Nuanced. - 182. Fred Ewanuick: From Shy Kid to Beloved Hank Yarbo on "Corner Gas"

Episode Date: December 26, 2024

Aaron Pete sits down with Fred Ewanuick to discuss his journey from shy class clown to playing Hank Yarbo on Corner Gas, working with Brent Butt, the show’s cultural impact, memorable moments like meeting The Tragically Hip, and the importance of mentorship, humuor, and Canadian values.Send us a textThe "What's Going On?" PodcastThink casual, relatable discussions like you'd overhear in a barbershop....Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the shownuancedmedia.ca

Welcome back to another episode of the Bigger Than Me podcast. Here is your host, Aaron P. Corner Gas is a Canadian classic. I've spoken with Brent Butt, Lauren Cardinal, Nancy Robertson, and now I have the privilege of speaking with the actor who played Hank Yarbo. My guest today is Fred Ewanik. Fred, it is an honor to have you on the show. I'm so excited to speak with you.

Would you first mind briefly introducing yourself? Sure. My name's Fred O'Wanick, and I don't know what else to say. I pretend for a living, I think. I don't know. It's been a little while. Yeah. Don't take yourself too seriously. Well, you were on a very, very popular show, but I want to pull way back to the beginning. In an interview you did with Leroy, you talked about growing up, being somewhat of a class clown, going to college, your experience is there, and then wanting to drive trucks. I'm wondering if you can just reflect on that period of your life. Who were you and where did you want to go in life? Oh, man. Well, I didn't think we were going to get this deep.

We're getting deep. Oh, no. Well, I hate to bore your viewers and listeners. Yeah, well, I don't know. All right. I grew up on the West Coast town called Port Moody, which isn't really a town anymore. It's like a full-on explosive suburb now.

it's like it's well so it's stone city it's not a suburb but when i grew up there was about 5,000 people i think it's quite a bit more now it's probably closer to don't quote me but 40 40 000 almost so 30 to 40 000 um and so it really felt a bit isolated um so small school uh there was just a couple elementary schools in poor moon when i grew up and i went to moody elementary which was a block away from my house so i walk to school every day. Actually, all the schools I went to, Moody Elementary, Moody Jr., Moody Senior. I drove to Moody Senior, even though it was walkable because I got my license in grade 12.

So I drove like the four or five blocks, just because I wanted to be cool. But yeah, like you said I was a class clown. I was a really shy kid, scared of a lot of stuff, asked a lot of questions because I didn't know so much, according to my godmother, Marion. She always tells this story whenever family gets together and reminisce that I would ask a lot of, like, I was constantly asking questions, like stupid questions. Why is this, that? Why is that? Why is that? Why is this, why? And Marian asked me one day, is I think, Freddie, you, you ask a lot of questions. And my response is, well, Marian's, because I don't know so much. And so she loves telling that. And that kind of like, I always makes me a giggle when she tells it. But super shy kids, scared of a bunch of stuff, like everything. And so going from elementary school, this is a long-winded way of getting to why I became the class clown. Going into junior high, going from grade 7 to grade 8,

a group of my friends and I got together to walk to school for the first day of grade 8. And, you know, the whole talk was like, oh, grade 8s, they're going to initiate you. They're going to lock you in the lockers. They're going to write eight on your forehead with, you know, permit. permanent markers and they're going to beat you up and all this stuff. And so I was like, I was terrified. I was like, you know, and I was a little fellow. Like, I'm still a little fella. And like, I'm not going to survive this. Like, what's going to have? I'm like, I'm meat. Like, I'm done. I'm history. And the first couple weeks of school, I had my first, I haven't actually

told that maybe I've told this story before I had my first um incidents of being bullied and it was this guy I won't say his name because years later he's a wicked dude but he was a bigger guy and this is probably how he were surviving grade 8 and for some reason he he pointed me out and he came up and he and it was in between classes so the the hall was full and he puts me in a headlock and And I can't remember what he's saying, but he was just, he was, it was a pretty aggressive headlock. And, uh, I pretended to pass out. And, because I, I didn't know what to do. And so I just like went limp and, and, and he freaked, he freaked out.

And he started crying and he ran out of the building. And then I was kind of lying there. And I guess, you know, everybody in the hall was kind of like, and then I got up and giggled and did a little like one of those heel kicks, you know, those like, old time you hill kicks. You know, those like, old time you hill kicks. kicks and like you know went off to class and then everybody was laughing and that was kind of like my first class clown moment and like when but in the preamble we joked you know I'm just smart enough to realize I'm not that smart I was smart enough in that moment to really oh this is my survival mechanism if I can make people laugh maybe they won't beat me up and uh so it seemed to

work but the the downside of that is I found over the years is it's hard to get people to take you seriously uh when you when you act like an idiot all the time So that's my lesson, I guess. What I love about that period is, I imagine a lot of people are in that circumstance. So, like, I don't think many people's younger years are where they feel like they stand out, where they feel comfortable within themselves, or feel like they really have a strong sense of identity. And you starting from there and being so well known to so many is, I think, inspiring and something that's different. than so many who come from a place where they were always confident or they always felt comfortable within themselves or knew where they wanted to go your story doesn't reflect that and i think that's that's more broadly reflective of how everyday people feel is that they're they're trying to figure it out as they go along and i think i think there's inspiration to be found in that story uh well that if that's true that's i hope that's a positive thing meant we are going way deeper than i was expecting

