Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Linda Kash: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1855

Episode Date: February 26, 2026

In this 1855th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Linda Kash about her mother Maureen Forrester, joining Second City, her roles in Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show, being on Seinfeld and her many years as the Philadelphia Cream Cheese angel. 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].

Welcome to episode 1,855 of Toronto, An award-winning podcast, proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery. Order online at great lakes beer.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 palma pasta.com for more. Fusion Corpso, Nick Aienes. He's the host of Building Toronto Skyline and Building Success,

two podcasts that you ought to listen to. Recyclemyelectronics.ca.comitting to our planet's future means properly recycling our electronics of the past. And Redley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 19. joining me today, making her Toronto mic debut. It's Linda. Cash. Hello, Linda. Hi, Mike. How are you? I'm so well. How are you? That was a good intro. Well, thank you. You know, I get nervous. I'm in front of such a legend. I got a little nervous there. Thanks for saying. Hey, can we shout out a mutual friend off the top? We sure can. I want to make

sure the listenership knows that we're not going to like actually linda we're not going to talk a lot about like theater in this chat here but i want to let people know that there is a podcast called life and stages from joel greenberg and we're kind of hooked up here linda because you were just a guest on joel greenberg's podcast i was i worked with joel many years ago i did a play with his theater company I think in 2013, maybe 2012 or 13, I did God of Carnage. And I love his podcast. I think it's great. Well, the way the timing works is, so you recorded with Joel, like weeks, I think it was a couple of weeks ago, a few weeks ago. And now we're talking, but I'm going to drop my episode right away. But your episode of Joel won't drop for a while yet.

So it's going to sound like, I just want to let the listenership know that you were on Joel. Greenberg's podcast first and you talked a lot about theater and then I'm like I want to talk to Linda Cash and you were so nice to do this for me. Well, I'm so happy to be here. And one other connection. So everybody, I've done that. If you want to subscribe please to Life and Stages and then you'll see a Linda Cash episode will drop and you could hear the theater career of Linda Cash.

But we should also shout out Humble and Fred because you've been on that show a couple of times because you are professionally linked to Dan Duran. Yes, Dan Duran was my radio husband for four years. In Peterborough, Ontario, we co-hosted. He was the host. I was a co-host for a morning radio show, and he more or less pitched for me and hired me. We both lived in the area,

and so I'd get up at Half-Past Kiss my butt and do a morning show, and I would be done by 10.30, but I had so much fun with Dan and our third host, Deb Crosson. We had a great time and I really miss radio. And I'm glad podcast exists. Why did that gig come to an end? Well, as Dan explained to me, as so often happens in radio,

I finished my broadcast at 10.30 one morning. I went off to do another gig. I think I was rehearsed. Oh, I know. I was doing Love It or Listed. I was directing. Oh, I used to watch that show. Yeah.

Yeah. Awesome show. So I just checked my messages to see if, you know, anyone had called. And Dan said, we're done. We're toast. Magic 967 is no more. It's now oldies 967. There's no morning show.

It's over. And that was noon, Mike. Okay. So that tells me you were a victim of cost cutting. Cost cutting and the amalgamation of a bunch of, you know, local radio. and the dodo bird of local radio where you talk about rib fest in the park and what's going on locally, I think that's more or less over. And it's heartbreaking to me because I have never felt more connected to my community. I loved it. Do you still live in the coerthas? Like,

are you in the Peterborough area? I am. I live in Toronto as well, but I have a school, I have a theater school in Peterborough, and we're going into our 19th year. And so I teach kids, tots, and adults improv and scene study and a bunch of stuff. Well, that's amazing. So I have two out of my three kids live in this area. So I have a little basement pieter at my daughters, which is nice. But I also am based in Toronto, and I have another daughter who lives like West of Hamilton. When you said wake up, I'm going back to that radio gig there in Peterborough,

but when you said wake up at half past whatever that, what was the real time? Like, what was the actual wake up time for Linda Cash when you were a morning show host? I think it was about 5.5.30. Dan would have to get up earlier because he ran the board and I would have to look up. I did fast facts from the famous. So I talked all about the Kardashians and whatever the heck was going on at the time currently. So I had to look stuff up. so that I could be prepared for my entertainment bit.

And then it was just all improv. We just talked. And Dan loves to laugh. And he makes me feel funny. And when you make me feel funny, then I am funny. If you don't think I'm funny, then I'm not. I don't get funny. I get a little shy.

You're, okay, well, I think most of us have acquired this taste for Linda Cash, I think. Ah, so nice. Well, you know, he made me feel so relaxed. It was a totally new medium. and I did it for four years and I adored it. But you have an improv background. I would think that's all you need to do radio like you're describing. It sure helps because there's a whole lot of improv.

And the difference with radio is you have 25 seconds before, you know, Madonna sings Vogue. So you have to economize your dialogue, which actually helped later with my improv not to go on and on too much. Keep it short, sweet. And when you told me the time you had to wake up and it started with a five, I was thinking, that sounds okay. Like I was embracing myself for it to start with a three or something. Oh, yeah. The newscaster had to wake up at 3.30. I think Danny woke up at 4, maybe 4.30. Yeah. Okay. So I have some timely news on this front before we actually, you know, get into it. This is all like teaser stuff. But just today it was announced that Marilyn Dennis is going to.

leave her morning show job at 104.5. Chum, after 40 years, I think you would be great in that spot. I think I would be so fantastic. Honestly, it was, it was really a great gig. I loved it. That's a long commitment to radio. Good for her. Well, 40 years and funny things, I produce Humble and Fred show. So I know Humble Howard was friendly with Marilyn Dennis when she was on the radio in Calgary before she ever got to Toronto in the 80s. So yeah, she's been a radio a long, long time, and she's stepping down. But I heard her

say she was getting up at three something. Yeah, probably. So you were sleeping in, Linda. I was sleeping in, but the other fun little fact is I lived on a farm outside of Peterborough and the station let me Skype. So,

because I had three little kids and I had a household to run. And so I did the first hour and a bit from my home and then I would get in the car and race to the radio station and do the last hour there. That's a, you know, you were ahead of the curve because I know. That's how a lot of radio happens today. I know. I felt so incredibly lucky. They heard a lot for my dogs and crying children and all sorts of noises and stuff, which we had to justify. We weren't supposed to acknowledge that we were in our homes.

I worked in my home, so I had it a lot easier than that. You're just bringing it live from the farm. It's Linda Cash. I did it once on the go train because I had an audition in Toronto, and I was like, I got to do the show. So I went upstairs in the go train where no one's allowed to talk, and I just whispered the show. It was hysterical.

I did it from Budapest when I was shooting something. What were you shooting? I was shooting a mini-series about the Titanic. but it was sort of from the what the British. It was a British perspective. So I was Molly Brown. Oh, wow. If it was an American story, we would feature my character,

but it was a more British perspective. So Molly was very peripheral. And also ceased it. I had to be on a lifeboat for many days, and Molly Brown was green. Well, I checked out how did your Titanic do? and apparently not as successful as that other Titanic movie. Not quite. No, no. I'm not living off the resids of that.

All right. Shout out to fellow Canuck James Cameron. Okay, I know Linda, how I want to start this episode. I know you think we've already started, but actually now we begin. Like, just so we've never met and, you know, we're still not meeting in the flesh. So here, a question for you. Are we meeting now? Like, does this count as I met Linda Cash?

