Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Carla Collins: Toronto Mike'd #782

Episode Date: January 5, 2021

Mike chats with Carla Collins about her years on television and radio, stand-up comedy, making the move to California, the passing of her beloved mother, and her new podcast Carla Collins Rox the Elmo.

Welcome to episode 782 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times, and brewing amazing beer. CDN Technologies, your outsourced IT department. Contact Barb at barb at cdntechnologies.com. Palma Pasta.

Enjoy the taste of fresh homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. StickerU.com Create custom stickers, labels, tattoos, and decals for your home and your business. And Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. I'm Mike from TorontoMike.com and joining me this week

is the host of Carla Collins Rocks the Elmo. Carla Collins. Welcome, Carla. Hi, how are you? I love your intro music. An original composition by local rapper producer Ill Vibe. Well, tell Ill Vibe it's a great jam. It is.

Yeah, that was tight. Well, I'll tell you the story really quickly here. Nine years ago, I approached Ill Vibe and said, I want to start a podcast and I'd like to have like an original theme song. And I basically said, I want a modernized version of the As It Happens theme song and I basically said I want a modernized version of the as it happens theme song so okay that's so if you can imagine like cbc radios as it happens and it's you know that that that jam there and then modernize that with a hip-hop flavor and there you go so I'm glad you like it just like when uh my definition my my definition, wasn't that Maestro?

Fresh West? No, I have to correct you there. That's the Dream Warriors. The Dream Warriors, of course. Yeah, not my guy Maestro. He was dropped the needle. Right. Okay.

So here's my original 12-inch single. I was going to say, yeah, my Maestro Fresh West 12-inch that he signed when he came by. Yeah, they're similar like vintage, right? Like Dream Warriors and Maestro were around the same circles at the same time. Yeah, they're both OG. The OG godfathers of rap. And you're, by the way, we joked before I pressed record, whether you were famous or not, I speak from a Toronto perspective, born and raised here.

I've only ever lived here. I know you've lived in multiple countries. We'll get to that. But I will say without a doubt, in my world, Carla Collins is famous. Well, we'll go with that. I just think of really famous people like the Pope or in your career. And I have questions about you becoming a California girl. And the fact that as we chat right now, tell us whereabouts in the universe are you right now?

I am currently on a beautiful equestrian farm. I've been ducking at the funny farm and it is located between, everybody keeps asking for an exact location. It's getting creepier. But it's between Collingwood and Barrie. So I am north of Toronto right now. A great place for a pandemic.

Right, but nowhere near California. So we'll get to that. No, not right now. we'll get to that. No, not right now. We'll get to that. Okay, so let's open with the current big news, because I got questions about that. And I think a lot of listeners will be interested in who's involved, etc. And then we'll kind of go back. So we'll do like a Quentin Tarantino here with the time shifting here. So I love it. Yeah, go back and forth. Mess around with the time-space continuum. That's what we're here for. So I opened in the intro, I said, you're the host of Carla Collins

Rocks the Elmo. And there's a bunch of stuff there I got to ask you about. But tell us how this came to be because the Elmo combo, of course, Michael Weckerle dumped a lot of cash into this revitalization of the historic El Macombo. And then I guess just as, you know, he's ready to launch this thing, a pandemic shows up. And so please tell us, like, like, like, how do you get involved with Michael Weckerle and the El Macombo? And how does a podcast come out of that? And where do I fit in? And the floor is yours, Carla Collins. And how does a podcast come out of that? And where do I fit in?

And the floor is yours, Carla Collins. Oh, okay. Well, I guess around, I want to say June, I got an email or was contacted by someone at the Alma Combo. And they were wondering if I would come in and do a show or two there. That they had these great streaming capabilities and of course at that point things were you know quasi open right i got just in the window and to tell you the truth at first i said no it just seemed like crazy to travel and i had my chihuahua dr zira um and i had a few things going on in la and then, uh, about a week or two later, the

same Alicia, his assistant said, yeah, Michael Weckerly would like to talk to you. So he got on the phone and I didn't know who he was, to be honest. Like, I know he's very famous and he's been on dragon's den and everyone's like, I can't believe you didn't know. But, you know, during his stint sort of in the public eye, I've been in L.A. So I just didn't know who won. And he's, you know, as you know, he usually gets his way. But he got on the phone and said, you know, I've got I've got three dogs on my property and you'll have a great place to quarantine and you can bring your dog.

And so we worked it out for me to come and do a couple shows at the elmo and i would be the first uh comedian to play there in its new iteration shall we say um i i know of course i i believe you know belushi and and and others had played in the past and uh so i liked that i thought that would be wonderful and did quarantine. Shay Michael had a whole floor to myself and his beautiful brown lab, his chocolate lab, hung up with me the whole time, Reese, which he's very upset

about. Basically, this is what brought you back to Canada this round? Yes. Okay. Was the plan to do a couple of shows at the El Macombo and then go back to California? Yes, I was going to do a couple of shows at the El Macombo. But I also, the person I'm staying with, whom I refer to as my gay fiance, his name

is Michael Webb. He had been watching. I was doing Facebook Lives every week during the hardcore shutdown. Webb, he had been watching, I was doing Facebook lives every week during the hardcore shutdown. And he was a fan. And we had met a couple times briefly, but then we became friends and we're having virtual cocktails. And I created something called comedic meditation. And he's an entrepreneur. And I said, I would love a business person's help on this, because I think it's something great. So we he also was one of the sponsors. and we got sponsors for a comedic meditation. So the plan was to do a couple of shows at the Elmo of comedic meditation and head back

to Los Angeles. Okay. And the shows at the Elmo were terrific. I like to, I'm very fond of saying they're both sold out. Cause you know, we only had a 50 person capacity. So then again, the tickets were like crazy expensive i did not set that ticket price i was like i don't know give me an idea uh like what are we talking here to see if i wanted one of those 50 seats to see you at the alma combo like 100 something to 250 so i joke i had billionaires heckling me through the first show and i'm like listen they were shaking their jewelry. Yeah, they're shaking their jewelry in the back, in the front rows, basically.

