Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - January 2024 Memorial Episode: Toronto Mike'd #1421

Episode Date: January 31, 2024

In this 1421st episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike pays tribute to those we lost in January 2024. This episode features a conversation with Martha Kambeitz-Gombita's stepdaughter Judy, Dave Thomas, Alan Zweig, Maestro Fresh-Wes and Haroon Siddiqui. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada and Electronic Products Recycling Association. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them. As always, I open this episode with that quote from George Eliot because I believe it to be true. By remembering those who have passed, we give them life. Let's remember those we lost in January 2024. As always, this memorial episode of Toronto Miked is brought to you by Ridley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 1921. Hello? Hi Judy? Yes. Hi it's Toronto Mike how are you? I'm good, thank you. Very, very excited to talk to you about

Martha Gambita. Well, my condolences on the loss of your stepmom, Martha Gambita. Would you mind sharing with us a little bit about your stepmom? And I'm hoping we can dive into a sheepdog that was very important to me because I went to school in Ontario in the 1970s and I learned to read by reading Mr. Mugg's books. And I want to hear about your stepmother Martha and how she created Mr. Muggs. Please share with us. Okay.

So I'll do it in a few parts. Oh the mr. Mugs said segment of it and then her impact on the teaching profession as A result and then the importance of family to her if it's okay. Oh my goodness more than okay You can ask me specific questions. Okay Oh my goodness, more than okay. You can ask me specific questions. Okay. Okay, so first of all, Mr. Muggs, it wasn't solely her creation by any means.

And the latter books in the series were not offered by her at all. So I had my oldest sister, Carol, dig up all her treasured copies. So specifically Martha Kambytes, that was the author name, and Carol Roth, the illustrator, did. Mr. Muggs, Mr. Muggs the Jet Pet, Mr. Muggs Plays Ball, Mr. M Mugs and the Blue Whale. First prize for Mr. Mugs. And Mr. Mugs is lost. And then Martha Carroll plus Bernadette Bouchard and Donata Dean did. Happy days for Plus Bernadette Bouchard and Donata Dean did. Happy days for Mr. Muggs in a dark wood, sharing time, Mr. Muggs at school, in the rain, and Mr. Muggs to the rescue.

So hopefully you read all of them in your school. The other ones I'm sure were great, but she didn't play a part in that. So how the Mr. Mugs series came about was, I'm assuming it was the then Toronto District Catholic School Board had made the decision it was time for the Readers category for young children to be updated. So Martha, who had already been identified as an exceptional teacher, was one of about 20 educators who met together and they were talking about that beginning readers must be offered new subject matter. And they decided for new subject matter and they decided that it was probably a good idea to focus on a pet because children adore pets, especially dogs. So that they, it was a group consensus

that the series would focus on this dog. Now here's where I think she earns the title of Mrs. Muggs because they were saying what kind of dog should it be? So she put forth to the group it must not be small, it must be big enough for a child to ride and that its owners should be able to curl its fur. And Carol Roth, who was also in this group, was sitting there making a sketch and then she said, a dog like this. And she turned around and the illustration was basically Mr. Muggs as he appeared throughout the series. Wow. as he appeared throughout the series. They hadn't decided on a name for it, but she

was visiting a friend's cottage and he talked about their family pet Mugs. And she went, Mr. Mugs, that's his name. So that's why I think she's entitled to that. The importance of family to her, I think, was also shown in how it wasn't just the dog, but it was Pat, Kathy, and Kurt. I got this information from an interview she did in about 2020, I would say. She lived for many years with my father, and then after he died alone in Swan Lake Village in Markham. So they have a publication called Lakeview, and this is what she told Linda Atkinson. And it ended with her talking about what was important to her, and she said, reading, reading, and reading. So, and it was, it's true up until the last few years,

because unfortunately she did get COVID, just shortly after the month after her 90th birthday. And she was one of the people who it seemed to affect their ability to concentrate so she lost that but well well Judy I just gonna step in here just to let the listeners know that your stepmother Martha Gambita so her her maiden name was a Beats, is that how you say it? Cam Bytes. Cam Bytes, okay. And then your father, you're a Gambita?

Yes. Okay. Now she passed away sadly on January 1st and she was 92 years old. And you actually sent a tweet at me. I had no idea. And then as you know, Judy, I threw the years on my blog, torontomike.com. I like to remember things that kind of affected me. And Mr. Muggs, absolutely.

So let me just share with you that not only did I read Mr. Muggs in school, I was born in 74. I'm learning to read, you know, mid to late 70s. This is when Mr. Muggs is in my life. But my mom was a teacher and she held on to an early Mr. Muggs book that your mom, your stepmother authored. And she taught my four kids to read with the Mr. Muggs book. Literally, so I have a seven year old. So literally, in the last five years, there was readings of your stepmother's Mr. Muggs books in my home. Mr. Muggs has been there my entire life and I tell you no lie, what I see in the wild, if I see an old English sheepdog, I point and I say, Mr. Muggs. You and thousands of Gen Xers across Canada. So let me ask you this too. Okay, so is it, because I'm wondering where this hits the

Mr. Muggs reference, is it Gen Xers who went to school in Ontario? Did it matter if it was the Catholic Board or the Public Board? I happen to, I went to the Catholic Board. Like specifically, do you know who got the Mr. Muggs readers in the 70s? specifically do you know who got the Mr. Muggs readers in the 70s? Well, as we said, it started with the Catholic school board, but word got out of how effective this series was. So it began being picked up by numerous school boards across Canada, not only in the Catholic school boards, but in the public school boards. And there were even some, I'm guessing more the northern part of the US, there was states that adopted it. Wow. Yeah, it was pretty phenomenal. And I mean, I was speaking to

her great friend, also an accomplished educator, but lifelong friend, about why they were so effective. She said that after the series proved to be so popular with children, well no, sorry, as it was being implemented, Martha was not only authoring the books, but she was giving workshops to other teachers, to an in-service training for teachers on how to teach Mr. Mugg's reading program. So she developed a series of teacher's guidebooks. Donna said, �The series was designed for children on the primary grades.

