Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Scott Thompson: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1648

Episode Date: March 11, 2025

In this 1648th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Scott Thompson about Kids in the Hall, The Larry Sanders Show, Mouth Congress, and surviving the traumatic Brampton Centennial Secondary School shooting and having his home firebombed. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

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Corp. Dev- Construction Management Inc. And Ridley Funeral Home. Pillars of the community since 1921. Joining me today, making his Toronto mic debut is Scott Thompson. Welcome Scott. Thank you very much. What a pleasure it is to meet you. How are you, how are you doing these days Scott?

I'm doing very well. How about you? I'm good. I'm actually like well. How about you? I'm good. I'm actually like mildly anxious about like world news. Like I feel like I'm like inundated. Only because so our premier Doug Ford put the surcharge on electricity going to the stays. And then I, you know, screen cap from truth social.

Are you on truth social, Scott? No, I am not, but I might be lying. So yeah. They're under an alias. Well, it's Truth Social, so I don't know what that is. Is that like Blue Sky? Is that what that is? No, no. Blue Sky is where the sane, reasonable people are. You would love Blue Sky. Truth Social is the whole opposite. Oh, wait, wait, wait. You assume I would like sane people? What is your feelings on sane, reasonable people, Scott? They're not as fun. That's that's true. OK, so to social is like the Donald Trump version of X. Oh, OK. When X leans too far to the left, you go to two. So anyway, he's posting he's doubling some.

I mean, I'm not this is not a news show, Scott, but it's not just wondering when you read about like escalating trade wars with the United States, like do you care? Do? What are your feelings? Oh yeah, of course I do. I find it fascinating. I remember the first time he said it, I thought it's serious. I knew it.

And I think that Trudeau made a big mistake. He didn't take it seriously enough, and he didn't basically meet Trump where he should have, which is, you know, he should have humbled him. And that's what I would have done. I would have said, suck my James Bay. That's what I would have said. Because that's what he responds to.

I think he was too weak, and I think that emboldened Trump to continue. I'm fascinated by it, but I do think he means business. It's funny, it reminds me of when I was in high school, I had a teacher that taught us all about manifest destiny and said, just you wait, just you wait, it will come. And I think it is coming. I remember that day in school,

you learned about the Louisiana Purchase, right? And you learned about Alaska. Well, you learn about Alaska and you go, are you kidding me? What losers we were, we lost Alaska like that. I think it was really sad. Well, Russia had it. Yeah, I know, we We should have gotten it.

I never could understand why we didn't get Alaska. It always bothered me. It's all at oil. I don't even really believe it's real. I go, there's no way Alaska's not real. Have you ever been to Alaska? No, but I'm going very soon. I'm going to be there in a month.

What brings you to Alaska? Kids in the hall are doing a show in Anchorage for like a Comic-Con. That's cool. Yeah. So this is gonna be my first time to Alaska. Yeah. Con. That's cool. Yeah, I've been, so this will be my first time to Alaska. Yeah. Okay, that's wild. Okay, so hopefully you're allowed in America.

Like who knows where this is going? Well, I'm just gonna, it's interesting because I'm just gonna, I'm going to be launching my tour in three weeks. It'll be a big tour. It's mostly in the States. Just you? Yeah.

Okay, well. It's a Buddy Cole tour. It's one of my characters. It's called The Last Glory Hole. And it'll be mostly in the States. Just you? Yeah. Okay, well. It's a Buddy Cole tour. It's one of my characters. It's called The Last Glory Hole and it'll be mostly in the States. There's a couple of them Canadian dates, but I mean, hopefully this summer I'll do a Canadian tour, but we'll see. It's interesting.

I'm really thrilled by it because I find I thrive in those kinds of times. Okay, but what happens though? I'm a war comic is what I'm saying well we need you at a time like this Scott but what about now again maybe I'm being paranoid here but oh I think you are but I think you are hear me out here okay so the electricity surcharge not a tariff because you know he's not the prime minister difference a tariff is a federal thing like uh when your premier of Ontario you can't put tariffs on things That's a federal so he calls it a surcharge because that's something he can actually do. Okay, right

So like let's say at some point Trump I think I feel like Trump is itching to make a call to the military as commander-in-chief of the world's largest military Like he's looking for a reason to justify some sort of military invasion. Do you really think that? Well, I'm starting to feel like maybe, you know, and I'm happy Doug. I didn't vote for Doug, but I'm glad he's pushing hard with this stuff. But I just wonder, are we giving him a reason to call the military? And what does the military do if they get a call from the commander in chief to invade

Canada? Like what happens then? And tell me about the lunch they'll do it so you don't care you mean you're not I think you don't care are you kidding me I care deeply I'm fascinated by it and I I don't want it to happen but I have this terrible feeling something like that might happen I think he's trying to cripple the country economically I think that's his goal I don't really think he I don't think he's a warmonger at all

I think he I mean, you know his first four-year term and people forget that was the first time in my life Right that the americans did not initiate any wars and that's something i've kept I go You know what you can say a lot of bad things about him, but there's some things that I agreed with and then this happened And so it's kind of like I just don't know what to think now. But I mean, the thing is, Cold Wars quite often, you know, they can easily slide into hot wars. And you know what I mean? Because people make things, they make mistakes and no one, once you, once you unleash that

kind of a beast, you, you, you, you know, you, you unearth that kind of those kinds of feelings, you're not in control any longer. And it will have what it has, what it what it has, you know what I mean? Whatever that that that thing is, it will be what it is supposed to be. And you can't stop it. When Buddy Cole is in the United States on this tour. Yeah, he's on war footing. So is he going to talk about this? Oh, yes, yes. Yes, and I have, and also, because I have my, I have an opener

that'll be traveling with me, Lou Perez, and he's an American, Hispanic American. So he's like his family are from like originally like South America, so we're gonna pretend that he's Mexican, because it'll be more funnier. Right. But yeah, I'm gonna be shooting stuff along the way and I absolutely will. I have a monologue of buddies that

I might unearth for an encore which is Buddy basically coming out as a Canadian. Okay can I do you mind if I play a bit of this? Oh sure. I love Buddy Cole. Yeah. I am curious and maybe after I play this and we and how much I play is up to you I'm comfortable to play a lot of this, but I don't know if you'll be itching to chime in they can know your mics open But then I need the I do hope and again, we're gonna cover a lot of ground We're just getting started here But you asked how I'm doing and you got a mouthful because you you asked I did that your fault my mistake Yeah, never asked me how I'm doing because I'll answer it.

I know people who they go, how are you? I'm fine. They could have the worst day of their life. Their marriage is falling apart. I know their dog just died. They foreclosed the mortgage or whatever. I'm fine. I'm actually not that way. You ask me how I'm doing, I'm going to tell you how I'm doing. So be careful. Okay. But here is somebody called coming out as Canadian listen Show business is full of actors, singers, dancers, and models. And then there's me. Actor, singer, dancer, I can make the word Canadian sound sexy. Most people think that I'm from the States. And even worse, they think that I'm from New York. Because I'm so sexy. But New York isn't sexy.

It's sleazy. Americans know as much about Canada. And it's funny because New York is sleazy again. It's straight people to a boat again. It was then, and then it got kind of like legit. And now it's falling off a cliff again. So my timing is perfect. So, glad you're

resurrecting the buddy Cole coming out as Canadian. This is a great bit I found and I was... I mean I'd have to rewrite it like I mean I've been looking at it and going geez I'd have to rewrite this a little bit. I've got definitely gonna have to have more jokes in it. But at the time when I did that that was a radical thing to do to come out as a Canadian. Canadian celebrities always hid themselves. I mean they basically assimilate into American culture. Yeah, that's because you couldn't because there's nothing that bores an American more than anything that has the word Canadian on it and they won't watch anything Canadian. They don't want to see it. But that was then.