I said they're wiping themselves with warm kittens. So I had some fun with that. But the two shows were terrific. And I brought on some great openers like Kenny Robinson and Andrew Johnson. And so at any rate, then I did that. But as you know, things happen. And the comedic meditation, some stuff here was taking off. And I was supposed to return back to finish. That's a whole story in itself, a modeling competition. And there are just too many opportunities representing themselves here

including um before i even came here uh michael's people said you know i we keep looking for your podcast because i was going to start one because you know masks and podcasts are mandatory right i'm very very late to the party on this and so anyway gay fiance Michael Weckerly and myself teamed up and we talked about because you know then it was another hardcore shutdown and the Elmos they're languishing and maybe we could put together something that we could all get behind and use this beautiful venue and so that was the birth of Carla Collins rocks the Elmo but I didn't want it to be straightforward interviews didn't want it to be straightforward interviews I really want it to be comedy music and spirituality and some mental

health and you know that the all the goodness um with an edge though as I said my perfect three-way comedy music and spirituality right hold on I need to clarify something though so Michael Weckerle who you're forgiven for not knowing him if you're in L.A. because, again, he's Canada famous. But I just want to shout out that his late mother taught at my high school. So I knew his late mother before I knew of him. Oh, that's amazing. Well, you know, I think Michael and I bonded really quickly, not just because I was, you know, living with he and his family.

So imagine I didn't know him and I because I was, you know, living with he and his family. And I had to imagine I didn't I didn't know him. And I just land and I'm like, hi, this bitch is going to stay downstairs at your place. But Michael and I bonded quickly because we were both extremely close to our mothers. I lost my mom a couple of years ago, a few years ago, and he had recently gone through that. So that was one of our that's why we became, I think, fast friends as well. So, yes, that's wonderful that she was your teacher. I heard great things. Right. So, Michael, I just want to clarify, though, because there's a Michael Weckerle in the story. There's a and there's a Michael Webb. And this is not like an alias.

Like this is not like Hannah Montana styles or something where Miley said, you know, those are two different people. Michael Weckerle is the Elmo savior and dragon's den and financier, you know, near billionaire. If you hadn't put so much money into the Elmo. And Michael Webb is my gay fiance, who is an entrepreneur, the head of the Michael Webb Media Group and a realtor. And I'm staying on his. And OK, so you you lived with Michael Weckerle for your quarantine and then now you live with Michael Webb. OK, I did like so your home in L.A. It just sits there. Do you have somebody checking in on it?

Like what's the. Oh, yeah, I absolutely do. there? Do you have somebody checking in on it? Like, what's the... Oh, yes, I absolutely do. But yeah, I know. And, you know, we keep, we move my ticket more times than I've been married or engaged. Do you, like, when do you think you'll return? Or are you starting to, like, return to your roots here and realize you're a Canuck? Like, is there a game plan that you think, you know, are you just waiting for this vaccines to roll out? Like what's, what is your plan? No, I mean, listen, there's look, I, you know, I can say I make a plan, but I think during this whole pandemic, that's a difficult thing.

And I go where the work is. I will be returning to LA. It was going to be this month, but I think it'll probably be next that might slide again. I'm very fortunate obviously to have a dual citizenship. Do you mind if I just let my chihuahua in? No, in fact, I... It's not a euphemism. Yeah.

I was going to say, yeah, let your freak flag fly. Like, let go crazy. Be comfortable. Yes. Okay, hang on. She scratched at the door. Okay. Well, Carla does that.

I just want to let people know that you can subscribe. Right now you can subscribe to Carla Collins Rocks the Elmo. Rocks is R-O-X, just to be cute. So when you spell that out, Carla Collins Rocks the Elmo, you can subscribe now. And Carla, how many episodes are available right now if somebody were to pause us here on Toronto Mic'd and subscribe to Carla Collins Roxie Elmo? So we have right now currently three episodes up.

Thanks. Thanks to you. Available as just pure podcast form, just audio from my phone sex operator, Jason Voice. We do have three episodes and i'm really proud of this show everybody's just you know sometimes it works and honestly i just found this more magical than a lot of the tv i've done like it really my very the magic's there or it isn't and um you know i i so we have the first episode with d mcdermott and the man himself michael weckerly uh we have a second episode with michael collier one of the original kings of comedy from los angeles and elizabeth manley america's kind of sweetheart rather right um i'm america's ex-wife uh and in the third episode we

have this gal an extravaganza like you've never seen him before it's just an extraordinary interview and a phenomenal mini concert and we have many more. We have at least 20, 25. Are you recording them at the El Macombo? Yes, sir, we are. That's got to be the world's most expensive podcast recording studio. If you think about the money

and the state-of-the-art tech. State-of-the-art? State-of-the-art tech. As in Noah? are you getting biblical? It is biblical tech. It's that good, Michael. It is starting to rain out there. But this is amazing.

So congrats on joining the podcast family. And I'm glad to play a role in it at TMDS. It's just an honor to be involved in the project because as we're going to talk in a moment, you have radio roots. I would think that when you're recording your podcast, you're sort of channeling back to the days when you're on live radio, right? Well, I mean, because we're also filming it though, like it's on YouTube, on my YouTube channel. So it's reminding me, I mean, listen, radio is my first love and a lot of things remind me of radio. And, you know, I love the immediacy, the intimacy. But I have to say it's really more reminding me of CTV because we've got three or four cameras.

shall we say hashtag mood? Um, we're, uh, but so, so yeah, in that respect, it's, it's kind of reminding me of, of television to be honest. Okay. That's well, Hey, that's a still bringing you back and that's cool. I'm going to just, uh, give you a few shout outs from when people heard you were coming on. I heard from different people, different messages. I'm just going to give you a few of them before, before we go back. Cause because I have a an interesting message about uh from a teacher at GCVI oh my goodness awesome I love Guelph Collegiate by the way I mean a lot of people say how much they hate it but I went there for the last three years of high school and I loved it you know I when I got the message about GCVI I had to google it like what's you know what's GCVI And I learned it's Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, which explains why they shorten it.

That's quite the mouthful. That's right. So here, let me get through these messages. That's where I was valedictorian, son. That's what I, and prom queen, right? Well, I'll tell you the story about that because that's actually not true, but we'll get to that.

Okay, okay. So let me read the messages. One is from FOTM Jonathan Torrens. And he says he's got a lot of time for Carla Collins. I think that's a good thing. Did you work with Jono in some capacity? Jono and I, I have a lot of time for Jono too. In fact, I recommended him for a nice corporate gig. It's how highly I think of him, but yeah, we have done some TV stuff together, various stuff. It's been a little while, but yeah, I, I, you know what? Jono and I have great chemistry. I'd like to reconnect with him. We really do. And, and I think, I think the world of him. So no, I think he, I had a great experience with Jono and he's in

Truro, Nova Scotia, I believe. the world of him so no i think he i had a great experience with jono and uh he's in uh truro nova scotia i believe and he has a podcast with uh former i guess we'll call him ex-drummer of uh our lady peace uh uh jeremy taggart so you're now very cool podcast buddies here okay so that's we'll have to go on each other's podcasts because I think we've been guests on each other's shows in the past. I think I did some kind of sketch on JonoVision. That's going way back. Yeah, but that's what we do on this show. We go way back.