It was a total language arts program in which the four facets of language, listening, speaking, reading and writing were not isolated entities to be taught separately, but to be taught simultaneously. So I think that is one of the reasons it's so effective, is that kids love reading them out loud. Not just reading them quietly, but reading to other people. So... Well, Judy, okay, so it's been four decades since they were printing Mr.

Muggs books. And I mentioned in my home, we're still reading Mr. Muggs, but with a little illustration update, you know, there are some, the dad, for example, is smoking that pipe. And I always think, Oh, you know, I don't think there's any smoking in the children's books of today. But if you update the illustrations, it's time for a reboot of Mr. Muggs for today's children. I think they're missing out. Unfortunately, I was the trailing end of Dick and Jane, so I only get to experience Mr. Muggs through the memories of others.

Like I said, my siblings and I, colleagues, work colleagues and friends, when they learned that Martha was in our life, their eyes would light up and they would rave and rave and rave. And that's interesting too. I've been given a lot of thought to this. So for me personally, very subjective here, in my life Mr. Muggs was very important. This is the beloved sheep dog that helped teach me how to read, what a valuable lesson that is. So for me personally, wow, how important. And as I mentioned, all four of my kids learned to read with Mr. Muggs books, like pre-kindergarten. And so

subjectively, personally, Mrs. Muggs passing away is monumental. But it's interesting, right, Judy? That if you weren't in that cohort of people who grew up of Mr. Mugs, you don't know who we're talking about. This is like, oh, who is this Mrs. Mugs? Who's Mr. Mugs? Some dog? Like, it's either hit or miss with this one, but when it hits, it hits hard. But if it misses, it's like, whoosh, who are we talking about today? I can't really tell. I mean, I can tell you that her grandchildren benefited from her teaching because they all got personally tutored. Right. And by choice, you know, she made a huge experience of it and, you know, each child was given a workbook that she developed

and there were stickers and she gave tricks on how to learn to read big words, things like that. Afterwards, they had a lunch with Grandpa and preparing their favorite foods. She knew kids. She knew what made them tick. She knew what excited them. She wasn't an easy teacher. Apparently there was someone commenting on the Globe and Mail obituary about how she

was tough but fair. She impressed on them the importance of learning, how enriching being able to read would be to their lives. Why it's hung on, I think that's probably credit to Carol Roth, her illustrations, this big lovable dog that perfectly complimented the words that Martha and the other authors did with Mr. Muggs. And I'll tell you, Judy, that I rocked the same hairstyle as Pat and Kurt back in the late 70s. Because of the books? I don't think so.

I think we all rocked it. Like it was this bowl cut that we all had. I don't know if you remember, the late 70s bowl cuts for young boys and girls probably too. But I'm going to just, if anyone listening grew up with Mr. Muggs readers, I know that they're smiling right now just reminiscing. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I wish I had the wherewithal to track down Martha before she contracted COVID to have a conversation about all this, but I'm really honored that you took time to talk to me about your stepmom because I am a Mr. Muggs fan for life and my condolences once again. Thank you so much. It's appreciated and I'm sure she's hearing your words as well as that of hundreds if not thousands and I don't know if you've seen that Facebook page, but my goodness, the memories people are having, not only of Mr. Muggs, but the ones who were lucky enough to have her as a teacher. Where did she teach?

Can you shout out the school where she was teaching when Mr. Muggs was created? Oh, the last one was in Marie Gaultil or something like that in Scarborough. Okay. I'm sorry. No, don't. I wasn't anticipating that question. Judy, I asked the tough questions over here. You know that.

But Mr. Muggs, time for a comeback. And thank you to, at the time, Martha Cambeats. Cambeats. Cambeats. You know, I... They're a big, big farming family into this day in Saskatchewan. You know, I gotta say, though, am I the I'm like, I can't be the only one who's saying

cam bites. I got to write down this word. It's cam beats. If I butcher that three times, I don't deserve to have my own podcast. By like think of biting up. Oh, it is biting. Here I am mispronouncing your beloved stepmother's maiden name, but what's important here is we remember her contributions here and of course Mr. Mugs.

Mr. Mugs, just like the memories of your stepmom, Mr. Mugs will live forever in the memories of those who learned to read with that beloved sheep dog. And again, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you. And thank you from my entire family. Because I have to say that, I mean, she came from a huge loving family out west, and she married into an extended family, and she participated wholeheartedly in not only my father's family but my late mother's family, the big family events and everyone

adored her. Everyone sought out her count, well not sought out but she helped so many of my cousins in various times of needs. So, yeah, she was a special person. Hi, Jodie. Oh, hi, Sam. Well, the stores are locked up tight once again. Great, are you all ready for the record? Am I?

I've been practicing for weeks. I'm all ready to sing yo-hee-ho. Hoist the basil. I singin' yo-hee-ho. Sail across the ocean blue. Singin' yo-hee-ho. Not now, Sam. But you should know there'll be lots of time for yo-hee-ho.

