blonde, released in 2011. Her latest album is a soundtrack of cover songs she recorded for Trauma, the Canadian French Language television series. Trauma - Chansons de la série télé (Saison No. 5) was released in January.  She plays all of the instruments on the album herself, and the covers run the gamut from Kenny Rogers (Lucille), The Rolling Stones (Dead Flowers), Bill Withers (Ain't No Sunshine), Wayne Cochran (Last Kiss), The National (Slow Show), to Tom Waits (Bottom of the World), just to name a few.  Coeur de pirate will be playing an acoustic set featuring songs from her new album.  Here she is performing Bon Iver's Flume on Q:  

Also on the show will be Tara Henley to discuss the connection between music and prison,   in particular Louisiana's Angola Prison Farm.  Several musicians of note have been incarcerated there over the years, among them Freddy Fender, Mexican American country rocker, and blues legend Leadbelly, who served several years there on an attempted murder conviction.  Many songs have been written about Angola as well, from such artists as The Clash, The Neville Brothers, Gil Scott-Heron, and Dr John, to mention a few.  In 2010, Canadian Film Director Bruce McDonald filmed a documentary at Angola Prison featuring Canadian blues and roots musician Rita Chiarelli.  Music From The Big House featured three bands comprised of musicians serving time at the prison.  As you will find, there is a deep musical culture at Angola.  Here is the official trailer for Music From The Big House.

As always, there will be a Nod To The Gods of Classic Rock,

The Magnificent Seven, or the seven hottest tunes of the week, 

Ten O'Clock With Tom (Tom Waits)

and lastly, an across-the-airwaves tuck-in with the mellowest of tunes for The Big Lie Down or The Collective Horizontal.

You can hear The Strombo Show on CBC Radio 2 on Sunday nights, from 8 to 11 pm.
See you there!  ;)

... He Nails It!

The CBC's 22 Minutes presented a preview of George Stroumboulopoulos on Hockey Night in Canada last night to its viewers.  In this episode, George interviews Joffrey Lupul, and Jian Gomeshi joins them to add some commentary to George's commentary.  The result?  Mark Critch nails it.  Watch.  ;)

Watch

Meli's Rant: Strombo knows hockey!

G knows hockey!

I would like to start off by saying that I am an infrequent writer here at The Stroumboulopouli,  I am not a "fan girl" of everything George, but I am an admirer of the person and some of his work. What I am not a fan of, are some of the posts that I have been reading over the past few days maligning his character both personally and professionally because the man accepted a job with Hockey Night in Canada.

I find it incredulous that some people, Canadians specifically, seem so widely infected with Tall Poppy Syndrome.  Why do so many of us succumb to the tendency to speak without getting all the information? 

For all of you who are flooding CBC fan sites and newspaper comment sections voicing your dismay that a "punked out hipster" is not qualified to be a sports broadcaster, you need to get your facts straight.  The CBC and Rogers are first and foremost corporations, they are not going to employ someone that doesn't, in some way, add to their bottom line.

Being offered, and accepting, a job is about qualifications!  Everyone's resume has a list of educational and work related experiences that qualify them for a job.  George Stroumboulopoulos is no different. A diploma from Humber College's Radio Broadcasting program? Education check.  Working at a sports radio station as a broadcaster/reporter/producer and interviewing NHL execs and players through radio and television? Work related experience, check. Other qualifications that would lend one to the position? How about, a career spanning over 20 years in broadcasting, one that includes discussion on topics like sports, music, politics and popular culture. How about a recognizable face in the media world, and a capability of bringing in new viewers which translate to ratings? Some employers might want to know if the applicant has a personal, or vested interest, in the position.  Well, George's holy trinity has always been sports, music and politics ... much like a chef would claim the onion, carrot and celery trinity, the mainstays of the kitchen.  The man absorbs information on these topics, keeping in the know, much like a good chef at a farmer's market, knowing all the ins and outs of finding, procuring and reveling in the best ingredients.  G's ingredients being knowledge of his trinity. He has been a life long Habs fan and he plays hockey in a rec. league, like so many other Canadians do that have a passion for the game and are now questioning his ties to the sport.

There are also those of you commenting that you do not want him on HNIC, because of the loss of his nightly presence,through the telly, in your homes. You are comfortable with his role as an interviewer, enjoying how he humanizes the celebrity. Following the other direction, but same track, of the Tall Poppy cutters, some fans are ired that he is moving on in his career path. One of his tag lines is that he is Canada's boyfriend, but that doesn't mean we own any part of him, or any other public figure.  He is a professional, doing a job, full stop. I can commiserate with these nay-sayers slightly more than those saying he is not qualified.