This is our new favorite drug. I mean, it's nothing new. During the pandemic, a lot of people have kind of discovered the potent qualities of nostalgia. And I'm always like, hey, we've been doing that here for eight years. Okay. So we didn't need a pandemic to get in there. But Marty Forbes has a message for you. Marty Forbes wants to give you a hug.

Oh. Fabulous. I don't know if you know Marty. That's the radio god. So did you know him from Mix 99.9? I'm not sure if it was the mix, or we just knew each other generally through radio or Canadian Music Week or, yeah.

Yeah, okay, cool. So nice message there from Marty, and that's another good thing. Mike Grogotsky, who's a listener of the program, a great FOTM himself, he says, he saw Carla Collins at Yuck Yucks in the early 2000s. It was one of the funniest performances you ever saw. He says this should be a great episode.

So let's not let down Mike. Let's make sure it's a great episode. Mike, you know, I'd rather use trip over your standards. I'd like you to keep them low. Here's the funny thing about that. I wasn't even a comedian then. I really just would go up. I was working in TV and radio and I would just go up and tell real stories

because I really couldn't, you know, as Mark Breslin will tell you, he's like, you can't jump up on stage once a year and call yourself a comedian. So Mike, why do you see me now? You've got to check it out now. I'm actually, I'm legit now. But thank you. That actually just totally made my day. Okay, that's wild. I didn't know that. but that'll come out during this story. So let's, I guess I want to start at GCVI and read this message for you. But just to put it on the record here, since this is your first appearance on Toronto Mic'd, and this is sort of the, this is your life, Carla Collins, if you will. You're actually from Sault Ste. Marie. I am. These are not my original teeth. I am from Sault Ste. Marie.

Yep, that's where I was born and went to the French school. But we left, by the way, when I was 11. So anybody telling you that they dated me in the Sault, unless they're, you know, R. Kelly is a hockey player, stop it. So is it fair to say that you moved to Guelph? That's a guess on my part based on this GCVI message I'm about to read. Eventually. And I loved Guelph. Guelph I consider my other hometown. Now we had three hellish years in Wallaceburg, Ontario,

lacrosse capital of the world. And it's not Wallaceburg's fault, but a couple of things that was population, maybe 10,000, I was going through an extremely awkward phase. As you know, I, these would be when I'd be in my tweens, like 11 to 13. And I, uh, was, you know, uh, just who clock stoppingly, like I was birth control. I was not, these were not good times for me. Um also, my father at the time owned a sort of small grocery store, and I was in two-armed robbery. So you can see that. Wallaceburg, not my favorite years.

Now, I have a little bit of a kind of a great advantage here in that I heard you chatting for an hour with Ralph Ben-Murray yesterday. It's a great advantage because I basically like a fly in the wall. And this episode's not even out yet. It's going to drop Thursday morning, but it's very different from what we're going to do because it's just we do different things. I don't think Ralph mentioned the Mix 99.9

one time during his... And that's fine with me. I love talking spirituality, to be honest. I really, I must must say i very much enjoyed my my talk with ralph oh yeah no i'm like oh i'm the biggest fan but uh it is just a very different uh different approach than i take but uh probably a probably a much better approach but and i know that wasn't you right that was a dog right that was a dog because a cat hang on oh yeah yeah no worries no worries

yeah the little kittens are really in love with uh dr zira but um they get a little too you know does the dog belong to michael webb or is that wait so okay so if i look here i'm going to the zoom here so you have are all those animals yours or is there Michael Webb and your animals have co-mingled? Well, Dr. Zira is mine. And the three kittens, I guess, are both of our kids because mother abandoned them. And, you know, at one point we had a lot more. We've had many adopted out.

Some didn't make it because when a mother abandons their kittens. So, and I said, I've never been a cat person. OK. And again, not to do my second R. Kelly mentioned that everybody said, like, look, you're a cat woman now. And I said, I like kittens. So I'm the R. Kelly of cat women. Oh, I see.

The Epstein of cat women. But and then Michael Webb has five horses. I call them the five horses of the apocalypse. A couple of ducks, a couple of chickens. Many, many, many, many adult cats and two dogs. So it's a real farm. This is like a real, real farm. That's right.

Yeah. Wow. Okay. This is a reality show happening right there, I think. It really is. Because you can just imagine me in my hooker heels. But you know what? I'm a very when in Rome person.

I really shockingly taken to it here. I've loved being out of the city. I love being with the animals. And yeah, it's for whatever reason. Yeah, you know, it's all part of an adventure, like trying new things. Oh, cool.

Very cool. Now, why did I bring up Ralph and Murgy's podcast? Well, A, I want you all to listen to Carla Collins on that show when it drops on Thursday. But B, because I'm listening, I hear things and I learn things. And so at this period in your life, I hear you joking

about it, but I did hear some very serious discussion about you being bullied. It sounds like it was a tough period in your life. And I heard you were very open on ralph show about uh they would they would pick on your it sounds like a weird way to phrase it but they'd pick on your nose is this what you were yeah yeah yeah quite a bit well you know first of all i think like most of the population you know at some point we were a lot of people were bullied and teased. And I was new to Wallaceburg.

And I think I was an okay. I'm sure we're all adorable as kids. But I shot up in one summer to this height. I maybe weighed 20 pounds. As I said, I looked literally like Geddy Lee and Big Bird and Howard Stern had a love child. literally like Geddy Lee and Big Bird and Howard Stern had a love child. It's because hearing this, you know, you know, kids and kids are, kids can be like sociopathic assholes. Like this is just a fact.

Things they'll pick on. And when you look back at yourself sometimes and you say, oh my God, I was, I was so mean. I would never do that. But kids just, sometimes they lack that awareness of like, like what they're saying and how it will affect the person they're speaking to. That's terrible they did that to you. But it's very interesting that, as we'll discuss in a moment, oh, you'll correct me, I guess. I'm going to say you were prom queen and you're going to correct me. So let's read the quote. Adrienne Stickland writes, who was her favorite high school teacher at GCVI?

