Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Dave Mendonca: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1856

Episode Date: March 2, 2026

In this 1856th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Dave Mendonca about his career in sports media and new desire to be Canada’s Nostalgia Guy. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Nick Ainis, and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

All right. This is Damon and Donkey here. Going back in the Time Machine with Mike. Can't wait, man. Can't wait. I live in the Time Machine, Dave. I've never left the Time Machine. Have you not listened to this show? Yes, I have a few episodes, yes. All right. Save that fire. We're going to get into it.

Nostalgia Time. Nostalgia alert. Shout out to Storm and Norman Ruhmack. Welcome to episode 1,856 of Toronto Mike. An award-winning podcast, proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery. Order online at Great Lakesbeer.com for free, local home delivery in the GTA. Palma pasta, enjoy the taste of fresh. Homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville.

Visit palmaPasta.com for more. FusionCorp's own, Nick Aini's. He's the host of Building Toronto Skyline and the new Mike and Nick, left versus right to podcasts that you ought to listen to. Recycle My Electronics.c.c.mitting to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. And Ridley Funeral Home, Pillars of the communities since 1921. Joining me today, making his Toronto mic to debut, it's Dave Mendonka. Yes, yes.

So let's go, man. Mike, thank you, man. We've already gone. Let's go. Listen, listeners, that is like a live reading. Like, this is not like a pre-recorded intro. Like, that takes guts, Mike. Does it?

I like to walk on the high wire here. Tell me, do, I don't go on a lot of podcasts. Do podcasts typically have a canned intro? Yes. Yes, they do. Yeah, especially with their sponsors involved, definitely. But yeah, like, he mans. Is that because they're chicken shit, Dave?

They're afraid they're going to mess up the live. Absolutely. But this guy's got balls, man. Mike's got... I do have balls. I do. I do. Dave. Thank you. It's about time a guest came on and told the listenership, I have balls. There you go. You brought me a gift and I rudely rejected it in the driveway and I said, Dave, take back this damn gift and give it to me on the recording. I don't want to talk to you. I was kind of rude to you. Was I not? Very much. I was quite offended. I was about to just leave. This is the new thing. Ever since I won my prestigious podcast award, I've decided to treat my guests. like just like dicks like like I'm treating you so rudely because I don't want to hear a syllable from Dave Mandanka until we start recording but we're recording right now what do you have for me there so here's the thing you know like okay my background's southern European okay my parents are Portuguese that kind of thing so southern European culture when you go to somebody's house yeah I'm in his basement guys I am in Mike's basement I live here I live in this house so he was very kind to invite me over so I'm not going to bring wine it's like the middle of the afternoon, like lunchtime. I thought, get some 10 bits. Okay, thank you, man. There you go,

bro. So thank you. I hope I wasn't too rude to you before we press record. But really, thank you for being here. No worries. Because I joked in that little intro there that I feel like almost every episode of Toronto Mike has a healthy wallup of nostalgia baked in. Yeah, I love it. And you're like emerging, your self-appointed, maybe we're going to talk about it. But you're the nostalgia guy. Yeah, man. Like I got this TikTok called Nostalgia A. And that's all I do, man. H. Like A, right? I'm just getting the listeners, no.

Yeah, exactly. It's the, you know, Canadian, right? So it's like 80s and 90s nostalgia. Like, I'm a Gen X or I'm on the younger end of Gen X. Were you born in the 80s? No. Okay, then that's fine. Late 70s.

Okay. Late 70s. So, yeah, man. So I love this stuff. You know, it's, man, like, I've always been a trivia guy. I just consume TV movies back in the day, 80s and 90s. Listen, me and I both. I feel like this.

We can go anywhere you want, okay? I'm just telling you, the only rule is there's no rules. Okay, cool. I'm going to give you some gifts because you're here now and you gave me a gift. But we're going to just mix it up, man. Okay. I have a few little notes because I'm like, who was a Dave Mandanka before this? And I'll just confess to you right now.

I don't have a TikTok account. I'm not on TikTok. Really? Yeah. Okay. Never been on. I don't actually have a pang to see what's going on there. You know, maybe that says I'm a, I'm some kind of a Luddite or.

something. I don't know. We're going to get into it. You do well, man. You do well. Well, we're going to spend it half an hour with you telling me how well I do. You can teach me. So, but, but I am always like, you know, I'm thinking now of like FOTM Hall of Famer Retro Ontario, Ed Conroy. Okay. Do you know this name, Retro Ontario? Retro Ontario, yes. I do know that. So Retro Ontario, like, so forever, he's been stirring up the nostalgia mix and then, you know, I've been spreading it like manure on my lawn at Toronto, my com and now I have a podcast and I'm having people on to just let's talk about this and that

I told you when you parked in my driveway that the guy who just rolled out of that driveway, one time fastest man in the world two-time gold medal recipient Donovan Bailey and he comes over once a week I'm honored to produce his podcast and we hang out he was just here

and I'll tell you right now when I see Donovan Bailey I feel pangs of nostalgia 1996 man that's right man Olympics come on Oh, come on. Yeah, you and I are both Gen Xers. We remember 96, but I'm telling you, that's like one shade of nostalgia, right? When you remember that time when Canada had the fastest man in the world and there was no positive drug result coming.

He was legit. Do you remember when Donovan and Michael Johnson had that one-on-one race at the dome? Of course I do. And then Michael Johnson just pulled up lame, the hamster. You remember that? Yeah, and Donovan called him chicken. That's right. Yeah.

And then recently on, maybe it was TikTok somewhere, Michael Johnson responded to those comments. And I had Donovan back on the show to respond to those comments. But we all watched that 150 meter race, right? Oh, man. It was hilarious. Yeah, it's too much fun, man. Too much fun. So, okay, let's talk to nostalgia here.

I'm looking at your wall here. He's got like, you know, like an old shopper's drug mart. Is that an 80s, Blue Jays calendar there? 86. 86. So we're talking Jesse Barfield. Lloyd Mosby, all those guys. Yeah, I stuck it on May 1986

because that was George Bell's month and George Bell was my favorite Blue Jay. George Bell, all right, man. So did you know Cecil Fielder? I think he was on that team as well. Do you remember Cecilfielder? Oh, my God. See, you know, I'm worried about this Convo

because these are, do I remember the 150 meter race between Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey? Do I remember Cecil Fielder? Like, I feel like we got to kick that up a few notches. Like, of course I remember Seseafielder. I'm just testing the waters here. I'm seeing Maestro fresh wet.

1989. Testing the waters. Have you ever heard of episode of Trotamiked? I'm getting angry over here. I'm going to be throwing timbids at you in a minute. But you must know that

I'll remember Sessel Fielder and you must know I'll remember the 150 meter race at the dome, the sky dome between Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey. Okay, cool. Guys, I think he's like a little offended right now. I'm sorry.

I brought timbits. I thought I was, you know, nice here. Sorry, you were saying something about the maestro. Yeah, yeah. I just noticed it. Is that his album there? That's his 12 inch for,

preface that, that's his 12 inch single for Let Your Backbone Slide, 1989, which I bought that in 1989. So I was a huge Maestro fan from the first moment I heard, Let Your Backbone Slide. Solid, solid jumping point.

And I thought to myself, and maybe Maestro heard me think this and he stole it for a future name of an album. But I said to myself, ready for this? I said, nah, this kid can't be from Canada. That's right. Isn't there good there? Terrific actor, too.

Meister Fresh West. Did you know that? Well, I know he was in Mr. D. That's right. That's right. Mr. D. I haven't seen, I'll be honest, I haven't seen a lot of Maestro's acting,

but I understand he's multi-talented. And he lives in New Brunswick now. Did you know that? I did not know that, man. He left to us, and he lives in St. John, New Brunswick. No, he's a Maritimer now. Good for him, man.

That's awesome. I love Maestro. So, Dave, before we get into more nostalgia, that was a teaser. Do you think, maybe we could spend a couple of minutes like, who were you before the TikTok channel? And what's the name of your TikTok channel again?

Nostalgia A, E-H. Right. E-H. And by any chance, does that content go anywhere else? Or is this like a TikTok thing? It's a TikTok thing. That's where I'm growing the whole shebang. Gotcha.

But yeah, man, Mike, it's been quite the ride career journey-wise, man. Do you have time? Let's make time for it. Okay, so tell me, because I know you have a bit of a sports media background, but let's go back even further. Like, like, dude, yes. Tell me the abridged version of the Dave Mendonka biography.

And that gets you to like the score and the sports media. And then we'll weave some questions into that. And then we'll get you to the nostalgia. Gotcha. Okay. So basically Toronto born, but grew up in Brampton, Ontario during the 80s and 90s.

