Shows
Toronto LegendsRob Del Mundo, Hockey JournalistHockey Journalist Rob Del Mundo shares stories from covering the Toronto Maple Leafs for 23 seasons from the Foster Hewitt Media Gondola, his memorable interactions with Sarah McLachlan/John Scott/Paul Hendrick/Andrew Ference/Tim Robbins/Jim Cuddy/Rob Baker/Robin Williams/Alex Lifeson/Jeff O’Neill/Cassie Campbell/Joe Nieuwendyk, the changing economics of the media press box’s gameday meal, and why ‘player scrumming’ is always preferred when it takes place OUTSIDE the dressing room [spoiler alert: hockey equipment STINKS!].For Rob Del Mundo’s collection of 55 life/career stories called Something Unpredictable, please reach out to him on...2024-12-0556 min
Toronto LegendsClive Farrington, When In RomeWhen In Rome’s Clive Farrington talks about the unbelievable success of The Promise, why it’s not a bad thing to be a ‘one hit wonder,’ hanging out with his Napoleon Dynamite friends Jared Hess/Jon Heder/Efren Ramirez, his admiration for the visual presentations of Depeche Mode/Pet Shop Boys/Kraftwerk, his shock at seeing Daryl Hannah announce their MTV Moonman win on TV from Manchester, flying to Dubai to launch Windows 10 with Bill Gates, and why he’s excited to have former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph as a teary-eyed Superfan!On Sunday October 27...2024-10-2143 min
Toronto LegendsAndrew Burashko, Art of Time EnsembleArt of Time Ensemble's Artistic Director Andrew Burashko talks about his debut as a concert pianist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at age 17 [under the baton of John Williams!], his 80 projects and recordings over 25 years with the group, working with singers Steven Page/Craig Northey/Chris Murphy/Andy Maize, collaborating with Margaret Atwood/Branford Marsalis/ Pinchas Zukerman/Sir Andrew Davis/Jukka-Pekka Saraste, his 'pinch-me' moments meeting Neil Young/Catherine O’Hara/Michael Ondaatje, and his high expectations for his newest project Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold!Andrew’s Art of Time Ensemble is pleased to present Sankof...2024-10-1633 min
Toronto LegendsEd Sousa, 80s Music ImpresarioLove bowling? Love the music of the 80s? Ed Sousa talks about his love for BOTH, his signature trilby hat, turning a one-night charity concert with Honeymoon Suite & the Spoons into the largest indoor music festival in North America, growing up 5 minutes away from radio station CFNY, Curtis Joseph’s wife’s adoration of When In Rome, learning the value of intimate artist/fan interaction from Randy Bachman, why his dream show would be booking Simple Minds, spending time with Midge Ure/Martin Fry/Gord Deppe/Mike Score/Flock of Seagulls/Michael Williams/Saga/Art of Noise, the huge plan...2024-06-2452 min
Toronto LegendsDamien Cox, Media Triple ThreatJournalist/Broadcaster/Author Damien Cox talks about starting out from The Toronto Star’s Scarborough bureau [the Toronto Zoo beat], co-hosting Prime Time Sports with the Bobcat Bob McCown [otherwise known as The Cutting Edge...with listeners!], his afternoon show on The FAN and subsequent books with Gord Stellick, his stint on Hockey Night in Canada during the Strombo Years, his thoughts on the major players [Darryl/Lanny/Borje/Inge/Captain Video/Palmy/Tiger/Harold] involved in his new book on the 1977/78 Toronto Maple Leafs, his love for Wayne Gretzky and lack thereof for Leo Cahill & Pat Quinn, his un...2024-02-0851 min
Toronto LegendsBrian Ehrenworth, Sports MemorabiliaFrameworth Sports Marketing President Brian Ehrenworth talks about his transformational business pivot experienced on The Madison’s patio as a result of beer + hockey sticks + ’The Killer’ Doug Gilmour, signing Mike Weir two weeks before he won the 2003 Masters, his industry-changing autograph exclusivity deal signed with a 15 year old Sidney Crosby [originally only done to save his Mike Weir deal!], his development of the Wayne Gretzky fantasy camps [and hitching a ride on The Great One’s private jet], opening Gardoonies sports bar directly across Carlton St from Maple Leaf Gardens [with his partners Doug Gilmour & Bob McCown], bringing Bobby Hu...2024-02-051h 04
Toronto LegendsRod Black, Canada’s BroadcasterBroadcaster Rod Black talks about his [former] moustache, his baseball-playing boys + the fabulous Butler bros [Rob & Rich], running away from home to meet Bobby Hull, DJ’ing at his Winnipeg roller rink, covering multiple Olympic Games, and his interactions with all of [but not limited to] Bill Cosby, O.J. Simpson, Bruce/Caitlin Jenner, Leo Rautins, Sir Charles Barkley, The Golden Boy Donny Lalonde, The Golden Jet Bobby Hull, Iron Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, John Shannon, Marv Albert, Morris Peterson, Dale Hawerchuk, Duane Ford, Joe Carter, Phil Esposito, Wayne Gretzky, Jesse The Body Ventura, Jack The Coach Armstrong, Elvis St...2024-02-011h 17
Toronto LegendsLaurie Boschman, Hockey Ministries International1000+ game NHL centreman Laurie Boschman talks about his 30 years working with Hockey Ministries International, getting the call [on a rotary phone!] from Harold Ballard that the Maple Leafs had drafted him 9th overall in 1979, checking into his hotel behind Andre the Giant and worrying that HE was attending the same training camp, the surreal experience of his first Maple Leafs’ training camp with Sittler/Salming/McDonald/Palmateer/Tiger Williams, as a rookie learning from ‘that old fossil’ Leafs legend Ron Ellis, his coach Mike Nykoluk phoning his poor parents back home in Brandon MB to tell them that he had be...2024-01-291h 05
Toronto LegendsAlan Frew Returns, 80s/90s REWINDGlass Tiger’s Alan Frew returns to talk about his upcoming 80s/90s REWIND live concert, why Glass Tiger is the world’s most industrious most lazy band, his fear that a fan will tell him that their Granny finds him ‘hot,’ how an unsigned bar band from Newmarket opened for Boy George & Culture Club at Maple Leaf Gardens [and how he had to high-tail it back right afterwards to do his midnight shift as an orderly at Newmarket Hospital], how his ‘funny accent’ led him directly to both fights & romances [“guys hated it, girls loved it”], his unplanned collaborations w...2024-01-2550 min
Toronto LegendsLisa Bowes, Broadcaster/AuthorBroadcaster turned Author Lisa Bowes talks about starting out as a 'fliegen' at TSN, putting in the extra hours at Maple Leaf Gardens, taking over for Rod Black at CTV Winnipeg, working on CBC’s weekly documentary program Sports Journal, all the creativity & innovations that came out of The Score Television Network, calling Women's Ice Hockey [and Canada's Gold Medal] at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, convincing Gary Bettman to do his best ‘duck call’ live on TV, covering the ‘Finnish Flash’ Teemu Selanne during his time in Winnipeg, and why she has high hopes for her ‘Lucy Tries Sports’ book series!...2024-01-2250 min
Toronto LegendsDon Boyle, Exhibition PlaceExhibition Place CEO Don Boyle talks about the logistics behind holding 1600+ annual events attracting 5.5MM visitors, the grandeur of the Princes’ [not Princess!] Gates, how many Torontonians' first job was working at the CNE, turning the area under the Gardiner into a cattle yard during the Royal Winter Fair, increasing access via Liberty Village/the existing GO station/the NEW Ontario Line station, the expansion plans for BMO Field ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, the Exhibition Stadium baseball field markers embedded in the asphalt parking lot, and he shares BREAKING NEWS of a possible ‘Transit Game’ event next summer...2024-01-1854 min
Toronto LegendsChris Dingman, 2x Stanley Cup ChampionFormer NHLer & two-time Stanley Cup champion Chris Dingman talks about the WHL bus rides during his 4 years playing Junior in Brandon MB, getting drafted 19th overall by the Calgary Flames, his first NHL game lining up against Stevie Y and the Red Wings, winning his first Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, winning his second Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, his interactions with Tortorella/Belak/Bourque/Bowman/St Louis/Forsberg/Patrick Roy/Andreychuk/Sakic/Lecavalier, his overseas stints playing in Sweden & Denmark [he had his own fanclub chant!], transitioning to a post-playing broadcasting career, and why he...2024-01-1539 min
Toronto LegendsSteve Brown, Nelson CEONelson President & CEO Steve Brown talks about leading the digital transformation at a 110 year old business known as ‘that textbook company,’ moving from paper output into an immersive digital learning platform called EDWIN, why he insisted that NO users manual be required & that information be ONLY one click away, leveraging AI/generative AI/large language models, why his educational industry peers don’t like it when he uses the terms ‘customers’ or ‘consumers,’ the need to build a ‘safe sandbox’ for learning, why his legacy of empathetic leadership will be measured in GDP advances, and the 'root cause' need to get down to tha...2024-01-1145 min