I don't have, I have many favorites. I really couldn't pick one because they were really different. I'm Facebook friends with Mr. Olson. So I'll give him the first shout out. That was my art teacher whom I adored then. And I adore now. And I, cause I wanted to be a fine artist. Um, oddly enough, fiance got me some paints for Christmas. So that'll be my first time in many, many years to go back to painting. I had Mr. Johnson, who was our theater arts teacher, who when we were doing The Importance of Being Earnest, brought us to the Bookshelf Cafe and taught us how to eat properly in our characters, which I thought was exceptional mr neji was my homeroom teacher and i loved his name was steve nazi neji so it was s neji sneji he came to my book launch a few years ago uh mr kacharowski

who we would joke he looked like he was using brill cream and blow dry and slick black hair but he taught russian got me into my love of russian um oh my gosh I'm blanking on that. Then there was the teacher, he co-taught Russian history. The list goes on. I really loved that school. It just, because I went from, you know, the tough stages to, I was drawn to that school. I was attending another one and I just told my mom, I really have to go. And it was like downtown and it was older. And I and it was just the right move because it was a wonderful staff and wonderful years. And you were valedictorian. Like, that's a fact. You were the valedictorian. I was valedictorian. Yes. But you weren't the prom queen, even though the Internet thinks you were. First of all, there was no prom queen like, you know, we're not in North Carolina.

first of all, there was no prom queen. We're not in North Carolina. So I have a joke, an old joke, and I think someone told something very similar to it on America's Got Talent, so I've dropped it, but I would open shows and say, you know,

I'm valedictorian, prom queen, president of student council, and captain of the debate club. Of course, I was homeschooled is the punchline. Right. And and also it was just like, you know, then something inappropriate about one of my teachers, which is, you know, a darker joke. But so there was no prom queen. But then all of a sudden it would show up on IMDb and Wiki. And I'm like, and if we're being really honest,

I was vice president of student council. My best buddy, who's still one of them, Stephanie Headley-Smith was president. So there you go. If nothing, I'm honest. Well, good. Maybe this will be the source for the Wikipedia update. Get the record corrected here.

Okay. So sounds like things improved for you. You grew in, basically this happens with the ugly duckling, right? You grow into your body parts and suddenly the ugly duckling is a beautiful swan. And here you are, a beautiful swan, you're valedictorian. Now, we're going to fast forward a bit because I need to talk to you about the Weather Network. Blair Kerrigan is a listener of the program and he writes, I have had a crush on Carla since I first saw her on the Weather Network.

And he puts in parentheses, that's dating both of us. And you could insert a good joke there, I'm sure, about dating both of you. Carbon dating both of us? So tell me this. How did you end up at the Weather Network? Dude, I got to tell you, when this happened, I thought I made it too. When I finished

university, and I spent one of the years in France, where I started on the radio, when I got out in the wild, I thought, listen, I don't want to be an actress like now, actress and comedian, and I got out in the wild, I thought, listen, you know, I don't want to be an actress like now actress and comedian and just be struggling on my life.

Radio and TV seemed like a good combo of the two. And I was in Montreal. Um, and I think I just been on the radio there for a few months and then I had an audition for Canada's weather network, which used to be out of Montreal and it was fairly new. It was only a few years old. And boom, I got the gig. And I remember thinking, look at me in my early 20s on national TV. Well, that's it, right? This is it in this time. We're in, I guess, the early 90s here, you know, pre-internet for sure. Being on TV was a bigger deal than it is today because

that was really, that was the only screen we had, right? You go to the movies or you watch TV. Like you're in people's living rooms. That's a big effing deal in the early 90s. Yeah, that's right. I know kids when the wagons were circling. But yeah, and I had a wonderful boss there. I'm still friends with, but he's the one who kindly suggested gently,

maybe you should go into comedy because I was doing like the all request weather weekend and I was you know responsible for some shenanigans and in fact one of my co-anchors Erin Melinda Boquer from Montreal we had zoom drinks together on Christmas this year um again that was a that was a really fun time and you have to also understand the wild thing about this, Mike, which you can appreciate as a broadcaster, is the English portion of the Weather Network was not shown in the province of Quebec, including Montreal. So we were like ghost broadcasting.

And then I'd land in Toronto to visit my family and people would recognize me. Right. At the time, I had very, very long dark hair. And we'd have guys like my buddies at university oh we just get a few cases of beer and we watch you on friday you know this is green screen and you know you're just saying that it's raining for the fifth day in chicken nipples saskatchewan like you know so i used to like to zhuzh it up apparently too much now okay you might be a little humble here maybe not we're about to find out but

do you think uh because i do that you are the most famous uh graduate of on-air weather network hosts ever not allowed i am not mark krisky would be okay now part of my ignorance who's mark i should know this right uh is mark now mark krisky went on to do a local show on KTLA in Los Angeles where he still is doing it. So that had to be... Okay, so he's a good example of a famous guy who's LA famous. There you go. But yeah, I'll take the most famous chick. Why not? So good for you. And this does open doors. So is that why you moved to CFTO here

in Toronto? Because you host Eye on Toronto. Is that next for you after the Weather Network? There was a brief stint in radio on Toronto. I moved to Toronto and was working the first time. Gary Slate, whom I'm actually having a meeting with next week, has hired

and fired me. Yeah, has hired and fired me many times. Oh, yeah. Can I play a promo before we dive into this era of the Radio U? You're right. I got my timelines wrong. But I do have a clip of you.

And it's funny because I produce a program, a great podcast by Larry Fedorek called I Was Eight. a great podcast by Larry Fedorek called I Was Eight. But there's a clip of you and Larry and the guy I woke up to when he was on CFTR in the 80s and I thought I was a big fan. I'm going to ask you about him.

I'll play a quick promo from Mix 99.9. Mix 99.9 First, we brought you Toronto's Variety Station. And now, incredible vacations for two in places like Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, and more. Plus. First, we brought you Toronto's Variety Station. And now, incredible vacations for two in places like... Puerto Vallarta. Manzanillo.

And more. Plus $1,000. On a Scotiabank value Visa card. To spend any way you want. Just listen to The Mix, 99.9. Each morning between 7 and 7.15. If we call out your Mix lucky number... And you call us within 30 minutes, you win.

56 days, 56 trips, $56,000. Mix, 99.9. i have so many questions is this the radio gig you're you're setting up with your story yes yes oh my god though you sound differently so the biggest difference i see is that you were like softer spoken back then. Like, so like it's a whole different octave. It's, it's, it sounds like you, if you were like putting on the voice of like a shy teenager, maybe. Well, you know, I mean, the funny thing is, I do the, I do a voice on Cyberchase of, and I'm, what is it? Oh my gosh. Why can't i think of the first name

i'm erica frame and she's really high but you know probably uh in my drinking earlier smoking days i've produced my voice is becoming more and more like my mom's who was full darth vader um that's a hilarious promo yeah so i was not at the mix long my first stint but it was my first radio gig in toronto and uh they brought me in to do traffic and uh at the time it was bringing back tom rivers and larry fedor was also in the morning show and uh andy was the producer now larry and tom rivers i'm gonna ask you about in a moment here. They came from they were at CFTR. So clearly, in fact, in fact, I somebody tweeted.