So during that time, yeah, I became a sports fan, did like the local Rogers TV stuff, like play by people. You got it, man. I was all over that stuff. So I was doing that, reporting.

And then, yeah, I used to actually go to school with Sid Sixero of the score back in the day. We went to Humper College together. The Sid Sixero, who is now a podcaster himself. Yeah, he's doing all right, you know. He's just launched it, right? Exactly. So Sid and I, we took the Humber radio broadcasting program together for a couple of years back in the day. So he got to headline sports first, which later became the score.

Right. And he's like, hey, Dave, man, you know, why don't you come on in? I could get you an audition to be a voiceover guy at the score. So I went in there and there you go. Like I nailed it. Is this King and Peter Street? You got it, man. Yeah, I can see the Blue Jay's Way.

Well, one side is Blue Jay's Way. The other side is Peter Street, right? You got it, man. So that's where I landed at the score. Thanks to Sid. Sid got me the audition. And yeah, the rest is history. I was a voiceover guy for like eight years.

And it's a part-time TV reporting. Amazing. So I'm going to ask you, did you cross-pass? at the score with people like was Mark Hebscher there? He was just before my time. I started in 99. He left, I think, in 98 or 97. Yeah, okay.

And so is this is where Tim and Sid is born, right? You got it. Totally during that era. You got it, man. Okay. My buddy Elvis, who listeners know he comes over for Festivus and he often co-hosts the live events I have at Palmis Kitchen. Dave, you should come to the next TMLX event at Palmis Kitchen.

which won't be until either late November or early December. I have to pick a date. But you should come to that because we record live and everybody eats Palma pasta for free. Legendary. I've heard about these guys. Okay. Do you want?

Would you receive from me, this is a very loaded question here, would you receive from me a large beef lasagna that's sitting in my freezer upstairs right now? Would you take that home with you today, Dave? I would happily take that home. Thank you. Will you report back?

on what you thought of the delicious, now I'm, you know, I'm tainting the ecosystem here, but the, what I deem to be the delicious palm pasta lasagna. Absolutely. I'm totally gay, man. Totally. Okay, so you got your lasagna. What I think pairs nicely with palma pasta lasagna is a can of fresh beer

from Great Lakes brewery. Can I send you home with some fresh craft beer from GLB? Absolutely, absolutely. Did you know you were going to get all this way? I didn't know about these perks, man. I swear, when I rolled up. listening very closely. Please continue.

Well, I didn't know you gave it out to everybody. I wanted to feel special. Everybody in person, you know, I just did a great episode of Linda Cash, whose mom, do you know the name Maureen Forrester? I know Linda Cash Cream Cheese Lady. Yeah, that's her. That's her. So her mom is probably Canada's most famous opera singer.

Wow. She's sadly no longer with us. Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home. But Maureen Forrester, mother of Linda Cash, I just spent a little time. off the top of that episode, listening to Maureen Forrester, that gorgeous angelic voice, and listening to Maureen Forrester

with Maureen Forrester's daughter, Linda, on the line with me, was quite a moment. So people definitely don't skip Linda Cash. But Linda Cash was a remote and did not receive all this way. Okay. I was wondering how we're going to get back to that,

but you tied it up nicely. Well, you're here to keep me, you know, you're here to keep me, check. You have the MSM experience. I do not. But I'm going to give you, because I mentioned Ridley Funeral Home.

A measuring tape, Dave. from Ridley Funeral Home. Are you serious, man? I would never ever lie to you. Wow. So thank you to Ridley Funeral Home, and they have a great podcast called Life's Undertaking. Is that seriously the name?

Life's Undertaking. We record every two weeks. Brad Jones from Ridley Funeral Home drops by. He'll knock on the side door. He'll come down here. It's about a half an hour every two weeks. It's pretty great. I highly recommend Life's Undertaking.

And while you're subscribing to podcasts, I want to let the listenership know that Nick Iienes has a couple of great podcasts. One is brand new and features a lot of me, which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending what you think of me. But I want people to know building Toronto Skyline. We drop new episodes every two weeks. That's Nick Iienes' podcast. And there's a new one called, what's called Mike and Nick, left versus right,

where we literally just chat for about 25 to 30 minutes about what's happening in this mad, mad, mad world, Dave, because it's pretty chaotic. and we try to have civil discussions. We bring our unique perspectives to the table and we just chat it out. Got it, okay. You got it? You're going to subscribe? Let me see that phone.

Whip out that phone and subscribe. It's charging right now. Yeah, it's somewhere down there. Do you find like you've got a drawer at home full of chargers of old phones? Like maybe you had a phone you haven't had in like, I don't know, 20 years, but you still have the charger? Absolutely. Charges of all sorts, man. Like phones, laptops.

You got it. I'm going to help you out here, Dave. Because I like you and we're going to mix it up. Pure nostalgia the rest of the way. Okay. Okay. If you go to Recycle MyElectronics.ca and you put in your postal code, you'll find out where you can drop off those cables, those devices, the computers, the old electronics to be properly recycled. So those chemicals do not end up in our landfill.

Wow. This is great. You're quite the pitch man. Well, that's it for my pitches. And if you want me to pitch your stuff, Mike at TorontoMike.com, there's room for one more partner. Love it. Maybe Dave, I could pitch nostalgia. A on TikTok channel.

Okay, so all the listeners are on TikTok are already there to check out what you got. Okay, cool, man. But we're going to mix it up. So when you're at the score, do you cross paths with, and maybe he's gone by then? Elliot Friedman. Absolutely. Great guy, so knowledgeable, so down to earth. You know, man, I don't know, when he gets into a room, he's just a cool guy to be around.

And he has time for everybody. He doesn't, he's not a diva. Elliot is not a diva. I haven't seen him in a while. but I know when I worked at the score, he had time for everybody. And such a talent, man, such a multimedia talent.

Your first sign somebody is a decent person is they'll carve out 90 minutes of their life to spend in your South Atobical basement. Because Sid Sixero won't do that. Listen, man, I can't speak for Sid. I'm blaming you. No, don't blame me, man. You know, Sid's got his reasons.

But I'm sure, like, if you reached out to Elliot, has Elliot been on the show? Yeah, he's been over. He was an early guy to come over, actually. Kudos to Elliot, because he didn't wait for this, you know, roster of 800 heavy weights. There were whatever, a thousand heavy weights. He was an early adopter.

He came over, sat right there. We had a great chat. Loved it very much. By the way, when I brought up Elvis earlier, I'm going to just tie this back and then we're going to get into it. Because Elvis has this, like, love-hate relationship with Sid Xero, where I think he loves to hate him. Like, it's a wild, wild dynamic.

But he was telling me, the other day on WhatsApp, he was telling me, Sid Sixero is talking on his podcast about these expensive watches that don't have batteries in it. And he was like, this man is a lunatic. What's your thoughts on wearing a watch that doesn't actually work? I wouldn't do it. I have a phone, has time on it. It's not my thing. Is your watch literally just for styling? Like you're not even going to put a battery in it so you can know it will have an accurate time on it? Again, I don't know what's going through his head. It's not a move I would do. But I'm sure he has this. But do you think somebody who would wear a watch and not even consider putting a battery in because they don't care that it actually works? A bit of a madman, maybe, a lunatic? Would you alert authorities?

Not me, man. I think he's got something around fashion. He's a fashion statement. I don't know. You're a friend of Sid. You're careful here. Okay. I won't call the authorities yet, but Sid, the door's still open if you want to come over.

By the way, just one note on Elliot here. Yeah. Get serious before we get nostalgic here. and I even have a quick audio clip from a diehard listener. Surname is Draper. I'm trying to remember first name. I think it's Dawn. So I'm going to play that from this guy, okay?

But Elliot Friedman, I think it's the most recent hockey night in Canada, telecast, which would have been Saturday night. During the second intermission, he said this line, and I want you to tell me if you think, what you think of this line, okay? All right. It's like dating. The more they say no, the better they look. Okay?

This is the line, okay? Okay. So it's kind of sparked some interesting conversation. I think some good conversation. It's like the only opinion on this I think that matters is what women think of it. I don't think it matters what us two dudes think of it. But I am because you're in my basement right now, it is. Right, right.

What do you think about that line? It was an off-the-cuff remark. It's like dating. The more they say no, the better they look. Elliot said this. Okay. This conversation is like totally gone off the rails. I was not expecting this to happen.

need to do some research. Because I, okay, I, I, uh, I didn't know if you were following this or not, but, uh, I say that's one of those lines. I bet you anything Elliot would tell you, he'd take it back if he could. Okay. He wasn't well considered, well thought out. And there's nothing, and I'm, I don't know why I'm speaking for Elliot. Elliot can speak for Elliot, but I'm certain that there's nothing nefarious meant by that.

