Rick Mercer: Will They or Won't They?

Jann Arden  0:08  
Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening, wherever you find yourself in this great big world. I am Jen Arden. I'm the host of the Jen Arden podcast, and show perhaps Let's even say that I'm here with Caitlin green. She's in Toronto. Sarah Burke is in Toronto. Rick Mercer is our guest today. Rick, welcome to the show.

Rick Mercer  0:28  
Thank you for having me. jannard and it's been far too long. I

Jann Arden  0:31  
just saw you last night. Listen, the girls, Sarah sent me an intro for you. Like I feel like I've known you for 20 years. And I don't really need to do an intro. Well, I'm

Speaker 1  0:43  
curious what the intro says. I know better say humanitarian does work in every sense. Humanitarian requester okay.

Jann Arden  0:52  
He's a longtime award winning television host, I lost count after 30 awards between the Geminis and the Canadian Screen Awards. I dare you to try and name an award show this man hasn't hosted the Junos the Geminis, the Giller Awards, the CCM A's, he's done them all. He is also a best selling author, and the holder of so many honorary doctorates, that he's nearly a historian. Please welcome the one and only Rick Mercer humanitarian

Sarah Burke  1:24  
Rick Mercer.

Speaker 1  1:27  
Humanitarian. Thank you, Jan, that was very moving. That was very nice. And you're right, I had hosted all award shows in Canada. Not anymore though. That's behind me. That was another now of course, I traveled the country with you spreading mirth.

Jann Arden  1:41  
So we are like bards, we are like Shakespearean minstrels traveling the country. And what are we doing reg tell you from your point of view, what is the will they or won't they too, are which we are presently in the middle of? How do you think it's going?

Speaker 1  1:56  
It's exactly what you say. We're like birds spreading mirth, the Shakespearean birds except with catering, and wake up calls and stuff. It's what it was that question, what are we doing, which is I'm having, I don't, I can't speak for you. I'm having the time of my life. I wasn't reticent about the tour. But I was afraid because it's a real seat of your pants experience. And we don't really know what's going to happen every night. And I'm not used to that. That's not something I'm used to in front of an audience. And you seem more comfortable than I was. But now I'm very comfortable. And every night is a is a revelation. You know, two nights ago, you and I talked about hotel rooms for 1520 minutes, and it was such fun and the audience was screaming and you had such funny stories. You were on such a roll. And then we were like I hadn't heard he knew that before. And then we haven't done it since it's it's really quite odd. And it's quite, I find it quite touching. And I just I'm just enjoying it. And I think it's mostly in my, in my bones. Above all, I believe in show business I like that's my religion is show business always has been the truth. And I just think it's a great show. It's a great show. It's not like anything I've done, but I feel like it's a great show. People are happy. So the show business gods are happy.

Jann Arden  3:22  
And people are laughing their fucking asses off. They are sitting in the seats. They are so excited His people and He does have people somewhere because girls, I got a person. You guys saw the video reel off the top of the show that we play and, and soon as our voice of God is Peter Mansbridge. And it's like, Hello, I'm Peter Mansbridge. So the other day, Rick gets his goddamn text or email from somebody from a woman that says, you know, it was so nice of Peter Mansbridge to do the voiceover and I can't believe that you and Jan didn't at least have him out on the stage to say hello and to accept a few accolades. I'm like to people honestly think that Peter Mansbridge is on the fucking bus with us traveling around and doing a live voiceover every night. He

Speaker 1  4:11  
stands behind the curtain. We give him a a bong and a glass of water like that he's

Caitlin Green  4:17  
at home offended. No, he's

Speaker 1  4:19  
thrilled he's in Scotland. He's because he has a podcast Empire as you know. And he's in Scotland podcasting up a store. And he sends me a note because he keeps getting notes. He's very accessible. And he keeps getting notes from people watching the show saying oh, so great to hear your voice because he starts off Good evening. I'm Peter Mansbridge. And that of course, a simpler better time. Yeah,

Caitlin Green  4:44  
it's true. It does actually because we were there. We saw you guys at Roy Thompson Hall on the for the evening show on Sunday on Mother's Day. And it harkens back to I almost want to be like a simpler, funnier time for Canada. I guess it just felt cozy and nice and intelligent. I really, really enjoyed it. I think you guys are doing a great job together.

Speaker 1  5:03  
I think we're really like the seat, guys. I just think the Times asked for a fun night out. And I think that's what we're giving people and they're really enjoying it. Yeah, there's enough crap going on. I mean, I used to always say that. Yeah, but there's a lot going on. Now,

Jann Arden  5:21  
the interesting thing is that Sarah doesn't, she's not really familiar with the Mercer report. And the stuff that we did together familiar, just never watched on TV, but in the big scheme of things like you are not the person buying tickets to come and see the show. People are a little bit older than you, Sarah. I'm not slamming you being like 22 years old, but it's, uh, you know, if you're not super familiar, you don't know all the gags. And but you I said to you, did it make sense like hearing us regaling people with these stories? And you you were like, Oh, my God. Yeah, it was completely. You didn't have to have that context. I agree.

Sarah Burke  6:00  
Yeah, you can pick it up. For

Speaker 1  6:02  
sure. You know, which one was Jan? And which one was Rick when we came out? Yes,

Sarah Burke  6:06  
yes. In my 37 years of life, I've put that together. But

Caitlin Green  6:11  
no, you asked me she leaned over and

Unknown Speaker  6:16  
you just said she was 22? Well,

Jann Arden  6:18  
she's not. But she might as well be like in my world. Well,

Sarah Burke  6:22  
remember, you guys were talking about how at the beginning of all the Rick Mercer report stuff, Jan was uncomfortable and never knew what she was walking into with you. Well, on this tour, the tables are kind of turned and you don't know what you're walking into a gym, kind of like that.