I don't think it does, but how do you feel about that? Absolutely. Really? Yeah. I'm looking at you straight in the face and you're looking down as if you're looking at my belly button. But that's, you know, that's Zoom. That's the way it goes. But yes.

Yes, we're very, we're very present. Technologically, I can be very present. I like how you think, but I feel like if I were telling somebody, yeah, I was I was with Linda Cash today. We were hanging out for an hour. So I feel like it would be disingenuous. Like I'd be, I would have to clarify like, oh. This just makes us acquaintances. not friends. Like, yeah, like, oh, no, but there were hundreds of kilometers between us,

but we were. Yeah, that's true. That's true. We should differentiate. Okay. So I have a really good handshake. So when I do meet you, I'll give you an excellent handshake. Is it going to hurt me? No, it's not. It's like, I've got very pudgy hands. I did a commercial for cream cheese where I was on a cloud as an angel and they never used my hands because there's, there's no way you would want my hands on TV. You don't say because there's a whole little segment of this conversation revolving around you being on a cloud eating cream cheese. I sold you cream cheese, right? For over 26 years, which is phenomenal.

I started in 1994 and had a couple of marriages up there. I had three kids up there. So much life happened on that cloud. Okay, so hold that cloud thought. Okay, let's hold the cloud. Because we're going to get back to the cloud. I know how I want to open. So we're now getting to know each other, building a rapport.

I feel comfortable. You feel comfortable. Can we listen to a little music for a minute or so? Just listen to a little music, okay? Okay. All right. So hopefully you can hear this. Let me know if you don't, but here we go.

It feels sacrilegious to even bring this down. It is so beautiful. Actually in this section. Okay. Well, let me turn it up then for a moment. Let me hear more. Hold on. There's a lot of instruments.

I'll break it down so you can talk over it. But why don't you tell us, Linda Cash, what are we listening to? We're listening to my mother singing. I believe she's singing. Okay, here it is. Like, I can't tell you how many times I saw my mother singing on the stage and I was just teasing my brother and we weren't listening or I was asleep or she would raise her amazing eyebrow from the stage going,

please behave children. My mom was the very famous Canadian national treasure, Moraine Forrester. And, you know, I really did not appreciate who she was and how special she was until she was gone, which is, you know, it's always the case. And I'm in fact reading her book right now because I'm hoping, I'm doing a talk on Monday

about her and I'm hoping to write something like a presentation because this book which is not in publication anymore it's called out of character and it's about my mother's very humble beginnings in Montreal and how she made her way to a debut in New York and then got to Europe and eventually did Lasgala and Tanglewood and you know we traveled all over the place she had five kids I'm number four opus four as my dad would call me And we had an amazing life, but she was, she had an extremely special gift. I have talent. I love what I do.

But it's nowhere near what my mother was born with and worked very casually in her life. Was not pretentious. She just hummed a little while she put her makeup on, went up on stage, and blew everyone's mind. I'm still processing. Your mom is Maureen Forrester, the late crate. And I'm telling you, listening to that, we talked about you're an angel in the clouds, Linda.

We'll get to that. Yeah. I just heard the voice of an angel in the clouds. Oh, an angel. An angel. Yeah. She had a soprano voice. Her mom was very active in her church and got mom to sing in the choir and do all sorts

of competitions. And then her voice changed around 14, 15, and it got very rich. And she became a contralto, which is quite a rare placement in a woman's voice. And as you can hear, her vibrato is perfect. Her ear is perfect. But my mother was also an extremely good actor. So interpretation was half of it. And she was very nice.

So she was really, really good to work with. So she was a fantastic mentor, even though I wasn't paying that much attention. Because she didn't require me to because she wasn't pretentious at all. But she was kind. She was not elitist. She just was very grateful for what she had. She spent money like it was water on really dumb things. She spoiled us rotten.

And we had a really, really wonderful childhood. We missed her a lot because she was away a lot because my mother was quite famous. And so about 70 to 80% of my younger years was without her. So your mom, Maureen Forrester, but, you know, your dad is a no slouch himself, right? No slouch. He was a violinist and a conductor. His name was Eugene Cash. Yes.

He was a child prodigy. His parents stuck a violin in his hand when he was five. never played baseball, he never wrote a bike. He practiced two to four hours every day as long as I knew him. And he was a beautiful violinist. He loved music and he loved his craft and he worked his craft. So I had the advantage of two kinds of artists in my parents. My mother had a gift that just dropped from the sky

and she just enjoyed sharing with the world without too much effort. She also knew how to sort of focus on what she was doing as she was doing it. And my dad worked like nobody's business. And he taught at the Royal Conservatory, the last chapter of his life, until he was 90. And he died at 91. And my mom, unfortunately, as the pillar of our household, really, post-menopause in her 50s started to get dementia. So she had early onset, and she had it for 20 years.

So part of the journey that I'm taking, reading her book, is getting reacquainted with this woman that I forgot was so smart and bright and funny and articulate and eloquent. And it's really, I have to say, I have to tell you, like, it's, it's blowing my mind how similar I am in many ways to her need for independence and need to make a name for herself and not suffering fools. But it sort of happened by Asmosis. It was, because I did not see a lot of her. She just was this fantastic guest who would come over and just bring the son with her. She was an awesome person.

And how remarkable, like, how special is it that there is a book you can read? The fact that this even exists that you can now read this book and kind of remember who your mother was before dementia sets in. Yeah, exactly. And she actually was starting to lose her memory when she wrote the book. So it is co-written with a woman who used to write for her McLean's named Mar. Marcy MacDonald. And I think what happened was they went up to my mom's cottage and they, she just let my mom go and talk. And somehow Marcy miraculously put these stories and facts in a sequence of events. So there are specifics that, you know, like I read her book when

it first came out. It came out a long time ago. But I'm reading it again now with a special attention and there it's very detailed and i forgot that that she could be so detailed about names and best friends and dance halls and teachers and streets you know it's just an amazing book that is very cinematic like i'm running the movie in my head right and it's blowing me away i love it well you should make that movie yeah i think it's a play i don't know if it's a movie even though it's cinematic i because it's the juxtaposition between a woman who just falls into a celebrity role in her life and a woman who probably could have gone into music but didn't because didn't want to follow in that woman's shadow. So took a big detour into comedy because I am musical and I can sing as my sister.

can as well. Right. But there's no frigging way I was going to do what she was doing. You can't do what we just heard together there. No, but I think if I did, there's a beautiful French song. It's on Spotify that my mom sings called Songs My Mother taught me, which is the title of what I would write is. And at the end, I really want to sing it with her. So I would do harmony with her so that sort of Natalie Cole net.

Unforgettable. Right? Because she taught me a lot, even just from a distance, how I would want to proceed in my life as an artist. What to do and what not to do, you know? No, totally. And it's a great segue because I want to talk about Second City. But first, I want to get real with you for a moment.

Knowing that your mother had early onset dementia in her 50s, were you always second-guessing yourself? Like, do you live? Oh, my God. Every time I forget my keys, it's like, okay, here we go. Right. And I think my kids are also like, Mom, don't you remember the name of that movie?