Coincidentally, somebody tweeted a newspaper ad that Mix 99.9 put out when CFTR went all news. And it was basically saying a great station. The music has gone from the great station, but you might like what we're doing here. We have a lot of people who used to be at CFTR went all news. And it was basically saying, a great station. The music has gone from the great station, but you might like what we're doing here. We have a lot of people who used to be at CFTR. This was part of their positioning that you old CFTR listeners can come to 99.9. Let me ask you what it was like working with Tom Rivers. Well, yeah, because I think Larry was already there. I didn't even know that they both came from cftr but i knew they knew each other and i was brand new to toronto you know sometimes our

greatest gifts don't come in pretty packages um because uh tom was a character and a big scary guy uh but he really you know and i'm sure he was just like, I don't know who the hell this is. But I remember on my second day, he said, you know, I'd like you to make up a character. We're going to call her Ziggy Santa Monica, and you're going to do it for entertainment news and make it funny. And I don't do any voices. So I remember going to the vending machine and getting a pack of gum. And then he'd say, why you have do a psychic and so i and those are characters that you know i've done in la to this day uh so he put me on the spot but um there you have it i still have those those characters with me so you were unaware uh it sounds like you were blissfully

blissfully ignorant that tom rivers was this like 10 50 chum legend who then had a, you know, a big, big morning show on six 80 CFTR, which got, which actually was my wake up station when I was in like primary school. Oh no, I was, I mean, I wasn't, I wasn't in Toronto, but I certainly knew that he was a absolute legendary morning man. Of course, everybody knew who Tom Rivers was. Well, he dies pretty young. So I guess I'm very, because I'll never ever meet this guy.

I'm always curious, like, what, you know, what he was like. He was pretty hard. You know, he was, when I met him, he was a big drinking and smoking guy. You know, it's funny, a lot of morning men, a lot of legendary morning men pass early. I have noticed that. So I don't know if it's the early hours and him being at the mix.

I remember the big poster was him. You know, he sort of had, he was a cowboy. He loved fishing. I know this was a big return for him. And, you know, with the whole, I remember the slow, the, the cell line being Tom Rivers back. And it was him like sort of in a, you know, Clint Eastwood type pose. Right. But I did.

And then, you know, he didn't last long and then it was just Larry and I, and then I went, um, and then we got blown out. And, uh, but then I immediately got like the best job within a week I was replacing someone on Ion Toronto for a while so that's what got me to CFTO so okay that that okay so yeah and being blown out in radio uh that's sort of like par for the course I suppose yeah we had a new boss and that was it I think you know he just came in and said I'm bringing in my own morning guys or something. And, you know,

so I learned a lot of, it was very young, but I learned a lot of lessons about radio very early. Okay. So you're at a CFTO. Uh, and I don't even, I,

I forget when it's like, is that Baden bar broadcasting or is that CTV? I personally can't keep track of all this stuff, but. I think when I first started, it was just during the transition. I was one of Yvonne Fitzon's first hires. So, you know, that one I lucked in because it was the new boss who did hire me.

And Bassett was still there. It was a great time. Very fond memories of CTV. So it was like I had Toronto's local and then I went on to do E! Now and various other TV shows there that were national. So, yeah. Yeah, E! Now, I'm glad you brought that up because I've known Dan Duran a long time. In fact, the other day I was thinking Dan Duran might be the guy I know the best in the business who has never actually appeared on Toronto Mic'd.

Really? Because I was you were asking me for a few years oh yeah yeah and I'm sure I've asked Dan hard to get yeah it's he he used to so his son and my son were very good friends in the same great in the same class when Dan lived in West Toronto and then Dan up and left for I don't know where uh the boonies uh somewhere in the Coerthas or something. And basically it just became harder to like geographically get him over here. And I used to have a rule where you had to be here in person to be on Toronto Mike. Like I didn't do what we're doing right now. And then the pandemic changed everything. And now I'm doing these zooms here.

So I will get Dan on, but tell me a bit about that era, because this was a high profile gig. Like it's not, it was, you were like, I would say you, you guys like sort of in canada anyways i guess obviously there was you know entertainment tonight and some big american shows but you guys were sort of uh trailblazers on uh in this country anyways with that format you know yeah we were because it was before entertainment tonight canada um you know i really loved doing Eye on Toronto because it was a live one hour show. And I did some of the characters that I started with Tom Rivers. And then I remember this coming up. And to be honest, I really didn't want the gig because it was teleprompter and I had to wear my hair in a certain way.

And it was very stiff for me. And I, you know, I've said this many times and then I'm almost getting a rash. We're talking about my life for too long. I'm like, oh, God. Yeah. So for me, and I don't want this to sound like I wasn't grateful because I knew there would be a lineup around the block for this job. I was not happy doing this show. I enjoyed the interviews and I'm glad it was a groundbreaking show and it had huge ratings. And I love Dan Duran, of course. But for me, reading the teleprompter and saying, we'll be right back, I just felt my soul leaving out of my butt. Oh, I can see that because you're, you're not a puppet.

Like you, you're sort of part of your, uh, excellence is, uh, quick witted, uh, you know, on, you know, flying by the seat of your pants, if you will, like, like having a script and reading it, that's not going to feed your creative, uh, No. And it was super glamorous and there were all these clothes and shoes. And then they had me on as the entertainment anchor on the news but really me as an anchor I just end up giggling or crying um so again very grateful for the opportunity and much more stable I'm sure because they just felt I looked like an anchor and you know this comedy network was coming you know was starting and I'm

like no please I really want to go over there so So, yeah, so it was, it was great. And I, again, very close to a lot of people who worked on E! Now, Leslie Merkling, folks that are now at the CBC. I mean, we had a great time. I just, for me, it wasn't the ideal job. So did you quit that job? Like how does, how do you leave that gig? Do you just, well, I don't know.

It's, it's all a little fuzzy because what happened was the mix came calling again and said, we, you know, I could be a morning woman. It would be the first morning woman in Toronto. And I remember saying to Gary,

okay. And Gary said, no, I've talked to Yvonne. And at one point I had like three full-time jobs. It was crazy for a while where I was doing both. And then, um, and I mean, my favorite show that I've ever done was Shay Carla on the comedy network.

