The Power's Point Podcast
A place that talks about anything and everything, Give it a listen, and tell us what the show is about. its like friends sitting around the table having a laugh or two, but no more than three,
The Power's Point Podcast
Jayne Eastwood
Canadian icon Jayne Eastwood graces us with her presence, sharing an extraordinary journey through over five decades in the entertainment industry. From her comedic brilliance on SCTV to her heartfelt performances in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and the pivotal "Going Down the Road," Jayne has left an indelible mark on Canadian cinema and television. She delivers delightful anecdotes from her storied career, including her unexpected leap from a commercial artist to a celebrated actor. This episode paints a vivid picture of her evolution, revealing a woman whose talent and passion have inspired generations.
Our conversation ventures into the vibrant world of comedy, touching on the magic of improvisation and the undeniable chemistry of icons like Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles. Jayne shares her love for comedy, highlighted by her work in "Pink is In" and the acclaimed web series "Hey Lady," which was celebrated at the Sundance Film Festival. We reminisce about the golden days of SCTV and the impact of Canadian comedy giants like John Candy and Gilda Radner, exploring how these legends helped shape the comedic landscape we know today.
Adding a festive twist, we fondly recall the chaos of holiday retail madness, reminiscing about iconic toys like Tickle Me Elmo and Furbies. With the holiday season on the horizon, there's plenty of anticipation for upcoming episodes filled with entertaining discussions on memorable shopping experiences. Listen in as we celebrate Jayne Eastwood's incredible legacy, share laughter, and explore the stories that have made Canadian comedy a beacon of joy and creativity.
Thank you for joining us on today's show, as always, we appreciate each and every one of you! Talk to you soon.
X - @PodcastScott
IG - Powers31911
On this episode of the Powers Point Podcast, we interview a Canadian icon of stage and screen. Her career spans over five decades. Her movies and film credits are way too long to list. She is in the upcoming Pink is In movie, which is a must-see. She is the lovely and talented Jane Eastwood. Hey Scott, give us an iconic beat.
Speaker 2:Jane Eastwood, hey, scott the screen, a comedic legend always so keen. From films to TV, she's done it all With laughter and heart. She stands tall, from Scott Carambelli on SCTV To dramas where she made us believe she's the neighbor, the friend, the wisecracking wit. In every role she's a perfect fit.
Speaker 3:Well, hello, hello. Welcome to the Powers Point Podcast, Season 5, Episode 31. As Jim said, we have a super spectacular show just because we have one amazing guest on. You can't talk about Canada TV or movies without mentioning our guest's name, the one and only Jane Eastwood. I'm looking forward to this and can't wait to talk to her and have her on in just a near short minutes.
Speaker 1:Just her movies and television. You start reading them all and it's just huge. There's like over 200-something she's done.
Speaker 3:Lots of Hallmark movies for Christmas movies.
Speaker 1:Voice-over.
Speaker 3:Yeah, voice-overs for animations like Paw Patrol or even the Care Bears. So now, like I told you just a little bit ago, now I've had a my Little Pony voice actor on and now the Care Bear. So it's really cool what she does and I mean she was in like the award winning my Big Fat Greek Wedding. That's a huge movie. Yeah, sctv alone, man, you know, with people, with people with you know, john candy and all like she's been with every who's who in comedy that I could think of you just cash.
Speaker 1:She could. She could probably just casually name so many like celebrities and comedians and all that. It's just it's.
Speaker 3:It's amazing probably yeah, so looking forward to seeing that or listening or talking to her. Jim, it's been a while. I mean, we haven't been on a podcast in like three weeks and that was a totally unedited episode. You know, people even question where my professionalism was by putting that episode out. Really, I didn't, didn't cut anything out.
Speaker 1:Well, who cares, man? So I say sometimes we got to do that, you got to do it. No script unedited. Everybody have one little topic, or just what are you? What's going on?
Speaker 3:Well, there was like two things that I said in there that are very cringeworthy.
Speaker 1:That's life, man. Life is cringeworthy.
Speaker 3:Ask anyone this is true, this is true. So what's been going on, man? I mean, we got christmas season coming up and thanksgiving and, uh, you are at the epicenter store, man, we're getting there. How's things been going?
Speaker 1:it's busy, I mean it's it's always chaos. But you could just start seeing the rumblings of the holidays and they always have special discounts and deals, like on every weekend before the holiday and stuff, and they try to get people that way. But it doesn't really hit. A lot of the stuff they've done the last couple years doesn't hit like it did back in the day, how it would be a mad rush and trampling and all that With online shopping. I mean that's pretty much I don't think anyone's going to really go back. I mean, why would you kill yourself and lose sleep and risk yourself when you can just order online and be done with it?
Speaker 3:You know, I used to work at Target and across the street from you and it was when the Tickle Me Elmo was big. To work at Target and across the street from you, yeah, and it was when the Tickle Me Elmo was big and I would find different ways to entertain myself by positioning the toy on the very top shelf, you know, just out of reach, and seeing how they watch people, like literally they punch each other.
Speaker 1:Or they'll start stamping on the shelves, the other shelves below it, like and they not spot your weight can't hold it and you'll fall and collapse. And people just do it.
Speaker 3:Well, we're trying to be creative with how we we did that and we were actually going to hang one from the ceiling and see, see how they could possibly get that down. They beat the hell out of each other man. As soon as that door unlocks, boom, everybody is running in the story. Hours are longer.