Speaker 1  6:35  
100%. And it's not so much every night of this tour, because now I know. But the first time we walked on stage together at hot dogs, I actually, I've contemplated strangling her as she was walking up the stairs, because seven or eight other people, and we didn't really have a conversation about what we were going to do. And every time I tried to bring it up, Jen kept saying it's gonna be great. It's gonna be great. We're gonna have so much fun. Then she changed the subject. And even when I went to her house, before we went out on tour, I sat down, I had the laptop open. I was like, okay, so what are we going to do? And then she was like, she's naked. And then the hummus is out there. This is like being her producer. Yeah. And then you're, we're talking Okay, so I thought maybe we could off the top of the show, do you want some red pepper with that, and then that you made me a grilled cheese. And then we looked at the Eclipse, but we didn't do any work, really. And here we are. And it's and you know, what it's probably worked out for the best. The

Jann Arden  7:37  
nice thing that happens when you're out doing this stuff is you have set points. And by set points, I mean, I'm gonna say there's five major markers within the course of the hour, 75 minutes. And that's before we take questions from the audience where I know where we are, and it kind of, but the stuff that goes on and around that that's the fun is for me, like, when we did when we were talking about hotel rooms the other night, I'm not even gonna give the story away. But basically, Rick and I have both experienced checking into a hotel very late at night and fucking walking in with our key card that the front desk guy has given us who's 17 By the way, Caitlin, and that's, that's a love. That's an inside joke. But anyway, and we opened the door and there's people in the room already, ya know, we both in that experience, his is very much worse than mine. And it's late at

Unknown Speaker  8:32  
night. So they're in bed, and Rick Mercer

Sarah Burke  8:34  
partisan.

Speaker 1  8:35  
I've also had people walk in. And Jan and I talked about this jam, you put the lock across, I always forget, tell your story. No, no, I can't. Because it's for a comedy album that I'm gonna be doing later in the fall. Oh,

Jann Arden  8:50  
Caitlin, you have questions. Caitlin has some great questions. Go. Okay.

Caitlin Green  8:53  
Okay, I want to know which one of you is the better kisser?

Speaker 1  8:56  
We're not making out all the time. But you have

Unknown Speaker  8:59  
kiss.

Jann Arden  9:00  
I've kissed him a couple times. He's got extremely soft lips. And he's he's he's one of those guys that knows. That knows the, the the length and the width of a pucker. And there's no there's no it's just a really nice. It's like a wedding line. Like you're in the wedding line. You're congratulating people so there's, there's nothing there's nothing nefarious about it. We kiss like

Speaker 1  9:26  
I'm one of the shows. But did we show? No,

Jann Arden  9:29  
I don't believe we did. But I'm just saying that even some guys that give you a quick peck on the on the mouth. It's like there's wet shit going on. They're like, what? What did you do with your mouth? No, you're very professional.

Speaker 1  9:43  
I'm like a Greek god here. I've got the lips when I was a little care about railroad kids because I prayed because I had such big lips. But then as I went into show business, I realized that they were an asset. Yeah, they come in handy. Yeah, Yeah, they call me lips. Lips Mercer was

Jann Arden  10:05  
let's close to Rick lips, Mercer humanitarian.

Caitlin Green  10:10  
I really like that. Okay, so my other question is because so Jon Stewart's back on The Daily Show, everyone misses him, everyone in Canada misses you. Is there a project that could get you back into television in some capacity? Like, would you take like one night of doing something? Or is there anything that ever just sort of like tickles your fancy,

Speaker 1  10:29  
there's no such thing as one night like the difference what Jon Stewart's doing, doing one night versus doing? I don't know whether he used to do four or five, I can't remember. There's very little difference. I think five, you're all in or you're all out really. So I think I bet. He's working at least 80% as much as he used to work for that's my guess. It's certainly taking up all this time is my guess. And no, as a short answer, I can't really see going back to anything close to the mercerie port. There's projects I'd like to do, but live as a whole or live to tape as a whole other animal. And I just don't see that being as exciting as what we're doing with right now. What I'm doing with jet, like, that's just so much fun.

Caitlin Green  11:16  
Can I pitch the two of you doing like a travel show together? Like Conan must go, but it's like Jana and Rick Moscow kind of thing?

Speaker 1  11:23  
Well, you never know. I think there's, I think there's lots of things we could do together. In terms of television, but then the bigger question is, what is television? It's very different than it was five years 10 years ago. But yeah, we could do. There's lots of things we can do. We get along.

Caitlin Green  11:44  
Okay, so that's not a no. And I like the

Unknown Speaker  11:47  
idea of doing it with someone with jam. Well, we

Jann Arden  11:50  
seem to be hitting at the right time. And Rick touched on it. It's like people just really need to have a laugh and a smile. And I every night I get offstage. And I'm like, are we doing a very new kind of stand up? Because we're very used to, like Ellen DeGeneres went out on her speaking tour, and Oprah Winfrey has done it countless times where she has an interviewer, and the interviewer, they're sitting in chairs, much like we are and the interviewer obviously, is taking a submissive role and just feeding questions. And you know, and in a way, we're feeding each other questions, but it's people laugh from the second they get in there to the time that they leave, like, I think when they leave, they're quite exhausted. I'm exhausted my mouth, my head hurts from smiling. And it doesn't matter if I've heard versions of the story, or if there's a twist to it. Like I just sometimes I think I'm sitting there and I'm going my face must look so weird, because I'm just sitting here laughing. And

Speaker 1  12:48  
yeah, and I think you, you, you now when you said it's a kind of a new kind of stand up, and you don't want to be careful because stand ups are very sensitive. Because you know, they'll be the first one to tell you it's the hardest thing in the world to not stand out. There's nothing harder in the world. You're like, What about like, digging a ditch?