It's like, it's coming. I have the right. I'm over 60 now. I'm allowed to forget some proper now. It's fine. But my lifestyle is very, very different from my mothers. I'm not in a plane every other day. I don't have mercury in my mind.

mouth. I don't, you know, she went to a lot of receptions. There was a lot of alcohol. There was lifestyle stuff. My mom always bragged that, you know, she slept four hours a day. It's like, well, that's not good for you. Right. You need eight hours, mom. So there's a whole, and also dieted like crazy. So I'm a lot more conscious of my day-to-day health, and I don't, I don't move around as much as my mom did. But all of us, all the siblings are like, You know, it could happen. It also gives you a crazy joie de vivre to have a parent who suffers from early onset because you go, I'm flippin, not wasting it.

Not a second on dumb stuff, right? That's a good point. Make every moment matter. That's the one thing about trauma. There's a crossroads, right? It was not an easy journey at all. It was super hard to watch her disintegrate extremely slowly and then completely. and then completely.

But I know she would have been a fantastic grandma. So I'm a fantastic grandma for her. Like I'm very, very conscious of the chapters that she didn't get. And, you know, I want to live them for her. Because she deserved it. And I will tell you,

I'm a little bit younger than you, and I'm forgetting these proper names all the time. And like, for example, I just watched this film and I'm talking to my wife about it. and I'm saying, yeah, Job was really good in the film because I, for the life of me, I could not remember the name Will Arnett, even though right now I just remembered it.

Like that name, I couldn't pull it out, Will Arnett, this very famous Canadian actor, and I called him Job because I did remember his character's name in Arrested Development. It was fantastic, and he was so good in that. I could do 90 minutes with you in Arrested Development. We could, absolutely. But, you know, Rested Development was great. What else is great? SETV was great.

You have a second city background. Like, would you mind sharing with us your second city story? Sure. I went to theater school at about 20. I think I was 20. And I was in California. It was the American Academy. I think, you know, there was some,

Robert Redford was on their pamphlet. And I went, oh, I'll go there. Robert Redford went there. So I went there. And the first summer I came back, I just realized I just wasn't getting out of theater school what I wanted. I was not a scholarly gal as a child.

I really, like my mother in her book, I really wanted to work. And so by the time I was ready to go back for my second year, I had taken a few Second City workshops. And in those days, you would do a few workshops and then if you had any kind of ability, you'd get in a touring company. So by the fall,

I was at Darehurst doing, you know, weekend shows and starting to write stuff. And then I went to London, Ontario and did their sort of farm team, which was fantastic. And then I got to Main Stage. So I was there for four years with every intention prior to going to Stratford

and becoming a Shakespearean actor. I thought that's what I wanted. So this was kind of, of a detour for me. But, you know, your mom, you said, was very funny. Like, this came naturally to you that you would be a comedic actress of sorts. Yes. She was funny, and so was her mother.

So there's the, and so are my kids. My youngest is like very, very funny. Her dad was funny too, but there's a genetic component for sure. I am a performer, my brother's a performer, and the rest of the five, were teachers of some kind. My youngest sister is an art teacher and she teaches art to older folks at a retirement facility.

And my other sister went to York for film but teaches aerobics and teaches all sorts of stuff. And my eldest sister was a special ed teacher. My parents were both teachers too and I am a teacher. So alongside doing Second City from the time I was in my 20s, I also taught. It is in my blood.

I love to teach. Well, I would argue that teaching is a form of performance. A hundred percent. Law is performance. Being a cop is performance. It's all improv, really. So my favorite kind of student to teach to improvise or to teach monologue and scene study are non-actors.

I love actors and I love directing, but I love watching terrified people come out of their shell, get out of their own way, and make other people laugh. That to me is like, it's heaven. Back to the angel in the cloud again, I hear. Okay, so you said make people laugh. So let's spend a minute just listening to this clip and then we're going to talk about this. Okay, here we go.

You know, forgive me, actually, you know what? You know what I was just remembering? That time with you and me at the leg with the pinata, remember? Was that you? Are you sure that was you? I think you know who it was. Well, it was a long time ago, and it was... Seems like last week I'll tell you that.

You wouldn't know this, but she was famous for putting her legs behind her head. She could get both legs behind her head. What, you... I mean, you say, he's like an animal. No, it's just talk. It's just talk. Oh, excuse me.

Hey, me. I don't know what you can't. I get it. I forgot to compliment you on your, on your luscious melon breasts tonight. How does that sound? Oh, come on. Look, I... What the hell are you talking?

talking about now. Do you hear what you're saying? What you don't understand is, what are they saying? One picture is worth a thousand words. I only went through 125 or 130 words describing that. If I wanted to go on, I could go to 800 words more. Well, I'll take the picture because, you know, the brand. I'll tell you what, next time I'll get a picture.

How about that? Where's the dog? I just wanted to pull it like a little clip here, but would you be able to Linda Cash? That's from Best and Show from Christopher Guest. not your first Christopher Guest movie, but we'll talk about it in a moment, but can you name the people that are at the table

in that scene from Best and Show? My husband was Larry Miller. Across the table from me was the great, is the great, Eugene Levy. And Kitty Corner to me is the wonderful, newly departed, Catherine O'Hara. It was an improvised scene as all the scenes in Christopher Guest films are.

He did spinal tap, and waiting for Guffman and for your consideration. So I did Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show. And that scene was so much fun. And I had no idea who was going to say what, when. And I had no idea what I was going to say, what when. So basically your job in those projects is to know your character so well, sit in the scenario.

The only drag was it was like meatloaf that we were eating. And everybody was eating salad, but I was eating the loaf. So there were many, many, many versions of that improvised scene. But Christopher would take a segment and go, okay, can you repeat that and keep eating? So, oh my God, I couldn't look at meatloaf after that. I don't think I've had it since. And that was 25 years ago. Well, you can't even listen to meatloaf these days.

Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So it was just a, I mean, it was like playing in the big leaves. You know, you were in the best of the best, and the only way you couldn't freak out is to be 100% into character. And then you're in the scenario. And he was, you know, she was talking about, you know,

sexual escapades with my husband. Right. And both Eugene and I are mortified and don't know what to do about that information. And also she, my character is not the brightest ball. don't even know what a piñata is. So it was really fun. Now, okay, so I mentioned it wasn't your first Christopher guest film because you're in waiting for Guffman.

By the way, I, so obviously I watched them in the order, all the Christopher guest, even the ones you weren't in. But I watched, I love some of them that I'm not in are just some of my favorite. Well, yeah, a Mighty Wind, for example. Even the music in that I could just listen to the Mickey and, what are the, I almost called the Mickey and Mallory, but that's a whole different movie. But anyway, the Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy. But hold on, before I get too far over there,

they're hilarious. They're fantastic. But my favorite of the bunch, if I had to pick one, is Best in Show. It's a pretty perfect film. It really is. I mean, it had Jennifer Coolidge, who wasn't well-known then, and she's hysterical. Was she even Stifler's mom yet, or is this before that? Well, that was before then.

Yeah, this is the first time I think I saw. I did a show with Jen called She TV, which was a female sketch comedy show that was a replacement, a summer replacement. So I met her years before that. But she is hysterical in it. It's about the Kennel Club, the Westminster Kennel Club, and it's about dogs. And it's about people and their dogs. And it's just a brilliant. The Parker Posey?

I mean, just the people that. Oh, it is incredible in this movie. On an average, he would shoot about, yeah, on average he would shoot about 55 hours. And so he would cut, he and his editor would cut an hour and a half from 55 hours. So what we would get is a script that was basically point form of the basics of what the object of the scene was. But everything else was up to you and up to the moment. So it was a super creative way.