Things have changed. Canada has, you know, we have a different world now, but then no absolutely all Celebrities that were Canadian pretended they were American you never talked about it It was considered almost taboo and I remember when I did Larry Sanders and one of the things I said to Gary When he asked me to be on the show. He said I want you to be gay gay, openly gay character. And I went, oh God, are you kidding me? And I said, oh really? And he's like, oh yeah, you know.

I said, okay, but here's the deal. If I'm gonna be a gay character on the show, then he has to be Canadian. And he was like, oh, no, that's a bridge too far. That's a bridge too far. But it was true, like so when I'm introduced as Brian, I'd say they know that I'm from British Columbia. And that was a big deal, like nobody did that.

Everybody pretended they were American. It was actually, it was kind of radical. Now it's different. But so I'd have to change that monologue, but it was kind of, also to take a character like Buddy, who is like the definition of like decadence and sophistication and all that, and then also, you know,

tack on Canadian to that made no sense. But that's what makes it funny. Where did Buddy Cole come from as a character? Oh, Buddy Cole is so many things. I mean, he's he's my alter ego He's kind of like the effeminate gay man that I tried to kill Which I can't and You know, he's inspired by a guy that I fell in love with many years ago who was effeminate and but also had a lot of

Energy like male energy. I don't know how to explain it, but he was like an alpha queen energy like male energy I don't know how to explain it but he was like an alpha queen I'd always been very I always like I never liked that I was it's probably set my own self loathing and I met this guy and I had a brief fling with him and he he treated me terribly which is the most masculine thing about him and then he died as most of them well they all died back then everybody died she's and then I just decided to um if I started imitating him and I'd never even really imit I'd never really even done that kind of a voice before I'd never really fagged out or whatever you want to call it and because I was afraid I mean it was like I was afraid that if I did that that I would be like my mother

would always say don't make a face because of the wind changes, you'll always have that face. And I thought, oh God, if I act like that, that's what I'll always just be a screaming queen. And then I just kind of went, well, I mean, this is part of me and I shouldn't be ashamed of him. And so I just started imitating this character, this person, and the first thing I started doing

was with Paul Bellini. He had a video camera at the time. He was one of the first thing I started doing was with Paul Bellini. He had a video camera at the time. He was one of the first to get one. Right. And we just, we were young gay men who were in the middle of a plague. So we didn't really have a lot of, we should have been sowing our wild oats,

but we didn't want to die. So we decided to sow our wild oats kind of like creatively. And so Buddy Cole became kind of an outlet for basically my sexuality for both of us. creatively and so buddy Cole became kind of an outlet for basically my sexuality for both of us and he just would film me and I would just constantly improvise and The character came from there and then I met the kids in the hall and that was it How's paul doing very well. Yeah, he's doing very well. Yeah good good good and you guys are mouth congress Yes, we have a we have an album out right now a double album. 17

original songs. It's called Valley of Song. And we wrote that and put it to be basically produced in the last three years. Well, it's a real passion project. Scott, I'm not sure if you are even aware. Where are you? Like, where is this like somebody who sent you here? Oh, Arlene Glickman, my my agent. Let's just give some love for a moment to Arlene and Larry. I had a great chat with Larry. Larry's a wonderful guy. So, how, so Larry, I had the best chat with Larry and we're going to be chatting again. But in this conversation, I basically, I think I said to Larry something about how, because

I had Kevin MacDonald over. You did? I had him over in this very basement. We took a photo by Toronto tree and I, I've always wanted to get all five, all of you at some point in this bay, all of the kids in the hall because of how important that show was to me appointment viewing, I still watch it. I love. I love kids in the hall. And I mentioned this, the Larry Larry mentions Arlene knows you.

Uh, how does my agent forever? Wow. What a small world. Right. And then next thing you know, here you are. Yes. So Larry, I know you're listening. Arlene, I know you're listening. Thank you very much. This is, you're my second kid here. Thank you. Thank you. Arlene for everything. Thank you Arlene for everything. And Larry, I look forward to the chat again. This is going to jump around quite a bit here because you keep mentioning things and then I want to go off on tangents. I know I have a tendency to mention things. You dropped the F slur. Did I? Which I will look you're you're you're.

I love that you said that the F slur. Well, okay. So I won't use that term. Yeah, you yeah. But because I'm I don't have like I feel I don't have license This is like on Seinfeld when Watley converted to Judaism for the jokes, right? Like so I don't care about that stuff So you don't get some here like, you know, we have a couple of I'm thinking of uh, uh, what is it? The dire straight song money for nothing has the f slur in it. Is it? Yeah, it's got the f slur right? So can I play a clip? I'm gonna play a clip. You play fag that that piece? No, but that's a great piece. I'm gonna play something else because I produced a show for years with for Ralph. It was a podcast for Ralph Ben Mergye. Oh yeah. We have a double date coming up Ralph and

his wife and me and my wife are gonna go out for Italian food. Okay. It's gonna be very fun. But Ralph of course hosted a Friday night show and I'm just gonna play a clip from that here, because it all ties together here. Don, this is a big, big thrill for me. I'm glad you could get dressed up for the occasion. Why is our location shooting? Yeah, I heard you're doing a big show, and we were working, so I thought, I wanna come and wish you the best.

Thank you, thank you. To see Don here. Do you prefer the Donald or just Don well. I like Donald It was you were talking earlier about violence and hockey yeah, and I have to say that I am in your cancer I love the violence in Talking love I am in your camp sir. I love the violence in Hawaii. Well when you start talking love, I'm in trouble. I'll tell you that. I'll tell you something. You know, I really enjoy the violence. We have actually, we're having the same, and I think the reason, the level of belligerence in it, the NHL is being brought down, is the Europeans.

The faggy Europeans. We're having the exact same problem. We're having the exact same problem. We are having the exact same problem. Well you should know. I do, Don. Listen to this. And we're having the exact same problem in the gay community right now. Whenever a brawl breaks out in a bar, all the Europeans are in the corner saying don't hit me, don't hit me. And the Canadians are out there schmuggly over here. So when they say don't hit ya, and I'm snuggling with them.

So when the flags in the quarters say don't hit them, what do you do to them? You kiss them! I know! That's it! So tell the listeners what we heard there. That's me and Don Cherry on the Ralph Ben Murphy show. And you were cuddling up. Oh my god, it was, I haven't had that kind of chemistry since. I've never had that kind of chemistry with a man.

I love Don Cherry. I think he got really screwed. I think Canada did him bad. Well, Rogers did that. Rogers, they did him wrong. I think he should never have been treated the way he was. I think that was one of my favorite moments ever in Canadian television because you could see him change. You could see him shift. You could see him sense where the winds were blowing. And he just went, boom, he changed. Because at the beginning he's making, he's doing limp wrists and he's doing this kind

of thing and then you can see him kind of sense, oh this isn't going well. The audience likes this guy. And then you can see him kind of like, oh, I kind of like this guy. And he kind of, I know how to, I grew up with men, I know what men like, I know what men respect. I have so many brothers and I could see Don, I mean I knew there was no hate in his heart and I just went, this guy's just trying to figure it out.