Right, Muffy. We'll get to all our favorite songs. Well, that's good. I certainly wouldn't want to miss yo-hee-ho. Oh, we won't, Sam. Good. It's my favorite song. We know, Stan.

Right. Today's special. It's forever in one. Today's special. Come join in the fun. For today's special, it's about to appear Come join in the fun With magic everywhere A world for us to share

And friendly faces hoping that you'll want to meet us there For today's special. It's about to appear, it's about to appear. Today's special, shout it loud and clear. Today's special! This was a tough month for those of us of a certain vintage in this neck of the woods. First we lost the creator of Mr. Mugs, as you just heard, and then on January 15th we got the sad news that Noreen Virgin had passed away at the age of 77. A mere week before learning of Noreen's passing, I was actively trying to get her on Toronto Mic'd. I took a shot now and then over the past decade.

I absolutely wanted to speak with Jodie from today's special. Noreen Virgin is probably best known for playing Jodie on Today's Special, which aired on TV Ontario from 1981 to 1987. But at the time, I would recognize her from Polka Dot Door. She appeared on Polka Dot Door. And then in later years, she would host the CFTO current affairs show Eye on Toronto. And then I'd see her on CBC News World. She hosted the national current affairs show Coast to Coast. And then she left the public eye, but she continued her anti-racism advocacy.

In 2016, Noreen Virgin was named one of Canada's 100 accomplished black women. Rest well, Jodie. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] In January, we lost two former SCTV writers, Brian McConnachie and Tracy Tormey. It just so happened I had a lengthy conversation with Dave Thomas, and I asked Dave about Brian and then Tracy.

Now a name you dropped about an hour ago Dave was Brian McConnachie. Would you mind sharing a little bit more about, you know, Brian you worked with, he wrote for SCTV and we lost him very recently. Brian wrote for the trifecta of comedy in the 70s. He wrote for National Lampoon, and he was one of the key writers that shaped the magazine and made it the success that it was with Doug Candy. He wrote for SNL and he wrote for SCTV.

So those were the three big guns in the 70s of comedy and he was on, I think it was Letterman and he quoted me, he said that I had described him as the Clark Kent of comedy, which I did because he had these glasses, he looked like Clark Kent, he had black hair. He was tall too. He was pretty, he was like 6'2 or 6'3. And I remember introducing Brian to Max Bonsido because I put Brian in Strange Brew and he played Max's assistant. And Max was all about his physicality, you know, that's who he was. And Max was in the makeup room and then Brian came to the set. I said, oh, come on, I want you to meet Max.

You're gonna be working with him. And so I brought him in. And when Brian came into the trailer, Brian's quite tall. And Max looked at him and he stood up right away. And Max said to him, nice to meet you. You're quite tall, I'm tall are you? And Brian said, oh, I'm a six two. Or is he Max, I'm six three.

And so it was these tall guys, these tall trees in the world of entertainment, comparing heights. And Brian had a very unique and strange mind and he wrote a he came up with a concept for SCTV that became one of the infamous pieces on the show not because everybody loved it but because it became a production nightmare. But Brian came to me and he said, I had this idea, Dave, what if the Vikings in the year 980 decided to torment the English even more and they added bees to their raids.

So I started laughing like that. That is so fucking stupid. What is, and he said, so we'd have a long ship with Vikings and beekeepers in those white things with the hoods and the smokers. things with the hoods and the smokers. And I started laughing and I said, okay, this is great. So I was the head writer and I sort of muscled that through and I wrote it with him. Well, cut to the day of production, somebody comes to me and says, Dave, we had a problem with the gimbal. And we were busy on SCTV. We were doing multiple sketches. And I said, the gimbal, what are you talking about? Well, we put the Viking boat,

they built a 40 foot Viking boat for this scene. And they put it on a gimbal. And this is a big mechanical thing so that it would simulate the waves. And I said, they said the gimbal's too loud and we can't do audio with the gimbal. And I said, why is it even on a gimbal? How did that production got ahead of us

and didn't even check in to see. So they take it off the gimbal and they just put it on the flat studio floor. And I said, just lay in a bunch of smoke, like mist. And anyway, this sketch became a problematic piece to shoot. And it was just taken forever. And the studio was hot. And everybody was in these, half the cast

was in these hot furry Viking costumes and John Candy was particularly miserable in his costume and when John got miserable that's when you didn't want to fuck with the guy. He was he could get really nasty when he got miserable. And so the producer decided you know what we got to get this scene. So we're going to go all night. We're going to have to shoot all night. And John didn't want to go all night. So John called the Four Seasons and got the bartender there to come to the studio after

he finished at the Four Seasons at one o'clock in the morning and set up a full bar, which John paid for, at the studio. And people started drinking. And so now, in addition to having difficulty logistically in shooting this thing, everybody's drunk. And about 2.30 in the morning when Ivan, the hairdresser, threw up in the Viking boat, we wrapped and John was really happy. So that became one of the sort of legendary pieces, and it was Brian. It came out of Brian McConnachie's head. And he had, he used to call me Chimney Boy because he had a character called Chimney Boy, which was basically a chimney sweep from, you know, Mary Poppins England.