And we had huge ratings and it was, it's still the most magical experience I've had almost in TV and, uh, for whatever. And we had like bigger ratings in South Park it was crazy but they wanted me to host Canada AM or stay as an anchor and so we had this talk I think that's what what they did when I so I started at the mix and was loving that and then they said okay um we're gonna offer you Canada AM or something like this there was some shenanigans and I said well guys I I you know I can't do that i'm now at the mix everybody okayed this so kind of quit and was squeezed i guess because i obviously couldn't do the two right

okay now because now you're back here at the mix you mentioned, and I think this is really cool. So you're the, in kind of wild, is it, you're the first woman in Canada to host a morning show on her own? Is that the, is that accurate? Well, a major morning market, you know, major market, because I don't know, there may have been others. That's what, that's what they always said. And it was Carlin Company. And I did love that. So so and I remember them thinking you know it's the first and I was like guys it's like 2002 like you know if it doesn't work out we could put a draft in like it's not that crazy nobody should be proud of this this should have happened eons ago but then we had that campaign you may remember I was all over um well they said billboards but then i was also on the recycling trash can so i used to joke it was white trash on trash and

everybody was blacking blackening out my front teeth so in our commercial we showed me without front teeth which i thought was a great a great idea that the bosses had you got to own it you know you got to own it now listeners of this You got to own it. Now, listeners of this program would literally, they'd riot in the streets if I didn't bring up something that was mentioned in interesting detail when Steve Anthony came on the program. Okay, so you're hosting this Mix99 thing solo,

but it didn't start as a solo project, right? Like it starts as you and Steve? It was supposed to be Carla and Steve, whom I had never met until then. Okay, so... We had never crossed paths. Okay, yes, he agrees to go. I'm going to play a one-minute clip

of Steve Anthony on Toronto mic, just because then I get your side of it. Don't worry, it's not that bad. It's not that bad. But let's let Steve speak, and then I'll hear from you. Here we go. And at 99.9, you're doing the morning show with Carla Collins.

Yeah, that was the worst idea ever. Tell me why. Because they never tried us out together. I love Carla. She and I are very, very good friends. Funny lady. But it was the worst. It was about the worst three months of radio ever.

Mostly because nobody knew. See, I thought I was in charge, and she thought she was in charge. And you can't have two alphas at the trough. So they didn't bother with, like, just to see if you have... Chemistry is vital. No, they didn't bother. They didn't bother. They just made the assumption that she's funny, I'm funny.

We're both good radio people. I have more meat and potatoes radio than she does. But nonetheless, great comic. It would work. And it it didn't it was just loggerheads all the time we'd be like we wouldn't even talk to each other after the show we didn't talk we didn't plan anything i'd come in with my prep she'd come in with her prep we were trying to force it yeah there's throats okay there that uncomfortable minute is now over okay oh well i mean i don't know if you know i'm gonna be really honest i don't know if i saw it as that but no it didn't work um obviously um and then when they approached me it was even then it was to be the first woman so the name would come first i think and i i knew

up steve anthony for god's sakes he was legend um i think we may have had one meeting before they threw us on the air because i don't know where it got out. So they put us on earlier than we're supposed to. And yeah, we had Judy Crune doing news and it just didn't gel. I didn't ever feel that we were at loggerheads. And I'm going to be honest. So I'm still working at CTV. And what happened was I was sent by the comedy network and CTV to go do just relax.

And so this guy's my witness. And oh, Steve went away very early on and Griff Henderson filled in with it for him. And it was obvious that there was way more of an ease, just more on the same wavelength. You know, Steve being more of a jock and me being more of a talk radio kind of person but uh so i'm in montreal when i get the call from the boss who said you know we're gonna and as god as my they said we're gonna move steve to afternoons and i said i'll go to afternoons because i hated getting up early right and i was doing these other jobs i was doing at the time a little bit of comedy at night i'm doing c you know CTV and I was like oh I'm gonna be considered the black widow of broadcast if this happens and I'm honestly we're and you know things were happening at the time

and at uh just for laughs where some people were scouting me and saying you know should come to LA so I just thought uh-, but the boss did say, was it not easier? There was more of an ease with Griff. And I said, yes, there definitely was more chemistry with Griff, but I had, you know, I got the call and I'm, I'm in Montreal and I thought, yep. And I will say Steve was giant mensch. Um, I'm, I'm sure he had a choice word behind my back. And I was I did say, people know if nothing else, I'm honest to a fault. I said, I was not behind this. I didn't want to do this. I'm having a hard time doing all the jobs right now. And he was classy about it. We always remain friends. Look, I then you know,

I left a couple years later, if that, yeah, two years later. And, you then, you know, I left a couple of years later, if that, yeah, two years later. And, you know, I've been, I remember going on CP24 and I said, now I'm like this starving comic and you're on a national show. So that's just the whole magic of the business. And Steve and I were actually just talking because he was, he's supposed to be a guest on rocks, the Elmo, but, uh, we decided we'd wait for the new year. Cause he, they, they had scheduled him in with another guest and I want it to just be me and Steve, or I wanted it to be Steve and Corey Hart. Cause I said, the kids don't know that boy in the box is about you. Well, the people listening to us know that, but you're absolutely right.

That's a fun fact. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, and, and also, you know, also you know his uh his wife tanya was at one of my shows at the elmo and uh and i've always done his praises for being really cool and when i go on cp24 he we he'd bring out press from us and he's like to blow and i said well so we both have severe add so it's like a couple of squirrels hosting a show. So we've made lots of jokes about it. And he's always been kind. And I get at least to my face. And I thought he also was great about it at the time. Now, he said on my show, one of the things he said he was very pleased with was that he kept his morning show salary during the afternoon drive.