So I didn't, you know, and then you can watch it kind of look at each other like we're kind of similar, right? Like I'm a scrapper, and he's a scrapper, and he can recognize it. And I think by the end of that, it was kind of a love fest. And I just think that's really interesting. I just really believe that people can change and that people have their personas

and then there's the real thing. And it's just, I think, a fantastic moment. I'm so proud of that moment. So that was live? Live! Live, right? That was a Friday night with Ralph and Marie. Yeah, when Canada had a talk show and an actual, when Canada basically had a, I was going to say a culture, but I mean, what I mean is Canada wouldn't do that now.

Why won't they do that now? Like why? We got lost. I mean, what I mean is Canada wouldn't do that now. Why won't they do that now? We got lost. Because that only lasted, I think, 18 months, I think, before they pulled the plug. Then it was like Rita McNeil came in, right? And Ralph and I talk about this a lot. And then at some point there is a Mike Bullard show, but that's long gone now. And I mean, I had Ed the Sock here last week.

You know, Ed had kind of a night, he had a thing, at least as a Canadian-made thing. Why not have Scott Thompson host a Canadian talk show late night talk show? Well, I think you know You're not available I think I think I'm too old for that right now I think that you know, I I'm I don't feel old but I think that I would give it to a younger person I think in my time, I think I would have been a very good talk show host. It didn't happen but I certainly wouldn't mind. I think we need it. I absolutely do think this country needs it and you know I would say that the Canadian culture, CBC in particular, need to stop worrying about ticking boxes and start worrying about just getting talent and and

letting it grow and nurturing it and forgetting about all this nonsense that's keeping us apart. That's what I think. I know there's a popular show, Mark Critch has a popular show in Finland, but these Canadian-bred shows are few and far between and I'm just gonna point something. So my wife was a fan. Uh-huh. I have a wife. Children ruin everything. Oh yeah, yeah, my god, yeah. She said, so we're watching this Plex server and she's like, this is the final episode, like literally the final episode of the series. And I said, yeah, they're in a park somewhere in Toronto, unabashedly Toronto, this, this it's a fine show. And there you are. And I said, Hey, that guy's visiting us next week, basically. So you're in this final episode, but that

show which we had, it was, was a decent show It was. Aaron Abram is a fantastic actor. He's a star. Kurt Smeaton created it. He's a brilliant man. But you never hear anyone talk about it, which is sad. It's sad that we don't support our art. And Bruce was a regular on that show. Yes, he was. I heard that later. When I did the show, I went, what? Bruce has been a regular. Yeah. He's like a city counselor or something. Oh, okay. Or yeah, he's a city counselor, Toronto city counselor.

Anyway, it's kind of a shame. Like, you know, you're all- It is. Like the kids in the hall, when you, because Kevin was here and he gave me a tip, you know, oh, we're coming back to prime. It was like on the download and I didn't say a word about it or whatever.

But I mean, so many questions. We have to get to the kids in the hall portion of the show, but will there be more kids in the hall? I don't know. There certainly won't be any on Amazon. So not if I'm around, not if they want me in it. Tell me why. Why you said that.

I don't know if you have enough time. I will make time for that. Amazon was an incredibly difficult experience. Yeah, I'm still wounded from it. Well, this is the safe space, Scott. The censorship, no, it's not. The censorship was over the top. It was the worst we've ever experienced.

Yes. And the difference is that the censorship came from the left, not from the right. And that's what was most disturbing. Like basically it's like, oh my God, the call's coming from inside the house. And I'd never really experienced that before. We were making that show in the middle of the pandemic, in the middle of a cultural

revolution where basically society kind of just went, oh no, old white men, they're garbage. I think that's how we were treated. And I know that's difficult to say, but we were treated absolutely terribly and I've never experienced anything like it. So, I mean, it was like almost like we were in the mob, we were in the mob, a kind of a cultural revolution. And I feel like we tried our damnedest. And I think that the COVID and the separation of people, it kind of hurt us because we could

be separated. We weren't allowed to be together. And, you know, it was rough. I mean, all of our material had to be vetted by the DEI and GLAAD, and these things are not right. And I just went, this is wrong. How is it that in this time, 2022, that I'm the one being treated like I'm the enemy by the people who I help make assholes

So disappointing to hear yes, it is It was really good. Yes, but it could have been better. It could have been okay. It's great cuz we never do anything We never do anything. That's not great Well, that actually is true, but we we at that time in history We were not allowed to push the envelope. We were not allowed to talk about certain things not allowed. Can you tell me what things you were not allowed to talk about anything? You weren't allowed to talk about gay stuff, trans stuff, racial stuff. Really? You weren't allowed to talk about covid stuff. You weren't allowed to talk about anything that went against the narrative. But you're a gay man.

That's right, but I'm a white gay man. And racial politics at that time were exploding. And at that time, I believe that all I was seen as was an old white man. Not an old gay man, because, but that's, that's what would happen. And I mean, it's difficult to talk about, but that's the truth. And it should never have happened.

And it, I'm so proud of what we did because you just can't stop us. But I would never do that again. I would never go back into that world. I mean, things have changed but we just happen to be making our show at a flashpoint. I know this is making you really uncomfortable. No, no, you know what? I actually appreciate the honesty because I have no insight into this. I can't pretend. I'm just never good at that. That's why you're the perfect guest and that's why according to Arlene you're gonna be here every week. Is that right?

Can I make the announcement until you're on tour? But you know like I mean first okay for example you love buddy Cole, but I was not allowed to do buddy Cole monologues Wow, I submitted seven and they were all rejected. I just I shot one Called mutilated which was about circumcision and then they wouldn't allow it to go Because it touched on something they weren't, you weren't allowed to talk to. You weren't allowed to talk about religion. You just say that. You couldn't talk about anything about Muslims or Jews, and that's what circumcision has to talk about. And I do this section where I talk about how

Muslims and Jews both circumcise their infant boys, and that's why there's always war in the Middle East East because they're always angry because their first memories of a beloved religious figure attacking them, attacking their genitals with a knife at brunch. It's funny. And they wouldn't allow it. So I did shoot it. So that kind of in many ways kind of broke my heart that, oh my God, and I'm suddenly the people that I helped, helped, basically just helped, are now coming for me because I'm not woke enough. And that was heartbreaking. And Buddy Cole was just, yeah.

And that I couldn't do, that's why these shows are happening. That's why I'm doing The Last Glory Hall. That's why I did King. Because I Hole, that's why I did King, because I went, you can't stop me on stage. Like live, you can't stop me. You can try, but I knew that the time that legacy media was frozen, there was like a, kind of like I feel like

there was like an ice jam, and the kids and all happened to be making our show at that moment when there was like an ice jam I knew eventually that that ice would be freed, but we had to do our best to make the best comedy We could at this point in time so I Remember kids in the hall when I would watch it on CBC was extremely edgy like the the running I can't I don't want to say the F slur. I don't say running faggot. The running fag. Look, here's the thing.

OK, for example, you have no problem calling me queer, but I never signed off on queer. Queer to me is just as ugly. I would probably could. You might even call yourself queer. I mean, I don't even queer means queer could be. You could be an athrouple. You could call yourself queer. So no one asked me or any of my generation whether we were okay with it.