But I, I would bet if he could redo that intermission, he would use a different, like, metaphor. Absolutely. Like, I don't know what he was thinking in that moment in time. I think the spirit of what he's saying is that, you know, it's like when there's some psychological dynamic where you, the person who doesn't want you and then you start to want them more or whatever. But I think he'd take it back and maybe don't use the dating metaphor for the hockey trades, etc. Right, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Just had to phrase it differently. Yeah, man. Phrasing, mother. So before you became nostalgia man, am I right that you got to speak with the, the legend that is Vince Carter. Am I right? Yes. Oh yeah.

I covered the Raptors as a part-time reporter with the score in the early to mid-2000s. And I would routinely bump into Vince, like in the locker room after games, you know, before game stuff like that. Nice guy. Always had time for you kind of thing.

Yeah, Vince was always a good guy to me. So he was always pleasant to you, right? Absolutely. Like I felt personally he got an unfair shake. But he quit on us, you know? Like he did stop. dunking.

Do you remember this? But you know, but there's also the story that at the last ditch effort, he tried to get back, you know, but the deal was already done, that kind of thing. Come on, man. Get that statue up for Vince. Get it up for him. Do you think that should be the first statue for Raptors? Oh, man. I know, yeah, Kyle.

Kyle did a lot of things, obviously. Yeah, man, I'm torn. Kyle won it. I get it. But Vince was the launch pad, man. He put the city on the map. Air Canada. Exactly. In my opinion, I think he should be the first.

You know, in my opinion, he was half man, but he was half amazing. Oh, my God. Dude, man. You're going to ask me if I remember that now. So I would say, I was a huge Vince fan and I would, you know, I would honor him tomorrow. Yeah. Right. But I, because I lived it and you were living it closer than I was.

But I distinctly remember, we had that GM Babcock. Robbock. Robbap. Yeah. Right. Rob backcock. And it was a bad time for Vince and everything. but without a doubt he wanted out and he definitely stopped giving 100% on the court.

Like it's tough to, it's tough when your star player decides he's gonna half ass it until he's out of town. And then when he goes out of town, I think he went to New Jersey, then he'll turn it on and he'll give 100% again. Like that is a bitter swill pill, a bitter swill to Apollo,

a bitter pill to swallow. No, I get it, man. No, you're right. Listen, man, he didn't, at the tail end there, he was fed up. There's no doubt about it. And there's no excuse for that. But when you look back at his contributions, man,

like, let's, I think I can't speak for everybody in the fan base. But I know for me, all is forgiven, man. All's forgiven? Let me ask you one last thing about Vince, because I was reading that you were interviewing him. Yeah. The day of game seven, Philadelphia, 76 years, okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Alan Iverson, you might remember this game. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ask me if I remember this game. I'm guessing somebody's offended here. I'm sorry? I'm offended that you didn't think I remembered Cecil Fielder. Like that's like, I'm older than you. Remember that, okay?

So I respect your elders. But here we go, Dave. I'm asking the big question here is. And I know it was important to it, but should he have gone to his convocation at North Carolina the same day as game seven of the second round? Like when I say it out loud now, he sounds crazier than Sid Xero.

If it were me, Mike, I would have played the game. I would have not gone. I would have focused. it was you. He might have won that game. Yeah, man, but he was so close. He was close. No, he was close. It was a three-pointer that rimmed out. You know, of course. Close only counts in, uh, was it, you know, grenades and shoe, horseshoes. Okay. That's when it counts here.

Uh, I think that's actually like, if I knew there was a big game seven second round for the Maple Leafs, let's say, which happened last season. And Austin Matthews was going to go to his graduation in another country and then fly back for Game 7. We'd roast that SOB, man. I'm telling you. I get you. I don't know. Maybe we did.

I mean, I'm still roasting him today. So maybe Vince did pay, but come on. No, I'm with you, man. Yeah, okay, at the time, sure. Yeah, he deserved that criticism for sure. But when you look at the total body of work, the impact, I don't think he needs to be hated anymore. Last question on the interviews before it's all nostalgia the rest of the way.

Okay, sure, man. you interviewed Beyonce? Yes, yes. All right. So this was when I was an entertainment like print reporter. Okay, I was like a freelance guy. This was after the score,

I was like a freelancer. So I was doing an interview, a phone interview with Beyonce, okay? So the lead up to that. So you don't just get Beyonce out of the blue, like me being a total nobody, right? So here's the deal. Yeah, like how did you get on the phone with Beyonce?

Absolutely. So I used to write for this. magazine, online magazine called The Tub. It was like a Southern California-based online magazine, like 2007, 2000. Okay. Okay. So, I know it's so weird, man. It's so random.

So I'm like, you know what? It was a magazine about music, believe it or not. Yeah. So I reached out, like, at the time, Solange, Beyonce's sister, right, had a CD out early that year 2008. I reached out to her dad, Matthew Knowles, who at the time was the manager for Solange and Beyonce. Right.

So back then I'm like here, okay, here's a strategy, right? Okay, guys, this is what we do. We go, we reach out to Solange, Matthew, and, you know, pitch it. You know, hey, man, we'll do a little piece about her. And he bit. He's like, yo, let's do Salon for sure. And so I did a little write-up on her, like, after I interviewed her via phone as well. So my, here's my strategy.

The strategy was, okay, so you do Salon, get her out there, show Matthew the piece. He liked the piece. Six months later, we got to get Beyonce because she had a, a CD later that year. That's what I did. Paint by numbers, Mike. You played the long game. You got it, man.

And that's smart. Like when I had Paul Myers on because I figured I'll parlay this into Mike Myers. There you go. Didn't work for me. I'm still waiting for the Mike Myers exclusive one day, one day. It's just dating. It'll get there, man. It's happening.

But yeah, so that's how it worked, man. Then I reached out to Matthew again six months later. And he's like, yes. So the next step was, I think it was Beyonce's like, like, label rep, PR rep, reached out to me, and we teamed up on like scheduling. Then I finally got her on the phone. So this was back in like, yeah, 2008, I'm in my Scarborough apartment. It was like pharmacy and finch.

Right. I was in my bedroom, carpeted bedroom, blue paint in the bedroom for some reason. And I was sitting on the floor. I had a recording device connected to my phone back then, okay, to record the interview. Right. And here's me just sitting in my shorts, just sitting. Just sitting on the carpet and just, I'm with Beyonce. I had to psych myself up beforehand.

I'm like, okay, dude, okay, you're about to talk to Beyonce. She's just a girl, man. She's just a girl. You got this. That's no doubt. I'm just a girl. You got it. So I get on the line with her, talk to the PR person first, and then we get into the convo.

And I'm just asking her about her career. I'm asking her. How long did you get with Beyonce? We got. I have interviewer guide questions now. Yeah, no worries, man. I think I got like a good 10 minutes with her via phone. Okay. So, and the PR person, were they very specific, very clear with you where you could go and where you couldn't go in that 10 minutes?

Yeah, there were guardrails. Like you couldn't, well, yeah, there was something, you couldn't get personal or anything like that, any personal stuff. You can't ask about what the hell happened in that elevator with Jay-Z and Solange. Remember that that was the moment I'd be asking 10 minutes on that? And the PR person would come on and say, this conversation is over. Oh, yeah, she would cut you off so bad, man. What do you think of these guard wheels? Like, I understand that Beyonce's at a level where she can dictate the rules if you want to talk to her for 10 minutes. These are the rules. I understand that's her right as a human being on this planet Earth.

But as an interviewer, man, that sucks, right? But you have two things, right? There's one thing is you're under this banner called Tubb. Right? Like, so you're representative of Tubb capturing this conversation. Actually not. Okay. This is the little.

That's how you got the first one. That's how we got the first one. But once I landed Salonge. Right. I, once I got the launch, I cleared it with Matthew to get Beyonce. I reached out to Houston Press, Costco Connection, all these bigger outlets. And that's when Matthew's like, once I got the okay from these bigger outlets, he's like, okay, let's do it. So I was representing Houston, yeah, Houston Press and stuff like that.

Okay, but you followed the rules you were given. You got to, man, because you got to understand I was an absolute nobody, freelance guy type of thing. You weren't the nostalgia guy yet. I wasn't big time yet. I didn't want to rattle the nest, man. You know? Okay, so now it's all nostalgia the rest of the way. Okay, let's see.

So I got a quick comment. I'm playing about seven seconds from this guy named Don Draper. You ready? Don Draper, yes. Nostalgia. It's delicate, but potent. Did you Dave Mendonka ever watch Mad Men? Bits and peace.

Okay, so there's probably the best scene in the whole damn series is, uh, a pitch to Kodak by Don Draper regarding the, what they call now the carousel. But they recall it the wheel. And it's basically this, he talks about nostalgia and this guy, Teddy, and what is nostalgia and how the memories that come back in this carousel.