And he said that was like high. I guess in the radio world, the morning show salary doing the afternoon drive. And he said that was a, that was like high, I guess, I guess in the radio world, the morning show pays the best. Is that. Yeah. He got the ideal job. I would have killed for that. I'd like a morning show salary and the afternoons. Cause although I have been getting up early here on the farm, I'm not an early person, early, early morning person. So. Yeah. You got to milk the cows, right? No, no. there are no cows okay so i just gotta i get up early and milk my jokes mike thanks here we go so yeah so oh my

gosh i hope this memory lane is good i feel like that had to be the big closer right how much more history now the rest is easy because okay so that you know on this show of course there's an emphasis on the uh weather network and mix 99.9 and the rest of your illustrious career and that happened and then you did a podcast no so a few more things here but if you were here carl i just want you to know that if you were here and in ideal circumstances i you know you'd be you know a couple of feet away from me like the good old days. Absolutely. I'd be giving you the following. This is not a joke. I'm going to tell you all the things you would have received. It sounds mean, but if you were here, Carla,

Like a Canadian game show? Yeah. This is the reverse where we tell you what you're not getting. You're not getting a fresh eight pack of craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery. Like literally, I would give you an eight-pack. Damn. I know. This sounds really mean in my head as I do it,

but this is a fact. I would be giving you, you ready for this? Delicious meat, or if I know you've become vegetarian, I would get you a vegetarian lasagna from Palma Pasta. Palmapasta.com if people want to find them in Mississauga and Oakville. So they would have sent over lasagna. Great Lakes would have sent over a, uh, an eight pack of Great Lakes beer sticker you. And hopefully at some point I do see you and I can give you some of this stuff, but sticker you.com they were going to send over. Uh, in fact, they did Torontoed stickers because i envision a future

with like uh carla collins rocks the elmo uh decals and stickers and sticker you.com is where you go to get those all all done up okay obi-wan i will and you're my podcast obi-wan i was gonna say these are not the droids you're looking for okay and uh what else oh yeah uh ridley funeral home actually has these really neat um sanitizer i can't wait to hear the takeaway here hand sanitizer so hand sanitizers courtesy of ridley funeral home ridley funeral home.com they're great people in the community uh here and uh let me see if i've got everything that about covers all the stuff you'd be leaving with, sticker you sticker. Now, I will just throw this out there. If anyone listening is responsible for

like a network of computers, and you'd like to get an assessment done to ensure everything is backed up properly and secure and you're safe from malware and phishing attempts and all these scary cyber attacks that happen in this day and age. I urge you to write an email to Barb Paluskiewicz from CDN Technologies, barb at cdntechnologies.com. She'll set up an assessment

of your network and you may or may not at that point choose to outsource your IT to CDN Technologies. But getting the assessment is a smart move on its own. So there, that's done.

You're now done with Mix 99.9. When abouts in this story of your life do you realize you're a kick-ass stand-up comic? A lot, well, a lot more recent than you think. Although I did have a couple of killer sets of Just for laughs which garnered some interest and I was going back and forth um to LA but really it was around I guess around the time my book came out um this is the story I usually tell angels vampires and dishbags

the first comic self-help book so you see I've been trying to blend spirituality and comedy for a while. I was here in Toronto and I think we were taping Carla Wood. The reality show I was doing in LA. And I called up, I don't know. I asked someone at Yucks if I could jump up and do a set. and, and,

and Breslin happened to be there that night. And so I, and I killed, it went really well right you know sometimes it works and he asked if he could see me he actually gave he said that's actually a pain spot so already we're like what I'm getting some money for this and he said you know I want to talk to you uh he said I think you could be Chris Rock level good he's like but you cannot as I already said in this uh podcast you can't jump up once or twice a year um and be a stand-up he's like you've got to write every day you've got to get on stage every day he said so maybe when you're not filming anything think about it and um I know I mentioned this with Ralph, but I had a giant nerve problem. And again, like you really have to love this because it's not a glamorous, it's brutal,

right? And a lot of times the free shows or what have you. So I was touring a bit with the book and started to dabble. And then I really got into it where I was at the comedy store at midnight. And and I, you know, because I worked like you for so long in current events and pop culture, I love writing about that every day. And I guess the biggest thing that happened for my comedy career, I is maggie casella opens up a place on parliament street called the flying beaver right and calls me calls me and says and i think like really we're going back to 2012 i think 2011 something like that and she said i'd love you to come and do three shows this weekend and I got to do long form and the place would sell out again not a giant venue um with just these are just my happiest memories

of it and you know it would be packed I remember one night it was like sort of all my friends so a mix the second night was literally you know 100 lesbians and I'm like oh this is going to be interesting with my and my mom uh with my act and then on the next night it was all gay guys it was fantastic because it was a fabulous crowd and it would just be her hosting and then I get to do an hour or an hour and a half so I feel like I really burlitzed you know so instead of touring and doing 10 minutes every, you know, I started doing these long ass shows kind of, well, you know, some comedians like Ron James is known for that. And so it was a great schooling because I just developed so much material and I

got to, and I would come in once a month to do a show at the Beaver. Wow. Now we're a little little out of order because you mentioned Carla Wood and I actually pulled the opening because I want to play it because it's really amazing but uh is it like the move to California because you're of course you're a Canadian and you're living in Canada and all of a sudden you're you know LA LA Carla. Like, so what was the, was that just because that's where the work was? Like what was, what was the impetus behind the move to, to California?

Well, I mean, first of all, I'm a bit of a gypsy and, you know, I was extremely, extremely blessed and fortunate in Canada. And I felt like I had done almost everything there was to do. I had done a little bit of acting and some of the, you know, bigger shows here. I mean, I was on Degrassi at one point. Right. And I had done radio and TV and I just thought, OK, you want to go for the bigger satellite? I don't know. I joke that I just got tired of lots of love and universal health care and thought, why don't I go to L.A. and start things over? I'd always wanted to live in LA um and uh so I moved there met someone was getting work there

we started doing Carlwood and and also I mean I have to say both LA and Flying Beaver responsible for me getting into comedy and uh and very know, and then the various hustle and grind of comedy and voiceovers and bit parts. And let me play that Carla would intro here. So here we go. That's me, Carla Collins. Once upon a time, I was a huge star in Canada, but I left fame, fortune and universal health care behind and headed west, hoping to make it big in the land of movie stars and master cleansers. Sure, the odds are against me, but I'm going to do whatever it takes to turn this town upside down and make my mark in Carla Wood. There you go, Carla Wood. Great, great premise there. I also enjoyed Carla Wood,

but oh my goodness, I really feel like... Almost done, almost done. I love that you do so much research and have all this ready, but I'm like, okay, that's... Can we really stand anymore? Almost done here.

Okay, so I thought that was a cute opening and I want to play it, but you're, you know, my ex-wife was actually named after Tyrone Power's sister, Taryn. Oh, wow. That's a fun fact. You know, Taryn very sadly passed this year. I didn't know that.

I did not know that. Yeah. Yeah, Taryn Power. She passed from cancer, actually. So actually so yeah i did not know that's sad to hear that uh now a beautiful name beautiful woman so maybe why is mike bringing this up what does this have to do with anything but uh for those who don't know uh you married uh tyrone power the fourth do i have the right number there? Yes, I believe so. Okay.