Speaker 1:One time sorry, one time, with the Tamagotchis that came out. Yeah, it's either Tamagotchis or those. What was those freaky ones? That ones that little little look like little hairy trolls and then they they're from yeah, furbies, we did. I think it was okay, I think it was Furbies. It wasn't that the manager like had an idea to like hide them in different areas, like you said, and don't have them just in the toy department, and people were like losing their minds, like getting mad that they had to go hunting for these furbies it was like a uh, like a uh.
Speaker 3:What's my called search? You know, like the lost treasure.
Speaker 1:You know that it was because they only sent like like one box or two and that was it and it one customer or two would try to take them all.
Speaker 3:So they just said we're gonna spread them out through the whole store and if you find it, then you get it I've only been around for like craziness like that in my lifetime, one with the cabbage fast kids in 83, that was a big fight going on there. Uh, tickle me, elmo, yeah. So I think before christmas comes on, we're going to get the panel back together and we're going to have another, we're going to have another toy show and I'm going to make sure that everybody will be able to hear it and it won't just be lost in the archive somewhere. All right, you know people enjoyed the toy episode last year, so it was fun. And then, uh, get some people together for some more gargoloki.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I forgot about that holiday tradition.
Speaker 3:It's crazy and it's fun and and you can die from that segment.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's more. I think I was doing it too too many times. I think you're right. We need a bigger panel and more people do it Different people doing it.
Speaker 3:Right Cause last year it was me, you, trish and julian, yeah and uh. Remember he came on with vodka, cranberry, and she's like are you going to gargle with that?
Speaker 1:he's like getting old and then I I would sing a simples christmas song and you guys, I don't know what it is, I don't know what it is and I'm like dying over here singing like 10 verses of this freaking song, choking and stuff well, don't pick the 12 days of christmas.
Speaker 3:Oh my god. Yeah, I'm really looking forward to this, and my transmission on my car is uh is screwed up, so it's been taking me about two, two and a half hours to get to work and yeah, you still need to set last uh episode.
Speaker 1:You like blew a tranny or something for uh it was going and it's wait hold on. I can't say that that. Okay. First of all, everybody. That's an old term that they used to use in the 70s and 80s for blowing your transmission. I mean, it's something, might be something else now, but it was your car messed up and stuff blow it at tranny sure some of our listeners might enjoy that who knows. I mean we need we can get more people listening if they think of something you know so, yeah, it's just been hell.
Speaker 3:I mean, man, by the time I'm like 10 minutes from work, my, my car just goes in. I'll do whatever I want to do. I was at the red light and I went to step on the gas and it did nothing. Oh, and I was like, oh, man. So I slammed it down real hard on the gas pedal. Then it started rolling again and I'm like, oh, thank God. So by the time I get in, I'm like, okay, girl I don't know why I call my car a girl but okay, girl, thanks. And I like pat it, like like like a dog. And then when I get ready to leave to go to work, I'm like, all right, go home. I pat it and I'm like, all right, let's just make it home. Let's make it home, cause when it's cold, for some reason, it works. Okay, you know it, it it. Well, I take that back.
Speaker 1:like coming off every red light down 30 so you need to cut the floorboard out, like have a drop, uh, lift up, latch or something you could put your feet like fred flintstone and just help get your car going I have to let, yeah, or, or put a wheel in there with one of those little dinosaurs running like they do, uh, chasing the the dino dog, chasing the dino cat, uh all of a sudden. You just hear. You just hear someone was driving by going yabba dabba doo.
Speaker 3:Well, that's scott, he's going to work, but at least I made it to work and and I wasn't late anytime. You know, sometimes I might get to work 25 minutes early. Wow, and that's refreshing too. Yeah, because I would leave work starts at 8 for me and I'd leave my house at 5. You know, yeah, it sucks, because I got to wake up and deal with the stress of getting to work, you know. But enough of the little chit-chat, let's just jump into this interview, and I've been looking forward to this for two years. After this commercial, we're going to jump right in with Jane, so we'll be back after that interview.
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Speaker 3:We are thrilled to welcome a true icon of Canadian film and television. She is known for her unforgettable roles on SCTV, my Big Fat Greek Wedding and Going Down the Road. Her career spans over five decades of comedy and drama and with her razor-sharp wit and versatility she's left an indelible mark on entertainment. Please join us as we welcome to the Powers Point podcast the one, the only, jane Eastwood. Jane, it is an honor for you to be on the show with me.
Speaker 5:Oh, you're very kind, scott. My pleasure Delightful, I think you're great.
Speaker 3:When I was going through everything you've done, going down the road I was like what's this movie? So I watched it, last night actually, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And that's from what? 1969, 70?
Speaker 5:1969, 70. That was the very first movie that I ever was in. I was still young, I guess I was 21 or two or something and I just kind of barely gotten into show business and I was well. I'll start at the beginning. I was in a.
Speaker 5:I always wanted to be an actor since I was like seven years old, but that was impossible. I didn't know an actor. I came from a very sort of business-oriented country club kind of background golfers and whatnot. They just thought, well, you better take some typing if you're going to be an actor. So I was a commercial artist and I had graduated from art school and my friend John McDonald was working at J Walter Thompson it was a big agency and he said they're doing an amateur production of Suddenly Last Summer, why don't you go and audition for it? And I did and I got it and I played like a very old character. But it was a wonderful experience. And there was a man in the audience by the name of Eli Rill. Now Eli Rill was from the actor's studio in New York and he had come to Toronto to open his own studio, so he was looking for students. So he came backstage and gave me his card and said would you like to come to my workshop? And I did, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I thought, oh, I'm really in the business now. This is very exciting. And he was a brilliant. He was a brilliant teacher. And there were two other guys in it, paul Bradley and Doug McGrath, and we would improvise and just work on scenes. And we were just in heaven. We were in actor's heaven. It was wonderful.