So if I want to say fag, I will. And I mean, my God, I just watched a South Park episode, an old one, where they said that fag means like a biker who rides their Harley loud. So that's all I'm saying. If you go tune into Eddie Murphy's Delirious or something. Oh my God, it's every third word. It's every third word. Yeah. Yes So and in that clip live on CBC Friday night with Ralph Ben Murgy that you were on with Don Cherry that fantastic clip

He drops the f-word like he mimics you and drops the f-word. Yeah, I was shocked to hear Don Cherry I said, oh he he can't say that but you're saying he can say that it was different. Yes, he can can. It's you'll you have to take the consequences but you can. There's no law against it. Look at excuse me this kind of tippy toe tiptoeing around these things means that the kids in the hall now anytime that word is said they're censored which means that you're attacking my material. So how in the world is that helping people like me when you're when you're silencing me? You're right. And that they would never do that to a black comedian if you wanted to use the n-word. So I demand the exact same treatment. It makes sense. Doesn't it? Yeah. Makes complete

sense. Stop it. I mean, seriously, stop the censorship of that of the kids in the hall. So Amazon was doing that. But why not? Yeah, why not? And then we'll see what happens with this next federal election because if the Conservative Party wins I know Pierre Poliev has pledged to defund the CBC. This is like one of his promises. Right well I would rather he reformed the CBC because let's be honest they need to be reformed. It is a mess. Because here I am sitting, just like just a guy in his basement, Scott,

just a guy talking to Scott Tompkins. You're not on CBC, are you? No, I'm not. No, of course. Although it's funny, because when I saw you park the car and I came to get you, I was walking, so I'm not pointing out there like we're outside walking, but I was chatting with Roman, my neighbor, who said,

Mike, I just saw you on this hour has 22 minutes. And I said, oh yeah, because they took a clip of me talking to Charlie Angus and they put it on the most recent episode of this hour is 22 minutes. And I'm like, yeah, I was cool. Right. And he goes, yeah, did that help? Did you get some more hits or something? And I said, well, I said, it would have been nice if there was any semblance of credit, like even sticking any words like from Toronto, Toronto Mike or something, because what they did, whoever makes this hour is 22 minutes is

they went to my YouTube channel, they took video that was recorded down here with me and Charlie Angus talking about Wayne Gretzky and they put it on this hour is 22 minutes and broadcast it nationally. There's nothing in the credits, there's nothing on the screen. So if you see me in my McGill hoodie you

showed it to McGill talking to Charlie Angus and you know Toronto Mike then you're like hey that's Toronto Mike and if you don't know Toronto Mike you never will because there's zero credit anywhere oh I'm sorry that's you know but you just said you're not on CBC and I realized I just had a chat about how I had my moment on CBC uncredited but why doesn't CBC bring you home and reboot like give you guys some free reign to be your hilarious selves and give us a new season of Kids in the Hall without the interference that you experienced at Amazon?

Because they've lost their courage. Because they've gotten lost in the world of ticking boxes. And we don't tick enough boxes. I think it's that simple. And we're old. And people are afraid to push the envelope and people are afraid because people, I mean, the last, I guess, cancel culture has led to a place

where people are afraid of losing everything. And I guess the kids in the hall came about in a time, our first, you know, our first kick of the can when things were kind of breaking apart. And that's where I think we are right now, because right now I think we're in a wonderful place. You don't like that. Things are breaking up and things are changing. It's disruptive.

You want disruption. Well I think disruption has to happen occasionally and I think that you know one person's tragedy is another person's you know opportunity And I'm always thinking about art and art thrives on disruption. So I'm not afraid of it, no. Like I'm not really, like most people are so, I'm not depressed right now. I'm not like upset, worried about the future.

I'm actually quite thrilled. I think it's all gonna work out. I mean, it's gonna, I think it's gonna be rocky out. I mean it's good. I think it's gonna be rocky but I don't know. You're optimistic. I am yeah. I feel I've lived a rocky I've had a rocky road anyways so well I'm ready for it. You mentioned rocky road and anybody who knows about your life knows you've experienced some trauma. Yes certainly yeah yeah. Like textbook trauma. Textbook trauma, yeah.

And I don't know how comfortable you are, but a question from Andrew Ward. Are these people asking questions? Yeah, on the live stream, there's more comments than questions. Is this live? Yes, you're on live.torontomike.com. And how am I doing? Well, fuck Amazon for muzzling the kids in the hall.

Canada Kev is writing that. J-Ho is like sad to hear about the problems they had making kids in the hall. Ian Kev is writing that. Jay Ho is like sad to hear about the problems they had making kids in the hall. Ian Service just says, hell yeah. Moose Grumpy says big FOTM crowd today. FOTM Scott stands for friend of Toronto Mike. You're now an FOTM. Thanks to Arlene. And that's thanks to Larry. And Larry, just for the FOTM listening, that's thanks to the VP of sales who said, Hey, will you talk to my dad's old buddy, Larry? And we jumped on a zoom and it was the most interesting conversation with Larry. And now here you are. Okay. So, uh, a lot of happening, but this Andrew ward question is my parents moved

to Brampton in the 1970s and my dad taught math at Brampton centennial in 1975. His name is Andrew Ward, the guy who wrote it in. I don't know his dad's name. Is there a Mr. Ward? I don't know, but Mr. Ward is the father of somebody who is listening now, Andrew, and you know where this is going. Are you comfortable? And if you're not, you can tap out. I just released a video from our album called In The Papers, which is a video and it basically touches, it's about fame. And it's basically the theme is be careful what you wish for and to put all the different kinds

of fame and then it basically it's about the shooting. Would you please share with us? I don't think everyone listening is aware of this, the Brampton shooting and that you were there. Like tell me that. Like. Like, tell me, man. Yes. Like, tell me, tell me. Well, I was 16. It was my English class and guy in my class

that I grew up with, he shot up the school. Yeah, he was after my teacher. It was our homeroom and I was running to class and it went interrupted. And you know, he shot I think 16 people, three died. It was like the first modern high school shooting. I mean, it really set the, it basically set the tone. It was kind of the template for so many shooters that came afterwards

It's a hell of a long time ago, but it happened here And Yeah, so that basically I had to hide with in the class the teacher saved my life he grabbed me and Yeah, it's so that's and it's kind of it's been this thing that's kind of haunted me my whole life. I really feel like there's, that it sort of changed me. And also we, it was a time when people didn't talk about trauma, they didn't understand what those things did. You were very, Canada was much more English.

It was very much stiff upper lip and move on. If you don't talk about it, you know, it will go away. And it doesn't really go away. I mean, you put it in its place. That's what trauma is, you know, but it changes you. Like, I think it kind of, in a way, I became help, help. I mean, it's sort of the kind of comedian that I am. I sort of run towards danger. I'm not afraid of it. The thing about it that's hard to talk about, even though I've talked about it before, I keep saying it's hard to talk about it

then I talk about it. But like, it was a terrible day, but the other part of it is that was a great day because I made it, I survived. And so I have this kind of weird thing where there's nothing more exciting than to me than to survive something that they say you can't survive. And it's like comedy where people say, oh, you can't make a joke about that. You're not allowed to talk about that.

And that to me is like a red flag to a bull. You always see red flag stop, but when you're a bull, it means go. And I always think, you know what? I think I can. I remember one of the, I think one of the most, how do I explain it? One of the greatest laughs I ever got was when we were hiding.

In 1975? Yeah. Like during the Brampton Centennial secondary school shooting. Yes. You were telling jokes? Yes. Because I remember the principal came on

and he was telling us to stay where we were and explaining, not really, just saying there was gunmen. We thought there were three gunmen. And he was telling us, keeping us calm, but he, he could hear him. He had a crack in his voice and he wasn't crying, but he was about to cry. And when he finished, I remember saying, well, it's certainly no Churchill. And I got a big laugh. And I think that's the laugh I've been looking for my whole life. I'm no psychiatrist. Yeah, I know.