And I tried later to, I directed a show I created a show I created called The Joe Blow Show, which was an improvised show. Same concept. But I'll tell you, all the work was in the editing room. It was bloody hard to edit the thing. So you stuck to a degree of a map without too many tangents. But it's very hard to put a show to. like that together. I mean, he is a genius

as a performer, Christopher Gest. He's a very good director, but he is a phenomenal editor. So, yeah, my first exposure to Christopher Gest was spinal tap, but then the when waiting for, and that's a Rob Reiner film, of course, speaking of late

grades, because I'm going to ask you in a moment for more, to chat a little bit more about Catherine O'Hara with me. But how did you, is it just your, your second city background that you got the role in waiting for government? I was living in Los Angeles,

and I had worked with Eugene Levy many times. Like, I came to Second City on the tail end of SETV. So a lot of them were doing their best of shows, and I got to work with Eugene in a best of show. And then I also played his wife in a television movie, and I worked with him quite a few times. And so he recommended me to Christopher Guest. and I had a terrible interview.

It was terrible because Christopher Guest is a wonderful actor, but he doesn't necessarily live to make you comfortable in the room. So 45 minutes was slotted for my interview, and seven minutes later I left going, well, that sucked wind. That was not good. Right. But then I got it. And everybody, including the make,

artist said, oh no, my interview was also terrible. So he just isn't a comfortable human being. He's very, very introverted. Right. He's very, very smart. He knows a little bit about everything. But he didn't make the interview comfortable. But he must have liked your performance in waiting for Guffman because he brought you

back for Best and Show. Well, I'll tell you, Mike. He liked it so much that I was supposed to do the lead in Best and Show. I was supposed to do Catherine. So I worked for two weeks on that role. And then Christopher called me and he said, I'm so sorry to tell you this, but they're giving it to Catherine.

So it was one of those moments where you go, Ouch, but I get it. And I'm sure Catherine really wanted the role. And she had, you know, a lot more clout than I did. And she did it. they gave me that role. And so I went with it. And to be quite honest with you,

in both Guffman and Best in Show, I was pregnant with two of my three kids. And I was so happily pregnant that I kind of just rolled with it. I just, it didn't, it hurt for a sec because it's awful to lose a part. But I didn't care because I was growing a baby.

No, I hear you. Yeah, you were, you know, the miracle of life, okay? You were busy with that. Yeah, I was producing something else. That's right, that's right. So a couple of questions before I ask you about Catherine. So why do I not see you in a mighty wind?

Because I was asked to do it, and I was doing 40 days on the Music Man with Matthew Broderick, which was a television version of the Music Man. I was a pickle little lady. that was 40 days of shooting versus four days on a mighty wind. So it was a financial decision that I will forever regret. Because that was dumb. I should have done a mighty win. Also because I can sing.

Well, okay, so firstly, you know, hindsight being 2020, you can look back and say, oh, I'd rather be talking about the four days I did on a mighty wind than, but at the time, come on, you have to pay the bills. You've got to feed the family like money. matters. It's a job. It's a craft, but it's also a job. I get it.

You got to weigh it out when you got three kids and live on a farm. I get it. I get it. So I will point out that because we breezed by your second city career there and you came at the tail end of SCTV, but it just was announced this week, I believe, that they're going to stream all six seasons, whatever, all the seasons of SCTV are going to stream on Prime. Oh, awesome.

Like this is fresh news. fresh news for you. It all holds up. But this begs the question. Were you Linda Cash at the reunion of SCTV that took place several years ago? I was not because I was working and I was out of the country, which was a drag because I would have loved. I mean, I would have loved it, but also I'm not great in a crowd like that. I'm not great at an industry party.

I don't think that I could schmuse my way into a paper bag, really. I love one-on-one with people and I love people. But industry parties make me a little bit nervous. I feel like I have a plastic smile on and I just get a little tongue-tied. But you know, you just have to sit there and watch, you know, Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy and then, you know, and Joe Flaherty was there and Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas. He was there. I mean, there were so many people.

I should have gone. It was done. But I also was working and I loved looking at the pictures. Okay, so that was a Martin Scorsese endeavor because he was going to direct. And I don't have to tell you this, okay, Linda, but this, I don't know what we'll call it documentary revival. It was never completed. We've never been able to see this thing. Yeah.

And I wonder, like, here's my thought. So I feel like that was for Netflix, maybe. It seemed to die on the Scorsese Vine because he's a busy dude. You probably wanted to make the Irishman instead or something. But maybe with Prime picking up all the seasons of SCTV, maybe Amazon in their trillion dollar vault or something, they can just get this thing done. Let us see it.

Yes, I agree. I think that's a great idea. I won't take full credit because a lot of people have a parallel thought, but there are two people that are seen in this reunion who sadly are no longer with us. two people. Joe Flaherty and Catherine O'Hara. Oh, by way, are you friendly

with Jane Eastwood? Very. I love Jane. Actually, I just bought a painting from Jane. Jane is a beautiful painter and there is, it's not the painting. It's a print of the painting, but she's a studio in Hamilton and she, when

she's not acting and being brilliant, she's in her studio painting. And it's of Jane as Queen Elizabeth with a giant cigarette hanging out of her mouth and a bunch of smoke in her face. And it is so good. It's beautiful. I can't wait to hang it on my wall.

It's a beautiful picture. That woman's a living legend. She's a legend. That TV movie I did with Eugene, she was in it. Okay. And watching her on set, the crew was so in love with her because she just sat in the character and she just, anything that came out of her mouth was funny. She's just so funny.

Her timing is better than any comedian I know, actually. Jane should be a household name. Well, you know what? In the TMU, which is the Toronto Mike universe, she is a beloved FOTM. That means friend of Toronto Mike. Linda Cash, you're now an FOTM. Yay, so we are friends.

You're in the club now. And in our community, the TMU, Jane Eastwood is a household name. Yeah, I'm glad because she, She's magnificent. So I don't mean to talk over you, but I wanted to say, like, the woman was in Going Down the Road, for goodness sake. Oh, I know. And she did Back to Bula.

I think she did Back to Bula as well. She's been in classic, wonderful movies, but on stage? Oh, my God. She's incredible. And did a topless scene in going down the road. Did you know that? Yes, that's right. I asked her about it.

I had her on the show, and I said, let's do 90 minutes on the topless scene, Jane. Let's talk about this. Oh, you really do your homework. Well, I've seen that movie on City TV, late great movies a few dozen times. Let's put it that way. I actually love that film. I brought her up only, well, obviously, the SCTV connection, but I brought her up because she was Joe Flaherty's sister-in-law.

Yes, I knew Dave. Her husband was a fabulous writer. He taught at Humber when I was teaching at Humber and lovely guy. And yeah, she spent her summer's, you know, on Muscoca with all sorts of folks, Marty Short and those guys too. So she's still very close to all of them. You know, she was there before I was.

She was also in the godspell that kind of got them all discovered. And I came after that. So I was an acquaintance with all of them, and I worked with all of them. I worked with Andrea. And I met John Candy. I didn't get to work with them, unfortunately. But he came to see a show that I did.

And what a nice guy. They were just, it was lightning in a bottle, that group. Well, you mentioned Andrea Martin. So much like Joe Flaherty and his brother, Americans that came up north, you know, and now we would think of that as an invasion, I think. But this is in the good old days. Okay. We were friends.