Toronto LegendsMike Vanderjagt, KickerLegendary NFL/CFL Kicker Mike Vanderjagt talks about whether he or Donovan Bailey ‘owns’ the Town of Oakville, his WVU college kicking debut [9yd punt in front of 76,000 fans televised on ESPN], his Arena Football League experience with the Minnesota Fighting Pike [actually a Walleye in the logo!], his back-2-back Grey Cup championships with the Flutie/Clemons Argonauts [and how he lost & recovered the actual Grey Cup!], his 9 NFL seasons finishing as the most accurate kicker in history, why you ‘punt for show and kick for dough,’ his interactions with Peyton Manning/Edgerrin James/Marvin Harrison/Bill Parcells/Jerry Jo...2024-01-0846 min
Toronto LegendsSander Meijers, AdyenAdyen’s Canadian Country Manager Sander Meijers talks about the innovations in fintech leading the push towards ‘unified commerce,’ why it’s not a question of ‘if’ but rather ‘when’ his global firm applies for a Canadian banking license, why consumers should expect the SAME shopping experience whether shopping on-line or in a bricks-and-mortar store, taking on this great adventure with his family’s move from Amsterdam to Toronto, why he brought his ELECTRIC bike with him from bicycle-friendly Amsterdam, his ongoing search for local Bitterballen [Dutch meatballs], and he clarifies that his home country is actually called The Netherlands and no...2024-01-0438 min
Toronto LegendsCharles Pachter, Canada’s ArtistCanada’s Artist Charles Pachter talks moose, hockey murals and why the Queen WAS amused! Charles shares the stories behind meeting his husband Keith Lem [Orillia aristocracy!], the inspiration from his lifelong friendship with ‘Peggy Nature’ [Margaret Atwood at Camp White Pine], his mother’s reaction to his Leafs/Habs murals going up in the TTC College Street subway station [“it’s the basement, but at least it’s permanent!’], opening the ‘other Shaw Festival’ and then building his ‘palace’ in the middle of downtown Toronto, his breakout ‘Queen on a Moose’ painting selling for $10K [far exceeding the $1.2K he had a...2024-01-0142 min
Toronto LegendsStephen Stanley, LOTL/The Stephen Stanley BandSinger/Songwriter/Guitarist Stephen Stanley talks about his new album with The Stephen Stanley Band, his 23 years with The Lowest of the Low [with a few breaks & a few break-ups mixed in], why ‘Shakespeare My Butt’ was [at the time] both an albatross and a gold medal, his memories of enjoying 4am nachos at Sneaky Dee’s with Dave Bookman, presenting a bouquet of roses better suited for Secretariat to Luciano Pavarotti at Massey Hall [and later playing there himself], turning DOWN opening tour slots with Bryan Adams/Barenaked Ladies/Violent Femmes, his connections to The Mynah Bird/Yorkville music s...2023-12-2854 min
Toronto LegendsBrian McFarlane, HNIC/Peter PuckThe Man/the Myth/the Legend Brian McFarlane talks about his 25 years on Hockey Night in Canada, his time down south with NBC and CBS, being in the Maple Leaf Gardens’ gondola for the LAST Maple Leafs Stanley Cup win in 1967 [and crashing the team party afterwards with his wife!], getting banned from MLG by owner Harold Ballard [but nonetheless doing his job from outside the arena on the Carlton St sidewalk!], the imminent comeback of Peter [and Penny!] Puck, playing hockey with Jean Beliveau/Gordie Howe/Rocket Richard/Wayne Gretzky/Mario Lemieux, his Dad being the original author of...2023-12-2548 min
Toronto LegendsNorm O’Reilly, Business the NHL WayAuthor Dr Norm O’Reilly talks about why the NHL makes a fantastic business case study, transferring lessons learned from the ice to the boardroom, why love him or loathe him Gary Bettman is a strong 'in control' leader, the future of NHL expansion both domestically & globally, why the Arizona franchise experiment is unlikely to die, how the NHL successfully led all major sports leagues into the Las Vegas market, the star power achieved with the book’s foreward written by Gary Bettman and its afterward written by Hayley Wickenheiser, how many ADDITIONAL NHL teams he speculates could be supp...2023-12-211h 15
Toronto LegendsTom Hayes, Broadcaster1 Minute Morning’s Tom Hayes talks about career stops at Scarborough Cable/CKVR-Barrie/CTV News/CityNews/Global News, his broadcasting brothers from another mother Bill Hayes/Bryan Hayes/John [Hayes] Derringer, the surprise of Tik Tok providing 50% of his current viewing audience, his memorable interactions with Lady Di/Mick Jagger/Robert De Niro/Paul Stanley, and the crazy details behind his investigative reporting that led to the creation of ‘The Hayes Amendment’ in our provincial liquor legislation!Look for '1 Minute Morning' on facebook, twitter/X, linked in, instagram and tik tok!TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted...2023-12-1848 min
Toronto LegendsSalah Bachir, Entrepreneur/PhilanthropistEntrepreneur, publisher, art collector, fundraiser, philanthropist and now author Salah Bachir shares stories from his life and his new memoir ‘First to Leave the Party: My Life With Ordinary People…Who Happen to be Famous’ involving Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Joan Rivers, Doris Day, Cesar Chavez, Diahann Carroll, Andy Warhol and many more!‘First to Leave the Party: My Life With Ordinary People…Who Happen to be Famous’ is published by Penguin Random House Canada and is available wherever you get your books or go to https://salahbachir.com/TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Ap...2023-12-1542 min
Toronto LegendsKristian Noel Pedersen, Xmas Singer/SongwriterChristmas Singer/Songwriter Kristian Noel Pedersen confirms his middle name is legit and not a marketing tool, talks about the release of his 15th annual original Xmas album ‘A Christmas Around Town,’ shares his love for 'Bandcamp-Heads' & Mariah Carey, and extols the virtues of apparently silly projects being able to bring people together!For the full Kristian Noel Pedersen Experience, please visit https://akristiankindachristmas.bandcamp.com/TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more abou...2023-12-1131 min
Toronto LegendsRandi Druzin, AuthorAuthor Randi Druzin talks about her new book Behind the Mask: A Revealing Look at Twelve of the Greatest Goalies in Hockey History, sharing interesting stories about Mike 'The Popcorn Kid' Palmateer, Henrik Lundqvist, Carey Price, Grant Fuhr, Vladislav Tretiak, Marc-André Fleury, Roberto Luongo, Tony Esposito, Gerry Cheevers, Rogie Vachon, Ed Giacomin and Roger Crozier. She also concurs that the greatest piece of goaltender artwork is Ken Danby’s ‘At The Crease’!For more on Randi, please visit www.druzin.comBehind the Mask: A Revealing Look at Twelve of the Greatest Goalies in Hockey History...2023-12-0440 min
Toronto LegendsTony Ambrogio, BroadcasterCollege of Sports Media/TSN’s Tony Ambrogio talks about his interactions with Dan Marino/Darryl Sittler/Wayne Gretzky/Ernie Harwell/Jean Beliveau/Tom Cheek/Dick Enberg/Dino Ciccarelli, the industry innovations that came from The Score Television Network [the ticker! live post-game news conferences! Steve Kouleas!], why he is a BIG HIT in New Zealand, the importance of providing Descriptive Video, his PA work for the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, the best practical advice he gives his students at the College Of Sports Media, and Tommy Lasorda’s explanation for why so many Italians are named TONY!For...2023-11-3054 min
Toronto LegendsJessica Mosher, UTP PublisherUniversity of Toronto Press President/Publisher/CEO Jessica Mosher talks about their ‘diversity of voices & ideas’ mandate both in the U of T community and globally, the ongoing disruption related to the growth of AI [and why it needs to retain a ‘human loop’], the rapidly changing mix of printed vs electronic books, why she doesn’t mind if you purchase your Varsity Blues hoodie from a bookstore OR order it online, informs us of the shocking existence of COUNTERFEIT textbooks [!!], and shares the excitement around the upcoming 125th anniversary of UTP!Visit UTP at https://utorontopress.com/ and f...2023-11-2741 min
Toronto LegendsBrian Stemmle, Olympic Skier/BroadcasterCBC Sports ski analyst Brian Stemmle talks about his experiences representing Canada at FOUR Winter Olympic Games, choosing to follow his dream of becoming Steve Podborski instead of Darryl Sittler, his FIRST race also being Steve Podborski’s LAST race as the Crazy Canucks era came to an end, why he didn’t want the doctors to cut him out of his racing suit after his horrible 1989 crash at Kitzbuhel, very nearly losing his $20,000 winner’s cheque in temporarily lost luggage, his celebrity encounters with Lynda Carter/Joe Sakic/Janet & Wayne Gretzky, why Aurora’s StemmEL Drive signage needed a re-do...2023-11-2443 min