Jann Arden  13:10  
But what an astronaut?

Speaker 1  13:13  
I think it's so many people are consuming podcasts now that it's almost like a podcast recording. But bomb live tape. Yeah, it's like a live tape. That's exactly what it's like. But it's there's nothing sloppy about it. That's the amazing thing. And that's what I was worried about being not prepared. And then I realized there is nothing, there's no fat, it's incredible. I mean, in my business, that's what it's all about all my life. It's like, how do I get that five minute piece down to a ramp, it's 130. Edit, edit, edit. And same with writing a half hour television shows I get it down, get it down, get it down sketches, get it down, get it down. And I worry that if you're not prepared that there could be flabby, but there isn't, there's like there's no fat, like Jen says, and the laugh ratio is just bang, bang, bang, bang. And that's just I'm really proud to be a part of that. I feel like I'm being I'm a part of something that's new. And it's a new kind of act. And we know each other like we know each other well, but we're not. Like we haven't hung out for 25 years. But I think we both know each other well enough to protect each other too.

Caitlin Green  14:23  
Well, I think because also too, like my background is radio. And there's so many you see so many these like kind of like radio marriages, so to speak. Sure, and especially in the way they pair together like morning shows. So people enjoy to they enjoy, like platonic life partners, they get a kick out of it. And there's a lot of room there and it puts everyone at ease because sometimes when you have someone sit down for an interview, and there's a live audience, you can get a little bit like anxious almost on behalf of either the interviewer or the person they're talking to like, is it gonna go well, but when you guys came out on stage, everyone's relaxed so it's like there's a vibe YouTuber friends, you're both very funny. So like you said in terms of the protection You know that the audience can even feel that one's not going to let the other one fall. And I think that makes the laughs come easier. And it allows for like a little bit more ebb and flow. And there's some more forgiveness, I just think it's nicer to listen to. It's why people enjoy listening to multiple voices on podcasts and radio, I think, and

Speaker 1  15:15  
you know how far you can put Well, I think it's interesting. But as you know, in radio, it's all about that team. And of course, many times I can remember sitting down in the studio, I won't say which studio in Toronto for the most and one of the most anticipated morning radio revamps and two very large radio stars that were finally coming together. And I was in the studio, you could cut the tension with a knife, even though they were going through the motions. You know, did you go out last night I did. And but you could just see, and then later, one of the technicians told me like they'd been fighting over who got one chair for the first week, and it just didn't work. And there's no, there's no crystal ball and show business, you just can't make these relationships work. And we just locked in. And I talked about this a bit, Janice came on the show. And it was just like anyone else except to change everything. Like it just changed everything. And then she became a regular on a show that didn't have regulars. And had she had the schedule. She quite well ended up every week on the show, or at least once a month, at least once a month, except, you know, she happened to go off and tour the country in the world and all that business.

Jann Arden  16:31  
But you know, having said that, that's probably why it worked, too is that it was something kind of special for both of us to get together whether it was once every 10 months or once every year, and do something ludicrous. I mean, I think very much what we're doing is based on respect, because I would never do anything to it's not a roast. And I think, Caitlin, you make a good point where when you talk about these adversarial hookups that are kind of meant to, to make fun of people that each other all the time or like, you wouldn't look good in a top hat used to just dissuade people are Yeah. And we're very respectful. And we do have moments that are quite, you know, thoughtful, and when we're talking about parents, and this crazy advice that parents gave us and stuff like that, but it's it really is a special time. Like I'm really savoring it and really appreciate it. And I'm hoping that Rick and I, it's something that we can, you know, tap into when we need a lift ourselves to do this every 18 months or something and go out and find, you know, six or seven shows where we can do it. I mean, there's so many so many markets in this country, where people have these community theaters, they have a hockey rink, they have things and we now know that the concept of it which is so simple, there's a little bit of video, there's a couple of chairs, there's, it looks really nice. You know, we have, we have nice lighting, and we have nice sound, but we could take it anywhere. That's

Speaker 1  17:56  
very nice. Yeah, Chris has done a great job. It looks quite elegant. Well,

Jann Arden  18:00  
our friend Joel, you know, he he's such a gifted graphic designer. But anyway, for me to be part of this and to leave with the laughs and to leave people feeling encouraged by a world that is very precarious right now we're inundated with, you know, news stories that are it's a flinching time. We're all flinching. Like what's next there's, you know, but this is something where I know Rick and I are both very proud of it. So it's been a riot. Every time I walk out there, I'm like, This is the easiest thing I've ever done in my life.

Speaker 1  18:35  
Don't tell them that. It's the hardest thing you'll ever do.

Jann Arden  18:41  
It's been super hard. No, it's been hard. Well, listen, we don't want to keep you like forever. today. It's your day off.

Speaker 1  18:47  
So I got nothing today and I miss you desperately.

Jann Arden  18:51  
I want you to enjoy yourself. Well, yesterday, we were in a car together for three hours driving to London from Toronto, but

Speaker 1  18:58  
like a married couple who's been together forever. We didn't say we didn't say much. We didn't talk. I texted her at one point.

Sarah Burke  19:05  
And that's why you're still together. Well, we always ask each

Jann Arden  19:08  
other how each other's day was and then we don't listen to the answers and then we just get on our phone.