And is that the guy you referenced? That you met a guy? This is the guy you're referencing when you mentioned that earlier? Yes, yes. And we did the Carla Wood together. I have to say, Ty and I had fantastic chemistry on camera. We did work very well together. He is a phenomenal straight man. Okay. And he's not with

you at the farm there though this is not no no i separated from ty a few years ago here and here i am becoming tmz's well leave all that behind so here uh again the the podcast sounds amazing and it's so cool that you're involved with the what mike michael weckerly is doing there with the elmo combo i think that's a cool slice of uh toronto history here and it's called carla collins rocks the elmo and then when you went to get one of the dogs i mentioned rocks is r-o-x so when people uh search yeah they could find it wherever you found this podcast you'll find carla collins rocks the elmo you're you're still on the farm, some undisclosed location, north of the city, but at some point you're going to end up back in LA.

So maybe I'll just close with just reiterating something I said earlier, but I'm very, very sorry for your loss because I heard you telling Ralph and Murgy how very close you were to your mother. And I'm really sorry that you're, you're, that she's passed on. Very sorry. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Well, you know, it's been, this is the longest I've spent in Canada in a long time too. So, you know, the ghost looms large here. She, I, I, I think she would,

she would love the Carla Collins Rocks the Alamo show. It'd be her kind of thing because we touch on some, I mean, as I said, these just, they're really different kind of interviews. They're very raw and such wonderful, intimate performances too. And I get to, you know, talk about my sort of like my comedic spirituality in there. And I think just because there's so many amazing people involved that it just, and during this time, right? I think a lot of it may be a reflection

of starting a podcast during the pandemic. People just were talking about, they're just not the usual shtick. Do you know what I mean? They're just not talking about the usual stuff. Do you find what I mean? They're just not talking about the usual stuff. Do you find yourself like constantly wondering what would your mom think of this? Like, is she simply, is she still a presence in your life and that you would think, oh, mom would say this or mom would say that?

Is it? Oh, Michael, she is still the biggest presence in my life. Yeah. You know, and this will sound really ridiculous, but I, I think maybe some of your listeners can relate. I've actually found myself worried some, especially when I was in LA about my mom during this pandemic and thinking, Oh, you know, she's in the, she's in a fragile group. You know, she, she would be susceptible. She's and I, sometimes I just, just like I, you know, she would be susceptible she's and I sometimes I just just like I you know

something will happen and I'll think because we spoke every day um sometimes more than once a day something wonderful will happen or something and I think oh my god mom will you know I gotta tell mom so yeah she she uh she was larger than life and uh is now literally larger than life and is now literally larger than life. And also probably because, you know, when, when grief is a, is a weird little monster. And I think that for being a type A personality, I just, I'll work out 80 times a day. I just kept really busy because I was kind of trying to outrun it. And I think what this pandemic I'm sure has

done for a lot of people is yeah you got it you're you've got a lot more quieter moments and uh and especially being back in Canada and I I really believe as hokey as this may sound that um I'd start I think she sent Michael Stewart Webb to me, my gay fiance. They're very similar. So yeah, I do find myself... It sounds so weird, but a few times I've caught myself legit worried about her. Not weird at all. Kind of sweet, actually. Not weird at all.

What might be a little weird is that you've now surrounded yourself with Michaels. I think that's... Michaels, Chocolate Labs. I know I always have themes going on. Well, there's a lot of us. All Michaels all the time. Toronto Mike working out. And I want to thank you because you were very sweet.

You took a call from me when I said, hey, I don't know. This podcast is a new world to me. And you were you were lovely to mentor me and to offer advice. And you've been wonderful and helpful. So I really appreciate that. Again, just happy to be a part of it. And I think you're legit funny and a great talent. And the more people that hear that and experience that I think the better this world will be. Well, thank you. I think they'll enjoy my extras that are sometimes alcohol-fueled at the end. I try to give a little wrap-up

at the end. Well, here, honestly, come for the great conversation and stay for the drunken Carla extra. It's not a bad cell line. It's not a bad cell line. Well, thanks again for doing this. We didn't even, I'll let, Ralph covered more of the comedic meditations than I did, but

I would just, maybe if you tell us what website we should go to to learn more about something like your comedic meditations, which I hear are excellent, and how they can sign up for one of these. Where would somebody go? Yeah, these are my new baby. I created something called comedic meditation where I do standup comedy and then take you through a legit, authentic and original guided meditation. I've been doing quite a few corporates, which is great. So it's a nice

alternative because again, you know, online comedy, bleh. But the online comedic meditation part, it's not, you know, people are really enjoying because meditation might work better with this kind of delivery. So if you go to comedicmeditation.com, you can check that out. Or, you know, I also offer privates. A lot of people liked it during the pandemic. A lot of people are by themselves isolating. So yeah, I think it's, again, you're laughing, you're meditating. That puts your brain in the same state.

And it's for people who are veterans or if you're brand new to it, I think you'll really like it. And all you have to do is laugh and shut your eyes. There's no yoga involved. For some reason, Canadians keep saying, but I don't do yoga. And I'm like, that's cool. That's cool, bro. You don't have to. So, yeah yeah, I think, I think you'd, you'd really dig that. And I think coming up on the show with Humble Howard, I give a little, a little sampling of comedic meditation

because he's a fan. Awesome. Awesome. And that brings us to the end of our 780 second show. But Carla, at some point, you know, when it's safe to do so, if you're in town, I'm going to make you visit the TMDS studio here. So your first can be online, but at some point you're going to have to pay a visit. Just so you know. I promise. I promise. Well, if we weren't in the... Listen, when even up north hit a shutdown, I'm like, well, I don't think it's a very good idea to wander out in the wild. But I promise you, I will come.

You're in the West End, right? That's correct. Southwest Toronto. Absolutely. I will go west. I will follow all the hipsters, the line of breadcrumbs and hipsters. And I will go west and I will be there live in person, which is always much better. But, you know, we're doing the best we can.

We're all switching and pivoting and hopping or whatever it is we're doing. I hate all the pandemic keywords. Pivot is a big one. And you can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. Carla is at Carla Collins. I'm at Carla underscore Collins.

Oh, sorry, yes. Carla underscore Collins. Our friends at Great yes. Carla underscore Collins. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Palma Pasta is at Palma Pasta. Sticker U is at Sticker U. CDN Technologies are at CDN Technologies. And Ridley Funeral Home is at Ridley FH. See you all next week.

This podcast has been produced by TMDS and accelerated by Roam Phone. next week.