Latest news with #SCTV
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Comedian and former SCTV star Dave Thomas walks into the Russia-Ukraine war: ‘There's nothing funny about it'
Comedian Dave Thomas recently returned from a 10-day trip to Ukraine to raise awareness for the Ukrainian Freedom Fund, a charity that supplies non-lethal equipment and training to Ukrainians. The 76-year-old former SCTV star recently spoke to The Globe and Mail by video conference from Los Angeles. How does one get to Kyiv in the middle of a war? You can't fly to Ukraine. I took a Turkish Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Istanbul, which took 14 hours. And then I took a connecting flight to Chisinau, Moldova, south of Ukraine. From there was an eight-hour ride with an army security official through Ukraine. It was a pretty hairy ride. Were you in danger? We were dodging automobile debris on the road, from previous drone strikes. We had to travel at night because the strikes were during the day. I later met a communications officer who said his personal car was attacked when he was off duty. They were stalking him because he was a valuable piece in the military command chain. The Russians use social media and all sorts of tracking methods. It's a different kind of war going on. What was Kyiv like? We got there in the morning. It looked like a normal European city − business as usual. People sat in cafes drinking lattes. Students were lined up outside the university. During the day, it was difficult for me to imagine there was a war going on. But at night, that's when you know. Explosions rocked my hotel. Do you meet any Canadians over there? I did, a retired Canadian general acting as an adviser. There are more than a million Ukrainians in Canada. This general felt he was doing the right thing by them. There's a sense of obligation to them, as taxpaying citizens. You're a comedian with no Ukrainian heritage in your background. What about your own sense of responsibility that led your there? I'm 76 years old. I feel I have to do something with my life before I die that has some value. I've made some people laugh. I guess that's great. But I felt I should do something more. Former SCTV star Dave Thomas goes to Ukraine: 'Most of my career is behind me, so why don't I go over there and see what I can do?' What do you think you accomplished? I learned a lot about people. Maybe there will be an increase in donations in Canada, which would be great. They're giving medical supplies and teaching field triage. They have evacuation teams that go behind enemy lines to rescue Ukrainian people who are trapped there, including women and children. Did you accompany those teams? I did. The Russians were shooting at us. On SCTV, you portrayed Bob Hope, famous for entertaining troops abroad. I wonder if he ever got shot at. I don't know. But drones are the weapons of choice now. Ukrainian soldiers told me how difficult they are to shoot down. They're almost like those model airplanes hobbyists fly. I saw one Russian drone hanging in a bar. It doesn't look threatening at all, and yet they carry ordnance. Did you talk to wounded soldiers? Yes. The communications officer I mentioned lost his legs. He said to me, 'They blew up the wrong half of me.' He's still good from the legs up. 'I'm still fighting,' he said. What about the civilians you spoke with? I talked to a woman who was being evacuated from the south, near Odessa. Her husband was packing the car, and a Russian sniper shot him in the head. She saw it happen from the window of her house. She fled with her children on her own. Nobody should have to witness that. Did you speak with people about President Trump and U.S. support? They're very careful not to say anything negative about the United States. There's a Ukrainian phrase that translates to, 'Everything will be fine.' There's a song that everybody knows that talks to this spirit of resilience. I saw that resilience myself. In what form? I heard about drone strikes on a mall in Kyiv. It happened around midnight. When I went to the mall the next morning, the store owners had replaced the glass that had been destroyed by the blast. Cardboard replaced the walls, and they were open for business as usual. I have to admit, I was mad at myself for being disappointed, because I brought my video crew to shoot the devastation and it was already under repair. They're dedicated to making things appear normal. You had plans to visit comedy clubs. Did you? Yes. I spoke with stand-ups. I wanted to know what Ukrainians were laughing at. What I found was that it wasn't Trump or Putin or political jokes. It's dating, lifestyle stuff. They want to laugh at normal things. The war is off-topic. Nobody thinks the war is funny − there's nothing funny about it. This interview has been condensed and edited.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Only matches in the building
Guests on the premiere episode are Selena Gomez, Cara Delevingne, Kevin Nealon, Anthony Anderson, Ziwe, and BD Wong. Wong played Short's assistant in 'Father of the Bride' (1991). Gomez has a stronger connection. She costars with Short and Steve Martin on ' Advertisement Martin Short hosts "Match Game." Jan Thijs/Disney Advertisement Which brings us back to that drum roll (or series of rim shots). Short was born to soar in that firmament the way Joe DiMaggio was born to patrol center field or Toscanini to take the podium. All the way back to his 'SCTV' days, Short has been an unrivaled master of sincere insincerity and winkingly self-aware phoniness. His jokes are that much funnier for his always, always being in on them. He says on that first 'Match Game' 'Wow, time flies when you're phoning it in.' What other game-show host would dare say such a thing, let alone be able to get away with? The classic game-show host is to smarminess as musicians are to perfect pitch or basketball players to height. It's practically a job requirement. Think of Rayburn, Bob Eubanks ('The Newlywed Game'), Richard Dawson ('Family Feud'), Monty Hall ('Let's Make a Deal'), the list does go on. Even the sainted Martin Short as Jiminy GLock. Al Levine/Business Wire via AP Short takes the cause for such scorn, turns it inside out, and ties a bow on it. Playing smarm for laughs, he's so over the top he's just where he should be. It's hard to imagine someone better suited to host a game show. Well, wait, there is someone: Advertisement Mark Feeney is a Globe arts writer . Mark Feeney can be reached at
