Vinyl Cafe Turns the Page by Stuart McLean
In this collection of the beloved Vinyl Cafe stories, some things change, while others stay the same
Dave and Morley are growing older, Steph and Sam are growing up. Moving out and moving on.
Dave and Morley's marriage has mellowed and deepened like a fine wine, Sam has developed a palate for girls and Gruyere, and Steph's found happiness with an artist who photographs roadkill.
Everyone's growing wiser and worldlier — well, almost everyone.
Yes, Dave still has trouble with the automatic car wash, defibrillators, and hot yoga, but he's come to appreciate Mary Turlington, and that's saying quite a bit.
In this brand new collection of Vinyl Cafe stories, the more things change, the more things stay the same…
(From Penguin Canada)
Stuart McLean was a bestselling author, award-winning journalist, humorist and the host of CBC Radio's The Vinyl Cafe. McLean has earned numerous awards, including the Canadian Author's Association Jubilee Award in 2004, three Stephen Leacock Memorial Medals for Humour and the CBA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
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Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fervent fans put a lot of thought into Whiteout fashion choices
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Massimo De Luca-Taronno / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Jets white-out fan, Derek Morley in his customized pope outfit that "took weeks to make." He tracked down his base layer — a costume store pope outfit — before customizing it with all sorts of Jets logos, embroidering the front, back and shoulders. 'It took weeks to make,' Morley said. Like any fashion maven, he's constantly making alterations, adding fresh updates every year. Most recently, he's had his hat embroidered. Morley has been to almost every Whiteout party since Jets 2.0 returned to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2015. He said the energy is unmatched. 'Honestly, there's just nothing like Winnipeg,' he said. 'I used to live in Vancouver and go to Canucks parties, and I've been to a lot of sporting event parties, but the Winnipeg Whiteout is one of a kind.' Morley said his pre-game ritual reminds him of the Spider-Man movie. '(The pope hat) talks to me like the Green Goblin mask,' he said. 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Cision Canada
08-05-2025
- Cision Canada
He's back! AMI's Dave Brown returns with a brand-new series, Game Changers, debuting May 15 on AMI-tv and AMI+
TORONTO, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Dave Brown is back! Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), in partnership with FRANK Digital, is thrilled to announce the debut of the 16-episode Game Changers, Thursday, May 15, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and AMI+. Each episode of Game Changers finds Dave in his element, visiting stunning locales while spending the day chatting with notable Canadians. Guests joining Dave in Season 1 include wheelchair basketball star Tara Llanes, sportswear designer Lucy Wild, The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, award-winning music producer/recording artist Mattmac, PGA golfer Kyle Miller, playwright Ashley King, actor Bruce Horak and punk rock icon Bif Naked. "Dave has a genuine curiosity about how others view the world," says John Melville, Vice-President of Content Development and Operations, AMI-tv and AMI-audio. "His engagement with his interview subjects is second-to-none. We invite Canadians to join Dave and his guests as the third chair in their engaging conversation." "It's important to have meaningful conversations with people who want to make a difference," host Dave Brown says. "These are people putting words into action. It's a privilege to learn about them and give them a platform to share their perspective. It's an added bonus that I've been able to make my way across the country to have these conversations." The first five episodes of Game Changers include: Tara Llanes – Thursday, May 15, at 9 p.m. Eastern Dave Brown shoots hoops with Tara Llanes, former pro mountain biker turned wheelchair basketball star. Along the way, Tara shares her journey of resilience, reinvention and athletic excellence. Maggie Manning – Thursday, May 22, at 9 p.m. Eastern Dave Brown sits down with para hockey goaltender Maggie Manning to hear her story of sport, advocacy and resilience. Then it's game on as Dave hits the ice to see if he can score on Maggie! Lucy Wild – Thursday, May 29, at 9 p.m. Eastern Dave Brown hits the slopes with technical sportswear designer Lucy Wild to talk innovation, inclusion and high-performance gear. From Paralympic design to skiing in Whistler, this episode is all about pushing limits in style. Jaimie Borisoff – Thursday, June 5, at 9 