Speaker 5:Then there was this open audition for this movie called Going Down the Road. And well, the four of us, cale Chern included, auditioned for it along with hundreds of other actors, but we were all from Eli Reel's class and we got the leading roles. And I think the reason we did is because at that time a lot of actors there were many marvelous actors in Toronto, but they were sort of at Stratford, you know what I mean and Shaw, they were serious theater actors. There were some television actors too, but we were kind of a new breed of actor. Very, very well, kind of method, quite frankly, just kind of method mumbled our lines. It was just very real and that's why we got going down the road.
Speaker 5:And then I thought, well, this is great, I got $600 for it Took six months to make. He would just call and say, okay, meet us at Allen Gardens and then we'll do this. And there was it was. It was mostly scripted but there was some improv. When it aired it became the hit of Canada, the absolute seminal film of Canada, and it got great views, reviews in New York for the New York Times and it was started my entire career. So I'm really glad you watched it last night. I know that was a very long diatribe, but going down the road launched me, so I'll be ever grateful for that movie.
Speaker 3:You know, the part that made me laugh was at the wedding. Yeah, the wedding. Your big line was when he stood up and he's like I want to make a speech and you said shut up and sit down, you don't have to say anything at all. You know, I don't know why that caught me off guard and I thought that was like the funniest thing. And then I find myself after that movie saying what happened to Betty? They left her, Weren't you? You know, I'm like is there a part two to this? Like, what about the? There is, there is, yeah.
Speaker 5:It was called down the road again and um, doug mcgraw. Well, paul bradley died. He passed away in vancouver and actually they kind of use that and this movie is about, um, you know, doug bringing paul bradley's ashes back to the east coast. And he knocks on my door and I slam the door in his face because I know he's the one who took my husband away from me. I have a daughter, and it's Joey's daughter, so they are introduced and she goes to the East Coast with him to bury her father's ashes. It's quite an interesting story actually.
Speaker 3:Wow, is that online somewhere?
Speaker 5:It should be. If you can find Going Down the Road, you can probably find Down the Road again. Yeah, it's a nice movie. It didn't get the accolades that the first one did, but he made Going Down the Road and it took six months to make it. He mortgaged his house, he mortgaged his Morgan car, he put everything into that movie. And then for the second one, I think, Telefilm gave him the money and he had to shoot it in 18 days. So the difference is like night and day. You know, it's a cruel. It's a cruel business.
Speaker 3:The one thing about Canadian TV that I really like or movies always has killer soundtracks on it, even that it had classical music, yeah. And then when you guys were dancing in the park or whatever and it looked like a handheld cam filming, I thought it was really awesome. With artistic and the beginning there was a singer, his name is Bruce Coburn.
Speaker 5:He's a big Canadian singer. He's saying when we're going down the road boy, thinking all I'm on, yeah, that's.
Speaker 3:Bruce Coburn. I'm writing that down because I'm going to look up that soundtrack, because, honestly, I really enjoyed that.
Speaker 5:That's great. I'm so glad.
Speaker 3:I love classic movies. Now, that's like an awesome one. So you'd go from that role and I'm sorry if I'm like making my way up the timeline here. No, I'm good. How do you go from like drama to like Second City? Yeah, that's comedy.
Speaker 5:It's very interesting. I mean I started in drama and in theater like most people did, but I'm a clown, I'm just a natural clown, and it just started coming out. It came out in Godspell, that's for sure. I was really hamming it up in Godspell and Jed Apatow was doing a documentary on us. It's called the Legendary Toronto Godspell because the people who came out of that were Marty Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber you know who was the architect in Titanic, Brilliant actor. And Paul Schaefer was our musical director. Remember, he was David Letterman's guy for like 50 years.
Speaker 3:You know, when I think of Paul Schaefer, I think of the Blues Brothers. That's Paul to me.
Speaker 5:And that was, I mean, that was part of our game, that whole cast, including yourself, is just a wow factor you know it is, and that's why they're doing a documentary on it, because they can't figure out how this happened.
Speaker 5:Like, how did so many stars come out of like one little theater group? We had never met each other, we just it was like the stars were in line for us to meet. We knew we were having a great time, like we were kind of a hit. We were at the Royal Alex, which is a big theater in Toronto. We knew we were having a great time, but nobody had any idea how far some people would go. And then the next step was Second City. Was John Candy, danny Aykroyd, joe Flaherty, who was my brother-in-law, Ryan Joel Murray, billy Murray, john Belushi I mean, this was that's the gang I hung out with, crazy huh.
Speaker 3:You know, like when I see old pictures online and I'm like, look at this, and all week I've been I don't get nervous talking to people. I'm going to be honest, I don't get nervous. But when I know you were coming on, I told Jim by the way, this is Jim, jim Jane.
Speaker 5:Hi Jim.
Speaker 3:Hello, I feel nervous, you know, because you're in person and your whole career it spans a couple of decades, like five decades and wow.
Speaker 5:Well, thank you, I've been very lucky. I'm a very lucky person. I haven't made a lot of money because I stayed in Canada, and that's the huge difference. I mean, I do have a lot of fans up here and somebody will see me at the grocery store. They said, oh my God, you have to buy your own groceries. And I said, honey, I'm a Canadian actor, not an American actor. The difference is quite huge, is quite huge.
