DarrenBarefoot.com

OUCH.

Speaking of trying too hard, that was my problem with vlogger Amanda Congdon. She was a terrible host–her timing was always off, her delivery forced, and jokes were replaced with mugging for the cameras.

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who’d you rather? Rick the temp? What about the lovely Vicki Gabereau? Just how many places can Rick Mercer be at once?

I think George is the only fresh faces on the CBC. Their union producers that have been creating the same show in the same box for far too many years is what needs to be shook up.

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When I did a radio pilot for the CBC two years ago, they were shocked that I didn’t sound like George S. I guess they thought all 30-somethings would sound more like him. If they’d told me that, I would have tried to sound less like, oh, Barbara Bud.

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I honestly think he’s really quite bright, and probably quite funny and interesting when he’s unscripted and allowed to do his own thing.

But I think that show tries WAY too hard to be something edgy yet credible. The Ron Jeremy/Mulroney thing probably would have made good Mercer schtick, but to me it seems like way too obvious a joke and a juxtaposition for what The Hour is supposedly trying to accomplish.

Any show can book a couple guests that are from radically different worlds and mug about it. But what do we learn from that? Where’s the interest? How am I better informed or more savvy?

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I think George is okay (heck, I even met him), but I agree that he’s been getting a little annoying recently. I enjoyed the first season of the Hour (and his hosting jobs on Greatest Canadian, Loud, and the Punk Show), but recently it seems that he’s trying to hard to maintain his cred.

Also, cowboy-chic doesn’t ever look good :)

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Yes, but Evan Solomon appeals to late 20 and 30-somethings, not 18-24-year-olds. :)

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On a side note: who am I, as a 20-something Canadian born Chinese, supposed to look up to? The Banana Boys?

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Darren, you’re going to be even more disappointed when George Stroumboulopoulos becomes Governor General. It’s a well known secret that the CBC has become a breeding ground for upcoming GGs. If only Rick the Temp had gone with them instead of ET Canada, he’d be on the fast track to living on the public purse!

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I definitely think Strombo’s not targeting your demo, Darren. His “trying too hard” is probably symptomatic of trying to stay with it in order to speak to the concerns of the people just under my age who are only semi-engaged with their university classes, if they are able to attend post-secondary at all. The show’s look and feel, with quick cuts and bite-sized summaries, is definitely trying to make a dent with the YouTube generation. As a veteran of MuchMusic, whose demo is very much in the 12 - 19 segment, I’m willing to bet that this was the intent behind having him host at all.

If we’re gauging his success in that realm, then, can we get some 12 - 19 year olds to comment?

Also, I second the Evan Soloman love.

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Celia: Margaret Cho, Bobby Lee, and John Cho are all Korean, not Chinese, and for whatever reason, I despise Lucy Liu. Out of that list, I like John Cho the best. He was terrific as Harold.

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I agree with your assessment of Strombo. I feel that he kisses the butts of the people he interviews, and tries to hard. I can handle the bit sized information, but I cannot handle the sycophancy that seems to be his trademark.

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I don’t need a “hip” lardass in a seat to bring issues to me.

Give me Bob Mckeown Vs Ann Coulter anytime.

He didn’t need earrings and a missed shaved spot under his lower lip to get his point across.

Intelligence trumps a flake anyday.

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and what’s with the monochromatic outfits?
i’ll tell you what - people who have no sense of fashion, always dress in a single color
all black all the time

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i hate george strobolopoulos! this guy is seriously fucking obnoxious, the biggest posing weasel on tv (so no big surprise he’s on cbc)

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George likes himself to much, his image is something between a person at a funeral and the person in the casket. CBC is a horribly bias network (what can you expect after 12 years of Liberal rule?) and George fits in well. I am in the 18-24 demograph and George does nothing but either pisses me off or bores me.

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Whoever’s dissing George, I’d like to see you go up there and do what he’s doing. I think he’s doing a great job…so what if it looks like he’s trying to hard. It would be hard for anyone to go into a position like that with known figures, and carry on a coherent conversation, which he’s doing quite well. Maybe he does need to relax abit, but if the network wants ratings to be good, that’s a bit of pressure on someone’s shoulders, especially if he’s the central figure of the show! You have to know your shit to do what he’s doing. I think he’s intelligent and much more talented than some of the interviewers/VJ’s etc, out there today! Good for you george!

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Hey what’s with all the George hate here! Yeah the show is bent by all kinds of marketing forces, but that’s the show, and not the man. In the past year he’s become the most interesting thing on Canadian TV on the strength of his interviews. Always this relentless earnestness, which is even naive at times, always very in touch with the emotional core of an interview. He makes every single interview interesting and stand out from what you’d see in a Press Kit (I’m looking at you other networks).

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Nah, he doesn’t try too hard. He just is who he is. And if that means that he is tough but still cares about the issues, then so be it.

I wouldn’t judge him unless you’ve met him. If you meet him in person, you’ll see what I mean.

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And now an honourary degree.

http://www.craigmonk.com

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With his Make Poverty History wristband, George is the ultimate political hipster. I see them everywhere now. People who are ‘hip’ to politics but only talk in the simplest terms. Don’t take action except for the most simplistic (bracelets, petitions).

What bothers me most about George is that he completely patronizes his viewers, believing them to be ignorant twats. It’s not true. Remember the show that had George’s time slot before on CBC? Counterspin. An intelligent show that dared talk to young adults like they were adults. Debates raged which were more intellectual than the ones on other Canadian political panel shows. It was a shining light of Canadian activism in the early 2000s. George has brought this generation of 15-35 year olds back down to being cool, hip and ironic while truly being nihilistic.

I think George is an airhead.

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first off, it shouldnt matter if a porn star and the former (also former being a key word) prime minister are on the same show togther, there both just people. and i have to differ greatly from your optinion, ive achully met the guy and been on his show. the whole atmosphere is really cool, very relaxed, and the way hes on the show is the same way he’s like with you face to face. what you see is what you get with him. lastly your only showing an example of one show, have you even watched any of the others?

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He his a typical, self important, out of touch, CBC darling with no idea how rediculous he looks. The contrived bad boy image is at best nausiating, and at worst, insulting. On top of that, he’s a terrible interviewer, with irritating delivery, firing out vapid questions that sound more like they belong in an MSN chat than network TV. Then obviously not caring about the answer as fidgets and interupts his guests with fake laughter. He doesn’t even sit on his chair properly. Sorry for the rant but I find this guy to be the most annoying thing on TV in recent memory.

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