And what would happen if that Chimney Boy was the main character? And so he wrote a piece and it was a very obscure and weird piece like Vikings and Beekeepers and yeah, but that's the way his mind worked. He was hilarious, he was funny. I loved him and I miss him dearly. One more name for you, Dave, and then I promise you'll be free. I'm sorry for taking an extra couple of minutes, but Tracy Torme, Mel Torme's son, Tracy Torme, he wrote for SCTV. I'm wondering if you have any, he also passed away around the same time as Brian there. He did. So I had a weird relationship with Tracy Torme because I was a head writer and unfortunately

nothing he wrote ever got on. And I remember he got into an argument with me one time in front of the rest of the cast. And I could be nasty if I got into an argument. And I remember the rest of the cast just watching, waiting to see what I was gonna say because Tracy was really pissed off at me for not supporting him with one of his sketches and I didn't say anything I just kind of went okay all right everybody's really surprised I didn't

say anything but I did have to let him go and so then later on the cast decided that they needed some new blood and I was, I'd been head writer for a while and it was time for me, Rick and I were going to do Strange Bruce, we were leaving anyway. So they decided to bring in a new head writer and they brought in Don Novello, Father Guido Sarducci as the head writer for SCTV. Now Tracy's gone. He just left as that transition happened. And I was sitting in the room with Don when he was just briefing him on what he would have to do as head writer and we get a phone call and Mel tore me. And Mel is angry. This is the velvet fog calling. And Mel is angry. He says I got a shotgun

I got a shotgun in my hand right now and I want to know who to kill This is what he says to me Because he wanted to talk and I said hold on a second. They handed the phone to dawn and I said dawn it's for you Because he was the new hit writer the new hit writer. So it's for you. Tracy, as it turned out, was a better sci-fi writer than a comedy writer. And he distinguished himself on Star Trek Next Generation, which has a really brilliant scripts and he had a great mind, but he just didn't connect at SCTV.

And I saw him later and, um and I guess time heals all wounds. He had sort of forgotten that I'd been the guy to let him go, you know, and he was very friendly and very nice. So we had a nice evening put together by a friend of his, a guy that I wrote with on the blacklist, Dan Knopf. And it was a real nice evening and I had a good time with him and I felt kind of bad that I'd been the one to let him go. But also that he, it was one of those things where I thought, has he really forgotten that that happened? Because nobody ever really forgets if they get fired.

Do you know what I mean? And so I didn't really believe it's forgotten, but he was gracious enough not to bring it up and not to rehash the past. And so kudos to him for that. And I was very, I found out from Dan Knopf, because Dan and I became friendly on the blacklist. And Dan called me, he was crying,

and he just said, Tracy died. I said, oh God, I'm so sorry. He had a bunch of health problems in his life and towards the end especially. So that's, but with the night we went out, we went to hear his brother who's a singer, kind of a jazz singer like his dad and he has a sister who's a writer too.

And so it was a bunch of us sitting at this table, you know, at a club that does old jazz stuff on top of a hold here in LA. And I had a really nice evening with him. And then a couple of phone calls with him later, because he was obsessed with UFOs. And he knew that I had written a UFO movie with Dan Ackroyd and knew a little bit about UFOs too and when those, the chicklet, the, what were they called, the little UFOs that the US Navy saw and recorded on their cameras they were like what's that candy that

breath mint that little white? Tic Tacs. Tic Tacs. So they were Tic Tacs, Tic Tacs, and they were really fast and did aerodynamic moves that defied physics and obviously full g-forces that a human body would get torn apart. So the pilots are amazed and they can't believe what they're seeing and Tracy was obsessed with this. So he had also written, I think he wrote a UFO movie about a close encounter. It was a famous one. So he did eat like I said he was a better sci-fi writer than a comedy writer but you know that was my history with him and I was sorry to hear that he had passed away. Brian McConnachie passed away in Florida on January 5th, 2024,

of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 81. Tracy Tormey died of complications from diabetes in California on January 4th, 2024. He was only 64 years old. There's a story about the man that committed adultery. And he went to the corner of church and he said to the priest, he says, He was only 64 years old. have already synchroses. Who was the woman? He's no father. I can never divulge the woman's name. Please don't ask me to divulge the woman's name." He says, Tim, until you can tell me the woman's name, I'm afraid I cannot give you absolution. It was a Mrs. McCaffrey, whose

husband's the butcher on the corner. No, father, it wasn't Mrs. McCaffrey. Please don't ask me the woman's name. I can never divulge the woman's name. He says, Tim, I'm telling you, until you tell me the woman's name, I cannot give you abs... Was it Mrs. McGinnis? He said, no, Father, it wasn't Mrs. McGinnis. Please, Father, I can never divulge the woman's name. He said, Tim, until you can make up your mind to give me the woman's name, I can't give you absolution. And Tim started to walk out of the church.

And his friends, well, Tim, did you get absolution? He said, no, but I got some wonderful leads. I feel like the name Shecky Green is not appreciated enough by my Gen X cohorts And I'm wondering if you could maybe just share a word or two about meeting Shecky Green who just died at the age of 97. Half the reason I even came up with the idea for my film When Jews Were Funny was to try and meet the Jewish comedians of my childhood, the ones who had been on, on Ed Sullivan essentially. And I had a producer, Perry, who had produced the Super Dave show and a couple other shows and he knew a few.

Unfortunately, he didn't know Mel Brooks or Terry Seinfeld or et cetera. The ones I was, or yeah, Mel Brooks was the one I was aiming for because Mel Brooks was the first person who I saw made my father kill himself laughing. And that was such a rare thing. Anyway, Perry did however know four guys. Shecky Green, Shelly Berman, Norm Crosby and Jack Carter. And all of those, every one of those was a thrilling experience for me. Jack Carter probably the most thrilling just

because he had the most modest house and you knocked at the door and fucking jack card. There he is. But, Shaky, we had to drive to Palm Springs and that's what I most remember. If you ever drive to Palm Springs from LA, you gotta drive through this long, many miles of those electric windmills to the point that you're like,

you think there's some Mars ascending messages into your head. The whirr of those things. And then you get the famous Palm Springs and again it's a nice house not an amazing house and Cheggie Green answered the door. And I can't really talk adequately about Shecky Green. What I suggest you do is, there is this WFMU website, and there the great Canadian writer Cliff Nesterov wrote a piece about Shecky Green, about the transgressive comedy of Shecky Green. He was not just some guy, I'm Shecky, I'm whatever.