Caitlin Green  19:12  
That's marriage in case anyone was truly

Sarah Burke  19:15  
blind closing question,

Jann Arden  19:16  
Sarah, go.

Sarah Burke  19:17  
I want something that you were both surprised with discovering about each other on this tour. Even though you've known each other for so long.

Speaker 1  19:23  
I didn't know what I'm just gonna be like, You know what, being on the road, but Jan, is like being on the road with Bette Midler from beaches, but the near the end of the movie when her best friend is dead. And her career is like, she's the legacy act everyone loves. And she's a normal person, not the crazy person. She was in her early life. And so she Janice walks in, she commands like attention in these rooms, and she knows exactly what she's doing. You know, she gets on the microphone. She's like, can I get 20% more gain, please can I get 20% Like I said, Okay, that's good. And then they go great. And I'm like, what she said, and my mind started cutting out like cutting out and I was like they figured out I was holding my mic wrong. Like the mic they the thingy, whatever it is antenna, the receptor, the little receptor is built into the bottom. And I was I had my hand over it. He's on the antenna. I'm on the antenna and I'm like I read I made it to Roy Thompson Hall I'm doing to sold out shows I don't even know how to like that blocking the antennas and Jan has taught me all this so it's just yeah. Bette Midler and the beaches life together. Best friend dead. Best

Jann Arden  20:36  
Friend. Long gone. Yeah, the thing about Rick, the way he carries his suit around. He's so fastidious, he's so clean. He's shaved, his teeth are brushed, polished up his shoes. I swear to God, I think he's he could look up my pant leg with those shoes or that shiny I have to think about it

Speaker 1  20:55  
here used to talk with musicians. A rubs a face cloth on his face. He comes in he's after bathing, if that he's after bathing every day. If that

Jann Arden  21:05  
I went out with a roadie I worked with him for 15 years. Rick, his name was Danny. And he had long, long hair he was when I was a roadie. I don't even know what he did. And I said, Danny, where's your suitcase, just wearing what I need. And he had a toothbrush in his pocket. And we were out for two months at a time. Anyway, classic, but you are. He's such a consummate professional. The stories are slightly different every night. But I didn't know he was such a clean fanatic and so organized and type, everything's everything I could type a for sure. And that you're so nice to people and you're like you're just very, very kind. So I'm always proud of him for that. There's nobody that ever feels anything but loved and appreciated. And that's important because I fucking have known people over the years where I'm just rolling my eyeballs. I'm like, be a decent person. So anyway, he's a lot nicer than I am. I've

Caitlin Green  22:02  
weighed one last very last question because it's Rick's day off. What's Rick Mercer's ideal day, like what do you do? Yeah, perfect day for you.

Sarah Burke  22:11  
shining shoes, the ideal day,

Speaker 1  22:13  
I never take for granted a day where I don't have to do anything like a day or I don't have to do anything is so good. I just love that so much. And the feeling I don't have to do anything the next morning is even better. But of course that's blown now because second is to be seen Janet, what? ungodly hour were being picked up at six. I got into show business because I thought no heavy lifting. And also, you'd never have to get up. It's just been. And then it's just all early mornings. That's simply not true. But I'm not complaining. What have you done today? I bet you'd like worked out

Jann Arden  22:48  
not yet. I'm going to work out after we record and then I'm going to go take myself to the movies I'm going to see for Mozia or it's the new Mad Max franchise. Oh Furiosa Furiosa. So I'm gonna go see that and I'm gonna eat a big popcorn. And maybe I can tuck one of these girls into come in with me. I doubt it. But anyway, I'm, I'm so appreciative. You, Rick, and thank you for thank you for entertaining Canada.

Speaker 1  23:14  
Thank you for doing the same. Thank you for having me on your podcast. Right. So nice to see as Rob Caitlin,

Jann Arden  23:20  
go get ready for bed because we're picking you up in three hours. Okay.

Hey, welcome back. What a great guest. What a great guy. It was very nice to him to do this because I know what it feels like to have a day off and then be like, well, you don't actually have a whole day off because I need to see you tomorrow morning to do the podcast. But I said we'll only keep you for like 25 minutes. Okay, Jann Arden always calls me jazz.

Caitlin Green  23:47  
I think if Rick Mercer was interested in women, I would be interested in him. I would flirt with him.

Jann Arden  23:53  
Oh, Rick Mercer. Very handsome.

Caitlin Green  23:56  
He has a good personality. He's very sharp, which I enjoy. When you

Jann Arden  24:00  
talk about chemistry. We have really great chemistry. Yeah, do when we walk out it's very electrifying. And there's so much excitement. Rick chose our walk on music which is raise a little hell by Bachman Turner overdrive, and people are clapping the spotlights are doing you know that a typical stereotypical swinging around you think like, what's happening is this the opening of a new housewives franchise in Hollywood like that's what it feels like. And it's really exciting. And then when we sit down, I can feel this crinkly sparkly thing coming at us from you know, 2300 people. It's crazy love.

Caitlin Green  24:38  
I know we saw so Sarah and I saw you have our Thompson Hall. As I stated before, it was Mother's Day and people were so excited there at that when you walk in the doors of Roy Thompson Hall. They are flooding in there. They're talking to each other. They've all got this night out planned. It looks like everyone's kind of like dressed up like maybe they had dinner together before that. And then there's some merch and people are lining up. They're buying books, some are buying his books, some are buying your book. Like it's just, it's a very nice feeling. And it honestly reminds me a little bit of when I went to go see Come From Away. Oh,

Jann Arden  25:11  
that's so Canadian. It celebrates us. Yes, it is

Caitlin Green  25:15  
so Canadian, it's intelligent. It's funny, it's heartwarming. And it's the type of night that does make you feel really good and people are looking forward to. So it's it reminded me a lot of that, and I saw that play three times.