Speaker 3:Since you're bringing that up, why do you think it is that with arts music, which my favorite band is the Tragically Hip you know good taste.
Speaker 5:you have very good taste, yep.
Speaker 3:They were big up there, they could fill a stadium and they can do millions and millions. Their last concert ever had 12 million viewers watching. Yeah. And Canadian actors, but only some trickle across the border and accepted by the States. Why do you think that would be?
Speaker 5:I just don't know, especially with the Tragically Hip. I mean now, that's a legendary band, if you want to talk legends, you know. Yeah, music-wise I don't know because that's not my area. The thing is with actors and especially comedians. If you I mean Marty knew that he had to leave Canada if he was going to make it. He just knew it, because what happens in Canada is that you can win an award, like you know, being the best actor in a series, and then the next day you're still auditioning. That's Canada, you know what I mean. And so a lot of people get really discouraged by that. And I remember I was talking to an actor oh, david Ferry, wonderful, wonderful actor up here in Canada, and he said he remembers seeing Marty in an audition. He said, marty, what the hell are you doing auditioning? He said, marty, that's Canada. I got to get the hell out of here. So he did.
Speaker 5:So people trickle down, but they can't come back really you know, Well, I don't know if they can't come back, but you've got to go to LA or New York to make it big. You just have to. You guys are the center of the world and you know we don't have the market that you have. You know what I mean. It's like we just don't have as many as you do.
Speaker 3:I'm pretty good friends with Trish Ranoni. That's how I found the Pink is In cast.
Speaker 5:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's right, yeah, and it's, it's funny, it's witty. You can be an adult and catch subtle hints of like stuff kids shouldn't hear, but yet it's clean enough for kids to watch. You know, yeah, and I've had almost the whole cast on, and when I seen you on there, I'm like holy cow. And then I'm like, can I get her on this podcast? And I doubted myself. It's really weird. It's like I hit a wall and I'm like, oh man, I don't want to keep bugging you.
Speaker 5:You didn't bug me. You didn't bug me at all. We had a couple of convos and here we are. That's great.
Speaker 3:Yes, I'm sorry, I'm like all over the place. That's okay, Speaking of Pink is In. You guys got the movie coming out this month. It's a 100-minute movie, which is awesome. It's like all the seasons put together in a secret new ending. How did?
Speaker 5:you get involved with Lisa Crawford and Kim Lombard. I knew Darren Stewart Jones and this is very strange. He had asked my agent if I would do an episode, but it was a bit racy for me. I'm a bit of a prude, quite frankly, and my agent agrees with me, because we do get a lot of offers of like just being an old lady who's like sexy, and I don't find that funny anymore. I mean, betty White did it, it's done. You know what I mean.
Speaker 5:There are other things that are funny that older women can do and, as I said, I am a bit of a prude. So, anyway, he said no, I don't think that's right for Jane, but weirdly enough, I have an art studio in Dundas, ontario, in this gorgeous old building, because I'm a painter and they were filming Pink is In in the basement of this building, that an art studio in, and Darren just came down the hall one day and we started talking and he said would you do it? I said absolutely and I thought it was a great script, I loved it. I loved it. I thought it was really funny, you know that.
Speaker 3:And again the cast. When I was up there I felt so welcomed, you know and you. I've talked to them all on here but never got to meet anybody. And then you were at like the extra added bonus then, because I didn't know you were going to be there. And then Darren started introducing me like we were old friends to everybody.
Speaker 5:He's a lovely guy. They're great people. I would like to keep working with them, that's for sure. Boy, oh boy.
Speaker 3:Are you in all the episodes of Ruby Does or are you just in the first episode? I don't have it down here yet with Darren You're talking about Ruby and the Well. I remember you guys went to the farm, oh yeah.
Speaker 5:No, I just did the opening one for him. I mean, I hope he has me back, like Ruby does everything right.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 5:Yeah, he's hysterical. My drag queen friend is hysterical and he's very funny. He's a very funny drag queen. He's really, really funny. Yes, I did one episode and I had the worst pinched nerve all summer long. I could hardly walk. I'm better now, thank God, because of an orthopath. So we just I just kind of rode around in a golf cart the whole time. So thank God we did that. But we had a blast. We have a lot of fun together. We have tons of fun. I mean, I love comedy. Comedy's my life. I wouldn't care if I ever did another drama again as long as I live. I just want to make people laugh. I like to make myself laugh. I do bits at home to myself, do you?
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, I found your other show online last week, hey, lady.
Speaker 5:Oh yeah, A lot of swearing in that one, but it's funny though, isn't it Hi?
Speaker 3:It's really funny when you're like and done, you know, and then they would just go to the credits.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I think it's brilliant. I think it's actually brilliant writing. It's called hey Lady. It's a web series, it's short.
Speaker 5:I played this old lady who just creates shit wherever she goes. I mean, she's mad. She's mad at the world, but it's very funny, written by a wonderful playwright by the name of Morris Ponich, who's written like very serious plays, and then he writes this comedy. He wrote it for me, actually, and at first I said no, I don't think so, because I had to drop my dressing down in front of a young plumber. I said no, no, I don't go for that business. But I was reading. I thought damn, this is funny though. And so I said no, I'm really sorry, but I think it's great.
Speaker 5:And they auditioned quite a few other people, but they wanted me. God bless them. And then Sarah Pauly, who's a huge director up here and I think in the States too, called me up because it was her brother producing it and we had a really good talk about it and I said and I'm really glad I did it, and CBC almost picked it up for a half an hour the producer called me and my agent before Christmas and said it's a go, it's going to happen. We're going to know right after Christmas, and then, right after Christmas, they changed their mind, and so it's not.