I mean, please don't diagnose me here. No, it's not diagnosis. It's more of a the fact that in this heightened, I mean, most people are shitting bricks at this point, right? Piss in their pants. Well, I was that I was doing that as well. But my coping mechanism is to tell jokes. Right. But honestly, I wasn't I didn't panic, I didn't fall apart.

I was really proud of myself. Like I just, you know, I'm a pretty hysterical person. I don't mean I'm funny, I mean, I'm, you know, but there, no, I was quite together. And I just, I don't know. I just thought it was, I remember another, another funny thing was half an hour into it we still weren't being rescued. I opened my lunch because I was hungry and I remember eating an egg salad sandwich and someone going like, Jesus, stop it.

Can't you have something less smelly? Cause like- How can you have an appetite? Well, I was hungry. And there was this guy that I remember, he was really a big tough guy and he was crying. He was a mess. And I remember, here's the thing, Mike, I was in shock.

I just was in shock. But one response, cause I just had a woman named Arlene Bishop over who woke up one morning and beside her, her boyfriend was dead. Dead. Yeah, dead. And she talked about, she described in great detail, sitting in the very seat you're sitting, she talked about being unable to remember what number you call to get 911-1-1. That makes sense. You know, and meanwhile you have the wherewithal to make a very funny joke, you're now gonna eat. This is, I actually, this is the best part, and the classroom that I had run into that the teacher had

thrown me into was the very same classroom that my younger brother had run out of, and we looked close enough, we looked enough alike that he thought I was him. And about 20 minutes into it, the teacher went, wait, you're not Dean. And I'm like, what do you mean I'm not, that's his name. I'm Scotty goes, oh geez, where's Dean? Cause Dean had run out when the shooting had begun.

And so the whole time I'm thinking, why I don't know where my brother might be dead. And I don't know. I just. I get the trauma that you're so on the live stream. Andrew Ward is actually watching live and his dad was there. So you were witness to this shooting. His dad.

Yeah. And Andrew's sharing that his father won't talk about it. Lots of people won't. I think that's why I'm here. I have a movie. I've been writing this movie. It's called dance with my bones. I've been writing it since the day after Columbine. When I, when I was, when Columbine happened, uh, I was in Los Angeles and I was making the only, um, sitcom pilot that I'd ever done

and it was my first day of shooting and I remember arriving at the studio and everybody was clustered around the television and they were watching Columbine. I remember I had this incredible, I don't know, I don't call it triggering, but I just had this, I looked at the kids and they looked a lot like us.

Sure. And I went, oh, that's, it just, I had this moment of like, wow, what's happening? And that night I had a dream where my teacher, her name was Margaret Wright, Mrs. Wright, cause you never would call a teacher by their first name. And she came to me in a dream and she said, she knocked on the door and I was partying. I was up to no good. I went to the door and there she was. And she said,

Scott, I want you to dance with my bones. And I woke up and I wrote it down. And the next morning when I woke up and looked at that, I went, Oh, she, she wants me to write something to show her that what happened didn't happen For not like to show to let her know that what happened that day It wasn't that it wasn't How do I explain that there was some good that came out of it and to show her that I had become a writer because She was my English teacher and she had encouraged me to write. She was the first person in my life, first teacher that had seen that I had talent and I was always in trouble and she would always, I'd come, I have a lot of detentions and whenever I'd have a detention she'd make me write a poem and if she liked the poem, she let me out early. So he killed her.

And then, so that's a big deal. And so she's, I basically that night, that next day I just started writing. I had no idea what I was going to write, but I just knew that I had an event. I would eventually write a film or a novel about, you know, inspired by this day that would show her that I had done well and I've been writing it ever since that's over 25 years and now it is finally starting to move and I have some producers that are really interested in making this film and it looks like it's going to happen. This must be very cathartic for you. Incredible. It's been like ever since that day I went when I first started writing I

don't know how to write a screenplay I don't even know what I'm how I'm gonna do it but I've just been writing and writing and writing and just changing it and changing it and figuring it out and trying to figure out every day trying to figure out what she was telling me because at one point about halfway into it, about 12 years into writing it, I realized that I had not been dancing with her bones. I had just been showing her bones. And I realized that what I had written was a memoir

and people were kind of, I don't know how to explain it. They read it and go, well, it's wonderful, but we can't make this. And it scared people. And also I realized that it was too inside baseball that I had to open it up and I had to invent things and dance with her bones. And then, and that was a big revelation to me.

Oh, I don't have to be a slave to the truth. I all I have to be a slave to is the story and the spirit, the spirit. Right. And so that, that kind of helped me go, okay, I don't have to tell it. I don't have to be exact. I can create something that's, you know, that came from it. You know, my inspiration were like the standby By Me and movies like that. And that's what's happened. And now people are really liking it. And I think it's going to happen.

My goal is to direct it. That's what I want to do. I can't wait to see it, firstly, but what day in 75 did this terrible shooting occur? Wednesday, May 28th, 1138 a.m. Okay, because are you aware we're about to have the 50th anniversary of this school shooting? Like it's gonna be- Yes, I am.

Like that's as round, I mean, I just turned 50, so this number is the roundest number you get. Well, that's why it's going to happen. Right. Because it needed that. It needed 50 years of seasoning. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I get marinated. It needed that. It needed 50 years of seasoning. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah, I get marinated. I can see that. And now you're ready. Yeah, like even the screenplay that I had written before that I thought was going to get made, I'm glad it didn't get made because it wasn't ready. I hadn't lived enough. Like I hadn't, for example,

like there's people in the script that I didn't understand the example like there's people in the in the in the script that I didn't understand the way I do now and Particularly like the father character. I mean before I was much more like, you know I didn't I didn't have a great relationship with my father and there was part of the the screenplay kind of like he wasn't as the screenplay kind of like he wasn't as fully fleshed out as he is now because my father's gone now and I made up with him and the last five years of his life were very difficult but I really got to love him and not just love him, like him.

That was hugely important and so he became a much more fleshed out character. And the other main thing is the killer. I could not really I had to invent I mean I know I'm not gonna say his name and I'm not gonna I knew him but I had to I what I've been searching for him for so much of my life is why so I had to take this story and I had to give it a why So I had to eventually go. Okay, I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to explain I'm going to explain why I think it happened It doesn't mean that that's what really happened, but I'm going to invent something I'm going to take all the things that we thought about as kids and all the things we talked about and I'm just going to go for it because I I'm going to take all the things that we thought about as kids and all the things we talked about and I'm just going to

Go for it because I I got so caught up with worrying about oh my god I want people to their memories to be you know honored and all the rest of it But then I realize it's a story and I don't the only thing I want People to do is kids to come away from it I want people to be incredibly entertained and moved and all of those things but I want them to know that there is a life after trauma and it does not have to stop you in your tracks at all. That if you're, you can use it to in some ways illuminate your life. Well you did, you did exactly that. I think

so. And it started with the Churchill joke. Yeah. And that joke is in the movie. Okay. So, a lot of the process in real time, but I do very much appreciate the fact that not only are you willing to talk about this, but with such honesty. And I can only imagine because when I was, you know, oh, Scott Thompson, you know, your first thoughts are kids in the hall with Buddy Cole, all the great kids in the halls kids. And then you think Larry Sanders show, another show I loved. And then you realize that where does this funny come from?

This edgy humor come from? It was born that day in 1975, possibly. Yeah, that's definitely hugely important. Hugely important. Yeah. I mean, the next day, once the shock wears off, of course, I, you know, that's when I fell apart. But that day, shock is an incredible thing. It just protects you.