which I'm not opposed to, don't get me wrong. You're going to love my next question. Oh, no. You know, I don't know. Like, it is a strange, you know, I'm 53. I'm of a certain generation that, you know, things are different for sure. And I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but our society has progressed incredibly from when I was a kid. now by no means am I going to sit here and tell you that we're in good shape like

we know as a society we've got a ton to work on but I just think you know when I get together with my friends and stuff and we we reminisce about the old days it's like wow like we were we were horrible to each other right like but we you know but we like I don't know it's hard to explain like I started and I started playing team sports hockey and lacrosse specifically. Well, I started playing lacrosse from a dare. I started playing hockey because I want to be Richard Burdur. But there's something about being in a team,

and I'm this shy, scared kid. So it'd be a great comedic movie. You know, I got dared to play box lacrosse. And I was terrified. But when you get put back then, when you get put into that team environment, and you've got a team behind you. like it's a weird thing it's like if you buy in if you play your role if you find your role

play your role you're you're accepted and it doesn't mean you have to you have to be the best or you even have to be good it's just like you're making an effort right and that was me in lacrosse especially is it builds it gives you an external confidence even though i didn't have have an internal confidence, that team, especially my lacrosse team, and especially when I got to junior, that team gave me an external confidence to help me improve myself, even though there was a whole bunch going on inside I had to deal with. Does that make sense? I don't know. It does. Well, like, you even connected to, like, how big people are of fans of, like, the Canucks. And you think about that they're, like, their identity in some

circumstance like on the night of game day they're a Canucks fan they're not like they're not advertising anything else they are connected to something else and the outcome of that team somehow defines who they are which i find like really interesting because i'm i like the ufc but it's like they go out there one person fights one other person i have nothing to do with it i don't get to claim that i had anything to do with it but when you're a fan of a team you're on the team you're with them and it's just when you look back at the riots like some people take that very very seriously some people like to cause shenanigans but some people take their relationship with a team very very seriously because it gives them that sense of identity yeah unfortunately some

some fans get fanatical yeah in that situation um yeah i can see i see i see where you go with that yeah i mean uh yeah and speaking with the kinnocks i i feel that for sure i've been a kinnock fan as long as I can remember and the way the team goes, like, you know, their defeats are my defeats, you know, especially against the Bruins and, and, and those sorts of things is I feel it, you're right, you feel like you're part of that community. It's a community, right? Exactly. Here's the heavy question for you. We're going to go deep here. That wasn't the heavy question? That's not the heavy question. Get ready for this. All right. Give me a sec. All right. I'm ready.

Okay. So in that same interview, you talked about, the impact of one other person who played a significant role in you being connected to corner gas and i think that's really inspiring because sometimes somebody else helps you open a door and advocates for you and it reminds me that one person can make a difference in the life of other people and you talked about lyn carrow and how she supported you when you went into audition how she helped you prepare and then how she it sounds like advocated for you in terms of getting your role on corner gas. And when you, when fans of the show watch this, they're going to know how instrumental you are to the show. And it's because of somebody else that helped you kind of

move in that trajectory that opened that door for you. And I'm just wondering if you can reflect on her impact on helping you get that role. Yeah, Lynn Carroll. Yeah, she, she was a casting director in town. She's since retired. And she's just, she's just a fantastic person in it and it's funny in this business there's casting directors that get you casting directors that don't and some some you're a hard sell on some like just seem to really like what you're doing and it's easy to get opportunities with them and um so going back to confidence and like being i don't know how i got into this business because i'm i'm really shy and anxious and but for whatever reason whenever i went to see that

Lynn Carroll, whether it's early on for pre-screens or any kind of taping, I just felt really comfortable. I felt like, you know, I guess safe. You know, like I felt like it was going to be okay. Like, you know, I'm not going to make an idiot at myself. And if I did, she wouldn't let me fail, if that makes sense. So even before the corner gas stuff came up, she really, she really got behind me for some reason. And not just me, obviously. She had a, bunch of people that she was really supportive of. I've talked to other actors, and they all feel, feel the same way about her, and gave them opportunities.

And there was before Corner Gas, actually, there was one, she brought me in to read for the Santa Claus 2, this movie. I don't know if you saw that movie. It's a Christmas movie. Yeah, of course. And so I wasn't auditioning for it. They needed a reader behind the camera, and she'd never called me to read before. And so she got me in there to read.

and she said something that I can't remember. It didn't make sense. I was a little nervous because then they were done reading for her before. But the director was in all these sessions. And during one of the auditions, it was really funny. She, not Lynn, but the director was like,

so somebody was auditioning, I was reading for him. And they did their audition. It was a good audition. And I was reading off camera for the role that I ended up getting in the thing. And the director was, like, hey, hey, hey, do you guys mind, hey, do you guys mind switching? Can you go in front of the camera?

He's just doing the scene again for me, please? All right. And that's how I got it. And I found out, you know, I got the feeling, the sense that Lynn didn't know where I would fit in this show, but felt like, oh, maybe if I get him to read, something might click. Like, do you know what I mean? Like that I, and then, and so this is what I'm talking about the buildup with her. Like, I just felt really supported by her. whenever I had to come in.

And I was auditioning for something else. And when my audition was over, she followed me out of the room. And she just said, hey, I want to give you a heads up. There's something coming down the line. I'm going to get your, the sides to your agent. I want you to have a look at them. Not sure where it's going to have it, but I really, I'm really want you. And I'm going to push for you in this.