Although I am not a regular viewer of George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight I do watch the late night version of it, from time to time. The Debrief being my favourite part of the show, it is a descendant of the Mile-a-Minute from his original late night show The Hour.  The Hour, showcased George at his best. An intelligent, this my opinion and I am going to share it, sink your teeth into a good conversation, about an important story or interesting person ... interviewer.  The Hour remains, IMHO, the best Canadian late night, or any time of day, talk show to date. It combined comedic sketches, musical talents and news of the day with interviews that ranged from broadening our global awareness to celebrities sharing their political views and personal stories, not just hawking their latest projects.

I am, however, a true believer in professional development and the ideology that people should expand their professional experiences every 7-ish years.  So, I congratulate George on his new adventure, look forward to seeing him as I watch mes Habs kick some ass ... also watching him cringe from time to time as he needs to be on air when we fail, as we sometimes do. 

I would hope though that the CBC, or some other Canadian broadcaster, harnesses the many talents G has and utilises them in other programming, or television specials, enabling us to share in his talent as an interviewer in other arenas, sharing his knowledge of music and politics ... the other two thirds of the Strombo trinity. 

Bonne Chance G and looking forward to what you create next!!! :)

The Strombo Show - March 9th, 2014

Tonight in the broom closet, George welcomes Broken Bells.  Broken Bells is a collaboration between James Mercer, frontman for The Shins, and Brian Burton, otherwise known as Danger Mouse.  Broken Bells recently released their second album, After the Disco. Although they tour with a band, Mercer and Burton  write and record as a duo.  This is the second album they have released in the past few years, along with an EP.  Check out the first single from their new album.  

Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, Canadian actor/writer, stops by to discuss his new role in "The Husband". 

As always the Magnificent Seven Countdown brings the best new music, and the Big Lie Down set as we close out the show.

You can hear The Strombo Show on CBC Radio 2 on Sunday nights, from 8 to 11 pm.  

See you there.  ;)

Strombo will present at The Canadian Screen Awards

The Canadian Screen Awards CBC Broadcast Gala 
Sunday March 9th 2014 at 8pm

Canadian Screen Awards CBC Broadcast Gala

Sunday March 9, 2014 | Time 8 pm
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

- See more at: http://www.academy.ca/Canadian-Screen-Awards/2014-Canadian-Screen-Week-Schedule/Canadian-Screen-Week-Event/Canadian-Screen-Awards-CBC-Broadcast-Gala#sthash.lsZ9F5To.dpuf

Canadian Screen Awards CBC Broadcast Gala

Sunday March 9, 2014 | Time 8 pm
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

- See more at: http://www.academy.ca/Canadian-Screen-Awards/2014-Canadian-Screen-Week-Schedule/Canadian-Screen-Week-Event/Canadian-Screen-Awards-CBC-Broadcast-Gala#sthash.lsZ9F5To.dpuf

Canadian Screen Awards CBC Broadcast Gala

Sunday March 9, 2014 | Time 8 pm
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts

- See more at: http://www.academy.ca/Canadian-Screen-Awards/2014-Canadian-Screen-Week-Schedule/Canadian-Screen-Week-Event/Canadian-Screen-Awards-CBC-Broadcast-Gala#sthash.lsZ9F5To.dpuf

 
The Canadian Screen Awards is the combination of the Geminis and Genies. The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television awards excellence in film, television and digital media productions.

Martin Short, who did such a great job in 2013, will be hosting again this year. George Stroumboulopoulos will have the honour of presenting at the Sunday Broadcast Gala but this year, to give others a chance to win I am sure, is not a nominee. His talk show as The Hour and George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and George himself as a host have won around 8 Geminis and last year he won this CSA.

I hope you'll tune in and enjoy the broadcast and support our Canadian film, television and digital media industry. So much talent!

Video Roundup: The Best Moments of 2013 and Christmas Special

New Year's is often a chance for us to be a bit more introspective and reflective on the year that has past and look forward to the infinite possibilities the new year will bring. If you have been caught in the whirlwind madness of the holidays and perhaps neglected our national boyfriend, here is a chance for you to catch up and to walk through a year of memories.