He was like a great comedian, I'm Shaggy, I'm whatever. He was like a great comedian. And yeah, he just died. He was 97. And he was very generous to me. And he did kind of exactly what I wanted all those guys to say, to which was completely argue with my premise. That was FOTM Alan Zweig telling me about comedian Shaggy Green, was FOTM Alan Zweig telling me about comedian Shecky Green, who died at home in Las Vegas on December 31, 2023.

He was 97 years old. If I were a rich man, yabba-dibba-dibba-dibba-dibba-dibba-dum. All day long I bid-a-bid-a-bum. If I were a wealthy man I wouldn't have to work hard If I were a biddy biddy rich Idle diddle diddle diddle. I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen, right in the middle of the town. A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.

There would be one long staircase just going up and one even longer coming down And one more leading nowhere just for show I'd fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks For the town to see and hear. Squawking just as noisily as they can. And each lop the g- Eeeh! R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r- Here lives a wealthy man If I were a rich man

All day long I'd biddy biddy bum If I were a wealthy man I wouldn't have to work hard I was a big Norman Jewessin fan, not just because he's a Toronto guy, but because when I received my diploma at Convocation Hall after graduating from the University of Toronto, Norman Jewison was on that stage to shake my hand. He wasn't the keynote speaker. The keynote speaker was Ivan Reitman, but Norman Jewison was there. He was just a part of things. The man was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director three times for In the Heat of

the Night, Fiddler on the Roof, and Moonstruck. The man directed some great films. The Cincinnati Kid, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, The Thomas Crown Affair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rollerball, and Justice for All, A Soldier's Story, Agnes of God, and The Hurricane, also filmed here. Norman Jewison died in his Los Angeles home on January 20, 2024. He was 97 years old. And it won't make one bit of difference if I answer right or wrong. When you're rich, they think you really know. If I were rich I'd have the time that I'd like to sit

in the synagogue and pray and maybe have a seat by the eastern wall. And I discuss the holy books with the learned men seven hours every day. And that would be the sweetest thing of all. If I were a rich man, Yabba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum, All day long, hey, bitty bitty bum, If I were a wealthy man, I wouldn't have to work hard.

Yabba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum, Lord, who made the lion and the lamb You decreed I should be what I am Would it spoil some vast eternal plan? If I were a wealthy man Wealthy man Look what they done to my song, ma Look what they done to my song, Ma It was the only thing I could do

Have frightenings turning out all wrong, Ma Look what they done to my song Look what they done to my brain, Ma Look what they done to my brain Well they picked it like a chicken bone And I think that I'm half insane, ma Look what they done to my song Oh, I wish that I could find a good book to live in Wish I could find a good book Well, if I could find a real good book I'd never have to come out and look at What they've done to my song

Everybody sing They changed my song, Ma They changed my song, Ma And that's the only thing I can do And it's not good, Ma They changed my song Not in the morning Maybe, maybe it'll all be alright, Ma Maybe it'll all be okay

Well, if the people are buying tears I'm gonna be a rich girl someday, ma Look what they done to my song Look what they done to my song Look what they done to my song It was the only thing I could help but it's turning out wrong Look what they done to my song La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la Well, they tied it up in a plastic bag and they turned it upside down. Oh, mama, look at what they done. Well, they're not even singing along. Oh, mama, look at what they done to my song. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah for her massive hit, Brand New Key. I can tell you that I sang Brand New Key to my kids.

Just love it. And any hint of sexual innuendo went over everyone's head, including mine. Melanie played Woodstock, and she wrote Lay Down, Candles in the Rain, a parentheses jam, about her experience performing at the 1969 music festival. Melanie died on January 23rd at the age of 76. Jetzt will's keine mehr mehr war Wer hat mein Lied so zerstört? Everybody sing in Austrian! Er hat mein Lied so zerstört Er hat mein Lied so zerstört David, David Crockett, the king of the wild frontier. Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, the greenest state in the land of the free.

Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree, And kilked him a bar when he was only three. Davy, Davy Crockett, the king of the wild frontier. He fought single-handed through the Injun War, Till the creeks was whipped and peace was in store, And while he was handling this risky chore, He made himself a legend forevermore. David, David Crockett, the king of the wild frontier. When he lost his love, his grief was gone. In his heart he wanted to leave it all, lose his self in the forests tall

But he answered instead his country's call Davey, Davey Crockett, the choice of the whole frontier He went off to Congress and served a spell Fixin' up the government laws as well. Took over Washington so we hear tell, and patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell. Davy, Davy Crockett, serving his country well. When he come home, his politics and done with... If you're a fan of soap operas, you might know the character Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives. If you know Doug Williams on Days of Our Lives, you know Bill Hayes, the actor who played that character from 1970 to 2023.