Way back when we were allies, okay. But she came, she was in Godspell that she just got a documentary made about, but that Godspell that leads to SCTV with all these cats. It's kind of a famous moment in comedy history happening right here in Toronto. But that, she came here because she was dating Derek McGrath. I didn't know that. Yeah, like, so, I know. So Andrea Martin ends up here in the rest of history because I'll tell you,

I grew up thinking Andrea Martin was Canadian. Yeah, I know. I thought Gilda Radner was Canadian for a while there. Oh, okay. I could play this game. Kim Cottrell, I thought was Canadian. Yes. And I don't, I don't think so.

I feel like I'll Google it while we chat I'm going to Google it right now Okay let's do this real quick here Because I won't be able to continue Because I believe Is Canadian Oh it says Canadian actress Hold on let me go into

Let me drill in I Why okay I see here What happened here I see what's going on here She was born in Liverpool I heard a good band Came out of that city

I can't remember the name of the band Yeah But yeah So Kim Cottrell Is a British Canadian actress and it goes on with her credits. So let me just get to early life. She was born in Liverpool to British parents, blah, blah, blah.

When she was, okay, you're right. They moved to BC when she was a baby, basically. Okay, she was in diapers. Then she went back to Liverpool. So, okay, so I apologize. I'm out of my comfort zone here. For some reason, I thought she was of Canadian, and then I thought I heard she was actually not Canadian.

She just spent time here. But maybe she's both citizenship. So you're right, I'm right. I think she has... Oh, we're both right. Liverpool, that's... Yeah, well, I see here. Citizenship, there's a section of Wikipedia for citizenship.

And this is interesting because it says, United Kingdom by birthplace, Canada naturalized as child, and then it says United States naturalized 2020. Oh, we lost her. She's all over the place. She's, you know, I feel like... She'll come back now.

Who knows? Well, come back, come back. Kim. Do you remember growing up learning about Alexander Graham Bell and you would learn he was Canadian and then you would grow up and people would say well actually he was Scottish and then the Americans would say he was American like everybody claimed him? Yeah. I still think he's ours. Don't you? Yeah. Well just like we think basketball is ours. Yes, basketball is ours. James Naismith. Absolutely. Hey, I got a question that came in for you from Michael Lang. Okay. He says, I want to read it in his voice, but I don't. I don't think I can do that. Okay.

Obviously, you will. But can you ask her what it was like on the Christopher Guest movies with all those incredible performers basically ad-libbing the entire movie? Fun fact, Best in Show is playing all this week at the Imagine Cinema at Young and Carlton. Cool. Yeah, so that's a fun fact. It is without a doubt one of my favorite movies. Larry Miller playing Linda's husband is fantastic.

And Eugene Levy's complimenting her physique is classic. Yes, I remember after the movie was shot, I got a call from the producer who said that moment where he compliments my breasts was her favorite in the movie. And I did not remember that at all. Because like with anything that you improvise, you sort of, you're in the moment, then you let it go. Right. You know, the stuff that doesn't work is on the editing room floor. And you trust that the editor will put it there when it's not good because there's lots that. It's not good.

And he saved the best moments. And Larry Miller is brilliant in that scene. And I just feel so proud to be in it. It was so much fun. And the kid that plays her son is perfection. I remember Air Canada wanted to have it on the planes. But at one point, I say Jesus Christ, Max, when my son is on the roof. And Air Canada did not want me to say Jesus Christ, Max.

So I had to loop cheese and spice max or peas and rice max. So I had to, I had an hour session replacing Jesus Christ with whatever looked like my mouth was doing. Well, no wonder you worked with cream cheese because you were doing cheese and rice. All right. So we're almost there, everybody. Everybody wants me to go there. We're going there in a moment. Let me see.

Oh, yeah. I wanted before we leave these cream. for guest movies where you worked with Catherine O'Hara, would you take a moment and just share with us, like, did you know her well? Like, tell us a little bit about Catherine O'Hara, who, shockingly, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it is no longer with us.

That's, I can't believe it. It's absolutely insane. I did not know her well, but I did, we crossed paths both personally and, you know, pool halls. Her brother ran a pool hall, so I would hang out there, or, you know, I'd be watching a band,

and Catherine, be there. So friendly, very friendly. And during the time that we did the Christopher guest movies, we'd have lunch together and stuff. So really, she was an acquaintance. She was so low-key, real, slightly awkward, just a real human and treated everybody the same. I worked with her sister, Mary Margaret, on the first film that I ever did, called The Events Leading Up to My Death. And I adore Mary Margaret. as well. I know lots of people who are close, we're close with Catherine, who are absolutely devastated. And I love seeing all the covers of the magazines that she's on. I love the commemorations.

I love reading about her. You know, her husband, Bo, who she met on the set of Beetlejuice. I think he was the art director on it. And it's just really touching. She had two kids and best friends with Robin Duke and, you know, I mean, we, we knew of each other sort of at a distance, but I was always completely enamored with her. And one of my favorite Christopher Guest's moments is in, for your consideration, which is about an independent film that's up for an Academy Award, potentially. And it's sort of like Guffman where, you know, everybody's scratching their head, why is this weird film even close to getting an Academy Award. But there's a moment at dawn where she is watching TV and she's waiting for her name to come up as the actress in the film. And she just wants

her name to be said. And she's just sitting bedside. And of course, they don't, they don't announce her name. And it is so beautiful. She was such a fine actor. She played it absolutely real. you're right i do remember that uh scene and uh that's a beautiful scene and i also did love the um in a mighty wind when the kiss at the end of that song they would always do just you know she was because much like yourself great actress but had this comedic sixth sense which uh very few people seemed to possess it was quite something and she was ours even though again another one who i think she's been living in the states for a very very long time actually before she passed but we We absolutely, we know Captain O'Hara went to high school in Etobico, and we can, we, we know she's a Toronto gal.

Yeah, we're very possessive about her for, for, that's for her. Yeah. It's a huge loss. And very sudden I was, I, it took my breath away, honestly. Well, she was at TIF, right? She looked, she looked healthy and at TIF and she was, you know, relatively young, I think 71. So this was a shock to all of us. And again, a reminder, you sort of go, this is weird. We kind of just enjoy every moment. Who the frig knows? You never know. So nothing should really freak you out. We just have to stay right here, right now, right?

Right here, right now. Okay, I feel like I'm breaking into a fat boy Slim song right now. Okay. Do it. Right here. Hey, I'm going to play another minute clip because you, Linda Cash, can't stop me. Let's listen. I don't envy you, Todd.

This place is going to be a mess. Well, maybe you can stick around after everybody leaves and we can sweep together. Why don't you stick around and we can sleep together? What? You want me to sleep with you? I don't want to sweep alone. He says, I don't want to sleep alone. She says, oh boy.

Love to. All right, that's it. So, you get rid of me another toy. You are going to sleep together? What? You're crazy. What? You're crazy.

I heard your whole conversation. How? I can read lips. You said, let's sleep together. No, I didn't. I said sweep. Let's sweep together. You know, like with a broom, cleaning up.

Sweep? Yes. Sweep. Cut it. George says, cut it. Cut it. George is saying. Cut it.