Toronto LegendsMichael ‘Pinball’ Clemons, Toronto ArgonautsToronto Argonauts Legend #31 Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons flashes that megawatt smile and talks about the upcoming 7th Annual Christmas with the Clemons event at Roy Thompson Hall, why Doug Flutie was the BEST football player he ever played with, how he took on a mentoring role with Raghib ‘The Rocket’ Ismail, his connections to the Blue Jays through the Mayor of Dunedin [his hometown], his love for ‘The Giz’ Henry ‘Gizmo’ Williams, why his photo opp with the late NBAer 7’6” Manute Bol was subtitled ‘Ma-nute & Mi-nute,’ his respect for the introspective individuality of Ricky Williams, and why both he and the host miss the gone b...2023-11-2130 min
Toronto LegendsDave Mendonca, YouTuber/PodcasterYouTuber & Podcaster Dave Mendonca talks about the talented team he came up the ranks with at The Score Television Network [Sid Seixeiro, Tim Micallef, Adnan Virk, Simon Bennett, Greg Sansone, Elliotte Friedman, James Sharman, Cabbie Richards], asking Jerome 'JYD' Williams & Matt Devlin to write the forewards to his book on the Toronto Raptors, his possibly illegally recorded phone interview with Beyonce, seizing the day to force himself into the frame with Liv Tyler & Ed Norton during filming of The Incredible Hulk, shooting his shot with Jamie Foxx, bonding with Star Wars droid C-3PO [Anthony Daniels], and how he...2023-11-1635 min
Toronto LegendsGrenville ‘G’ Pinto, ViolinistViolinist Grenville ‘G’ Pinto talks about performing for the Biebs & Selena [on the outs at the time]/Bill Clinton/Honest Ed Mirvish/The Killer Dougie Gilmour, how the violin is the closest instrument to the human voice, collaborating with the ‘Lord of the Strings’ Mediterranean guitarist Pavlo, the extraordinary talent of the late John Ritter as Jack Tripper, his exceptional version of Dr Dre’s ‘Still D.R.E.,’ why he does NOT feel the need to purchase hand insurance, and why he is considered to be the Russell Peters of the violin!For everything Grenville ‘G’ Pinto, please go t...2023-11-1351 min
Toronto LegendsNick Kypreos, EntrepreneurBroadcaster/Stanley Cup Champion/Entrepreneur Nick Kypreos talks about his spectacular cameo alongside Kobe Bryant/Sandra Oh/Robert Wuhl in HBO’s Arli$$, his outstanding relationship with Doug MacLean, repping the Greek community while playing for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, winning a Stanley Cup with the NY Rangers, winning a Calder Cup with 'the NY Yankees of the AHL' the Hershey Bears, the fortuitous bounce of almost but not quite getting fired after his first year at Sportsnet, and how he has transitioned to becoming a business mogul with The Little Buddha Cocktail Company & his Next Rewards app!...2023-11-0947 min
Toronto LegendsFeed Drop! Broadcaster Roger Ashby on the Ted Woloshyn PodcastThis is a feed drop from our friends at the Ted Woloshyn Podcast! Host Ted Woloshyn [a past Toronto Legends guest himself!] interviews Canadian Music and Broadcast Hall of Fame inductee Roger Ashby as he looks back on his 50+ year career in radio and the fascinating people he has met along the way!Website: https://www.tedwoloshyn.caInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tedwoloshynFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ted.woloshynTwitter: https://twitter.com/TedWoloshynLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-woloshynProduced by Gatt Broadcast...2023-11-061h 00
Toronto LegendsSylvia Ng, ReturnBearReturnBear CEO Sylvia Ng talks about making product returns from e-commerce purchases better for all concerned parties [including our planet], the massive $60B returns market in Canada alone, how the consumer trends of ‘Try Before You Buy’ & ‘Bracket Buying’ are driving this growth in product returns, why the shipping/fulfillment process is so different from the returns process [isn’t it just the reverse?], how she has brought skills from her experiences at the University of Waterloo, Northwestern University, eBay, Google & Shopify to a nascent start-up in the ‘product returns efficiency’ space, and how productive one can be when you combine cr...2023-11-0232 min
Toronto LegendsJean-Jacques Taylor on Deion SandersJournalist/Author Jean-Jacques Taylor talks about his new book providing an all-access insider's look at Deion Sanders, how Deion went from PRIME TIME to COACH PRIME, how Deion meets his college athletes at THEIR level [dominating IG, a DJ in the locker room] while still keeping it Old School, Deion’s surprisingly calm & quiet favourite pastime of fishing, why Deion never pays attention to ‘they,’ why all Deion’s meetings start as soon as he shows up [and why even his sons are not exempt from punishment if they aren’t in their seats ready to go], why Dallas Cowboys ow...2023-10-3048 min
Toronto LegendsGerry McNamara, Discovering Borje & Drafting WendelFormer Toronto Maple Leafs GM [and goalie!] Gerry McNamara talks about Brandon Walsh/Jason Priestley playing him in the upcoming Borje Salming bio-pic, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan personally reaching out to bring him back into the Maple Leafs alumni family, the first time he hit that Maple Leaf Gardens ice [replacing Johnny Bower!], the day he got hired as a Maple Leafs Special Assignment Scout, the incredible story behind his Xmas 1972 trip to Sweden where he discovered Borje Salming/Inge Hammarstrom/Anders Hedberg/Ulf Nilsson, why owner Harold Ballard treated him great but was ultimately a Jekyll & Hyde...2023-10-2655 min
Toronto LegendsDenise Donlon, Fearless As PossibleOrder of Canada recipient Denise Donlon talks about moving from Whitesnake’s ‘Slide It In’ tour to The New Music, becoming an on-air personality/VJ at MuchMusic, launching MuchMoreMusic, her thoughts on Moses Znaimer/Christopher Ward/Rick Campanelli/Bill Welychka/George Stroumboulopoulos, going into labour while hosting a live television event with the Cowboy Junkies, taking over at Sony Music Canada precisely at the same moment the global recording industry began imploding, moving to our national broadcaster to run CBC Radio, producing Bill Clinton’s 60th birthday bash and raising $21MM in a single night, co-hosting TheZoomer tv show with Lor...2023-10-231h 03
Toronto LegendsBill Manning, MLSEMLSE’s Bill Manning talks about his leadership of the Toronto Argonauts & Toronto FC, working alongside Brendan Shanahan [Maple Leafs] and Masai Ujiri [Raptors], growing up with 2 of the Baldwin brothers in Massapequa on Long Island [did you know Alec was actually called Xander as a child?], what culture change Pinball Clemons told him was needed with the Argos [‘too many silos, need more bridges’], sharing memories of Argo greats Condredge Holloway/Terry Greer/Rocket Ismail/Terry Metcalf, how he brought new TFC Head Coach John Herdman over to pursue his ‘bullseye’ career opportunity, an emotional 2017 MLS championship ring ceremony w...2023-10-191h 04
Toronto LegendsIvan Doroschuk, Men Without Hats"We can dance if we want to/ We can leave your friends behind/ ’Cause your friends don’t dance/ And if they don’t dance/ Well, they’re no friends of mine!” --- Men Without Hats’ Ivan Doroschuk talks about The Safety Dance, Pop Goes The World, touring in 2023 [GPS] vs in 1983 [Rand McNally road maps], how Howard Jones taught him to enjoy the rigours of the road, the power of their videos on MTV and MuchMusic, jetting on the Concorde back & forth from NYC to the UK to film a video, the pride of being an answer on Jeopardy and...2023-10-1641 min
Toronto LegendsSteve Paikin, TVOTVO Superstar Steve Paikin talks about his 5 shows over 31 years [and counting] at Ontario’s public television channel, starting his broadcasting career alongside Michael Landsberg at UofT Radio, chasing ambulances at The Hamilton Spectator, why he agrees with the host that Boston is the City of Champions, why Mikhail Gorbachev [impactful!] & Mordecai Richler [prickly!] were notable interviewees, his interactions with Elwy Yost/Scotty Bowman/Ken Dryden/Hugh Heron/Kenny Stabler/Doug Ford, his Dad’s creative note explaining Steve’s school absence to attend the inaugural Toronto Blue Jays game in 1977, he provides an update on the currently ongoing labour...2023-10-121h 03
Toronto LegendsPavlo Simtikidis, Mediterranean MusicOpa!! Guitar virtuoso & 'Lord of the Strings' Pavlo Simtikidis talks about going from Pape & Danforth to selling CDs at the One of a Kind Craft Show to his PBS Special 'Live from Santorini,' swimming upstream against record label executives who told him he was ‘too ethnic’ and to ‘get rid of the bouzouki,’ successfully suing Jay-Z & R Kelly for copyright infringement [he is now a co-writer of FIESTA!], touring around the world consistently for over 25 years, his collaborations with Jose Feliciano/Gordon Lightfoot/Rik Emmett/Kim Mitchell [and his desired collaboration with Sting], playing for then-Prince now-King Charles [whose Da...2023-10-0949 min