p.m. Eastern Dave Brown chats with Paralympic champion and rehab engineer Jaimie Borisoff about innovation, mobility and life after elite sport. Then the pair explore the future of accessibility tech, including a playful encounter with the British Columbia Institute of Technology's robotic dog, MACO! Carla Qualtrough – Thursday, June 12, at 9 p.m. Eastern Dave Brown meets Member of Parliament Carla Qualtrough—Paralympian and trailblazing politician—to talk sports, leadership and disability advocacy. Then Dave takes on a new challenge: learning to walk with a guide dog! Game Changers airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream episodes anytime, for free, on AMI+. About Dave Brown Dave Brown has close to two decades of broadcast experience. Early in his career, Dave ran a student radio station in Ottawa, interned at CBC Radio 3 in Vancouver, CBC Radio 1 in Ottawa, Entertainment Tonight Canada and Global News Toronto. Dave's first big on-air opportunity came as a traffic reporter with CBC Radio 1 in Ottawa. For more than three years, commuters started their day with Dave in their ears. Dave joined AMI in 2015 as a bureau reporter in Ottawa. Since then, he has hosted AMI This Week and produced stories and documentaries for the network. In 2017, Dave and his team launched The Pulse for AMI-audio. The long-form interview show gave Dave a chance to sharpen his interview skills and connect with members of the disability community in Canada and around the world. In 2020, Dave hosted the weekday series NOW with Dave Brown, where he discussed the latest news, entertainment, sports and current events through a disability lens. 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CBC
05-05-2025
- CBC
Beloved Calgary comedy show comes to a close after two decades
Social Sharing After two decades of hijinks, a staple of Western Canada's comedy scene has come to a close in Calgary. Open-mic comedy show Comedy Monday Night has welcomed everybody from first-time comics to Hollywood stars since founder James Moore's first show in 2005. The last of nearly a thousand open-mic nights wrapped last month after a 20th anniversary event, with fans packing the downtown pub Modern Love — longtime home of Comedy Monday Night since it was formerly known as Broken City — to celebrate the show's success. "It was a perfect ending, because I didn't tell anybody that was the last show, I just told them it was the 20th anniversary," said Moore who was interviewed last week on CBC Radio's the Calgary Eyeopener. "Everybody showed up here for a celebration, not a funeral. And so at the very end of the show, I thanked everybody, and I pulled the ripcord and I'm now drifting off into the sunset." Comedy Monday Night played a pivotal role in shaping Calgary's live comedy scene. It's featured the likes of Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk, as well as a surprise show from The Hangover 's Zach Galifianakis When Galifianakis first introduced himself, Moore had no idea who he was. "I looked at him and he didn't look like Brad from The Hangover," said Moore. "He lost a lot of weight, he cut his beard real close." After vetting Galifianakis's identity, he welcomed the Between Two Ferns host on stage for what was bound to be the venue's most high-profile show. "Comedians have been wondering what it takes to get a walk-on spot at Comedy Monday Night, and last night that question was answered: $10 billion box office and three pieces of ID," joked Moore, quoting fellow comedian Chris Griffin. Comedy Monday Night has also been a place for newbies to hone their craft and in many cases even take the stage for the first time. "We've been very fortunate on the talent development side, because there was a lot of kids who perceived this as a really good opportunity to get into comedy," said Moore. Among those success stories is Calgary comedian Spencer Streichert, who has gone on to open for big names in the industry like Jim Jefferies and Kenny Hotz. "I've learned from the best," said Streichert. Everyone who stepped on stage at Comedy Monday Night received the same rundown, Streichert said, no matter their experience. New comedians were taguht about how to hold the mic, where to look for the light and stage etiquette. "[Moore] made sure that everybody that was getting on stage was as professional as possible so that the show, even though it had a lot of amateurs on it, would be a very professional show," said Streichert. Moore's dedication certainly paid off, as Comedy Monday Night leaves behind a dedicated fanbase and a lasting imprint on Calgary's comedy scene. "It didn't matter if you were a professional headliner or an open mic-er," said Streichert. "Everybody came here and it was a true testing ground of if you were funny, because the crowd would be hot, but you still had to be funny."