Well, I don't know anything about Days of Our Lives, but I know Bill Hayes also recorded the song, The Ballad of Davy Crockett, and The Ballad of Davy Crockett hit the top of the billboard charts in 1955. Bill Hayes died in Los Angeles on January 12, 2024, at the age of 98. Ah, yeah. Like a sound you hear that lingers in your ear But you can't forget from sundown to sunset Now, now It's all in the air, you hear it everywhere No matter what you do, it's gonna grab a hold on you California soul California soul If you hear the sun comes up every morning light And if you listen oh so carefully

The wheels that ride on the high tide whistles a mellow beat so the people started to sing and that's how the surf gave birth I'm told to California soul California soul When you're here to be you want to pat your feet And you got to move cause it's really easy So dope man, Gangstar used that rhythm. You know what I'm saying? Premier.

So I just remember that when I heard it, through my dad's record crates, then I heard I pulled out the Marlene Nishan. I'm like wow, okay cool. It's great man. We have a melody and a beat, y'all But it didn't seem complete, yes Until they saw two lovers kissing Oh, sure, they knew just what was missing That That was Maestro Fresh Wes kicking out one of his jams on Toronto Mic'd. It was episode 416, and I couldn't think of a better guest for episode 416 than Maestro Fresh Wes forever reppin' this city. Maestro was kickin' out Marlena Shaw, and that was California's soul. Marlena Shaw died on January 19th at the age of 81.

Long time Toronto Star journalist and editorialist Haroon Siddiqui dropped by, and I just had to ask him about his former colleague George Gamester. George Gamester passed away on January 4th in his 85th year. He had a column in the Toronto Star for more than 40 years. It was called Gamester's people. Here's Haroun talking about his friend and colleague George Gamester. I wanted to ask you about a specific person you worked with because sadly, shout out to Ridley Funeral Home, we just lost this gentleman, but you worked with George Gamester, right?

I did, yes. Can you, would you mind sharing some memories of George Gamster, right? I did, yes. Can you, would you mind sharing some memories of George? George was a quintessential Canadian in that you never heard him speak ill of anyone. He was always pleasant, he was good company, he had jokes to share, and he was just easy to be around him. I had come from Brandon, I did not know too many people

and George was one of those people who just welcomed me openly, frankly, in a friendly kind of way and that's how it remained until he left. ["Isn't It Rich?" by George R. R. R. Ransom plays in the background.] Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me here at last on the ground, you in midair Send in the clown. Isn't it bliss?

Don't you approve? One who keeps tearing around, one who can't move. Where are the clowns? Send in the clowns Just when I'd stopped opening doors Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours Making my entrance again with my usual flair Sure of my lines, no one is there

Don't you love fuss? My fault I fear. I thought that you'd want what I want. Sorry, my dear. But where are the clowns? Quick, send in the clowns. Don't bother, they're here. Isn't it rich?

Isn't it queer? Losing my timing this late in my career And where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns Well, maybe next year. Glynnis Johns was the Tony Award winning actress, best known for playing Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins. The song you just heard is Send in the Clowns, which she performed in the Broadway production of A Little Night Music. I always said that Send in the

Clowns was the best gift I was ever given, said Glenis Johns, who passed away in Los Angeles on January 4th. She was 100 years old. Guess who's back? He's back! Ha! Who's back? Ed is back! Say what?

I'm the one you all should know, once more popular than Crude Old. Boaters deserve a kick in the can. Come out now, Martin! Fight like a man! Unmilt the ice like a warm Chinook! With social justice and a great left hook! Say what? Dezhu's back! Ed's back!

Dezhu's back! Ed's back! Float like a butterfly! Sting like a bee! It's time for voting, NDP! Fill the conscience of the nation! The NDP train. Leaving the station.

This is rap. Aint back. Who's back? Ed is back. Say what? If you have doubts that we'll be back, then listen up. You don't know Jack. This is rap.

Aint back. Who's back? Ed is back. Ed Broadbent led the New Democratic Party from 1975 to 1989. He was a member of parliament from 1968 to 1990, and again following that rap that introduced his comeback from 2004 to 2006. He led the NDP through four federal elections and saw them go from 17 seats to 43 in the 1988 federal election. Don't give up on us baby, don't make the world seem right The future isn't just one night, it's written in the moonlight

We'll paint it on the stars, we can't change ours Don't give up on us, baby We're still worth one more try I know we put a last one by Just for the rainy evening When maybe stars are few Don't give up on us, I know We can still come through I really lost my head last night You've got a right to stop believing This is Don't Give Up On Us, a number one Billboard Hot 100 hit for David Soul. David Soul was best known at the time for portraying Detective Kenneth Hutch Hutchinson

on Starsky and Hutch from 1975 to 1979. David's soul passed away in a London hospital on January 4th, 2024, at the age of 80. It's written in the moonlight And painted on the stars, we can't change ours Don't give up on us baby We're still worth one more try I know we put a last one by Just for a rainy feeling But maybe stars are few Don't give up on us, I know

We can still come through Don't give up on us baby Don't give up on us baby Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, There was a certain man in Russia long ago He was big and strong in his eyes a flaming glow Most people look at him with terror and fear But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear He could preach the Bible like a preacher Who would, ecstasy and fire Love, he also was the kind of teacher Women would desire Ra, ra, Rasputin, lover of the Russian queen There was a cat that really was gone Ra, ra, Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine

