Latest news with #HamJam
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
He's the ham in ‘Ham Jam': Comedic bard B.A. Johnston has new season of show about the Hammer
Paul Osbaldiston … meet B.A. Johnston. Ozzie, the former punter and placekicker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, is just one Hamilton icon that turns up in the new season of the comedic troubadour's show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.' Johnston says it was a highlight of the five-episode show that is now playing on Bell Fibe TV 1 and YouTube. Each episode is about 15 minutes. 'I idolized Osbaldiston while I was growing up,' says the 50-year-old west Hamilton resident and entertainer, who will be on a tour this month, playing in bars between Thunder Bay and Vancouver. 'That was a real special one.' I love Hamilton. I could write love letters to Hamilton all the time. B.A. Johnston Other episodes see Johnston going to the 2022 Labour Day Classic, and a special food show where he visits Hutch's on the Beach, Roma Bakery & Deli, Easterbrook's, Grandad's Donuts, the Tally Ho, Black Forest Inn and Shakespeare's fine dining. B.A. Johnston gets shut out of the 2022 Labour Day Classic, despite having a ticket. It is part of an episode on his show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.' The second season is now running on Bell Fibe/TV 1 and YouTube. He has one sobering episode about gentrification of Hamilton, and the housing problem, but throughout the five episodes there are bursts of his infectious humour and his warmth for the Hammer. The first season featured shows on steel, waterfalls and sub shops. 'I love Hamilton,' Johnston says. 'I could write love letters to Hamilton all the time.' He thought of doing more food shows because 'I'm a food guy. Why don't we talk about Hutch's for six episodes?' In the show, he talks about having an eating challenge, maybe eating 'all this stuff in 24 hours.' His mother, Kim, advises against it. 'I don't think you should be scarfing down a bunch of food,' she says. B.A. Johnston chows down on a roast beef sandwich at the Tally Ho in an episode of his show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.' The second season is now running on Bell Fibe/TV 1 and YouTube. At another point, he waxes poetically about the Ghostbuster doughnut at Grandad's. 'This is the doughnut I would marry,' he says. 'This is the doughnut I would take to the prom.' It took six years to get the second season of 'Ham Jam' on the small screen. The first season premiered in 2019. The show is directed-produced by Douglas Nayler, co-founder of Quiet Ghost Inc. Johnston said the pandemic played a role in the delay, but there were some family crises and worry of legal action from the Canadian Football League over a cartoon. That latter issue required an episode to be changed. 'I don't know a lot about the TV business, but it takes longer than you think,' he said. 'But, it's out now.' The second season got a premiere in December at the Playhouse Cinema. 'I thought the response was great,' said Johnston. 'My mom said it was better than the first season.' Johnston went to Westdale Secondary School and took philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough. He said it took him seven years to get his degree 'but I did finish it.' B.A. Johnston is his stage name and he likes to say he uses that because his name is Bryan Adams Johnston. Of course, there is 65-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. 'He's a little older than me,' says Johnston. 'He got the jump on me.' He joked his entry into music was 'spite driven.' He started learning how to play the guitar in the last year of high school. 'No one would let me in their band, so I thought I'd have my own band,' he said. He was a regular at the former This Ain't Hollywood, but also played the old Underground, Pepper Jack Café and the Casbah Lounge. He has 14 albums and been nominated for two Polaris Prizes given to Canadian albums — in 2015 and 2017. His last album was titled 'Argos Suck.' Comic singer B.A. Johnston's second season of 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam' featured two episodes on his beloved Hamilton Tiger-Cats. One featured him being shut out of the 2022 Labour Day Classic, despite having a ticket. Johnston doesn't foresee a third season of 'Ham Jam.' 'There's more stories to tell, but I think that's the end of 'Ham Jam,'' he said. He's on the road a lot. He drives to his gigs, which he doesn't really enjoy. This month, he will be playing in places such as Winnipeg and Lethbridge. 'I like playing music,' Johnston says. 'I don't like driving to Wawa.'