And there's a whole moment where he's like, it's not a wheel, it's a carousel. And honestly, even thinking about it now, like this is so, so I wanted to play a little clip, but that's for the Mad Men heads out there.

But can you, like, we're going to talk about what is nostalgia and then we're going to talk about, nostalgic things. Sure. Because I love this topic very much. I love it.

But why do you think nostalgia is so hot right now? Dude, we live in a very crazy world, man. And people crave simpler times, connections to times, you know, that gave them joy, that it was less complicated. It's just reminding them of people they love that are no longer there anymore. It's just, it's such a touch. man, it just instantly gets you back in time. Like when you're exposed to a piece of music, a piece of video, print, whatever, smells.

It's such a powerful thing. I swear to God, man, every time you go on social media like Facebook or TikTok, whatever, anything nostalgia base, right away, it's like hundreds of thousands of people are part of those groups or part of those pages. There's a reason, man, because we're all craving simpler times. I think I have references off the top, but we live in chaotic times. It is the world seemingly on fire. And if you can go back and remember a time when things at least were seemingly simpler.

I'm not saying they were simpler, but we didn't have the social media and the AI and all this, and the bots and all this. So a return to a seemingly simpler time can be rather soothing. But, Dave, before you've been comment on that, you will admit there is a, you know, and I think this is in that Madman, I only pulled a. seven seconds, but like there's a bittersweet component to nostalgia. Because you're going back to a simpler time in the vein of that is the past tense and we don't live there anymore. That's the heartbreaking part of it, right?

And that's the yearning for it. Yeah, you get the bitter with the sweet, right? When you think about nostalgia, there's no doubt about it. But it makes it so powerful, man, when you have that kind of connection to it. Because you're right. You're right. You feel sad about it, but there's also like a gratefulness that it happened. I appreciate, at least for me, there's an appreciation, but you want more of it.

You want to get back. Yeah, it is a double-edged sword, really, because I'm with you that there is absolutely a comfort, especially in these stressful times, there's a comfort in looking back at when times were seemingly better and seemingly simpler. And then you have the bittersweet part, which is that that is in the shadow to Pearl Jam. That's in the rear view mirror. And you can't go home again. You can't go back.

So, Mike, tell me something, man. Anything, Dave. When you were growing up. Yeah. Oh, okay. I'm still growing up. Yeah. Still growing up.

Okay. So, okay, say today, right? Say, is there, like, a place today that you visit or, like, drive past that whenever you go there, it just takes you back. Is there, like, is there a place like that for you, like a restaurant or, like, a playground? I don't know. Oh. So, I would say Lake Ontario.

Like, I've found great peace and comfort. in riding along the lake and I wonder sometimes well there's many reasons for this one of which is it's a freaking lake like what a beautiful piece of nature or whatever but the other is it feels like a constant like I can remember being like

you know 12 years old and riding the Martin Goodman Trail in that same lake like everything's so different now the city but you know the waterfront is relatively unchanged over the last you know four or five decades right

it's just this is how it pretty much how it looked in 1985. 85, my goodness. Do you remember 85? I do. I do. I was a little kid. Do you remember the drive of 85? Of course.

ALE's chance, right? Come on, man. First time, and that seven-game series against the Royals, which was the first time the ALCS was a best of seven. Prior to that, it was a best of five. And, of course, we won't mention what... Well, Jim Sundberg's bases loaded, wind-aided triple, off the top of the fence,

at exhibition stadium, but the guy who stood on his head, and I don't understand now, at the time I understood, but now I don't understand why we didn't just walk him. Right. Why did we pitch to George Brett? He was red hot, man. White hot! Shout out to Red Rider and Tom Cochran.

Yeah, oh my gosh. I don't know. It's just a bad move, man. Well, you know, that's another thing about things that, you know, hindsight is 2020. Do you remember in that series, Dave Steeb? Like in that year, he had the most incredible slider, vapor lock slider.

Like later in that series, the Royals got to him. But the first game or so, like, he was just... I think he ran out of gas because, you know, that's back, they used to pitch, you know, believe it or not. I know you're old enough to remember they would pitch nine innings a game sometimes. Oh, yeah. I miss those days. Enough of these freaking start, you pull your starter in the fifth inning now. Forget that, man.

Oh, is it Berrios who was pulled in the fourth or after four or something like that? But of course, I remember Dave Steeb had that run, loved him. And I recently did an episode of the guys behind the Twitter feed Today in Dave Steve history in which we basically, and Stephen Brunt was on the show as well. Awesome. But we lobbied for Dave Steve to be reconsidered for the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Ooh, okay. That's a little controversial. I love Dave Steve.

Well, it's not going to happen, first of all. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, good. Okay, good. Yeah, you can call it. Like, it's like we're close, right? Okay, yeah, yeah. Like, I love, Dave, if you're listening to me, I loved you, man, back in the day.

Like, a great pitcher in the 80s. But Hall of Fame, no. But why do you think so definitively no? I funny, I had Rance Mullinix on the show recently, and I asked him, like, I thought it was a slam dunk, because I said Rance. Right. Should Dave Steve be in Coopers down? And I'm ready for him to say, yes. Like, he played with the man.

Like, the numbers support it. It's just, he didn't have the wins and he didn't have the Cy Young Awards and he didn't have the World Series titles, et cetera. Didn't play in a World Series. You got it. Listen, man. When I think Hall of Fame. But Rand said no. smart that's the correct answer like and you know that's bold of him to say that because i know he was

a teammate and stuff like that but come on man like dave steeb when i think dominants like dave was awesome but i think hall of fame you got to rack up the awards you got to rack up the era titles and all that sort of thing but he played now i'm hearing him defending dave again but he played in toronto yes so that will inherently especially in the uh early to mid 80s when your team was pretty awful until until 84 until 83 right that you're you're not you're not you're you're Jay's were terrible. Yeah. So, but,

but you're playing in another, like a foreign country. Like, nobody's watching your games. We didn't have, you know, we weren't able to watch a Jay's game if you were out of market.

Like, you couldn't watch this team. Maybe you'd have to watch highlights, I suppose, but sometimes they didn't even have highlights. But it was tougher to get Sy Young votes when, uh,

you plan to Toronto and he didn't get the wins. Like, he never won 20 games in the season. Dude, man. But that's nostalgia, right? We're remembering Dave Steve. Absolutely.

Grabbing his, jock, right? Yes. He's tugging on his jock. And I was going to ask you, who's got the better mustache? Rance Mullinix or Dave Steve? Ooh. It is primafel.

I think, man, Rance was pretty fluffy. It was a little fluffier. See, I, this is a question for the ages, and I'm not sure there is a correct answer. The correct answer is Rod Black. Yes, yes. It is Hayday, for sure, man. That's the correct answer.

Two caterpillars right there, man. But, all. All these gentlemen have shaved off their mustache. Like, they're all gone now. Dave Steeb, I don't think Rocks it anymore. Rents took his off and Rod Black took his off. Is it maturity? Is it like they just feel like they're just not respected anymore?

Well, bring back the mustaches, everybody, because we need our nostalgia kick. So we agree that there's a great comfort and stressful times for nostalgia. I enjoy, I mean, God, any listener knows I enjoy going back. I did a whole episode recently on consumers distributing. Yes. I did a TikTok post about that. It just blew up so many people. talking about the catalog, how you had to fill it out, and then they get it in the back.

And a lot of times they didn't get it. They didn't have it in stock or something. Most of the time. Which was very frustrating, right? Did you guys, on TikTok, did you discuss the personal massager? I think one or two comments. Okay. You got to listen to this episode because you're distributing.

But why don't you drive a bit? I feel like I'm going to eat a couple of my timbits here. By the way, you can have one as well. Do you want one? Okay. Yeah, I'm out. Grab a timbit here. Okay, so Dave.

So I'm going to chew on some timbits. I feel like I had a guest recently. Oh, the teenager, he did an episode, speaking of nostalgia, there was a recent episode where a guy came over, and we talked about being a teenager in the Swansea neighborhood of West Toronto in the 1970s. And he brought over donuts, and I was chewing on donuts during that episode. So I'm going to chew on some timbits. But why don't you give us some specific, maybe some specific Toronto slash Canadian pop culture memories?

And then I'll chime in. And then you can ask me if I remember it. and I'll get upset. Okay, go. Okay, so I recently did a TikTok post about, I think it was called Funland Arcade on Youngstreet. Of course. Okay.

Across from Sam's. You got across the street from Sam's. So I did. Yeah, so that was around for quite some time. Loved it. So, like, I wasn't around, like, during that time, what it was in its heyday. But from all the comments, they were saying,

what they would do is they would play hooky, you know, from school. They would do the Sam's first. and then, you know, get your, whatever you got to get at Sam's. And go over to arcade play. Pick up your Glass Tiger album or cassette. Yeah, exactly. Then they head on over to Funland and they had like a whole bunch of like shooting games, like gallery games. Like pinball machines were big.