The adrenaline is a rush. Well, adrenaline, that's the thing. I mean, it does, it's sort of, in a way, I've been kind of chasing that adrenaline. It's like a war baby, because when you make it, like when we finally were taken out of the school, you can't imagine what that felt like. When we started talking, Scott, we were talking about how I have this mild anxiety about this escalating trade war with the United States.

And I don't trust Trump as far as I could throw him. He's got the world's largest military and if he wants something I don't trust they don't roll the tanks and take it. But and you were kind of like, oh, it's exciting and you know, you do realize though you got that hit of adrenaline in 1975. Yes. And you are pro chaos in some regards. No, here. But that is probably related.

Maybe. You will be cool. I don't think you can fluster Scott Thompson because of 1975. Well, here's the thing. Weird things fluster me like losing my key will fluster me more than a gunman. And I mean, I'm going to bring it up now just because it ties in, but you were fire bombed.

I was fire bombed. Okay, so okay. I was fire bombed, yeah. So this is obviously now we've progressed. And again, we don't have time to cover your entire life and career because you would be here several hours. No, I've had quite an exciting life.

That's you were living in West Hollywood. Yes. Do you want to quickly just surmise what I'm talking about? Yeah, my boyfriend and I, Joel Soler, he was a filmmaker and he made a documentary about Saddam Hussein. It's called Uncle Saddam and I wrote it and it's a

documentary about the Hussein family. This is all pre-911 and it's basically like Lifestyestyles of the rich and famous, but looking at the Hussein's because he was a mad man. Sure. And, uh, we made this film together and completely ignorant of the, what was happening in the world. Um, a year before 9 11 and we were living in Los Angeles in West Hollywood

and we had a nice little house we were like a real we were having living the life and he went to Iraq on his own he came back with all this footage and we made this film just blissfully unaware of how the world was shifting and he made it he put it there, and then it started to tour like the festivals. And then we started to hear from people that we were being targeted. And I just, he said to me, Scott, we're being, someone's going to come after us. And I was like, what are you talking about? I didn't really understand any of that stuff.

This is pre everything, pre 9 11, pre Islamic terrorism, pre any of that stuff. And so I didn't really believe it. And then he said that our phone was tapped and our house was being watched. And I didn't believe it until about a week before it happened. There was a man outside our house and he was reading a newspaper, just like in the movies.

And I went, he was there every day and I thought, someone's watching us. And I didn't understand it. And then one day I remember on the phone I heard there was crackly and then I heard someone talking about us and I went my god our phone is tapped but no one really believed me and I didn't really quite believe it and then We were fire-bombed. It was you know, like we basically someone came to our home and they filled the giant garbage They had these huge garbage cans in LA that are both like five and a half feet tall and they filled them with gasoline.

They set them on fire and they had buckets of red paint and they threw it on the house. So it dripped off like blood. And then they put a note inside the foyer that said in the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate burn this satanic film or you will be dead. And that's what we woke up to. And that was just the beginning of the end. And he fled. He went to France. He went into hiding. I went back to Canada. That's where I bought my condo. And because I went, if I'm gonna die in LA, I need to have somewhere to go home. I need a home in

Toronto. And that sort of brought me back. But yeah, firebombing. And I remember we called the police. They took about an hour to arrive because they didn't really believe it. It was a day after Halloween. So they thought, oh, they're just two gay guys. They're just panicking. And it was a gay bashing.

But no one really, no, we said it was an Islamic fundamentalist terrorist group and no one had ever even heard those words put together like that. And they were like what are you talking about and then eventually they realized it was real and then that was the beginning of and I wrote a movie a show about it so yeah I've been kind of stalked by violence a lot of my life I think it's what I thought that's made me realize wrote that a show about violence because I thought why is it like do I attract it? Why? Well no, because in both circumstances you were sort of wrong

place wrong time. Basically I'm like a zealot kind of character I just get I don't know what it is and I just keep surviving. I would argue that you're not just surviving but you're thriving. Well I am. I do feel I feel keep surviving. I would argue that you're not just surviving, but you're thriving. Well, I am. I do feel I feel great. You know, I do feel great. You look great. Geez, you know, you you you survive cancer. I mean, I survived that alone is a trauma.

Yeah, absolutely. Yes. Yes. Any person. And you knew that these these guys were business because, yeah, the note wrote in the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate, burn this satanic film or you will be dead. But now the best part is, dead was, you know this, dead was underlined in case we didn't take it seriously

enough. That's when you know they're serious because they underlined dead. Okay, we're gonna take a breath here because I have a couple of questions about I won't trust me. How about your people watching? Are they going? Oh, I got so many tabs open here. No, please. They're calling it real talk hashtag real talk. No, and nice notes too about how well you're doing. Scott's doing awesome. So people

are thoroughly enjoying this conversation and your openness. So I'm gonna reward you now before I get a little, little kids in the hall origin story here, but I'm gonna reward you by, and I have no idea, Scott, you're gonna tell me now you don't drink beer. I'm gonna ask you now, do you drink beer? Yes, I do. Okay. Oh, I'm gonna say no?

No, I want you to say yes. I drink beer, yeah. Okay. I have fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery for you. This is delicious. It's brewed right here in Southern Etobicoke. That's as local as it's gonna get. So you're gonna take some beer home with you, Scott.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Do you like Italian food? All these tough questions. Oh, I love Italian food. Who doesn't? Well, I don't wanna know the people who don't like Italian. Yeah, can you imagine not liking Italian food?

Seriously, okay. Hook it to my veins. The good people at Palma Pasta. So they're not in Brampton where you're from. in Mississauga and Oakville close enough, but palm a pasta calm They sent over it's in my freezer right now a large lasagna for you. Scott Thompson And my so this is an empty box. Oh, but it's in my freezer. Okay, thank you You'll leave with a lasagna wonderful and hopefully you'll never need their services But if when when when when you do inevitably need them they're here for

you Ridley Funeral Home they sent over a measuring tape for you so I don't intend to die well I don't think you are gonna die to be quite honest with you I wouldn't take that bet okay two pieces of advice and then I'm gonna get my my old my oldest and I got a haircut together like we bought a father and son deal from Andy from your neighborhood barbershop and we did this yesterday and my bringing up my oldest son not to brag I have an older son. How many kids do you have? Four.

Nice. And the oldest goes to York. Oh okay. So that's where we're gonna pick it up but I want to tell you Scott Thompson about RecycleMyElectronics.ca because if you have old cables, old electronics, don't throw it in the garbage, Scott. Because the chemicals end up in our landfill. Go to recyclemyelectronics.ca, put in your postal code,

they'll tell you where to drop it off to be properly recycled. And last but not least, all right, shout out to Nick Aynes, who stepped up to fuel the real talk. He's got a great podcast called Building Toronto's Skyline. The most recent episode is about One Young, which will be the tallest skyscraper in the country. 105 stories, I don't know, 500 and I got the note somewhere, 530

meters. It's gonna be like the penthouse, which is 30 million dollars. I'm not selling these condos, I'm not a real estate guy, but if you have an extra 30 million and you want that penthouse, you'll be at the same level as the CN Tower observation deck at one Yonge Street. Who'd want to live like that? Good question. I can't imagine the elevator ride. That would be awful.

But we do talk to Pinnacle International about it on the most recent episode of Building Toronto Skyline from Nick Aini. So thank you, Nick. Okay. So I mentioned York University. Mm-hmm. Because you were kicked out of York So thank you, Nick. Okay. So I mentioned York University because you were kicked out of York. I was. Yeah.