Speaker 1:Wow, the best part of that is that that whole hey lady is that, like, everybody has that one family member or two that act like you do, so everybody deals with it. And it's like, oh, that act like you do, so everybody deals with it, and like, oh, that's my aunt or that's my grandma, and she just doesn't care anymore yeah.
Speaker 1:It also like with everyone, like getting older and stuff, start to see yourself, start to like look at the new generation or the world like she does, and it's just you're starting to feel that, yeah, I wish I could just go around saying that stuff and some people start doing it.
Speaker 5:Yeah, yeah, that's how I feel about it too. And we won. We won the best short in sundance film festival. I won best actor for it. I mean it should go to series, it really should. You know, it can't be. I can't be quite that hateful in all the shows or people are actually going to end up really hating me. It's in the hands of somebody in Los Angeles and they love it and they're going to try it, but I might not belong to this world. I wish somebody would hurry up and do it. 78, for God's sake. Well, I'll be 78 in December, yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, you look great for 78.
Speaker 5:Well, thank you.
Speaker 1:I had a question about something you did in the past. You were Scott I don't know if you saw it or it's such a huge thing, so many things you've done a list that you are actually a Care Bear.
Speaker 5:It was a long time ago.
Speaker 1:Your birthday bear. I was birthed and I was wondering your children how did they take it when that was happening in the 80s and did they like brag to their friends or like did they watch it later or something and see it bragged to their friends or like, did they watch it later or something and see it?
Speaker 5:or, weirdly enough, I don't really remember, because I actually didn't do Care Bear for that long. I think I only did a few episodes. So I don't remember how my kids reacted. I think they were just so used to me, used to me being an actor. I think they thought everybody's mom was on television. You know what I mean. It's just that that was their life and they knew. When a show was coming, everybody got put aside because mom was learning her lines. That was just how they grew up, you know, and they all ended up sort of wanting to be in the business, but it just got too hard.
Speaker 5:Well, my oldest daughter actually has a really comedy mind for writing. She wasn't that interested in acting, but my other two, alicia and Davey, were. Alicia wasn't an actress for a while, but then she married a guy and moved to Amsterdam. She's back now, thank God. And Dave was a beautiful actor. I saw him on stage and I thought, holy shit, my kid's really good. It's now just so impossible to get into the business. He said, nah, and they're all in the health industry now, but they're still really funny. They're still really funny, smart guys, but I do have. I'm on Paw Patrol now, which is actually a big deal, oh yeah. And so I have friends who have grandchildren, just like, oh boy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm important now because I know Helga Humdinger you know, no, Helga Humdinger you know and you get to like catch the younger generation onto it and just keep every generation, just start latching onto that stuff.
Speaker 5:Yeah, yeah, it's fun. It's a lot of fun to do. Animation and radio commercials were a big part of my life. I'm very lucky to get in that Everybody wants to do voice work, because you can read the lines, for one thing. Yeah, and the pace is pretty nice. And I remember some people saying who weren't even in the business thought that looks like fun. I'd love to do some voice work. And I said, well, so would every actor at Stratford Shaw. You know what I mean. It's a very hard thing to get into. It's kind of coveted yeah.
Speaker 3:If you look at like the Simpsons voice characters, they're pulling in millions just sitting around a table and talking and you're like, wow, what is this? It is acting.
Speaker 5:It is acting though You've got to remember it Like Woody Allen did the animated movie Hatch no Rats, something like that. I can't remember what it was. He says the hardest thing he's ever done in his life, because your face isn't showing, your body isn't showing all those emotions, all that comedy. Your voice is your only instrument, so it's very, very, very different than being on screen. Is there any roles that you were offered and turned down but later regretted? No, I don't think so. I pretty well do anything anybody offers me, unless it's offensive. You know what I mean. Like I'm not very good at, I don't. Like you know, I believe in God, right, I wouldn't do anything that offended God. So there might've been some, some doozies that I turned down, because of my convictions, maybe. But I don't have any regrets. No, I don't think so. I also don't have a very good memory. How do you memorize lines?
Speaker 3:I can remember Lines.
Speaker 5:I can remember why I walked into the basement. I can't remember. I'm at that stage now. You know what the hell am I doing in the basement. There must be some reason I'm here.
Speaker 3:Or you go to the kitchen and open the fridge because you're hungry and you forgot what I come out here for, Exactly yeah.
Speaker 5:I think we all. No, I'm okay with lines. I did have one. I have a comedy group called Women Fully Closed. We've been together for 17 years Robin Duke, who was on Saturday Night Live, tassie Greenwood who's on Whose Line Is it Anyway? And Teresa Pavlenek, who's a brilliant actor, and she had her own show called the Jane Show, and it's a very, very funny show. We toured the States with it too, like down the East Coast and across Texas and LA, and then COVID broke us up. You know everybody ran for the hills and so we were thinking, well, let's do a best of and I thought I don't even know if I want to do that and we've done one show and it sold out screaming, laughing, standing ovations. So we're really happy. So we're going to come back again and maybe, who knows, we might get to. What city are you in, scott?
Speaker 3:Jim and I are both about 30 minutes outside of Chicago, in Indiana.