There's like, that was a big thing. Absolutely. And all the arcades, like Pac-Man and all that sort of thing. And people really dug it, man. That post got like thousands upon thousands of comments and stuff. Because that is something seemingly gone. I know that I can go to the Islington Queensways Cineplex, and they have a pseudo arcade there, okay?

Yeah. But I got to go to the bank first and get a loan before I can afford to play those games. Like there was something about, at the time, it seemed like I could come up with a couple of bucks. We had $2 bills back then, and you could get eight quarters, and I could play eight games,

and if you were pretty good at it, that could last you the whole trip. Like, it just seemed like this was an attainable activity for somebody who doesn't even have a job. and just went downtown. Exactly, yeah. I love that place. I love all those arcades.

By the way, a little bit more bullshit, I loved Pac-Man, like many people our age. Sure. But I'm here to say, Miss Pac-Man, I never really could sense, the only thing I could see is,

oh, Pac-Man's wearing a bow in his hair. But the game itself, I couldn't tell the difference. And there was Pac-Man Jr. too. Like, the game seemed to be identical to me. Yeah, it was lackluster. It didn't have the bravado. Well, that's bullshit, right, Dave?

Absolutely, man. I didn't play Miss Pacman. Like I played it a little bit, not too, as much as Pac-Man. But yeah, it just didn't have the umph, I feel, that's for sure. Hit me with some more. Okay, Funland. I love the arcade scene. Okay.

So also, how about like downtown when it was just the Seen Tower? Before the dome. What was Toronto like back then? I don't recall ever. I remember, yeah, okay. So I do recall Toronto that didn't have the dome. Because I remember my parents driving us in to visit relatives downtown, that sort of thing. But I remember recently just seeing some images of just the CN Tower.

It was all the CN Rail, the tracks and everything. So for me, I got a couple of years on you. You're late 70s. I'm like, I'm 74. So the thing we would do in high school was we'd jump on the TTC. We'd take the subway to probably to Young and Blur and we'd go down to usually Dundas, but we'd start at the Eden Center. Like it always began at the Eden Center,

which by the way, you were risking getting rolled for your dog Martins, okay? But you knew it. Like, I don't know if that's the nostalgia you want to talk about. But without a doubt, it was a very real fear

you might get rolled for your docs. Seriously? Yeah, like I got four kids. I don't remember ever having a chat with them. James, I know you're going downtown with your buddies. You might get rolled for your shoes. Like this conversation hasn't happened.

I don't think it's a fear anymore. But I'm being serious with you. It was a very real. fear that you'd be swarmed and they may demand your, you know, three-hole or eight-hole doc Martin shoes. Jeez, man. Never happened to me. But we all had stories in the schoolyard about people who knew people who it happened to.

It felt like very real fear. So a lot of crime back then, no? Yeah, well, I mean, these swarms of unruly teens, unless a lot of this might have been legend, although in a minute I'll tell you about my C&E memories, which I witnessed it firsthand. It was not legend. But okay. Oh my gosh.

You print the legend around here. No, we don't. But I'm at, so it always began at Young and Blur. Right. It always included a trip to Sam the Record Man, which was just across the street from the Eden Center. So, not Young, sorry, it didn't start Youngblood. It started Young and Dundas at the Eden Center.

It always included going to the record shops. There were a few. Like, it wasn't just Sam's. Like, there was A&A, and then at some point, this was a big moment for us teens. 333 Young Street opened a brand new HMV. Right. This was a big deal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Someone from DeGrasse was working in that basement where the hip hop was. Like, this was a big deal. I bumped into Kish one day. Really? Do you remember Kish? Kish was Order from Chaos. He had a big hit, Rime the World in 80 days.

Right. Yo, Kish, you came from Africa? No, Japan. So it was pretty cool stuff. But, okay, so we'd start at Young and Dundas, and then we'd work our way north to Young and Bluer. Like, we'd do the system here. There was head shops we'd pop into.

Speaking of docs, there was a place called, I think it was like college and young, but it was called I-XL, where you could get like a pair of dogs for like 75 bucks, which was where we'd go and buy her shoes. And there was various hot spots along the way from Young, Dundas, walking north to Young and Blue. That's what we did. My gosh, that area's changed a lot, man.

It's changed a lot. Are you kidding me? It changed a whole lot. But that was the route. And we did that most weekends. We did that. Oh, my goodness. That was it.

Like you're Brampton. My local station was Jane Station. Okay. So I had to take a bus and then I'd be at Jane Station and then we'd head east. And then like I said, young and bluer and then shoot south to Dundas. But yeah, we had our routine. And then at some point when I was about 16 in the summer months, we started biking everywhere. And then the TTC got cut out because we just biked downtown.

Like biking became the way we got downtown. And that became when I was a teenager until I was in my early 20s. That became my go-to until I, for some reason, I don't know why. I stopped biking for 15 years and then I started up again and that's how I get around today. You still bike? I bike every, I've already biked 10K today. Good for you, man. Thanks, Dave.

Come on, pay attention. Come on. What do I bike? Get out of here, Dave. Okay, no, listen, so I'm hogging the time here. But please continue because I'm very curious when you're, when you're creating this content for TikTok. Yeah. Where do you get the maximum response?

You mentioned you had a big response from consumers distributing and I can't blame me. I got a big response from that too. but you talked about the arcade. But what other hot spots are they? Like, what are the go-to topics that you're going to get engagement from? You know what? It's not even just like locations, restaurants, or like that kind of thing. It's people.

Like, Chef Pascuali. That thing just blew up on my TikTok. I met him once. I met him at the C&E. He was signing autographs at the food building. No way. And I was working at the X and then had a break. Like I used to go get a Shobsey sauce.

Like it was a sauce. I don't know. I guess was. It was like a hot dog. A big hot dog from shops. He's at the food building. It was like, I came out with two boxers and it was massive.

And then I used to eat that almost every day. And then I would see who's signing autographs because the hockey hall of fame was there. And then I would line up and meet like Eddie Olcich or Todd Gill and all these people I get to meet. Right. And then this guy, there's a big lineup and I didn't know who it was for. And I got in the line because I had some time. And then I get there and it's Pascuali. And I remember he wanted, do you have a question?

I don't know. He asked me what I wanted. And I said, oh, I just want an autograph. Right. And he kind of laughed. It's like he knew this kid, this teen, had no Pasquale, like, frame. I think he sensed I didn't know who he was and didn't care who he was. And I got his autograph.

That's fantastic, man. He touched so many lives that guy. Okay, so many comments I would get about that guy was that, you know, my grandmother, my nona used to watch that guy. You know, my dad used to watch that guy, really connecting to, like, the family aspect of things. One guy even sent me like a picture of him with a cookbook, a Pascuali cookbook back in the day. And he had such a great run. He had the opera. He did the opera thing. He interacted with the crowd, you know, the studio audience and stuff like that. This was all stuff. He was a big deal.

He was a big deal, man. What about Yon? You walk with Yon. Oh, yeah. We did a post about him, but not as popular for some reason. Hey, not as popular. I loved Walk with Yon because he would like eat with like the studio audience. They'd come on out and then he would chop it up with them, but not as popular. I don't know why because he was pretty big back then as well. But I don't know. I just, I just, I saw more of a family connection with, like, Pascuali, just really within like, the Southern European community, Italians, Portuguese, the Spanish, Spanish people. All the Nogne's. You got it, man.

He just racked it up. Shout out to Palma pasta. The Palma Patucci recipe doesn't fail to disappoint. It doesn't fail. It never disappoints. Okay. So let me hit you of some more then. Just maybe, because in fact, at some point were you going to get a video of me for

for TikTok? Didn't you send me a note about that? I did. You know what? Yeah, I changed my mind. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you ever done a post that got some great traction on TikTok regarding Mother's

Pizzeria? Mother's Pizzeria. Does that mean anything? That definitely, yes, I've done a post on that. It was all right. It got a lukewarm response. Nothing. What's wrong of these followers?

Okay. I would say if you said, Mike, you're going in the nostalgia time machine. You're going to go back to something that no longer. exists and some feeling you had at some place before, preteen, I'm not even a teenager yet. But going to Mother's Pizza to me was the best, okay?

I'd watch the ads with Dennis Weaver, pizza pasta made perfect, okay? I'd be at Mother's Pizza, you could get a, it's the only place I ever in my life remember getting a root beer float, believe it or not. Like, it was just the decor. It was kind of like a Ponderosa style. I don't know what was going on of that decor.