I was like, oh, wow. And it was obviously corner gas. And when she, when I went into audition, and I don't know this part, have to ask Brent, like why, but, you know, you always, there's usually an initial session where there's a bunch of people come in and then they tape. And then there's a callback session where usually the director and producers are there. And so the initial session, I show up and we're taping and usually go in, you do it once. Maybe they give you a couple notes. Maybe they don't. But they're like, oh, that was good. Or you're not right. They won't tell you that. But they'll

go, oh, thanks. And you go, you do it once. And sometimes it's, oh, you know, I really like that. Can you but can you do this here? And the initial session, I show up, and there wasn't, there wasn't anybody else in the waiting room. Like, it was just me. And then it was just me and Lynn. Usually there's like a reader, but Lynn was reading with me. If I remember correctly, I might have that wrong.

I may be remembering this wrong, but it was, I just remember it was us. And we, we worked at it a long time. Like, we did the stuff a bunch of times and took a while at it. Not super long, but longer than normal. and and then didn't hear anything about it but i was like oh that's kind of that was different but all right cool and then when the callbacks came we went through that and brent was there and david's story was there lynn was there uh david's story was our head director and obviously brent butt was everybody knows brent butt and um and did the callbacks and it went really well like it was it was you know

by then my confidence was big because i figured yeah they obviously want to see me you know this is once you get the callback you feel a little better you're like oh okay i'm doing something right they're like but if lynn but that wasn't the case like if lynn told me before going into the callback they're like look these guys aren't that keen on you like i had to really push to get them to see you at this point i would have i would have fumbled and falling apart she just didn't tell me and behind the scenes what was going on was like i guess lynn sent in the tape and and brent and the other producers and stuff for the, yeah, you know, okay, but not really what we're looking for. And Lynn, like, was like, no, no, no, you're going to, you're going to see him at the callbacks. He's, he's the guy,

you know, and I'm obviously paraphrasing. I'm sure it went down a lot different than that. But Brent told me this part, so I know it went down something like that. So I would have never got that part. If Lynn told me beforehand, like, look, they don't really like you, but I'm bringing you in anyway. You know, I would have just, I would have fell apart in the room. but then that's another example of external confidence right like people around around me uh instilled some confidence so you're thinking oh all right i guess i'm all right so you go in there and you just do it um yeah so lyn carroll i legitimately would have never i would not have gotten corner gas if it was not for lyn carroll um obviously i did my part too like you know i came in and i did i did my job

but I wouldn't have got that opportunity. And, like, I'm, you know, who knows how life would have gone? But yeah, I'm, I'm forever grateful for that. You know, now I'm going to think, I know I've sent her an email in the past thanking her. Geez, now I feel like I've got to go, I reconstitute another one and send it out her way. Yeah, I miss her. I could use Lynn right now. My career has stalled a little bit.

I got to convince her to get out of retirement. There's something about that story for me that really resonates. And I think it comes to this idea of the importance of mentorship and supporting people in their craft. Like I see it a lot with musicians, even talking to other podcasts hosts. Like we don't get a lot of encouragement. When you go out on your own, when you're trying to do your own thing, it can be incredibly lonely. to be trying to figure it out whether you're an artist and you're painting.

Like, I don't know if you watch the office, but there's that scene where Pam's standing there and she's got all of her art up and everybody who comes to visit doesn't really care. And then Michael walks in and wants to buy a piece. And like that matters to her. And I think so often when you're trying to do your own thing, I know acting can be incredibly independent

because you're going into the auditions, that like there's not a lot of support and how much it matters for someone to advocate for you, for them to believe in you, can play a huge role in your sense of confidence. And just when I look at, like, I cover a lot of journalism and stuff. And there's not a lot of like the old guard of journalists passing on what they know to new journalists on best practices on how things went. And so like we need to exchange that information so we can all do a better job.

And there's something to what she did for you, like believing in you at times maybe more than you believed in yourself. And that's such a gift to give another person. And it's so easily missed, whether it's a teacher, helping out a student or something, but those moments can really shape us and move us in a direction. And hers just really stood out when you told that story of like, wow, one person can like just kind of push you a little bit further and it can open doors in ways that that might not have happened had she not played that role. And then you can do that and other people can do that.

And it's just a call to action for all of us to remember that we can be that beacon of hope for another person, whether it's like, hey, you got to try that again. you can do this you've got this like that can really resonate with a person when they need it most yeah well for sure those people you know hope i think i hope everybody has people like that come through their lives i've been really fortunate that i've had a number of people come through my life family friends colleagues that have been that sort of thing for me um sometimes like sometimes people can be that person, but for some reason the message, the way

they send the message isn't is good, and we were resistant to that, which is, it's such a fine line. Like, yeah, I don't know I don't know why that's the case because, you know, like, maybe as kids and your parents, they're those people for you

at times, but you're just like, oh, shut up, I can find a thing. But then like, somebody like when Carol comes around, oh, you can do it. You're like, oh, thanks, I can do it. I believe you. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it's a bit funny. Who we decide to allow to be that person for us, maybe.

I don't know. When, so my understanding is season one, everybody was kind of expecting, like, maybe this goes nowhere. Brent Budd has said, like, we didn't know if we were going to get renewed or not. We were kind of just having fun with it, and we'd see where the chips land. But then you get the response that over a million people have watched this. It happens very, very rarely and hadn't happened in years. and then CornerGast does that you get a call from the heads of CTV saying you killed it. Season two is coming.

We're so excited. How did that impact you? Did that, like, did that mean something to you personally that, like, you were a part of something that produced such an impact across Canada? Well, yeah, I mean, I was in, I mean, obviously, I was incredibly happy. I was really, it's, it's nice to be a part of something that people like. Like, before that, I mean, I've done stuff I'm proud of, like, other things, but most of the stuff I was doing, people weren't watching or, you know, it wasn't a, you know, it was. Yeah, I don't want to be disrespectful, but like, I've done stuff that just, you know, people weren't interested in maybe, right? Did other things, too, that, like I said, were good and I was proud of. But this was the first thing where it's like, oh, wow, like a lot of people like it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's. Yeah, it's, it's incredibly proud to be part of something like that.