Jann Arden  25:32  
I've seen it a couple times, too. I've seen it a couple times. Well, like I said, it's it's nice to travel with someone who's just really easy. He's easy to travel with. He's on time. There's something to be said for someone if lobby calls 5:30am. He's there at 523. And I remember traveling and bands fuck and guys coming down and it's 541 and we're holding the Vanny sorry, I didn't. Danny was one of them. Danny was my toothbrush. Sometimes we had to go looking for Danny. I wonder while he's doing these days, but he literally did not have a suitcase, a knapsack, a granny bag. He had a toothbrush in his pocket and a comb. He's got really

Caitlin Green  26:16  
long hair, an old timey hobo with a bindle like riding the rails.

Jann Arden  26:21  
He's an old timey roadie, and they don't make them like that anymore. It's very hard to get road people now and to get crew people. Anytime I go on a tour or see a show. I know crew guys, whether it's Madonna, whether it's the Taylor Swift people, we know a bunch of guys that are out with that tour. And you know, you lose people because you're like, oh, no, she's on the Swifty tour for they're, they're out there for 10 months, and you can't get guys, especially when I'm out something that's a little bit bigger. That requires you know, sometimes I'm out with 25 people, sometimes I'm out with eight people. It just depends what we're doing. You let us know if you need heavy lifting. Oh my god, you guys, you guys would hate it. I would I don't like carrying things. We were talking about this yesterday in the car. We were talking a little bit but it's we're also very respectful of someone's got their eyes shut. They're trying to just relax a little bit. But we were talking about moving around and how hard it is to get a body from A to B like and I always get these messages people are like, weren't you just in London? Like, it seems like you were just in London yesterday. I'm like, Well, no, that was five days ago. And now we're here. But the movement of a body is something else because like for instance coming Ottawa to Toronto the other day, our flight was canceled from Ottawa. That's why we were up at 530 in the morning. We had to get the rental car pay $1,500 to drop it in Toronto. Instead of dropping it at the airport in Ottawa. It was 1500 bucks. And we all packed in there sitting around suitcases and gear and all this stuff. But we got there. And we had two shows that Sunday but we left Ottawa you know, five. I think it took Chris eight minutes to make the decision. We're driving. So let's go.

Caitlin Green  28:03  
I feel like when you guys are out, and you mentioned this when you were chatting with him, you're like my, my face hurts from like laughing and holding it in the same position like My head hurts. It seems like something that to me would be very energetically depleting like fun, and it gives you a lot gives you some purpose and it's exciting and all that stuff. But I feel like at the end of a day where you had two shows, I cannot imagine being so spent I be like don't like no one talked to me for a week. We're

Jann Arden  28:28  
still laughing when we come offstage. We're kind of doing a recap. And I'm like having heard that one before like, just our hotel room just talking about hotel rooms over the years, the last 35 years and where you stay and you know having a hot tub at the foot of your bed that's got an inch of water in it that you're like where am I? What is happening? Where am I? You know, in the hotel so proud because we're putting you in the honeymoon suite like in Smithers, British Columbia, and it's the nicest room they have in the whole town. And you're just like, Oh God, I'm not getting into that tub for love nor money. Canadian

Caitlin Green  29:02  
media is not glamorous, like people like I feel like they think it is sometimes and you're like certain cities maybe have a bit of Jawad Aviv, but other places.

Jann Arden  29:11  
It's such a diverse, culturally expansive place. You don't think about it. I'm certainly people that have really not left their provinces. They've never left BC or Saskatchewan. I've been everywhere. I've been to the north, the one place that I've always wanted to go as none of it. And I do want to get there because I haven't been in the Arctic. I've been to Yellowknife. I've been to white horse. I've been to Churchill Manitoba. I've been up in that area around the Hudson's Bay, the pendulum that swings it's it's not anything you recognize or know. And that happens when I'm in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island. I'm like, where am I? It's so different. You know, it's different. The culture and you know, coming to Toronto Oh, this is one of the biggest cities on the planet. It is one of the biggest cities on the planet. It is a fast moving fast paced, and I have a hard time keeping up here. Yeah, Toronto is exhausting. It is something else, you know. But I'm I'm very proud to have the opportunity to move across the country and see so many different things meet so many people, but yeah, exhausting. In a great way, Sarah,

Caitlin Green  30:23  
I also really enjoy that when you do go on tour. We get to see you because we all had dinner together. Let's talk about

Sarah Burke  30:29  
that. We had our Christmas party and our like company quarterly all at the same time. Our first company

Jann Arden  30:36  
dinner. Yeah, it is. Jia Jie, I A Stacy and Jen a shout out to you guys. What a fantastic god damn restaurant one of

Caitlin Green  30:47  
the best meals I've had in such a long time. I loved it so much incredible pasta. And I went immediately from our dinner to an event. And when I was at the event, a bunch of people had already seen like, I posted it on Instagram, and they were like, Where were you having dinner? I was like, Gian done as well. And everyone right away goes, Oh, my God. Did you have the focaccia? And we were like, Yes, we did. It was like Yes. Jan made us get the the bread before the pasta, and it was worth every calorie.

Jann Arden  31:12  
So it's very plant forward. They don't do any meat. The you know, Stacy, she's right up front with you. You can veganize almost anything on their menu, you just have to put your hand up and go. Do you mind not putting the parmesan so they do a bit of dairy but it's not heavy. But she said it would be hard, you know, catering to such a diverse clientele without having a little bit of this. But one thing people do go in there to have the opportunity to experience is that vegetarian is really awesome. Oh, it's so good. But the focaccia and for me to go in there. I can pretty much have anything because you know, it's great. But what delicious food, the kitchens open. You can see the chefs working. You can see the preparing things we got there at 530. It was packed at 605.