Toronto LegendsBruny Surin, Olympic Gold MedallistGo Get It! 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist Sprinter & Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Paris 2024 Olympics Bruny Surin talks about why ‘the me I see is the me I will be,’ coming to Quebec from Haiti as a 7 year old, his infatuation with Carl Lewis [and eventual visit to his Houston mansion], being linked together forever in Canadian sports history as brothers with Donovan Bailey/Robert Esmie/Glenroy Gilbert/Carlton Chambers, why he no longer accepts unsolicited sprinting challenges from the general public [nor from his daughters!], he shares inside information on the status of Andre De Grasse heading into t...2023-10-0558 min
Toronto LegendsCarolyn MacKenzie, The Morning ShowGlobal TV’s The Morning Show co-host Carolyn MacKenzie talks about ‘adulting’ while studying Journalism at Carleton University in Ottawa, the transition from reporter to news anchor to lifestyle host allowing her to become more of her authentic self, how her show is effectively ‘an hour with friends,’ why eating crickets first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is NOT advisable, why she preferred the controlled environment of a broadcast studio vs beaming in from home during covid, her guest experiences with Will Ferrell/Eric McCormack/Jann Arden/Stacey ‘Fergie’ Ferguson, covering Harry & Meghan’s Royal Wedding, why broadcasting...2023-10-0242 min
Toronto LegendsJim Lang, The Region 105.9The Region 105.9’s Morning Man Jim Lang talks about the power of hyper-local radio, the awe–inspiring signage he encountered while visiting Lee Eckley at CHUM-FM [‘through these doors walk the finest radio talent in Canada’], his Humber College internship with an absolutely all-star broadcasting team at Q107 [John Derringer, Gene Valaitis, Jane Hawtin, Andy Frost, John Gallagher, Jimmy James, Bob Mackowycz Sr, Steve Anthony], enjoying his one & only LIVE Stanley Cup parade while working in Montreal in 1993, covering Super Bowls 42 & 43, the different level of restaurants visited by players vs media while working as travelling beat reporter for the Toronto...2023-09-2856 min
Toronto LegendsJean-Marc Pisapia Returns, 40th Anniversary of The BoxThe Box’s Jean-Marc Pisapia returns to the podcast ahead of an exciting 3 stop Ontario visit to talk about touring in 1983 versus in 2023 [these days he hits the stage when he would normally be going to bed, LOL], why L’Affaire Dumoutier is still his absolute favourite song [and he explains that iconic video!], his first professional job with Ivan Doroschuk and [a pre-The Safety Dance] Men Without Hats, his favourite tour memories with The Spoons/Chris de Burgh/The Pretenders/Jethro Tull, playing ‘festivals’ versus ‘soft seaters,’ his first taste of fame getting kicked out of a McDonald’s on Montreal’s...2023-09-2556 min
Toronto LegendsSteven Raichlen, The Barbecue BibleGrill On!! BBQ Master Steven Raichlen talks about the 25th anniversary of his landmark book The Barbecue Bible [and how it can stand in for the actual Bible], his new PBS show Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue, why grilling is the world’s most universal cooking method, his newfound love for Planchas & Griddles, why his favourite form of live fire cooking is Cave Man grilling, why he employs not one but two Fire Wranglers on set, how he avoids packing on the pounds with all that food lying around [‘be a taster, not an eater’], battling [and beating!] an Iron Chef...2023-09-2148 min
Toronto LegendsDoug MacLean, Coach/GM/Executive/Broadcaster/AuthorNHL Coach/GM/Executive/Broadcaster and now Author Doug MacLean introduces his new book DRAFT DAY: How Hockey Teams Pick Winners or Get Left Behind and shares stories from a lifetime in hockey including his first pro head coaching job with the Baltimore Skipjacks, his first NHL head coaching job with the Florida Panthers, starting the Columbus Blue Jackets from scratch, why you need at least 10 of your own draft picks on the team to win a Stanley Cup, and the difficulties of the ‘GM Conundrum.’And of course Doug has great stories about Bob McCown [‘two verbal...2023-09-1845 min
Toronto LegendsJames Sharman, Footy & Pie EnthusiastRoom 442 & Footy Prime the Podcast host James Sharman talks about his UK accent drawing more girls than fights as a 16 year old being plopped into a Mississauga high school, being a pre-launch pre-day oner at Headline Sports [and its eventual morphing into The Score], tagging along with Elliotte Friedman to interview the great Pele, the importance of TFC’s birth in 2006, the mentorship of Sportsnet’s Gerry Dobson, the differences between British and North American play-by-play commentary, John Herdman’s curious decision to leave the Canadian National Mens’ Team [and hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup] for the opportunity to rebuild...2023-09-1447 min
Toronto LegendsHarley Redlick, Sharp Edge PicksSports betting industry expert Harley Redlick provides an outstanding primer on the Ontario sports gambling industry [as it moved from black to grey to white market], shares his ’10 Commandments of Successful Sports Betting,’ explains why the NFL is King when it comes to sports wagering, suggests that the consumer/operator/regulator relationships serve as a ‘Betting Business Bermuda Triangle,’ and asserts why the Connor McDavid sportsbook ads are obviously targeted at children [“No adult is taking gambling advice from a brand ambassador who can’t even grow a beard!”]For everything Harley Redlick, please visit http://sharpedgepicks.com/TOR...2023-09-1158 min
Toronto LegendsCameron Bailey Returns, TIFF 2023Toronto International Film Festival CEO Cameron Bailey returns to the podcast to talk TIFF 2023, about the ramifications of the Hollywood actors/writers strike on the red carpet, about the most attention-grabbing & most highly-anticipated films [and their stars], how you can enjoy TIFF even if you aren’t attending any movies, the ‘informal market’ that drives the incredible amount of business transactions being done during the festival, and who you should be keeping your eyes open for on the streets of Toronto [spoiler: Sly Stallone, Paul Simon, Spike Lee, Sean Penn, David Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Little Nas X, Finn Wolfhard, Salma...2023-09-0737 min
Toronto LegendsSara Waxman, Dine and DestinationsDine Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Sara Waxman talks about meeting her husband Al three days after arriving in Toronto from Winnipeg, his worldwide popularity from the television shows King of Kensington, Cagney & Lacey and Twice in a Lifetime, her 25 year run as the Toronto Sun’s restaurant critic, her renowned cookbooks & house parties, Al’s statue in Kensington Market, her appointment to the Order of Ontario, and the joy she gets from working on her multimedia empire with her son Adam!Read. Watch. Listen. For everything Sara Waxman please visit https://dineanddestinations.com/ and https://dinemagazine.ca/TORO...2023-09-0436 min
Toronto LegendsKenny Albert, BroadcasterWith the imminent publication of his memoir A Mic For All Seasons, the most versatile sports broadcaster in North America Kenny Albert talks about learning by osmosis from Dad Marv and Uncles Al & Steve, working alongside The Great One Wayne Gretzky [and #99 writing the foreword to his book], taking over for ‘the Vin Scully of hockey’ Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, the confusion about how John Tavares pronounces his own name, starting his career as the voice of the AHL’s Baltimore Skipjacks while rooming on the road with the NHL’s 3rd all-time winningest coach Barry Trotz, working 37 days in the Edmonton...2023-08-3147 min
Toronto LegendsDarrell Sampson, King of NHL ‘94King of NHL ’94 World Championships organizer Darrell Sampson talks about why the GOAT of all hockey video games [from a 16 bit computing world!] still resonates today at its 30th anniversary, that scene in 'Swingers' where Vince Vaughn made Wayne Gretzky’s head bleed and legs spasm [actually NOT from NHL '94 which was fightless/bloodless], Jaromir Jagr being the last player to play in the NHL who also played in the entire 16 bit era of hockey video games, the craziness of holding their inaugural championship tournament at Maple Leaf Real Sports concurrently with Mats Sundin’s statue induction on Legend...2023-08-2837 min