Let us begin with some highlights from the Christmas special. Kevin Smith has delighted fans for a long time by inviting them over for an engaging evening. What happens when Kevin is in your home as a guest for the holidays?

The Christmas special also featured some wonderful musical acts that range from our national pride, Chris Hadfield, to respected artists within the industry. You can visit each performance on George's youtube page or by clicking on the link on the playlist in the next video. But first, we have Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis performed by a variety of hip hop stars.

Next up is a clever and witty trailer for Boxing Day with many notable stars.

Then there's the secret fantasy of a few people out there. What would happen if we not only had one George, but three? Here are all three versions of our national boyfriend welcoming us into the new year and having some rather interesting conversations.

Now we get to the point where we look back upon the year with our graceful host and the moments we have shared. Shall we begin with taking a look back at what happened in the world of science?

George is often filled with important messages. Here is what he had to say.



One of the most delightful aspects of live television and one where the host/interviewer doesn't prompt you with questions beforehand is the opportunity for surprises to occur on the show. Here is a look back on some of those moments.

It can also take us into much more intimate settings where we see the humanity behind the celebrity. Here are the top confessions of the year.

But at the end of the day, audiences alike tune in for some fun.

That concludes our video roundup for 2013. May your new year bring you peace, love, harmony, good health, and success.  Don't forget to tune into George's radio show as well as he brings us the second half of the Hundo and counts down the top 100 songs of the year.

Broadcasting Canada

Kevin Caners does a podcast called Broadcasting Canada.

Kevin interviews CBC broadcasters about their career, their life, how they see things and how they react to things. He has featured Rick Mercer, Jian Ghomeshi and George Stroumboulopoulos among others. You can subscribe on iTunes and go to the website Broadcasting Canada, Voices of the CBC

The webpage says; Celebrating the role the CBC plays in the social fabric of Canada through in-depth conversations with the voices and personalities who bring us together from coast to coast to coast.

- I listened to a couple of the podcast episodes and recommend it to those like myself, who enjoy long form interviews, the CBC and any of her hosts.  

Barbara

George was asked about Mayor Ford

George Stephanopoulos (hope I spelled that right) had George Stroumboulopoulos as a guest on his ABC show called this week.

George asked Strombo to comment on the stories about Toronto's mayor Rob Ford.

Here is the link to watch. 

Remembering Cory Monteith

 

The entertainment and fan community lost a great talent on 13 July 2013 when Cory Monteith died at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver. His room had two empty bottles of champagne, used hypodermic needle, and a spoon with drug residue. His body was cremated on July 17 following a private viewing for family and fiancé/co-star, Lea Michelle. Glee will air a tribute episode to his character, Finn, on Thursday.

 

Audiences who wanted to see Monteith after he had passed had a chance to see his final two films, All The Wrong Reasons and McCanick last month at the Toronto International Film Festival.

 

The talented actor was born in Calgary, Alberta to an interior decorator and military man. His parents divorced when he was seven years old and he started experiencing trouble in school and later drugs before dropping out of school at 16. He eventually completed high school and worked various jobs before becoming a professional actor in Vancouver.

 

In a candid interview from October 18, 2011, Monteith spoke to George about his struggle with drugs, and about how through sharing his experiences, he hoped to help kids who were going through the same things he did when he was a teenager. 

 

 

 Fans will continue to mourn and celebrate the life of Monteith. To see the whole episode, please go here.

CBC Partners With TIFF

The Stroumboulopouli got a press release that is of interest to friends and fans of George Stroumboulopoulos, the CBC and TIFF. 

Here it is!

August 29, 2013 - CBC is pleased to announce an exciting new content partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival for the 2013 Festival. For the first time, TIFF Industry’s Moguls series,  Keynote Conversation, Doc Conference, telefilms Canada PITCH THIS! and Master Class will take place in the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio and many of CBC’s top stars are hosting various conversations as part of the Festival’s broader conversation series.

In addition, CBC is the co-host and broadcast partner of TIFF's annual ‘Canada Party’, taking place at the CBC Broadcast Centre on Saturday, September 7 from 10pm – 2am. TIFF, alongside CBC and Canada Goose, will bring together top Canadian talent and industry leaders for a night that celebrates the best in Canadian TV and film. The event is by invitation only.

We’re very happy to partner with the prestigious TIFF this year,” said Jennifer Dettman, Interim Executive Director, Studio and Unscripted Content at the CBC. “CBC is building an ongoing relationship with TIFF, and we’re excited for what lies ahead and to continue working with one of the world’s top cultural institutions.”