And again, we talked about how you're, you're okay with disruption. Well I have to be. Is that because you were so disruptive at York? Yeah. I've been disruptive most of my life. Yeah. I was thrown out for discipline, behavioral issues. And, but I guess you were disrupted. I shouldn't laugh. You were disruptive. Yeah. Well you laughed when there was a shooter killing your your friends. Well I didn't. So you can laugh at this. I didn't laugh. I made people laugh. You made people

laugh. Right. Which is amazing by the way. That story is amazing. But so you're kicked out of York for being disruptive, but I'm curious maybe, and I know you can't go in great detail and shout out to Paul Myers, okay? Paul Myers is back in the calendar. He's gonna be in this basement because he wrote a book about John Candy. Yeah, yeah.

Did you ever meet John Candy? No, I did not. I remember I was at Just For Laughs and he was rehearsing. He was hosting and I was also there. And I remember being in the audience watching him rehearse, but I didn't have the courage to introduce myself at the time. So he's one of the only ones from SCTV that I did not meet. Well, there's a book coming out about John from Paul Myers,

who wrote the definitive book on Kids in the Hall, big part of the documentary on Prime, which all Kids in the hall fans have seen, although fuck Prime, fuck Amazon. Here's the thing, Amazon, I wrote this joke about it recently, look, when five white men go up the Amazon, not all of them are coming back.

It's like, when a group of middle-aged white men go up a river, whether it's the Amazon or the Kalahula wasi, you know in deliverance, they're not all coming back intact. That's all I'm gonna say. Someone had to squeal like a pig, didn't they? What a great movie. Okay. It is a great movie. How do I see the footage that was shot but never aired on Prime? Do you have it on a hard drive somewhere? Some of it, yes. Wink, wink, any way that finds its way to me? I hope so. I hope eventually it comes out. I'm just telling you, because now you know where I live,

if a package arrived. Yeah, that would be it. And it was no. Here's the thing, I think, the kids in the hall have done recently, the last couple of years we've been doing these shows where we do the abandoned material, and we could do that, we could perform all week.

There was so much material that wasn't allowed. So shameful. I have memories. I have a memory because I loved kids in the hall and I remember there was somebody who was dead and he died of AIDS, I suppose. And he was like, it was cancer. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Stigma. Tony Baldwin. That was surf cop. And I remember reading somewhere that it was gonna air in the States, and they were gonna, I don't know if it was HBO or wherever the hell it was airing, but they were changing that or something.

Oh yeah. Like, so there was content that aired on CBC that couldn't air in the States, even back in the 90s. That's right. There was stuff that couldn't be shown on HBO. I mean, that's- Think about that. We should be proud of that.

And there's things that people, there were things that wouldn't be allowed, I mean, I mean so much that what we did then would not be allowed. But we would have things that would be allowed in CBC but not allowed on HBO. That's kind of amazing because countries have different, you know, Canada's religion is something that the states, you just can't. And Canada's not as, not as strict about that. We're stricter about like you can't. And Canada's not as strict about that. We're stricter about like, you can't make fun of the French. Like there's that kind of stuff.

Stupid stuff like that. We have no problem with like, you know, sex stuff. But that, well we do now. Oh we do now. Yeah we do now. Well I was going to say that kind of... Canada's changed. Props to CBC in the 90s though that they didn't censor you.

Well no, it was a different time and also censorship back then came from the right. It was the religious right. And I have to say, I missed them a little bit. Well, you're in luck, Scott. I have news for you. No, there's the secular left and the religious right. They're coming back of a vengeance. Well, it is coming back.

I mean, here's the thing. You know, I don't like any extremes. I think that all extremes, they eventually meet, they become the same thing. So that kind of impulse to squelch free speech is not a right or a left thing. It's just a type of person. Do you know what I mean?

It's an impulse, but it has nothing to do with left or right. Yeah, to me, my rules, and I love dark humor, what they call it, gallows humor, whatnot. I think if there's hate towards a person, I don't find it funny if the joke is, Oh, this guy's gay. Like I don't find it when the joke is, is punching down on a, who decides who's punching up and who's punching down. Like that's the thing. Think about that. How who decides what I pulled from the Ben Murray show you using the F slur. I thought was funny was funny and fine when I heard Don Cherry say it does hit differently like when I disarmed them

Don't don't right I disarm him. It's a great moment But it does hit differently when you would never when they if they showed that today on CBC They said they would censor it hundred percent. How in the world is that progress? I'm shocked It wasn't censored even though there must have been some delay. I'm shocked that they let the F slur go in the- Well, the kids in the hall, we were monsters. The five of us, you couldn't fight us. I mean, one of us, you could, but five, no. Well, tell me now how you end up in kids in the hall.

I know you've been asked this probably a million times. Oh yes, I have. But again, that's why I brought up Paul Meyers. I'm like, why did I bring up Paul? Yeah, if you want the story, there's's a doc and not that we want you to watch Prime. Go steal it. How's that? Steal it? Pirate Bay? Why they used to say steal this book. Steal? You steal this book. Maybe you'll have a Plex server you know a Canada Cav or something. But how I know it starts with Mark McKinney right? How do you end up in Kids in the Hall? Oh I went

with my friend Darlene took me to a midnight show of the original Kids in the Hall when they just joined with the audience. There were eight of them. And at the time I was just an actor, wanted to, you know, have an actual acting career and be funny on talk shows. And I just remember they came out, they were performing and it was just a revelation. I went, Oh my God, this is what is what I'm gonna do it was love at first sight and I just I remember saying to my friend Darlene I gotta be in that group I just have to be in that group I just knew I had to do it no matter what I had to be in that group they were doing everything that I I wanted to do and so I there was I noticed that I I

don't know I found I I don't know why I did this but I noticed that under the seat there was donuts taped so and I kind of and there was almost noticed that I don't know I found I I don't know why I did this but I noticed that under the seat there was donuts taped so and I kind of and there was almost no one in the theater was almost completely empty and I went oh my god there's donuts taped everywhere they probably need it for a bit so I don't know what I was thinking I thought I didn't think oh I'll ruin the bit I just took a donut and I started putting it into you know breaking it up and whipping it at them on stage I just wanted to be and I started putting it into, you know, breaking it up and whipping it at them on stage. I just wanted to be noticed and they were like, who's doing that? And it was like, it's me!

Like I was proud. And then afterwards I remember Bruce coming up to me and going, are you the asshole who was throwing donuts at on us? And I went, yeah. And he was like, well, why? I go, I don't know. And I go, you know, you ruined our bit. I went, I know,, you know, you ruined our bed I went I know but you know you recovered I knew you would and that was it and I think they couldn't forget it and mark was the one that was most charmed by it And so he eventually asked me to do a guest spot with them And then when I when I did that guest spot, I knew that I wasn't leaving

So I arrived with a bag of wigs and dresses because I went, I've got to make myself useful. And that was it. Like I never had, I don't think they knew I had no intentions of going anywhere. And then they eventually, I just made myself, I don't know, I made myself indispensable. You were last kid in. Yep. And that was it. No more joiners.

No more joiners. I swallowed the key. You called it. Yeah. I was just, no way anyone was getting kid in. Yep. And that was it. No more joiners. I swallowed the key. You called it. I was just, no way anyone was getting back in. No. I knew it. I had to, I had to, I had to throw away the key. But who were the Lovecats?

Oh, that was a, that was a team that I did with Darlene Harrison and Karen Baller and Tim Sims. We were, we were basically an improv team and we weren't, we were wild. We didn't really follow any of the rules. We said no all the time. But we- Right, it's yes end or whatever. No, we were yes, no, we were no end.