Toronto LegendsKirsten Jones, Raising Empowered AthletesRaising Empowered Athletes author Kirsten Jones talks about her membership in the William & Mary Athletics Hall of Fame alongside Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons, shares stories from 15 years on the global footwear team at Nike under founder Phil Knight, parses the real from the fictional in Matt Damon/Ben Affleck’s Nike movie AIR, draws lessons from [in]famous athlete/parent combos including Tiger/Earl Woods, Bronny/LeBron James & Lonzo-LiAngelo-LeMelo/LaVar Ball, transferring her experiences as a peak performance & sports parenting coach to writing a book, why sleep/nutrition/hydration are all superpowers, how sports experiences translate into building LIFE skills, the in...2023-08-2451 min
Toronto LegendsZane Caplansky, Deli King/Mustard MavenZane Caplansky from Caplansky’s Delicatessen talks about the titans of Jewish Deli [Yitz’s, Centre Street Deli, Pancer's, Shopsy’s, Switzer’s], his origins at the Monarch Tavern [T.O.’s first pop-up], the role of Thunderin’ Thelma [T.O.’s first modern day food truck], opening his eponymous restaurant on College St, collecting Geddy Lee’s email address & naming a meal after him, why Adam Sandler couldn’t resist bussing tables, the legacy of the Caplan name in local/provincial/national politics, reverse assimilating by changing his name BACK to Caplansky, the importance of [past podcast guest] David Sax’s encour...2023-08-2158 min
Toronto LegendsZev Shalev, Narativ/Uber ProducerNarativ’s Zev Shalev has travelled from Israel to South Africa to Bathurst/St Clair [arriving with $2k in a snowstorm] to NYC to LA & back to Toronto, along the way sharing experiences with Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Valerie Pringle, Dan Matheson, Jennifer Hedger, Arisa Cox, Ben Chin, the late Sarika Sehgal, Dina Pugliese, Roz Weston, Billie Holiday, Barb Williams, Moses Znaimer, Cheryl Hickey, Rick Campanelli, Harry Smith, Bob Schieffer, Julie Chen, Leslie Moonves, Wendy Mesley, Oprah Winfrey, Paula Applebaum-Secemski and last but not least Elon Musk! Great memories from Canada AM, U8TV: The Lofters, TORONTO 1 [the A-List! Las...2023-08-171h 08
Toronto LegendsSyd ‘The Jewel’ Vanderpool, Boxing ChampionCanadian boxing legend Syd 'The Jewel' Vanderpool talks about working out with his 4 older brothers in the makeshift boxing ring in the carport of their Kitchener home, winning his first bout at 6 and a half years old [!!!], meeting the emotional hurricane that is Iron Mike Tyson, missing out on meeting Wayne Gretzky despite arranging for his daughter Paulina to sing the national anthem before one of his bouts, his epic internationally televised championship title fights against Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins & Jaff ‘Left Hook’ Lacy, meeting his idol Marvelous Marvin Hagler’s mom [and admiring her gold Mercedes], being trained by the God...2023-08-1448 min
Toronto LegendsLarry Wilcox, CHiPs7-Mary-3! 7-Mary-3! Jon Baker is IN the house! CHiPs star Larry Wilcox talks about going from Wyoming to Vietnam to Hollywood, his big break getting $450/week acting opposite a Collie named LASSIE, initially turning DOWN the role of Officer Jon Baker, meeting Presidents Reagan & Bush Sr, why today he recognizes that anonymity is a GIFT, being haunted to this day by Ponch’s singing rendition of ‘Celebration,’ how the motorcycle duo got access to those extensive LA freeways, why NEITHER of them actually had a valid motorcycle license during CHiPs, the seven episodes where Erik Estrada’s absence was filled b...2023-08-101h 11
Toronto LegendsNic Sulsky, PointsBet CanadaPointsBet Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer Nic Sulsky provides an A+ primer on the Ontario iGaming market, why it was essential to move from a ‘grey’ to a licensed/regulated sports betting market, how partnering with MLSE builds on the strength of 365 live events per year, building a ‘challenger brand’ by being authentically Canadian & wrapping yourself in the red & white flag [via The Trailer Park Boys!], his Family Channel days of driving coast to coast with 2 puppets transporting a jar of ocean water from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean [!?!?], building American fantasy sports disrupter Monkey Knife Fight from scratch...2023-08-0751 min
Toronto LegendsJimmy Molloy, Luxury Real EstateMolloy + Van Wert’s Jimmy Molloy talks about a lifetime spent in the Annex/Yorkville, how being a busboy in 1976 was “a summer job that got out of control” resulting in his ownership of French fine dining institution Auberge Gavroche, transferring his service skills to the world of luxury real estate, wise lessons learned from Franco Prevedello/Galen Weston Sr/Bar Italia, how a home is ‘the filing cabinet of your life,’ why serving people & relationships are fundamental to business success, the $36MM list price for a Four Seasons Penthouse, and Muskoka house-hunting in a limo with the BackStreet Boys’ Nick...2023-08-031h 02
Toronto LegendsBill Welychka, MuchMusic/MuchMoreMusicGlobal News Morning Kingston’s Bill Welychka talks about starting at MuchMusic the same week he graduated from Seneca College’s Radio and TV Arts program, the surreal experience of moving from WATCHING [on tv] to WORKING alongside Christopher Ward/Steve Anthony/Michael Williams/Laurie Brown/Denise Donlon, sliding from MuchMusic over to MuchMoreMusic, his anticipation for and involvement in the upcoming MuchMusic documentary '299 Queen Street West,' why the visionary Moses Znaimer’s Speakers Corner was way ahead of YouTube, how his move to Kingston allowed him to rekindle friendships with The Tragically Hip, his memories of fun [a...2023-07-3152 min
Toronto LegendsSean Burke, Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup ChampWhile awaiting his day with the Stanley Cup in Scottsdale, Vegas Golden Knights Director of Goaltending Sean Burke talks about his 18 year NHL career, lugging his goaltending equipment on the TTC from his Bloor/Dufferin home [before buying a Chevy Cavalier hatchback!], the misfortune of facing Wayne Gretzky on his return to Edmonton in the 1989 All Star game, representing Canada at TWO Olympic games, why he wasn’t shy to chuck the knuckles, why it’s great to play in warm weather markets and go straight from the arena to the sunshine in flip-flops, what we in Toronto can expe...2023-07-2748 min
Toronto LegendsGlen Baxter, MuchMusic/CityTV/In FashionFreed Developments’ Glen Baxter talks about making the move from Montreal to Toronto, doing CBC French language traffic reports without ever owning a car, getting ‘the call’ in 1991 from Moses Znaimer, his 20 years at 299 Queen Street West for MuchMusic/CityTV/CTV's In Fashion, his excellent interactions with David Bowie/Drake/Rihanna/Deadmau5/Jeanne Beker/Tim Blanks/Jay Levine/Rick Campanelli/Dave Foley/Alex Lifeson/Joe Mimran/Michael Budman/Don Green, his NOT so excellent interactions with Barney the Dinosaur [so many PR people!] & an unnamed world-famous illusionist ['watch my hairline!'], why the MMVAs were ‘the greatest day of the year...2023-07-2442 min
Toronto LegendsSteve Kouleas, Hockey Broadcaster/PodcasterSirius XM/Kool Button Podcast’s Steve Kouleas shares tales from over 30 years in hockey broadcasting via TSN/The Score/Sirius, gives shoutouts to the gang from Woburn CI & Ryerson, shares the parallel universe of his Dad being at Paul Henderson’s Goal of the Century in Moscow 1972 AND Steve being at Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal in Vancouver 2010, talks about sharing a smoke & a drink with St Louis Blues superfan Jon Hamm, supporting Bob Uecker & Bob Costas in the SkyDome broadcast booth, being in the right place at the right time with the right pen to get an autogr...2023-07-2055 min
Toronto LegendsCheryl Hickey, ET CanadaET Canada’s Cheryl Hickey talks about being a Day One co-host of our domestic version of the iconic Entertainment Tonight brand, moving up the career ladder from Shallow Lake to Owen Sound to London to Barrie to the Big Smoke, the surreal experience of going from watching Rick Campanelli on MM to being his co-host, the multiple life victories achieved in her Le Chateau power suit, her excellent experiences with Oprah Winfrey/Celine Dion/Mary Hart/Matt Damon/Brad Pitt/George Clooney/Don Cheadle, her less-than-excellent experience with one of the American Idol judges [names we need names!], wh...2023-07-1749 min
Toronto LegendsMike Morreale, 2x Grey Cup Champ/CEBLCanadian Elite Basketball League Co-Founder/Commissioner Mike Morreale talks about his TWO Grey Cup championships, playing for BOTH Hamilton and Toronto in numerous Labour Day Classics [and the differences in playing in Steeltown vs Hogtown], the completely different personalities of his teammates Doug & Darren Flutie, why the late great Don Matthews was the ultimate players’ coach, the surreal experience of sharing his first training camp with ‘Swervin' Mervyn’ Fernandez/Danny McManus/Darren Flutie/Kent Austin, getting his chance to shine because of Jeff Fairholm’s constantly breaking old-school shoulder pads, the crazy story behind his ‘forced retirement’ press conference in 2007, why...2023-07-101h 07