Now, I got to be cut, all I do on, I've done on that show is show up, pretend other words that people have written, right? Like, I'm not belittling my role in that by any means, but this is, you know, and I was like proud of my part in it. But, you know, all of that is on guys like Brent and all the writers and showrunners that have helped the show along. the way, the crew, like, all those people, like, helped create that. But if Brent didn't have that, and if David's story wasn't in a pitch session and they were, like, not liking any of his ideas and, like, what else have you guys? Like, well, there's this idea that, you know, this comedian I know has. That, you know, another thing, that never would have happened, right? Interesting. What do you think resonated with people about the first season? Like, if you had to go back and see, like,

Why did this hit when so many other shows don't? What do you think it was? I can't tell you. I have no idea. I mean, here's the things I can, I know are facts of the show. One, it's funny. Like, you can't deny, it might not be your sense of humor. I've heard that.

But it is funny. Like, it's quality. It's well written. It looks really cool. They shot on Super 16, so I had a really unique kind of look to it. and it was a show that didn't try too hard and the whole family could watch, you know, and it wasn't vanilla. Like, you know, there was the odd racy sort of innuendo and stuff in there and wordplay and stuff.

But it wasn't risky. It was just happy. It was easy. And so there's that. So I understand why people like it. But like to the extent that it was as popular as it was in the moment, and it seems to have legs. It still seems to be picking up audiences here and there. I can't tell you.

All I can say is because I've listened to Brent answer questions like this. And Brent said a number of things, but one of the things he said that I think is probably the most accurate is that he just made a show that he wanted to watch. Like he wasn't trying to figure out what's going to be a hit, what's going to be, you know, a big show. He just went about creating and writing a show that he would like to see.

And then you just put it out there and whatever happens, happens, right? So, yeah, go ahead. A huge piece from my perspective is that it was warm in the sense that, like, I think a lot of people have complicated familial relationships,

people they might not get along with, complicated family dinners or Christmas dinners, and some of those things can be really heavy. And what you see with, like, I know Big Bang Theory was like a competitor of your guys, or you guys were on similar wavelengths at the same time, is that people just want something where they can trust that it's going to be funny, but that they can relate to family members they don't have. Like, I didn't have many of the family members that you guys portrayed, but there was something warm about the idea that that's how you would want your uncle.

or your cousin or someone to be like. There was something admirable about their humor and the simplicity of it that maybe people weren't getting from their home lives or it was nostalgic in a way that connects them to who they remember their family member being or something like that. Right, right. You telling me people wish they had an Oscar in their life? I would love to have an Oscar in my life.

Tim, my producer is sometimes my Oscar where he's just calling me out on how I'm messing up or could be doing things better and it's much appreciated. Yeah, I mean, yeah. Yeah, you're right. I'd like to have an Oscar in my life. I might be Oscar, I don't know. But, no, I'm probably, I'm Hank for sure.

But, yeah, no, you might be on to something. I mean, there's definitely a warmth to it. There's a, it's, it's genuine for sure. Like, that's what I was trying to say when I said it doesn't try too hard. It just is, you know, like, it's funny because, like, I, I don't know that it would be a show that I would naturally be drawn to. Like, it, it, the show grew on me, right? Like, and that's not to say I didn't understand it or didn't think it was funny.

But I was always, the thing I was most proud about being part of that show was that the whole family could sit down and watch it. And at the time, and even now, I think, that there's not enough of that. on television so I don't know it's I you know I not to get deep into there there was always a bit of weirdness in in in the industry not not with the viewing public but but in the in I mean I had his detractors in the in in the public too but um there was this kind of like weird sort of not hate but dislike for the show and I could never figure it out. Like, like, I, I had a run-in, not a run-in, but a, uh, a creator that, you know, I, I, I really admired, created a lot of shows. And they told me straight out, the Gemini's

one. So they just, you know, they hate the show and they think it's terrible. And, and I never understood it. Like, because like, if it's not, if it's, if it's not your, if it's not your sense of humor if it's not your taste that's that's fair like you know that's a like a fair that's a fair response but to say it's terrible and and garbage and I heard that a few times over the years I'm like well then no that's not fair because the show is quality like it might not be your take but it's quality a lot of hard work goes into it um the writers of the writing is like top the writing was always top notch like top notch yeah And the cast is incredibly respectful, respectful, respectable.

The crew was, like, everything about that show was quality. So that's the only time I get my back ruffled up. Like, if somebody doesn't like it, it's not my sense of humor, I'm like, eh, that's fair, no problem. I got had a coffee shop once we were in for coffee. And the guy, there's, I think Nancy was there, too, if I remember right. This was in Regina. It's like, oh, hey, oh, you guys are cornered gas. We're like, oh, yeah, yeah.

He's like, yeah, I don't care for that show. And I'm like, oh, okay. He's like, yeah, not my sense. And I think he even said, not my sense of humor. I'm like, totally fair. Thanks. I'll Americano, please. But, you know, like, so that's like, that's legit.

That stuff is all legit to me. Lauren Cardinal came on the show. And one of the things that really stood out to me in the same vein is. Does he want his 20 bucks? I own 20 bucks. Is that what he was like? No. No, I think we're safe on that front.