‘The Moguls’ series will take place at the Glenn Gould Studio, while the Mavericks series will mainly be hosted at TIFF Bell Lightbox, featuring a movie screening and Q&A session afterward:

·         September 6 – WHAT IS CINEMA? (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Chuck Workman, hosted by Brent Bambury

·         September 7 – MADE IN AMERICA (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Ron Howard, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos

·         September 7 – IN CONVERSATION WITH… IRRFAN KHAN (Glenn Gould Studio)

·         September 8 – IN CONVERSATION WITH… SPIKE JONZE (TIFF Bell Lightbox)

·         September 8 – 12.12.12. (Winter Garden Theatre) with Harvey Weinstein, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos

·         September 9 – FOR NO GOOD REASON (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Ralph Steadman, hosted by John Northcott

·         September 10 – IN REAL LIFE (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Beeban Kidron, hosted by Nora Young

·         September 12 – OUR MAN IN TEHRAN (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Larry Weinstein and Ken Taylor, hosted by Susan Ormiston

·         September 13 – WOMEN IN FILM 40TH ANNIVERSARY (TIFF Bell Lightbox), with Madeline Anderson and Kay Armatage, hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are in the GTA we hope to see you in and around the TIFF this year!

Stroumboulopoulos, Friday June 21, CNN

Check out STROUMBOULOPOULOS on CNN Friday night at 11 pm. That about sums it up! 

On Facebook Strombo CNN

You can also follow @StromboCNN on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StromboCNN

Catching up with George

George seems to be everywhere lately. He's wrapping an interview this morning on Metro Minute on the CBC and was on Good Morning America three days ago. We here at the Stroumboulopouli are trying to catch up with all the articles, videos and social media following George's summer move to CNN. Some feel uneasy that we are going to loose our beloved talk show host to the Americans, but George has been reassuring everyone that he will return to CBC for a 10th season after his ten episodes with CNN. If you want to join in the conversation about George, here are some selected videos and links.

On May 28, 2013, George swung by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. You can watch as George turns the tables and begins interviewing Craig on his own show here.

On June 3, 2013, CNN released this promotional video about the show here.

Hopefully, you all caught our post about George on Huffington Post Live on June 5, 2013. If you haven't seen it yet, click here.

June 6, 2013 seemed to be a rather busy day. CNN released two more promotional videos showing George interviewing Martin Short and Wiz Khalifa on his premiere show this Sunday. You can follow the links for Martin here and Wiz here.

Jake Tapper from The Lead on CNN pokes fun at George's name, quizzes him on the meaning of double double, hoser, toque, and other questions. Wolf Blitzer also responds to George's comment about him being the Neil Young of CNN here.

Brooke Baldwin takes a break from Live CNN to talk with George about bringing back "rad", working with a live audience, interviewing Wiz, the infamous lean-in and presentation of questions, and ends with a fun word association. If you want to skip the news on Prince Philip's abdominal surgery, tune in at 0:56 here

Strombo's CNN Facebook page posted a video of Ashleigh Benfield talking to George on June 7, 2013 here. Please visit the page and show your support for George by liking the page too.

Next George will  be representing Canada in New York City, USA and London, England for Canada Day. You can read about June 29's event in Central Park and July 1's event in Trafalgar Square here.

Also, some of us here are a bit curious about a blog post asking who would replace George if he ever decided to move permanently to America. Feel free to share your ideas in our comment section or to read the post here.

The Strombo Show - Sunday, May 12th, 2013

Vampire Weekend stop by tonight to chat with George.  They banded together in New York City in 2006.  Since then they have released two full length albums and been nominated for a Grammy Award. Their next album, Modern Vampires of the City, is due to be released on May 13th.  Have a listen to its first single, Diane Young, that was released in February.







 


 
George teams up Alex "Can-Con Don" Narvaez, Lana Gay,  Hannah Alper and Canadian Hip Hop artist, Michie Mee to celebrate Mother's Day.







 

 

No doubt the most famous garage band of all time is Nirvana.  Tonight George celebrates the garage bands with a nod to Question Mark and the Mysterians...

... and Black Lips.





 








... and of course The Magnificent Seven, the seven hottest tracks of the week, 




and Ten O'Clock with Tom (Waits).









The Strombo Show is on CBC Radio 2 Sundays from 8 pm  until 11 pm.  See you there.