Would you stop signing? What? They said sweep together, you idiots not sleep together. Okay. I'm lucky am I to be in that show. That's going to live forever. That's going to outlive you, outlive me. That's going to live forever.

And I'll tell you, at the time, there were 400 people in the audience, Mike. They did not crack a smile. I'm telling you, anytime I said anything, they laughed on George's line. They laughed on Jerry's line. And then I would speak it. It would be like, oh, my God. So I was a bit freaked out in between takes. And by the way, Jerry Seinfeld does about 45.

minutes of stand-up before taping. So he has got them in his paw. It doesn't matter what happens. They love him so much. His stand-up was so brilliant. But the guy who plays norm, I'm so sorry, proper nouns, I can't remember the guy's name.

Norm? Norm. Not Norm. Kramer? No. No. The neighbor. The neighbor. Oh, shit. Maybe it's Wayne. I can't remember. Oh, Wayne. Wayne Knight

is the actor's name. Newman. Newman. Not Norm. Newman. Norman. Norman. You know, Newman, Newman.

Don't forget where you are, except he's the one who is in the interrogation room when, what's her? When in basic instinct during the leg spreading scene, that's. He is? Yeah. He's there. He's watching that show. And then later he's in Jurassic Park. And he's the guy who's trying to smuggle the DNA of the, whatever.

Well, he was on set and he said, you know, how are you doing, Linda? And I went, I just, I suck. This is, this is terrible. Like, they're not going to air this. And you went, what are you talking about? You're in a classic. And I went, you're a classic. So, of course, then you watch it cut and you watch the sweetening.

You watch the audience. And you go, oh, my God, this thing is really funny in post. So once again, you're thanking the editors for your career. I am thanking the editors often. All the editors. Yeah, Sharon Stone's leg spreading scene. the famous scene and basic instinct.

Basic instinct, easy for me to say. That's Wayne Knight who's in the room. Yeah, for that. Trivia. Wow. There you go. You know, finally enough, we don't remember him in that scene. I thought it was just Sharon Stone in an empty room.

That's how I remember it. But, okay. So Seinfeld, you auditioned for this role and you just got it? You didn't have any. It wasn't because you, Linda Cash, are a nepo, baby. No. Oh, gosh. There's not a lot of Nephwin when your parents are in classical music. Right. It's a stretch. No, I was some, I was body surfing in, I was living in L.A. and we were body serving in Malibu, which was a really cool place to body surf.

And in those days, there were no cell phone. So I went to a pay phone to see if there were any messages. And basically my agent said, you've got to get to the studio in the valley. in like 45 minutes and they had just called so I didn't tell my husband I just ran to the car I got in the car in my bathing suit my clothes were in the bathing suit in in the car I went over the hills into the valley I basically dressed uh during stoplights there was sand everywhere and I got to the valley I got to the studio and I got to that audition on time so by the time I was auditioning for Larry David and for Jerry in the room I was just just celebrating the fact that I made it.

So I wasn't nervous at all. I was just like, I did it. I made it. And everybody else, because it was season four, was super nervous. They just wanted it so bad. And of course, you can project a certain, a certain aura when you're nervous. And there's a certain aura when you're not. And I wasn't nervous because I was just happy to be there.

So I got it. You got it. And it's going to, that episode of that iconic show, it's going to live forever. Yeah. It's pretty cool. It's pretty cool. I'm very proud to be on that show, for sure. Okay, so Linda, here you go.

I'm going to play another 30-second clip here, but we have basically Linda Cash, who's in Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show, two of the funniest comedies ever produced. She's in this iconic episode of Seinfeld, but let's face it, you may well go down in history, most famous for this. Let's listen.

We go. All right, I'm up. I'm up. Morning choir practice. I don't know who schedules you think so early. Rush, rush, rush. It wasn't for Philly. I'd never have time to eat. With 60% less fat than butter or margarine. Philadelphia cream cheese is a little taste of heaven. Perfect for your morning.

What? Do you think I sleep on this? All right. So that's the best record. Gordon, I'm sorry about that, but it was ripped from a VHS tape on YouTube or something. But I'll just sit back and listen to you tell me how you got the gig, what that entailed, how was it for your, you know, your bank account and why it eventually ended. Just tell me everything about being the Philadelphia cream cheese angel. Okay. Well, it was in 1994 and I was auditioning for, you know, I had done a Campbell's chicken noodle soup commercial.

which was very tough to eat that. Moli bites or sips. I had done a zealous commercial. I had done a few things here and there. So it was just one of many commercials that I was going for. And what they said in the commercial was that the person who got it was going to fly. And I thought, I really want to fly. I really want to be an angel who absolutely flies.

This is great. I didn't know that there was sort of a nationwide search for this angel. And it was, you know, a lot more serious than I was taking it. I got it, which I can't believe. And I did one commercial, which was great. And I thought that was it. And then they wanted another one. And then they wanted another one.

And then they wanted another one. So I ended up doing about five or six of them over, actually, maybe more. I did maybe eight of them over four or five years. And I changed agents. and my new agent, Gail, basically said, you're a walking billboard. You should be a spokesperson. So the money in the first five years was good,

but it wasn't great because I wasn't a spokesperson. So she, because of her, my contract changed, and I became the spokesperson for the Philly brand, which was not as lucrative, I would say, as something in the States, like the insurance gal or whatever, the progressive gal. Her farm was way bigger than mine.

But it did buy a farm. It did allow me not to say yes to gigs that I didn't want to do. It gave me choice. So I could do theater for two cents. And I could write some stuff and produce my own short film and do things like that.

artistically, it gave me a lot of freedom. When it went away in 2011 and suddenly I had an actor's budget, an actor's income, it was like, oh my gosh, this is how actors live. This is not easy at all. It was totally different. So I got spoiled. So did my kids. How many years were you the Philadelphia cream cheese angel?

How many years? I did it from 1994 to 2011. Then it went away. and then it came back in 2020. Okay, and then it went away again? It went away since. But in 2020, they were looking for a new angel, which I totally resent

because I still think I'm appetizing, but whatever. So they wanted me to pass the gauntlet on to a new angel. So there was a big campaign to find an angel. I actually put a few friends up for the job. I put them on tape and stuff because I really wanted them to do it and they did get a fabulous woman named Humberley who did it

and then it kind of fizzled out. I was going to say, I remember the the noise and the marketing world about the changing of the guard, changing of the angel, I guess, and you were going to pass the time. Like I remember they made a lot of noise about this and I remember the new angel

but now they, I thought like, do I just not, maybe I just don't watch television anymore which is partly true and I just am missing them or it seems like it's gone, but it sounds like she's not on the air currently either. Well, I think the interesting thing is it went to, it went to 30 countries, that campaign. And it started with our campaign. But in every country, there was a different style. Apparently, it was very bawdy in Brazil.

I think there were thongs involved with the guys. And it was a lot more proper in the states. I don't think they really treasured the idea of a misbehaving angel. So the U.S. didn't cotton onto it like we did in Canada. There was a French-Canadian version, a fantastic woman named Sophie, who I would take my, you know, big wings off, do it in English, and then I'd give her my wings, and then she would do the same lines in French, and then we'd go for the medium and the close-up shot, and I love this woman. but she wasn't allowed to look up. She wasn't allowed to have a direct relationship with the big guy up there. Whereas I was.