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ryan Reynolds and Colin Hanks' Documentary ‘John Candy: I Like Me' to Open Toronto Film Festival's 50th Edition
'John Candy: I Like Me,' a documentary from director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds, will open the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. It's set to screen on Sept. 4 at Roy Thomson Hall. Candy was a Toronto-born comedian who rose to fame on Canada's sketch comedy show 'SCTV' and went on to star in films such as 'Spaceballs,' 'Uncle Buck,' 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' 'National Lampoon's Vacation' and 'Little Shop of Horrors.' He unexpectedly died of a heart attack at age 43 in 1994. More from Variety 'The Shadow Scholars,' Executive Produced by Steve McQueen, Debuts Trailer Ahead of North American Premiere at Tribeca (EXCLUSIVE) Bill Murray to Topline Second Annual Croatia International Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE) 'Welded Together' Acquired by Lightdox Ahead of Sheffield DocFest Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) 'Comedy fans all over the world grew up on John Candy's humor,' said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. 'We love that John's global career started in Toronto. Colin Hanks has made a hugely entertaining film packed with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, but like John, this movie is all heart.' 'John Candy: I Like Me' presents an unvarnished look at the funnyman's life on and off camera, featuring home videos and candid interviews with his family, friends and collaborators. According to the official logline, 'it's the story of a son, husband, father, friend, and professional driven to bring joy to audiences and loved ones while battling personal ghosts and Hollywood pressures.' Amazon MGM is backing the film, which will debut on Prime Video in the fall. 'When you hear the name John Candy, your face lights up. He wasn't just a great actor; he was an even better person,' Hanks and Reynolds said. 'People loved his everyman qualities, but they didn't know how relatable John really was. He went through the same struggles we all do, except now we talk about them. We are incredibly honored to have gotten to know the man better through this process and to bring the real John Candy to audiences starting with his hometown of Toronto.' Other than the opening night film, TIFF's lineup hasn't been released. This year's festival will take place from Sept. 4 through 14. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Global News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
‘John Candy: I Like Me' documentary set to open TIFF 50th edition
A documentary about late Canadian comic John Candy will open the 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. The festival says John Candy: I Like Me traces the comedy star's personal and professional life with never-before-seen home videos and candid recollections that reveal a son, husband, father and friend who battled personal ghosts and Hollywood pressures. The film was directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, who say in a joint statement the SCTV was a great actor and an even better person. View image in full screen John Candy, pictured in a scene from the comedy 'Uncle Buck.'. Universal Candy appeared in some of the biggest comedies of the '80s and '90s, including Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Cool Runnings and Splash, a comedy classic that catapulted his big-screen career along with co-star Tom Hanks, Colin's father. Story continues below advertisement Candy was just 43 when he died in 1994 of a heart attack in Mexico while working on a film. 1:37 'He's still loved:' John Candy's legacy lives on, 25 years after his death John Candy: I Like Me makes its world premiere at TIFF on Sept. 4 before streaming on Prime Video in the fall. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 4 to 14. 'We love that John's global career started in Toronto, and we can't wait to share John Candy: I Like Me with everyone at this year's opening night gala premiere,' TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said Wednesday in a release. 'Colin Hanks has made a hugely entertaining film packed with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, but like John, this movie is all heart. For us, it's the perfect way to kick off TIFF's 50th edition.'
CBC
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
TIFF 2025 to open with documentary on Canadian comedian John Candy
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is set to open with a documentary celebrating Canadian comedy legend John Candy. John Candy: I Like Me, directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, will have its world premiere on Sep. 4 at Roy Thomson Hall. The documentary will feature the Toronto-raised comedian and actor's life on- and off-camera, with exclusive home videos, family interviews and collaborators' recollections to showcase the legacy of his career spanning over two decades, the festival announced in a news release Wednesday. "Hanks has made a hugely entertaining film packed with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, but like John, this movie is all heart," TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey said in the release. "For us, it's the perfect way to kick off TIFF's 50th edition." Born in Newmarket, Ont., Candy first joined improv troupe The Second City Toronto in 1963. He joined the cast of its television show SCTV three years later, which went on to win two writing Emmys and an ACTRA award. Candy was 43 years old when he died from a heart attack on Mar. 4, 1994 while filming Wagons East in Mexico. John Candy: I Like Me will stream on Amazon Prime Video this fall after its premiere at the festival. The 11-day festival runs Sept. 4 to 14. A full lineup is yet to be announced. Currently there is a free collection containing objects related to Candy's life and career, donated by his wife Rose Candy, at the TIFF Film Reference Library.