Toronto LegendsJim Barker, 5x Grey Cup Champ/TSN Analyst5x Grey Cup Champ/TSN Analyst Jim Barker talks FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL, why Doug Flutie is the BEST, why Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons is even BETTER, stories behind his XFL experience and winning the ‘Million Dollar Championship Game,’ how he helped convince Vince McMahon to honour his financial commitments despite losing $120MM on the XFL, provides an explanation of the ROUGE [and why he loves it], discloses that he will imminently be dragged kicking/screaming onto social media, shares why he proudly became a Canadian citizen, and explains his ingenious strategy of standing near QB Jay Barker whenever somebody yells out ‘Bar...2023-07-0359 min
Toronto LegendsGerry Dobson, Happily Retired BroadcasterFormer Global/CFTO/Sportsnet broadcaster Gerry ‘Dobber’ Dobson talks about his active retirement, 18 years covering Premier League + TFC soccer, being a ‘day-oner’ at Sportsnet, covering 6 Olympic Games and why Calgary 1988/Barcelona 1992 were his most memorable, starting out from a farm outside Barrie doing grades 1-8 in a one-room country schoolhouse, his continuing admiration for the annual Robbie International Soccer Tournament [as BNL sang: ‘held at Birchmount Stadium, home of the Robbie’], stories from working with colleagues Bobcat Bob McCown/Fergie Oliver/Pat Marsden/Mike Anscombe/Scott Moore/Dave Devall [could write backwards with both hands!]/Arthur Vaile/Sandy Rinaldo/Lance Brown...2023-06-2855 min
Toronto LegendsSteve Simmons, Toronto SunPostmedia/Toronto Sun journalist Steve Simmons talks about Ironman Phil Kessel’s never-ending Hot Dog story, why Raghib ‘The Rocket’ Ismail was a real pill, expanding his Sunday Notes column from 600 to 2200 words, paring down his 9,000+ columns to select the best mix of 89 for his book A Lucky Life, leveraging Cliff Fletcher’s real estate transactions to score the front page of the Calgary Herald, American blowhard Keith Olbermann calling him ‘the worst person in the world’ [not once but twice!], why Bryan Colangelo became obsessed with the definition of ‘bafflegab,’ the voracious appetites of the wide-bodied Oliver Miller, why Isaiah Thoma...2023-06-221h 09
Toronto LegendsKen Reid, Sportsnet/Author/Card CollectorAuthor/Card Collector/Sportsnet’s Ken Reid talks about his instant chemistry with co-anchor Evanka Osmak [Country Mouse & City Mouse], how 70,000 sportscards doesn’t take up nearly as much storage space as you would think [T&P to his understanding wife!], chasing his sportscard ‘white whales’ [1950s Gordie Howe & Mickey Mantle], Kirk Muller breaking the tension of working rinkside for HNIC at the Bell Centre, his appreciation for Troy Gamble while chasing down the first card of every Nova Scotia-born NHLer, how phonetic pronunciation is your friend when dealing with athletes’ names from around the world, why Dennis Maruk’s moustache...2023-06-1949 min
Toronto LegendsCourtney Watkins, Mine & Yours Luxury ResaleVancouverite Courtney Watkins takes the big leap to Hogtown to open her 3rd retail location of Mine & Yours! Courtney talks about leaving for Los Angeles at 17, the emotional experience of working at the beck & call of Ms. Paula Abdul, how she saw first-hand that it’s NOT so great to be famous, why she did NOT have a passion for owning/operating a sawmill, implementing her business strategy of Brick/Click/Pop, the environmental dangers of ‘fast fashion,’ the success that grew from seeking fun & adventure from a ‘side hustle,’ her plans for a Canadian pop-up tour, and the excitement...2023-06-1553 min
Toronto LegendsGraeme Roustan, Hockey MogulThe Hockey News Publisher & Hockey Stick/Equipment Mogul Graeme Roustan does NOT talk about his possible interest in purchasing the Ottawa Senators, but DOES talk about living in Los Angeles with roommates Pat Brisson [now CAA’s Super Agent] & Lucky Luc Robitaille [greatest left winger & best 171st draft pick in NHL history], being an oh-so-close finalist in the competition to purchase his hometown Montreal Canadiens, how close his group actually came to getting an arena built in Markham [to welcome a 2nd GTA NHL team], purchasing Bauer from Phil Knight’s Nike for $200MM and taking it public, getting pers...2023-06-1251 min
Toronto LegendsSteven Salz, RivalryRivalry Co-Founder & CEO Steven Salz talks about sports vs casino gambling, operating at the intersection of E-Sports & Entertainment, moving content from a 'transactional' to an 'entertainment' focus, the unbelievable magnitude & growth of E-Sports worldwide, appealing to his predominantly Millennial & Gen Z customer base, why ‘skins’ were the original currency for betting on gaming, lessons learned from Red Bull’s marketing, why you will NOT find any Kardashians endorsing Rivalry, the transition from a private to a public company traded on the TSX Venture Exchange, why MOBILE E-Sports will be the next big wave, and why an Isle of Mann licens...2023-06-0851 min
Toronto LegendsScott Morrison, Hockey Author/CommentatorLongtime Hockey Commentator & Author Scott Morrison talks about writing his upcoming book 'Draft Day' with pickleball devotee Doug MacLean, serving as a protégé of the late great George ‘The Baron’ Gross at The Toronto Sun, why Harold Ballard called him ‘Whiskers,’ why the 1972 Summit Series is still so fascinating 50+ years later, why Rick Vaive’s #22 should ABSOLUTELY be raised to the Scotiabank Arena rafters, why Nelson Millman remains his trusted Vice-Chair for the annual Conn Smythe Sports Celebrities Dinner, his uncertainty as to the actual number of books he has written, his fond memories of writing for ‘Chill Magazine’ [off...2023-06-0554 min
Toronto LegendsBrian Wood, Literary Agent/PoetLiterary Agent & Published Poet Brian Wood shares stories from representing diverse authors including Peter Mansbridge, Stu [The Grim Reaper] Grimson, Terry David Mulligan, Bob [Bobby Margarita] McKenzie, Tie Domi, Ellen Roseman, Steve Simmons, John Shannon, Colleen Jones, Scott Morrison, Justin Davis and Al Strachan. Brian talks about his three published poetry collections, and how they complement rather than replace his ‘day job’ as a literary agent. He also explains the economics of the book publishing industry, the role of ‘ghost writers’ in both fiction & non-fiction, and shares good advice if YOU have a book proposal you want to submit to an age...2023-06-0145 min
Toronto LegendsMichael Landsberg, TSN/SickNotWeak.comHey Landsberg!! Ex-TSN’s Michael Landsberg shares stories from his 37 year SportsDesk/Off The Record career [Gene Simmons, Thea Andrews, Mark Tewksbury, Stéphane Richer, Vince McMahon, Meat Loaf, Claude Lemieux, Darren McCarty, Dan Hill, Manny Pacquiao, Rick Vaive, Dikembe Mutombo, Jeff Marek, Caroline Cameron, George Cope] and his ongoing mental health advocacy via SickNotWeak.com!SickNotWeak's online community is here to reach and help that lonely person. Together we can end the stigma that surrounds mental health. Join the movement at www.sicknotweak.comAs Director of Transportation, Michael may or may not personally del...2023-05-291h 04
Toronto LegendsDrew Arnott, Strange AdvanceStrange Advance founder Drew Arnott talks about touring for the 40th anniversary of their debut album Worlds Away, why Steven Tyler did NOT like the band name, bigtime encouragement & friendship from Bryan Adams, having the late Bruce Fairbairn [Loverboy, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, AC/DC] produce their first album, Scott Litt mixing their 2nd album before moving on to work with a small band called REM, memories from the Juno Awards, shooting their first video for MTV before MuchMusic even launched, why touring meant he had to learn to sing AND play keyboards at the SAME time, counting...2023-05-2555 min
Toronto LegendsJohn Shannon, Hockey StorytellerSports Broadcaster/Author/Podcaster John Shannon talks about 'Team Baby Blue'/Hockey Night in Canada [that themesong, those blazers!], who Dave Hodge telephoned FIRST immediately after his irreverent on-air ‘pen flip’ in 1987, separating Don Cherry ‘the person’ from ‘the performer,’ pivoting from behind the camera to in front of the camera, podcasting with his longtime sidekick Bob McCown, why he is a ‘radio-holic,’ the definitive answer as to whether the rest of Canada really hates the Toronto Maple Leafs [or not!], why ‘the period’ is his absolute favourite form of punctuation, the difference between a ‘work stoppage’ & a ‘lockout,’ and his agreement with the h...2023-05-2249 min
Toronto LegendsSean Kelly, Guitarist/Teacher/AuthorProfessional Guitarist/TCDSB Teacher/Author Sean Kelly shares a lifetime of surreal moments:
Inspired by Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider...eventually collaborates with Dee Snider!