But he just talked about how like some of the stories that he heard about the impact of the show and one of them that like has never left me is that he and and maybe you were too, but like that people in Afghanistan fighting over there had reached out and that they were watching the show when they were being rocket attacked because it gave them that sense of home. And I'm wondering if you have any reflections on that or like experiences on how the show is. impacted people that that's that example actually is um like i acting is is is a lot of work it's not hard work right like before i got into acting i used to work some of my my buddy's dad was a plumber so we'd work digging holes and ditches and stuff that's hard work right like but acting is a lot of work. So I never, early on, I didn't really have a lot of respect for what I was doing. It was just fun, right? It was a job. Like, I took it seriously. I don't, don't get me wrong. Like, I always wanted to be prepared, know my stuff and do the best they could, but it's fun. So I never, I never thought it was important. Like, I would always joke, like, when the zombie comes, the zombies come, the last thing

they're going to need is a bunch of guys to pretend for a living, right? Like, it's just like, you know, well maybe I could pretend to be a zombie and like lure them away fit right in yeah yeah anyway um so that that story was the first time uh where it kind of changed my perspective a little bit in terms of entertainment and I remember being told that story and it was it was impactful in that way and I had no idea that it could could do that like you know yeah it's a escape. People come home from work. They want to forget about their day. No, yeah, okay. But when we heard that, it

it's one of those things. It's like, oh yeah, right. There's people all over the world going through horrible things. And holy crap, these people being bombarded by shells and things and they're sitting there watching our show and that's helping them get through it. That, yeah, that, you know, that hit a spot. for sure. Yeah. I think it's really important. And I don't know if you've heard the prime minister said that we don't have like a shared national identity. But like I've lived in BC my whole life. I've been to Saskatchewan one time. I don't have any connection to that

region or anything like that. But like to me, that show does reflect Canadian values. And and it does reflect. And that's why I think it was so successful is it was in the compassion and the kindness. It was in those moments that like our values came through. It wasn't necessarily because Stephen Harper was on or yeah, this political, like it was that those are our values, that we are simple, like, quality people who care about each other and we tease each other and we're just, we're just a good, wholesome community of people across Canada. And like, we haven't really had a show like that since that's really like entered the zeitgeist and been able to be embraced across Canada in the sense.

same way. And so I noticed people reach out to you and Brent and like, we keep pulling you back to a character you played quite a few years ago now. But it's because there's nothing like it still. There's nothing that competes with that, that we can all agree that that's what reflects Canadian values. Well, you know, I'm going to defer to you. You would know better than me. The Canadian values thing is it's tough to figure out these days. It does seem a bit muddied. I don't know what that means anymore to have Canadian values but yeah

you know Corner Gas was in a very quirky animated way you know like you got all these characters from all sides of the spectrum

like all over the map every episode they find a way to come together pull their pants up and get stuff done right like um yeah we don't come together as a nation like we used to i don't think we seem to be fighting each other not so much like our neighbors but there's that right and when i was younger for sure

everybody we've always had our differences always like always like but we always seem to come together and i and i don't want to get too because i don't know enough about it but i was so disappointed during the pandemic at our response as individuals and how we just got so divided about it. And I'm not going to get into it because I don't know enough about it. But what disappointed me was how we weren't able to sort of come together in this moment, the extreme moment, to kind of get through it out the other end and then sort out what we're wrong. Does that, do you know what I mean? Yes, because we did have that period where we were all jingling things.

And we were going out at 7 p.m. But then that did come to an end. Yeah, abruptly. Like abruptly, it seemed. And I'm not going to pretend to understand why. But I just, it was like, that seemed new for the Canadian experience, if you want to say. And I don't know if we figure out how to sort that out yet. I don't think we have.

don't see anything on the near horizon. But I do think that's where shows can often give us, like, we don't need to debate politics. We don't need to do it. Like, we need places where we can gather, where we're not just arguing with each other. And we don't have shared shows anymore. We have 15 different streaming sites that are all

streaming different shows. And you talked to, hey, did you watch this? No, I don't have that app or I don't do, like, and it's like we don't have a shared kind of 7 PM channel anymore where we all kind of gather and agree that that's top of mind. But my next question for you is, who was Hank Yarbo from your perspective?

The smartest guy in the room, the hottest looking dude, brimming with confidence. You know, he's everything I wish I was. He's actually that. like he he thinks he's for lack of a better phrase he thinks he's the shit he thinks he knows it all um but the thing about hank that i do do actually connect with that i tried to put into him is he's he's genuine he's real he's not you get what you get

with hank like there's no there's no ulterior motive he's not two-faced what comes out of Hank's mouth is exactly what Hank's think of you know and I I like people like that like I like people that understand that about themselves

number one right like and you know let you know where you stand with them respectfully respectfully so I know that's who Hank is to me I mean I always played him like

like he when he walked into a room or every time he walked into the gas station he's a he was like yeah i'm the i'm the smartest guy here my my reflections on the character and like you can correct me if you disagree no no because it's a it's it's you won't be wrong because there you are reflections right is the like i think it was in again in the context of like playing a character and i know like actors don't have the world's hardest job but in the character you you play I actually think it may have been one of the more challenging ones because you're regularly agreeing to play the butt of the joke right like in many circumstances you're the person being gaffed on or teased or mocked or and like in a sense like to remove yourself and just think like you're playing that character and I think at times that actually is one of the the most challenging characters because you have to kind of live with the the levity of that circumstance other characters. other characters like Brent, like he's usually like he got the answer, he got the quick snarky response. Like it's humorous, but he gets to play kind of the gotcha person and you

regularly were the butt of the joke. And I think there's something admirable about putting yourself in that circumstance. And that's why I think it's not just that you agreed to play the character because you kind of at the beginning, you were like, well, like, I just read lines. But there's also something to be said for agreeing to play the character that get teased and and mocked a lot throughout the whole show, that you were willing to be that to people and that like, I don't know about you, but like sometimes when you're hanging out with friends,

people do not like being the butt of the joke. Like, they are very against that. Like, I'll have friends and I'll push their button and then they'll be like, that's too far. No, like, I don't like that. And it's like, it's actually a lot of work to kind of take it on the chin. And when my friends tease me,