So there was a different style for every campaign. It was so fascinating. But why couldn't you be the French Canadian angel? I shouldn't say, bah, because you're from Quebec, right? Yeah, I was about six months when I left. I just went back and sought something in Montreal. and I just kept thinking, why did you leave this beautiful city? Oh, my daughter lives there.

Really? Yeah, well, she's going to McGill. I'm wearing my McGill hoodie right now because she bought it for me. Oh, I see a hoodie, of course. And she's graduating in, I'm going there in late May for her convocation. So I'm going to be in Montreal for a bit for her convocation, late May. What a nice time to be there. Yeah, well, I love, I actually, I really love that city.

But the news from my daughter is that she's sticking around post. graduation because rent is cheaper. And so she's going to live there for a while. And yeah, so it's, yeah, that's like my second. I know it might the speed train's coming, right? It's going to be three hours from Toronto to Montreal. That's what I hear. Stopping in Peterborough.

Well, listen, three hours, as long as I can put my bike on that, I want to put my bike on that speed train. Three hours later, it kind of show up at the train station in Montreal and have my bike. I could spend some time there. Oh, I'm very pro that speed train. I think that's such a good idea. Yeah. And it stops in Peterborough? Yeah, it's going to stop in Peterborough.

What are other stops? Do you know? You are the expert. What's going on? Ottawa? I think it's Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City. So is there no Kingston stunt? That's a good question. It probably would. Well, I'm, you know, we are not the... Another kid at Queens? No, but I do have two more kids. You know, they may, I think it'll two more kids on the go. So I've got two in university and two will be in university probably.

one day. So I got to keep these options open. Yes, you do. Lots going on, Linda. Lots going on here. Okay. So you, I'm not, I, I, that Philadelphia cream cheese gig, it sounds like that gave you the flexibility to do some things you love that might not be particularly lucrative, like theater, etc. Which begs the question. I won't waste your time of this, but I don't know why we don't compensate our artists

properly that they have to go to get, you have to go get a really cool. advertising gig so you can afford to share your artistic. Totally, especially if you're doing theater. I mean, my hats are off to anybody who is full time on stage. That is not an easy way to make a living. And, you know, even in Stratford, you don't know from year to year what the next contract is going to look like. So I love stage.

It is my first love. I love the immediacy. I love telling the story in sequence. I love the relationship with the audience. love the Q&A. I just like the whole thing. I love film as well. And when I get to do it, it's just great to be on set. But there's nothing like theater. I wish it paid better. Well, shout out again to Joel Greenberg and Life in Stages, because I've been producing that. It'll be the fourth season coming very, very soon.

And that means I've heard dozens of conversations with our great theater actors in this country. And I've learned so much. And Joel does a great job. And you'll be one of the the guests in season four. Okay, so mop-up time. Okay. You won a Gemini Award? Did for a Ken Finkelman show called At the Hotel. And that was great. That was really fun. But I have a question, and you know, you can tap out if you want, but I have talked to many people. Who was it? Jeremy Hots was in the newsroom. Jeremy Hots. I was in the newsroom too. Okay, I love

Finkelman's The Newsroom. The newsroom is brilliant. The newsroom is absolutely fantastic. And if you have a chance, listeners, check it out because it is funny and it is very, very smart. Peter Callahan is so good in it. Jeremy Hots is fantastic. It's just, it's great.

No, it's great. But, you know, I'm wondering what it's like to work with Ken Finkelman. Because I just want to know how you'll answer this question. What kind of guy was Ken to work with? He was impossible. He was absolutely impossible. And when I won the Gemini, what I really wanted to say was, I almost quit the business. But thank you very much for this statue.

Because he was really, really hard to work with. And he was worth it. I worked with him three times. He kept hiring me back. I never thought he liked me. He was so mean to me. I don't know that he would get away with the behavior. that he got away with back then.

I do think post Me Too, you just, and it wasn't that he was, he wasn't harassing me, it's just he was mean. And he also showed off a lot for the crew at your expense. So I did a damn good job on that show, but it was not easy.

And eventually I sort of understood how to play him. He enjoys women who are mean, back. And I am not a mean person, but I know how to play that if that's what you need for me to get my way on set. It wasn't pleasant. I appreciate your candor because I thought that, you know, we'll see if Linda taps out of this one, because I have talked to many people in your story is consistent. Oh gosh, he was very tough. He was tough on my brother as well. But again, he was worth it. You know, I'm a big girl. I don't know if I mean worth it. Can't you be a good director and not be an asshole?

Yes. I in fact think it's important not to be an asshole, but talent and success doesn't necessarily come to only those who are kind. And sometimes working with that kind of genius because he really, really was good at his craft. He just wasn't a nice person. And that's too bad because you know, he has to go home to somebody and thank God it wasn't me. And I've worked with a few people like that where you go, well, you know, I don't have to have dinner with you. You're good at your job, but wow, do you have to be like that? And some people just do. And you go, okay.

If you say so. I mean, that's what I realize. Like, I really am. I love the craft and I love the storytelling. But I really like the people. I love the motley crew that is the artistic world. I think it's, I mean, I sort of was, you know, that was my childhood as well. So I don't think I would, I like, you know, I like business people and I do lots of workshops for the corporate world. But I just, I just really like our world. I like the people. You said the words a moment ago, I liked the craft that I was going to be like, Linda, you don't have to promote the cream. You don't have to promote the cream cheese anymore.

I don't. You can eat what you want. We know it's delicious, okay? Who doesn't enjoy it? If they want to sponsor Toronto Mike, then I'll shout it out every episode. If you want me to sell it again, just give me a call. Just a little bafferine on the lens, it'll be fine. A little ageist, right, to say we need a, because essentially the new angel was younger. Younger, cuter, whatever.

I didn't say cuter, I said younger. No, I think they were wrong because I do think I was synonymous with the product and I think it was a mistake. But I also, you know, the folks at corporate were 30. And so many of them didn't actually, you know, they were barely remembering the campaign. So I just think it's a different generation. But I did get a lot of mail from people who said, we miss you and we love you. But then I made a mistake of Googling, you know, Philly, creep cheese, Angel. And then I saw some not very nice comments. And I went, I'm not going to do this again. No, never read the comments, Linda. No. No.

Never read the comment. I think the next phase of this campaign, because I know the marketing people at Kraft are listening to this episode of Toronto. I'm like, I would just say the next chapter is you come out of retirement. Like, you know, the OG angel comes back to reclaim her spot on that cloud.

Right. Yes. And it's lactose free maybe. I don't know. Yeah. Like, yeah. Nobody can tolerate the lactose anymore like we did. This is a new time. Okay.

Actually, my third born is lactose intolerant. And like, I'm like, oh, I was like, I think 90% of what I ate as a kid was full of lactose. Me too. Yeah. Here we go. Okay. So. And gluten.

Yeah. You know, unless you're celiac, you know, gluten is part of the deal here. Okay. So here, I'm going, you've been amazing. So did you enjoy this chat? I did very much. I would do this any time. This was really fun.

And Joel Greenburn will be upset. that we're, I think it's a promo for the Life and Stages episode. I think it is too. Yeah. I think we said some new stuff. Yeah, and there's a lot of theater in that and we barely touch theater. Right. You know, I feel like we're the mob. That's his turf. I don't want to go on his turf or he'll shoot me or something. I don't know. But okay, so speaking of that, last two little hits. Okay, one is for me and one is for one of your biggest fans, Langer. Okay, because Langer wanted me to ask you about being on night heat. Oh, wow. That was a while ago. Night Heat was fun. What I remember about Night Heat was really one of my first gigs on television. And I was a waitress and all the waitresses had tube tops. But all of them had something for the tube top to stay up. And I did not.