But the Piz, I love pizza anyway, still love pizza, That whole experience at Mother's Pizza, I wish I could experience that again. But as it was. And I want to pay, there was a Blue Jay link here. Okay. Because at some point, the investors in Mother's Pizza included people like Ernie Witt and other members of my beloved 1980s, Blue Jays.

I wish I could remember who was. Was Lloyd Mosby there? I'm not sure. But definitely Ernie Witt and others were involved in Mother's Pizza Ria. Was there like glass, like yellow glass in there? Yeah, you got the place. Yeah, a lot of glass. Yeah.

By the way, I just had a timbitt. Yeah. And it's clearly maple flavored, but there's actually like a filling in here. I didn't expect a maply filling. Okay. I'm enjoying these timbids. I'm glad, man. Like, I just think it's rude.

If you come over to somebody's place, you don't bring something, man. I had to bring you something. And it's assorted, so there's a variety for you. What's your favorite go-to, nostalgic topics? Forget engagement on TikTok for a minute here. Like if just what hits Dave? What pangs do you? Where can I hit you where you feel those pangs of nostalgia of the hardest?

Dude, yeah, 80s movies. 80s sports. That nails me. That gets me, man. Like, okay, 80s movies. This is not Canadian. The Last Starfighter. Jeff Bridges.

I loved it. Oh, that's Starman. Oh, that's Starman. 1984. This is the Disney one? This is Last Starfighter. Starfighter, not, that's Star Man, you're right. Star Man, yeah, with Karen Allen.

Yeah. Okay, remind me, talk a bit more about the last Starfighter. I sure I saw it, I just need to. It's iconic. It was kind of like a Star Wars rip-off, but basically, the concept is this guy in a small town USA playing arcade games, right? He's so good at it, right? It's just a shooting game.

He's an intergalactic kind of game, right? So he's so good at it, all of a sudden, alien dude comes down from the sky and says, Hey, buddy, you know, you got talent. We need you up, you know, in space. You got it. There's like some sort of intergalactic, you know, craziness happening. And I believe the co-ho, or the co-actor on their co-star, she was Canadian, Edmonton native, Catherine.

What's her name? Forget her name. Mary Stewart. So her name is Catherine, Mary Stewart. There you go. She's Canadian in Edmonton. But it's a legendary. Okay, so obviously the CGI doesn't hold up.

But all the fighting and space. It's very arcade-like. It's beautiful, man. I still love it. I know Seth Rogen wanted to, like, redo it, do a reboot, but he couldn't get rights to it. Right. Okay, fascinating.

By the way, this Catherine Mary Stewart that you're referencing from Edmonton, Alberta. Yep. My wife is from Edmonton, Alberta. I feel obliged to help somebody with their Toronto Mike bingo card by pointing that out. But she was also in Weekend at Bernice.

Correct. Yes. Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Okay. 89, yeah. Absolutely. So shout out the last Starfighter. I'm sorry, I confuse it with Starman with Jeff Bridges, but shout out some other 80s movies that hit you in the nostalgia gut. Do you remember delirious? Okay, no, with Eddie Murphy. No, sorry, not Delirate. No, no, no. It was a lot of Fslers in that one. Not delirited. 87 movie, 1987, oh, man, disorderlies. Yes, with fat boys. Fat boys. Watched it. Yeah. I was a big rap head and I loved to see in the fat. boys in a movie. Oh my God. It's so funny how they're wheeling the old guy around and just the

hijinks. I haven't thought of disorderlies in a very long time actually. That's funny. This is my area. Mike, man. I love like stuff like that. So it's for me movies and sports time machine. Well, then you know what movie you must love because it's the perfect crossroads of movie of sports and movie like hilarious movies from the 80s. The naked gun. Love the naked gun. The first time I saw the naked gun, 1988. Well, I didn't see, that was when it was released. I saw it a bit later. But, man, that scene, Leslie Nielsen in the bathroom with the mic on,

legendary. It's still good. And you know that woman who was running, I think she was mayor or head of police or whatever, you know who she is. No. That's Tony Sopranos mom. I did not know this. Livia Soprano, who's not to Google her real name.

But yeah, that's, you can see Tony Sopranos mom. Did not know this, man. But that scene you're describing, because I did, I have four kids. And I just showed kid number three that scene, and he couldn't stop laughing either. It's so priceless because you think he's done. He ain't done. And he farts, okay?

It is just the best scene where he wears that mic to the urinal. Do you remember batteries not included? Yes, I do. And don't tell me, Jessica Tandy. Correct. And her husband, who's name, you'll tell me his name in a minute, but he was in all those movies, too. Her real life husband, I think.

Hume Cronin? Yep, that's him. He might be Canadian, right? Is he Canadian? You keep talking. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, he's Canadian.

For the listeners, it's basically it was like, what was this? All these alien like appliances that came to life or something? Yeah. By the way, he's born in London, Ontario, Canada. Totally random. That's where I forgot he was Canadian. Yep, he went to University of Western Ontario. Oh.

I could do this all day, man. You know what? He's moving. Very interesting because. His mother seems to be related to John Labat. Really? Who is, of course, from, yeah, the Labat Enterprise. You know, we only drink Great Lakes beer on this show,

but apparently there's some brewery named Labat. I can't remember. Oh, Strange Brew is another great 80s movie with a lot of Toronto. 1983, yeah, that's with Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis. Who's the bad guy in that movie? He was like the back. Oh, Vant. Max Von Zito?

Yes, yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. How do you get Max Von C. He was like a big deal back then. I think there's a story behind that, but I can't remember. And maybe he thought he was in a different movie or something. That's what sometimes happens with these, these guys. But, okay, him may have a couple more here. One, I always loved Police Academy. Oh, come on, man. They were shot in Toronto, the first one. Near here, by the way. Was it? Yeah, yeah, U of T, right? Well, no, now it's Humper College, but it was like a mimico insane asylum of some sort. that's where the commandant Lassard had his afterwards we'll walk over and we'll pay our respects. You should take some video for your TikTok channel of Commandant Lassarids, Please Get a Me.

Oh my God, that's a great idea. Yeah, Kim Ketrow was in that movie. Steve Gutenberg. Who's the football, the big guy? High Tower. Bubba Smith. That's his name. Dude, man, yeah.

I shouldn't record while eating, but I am just inhaling these timbits. It's all good, man. But yeah, did you know Stephen Spielberg loved the Police Academy movies? I don't think I knew that necessarily, but that's a mind blow into itself. But I mean, we all did. So maybe he can, you know, lighten up and enjoy some lighter affairs.

Okay. Another movie under the radar. I don't know if you remember this. 1987, my demon lover. You know what? It doesn't ring a bell off the top. Scott Valentine. I remember him.

But it's my demon lover. Okay. He was in family ties, right? You got it. And, okay. So basically, he turned into, into a demon once he got aroused. Okay.

19. Okay. It's the 80s, man. Oh, that's all of us back then, I feel. It's the 80s. That's not even science fiction. My demon. Oh, I do remember.

You remember this? From the VHS rental places, I remember this poster. I never picked it up. But yeah, he was famous big time, Mallory's boyfriend, right? That's right. And this was his vehicle. This was his star vehicle.

If he landed this, that was going to get him over the top, man. Okay. Yeah, I love it. I do remember this title. I don't know how I avoided watching it. Maybe Siskel and Ebert told me to avoid it. That's another nostalgia thing.

I miss the days when I would find out where, because it was always moving around. It was in syndication, but I would make sure I caught Siskel and Ebert. Right, half an hour show, they'll review whatever, three movies or whatever. And then based on that, I knew what to see in the theater. And I missed the old theaters.

One of my go-to haunts was the Rahnamed theater, which is literally now a shopper's drug martin. Oh, wow. And the Humber Odion, which is closed, it's going to be condos or something. Oh, my gosh. And I think if you went out west and somebody had a car, there was a theater at Sherway Gardens. Right. So across of Queensway at Sherway Gardens.

There was a theater there before they opened up the one I alluded to earlier, which is at Islington and Queensway. Right now there's a theater at Islington and Queensway. Yeah. But I'd miss going to the local, and I'm not talking Blockbuster, because there was one at Jane and Bloor, but we had a local video guy. and he would tell you what to rent. Like I remember him saying, pre-pult fiction, I remember him saying, you should watch this movie Reservoir Dogs.

It's great. And I miss those guys. I think he got busted for dealing Coke or something at that store. But I miss the independent local video store guy. Dude, I never had that kind of relationship with local video store guys, but I hear you. I had a few back in the day up in Brampton.

But I never had guys revealing. I know Quentin Tarantino was like, He worked at a video store. That's right. He had the same kind of thing. But back of the day, I watched this go Niebert. But did you all, okay, did you watch the Canadian, like the movie show, Larry Page? Was it Larry?