First concert ever attended growing up in North Bay was Helix + Honeymoon Suite...eventually plays in both bands!
Loved Corey Hart...eventually plays Corey Hart’s songs [note for note] live in front of him at his Canadian Walk of Fame induction!
Named his band Crash Kelly after his hockey playing maverick Uncle Orville ‘Crash’ Kelly who [along with his Dad] played for the Johnstown Jets...the inspiration for the movie Slap Shot! [“he could h...2023-05-1852 min
Toronto LegendsKen Wong, Queen’s Business SchoolRetiring [not retired] Professor Ken Wong from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University talks about his early immersion in the family business [Wong Wing grew from egg rolls in 1948 Montreal’s Chinatown to Canada’s largest processor of Chinese food], sharing the mantle of ‘media’s marketing go-to guy’ with Alan Middleton, the ‘friendly rivalry’ between Western and Queen’s [yep, he couldn’t resist and snuck a dig in there!], the importance of the numerous business school rankings ['be #1 in at least one of them & then ignore the rest of them'], why teaching at its highest level is act...2023-05-1547 min
Toronto LegendsRick Vaive, Toronto Maple LeafsFormer Toronto Maple Leafs Captain Rick Vaive talks about being the first Maple Leaf in franchise history to score 50 goals in a season [and doing it 3 seasons in a row], playing his first pro season in the WHA with the Birmingham [Alabama!] Bulls for John Brophy, those horrific Vancouver Canucks 'halloween' uniforms, how he found out he got traded from Vancouver to Toronto, his love for the souvlaki at John Anderson Hamburgers, how he was informed he was now the Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs [at age 22!], his respect for Borje Salming [and his gameday ski outings], grabbing...2023-05-1149 min
Toronto LegendsJustin Davis, Conflicted ScarsFormer Hockey Pro & Author Justin Davis walks us through a hockey journey that involved being drafted by the Washington Capitals, multiple championships at multiple levels of hockey, playing overseas, disturbing accounts of hazing rituals, suffering multiple concussions [one of which saw him hospitalized with brain bleed], and ongoing battles with mental health/depression/anxiety. How did he end up putting his memoir together, and what has the feedback been from his kids, his parents, his high school students, his former coaches/teammates, and the general hockey public? Some of his answers will surprise you! [Bonus Content: did Justin select...2023-05-0839 min
Toronto LegendsJesse Fuchs, SportsnetSportsnet anchor/host Jesse Fuchs talks about growing up in Scarborough, playing hockey for Birchmount Park Collegiate [Anthony Stewart made the team...Wayne Simmonds did NOT!], interning at TSN for Michael Landsberg, working on his penmanship & video tape editing skills at The Score with Tim Micallef/Sid Seixeiro/Steve Kouleas/Cabbie Richards/Simon Bennett, transitioning from the family-owned Score to the Rogers corporate mothership, getting distracted by Auston Matthews’ quads, explaining to Dion Phaneuf what a ‘Bronx Cheer’ was on live national TV, his infrequent in-person contact with CityNews anchor Pam Seatle despite years of their congenial on-air chemistry, his ad...2023-05-0447 min
Toronto LegendsSteve McAllister, Gaming News CanadaGaming News Canada Editor/Parleh Media Group partner Steve McAllister delivers a primer on the past/present/future of sports gambling in Ontario, speculates on the gambling prospects for niche sports such as table tennis, cricket, jai-alai & pickleball, talks about moving from Prescott to Ryerson/Toronto to Kincardine, following in his Dad’s footsteps [skates?] as a hockey referee, interesting career stops at The Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, Yahoo Canada, the NHL Players’ Association & Tennis Canada, great conversations about baseball & life with Cito Gaston while covering BOTH Blue Jays World Series championships, friendly US vs CAN media riva...2023-05-0159 min
Toronto LegendsCurtis McElhinney, Maple Leafs Goalie/2x Stanley Cup Winner [not together, silly!]Ex-NHL Goaltender Curtis McElhinney talks about playing in Toronto [lots of Instagram messages] and in Tampa Bay [scootered from the beach to the arena], his TWO Stanley Cup rings, his Save of the Season on Sid the Kid to get the Maple Leafs into the 2017 playoffs, meeting celebrity fans [like rapper Yung Gravy], packing up & moving 35 times over a 16 year professional career, arriving at the backup goalie's peaceful acceptance that there is only ONE net, and the biggest mind-blow of all time: an explanation of why the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Omaha were called the ‘Ak-Sar-Ben Knights’!Curt...2023-04-2742 min
Toronto LegendsGreg Oliver on Billy Van/John Gibbons/Rocky JohnsonAuthor/Journalist/Wrestling Historian Greg Oliver talks about his memoir on Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons [“tried to watch a video compilation of all his umpire ejections...couldn’t get through them all!”], his biography of Billy Van [Hilarious House of Frightenstein & Bizarre with John Byner...classics!], and his Sports Illustrated online piece about Canadian wrestling icon Rocky Johnson’s unacknowledged children [the half-siblings of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson]!OLIVERBOOKS: The home of author Greg Oliver! can be found at www.oliverbooks.caTORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll epi...2023-04-2447 min
Toronto LegendsStuart Coxe, Dragons’ Den & MoreFour-time Canadian Screen Award winning Producer Stuart Coxe talks about cutting his teeth at CBC’s The National & The Journal, Peter Mansbridge’s calm & consistent presence during 9/11, launching Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank, why Mark Burnett’s track record proves he is the ‘Wizard of Oz,’ working on the late Gord Downie’s ‘Secret Path’ project, first meeting Gord while giving a tour of Robert Scully’s VENTURE set, working with Kevin O’Leary [“your tears add no value”]/Evan Solomon/Robert Herjavec/Melissa Fung/Brett Wilson/Tanya Talaga, achieving breakout success in Bulgaria [!!!], and why Galen Weston would NOT have worked out as a D...2023-04-2051 min
Toronto LegendsStu Grimson, The Grim Reaper700+ NHL game enforcer The Grim Reaper Stu Grimson talks about catching a scout’s eye in a Kamloops street brawl, being ‘a player so NICE that I got drafted TWICE’ [first by Detroit and then by Calgary], the liberation he ironically felt after suffering a horrible beatdown at the hands of the Oilers’ Dave Brown, his appearance on The Simpsons as an Instructor at Top Goon Academy, the Disneyland benefits of playing for The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim [owned by Disney], post-NHL career being back on a college campus as a 37 year old freshman, his role of ‘providing a safe worki...2023-04-1749 min
Toronto LegendsRudy Sarzo, Quiet RiotLegendary heavy metal bassist Rudy Sarzo talks about rejoining Quiet Riot [his 3rd stint!], playing with Ozzy Osbourne/Whitesnake/Dio, and his friendships with the late Randy Rhodes/Kevin DuBrow/Frankie Banali. Rudy shares memories of the stellar ping pong table & overwhelming portrait of Queen Elizabeth at Maple Leaf Gardens, the controversy behind the scenes of the 1990 KISS/Whitesnake concert at the CNE Grandstand [KISS without pyro?!?!?], his admiration for Paul Stanley and KISS, his ‘sister’ Sass Jordan connecting him with Canada’s own The Guess Who, the source for his iconic bullseye-target tshirt, and he gives pointers on how to...2023-04-1348 min