Speaker 5:Well, we're coming to Indiana, okay, we're coming to Indiana, and if we do, I'll let you know. But about memorizing lines, Kathy and I did this great, great new scene called Book Club and it's hilarious. I dropped a line and she really had to improvise her way around to get us back to where we were. I've never that's the first time it's ever happened to me, so I felt horrible. It'll never happen again, that's for sure.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I feel that improvising is a lost art. You want, I want script, script, script. You know, but the funny stuff is the stuff that's not on the paper. And yeah, do you think that's like going away nowadays in comedy?
Speaker 5:well, yeah, there was one time there was a period there when improv comedy was huge, but it can be not tight. You know what I mean. Well, colin Mochrie's, one of the best improvisers in the world oh, amazing, yeah, he. And Ryan Stiles, stiles, ryan Stiles yeah, they kill. I mean I've seen I was backstage once when Colin was out there improvising and I've never laughed like that. I mean, they are so hilarious and so brilliant and tight. They're really really tight. Not all improv shows are tight, you know what I mean, because there's maybe a bit too much of a mess getting to the really funny part, but they've actually. One guy actually threw up. He was laughing so hard at one of Colin's shows.
Speaker 3:Colin's in the Canadian Laugh Out Loud competition. Yeah, oh yeah, it came down to him. And Tom Green, right, and Tom, you know he's a very straight-faced, straight-ed, you know, like stupid comedy. But Colin gotadam won and I swore Tom was going to win that you know yeah. I didn't see that when I heard about it, but probably it's 10 comedians locked in a room and if they make whoever makes you laugh, you're out, you know.
Speaker 5:It's a great idea.
Speaker 3:It's a great idea and now that show has taken off around the world Ireland, spain, india you can look it up and see like comedians from around the world all getting locked in a room trying to. You know.
Speaker 5:So is that an original Canadian production?
Speaker 3:I'm not sure and if I answer that it'll be a rumor, but I'd like to think so, I'd like to think so, I'd like to think so. And the thing that I like is there are some comedians on that show that I'm like. I don't know who they are, but it made me go and look them up and then write everybody and be like hey, you know, like, would you like to come on the podcast? And I got to say Canadian actors, the most lovely people in the world, always respond that's nice, I'm glad. I'm glad what? 90% of my guests are Canadian. As far as Canada, I love all the TV shows Corner Gas, letterkenny, bill Apart, boys, sctv, which is a classic. I prefer that over Saturday Night Live.
Speaker 5:Oh, me too. Sctv was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, and that's my late brother-in-law, joe Flaherty. He and Harold Ramis started it and I've been on a few of them, and my husband ended up writing on SCTV, david Flaherty, he was a comedy writer. He's gone. He's gone too?
Speaker 3:Is there any like behind the scenes stuff that are so memorable for you for SDTV that maybe the fans never knew about?
Speaker 5:Well, there's just one little thing. Like John, candy and I had a lot of fun together, right, and I was invited to be on an episode and they were all sitting sitting around the table, you know, with their pads for writing and John looked over at me with that twinkle in his eye and just pretended he was writing something like in the air, because writing was not his huge thing and there was always the pressure to write. But I mean, all Joe Flaherty had to do was just suggest one little thing to John and then John would just go with it. But that I remember, and just watching him play a naughty little Nazi, it was the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. But I was there when he did it. Yeah.
Speaker 5:No, I mean comedians work hard, Comedy's hard, it's really hard. You know, there's that old joke with the actor dying and his friends at his deathbed and said, darling, is it hard. And he said dying's easy.
Speaker 3:Comedy is hard. What do you think about Schitt's Creek? That took off like a storm. I mean you got Eugene Levy and Catherine all like back together and you know a lot of people don't know that they were on SCTV as well, you know.
Speaker 5:Yeah, well, I mean, if people like Schitt's Creek they should check out. Well, I mean, if people like Schitt's Creek, they should check out SCTV, because there wasn't one clunker in that. And did you notice? There were never any drug jokes or sex jokes in SCTV. It was never blue. It was never blue. It was very clean, very clean and hilarious and just brilliantly funny, I mean.
Speaker 5:But the thing is one we have to remember Saturday Night Live, they have to come up with a new show every week. Sctv it's different. I mean it's you're writing stuff, but you have time to really work on it and rehearse it and make it look better. Saturday Night Live, you're out there, you're just out there. I'll tell you a friend of mine. Well, you know who she is Gilda Radner.
Speaker 5:I had a bit of a hard time at Second City. I found it very competitive and I'm not a competitive comedian, I'm just not that person. And Gilda understood and she said I think I visited her in New York and she said, jane, if you found backstage at Second City tough, you would have put a gun to your head backstage on Saturday Night Live, because the competition is brutal. As a matter of fact, lorne, after Robin Duke left Lorne Michaels because I had done the Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour in Toronto before he did that. So we knew each other and he asked me if I wanted to come down and audition.
Speaker 5:Well, by then I already had two little girls. I said no thanks, but that's just. I wouldn't be able to cope, couldn't cope, you know. So I keep turning down Los Angeles, like LA, new York, I don't know what it was. When I was younger I was doing a series called King of Kensington up here and it was kind of a big show, corny, but a big show. And Willie Moore's agency from New York phoned me and asked me if I wanted to sign up with him. I said, nah, I'm sorry, I'm busy here. I just keep cutting my foot off, I don't know why.
Speaker 1:Anyway, but if you're paying the bills and living comfortably, I mean you're outside. Yeah, that's all you need, right there.
Speaker 5:It is, you know, and I'm okay. Like I'm okay, there were some slim times. I remember when I had three kids and I'd be walking to the bank and there were three little kids praying that my bank account was 500 over and not 500 under. There were some slim times and I mean a lot of actors go through that, but I made it through. I'm just so. I'm fine, yeah.