Did he start Google? No, exactly. No, it was 1989. It was out in Calgary. It was called The Movie Show. Larry and his wife, who was now like a sports author who wrote the book on the Wayne Gretzky and stuff. Oh, wow. The movie show, 1989.

I was all over that, man. You discovered a CanConversion of basically a movie review, like with Siskel. Well, I don't know if it was a review show. It was more like it showed what movies were coming out kind of thing. So it was like a movie show, but not a critique show. But so it was a nice compliment, I guess. But what you remember what channel you'd watch this on? Like was this a global thing?

Was it a CBC thing? It might have been like a, it might have been a global or a CHCH. Oh, Hamilton. Okay. Possible. The movie show, 89. Man. Okay.

Speaking of CHCHCH, do you have any paying? of nostalgia for the hilarious house of Freitenstein? I used to watch that as a kid. It was such a trip back and all the colors. It was always dark colors and light. Green's yeah. Lightning.

I remember that as a kid. Billy Van. That's right. And I remember the makeup, just like everyone had like dark eyes. Vincent Price. That's where you first discovered Vincent Price. And then you realize,

oh, this is the guy in the thriller. Michael Jackson's thriller. That's him. He apparently batched those episodes And like one summer or one recording or something We call that pulling Adina Pilezi That's what we call that Is that what that is?

You got a batch record and then trick people Well that's what he did And apparently he was hurt for money at the time That's why he took the gig or something like that No surprise there No surprise there But yeah what a what a get that was Getting Vincent Price in the mix there

What about like It's funny because my youngest who's now she's about to turn 10. Wow. But she had a gift card. She had a couple of gift cards for Toys R Us. Because we have one near the aforementioned Sherway Gardens here in South Atopical. And then the news hit the wire that they were, the Canadian Toys R Us was declaring bankruptcy.

Yes. And you could basically, you use those gift cards or you lose those gift cards. And you had until, I think it was a family day, I think, or something like that. It was recent. And we went to Sherway so she could drain these gift cards because you couldn't get that money. I'm in there and there's the giraffe. What's the giraffe's name, Jeffrey? Yes.

And I'm thinking, oh, that's it. Like, here's another one of those nostalgia things. Like, Toys R Us. Like, a toy store. Like, that's it. We're done with Toys R Us now. That's the end of a nostalgic era. Absolutely.

I remember very vividly going to Toys R Us, like, very rarely. Like, my parents, like, they were, you know, hardworking people. They worked at the chicken factory back in the 80s. Never had many time or much time to, like, help us go to different places. had the money. So every once in a while we would go to like a Toys or Us. I remember one time Yeah, you got the toys, but I found a $50 bill man. Mike that made my day and my mom never That's a lot of money back then. Yeah, my mom never told me to like give it back to the store. So I just pocketed it in and there you goes. I still remember to this day. I don't remember the toys as much.

I remember the gain right there, man. Did you ever work at the chicken factory? I did. I did back in 1996. I was there for a few months. hanging bloody chickens on hooks, shoveling chicken guts and buckets. It gives you a lot of perspective, Mike. I thought that might make you a vegetarian. No, surprisingly not. No, I still eat chicken to this day, man. But a very formative experience, that's for sure, man.

Because ever since then, it's, you know, I've been very appreciative of every step of the career journey, that's for sure. Well, true or false. Are you, Dave, F-O-T-M, Dave? You're now a friend of Toronto, Mike. Thanks, man. Add that to your CV, okay? Okay, so Mike, I got a minute, man, because we've been chatting. Like, I thought I was in the dog house a little bit because you're like, I thought you got a little.

You should be honored to be in my dog house. For sure, man, whatever. But, yeah, man, this is an honor. I thought I offended you, but this is great, man. I appreciate it. I like to do this thing where I pretend I'm offended. Like, this is a thing I'll do. Okay.

Because, of course, I don't give it. I'm not offended that you didn't think. I remember the 150 meter race between my friend Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson, which would have been a 97 thing in which I'm like, if I do the math, I'm in my early 20s. Like, did I get blackout blitzed and just forgot to, I just disappeared for six months or something? How could I not be aware all over a sports fan, a fan of Canadian, watch the Olympics on TV from 96, rooted for Donovan on subsequent Saturday nights? how could I not be aware of Michael Johnson

versus Donovan Bailey in a 150 meter race at Skydome? Tell me. All right, so I'm sensing a bit of defensiveness right now. But here's a big question for you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. True or false? Yes. Are you a member of the Marvel cinematic universe?

This is true. Yes. Do you want me to go into the story? You have to because that's a mind blow. So your listeners will care? This is, yeah? I actually never cared if my listeners care. I care.

I care. Okay, so this is basically it. Okay. So let's harken back to the year 2007. Okay. I had just parted ways with the score. I was, you know, downtrodden a little bit. And I thought, you know, why did you part ways of the score?

Well, you know what? It was time. Like, basically, you were fired. Pretty much. It was time. They fired me. No, it just advanced due course. There's a long story behind it, but it was a great run.

Anyway, so after that, So I'm like, okay, so what am I going to do right now? Just trying to figure out the next step. So I thought, you know what? I can go on Craigslist for some odd reason. See if there's any opportunities out there. I see this ad mic for a Marvel film. You're looking for background extras, okay?

And they're looking for business people extras. Okay. So I, you know, I submit my picture and tell them who I am. Then bada boom, bada bing. That's where they saw the strippers on the sublanoes. Bada bing. Exactly, bad. Then I get the email back and say, hey, man, yeah, let's do it up.

So that's how I got it. So where I shot, okay. So there was one location, the iconic location, was just south of King and Young. There's like a cul-de-sac there. I think it's Melissa Street. I want to say it's-malise. That's where people film in Toronto when they want to pretend they're in New York. There you go.

There you go. So there was that cul-de-sac there. And so, yeah, I'm dressed up as a businessman. and I got glasses on, got a briefcase, all that sort of thing, right? So originally in the scene, the scene calls for... Wait, which movie are we talking about? Oh, sorry, The Incredible Hulk. My apologies.

Oh, 2008, my apologies, yes. So remind us, is this Eric Banna? Who is the... This is Edward Norton. Yes, I remember. That was filmed here. Ed Live Tyler. Right. Okay, so...

Norton, okay. So let's back up here. So we're at the scene here, okay? So the scene is, it's Ed Norton, Liv Tyler. They just get out of a taxi cab. off young, like right at Melissa Street, right? And they're supposed to be extras just walking behind them as they get out, right? Originally in that scene, Mike, I was about 200 feet away behind those guys way back in the

cul-de-sac, right? Every take, okay, first I'm like, okay, dude, I'm too far. I'm too far from that camera. I got to make a move. This could be my only shot to get on camera, okay? So every take they did, I went forward. No one caught me. Then before I knew it, I was like 200 feet back.

I was like way back. Right. Before I knew it, I was literally the space that I'm with Mike, Mike and I right now, like a foot behind Ed Norton and Liv Tyler, man. So anyway, I think nothing of it. I did the walking. I did power walking. All that sort of thing. I was into my character as a businessman.

I had to be someplace. Right. Okay. So, and we shot the scene. I don't know if I'm in the movie. Okay. So that shot. So fast forward 2008. The Incredible Hulk is coming out in June of 2008, right?

So it comes out, I get a message from like my cousin in Cardiff Wales. He's like, dude, you're in the movie. Wow. I'm like, no, man. I told my girlfriend at the time now wife, I'm like, we got to go to this thing. Sure. So we get to the theater. I think it was that we went to Eglington Town Center at the theater over there in 2008.

We're sitting there. She brought her friend. And so we get in the theater. We're sitting down. Packed house. Okay. Remember, the Incredible Hulk had made over $100 million a total box office run domestically. Okay?

So it was a thing. So we're sitting down about, I don't know, 42 minutes into the movie. I want to say 42, 48, I don't know. All of a sudden, the scene where Ed Norton, live Tyler, they're in this crazy New York taxi cab. They get out. Liv Tyler screaming at the taxi driver. You don't know what's seen once you see the movie. Right.

She gets out, slams the door, right? Then directly in behind Ed Norton and Liv Tyler, amongst many extras, is me directly behind them. I flush. Like at one point, I'm right in between them. On camera for four seconds. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, you got it.

Four Mississippi. That's a long time. It's a long time. And you go online, you can see it. It's there. Like I posted it because I'm so proud of it. Anyway, so, but earlier in that cut, you'll notice that the director made a mistake, Louis Lutier as a director, okay?

I was actually running, not running. I was walking originally in front of Liv Tyler and Ed Norton. And I did like a little turn, like a left turn. And the director kept it in. So when Liv Tyler gets out, you see me do a turn and then I go behind them. So they made a mistake. The guy made a mistake. He kept that part of it in, which extended my on-screen time.