Toronto LegendsThe Incredible Boris Cherniak, Comedy HypnotistComedy hypnotist/motivational speaker/author The Incredible Boris Cherniak talks about his journey from Moscow to Toronto, running out of material early in his first professional show [at age 17!], being Facebook Friends with The Amazing Kreskin, enjoying conversations with a surprisingly chatty Teller backstage after a Penn & Teller show in Las Vegas, appearing on The Howie Mandel Show on the exact same NBC Burbank studio stage as The Tonight Show’s Johnny Carson once did, working on people with ‘unusual’ phobias on The Maury Povich Show, and the wise words he learned directly from another Toronto Legend--Howie Mandel!TORO...2023-04-1050 min
Toronto LegendsTravis Snider, Toronto Blue JaysFormer Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider joins the podcast from Kirkland WA [home of Costco!] to talk about the life of a [baseball] retiree at 35, learning perseverance over adversity, his love for Cito Gaston & Alex Anthopolous, literally being pulled off the field mid-game in Seattle and being traded to Pittsburgh [‘that was awkward!’], the difference between 4A vs Triple A ballplayers, maximizing his energy, fire & drive until the wheels came off, serving as the 'pacecar' for off-season training, explains his ‘Lunchbox Hero’ nickname [thanks AJ Burnett], and apologizes to all his Canadian Facebook friends for replying to their requests...2023-04-0648 min
Toronto LegendsSteven Kerzner, Ed the SockEd the Sock Creator Steven Kerzner remembers North York’s Newton Cable, shares Ed’s origin story [involves the Crafts Closet] and namesake [think Lou Grant/Carl from UP], talks about Ed’s Night Party transitioning from community cable to CityTV to a national MuchMusic audience, why he thinks Moses Znaimer is responsible for the greatest phase of creativity in Canadian TV history [people love to watch people], and presents the REAL STORY behind the conspicuously similar Robert Smigel/Conan O’Brien sock puppet Triumph the Insult Comic Dog [Triumph the Ripoff Dog?]. VERY SPECIAL APPEARANCE by Ed the So...2023-04-031h 01
Toronto LegendsGlen Metropolit, NHL/Worldwide Hockey ProHC Davos Coach/Ex-NHLer Glen Metropolit talks about going from Cabbagetown/Regent Park to playing pro hockey literally around the world, getting training inspiration from ‘The Killer’ Doug Gilmour running the hills of Christie Pits, lining up for his first NHL faceoff against Pavel Bure [flanked by Adam Oates & Peter Bondra], utilizing ‘The Metro Method,’ doing his morning skate with the Philadelphia Flyers and then that exact same evening playing for the Montreal Canadiens AGAINST the Flyers, the chanting/flares/drumming/fondue parties of European hockey culture, wearing the shiny gold helmet with flames signifying the leading scorer [“no, THAT doesn...2023-03-3034 min
Toronto LegendsJohn Gibbons, Toronto Blue JaysGibby!! Former Toronto Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons talks about why he loves Toronto [and why Toronto loves him back], the story behind writing his new autobiography, why Josh Donaldson wrote the foreword, his back to back ALCS appearances in 2015/2016, the Jose Bautista bat flip [“whole stadium was shaking!”], the Jose Bautista punch up [“he got rocked but never went down!”], the Shea Hillenbrand incident [“it was gonna be him or it was gonna be me...and it sure wasn't gonna be me!”], the Ted Lilly dustup [“Ted’s a big boy!”], learning ‘head before heart’ as the lesson from Mookie’s grounder...2023-03-271h 03
Toronto LegendsDan Pronovost, DriftscapeDriftscape Co-Founder/COO Dan Pronovost talks about the single app platform being a combination encyclopedia + Pokemon Go for both residents & tourists, developing a discovery app that does NOT monetize eyeballs, why coding by itself is worth nothing, why you can’t afford ‘elegant coding,’ the entire company working remotely even pre-pandemic, measuring employees NOT by hours but by performance, the risks of using offshore labour for coding [no skin in the game], starting his love of computers by building home kits, and why in growing a business you must just keep swimming!Tour. Explore. Discover. Learn more about...2022-12-0756 min
Toronto LegendsBazil Donovan, Blue RodeoBlue Rodeo bassist Bazil Donovan talks about learning the ‘guitar boogie shuffle,’ growing up in the Junction, Tiny’s beeper leading to his first gig for $30, listening to/learning from/eventually opening for John Fogerty, cutting his teeth on the baptism/confirmation circuit, answering the famous ‘bassist wanted’ ad in NOW magazine, the bandname origin story transitioning from the The Hi-Fi's, playing 1st out of town gig in Kingston and meeting the boys from some band called The Tragically Hip, Gord Downie’s last time on stage sitting in with Blue Rodeo, the perception that all new Canadians receive a pair of hoc...2022-11-081h 02
Toronto LegendsMark Breslin, Yuk Yuk'sComedy King Mark Breslin shares the Yuk Yuk’s story and talks the Order of Canada, Joan Rivers vetting him via Howie Mandel, his initial reaction to Jim Carrey, why “the customer is always in the way,” his Canadian-first booking policy, and “if a customer complains about a comedian, we get rid of the customer!”TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at www.podpage.com/toronto-legends/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-261h 04
Toronto LegendsGary Chowen, HairstylistYorkville Hairstylist Gary Chowen talks about his start at Caruso’s salon, being Cher’s ‘Hair-apist’, his partnership with Bob Mackie, his friendship with John Byner, getting Jim Carrey his first TV gig, and the brilliance of Jose Feliciano! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at www.podpage.com/toronto-legends/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-07-2259 min
Toronto LegendsHal Johnson, BodyBreakBodyBreak’s Hal Johnson talks about his multi-sport athletic career, his breakout appearance in a Tylenol commercial, the status of his iconic mustache [spoiler alert: it’s coming back!], how a fortuitous session on the pec deck led to his life/business partnership with Joanne McLeod, and why it’s now more important than ever to Keep Fit and Have Fun!TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at www.podpage.com/toronto-legends/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...2022-06-281h 02
Toronto LegendsJohn Byner, Bizarre!Iconic actor, comedian, impressionist and author John Byner talks about his appearances on Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson, voicing ‘The Ant and The Aardvark,’ working with Bob ‘Super Dave’ Einstein, his autobiography ‘Five Minutes, Mr Byner!’ and playing over 350 characters on 6 seasons of the BIZARRE comedy sketch series (filmed & produced right here in Toronto)!TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at www.podpage.com/toronto-legends/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-06-2848 min
Toronto LegendsMichael Rubino, Restaurateur & Food PersonalityRestaurateur Michael Rubino talks about his numerous restaurants, brother power with Guy, his ‘Made to Order’ TV experience, and his foray into indoor vertical farming!For everything Michael & Guy Rubino, please to to http://livelocaltoday.com/TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-03-181h 05
Toronto LegendsMatt Basile, Chef/Author/HostChef Matt Basile talks about his "shape shifting" entrepreneurial ventures in Toronto’s food industry!TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.comAll episodes available at www.podpage.com/toronto-legends/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2022-03-151h 06