So every time I had the trays and had to serve folk, my stupid tube top would slip down until they had to, like, take me into my tube top. So that's what I remember about night heat. First of all, they shot at night so it was so flipping late and smoky in the bar. But also, I was the flat chested waitress who couldn't keep her tube top. Remember tube tops, Mike? Oh, I think about it all the time. So you couldn't get, I think there was a Seinfeld episode where all the women were well endowed. Do you remember this?

Yes. And I think Elaine was saying there was a, like they're only hiring well-endowed women. And then I always think of, we have, I think there's still one by the airport. But, you know, I grew up in the era of Hooters. And I always wonder, like, could Linda Cash get a job at Hooters? Then or now?

Then, no, now, no. Maybe in the kitchen. Hey, see, you didn't know we'd get into this topic, right? Okay, you never know what we're going to get to. So here's my last thing, only because, I had a gentleman on his name, Rodrigo Stahl. You know this gentleman?

Fernandez, he has many names. Do you know the full name of this gentleman? He came over and we had the best chat, but do you remember his full name? I can Google it. Fernando, I'm going to get this right, because it's the man. Oh, it's Rodrigo Fernandez Stahl, is his full name. Yeah, he came over, we had a great chat.

But I had so many questions about this movie he was in, which is kind of notorious as being one of the worst movies, of all time. And I did notice you're in the credits. Okay. You're in this movie. So I need to ask you, what can you share with us about being in the film Little Italy? I just had somebody say to me that they watch Little Italy every Christmas. Now, I don't know if they watch Little Italy because it's not good or because it is good, but they said they love watching this movie with their kids. I have had Italian friends. I have had Italian friends. who can barely look at me for my terrible version of an Italian mama.

My son was, oh, what's his name, Anakin, what's his face? Hayden Christensen. Yes, he was a doll. What a sweet kid. And my father-in-law was Danny Aiello, and he passed away shortly after that, and I flippin-loved. I fanned-girled the guy I was.

so excited to be on set with him. Andrea Martinson as well. It's a star-studded film. There's a lot of great actors in it. It doesn't work necessarily. It's kind of a Romeo and Juliet premise. The interesting thing about Little Italy is that it's produced by a South Asian family.

The producer is South Asian. behind it was South Asian. It was supposed to be about two Indian restaurants. And for some reason, the studios would not allow it. So they made it into two Italian restaurants, right? Right. So I think it suffers from a cultural distance, a cultural misunderstanding, but the truth is it probably would have been a great film if it was Indian actors and the South Asian story. Yeah, so part of the, and I had a lot of fun with Rodrigo about this because I'm going to ask you a minute. There's a line in the trailer that I'm going to, it's from Emma Roberts. Of course, who's also, I don't believe, of Italian descent.

But, but, but, you know, not that that seems to matter. Only Danny Ayello, I guess, had Italian blood in him for this thing. Last, he was the only one. Oh, no. What's your face? Oh, I got to look it up. Oh, because I know Andrea Martin is not Italian either. She's Armenian maybe? Yeah, her background.

It's not Italian though. Okay. So it wasn't, like, I guess it's supposed to be Toronto's Little Italy, right? Except it doesn't look at all. It has no resemblance to our little, I know our Little Italy. I live here. It didn't, it's so inauthentic. Yeah.

Well, it was a Hollywood movie that didn't understand. the Toronto little Italy field. Right. And again, it was supposed to be a South Asian story. So it was... So that makes so much sense.

It missed the mark off the hop. Okay, I'm... Wait, I'm looking. It's Emma Roberts, Danielle, and Hayden, Chris. Oh, Alyssa. Oh, I watched Who's the Boss. She was, she was great.

My niece and Adam Ferrara. She, and he's Italian. Okay. But my niece babysat for her kids. She was very nice. Yeah. So it was a really good time.

And another piece of trivia I'll give you is Paul Sorvino was in the reading. We went to the Ritz Carlton to this swishy, swishy party room for the first reading. And Paul Sorvino was Demi Aiello's part. And Paul Sorvino, who is Italian, argued about every single line for good reason. Right. He had a point. Well, he was in goodfellas, for goodness sakes. Yeah, so he knew his stuff and he basically said, I will do this, I won't do this, you can't say that throughout the reading.

And the next day that I was on set, there was no Paul Sorvino. It became Danny ILO. So I think he bowed out after there couldn't be more changes to the script. But that's interesting that they're both of equal stature, right? Because, you know, they're both such great actors. It's like you can. Oh, Danny I. Oh, my God.

I mean, both of them. do the right thing, for example. He's running, he's, the pizzeria is his. Well, he was texting on set, and he had a little dog with him all the time. He was so cute. And I spied his text, and it was Spike. And I was like, are you seriously texting Spike Lee? That's amazing.

Hey, so here's the quote, because on our way out, I feel like, if I'm not careful, I'll have you here, several hours here. Okay. But we've got to leave room for the sequel. But here's the quote from the Little Italy trailer that I don't understand. and all you have to do is tell me what it means, okay? I have to explain it? Okay. You know, if you don't know, it just means you're tied with me, because I don't know either.

Okay. So, here's the line. It comes from Emma Roberts. Right. I actually don't know who it comes from. Now I think about it. I think it's Emma Roberts. Okay. That's why they call it Little Italy, because nothing ever changes. That's the line.

It's in the trailer. It's supposed to be a big line. That's why they call it Little Italy, because nothing ever changes. And I honestly, I was in the gifted program, Linda Cash. I don't have a clue how these things are connected. You know, phone an Italian friend. Maybe it translates better, but that makes no sense to me whatsoever. You know what?

You just validated. Or is the derogatory comment about Italians who don't progress and don't change. I don't know. But from the byline, it's a challenging movie. Well, thank you for making me feel less dumb. I'm not tied for not understand. Again, I think it sounds great in Italian. Thank you, Linda Cash.

I loved this chat. Like, this was so great. Have me back. I will. I will. And if you're ever in Toronto, I could hook you up with some, speaking of Italian,

I give every in-person guest a frozen lasagna from Palma pasta. Oh, wait. I'll take it. I am. And I can't give it to you via Zoom. Here it is, and I'm trying to pass it to you. Oh, I'll take it.

Thanks. And fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery. This is what you get, just if you do it in person. Good sponsorship. Very clear. There you go. Did you ever do a movie for cash, unmarked bills in a paper bag? Did you ever make a film for Frank DiAngelo?

No, I did not. Just checking. But thanks for this, Linda. I loved it. We'll do this again. Thank you, Mike. That was really fun. Bye, gang.

And that brings us to the end of our 1,800. 55th show. Go to Torontomike.com for all your Toronto mic needs and click that link at the top that reads Elmo Gig, because I'm live at the Elma combo with Rob Pruse on May 21st, 26. Get your tickets now. I'd love to see you there. Much love to all who made this possible. That is Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Nick Iini.

Recycle My Electronics.C.A. and Ridley Funeral Home. See you all tomorrow when my special guest is Richard Walters, aka Morpheus Richards. He's a musician. He was on DeGrassey. We have a lot to talk about.

See you all then.