Caitlin Green  31:58  
The drinks were great. The wine was great. The atmosphere is really lovely. And it was so nice to actually meet Stacy who was there for a minute and she was talking about some other projects that she was going to be working on and

Sarah Burke  32:09  
Stefanos burgers, well we'll put some links in the show notes if you want to check them out.

Jann Arden  32:14  
I've got a burger coming in my gosh, 15 minutes. I just remembered it now. Thank God you said something to me

Caitlin Green  32:22  
fairly recently, I had noticed a lot more sort of health accounts that I follow on Instagram, highlighting that all the blue zones in the world, you know, places where people live the longest. They don't consume meat that often. It's not to say that they're entirely vegan, but I think they they sort of circled around, you know, maybe they'll have me like five times a month. And other than that they're vegetarian. And so meat, the way that we're eating it is is not good for us sustainable either. It's not sustainable for the planet.

Jann Arden  32:55  
Well, it's just gotten out of control. It's gotten out of control. And it's convenience. It's convenience, you know, fussy my kids are fussy eater and blah, blah, blah. Yeah, you're right, Caitlin, it's just,

Sarah Burke  33:06  
I would have never even have known any of those things were vegan, everything was delicious. Everything had the right texture. Like it was amazing.

Caitlin Green  33:12  
It was truly one of the best meals I've had in such a long time. And I dine out a lot and I eat Italian a lot. And it was so so fantastic. That truffle thing. Oh, they did. The truffle Ancelotti was so fantastic. You can

Jann Arden  33:26  
kiss my arse and call me daddy, because that is good.

Caitlin Green  33:32  
Yeah, and the vibe is good. I mean, and dining out is increasingly expensive. So when you go out, you really want to know that you're going to be in a nice environment, you're going to be treated well and you're going to have a good meal. And so that checked every single box

Jann Arden  33:45  
and if you're not drinking have a Tom Ford. I know and the mocktails the Tom Ford. I don't know. I felt like I was drinking me some Tom Ford. That's all I can say right now.

Caitlin Green  33:57  
You also had a nonalcoholic Aperol Spritz,

Jann Arden  33:59  
I had to like check myself at the door. Like is this? God is this boozy? Just really, am I feeling anything like feeling more attractive? All of a sudden? No, no, it was not boozy. It was It was delicious. But anyway, thank you to the GEA folks. Yeah, thank you. We had dessert. After that you left we ordered the Vegan Vanilla ice cream that you pour espresso over and the tiramisu had a little bit of dairy in it. I had a little taste of it. I just thought oh, I'm going to be respectful here and I had a little taste of it but it wasn't it wasn't vegan but the ice cream out of this world and Stacy, not only do they have the Stefano sandwiches that I'm going to experience and take a picture of for you, but she's also working on doing a dairy bar like Dairy Bar soft serve. Yeah,

Caitlin Green  34:49  
so in the summer because Toronto loves an ice cream moment in the summer we will have Torontonians will line up for half an hour for ice cream. And so this is going to be like a single kind Have I think she set up as like one flavor at a time vegan ice cream. And I was actually talking about this with Jen, you're one of your friends Erin Ireland. We were DMing about the meal at GIAs about ice cream about ice cream. And she was I was telling her all the stuff that we're just discussing. She's got softserve at her bakery. And she does oh my gosh, I cannot wait to go to Vancouver and try her bakery.

Jann Arden  35:18  
I'm telling you, it is out of this world. And I went there at 915 in the morning once my friendly it took me because I thought I gotta get some stuff to bring home and it was my last day in Vancouver. I had softserve I said it's the machine going and errands like guys is the machine up and I had a soft serve swirl. So I had chocolate vanilla and it was so satisfying to have ice cream for breakfast. I don't really know how to explain what happened to me.

Caitlin Green  35:45  
Well, Erin said that there's another vegan ice cream place in Toronto that has the best vegan ice cream she's ever had in her life called the honeys. It's called honeys, ice cream.

Jann Arden  35:54  
I'm going there today.

Caitlin Green  35:55  
Yeah, so I was like I said I was gonna say I think it would be a great place because it's hot as heck today. It's absolutely a beautiful sunny day in Toronto as we record and it would be the perfect day to go for a walk get some ice cream before you see Furiosa. Also, Jan, I want to let you know that I am going to convert you to the world of reality TV.

Jann Arden  36:13  
Can Wait, let's talk about this. So hey, Lynn had a heart out. She had a heart out at our dinner at seven which was great. We had 90 minutes to sit and hang out. You were off to the Soho House for a meeting someone from the below deck franchise which you're not you know

Caitlin Green  36:29  
from summer house.