Speaker 3:Were you in Second City. Dan Aykroyd started in Second City in Toronto. Were you there?
Speaker 5:Yeah, I was with him in his cast.
Speaker 3:You were there when John Blushie showed up. Were you there that night? The way Dan explains it in one of his documentaries of him? And John was. This crazy guy kicks open the theater door. It was cold and snowy out and in walked John, and I love tales like that, when people of fame, the meeting of everybody, you know like how everybody came together.
Speaker 5:Well, that might have been. I was with Danny and Gilda and Eugene and Brian, joel Murray, who's Billy Murray's older brother, and Joe Flaherty, originally in Second City, but that Second City closed. We didn't have a liquor license, so it just didn't go that well. And Andrew Alexander, an entrepreneur from Toronto, bought Second City from Bernie Solins, who was the owner of it in Chicago, and he reopened on a place called Lombard and that became the really famous Second City. So that might have been there. That John did that. So I wasn't there, but I used to hang out with John and all those guys.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because I think the Second City Theater here we're only like 40 minutes away from that theater in Chicago. Yeah that's right, and the people coming out of there that Second City is like wow.
Speaker 5:Yeah, bob Odenkirk, bob Odenkirk was in that cast and I leave. Yeah, I know, yeah, amazing. No, second City is probably the best comedy training you could ever, ever, ever, ever have. They teach you how to work with each other. It's a saying they have for improv. It's called yes, and it's like if you and I are on stage and you decided to say see them windows weirdly blue, you don't deny it, the other actor doesn't deny it, they go, yeah, and now it seems to be turning into stripes or something. You know what I mean. Like, you keep it going, and that's a big thing in comedy, especially in improv. You know working with each other.
Speaker 3:Has there been a role that you've done throughout your career that is the most memorable for you that you like? You would love to be that character one more time.
Speaker 5:Yeah, when I was doing a series called Haven. Did you ever see Haven?
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, and I played the coroner.
Speaker 5:I love that character. I love my character, just kind of fast talk and, you know, sort of rough around the edges, sort of a gal. For me it was just a really fun, fun, fun role to play. Like they gave me it was a three-episode arc in, I think it was like season three, and then they hired me as a regular, so I was really, really happy.
Speaker 1:That was one of my wife's favorite shows and she said when you came on that she loved your character. And she said that you brought like this comedy punch, that it was getting like serious and spooky a lot.
Speaker 5:Yeah, your comedy was just like the slap in the face that you needed in the show. Oh, that's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me. Your wife is wonderful and she has great taste, and she's now my new best friend.
Speaker 3:You could play that back for her, jim, and make her day. I'll say hey, hey.
Speaker 1:Merlene, listen to this.
Speaker 3:That was all shot in Halifax right, Nova Scotia.
Speaker 5:Yeah, in a gorgeous town called, oh, Chathlete, Chesley no, I can't remember the name of it. It was a beautiful sailing kind of town, Like people in England had cottages there. I mean just these grand old cottages, Great little town. Oh, I say Chesley. No, I can't Sorry. I'm sorry I can't remember, but it's not hard to find out. But it was really. It was like being in film camp because the town was so small.
Speaker 3:There were two restaurants and two bars, so we all just were together all the time after we shot. So, yeah, that was really, really fun. When I go to Nova Scotia, I always stay in Coal Harbor, which is right outside of Halifax, and the first time I went to there I was like you could buy a lobster dinner for how much? It's a great place, yeah, and it's like, again, the friendliest people in the world are Canadians to me.
Speaker 5:Well, especially in Halifax, especially everybody loves the East Coast. There was a lot of work being done in Halifax and everybody loved it. Yay, I'm going to the East Coast to shoot this and shoot that. Like I was really lucky I would shoot Haven and then I shot like a couple of Christmas movies and comedy with Jerry D. It was heaven out there. And then you know the reason everybody shoots in Canada right, it's the tax break. It's the tax break and my women fully clothed girls and I have a joke about walking on the set and say, hi on your Canadian tax break. But then the premier he pulled it and 100 shows were canceled and we all kind of protested and went online and people were heartbroken. Cruise had to, like, pick up and move to Ontario. I think it's coming back a bit there.
Speaker 5:Oh, and if you want to watch a great Canadian show, watch Son of a Critch. It's really funny. It's really funny, son of a Critch. Yeah, it's on CBC Gem. Would you get that?
Speaker 3:You know I could find anything anywhere.
Speaker 5:You can. You're right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Son of a, you were on Little Mosca, on the Prairie too.
Speaker 5:I was yeah, that was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun. Yeah, you know, you should know your K and shows man.
Speaker 3:I, I do the US stuff.
Speaker 5:I know.
Speaker 3:Jane, I really appreciate all the time that you've spent with us here and just going down kind of memory lane, and I appreciate you so much. Again in September when I got to meet you, it was like a great thing, oh, and I always show everybody mine in your picture and I'm like look, you know like I appreciate you so much for coming on here and bless your heart.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much and again you can catch Jane and just look her up on Google and check out all of her work and upcoming Pink is In movie, if you're lucky enough to see that. So, Jane, you have a great day and again, we really appreciate you.
Speaker 5:It was great meeting you both, thank you.
Speaker 3:Same here and I hope to meet you again you will, you will great if you want to hear all the action.