I do my best to just like eat it and enjoy the roast or whatever the teasing's gonna be. But like, that's actually a little bit more work than I think people might realize. And it brought the show together in a really good way because there could be somebody you were allowed to kind of laugh at or laugh at the circumstance and enjoy in a different way. And I think there's a lot of importance to that role.

That's a great, yeah, that's a great perspective. I mean, I definitely felt that and understood that. And I wouldn't say it was challenging, but there was times where, you know, I go back to my condo and I was like, I wish I could, you know, I wish I could get the funny lines here and there, right? But that was usually stifled pretty quick because I just, I genuinely, genuinely loved playing Hank. Like, it wasn't hard for me to be Hank.

Yeah. The only, the only challenge I found was that the longer the show went on, uh, season, season three, by the end of season three, I was really upset with myself because I felt towards the end of season two and most of season three, I, I really felt like I was phoning it in. And, and, and like, so going into season four, I, I kind of gave myself a bit of a talking to. And I was like, no, look, you got a job, you got to go in and you got to, you got to, you got to be on it, right?

You've got to be present on set. You've got to be prepared. I mean, there was days in season two. Yeah, I'll just be honest. Like, there was this pub O'Handlins that we would go to. And there were a couple nights where, I won't say, the other cast member, where myself and the other cast member would literally stumble out of there at daylight and, like, have an hour before we had to get in the van to get out to work.

Like, I'd look at my day and it was like, ah, I only got one scene. You know, I can take a day off kind of thing. and not by like I was never you know drunk on saturday and I only get this impression that I was like Mickey Rourke or something like well that's not fair to Mickey Rourke I don't know Mickey Rourke I don't know why I said Mickey Rourke probably a great guy he's a great actor why did I see Mickey Rory I feel terrible now cut that part out would you

but my point being is is that was the challenge so from four on well season one most of the two, I was like, this is my job. And then for some reason, I just got lazy and phoned it in for a bit. So that was the challenge. It was like being professional, right? That coming out of corner gas, that's what it taught me most is like being on a show for that long, it's easy to forget what your job is, right? And that was the biggest challenge for me. Not so much, like I didn't mind being by the job. Look, somebody's got to get.

hurt for comedy. Like, if somebody's not getting hurt, either physically or emotionally, being made fun of, there's no comedy. Like, where's the comedy? Like, you know, like, that some, you got to point and laugh at something, like, that you have to. And so, I guess I, I guess I was too dumb to realize it that, that I should be, like, how come I don't get all the funny lines? I'm being, but. But, I just love playing Hank, and I've been asked over the years, and I meant it every time I've said it. I would have played Hank for the rest of my life, and I would have been completely content and happy. I love that character.

By far my favorite character I've played. I've had other characters I really love playing, but if I was to play a character for my entire life, it would be Hank. I love that. I love that. Every minute of it. I like I know this is inside baseball in like a lot of ways but like there's just something to the characters that were developed like you in the show developing the Lego set of corner gas in Lego form like that can that can seem like just a joke but there is something to the fact that like whatever your creative endeavor is like run with it like it doesn't don't define what your creative endeavor is based by other people's standards and like I found that so valuable, like having, like, Wanda play this character of like, you're incredibly intelligent and most of it is not useful in your day-to-day life. Like, there's something to that

that, like, I know a lot of people who think they've got it all figured out because they're very good at math or something. And it's like, but then you still don't know how to get an oil change in your car. Like, there's these funny disconnects where you see in people that I think are so relatable. The other piece that I think is important that we touch on is Nancy Robertson talked about the tragically hip performing so did brent um but like i i think it was really special that you were all able to highlight other canadian icons and canadian voices throughout the show and again there's not many shows doing what you guys did but there's also not shows doing a good job of kind of like raising up those those other voices and bringing in whether it's prime ministers

or um olympic athletes and kind of like pulling them in can you reflect on the tragically hip coming out and performing and being able to be a part of that. Yeah, well, I mean, that was, that was, that was the biggest. And no disrespect, because we also had a couple of kids in the hall guys who, you know, I was a huge kids in the hall fan. Yeah. And the prime minister, prime ministers, that's a huge. That's huge.