CBC
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
B.A. Johnston — 'Hamilton's grandmother' — lovingly celebrates the city in new season of YouTube show
Social Sharing Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was the new season of B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam a "love letter" to Hamilton, "the greatest city in the world... greater than Rome." That's how Hamilton musician B.A. Johnston describes the second season of his show, which launched on YouTube Thursday. It's been six years since the first season, which included episodes on sub sandwiches, arcades and waterfalls. The new season tackles topics including the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, gentrification and classic dining spots. Featuring candid interviews and scenes around the city, the comedy documentary is reminiscent of the Rick Mercer Report — if Rick Mercer really hated the Toronto Argonauts. Johnston is known for his funny, folksy songs about falling in love at Jackson Square Mall, working a crappy job, running into an ex at Swiss Chalet and going to a Tiger-Cats game with Jesus Christ. Like his music, the show balances sincerity with tongue-in-cheek humour. "You've got to walk a fine line," Johnston told CBC Hamilton, comparing his approach to teasing a family member. "I can make fun of Hamilton because I love it." "Hamilton gets shown in a certain light, but it doesn't get shown in this light," he said. "It's a loving light, but also judgmental and critical. It's like I'm Hamilton's grandmother." Johnston interviewed former Ticats kicker Paul Osbaldiston That method is on full display in a two-part Ticats episode in which Johnston attends a game and talks to fans about loving Hamilton's only major sports team, even when it lets you down. In that episode, he talks to Ticat legend Paul Osbaldiston. Johnston recounted walking out of a game in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals after the Ticats lost the lead, then running back as he heard cheers. Osbaldiston had kicked a 54-yard field goal for the win. Osbaldiston appeared emotional as he said he wished he could play just one more game. "It was a sweet moment," Johnston said, adding it was strange to be interviewing one of his heroes. Hamilton music promoter Lou Molinaro told CBC Hamilton he also had an emotional experience on the show. He said he's been Johnston's fan for "many years," describing the artist as the "punk rock version of Stompin' Tom Connors." Johnston is one of his favourite Canadian performers, Molinaro said, because he makes art that's amusing but does serious topics justice. For an episode about gentrification and how Hamilton has changed, Johnston took Molinaro to the restaurant that used to be Miolinaro's music venue This Ain't Hollywood on James Street N. It closed in 2020 and going back left Molinaro with a lump in his throat, he said, adding sometimes he feels guilty about moving on when he did. At one point, the pair locked eyes and Molinaro could see Johnston was sad too, he said, adding it was probably the most sincere moment they've had together and he was "honoured" to take part in the series. Ham Jam was directed by Douglas Nayler Jr. of Quiet Ghost Inc. In a message, he told CBC Hamilton Johnston's ability to balance light and dark elements is a big part of why Nayler wanted to work with him. "I really love when we can make that turn and really land it, because I think it can really disarm the viewer and connect emotionally. You're laughing, you're laughing, then all of a sudden it's like 'Oh damn, I'm actually feeling something.'" The premise of one of the new episodes is Johnston pitching a food show in which he and his cousin try to tour multiple classic Hamilton food spots in 24 hours, including Hutch's and Grandad's Donuts. As the episode continues, Johnston starts to transform into food TV personality Guy Fieri. Things get psychedelic as the viewer is transported into Johnston's subconscious, where he fights a wrestler. Johnston said he didn't manage to eat all the food in 24 hours, but said he ate more than he thinks Guy Fieri would have. While getting body slammed by a wrestler hurt more than he expected, Johnston said it was nice to showcase local spots that might not get their flowers when people discuss Hamilton's restaurant scene. That's a big part of Johnston's music too, which highlights places throughout the province. Johnston working on 'miserable' new record "Just because something's only big in one small place doesn't mean it doesn't have value," he said. "You just need that one person who recognizes the location of the Tim Hortons in North Bay to make the song worthwhile." Johnston will be doing backyard shows this summer and said he'll be releasing a new album soon. "It's a huge bummer. I feel bad for people listening to it," he said. "It's going to be called I Don't Know Who Needs to Hear This Right Now, But They're Never Coming Back and You're Going to Die Alone. And all the songs are just miserable."