Speaker 6:Northwest indiana's wrestling scene. Listen to mostly metal and northwest indiana rap. Wvlp 103.1 fm. The metal professor tells you all about metal music, but he does the wrap-up for wrestling in this area. Very knowledgeable, great fan of wrestling. He knows his stuff, trust me.
Speaker 3:Welcome back to the show. You know, again, before we talk to Jane, I wanted that interview for two years and I finally got it. And you know, like all week anxiousness of having her on because I ramble a lot, you like if I say, if I say give me like 15, 20 minutes, everybody knows that I can go.
Speaker 3:you know, but if the conversation's flowing I don't look at the time yeah and because her career spanned so much and how much stuff she did, I didn't know where to really be. Well, I knew where I was beginning, but I didn't know the middle and and where to end it. And uh, what'd you think, man?
Speaker 1:It was. It was a great interview. I mean it. It like I said it you did well. We all got different areas of her career, different like genres and stuff, and she really seemed like she had a good time talking to us. And that only leads to maybe if she wants to come on again, if she she liked it, and then she could talk about different stuff. There's just so many things you can talk about yeah, it was so awesome having her on.
Speaker 3:I can't say that enough just because of everything she's done. You know you brought up paving.
Speaker 1:You know it was really cool that that, uh, she said her and your wife are now like best friends and and I thought that was cool because I showed a picture of I go she was on that show you watched haven and she saw and she goes, I loved her on that show, she was one of my favorites. And I'm like oh my gosh, and she was excited because usually I say Scott's got me interviewing somebody and you wouldn't know a Canadian actress or actor or something.
Speaker 3:And then I showed her that and she's like, oh yeah, I've seen her and stuff and she's hilarious and because Haven was big, even down here, yeah, yeah it was, it was really big, you know, on the SyFy network, yeah it was good yeah, and so by you talking about that makes me want to. I think it's on Prime now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's on Amazon Prime. Yeah, freebie, I think.
Speaker 3:Which Amazon's getting rid of what they are.
Speaker 1:Yeah they announced it two days ago.
Speaker 3:Oh no, man, dang it. Yeah, there's a lot of good stuff on that, on that channel, man that's why they want to keep making everybody pay yeah, unfortunately, uh. So we hope everybody enjoyed that interview as much as we did. I know I sound like a little kid in the biggest toy store.
Speaker 1:Uh, because that's how I really feel now and uh so they gotta know that you, you really wanted this and you really you're in a happy mood now, man.
Speaker 3:You, you got it it's kind of like the world's off my shoulders now, because I wanted this so bad, and then as time was getting closer and and her and I would correspond in email well, with this upcoming year we're gonna uh, you just like, look for another one, another.
Speaker 1:You know you got her and now try to get someone else that interests you or you think everybody will like.
Speaker 3:I have some people in my mind. I'm back Because, man, I'll jinx the crap out of myself and I'll never get it. Hey, I've learned you just say positive things out loud and think positive things and it'll happen. We're going to be back on the podcast on a scheduled basis, you know, like once a week like normal. A scheduled basis. You know like once a week like normal. I mean, we were doing the fak radio, which I gotta say has been doing really good in numbers, surprising even myself. Uh, and people are legit asking when's the next episode? Or what happened to max wise at the end of the last episode, or even what happened to everybody at the on the last episode. So, uh, if you're not listening to powers point podcast, there's only four episodes of uh f-a-k-e radio that you could check out on spotify as well, or soundcloud or I heart radio. Don't ask me how to get to it to the I heart, but it's there. And uh, jim. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Before we leave. It's been a while, man, and it's been. It's been a several weeks. Uh, you should be full on quotes again. So, uh, what do you got?
Speaker 1:I got a quick one here. All right, here's the quote when nothing goes right, go left.
Speaker 3:Who says that?
Speaker 1:Um, I just did. No, I don't know who said it, it just says when go left.
Speaker 3:And that makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when you're bogged down, you don't know what to do, you don't know where to turn. Nothing's going right, go left.
Speaker 3:You know, if one door's locked, try the next one. So that's the modern version of what you just said. Oh, okay, but uh, yeah, if, if, for everybody that's tuned in on today's episode. We hope you enjoyed it again. Huge thanks to jane for being on the show with us, and we will be back on next Friday or Saturday, depends on how fast I edit things Plus the holidays we might have to record differently. Oh yeah, that's coming up in two weeks, yeah.
Speaker 1:We'll have to figure out something.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we'll figure out something. But yeah, Jim survived the madness of your store and we'll talk to you next week. Bye, Bye.
Speaker 4:Soft glow, moonlight slipping through the blinds, tracing shadows over skin, yours and mine. Every heartbeat a secret. We keep In the hush of the night. Our bodies speak, hands like embers, setting a spark, slowly burning through the dark. Every inch, every sigh of flame. Breath to breathe, calling my name. Let me feel you, feel me deep and true.
Speaker 4:No words, just the way we move. Every curve, every touch, pure desire, Wrapped in whispers, lost in fire, soft breath slipping across my chest, the way you linger, more than just a caress, tracing lines, only we understand, bound by passion, where we stand, fingers dancing soft and slow, a rhythm. Only we both know this fever. Rising heartbeats. Raise your hands, your lips, our sacred place. Let me feel you, feel me deep and true. No words, just the way we move. Every curve, every touch, pure desire, wrapped in whispers, lost in fire, beneath the stars. Only us, tonight, in each other's arms. Everything feels right. I'm lost in you and every breath you take In this embrace. Nothing left to break. So hold me close, let the world fade away In the quiet where we sway, in the softness, in the glow, we found Our love, our fire. No need for sound, thank you.