It was a shame how we carried on He moved to Russian land, a never minded soul But the cars are chocked, he does really wunderbar In all affairs of state, he was the mentor please But Oh, she heard the things he'd done She believed he was a holy dealer Who would be her son? Ra, Ra, Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen There was a cat that really was gone Ra, Ra, Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine But when his drinking, lusting, and his hunger for power became known to more and more people,

the demands to do something about this outrageous man became louder and louder. Frank Farian was a German singer and record producer who founded the 1970s group Boney M. But he didn't stop there. He went on to found the Latin pop group No Mercy, and are you sitting down? Millie Vanilli. That's right, Frank Farian is the man responsible for both Boney M and Millie Vanilli. Over the course of his career, he sold over 850 million records

and earned 800 gold and platinum certifications. He created these groups and then he'd recruit attractive people to lip sync to these songs. But the performers were actually session musicians. It was quite the fraud and it all sort of blew up in 1990 when Milli Vanilli gave back their Grammy for best new artist. You might remember that. Frank Farian died in Miami on January 23rd. He was 82 years old. They didn't quit, they wanted his head Ra, Ra, Rasputin, Russia's greatest love machine And so they shot him till he was dead Oh, those russians I'd been married a long time ago

Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Katana Joe? I'd been married a long time ago Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Katnajo? Where I've been for Katnajo? I've been married a long time ago Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Katnajo? Where I've been for Katnajo? I've been married a long time ago Where did you come from, where did you go?

Where did you come from, Katnajo? Where I've been from Casanojo I've been married long time ago Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from, Casanojo? He came to town like a meeting star Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from? Cutting a joke Hey Dad, you've been forgotten, I know I've been married long time ago Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from? Cutting a joke Did you know Codden Eye Joe, a song you likely know from a hockey arena or two, or 300? Codden Eye Joe is a song by Swedish country pop group Rednecks.

That's right, Codden Eye Joe is from a Swedish band. It was a dance hit across the world and it even reached number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The man singing that song is named Anders Sandberg and Anders 54, at the all too young age of 55. Where did you come from, Katnajow? If it hadn't been for Katnajow I'd be married a long time ago Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Katnajow? Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from, Katnage? A boy like that will kill your brother Forget that boy and find another One of your own kind Stick to your own kind A boy like that will bring you sorrow You'll meet another boy tomorrow

One of your own kind, stick to your own kind A boy who Kims cannot love A boy who Kims has no heart And he's the boy who gets your love And gets your heart Very smart, Maria, very smart A boy like that wants one thing only And when he's done, he'll leave you lonely He'll murder your love, he murdered mine Just wait and see, just wait, Maria, just wait and see, just wait Maria, just wait and see Oh, Anita, no, Anita, no

It isn't true, not for me, it's true for you, not for me I hear your words and in my head I notice not But my heart, Anita, but my heart A boy like that, who killed your brother, who got that boy, who's to find another, One of your own kind, stick to your own kind. To him alone, to him alone, one thing I know, I hate him, I don't have, I don't know why it hurts, A boy who kills has no heart. And he's a boy who gets your love and gets your heart. Very good. I'm going to tell you something.

I know that I'll need a name. You should know better. You were in love, or so you said. You should know better. I have a love and it's all that I have. Right or wrong, what else can I do? What else can I do? I love him, I'm peace And everything he gives I am true Cheetah Rivera was the Tony Award-winning entertainer known for her successful theater

career spanning nearly seven decades. Some of her notable roles include Anita in West Side Story and Rose in Bye Bye Birdie. Cheetah Rivera died in New York following a brief illness on January 30, 2024. She was 91 years old. When love comes so strong, there is no right or wrong. Your love is, your love is Now I've got my shopping list all made out for tomorrow morning. I'm gonna serve sandwiches, ice cream, coffee, punch, potato chips, peanuts, chocolate cake with happy birthday to Ralph on it. Well, on second thought, I better make that coconut cake. Why? Ralph's crazy about chocolate cake.

That's just it. I bought him a new belt for his birthday and I want to make sure it fits the day after. Well, you could always exchange it for a larger size. There is no larger size. If this belt doesn't fit Ralph, then it's back to safety pins. Joyce Randolph was the actress best known for playing Trixie Norton on The Jackie Gleason Show and The Honeymooners. She was the last surviving cast member of The Honeymooners, and she died of natural causes at age 99 at home in

Manhattan's Upper West Side on January 13th 2024. Alongside Bertie Vogts, Beckenbauer was part of a formidable West German defense that secured a hard-fought victory in the semifinal against Poland. In fact, it was he who orchestrated the only goal of the match, finished off by West Germany's goal machine Gerd Müller in the 76th minute. West Germany owed the victory to their defence and in particular goalkeeper Sepp Maier, who made a string of fine saves to deny the poles. Beckenbauer showed his appreciation to Maier for helping set up a second FIFA World Cup

final appearance. At the final in Munich, West Germany laid to rest their agonising extra-time defeats at the 1966 and 1970 tournaments with a narrow but conclusive 2-1 victory against the much-fancy Dutch. Beckenbouw became the first captain to lift the brand new FIFA World Cup after Brazil won the right to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1970. Sixteen years on in 1990, Beckenbauer was celebrating again, this time as manager. When Andreas Bremer converted a penalty five minutes before the end in the final against Argentina, Beckenbauer became the second man to win the FIFA World Cup as a player and manager. I won't pretend I know anything about Franz

Beckenbauer other than what I read when I learned he passed away. He's widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time and he's one of only nine players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the European Champions Cup and the Ballon d'Or. I am told this is a very big deal. Franz Beckenbauer died on January 7th, 2024 at the age of 78. This Sunday marks the final broadcast for CBS Sunday Morning anchor Charles Osgood. Since 1994, he's guided the top rated program. Yeah, with his signature bow tie and voice, he provided comfort and reassurance, sometimes even a song.