Huge. And, you know, and just to, because I know Harper is a divisive figure. Canadian politics, he was fantastic on the show, right? And I'm definitely not conservative leaning, so I'm not going to say what my politics are, but I wouldn't have voted for Harper. Oh, there, I just said. But he was incredible, you know what I mean? So you're right, for him to come into the show and be able to contribute and be part of the family, essentially. And be the butt of the joke. Like, he switches his side. Like, he was willing to be, I know. He nailed it. Like, let's be honest. He nailed it. Martin, too, and he came on. He

It was fantastic. So, you're all sit, literally. Come on. But the hip, my buddy who's no longer with us, Derek Usher, got introduced me to the tragically hip. Derek Cuscher, I'm not going to get into it because it will make me cry. Derek Usher is one of these people that come through your lives and change you, Derek Usher. Anybody that I know who watches this will know what I'm talking about. But anyway, he got me onto the hip.

and the hip for me I don't know to say that every album in the hip puts out I don't like initially but then I just keep listening to it and then I just can't not listen to the hip anymore and his voice his words the music it like

every time I listen to a hip song like it just it it showers me right and i'm not over exaggerating like i okay well i said on leroy and uh and i you know we were talking about uh uh uh uh desert islands and what out you know album and i'm like can you pick your favorites like that's an album right uh of the hip and that's what i would want like so when I heard they were coming on the show I don't get starstruck you know like I don't the only other time I got starstruck

was when I met Richard Burdur at a golf store in North Vancouver and Richard Bruder King Richard Canucks goal in the 80s took him to the finals and this is the only time I only other time I couldn't talk to somebody

And it was like that with the hip. So we did those, they were just there for the one day. We did our sort of half in Rolo, and then the hip came and did their half in the studio. And they got swamped, right? But, like, all of a sudden, our crew grew by threefold. Like, I was like, who are all these people? And they're all there to see the hip. And, um,

I do this with that. It got me emotional when I was doing. So they're doing their thing, and then, and it was amazing. The, you know, they're doing it's private. And they're going at it. They're singing it. Like, take after take. And so I'm like, I'm like five feet away from Gordony, and he's, he's, like, bolting out those lyrics.

And I'm like, just, like, I'm just, you know, I'm like a, blah. right and and then they finish and then they get they get bombarded by people rightfully so and they're so gracious they're talking to everybody all of them and I'm just kind of standing in the back of the room like an idiot and then finally I just you know I kind of scuffled out that was my last scene of the day and I'm signing out and and the van's a van's pulling out as I'm signing my sheet out for the day and and then the van I see the van come back And it's the hip.

They're getting driven back to their hotel. And Gord opens a door and he gets out. I don't know. Every time I talk about it, I don't know. It's such a big deal for me. And he gets out and he, I guess he could see that I was there, right? You know? And he just talks with me.

Like a normal person. And I'm like, well, he's just, he's talking about it. He's like, what are you doing? I was like, well, my wife and I are going across country. tree, we're going to drive. He's like, oh man, we're going across the country on tour. He's like, maybe we'll see each other. And I'm like, oh, yeah, man. Like, well, really?

That'd be great. And I wish I knew him out. I wish I knew him. You know, because he just, in that four minutes, five minutes, I was just like, oh, wow, this guy, I see

why people think people might be gods. because he was just so in that moment anyway just so genuine and open and not Gore Downey big star I don't know it took a lot for him

for him to recognize that I was like wanting to say something from what I could gather maybe he was just like for God his watch and ran into me but that's not

that's not like And it's, it's one of those moments that, for whatever reason, gets me emotionally to talk about it, but sticks with me. I think about that every once in a while, and I just think, oh, wow, that was one of the coolest moments in my life. Yeah, big deal. That was a huge deal. I appreciate you for being willing to share that. It's, to be honest with you, I, yeah, damn you for bringing it up, right? He's like, I don't know, and it got a little emotional, too, when I was talking about Libra, and I was like, all right, in this moment, I can.

talk about it? No, apparently I can't. I don't know why. It's so stupid. Well, I, like, I want you to know that, like, I understand you, like, he, Gord, I'm sure didn't see himself the way other people saw him, right? And so, like, in these circumstances, the fact that I've gotten to, like, I grew up and I would put on corner gas before I'd go to bed on my computer, and it would just play all the episodes all the way through, and I'd wake up and have to press pause in the morning. Like, that's the amount that I would consume corner gas. corner gas. Like my partner and I watch it every year in summertime and we like, it's a it's a, it's a family tradition for us to do that. And so like the opportunity to speak with you like Brent, like the fact that you guys are being willing to share your time on something and like I know it was an opportunity for you guys at the time. But I also understand that when you're a creator, you don't want to be typecast as just one thing, right? Like I don't want to be known just for one single interview or like for one thing I do in my life. You're a broad. like interesting person that has different interests and you've played different characters over your life like you're always pulled back to this role so the fact that you're all willing to do this and share your time and reflect on these moments i i really appreciate in a very similar lens to what that interaction meant for you with gourd like this this means a lot to me to have the opportunity to speak with you on these things well that's nice i'm glad you know obviously you know good i'm glad and thanks for saying that

Um, you know, the, you bring up the, you know, actors always worried about being typecast. That was never a concern of mine. I mean, the only challenge with that is like, well, if you can't get other work, you know, how you're going to pay the bills, right? But I've never, I'm never like, I, I love acting. Well, here's the thing. I don't know if I love acting. I love being on set. And if that means I have to act, then I'll do it. I tried being a stage actor and like i just can't anxiety is no good and um but so it was just about like like i said it with hank like i found that character and that gave me well more than six years because we did the movie and then we did the the cartoon like almost 10 10 years of of work that's like so

that's great if that means if that's what typecast means then okay bring it like can i do that for another 10, though, right? You know, because, like, I'm not ready to stop being on set. Like, I want to be on set more. And, um, and I don't get to do it as much as I'd like. Like, I've been pretty lucky, you know, I seem to get one or two things a year, but it's, it's not enough for my, I guess that's my addiction maybe, being on set. It's the same with hockey. I still play hockey. I'm a goalie. I don't know if I actually like playing hockey. I just really like being a goalie. I like the gear. I started one of my buddies as a goalie coach and, and he'll take me out to do training sessions, right, to be a better goalie. And I like that more than I like actually

playing hockey games. So I think acting's like that for me. It's like, yeah, I like acting, but I just really love being on set. Like, and it's got to be a part of something. And that's what corner gas spoiled me is when you get on a long running show. like that, it's just, it's really comfortable. It's like your home. It's work. Don't get me wrong. It's work. You got to be prepared. But it's, you get to set. You feel like you're a part of it. It's like, you know, it's just clear. It's like being part of a team. It's being on that team, right? Like, maybe that's why I liked it because I'm not a confident guy, but you get all these people around you that sort of instill confidence in you. And then you're part

of an energy, like a positive energy rather than you just carrying it or that person just carrying it. Yeah. You're all contributing to the good energy. Like I did Dan for mayor and, and by no, it wasn't like what Brent was doing. Brent was like doing everything.