Jann Arden  36:30  
Oh summerhouses talks to talk us through that

Caitlin Green  36:32  
summer house is a show about a bunch of young hot professionals in New York City. And a big thing in New York that they do is people will rent what they call a share house in the Hamptons. So you rent a house with a large group of people you split the cost because it's usually very expensive. And you go there every weekend and you party in the summer. It's this whole social scene. So this started years ago. And there is a brand new cast member and his name is West. And they the Hey, you brought him to Toronto for a screening of the newest episode and to do a little meet and greet and some promo and stuff. Because he's like, he's so much fun. He's this amazing, fun, charismatic guy that's just joined the cast. So I had a chance to meet him and to hang out and watch an episode. And he sat there and watched the episode with us and you get to kind of like talk to him and ask him some questions. I got to ask him about like what was what's it like being on reality TV because he was just a regular old civilian like the rest of us until this year. So it was cool it's been cool to see someone like not they're not famous and now they are very famous in the world of reality TV plus, but he's now he's in sports like he was a college football player in the US and then he was working as a sports journalist in some capacity. Now he works for complex on the side he does like digital stuff for them all to say his previous demo was like a 25 year old guy and now he's talking to like a 35 to 45 year old woman on our so it's a big demo shift so it was fun to talk to him about that but I I'm good friends with everyone who runs PR for HeyYou I love hey you would they were the ones that obviously keep inviting me to all this stuff because they know that I have a disorder I think they're going to send you a code to give you some free months of access to hey you to see if we can let you with yeah to convert you to see if there's any way to convert you I said that. I said the best chance I believe that converting anyone is to start with below deck. I think that's an easy entry point franchise plus you follow and she follows you captain Sandy from below Captain sands I think we should start with the captain Sandy season of below deck and see where we go from there.

Jann Arden  38:33  
Come talk to us sometime Captain Sandy I know you're listening. I know you our

Sarah Burke  38:38  
craziest reality TV thing. Would you be familiar with Kwame from Love is blind? I don't know if you watch that. Caitlin.

Caitlin Green  38:44  
I don't.

Jann Arden  38:45  
I did watch mine. Cynthia Cynthia Loise forces me Yeah, but I've only seen season one and like the latest season that I watched with her but I did I finish I did finish it all because we got to the Okay, the final when they all sit together on

Sarah Burke  39:00  
the couch. I just thought you guys would laugh at me for this. I had no idea this man booked a podcast consult with me. Okay. No. So I had a podcast consult with Kwame from love his blind having zero idea that he was from a reality TV show. Go about the meeting. I suggest him to a colleague of mine because it's not really the best fit for the network, whatever. Right? But give him some pointers. Sure enough podcast launches. And I'm like that man was from Love is blind. idea and I'm talking to the colleague Did you know he was on mother's way? No. Anyway, so the podcast if you want to check it out is beyond influence. So he's talking about like becoming like a reality TV influence and talking to other influencers content creators who are influencers? How

Caitlin Green  39:44  
was he was he like charismatic or charming? So

Sarah Burke  39:45  
nice. He was very nice. Yeah. Anyway,

Caitlin Green  39:48  
that's what I find like you meet I've met a few reality stars now and there are some where you just think to yourself, of course you you are on reality TV, and then there's others where I'm like, I really want to watch her here. anything from Yeah, actually their life at all?

Sarah Burke  40:02  
So a couple administrative items, shall we play couple voice notes for the long weekend? Oh, I'd

Jann Arden  40:08  
love to we haven't done a voice note for a while.

Speaker 2  40:10  
Hi, Sarah, Caitlin and Jan, I have been listening to your podcast since the beginning of COVID. Caitlin and Jan, I looked forward to your podcast every week, you helped me get through that hard, hard time and helped me laugh and understand what was going on in the world. And Caitlin, I have an eight year old son, William now and listening through to you go through all that you did, with the excitement leading up to Sam's birth and then the horrible tragedy of his loss really was powerful. And thank you for sharing and your support and love was flowing from me, to you and out there in the world. And Sarah, the reason why today I finally decided to leave a voice note was when you mentioned that you're going through your ADHD diagnoses. Last year, my son William, we went through a diagnosis process and he is ASD with ADHD and also gifted. So I started doing a lot a lot of reading and which led me to my ADHD and spectrum diagnoses. Sarah, I highly recommend David archers book, the ADHD advantage. It's a great read and very powerful. And I'd love to hear the book that you mentioned on today's podcast or this week's podcast that you were reading. Anyway, I want to thank you three intelligent, incredible, inspiring women. It's a great journey. And I love listening to you and I run every week. Have a great week, keep putting out these podcasts and making us smile and laugh. And also think because you've had some very thoughtful podcasts as well, as well. Jan, I just wanted to let you know that yesterday was Mother's Day. And I played good mother for my mother, like I do every year and we stood together and danced in a circle for the entire song. It means so much to me. And I've seen you we've seen you several times. Thank you for sharing good mother with us.

Speaker 3  42:08  
Hey, Jan, Caitlin, and Sarah. My name is Doug Berger. Michelle did a great job setting up what's happening with the CDB and with disabled people and made and although our stories are not exactly the same, most people want to disabilities are running along the same problems that that Mitchell has. And I broke my neck playing hockey in 1993. I've been in quote a high level quadriplegic for 31 years. It seemed like what was being promised. Just didn't make a lot of sense. For what they delivered, it's like they're still in touch. I can't believe it. But thank you guys for getting involved. And I'm I hope you can use your platform to advocate for us. And I'm otter Manitoba, just FYI.

Speaker 4  43:07  
Okay, I'm gonna try this one more time sometime being 77 years old just really sucks. I am trying to leave a message for Miss Sarah Burke can say that. On the last gen Arden pod, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing so much from you. You're normally the more quiet of the three. And this was just really wonderful to hear you talk so much. I'm gonna declare myself your illegal unofficial grandmother because I'm sure I'm old enough. And I also want to say that I was surprised to hear you say you think you have ADHD? And I'm so glad that you're going to get help with that. Your unofficial uncle. My younger brother was severely ADHD but of course this was in the middle of the previous century since we were born in the 1940s. And it was a real production holding him down. So good luck with that, but I certainly wouldn't have guessed it from looking at you're always calm and focused. I would never even think for one moment you had any attention deficit issue. So wonderful to talk to you all I'm sure this was over with by now.