As we learn from Monopoly, banking error in your favor, collect $10. Direct a mistake in your favor. You're now a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, it's awesome. Now, I don't want to rain on your parade here, but am I going, my nuts, but did Marvel, like, kick that version of the Hulk out of their cinematic universe because of their Mark Ruffalo Hulk stuff? They did their best to like. Does it count?

No, it's a Marvel. They can't take away the fact that film existed and did quite well, stars some very famous people. But I feel like maybe after Iron Man and everything blows up that they're like, oh, no, it starts now. and that one doesn't count as the cinematic universe. But I don't want to, like, detract because you want to say, hey, I'm Dave. Yeah. I'm a member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And you know what I say in this instance?

Print the legend. Okay. So on that note, though, this is my segue. So you have a very popular YouTube channel. Is that what it's called? A channel? TikTok channel. TikTok.

Did I say YouTube? Oh, my God. That's because I roll up the tongue. Okay. So you have a Canadian nostalgia. TikTok channel. Yes. Millions of views, okay?

Yes. Built on your, the 80s and the 90s memories that get Canadians like me to engage. You're now going by the handle Dave Mendonka, Canada's nostalgia guy. This channel is called nostalgia A. E.H and then a posture, question marks, sorry. Nostalgia A. What are your thoughts, Dave, on using AI? to create content for this TikTok channel.

That's not going to happen. Not for me. Like, yeah, we don't do that here. You're going to see my kisser, my face in front of the camera. You're a handsome guy. You're going to see me, man. There's going to be no AI involved. There'll be AI research.

Maybe I'll consult with chat. You'll use it the way you would use Google or whatever. You got it. But you're not going to. So the reason I bring that up is because sometimes I'll just go on Facebook. Yeah. And I won't be, you know, following. these channels, but maybe there's something in the algorithm

that says, oh, this guy likes Toronto history, let's say. And they'll serve me up like these accounts with Toronto history. And I'll be looking at the graphic and they'll be like, oh, here's a picture of, I don't know, King Station when the TTC opened or something. And right away I'm looking at it and I'm like, that is AI slop. That's not an actual photograph.

But they present it as if it's a real photograph. This is happening all the time. And it really freaks me out because it's like, I know it's fake. Sure. But I, you know, like a, I'm drawn into the comments. I'll see 54 comments. And people will be like, oh, better days for this city.

Like, oh, I remember that. Oh, seeing that ad in the windows for shops, I remember. And I just, I'm like, oh, my God. They believe this slop. They believe it's real. We are in big fucking trouble, Dave. You can't use AI slop on your channel. You need to stick to the facts.

You have to give people real. history. Absolutely. That's what I'm about, Mike, man. I'm not going to do you dirty like that. Forget it, man. If I see any, I'm nothing,

I mean, someone will have to see it and report it to me because I'm not on TikTok. He's not on TikTok, guys. Okay. Any, tell me, like, before we say goodbye here.

Yeah. Because you're not using AI slop on that channel, you do get your lasagna. I was going to withhold it. Oh, thanks, man. Like, dude, I was kind of scared for a bit. I thought I wouldn't get it.

Don't be scared, Dave. You're in a safe space here. On our way out, like literally, anything that, maybe on your drive here, you're like, I hope I get to mention this, that, that, did I miss anything you want to convey to everybody?

I love talking nostalgia. I enjoyed meeting you. We're going to take a photo by Toronto Tree. This is your chance before I play you out. Right. Anything burning in that big brain at yours. So where exactly were you born? St. Joseph's Health Center.

Me too. You? I was born St. Chose. Okay. I was, I rode by it yesterday. And I noticed there's a,

a guy named Gilgan, G-I-L-G-A-N, and he's got his face on the side of St. Joe's, and I see the big letters, and it says, the Gilgan family wing. And now I'm curious,

who's this Gilgan guy, and how does he get all over this hospital? Yeah. Also, two of my four kids were born at St. Joe's. No way. Love that hospital. It turns out he's the Matamy Holmes guy,

and he gave them $60 million. Wow. And that's, that, Dave, is how you get your face and name on a hospital. You have to give them $60 million. Jeez, man.

Yeah. This guy Gilgan. He made a mint from Matt. He made big time money from Matamy Holmes. Anyway, that was just yesterday that I had that thought process. Because Summer McIntosh is also seen. And she doesn't have Matamy Holmes money, but she's got more medals than the Great Donovan Bailey.

Nice. And more to come in Los Angeles. But why did you want to know about where I was. born. Because doing research on you, man. I don't know. It's kind of like, it's tight-lipped.

You just have to ask me, where were you born? I'll tell you. I don't think people care. I care, man. Where this podcaster was born. I want to know your roots, man. Toronto, I was born.

Yeah, I went to St. Cecilia's at Run amede in a net area of Toronto. Okay, okay. And then I switched to St. Pius, which is Jane and Bloor. Right. Finished grade eight there.

And then I went to Michael Power High School. and I was the last graduating class from the original Michael Power location. Wow. And then I went to U of T, St. Michael's College, and I got a degree. And then I started working. And then since 2018,

I have run my own digital services company called TMDS. And now every, now I only eat what I kill. That's the difference. I can't lean back and let the paycheck come in every couple of weeks. I eat what I kill. And that is where we are in 2026. Wow.

Impressive. Well, listen, man, this has been great. I appreciate it. You're a legend, man. Well, you're doing what I love, which is you're sharing this nostalgia with people. And I wish you luck, because I love talking about places like consumers distributing and, blank at all that, 80s, Blue Jays baseball. Let me talk to Rance Malenix. Let's talk about Michael Johnson versus Donovan Bailey at the dome. All this stuff, I love to talk about it.

Awesome, man. So thanks for coming over and give you. me these donuts, man. Thanks for the pasta. Pizza pasta made perfect. Shout out to Dennis Weaver. Did you ever go to Mothers? No, did not.

No, no. We'll build a time machine and we'll go together. We'll get a rupe your float together. Nice. Nice. When you're making that content for TikTok, how much work would it be to say, oh, I'm also going to put it on Instagram?

Like, is it just, no, I'm TikTok only. This is the future. Yeah, it's a busy life I lead, man. so I'm just focusing on TikTok. What else you're doing? Dude, raising a family, man. How many kids you got?

Got two. That doesn't take any time at all, okay? Just kidding with you. It's all good. It's all good. Maybe one day I'll be on TikTok. You never know what the future holds. Well, it's just one more thing and it just didn't draw me in.

I did, I'll be honest, I felt, and it's funny, because you're targeting people who can remember the 80s and 90s. I felt too old for TikTok. I felt like it was a younger crowd and they don't want grandpa there. No, man. We're there, man. Gen X's is there. Grandpa's coming.

Well, you know what? That'll get rid of the kids. It's like Facebook. We were there. Yep. Boomers came in and we said, it's all yours, brother. That's right. Take it.

We'll go somewhere else. And then I went somewhere else and Elon Musk bought it and fucked it all up. And now I'm a nomad. I'm like, oh, blue sky right now. But we'll see. We'll see. Don't forget your lasagna, Mr. Mendonka. And we'll take a nice photo by Toronto Tree.

and thanks for this chat today. Thank you. And that brings us to the end of our 1,856. Does that number sound right to you? I wish, you know, you don't know. I'm going to go to my own website, Toronto Mike.com,

and I'm going to go to the podcast button. And I'm going to see that is the correct number. Linda Cash was 1855. This is episode 1856. You can also go to Toronto. mic.com for all your Toronto mic needs. I want to tell people, I'm at the Elma Combo on May 21st, 2026. That's the truth. You can buy a ticket and see me there. One man show with Rob Pruss on keyboards. What a night to remember. And if you miss it, you miss it. Do you remember Babe Blue or

radio on those ads? Of course. I'm a fan. Yeah, man. Mendelssohn. Mark Mendelsso. Yeah, as men will say this family name. I remember. For $60 million, they could be on the side of St. Joseph's Health Center too. So go to Toronto mic.com, hit Elmo gig at the top,

and buy a couple of tickets, and I'll see you May 21st. 2026. Much love to all who made this possible. That is Great Lakes Brewery. We'll have a TMLX there in late June. So last Thursday of June. Palma pasta, got your lasagna, Dave.

Nick Aini. New podcast is called Mike and Nick Recycle My Electronics.com. Recycle My Electronics.C.A. And Ridley Funeral Home. See you all Wednesday. While Gino Vanelli

sings in the background. Much love to Gino. But next episode will be Wednesday with... I can't wait to talk to this woman. Her name is Victoria Lord. And then it's Rewinder with Blair Packham on Thursday

and a big national slash episode on Friday. Don't you dare miss it. See you all then.