I was just the lead guy. I didn't have to write it. I didn't have to produce it or nothing. And I was like, I mean, this is for the birds. Like, I just want to be Hank, right?

Like, when you, when you have to be responsible for all of it, that's just way more stress than I'm, I'm able to manage, right? You know, so I like,

that's, I think that's why I like Hank so much. Because I can just be, you know, but I can't be on my own. I need that family. Can I ask, was the animated series different in a way that maybe wasn't quite as rewarding because you're not on set? You're just producing the voices, or did that work? Because it was, you're still doing the same jokes, but you're just doing it verbally.

You're not in a community. It's somewhat a different thing, right? Yeah, it's it's the same but different. It's the same and so, like, especially because we, we started that just before the pandemic and then the pandemic, I think was season two. I can't remember now. So initially we were all in the room together. Well, half of us were in Vancouver and the other half were in Toronto, but we were all connected via. So it was like doing a radio play. So that was great. It was a very similar experience, but lazier, right? Like, I didn't have to go through hair and makeup and, you know, like our day wasn't eight to ten hours. It was like three to four hours. But you also couldn't hang out afterwards with, I guess, the people from Toronto, too, right? No, you couldn't.

But I don't know. Like, as the show went on, I mean, we still hung out. We went for dinners from time to time. But as the show went on, we kind of, like, found our own sort of pockets of life out there. like so we worked together and then yeah we did some dinners here and there like go for coffee with you know go grab a beer with lorn or grab a coffee with nan or you know from time to time or um have a poker game from time to time but like you kind of started developing your own life like i was playing ultimate frisbee out there um i started golfing with wow um my uh my buddy warn who was our sound

guy um so you you know you know what i mean like it it just became work family more you know um so yeah when we started doing the animated stuff it was just like that like he'd show up you love everybody it's great they'd do you're funny and we laugh and and we kind of go back to our lives may i ask what advice would you have or or what would you tell that you don't i'm not the person ask for what would you tell a younger person who's in a similar circumstance to where you were where maybe you don't have that huge level of confidence enjoy being a part of a team how do people strive forward in those types of circumstances when they don't know exactly where they want to end up when they're older well look that that's just that's a really good

question to ask unfortunately my experience I'm hesitant to share because I don't, my experience might not be right for people and they could go try what I might suggest and it could go horribly wrong, right? So we won't give them your phone number then. No, but I don't, like, I think what's helped me, like, I'm incredibly fortunate. I've had a number of people in my life. My wife, number one, who is incredibly. supportive. And so it's easy, right? You have somebody that you don't even, even when you don't want to talk to somebody, understands that you should talk to somebody and finds ways to get you

to talk without you knowing you're talking, right? Like giving your aspirin with some honey, you know, like, but like the thing, here's the thing, though, is, is you have i believe this and i think everybody should try to find a way to make this to work you have to take responsibility for your own life and nobody else can't your happiness is not somebody else's responsibility your well-being is not somebody else's responsibility your mental health is not somebody else's responsibility you have to do the work to to get out of whatever it is and

that may mean you need help and so you need to recognize that you need help and so if you find that people are suggesting you get help a lot then maybe that's

something that you need to understand is like okay maybe I need help and I should go get that help like that's all I can say because everybody's journey is going to be different I'm still working on mine and I'm 53. So I'm always proud of myself. I always give myself proud of my back

because I'm way better than I was. But I'm nowhere near where I want to be, that's for sure. Fred, it has been an honor to speak with you. Stop saying that. The honor is mine. Like, come on. You're the man. I appreciate so much for what you've done.

Like, as I said, I watched the show. I think you're a huge inspiration. I know that's hard for you to take in, but I hope you can hold space for the impact that you've had on so many and encouraging them to be comfortable with who they are. And I think you're a huge exemplar of that. I think we're incredibly lucky that we've had individuals that have advocated for you like Lynn.

I think we're lucky for her advocacy because you belonged on that show and we're lucky that that all worked out the way that it did. You're the man. Oh, come on. That's very kind of you say. All right, for this one moment, I'll pretend that I'm a man. Thanks, buddy.

You know, how can people follow your work and keep up to date? Well, I'm not super active on social media. Probably best is Instagram. That seems to be where I post stupid stuff, be prepared. But it's not my, well, I guess if you search my name, Fred O'Wanick, you'll find me. But it's Freddie Wanit. Fred E. Won it. All one word on Instagram is probably the best.

Best of luck to you. I know you've got some things cooking up and you're working on bringing some new ideas to life. So I wish you the best of luck on that and really appreciate you coming on today. Oh, thanks. I appreciate you having you. This was way more than I was expected, but I quite enjoyed it. Thank you. I am so glad to hear that. All right.

Oh, man. Son of a bitch, you made me cry, you piece. What the hell? Thank you.