Jann Arden  44:30  
Oh, announcement

Sarah Burke  44:31  
we do have an announcement.

Jann Arden  44:33  
We have an announcement to make our partners in tax insurance. If you've been living under a rock somewhere in tact has been such a valued partner for the Jann Arden podcast and a buck. Yeah, and we're back. We're back together. We're doing stuff together. And because it's the long weekend, what a perfect time to remind you how to prepare for a long weekend trip. They've got this great blog. I've been on there half a dozen times and it's good habits for safer driving, which I need constantly. I'm always distracted. I'm always doing stupid stuff. Sorry

Sarah Burke  45:04  
for testing you when you're on the road. Yeah, well,

Jann Arden  45:08  
I don't I usually do voice to a guest, but intact will be there just if you've got kids keeping kids safe in the car. I mean, I always laugh because when I get out of my car, they're like, check the back seat. I'm like, what, what do I have? And if I've got a bag sitting back there, or if I've thrown some stuff, my dry cleaning. My car tells me there's something in the backseat. Apparently, occasionally, people will forget about their children in a car.

Caitlin Green  45:31  
This is a real thing that happens. Actually, my

Sarah Burke  45:33  
mom did that one time with my sister intact

Jann Arden  45:35  
insurance. Please don't leave us these people do not represent this show. And things you don't even think about which is very typical of all of us. There's one called 10 tips to protect your home. Even when you're away. Lord knows I need that so much because guess who's away a lot? Yeah, you are. We've got all these blogs linked at Jann Arden pod.com. That's our website. So go check it out for the long weekend. And thanks so much to our friends at intact insurance. I hope you girls have a wonderful weekend. You too. Oh, and a quick shout out to odd burger odd burger. Who's in London, Ontario. They have one in Calgary they. They're popping up all over the place. They are a vegan junk food. I love me some vegan junk food. The fries were amazing. The burger was amazing. I don't I don't know what to tell you, folks. You could buy it for your friends at an outing and they're not going to know don't even tell them. I don't tell my friends when they come to eat at my house. I give them a goddamn hamburger. That's whatever. And they're like, Well, this is delicious. Thank you. Yes. Now shut up and get out of my house. Ah, but anyway, odd burger odd burger.

Caitlin Green  46:41  
You're touring with Rick for the long weekend. Yeah. And then Sarah, you go into the cottage for a long weekend. Yeah,

Sarah Burke  46:45  
I might actually skip up there after we finish this recording. So I Yeah, so I just avoid all the Friday traffic and drive on Thursday instead?

Jann Arden  46:54  
Yeah. Smart. And how's young Will Young will is good.

Caitlin Green  46:57  
Oh my god. He's so good.

Sarah Burke  46:59  
I just love I just I can't get enough of them. What have you planned for the long weekend

Caitlin Green  47:03  
so we have a little playdate with with some of our friends to hang out in the backyard and get some sprinklers going and enjoy ourselves. He'll probably get some ice cream cones. He is enrolled in soccer called Little kickers. So they all run around looking at the ship kickers is what they should call it. Yeah, little not kicking the ball actually, and just trying to escape the whole time. But they look so cute in their uniforms. And they look like little penguins the way they run around. They're just they're I mean, they're adorable. And yeah, so probably doing that. And then when he goes to bed, I will look through my camera roll at photos and videos I've taken of him like a complete psycho.

Jann Arden  47:42  
I can't wait to see them.

Caitlin Green  47:43  
I just can't stop going through photos and videos of him. I was like, I'm just I'm just now at that point where I'm like becoming a weird fan of his I was like, I have to stop. I need to know

Jann Arden  47:52  
you don't just so you know, I have eight pictures of my fucking childhood. Because I was born in 1962. So I have like, and usually half my face is cut off. I'm like, why I thought I could see your whole head and the cameras. And you didn't take pictures back then you just didn't take pictures. My mum took pictures for three years on this on this disposable camera. And, you know, yeah, there was 12 exposures that she had, but for the following three years, whatever she was clicking. Well, the thing kept spinning around. I don't you know, in fact, on her deathbed practically I'm exaggerating slightly. It might have been like a year before her deathbed. But still it's better for the story that I explained it that way on her deathbed. She was saying these were her last words. I wonder what was on that film. And then flatlined.

Sarah Burke  48:43  
You should buy disposable camera. They still have them. For you and Rick Mercer and just fill it up on the tour and then get it developed later. It'll be a nice surprise.

Jann Arden  48:51  
No, we'll put a time capsule at your house under concrete and we'll dig it out in a year. Okay, we can do that too. Listen, is fantastic. was great seeing you guys. I feel like I'm used to it. It was so nice to have our company dinner. We'll do it again very, very soon. But yeah, we'll see everybody next week, you can subscribe to the Jann Arden podcast and it'll just pop up on your phones.

Caitlin Green  49:12  
We have another friend joining us next week. Ziaja Tong,

Jann Arden  49:15  
you are filling up with plastic. You are filling up your body has got microscopic planet, Platt to check micro plastics microplastics. And that's exactly what I was going to say because of my scientific background.

Caitlin Green  49:30  
It's because your brain is made of plastic now and that's what her new documentary is about.

Jann Arden  49:34  
I rest my case. But apparently it's showing up in amniotic fluid. It's showing up in people's period blood. It's showing up in the fish that you eat. Like you're having tuna. There's micro, whatever you what Sarah said. There

Sarah Burke  49:48  
are screenings like across Canada, the film is called plastic people. And yeah, we will talk a lot more about that next week.

Jann Arden  49:55  
Just on that uplifting note. Thanks for listening to the Jann Arden podcast and we will See you soon Look after yourselves have a great great long weekend to lidium