CBS 2's Vanessa Murdoch reports now on Osgood's remarkable career at CBS News. Good morning, I'm Charles Osgood and this is Sunday Morning. That voice, listening to it, is how so many have started their Sunday mornings off for the past 22 years. TV news legend Charles Osgood is only the second person to anchor CBS Sunday Morning. He took the helm from Charles Carrault. We'll be in the good hands of Charles Osgood starting next Sunday morning. The ratings are the best in decades, even so. Osgood says it's time to bid farewell. For years now people, even friends and family, have been asking me why I keep doing this considering my age. I am pushing 84. It's just that it's been

such a joy doing it." It's been said Osgood found a way to make important stories interesting and interesting little stories important. Let me show you one of the most remarkable air conditioners of all time. It can lower the temperature up to 25 degrees and you don't even have to plug it in. Here it is right here. All the while he's captivated his audience with his steady delivery, inviting demeanor and let's not forget that signature bow tie. Osgood's ability to tickle the Ivory's touched the hearts of so many. He played Yankee Stadium and of course the set at Christmas time. I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.

This Sunday, he will deliver his final broadcast here at Studio 45, right next to our CBS2 News studio. Between now and my last Sunday morning, I'm gonna practice singing that old Weaver song. So long, it's been good to know you. I think it's fair to say, the show won't be the same without him. Vanessa Murdock, CBS 2 News.

Long time since I've been home. Can I say I was crying in my living room when that broadcast aired, when he announced his retirement? Osgood will donate that signature bow tie to the Smithsonian Museum by the way. And you can watch his final broadcast this Sunday right here on CBS2 starting at 9 a.m. It will be followed by our Tunnel to Tower special at 1030 and then Face the Nation will be on at 1 o'clock. Class and grace personified. That's no

overstatement right? The kindest guy I think I've ever met. It really is. It's spectacular. And when he plays the piano like he did for the Christmas party just this past year. Nothing better right? It's spectacular. Nothing better. Wish you the best Charlie. We'll see you on the radio going forward. Yeah definitely. Charles Osgood was best known for being the host of CBS News Sunday Morning. He held that role for 22 years from April 10, 1994 until September 25, 2016. He also narrated Horton Hears a Who, the animated film based on the book released in 2008. Charles Osgood died at his home in New Jersey on January 23rd 2024. He was 91 years old. Jimmy Wave was our manager and he

was panicked more than anybody. You know is this like the coaching staff was on edge, Pat Gillick was on edge. What do you mean when you say that Jimmy, Jimmy was only 86, so Jimmy that was only Jimmy's, that was Jimmy's second year as the manager. When you say he was panicked, are you suggesting that, for example, if Bobby Cox was managing that team, would there have been that level of panic?

I don't think so. I don't think so. I remember in 85, we went in to Boston and we had a chance to end the season. And we went into Boston, I wanna say we lost either maybe three or four in a row in Boston before we came back to Toronto. And I remember the last day we lost, everybody was in the clubhouse and everybody was really down, I mean down. Bobby Koch came in and turned on the music

and smiling and laughing and said, let's go. You know, and you could see this cloud, you know, just dissipate, you know, in our clubhouse. We went back and, you know, we ended up winning our division. So it was just like, it's just the opposite with Jimmy. You know, it was just a very, very tough time. And I liked Jimmy. I mean, it was it was it was just a very very tough time and I like Jimmy I mean, it's not like I thought Jimmy was a bad man or just a tough situation for everyone That was an excerpt of a Hebsi on sports episode with our special guest Garth Orge and

Garth was talking about Jimmy Williams who managed the Toronto Blue Jays after Bobby Cox left town for Atlanta, following the pennant in 1985, and then starting that 1989 season, 12 and 24, which got poor Jimmy Williams fired. And then Cito Gaston came in, the Jays ended up winning the pennant. These were core Blue J following seasons for me. And it would be easy to go along with Garth Orridge's narrative there and say, yeah, with a better manager or a more confident manager, the Blue Js win the pennant in 1987. But lest we forget, my favorite Blue J of all time, George Bell, simply stopped hitting down the stretch. And of course, there were injuries to Ernie Witt and Tony Fernandez. The Jays couldn't get it done.

And Jimmy Williams never did lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a pennant, but he would end up with a managerial record of 910 wins to 790 losses. I personally was sad to learn 1M Jimmy, former Blue Jays manager, had passed away on January 26th at the age of 80. Mm-hmm. Gee, it must be great riding with him. Is he picking you up after school today? By the way, where'd you meet him? I met him at the candy store. He turned me round and smiled at me. You get the picture?

Yes, we see. That's when I fell for Eater of the past. leader of the pack my folks were always putting him down down, down they said he came from the wrong side of town what you mean you came from the wrong side of town? they told me he was mad

but I knew he was dead That's why I fell for the leader of the pack One day my dad said to find someone new I had to tell my genuis What's mean when you say that you better go find somebody new? He stood there and asked me why But all I could do was cry I'm sorry I hurt you The leader of the pack

I heard you, the leader of the pack. So small, the kids hear the bag, but the tears were beginning to show. As he drove away on a rainy night, I begged him to go to sleep. If he heard, I'll never know. Mary Weiss was best known as the singer of the Shangri-Las in the 1960s. The Shangri-Las had a number of big hits from the parentheses jam, remember walking in the sand, you TikTokers know this one, give him a great big kiss. And of course, leader of the pack, which went to number one in the USA in late 1964. Mary Weiss died at her home in Palm Springs, California on January 19th, 2024. She was 75 years old. This has been the Ridley Funeral Home memorial episode of Toronto Mic'd for the month of

January 2024. If you lost someone you love in January, my sincere condolences. Peace and love to all. I'm gonna be your man You You I'm gonna be a man, I'm gonna be a man I'm gonna be a man, I'm gonna be a man You