We would wear costumes and we would dress up. So we were a little notorious. It's funny, this episode opened, I have these pro bono PSAs about buying Canadian and this gentleman Mike Okumor, I hope I say his name right, Okumor, he's been sending these to me and I played one by Ron James and-

Yeah, I saw those, I heard those. Yeah, so I've been playing these and I got one sent to me today and I played it off the top. No one asked me to do any of them. Yeah. We know what. Call him Mockery. So this, one of them is Larry McInnis,

who's an FOTM He's been on he does a lot of stuff with Bob and Doug McKenzie And anyway, so I can this pro bono group if you were interested in doing one I could totally I mean you won't get paid but you get more from coming on Toronto Wakes because at least you get a lasagna And some fresh craft beer here, but I will tell I'm doing that. I definitely I'm definitely so Colin mockery is like the Improv man. He's Mochrie is like the improv man. He's the greatest, he's the greatest. Yeah, him and Debra.

They're hilarious, I mean I've known them both forever. I mean when I was in Second City, it was with, Deb was the head of us, Deb was in the main stage, but she was amazing. Yeah, the kids in the hall all went through Second City, but none of us lasted. Well it's all funny how it all comes together, but she was amazing. Yeah, we, the kids in the hall all went through second city, but we, none of us lasted. It's all funny how it all comes together because I was going to ask you, uh, what was I about

to ask you about SED? Oh yeah. Were you at the reunion that Martin Scorsese filmed? Yeah. So now, cause I know Colin and Deborah were there. Yeah, I performed at it. Why did, why do you think, because I'm sure you probably don't have a direct line to Mr. Scorsese, or maybe you do, Scott, I should make these assumptions. But why do you think Scorsese shelved this footage and we're never going to see it? Like, wasn't that supposed to be an SCTV? Yes. You had Rick Moranis there for.

Yeah, I don't know what happened. And it was a good because. Oh, God, yeah. So was good. Yeah. Because I was not there. for goodness sake. I don't know what happened. And was it good because- Oh God, yeah. So it was good. Yeah. Because I was not there. I just don't, I don't know. I mean, I'm hoping that that eventually does come out.

Look, it's been a long time. It has been. And now you've got Joe Flaherty's gone. He showed up to Ridley Funeral Home. We lost Joe. So the longer this thing sits on the shelf, the less likely it is we ever see this. Yeah, I would love that. I mean, yeah, Joe's gone and John's gone. John John or John was gone well before. Long time ago.

Yeah I think it was the anniversary of his passing maybe this last week actually. Oh really? It's been 30 years. Yeah that's a long time. Yeah it's a long time. Larger than life. Okay well anyway so you don't have any insight into that except I had Dave Thomas on the show. What did he say? He says he doesn't think we're going to see it. He says, uh, something happened. Someone has a specifics, but something happened.

Something happened. Yeah. Like maybe it was tied to some, maybe here's my, just, just my speculation. Like maybe the reunion was tied to an airing of old SCTV and there was some licensing thing somewhere maybe with I don't know what that they weren't going to do that anymore. So no dominoes were falling to make this Scorsese. And then Scorsese is a type of guy apparently who moves on to other projects. And then he's always working on something. I think he did the Irishman next, which, you know, takes four hours to watch. I can't imagine how long it takes

to make it. And he's several projects deep now and he's not getting any younger. And I don't think we're ever gonna see footage of this SCTV reunion that you're at. Oh, that's sad. I know. That is sad. Okay.

But I don't feel sorry for them. They've had a great run, but it would be nice to see. I would like to see that. I mean, yeah, I would like to see that. Of course, and if you talk to any Canadian comedy fan, the two shows that are gonna be cited most often as our excellence and comedy are gonna be SCTV the TV show and kids in the hall So you're part of that lineage. Yeah, I will tell you right now. Yeah. Yeah SCTV was

Definitely my biggest influence. Yeah, absolutely. Okay quick question from the live stream, which is unrelated to anything we're talking about. Oh, okay. So they're not, so, but they're listening. They're listening and they're loving it. Do you have any, uh, in, uh, I mean, maybe an opinion on the fact that Buffy St. Marie. Oh, this is a good one. So Buffy St. Marie, for those who didn't watch the CBC doc, there's overwhelming evidence that she was born an Italian American raised in America. I think it's not overwhelming evidence. Well, let's hear what you think then. It's true.

Right. Which is the same thing, kind of, right? Overwhelming evidence that it is true. So when she is adopted into an indigenous community, she's already in her 20s. But she presents herself for decades, and I watched her on Sesame Street back in the 70s Okay, she presents herself for decades as a proud indigenous woman And she won many an award was celebrated for being a spokesperson for her indigenous community, but she's an Italian American Yeah, what are your thoughts Scott Thompson?

so Well, I feel sorry for her because she's an old lady and she's obviously a very talented person and has contributed a lot to culture, but she was a race grifter. And I think that's, I think part of the problem is, is that to me it points up the emptiness of that kind of thinking. I mean, I think that it's also our fault for putting so much emphasis on race and ethnicity and all the rest of it. It's all silly. And I think we should, you know what I mean? And so, because I go, well, okay, she's not a, she's not a native

woman, but she still wrote those songs. Like there's still great songs. So I do think that eventually people will find a way to forgive her. But I do look at it and I can't help but have empathy for her and go, wow, that must be really terrible at the end of your life to have that. Because she didn't, I mean, yes, what she did was wrong, but she didn't really hurt anyone. Do you know what I mean? See this, I had this conversation with a gentleman named Mark Merlainen, who is an indigenous man and he says indigenous people were harmed because awards that would be earmarked for indigenous people.

Oh, that's true. Yeah. So because- Well, then I go, then should maybe awards shouldn't be marked for people because of their race. Ultimately, at the heart of it, maybe this is pointing up that maybe all of it's silly. Like why should anybody get something for their race? Do you know what I mean?

I don't want any awards for my race. I don't want any awards for- Well, you're not getting an award for your race, though. No, no. I won't. We're not allowed to. I don't want to get any awards for being gay. I want to be talented. I being, any of my, for being gay. I want to be talent.

I want it for my, only for my talent. I'm with you 100%, but the indigenous community for decades, we had this policy of assimilation where we literally took them out of their communities and we put them in schools to, to beat, beat them into whiteness. Uh, there's, there's, it's so because of that history, that all too recent history, there's sort of, I would call it, the pendulum swinging. We need to sort of over-celebrate indigenous people. Well I think that's exactly a great word. It is over-celebrate, and therefore, see, I don't like any of that stuff, because I go, like as a gay man, and especially the

kind of arc that I've had, I go, geez, are you hiring me because I'm gay and you want to show off how progressive you are, or do you really think I'm the best person for the job? I personally want to be seen as the best person for the job. So I do hope that we can let go of all this stuff, because I don't think it's helping. I really don't think it's helping any longer. I think this hyphenated world that we live in today is actually working against us and we need to leave it behind.

But Canada is a cultural mosaic, right? Like you have, you know, your Italian community, your Greek community, you know, the Russian community. What community are you from? Tell me. No, I'm a bit of a mutt. No, no, no, stop it. Tell me, who are you? What are you? My grandfather on my dad's side came from Cork, Ireland. My grandmother on my dad's side came from somewhere in Scotland. You know, my mom's side, everybody came from Dublin many, many generations ago because they've been in Canada for a very long time on my own side. So, what about you?

Your turn. I'm pretty much the same. It's all boring. All of it's boring. Your ethnicity is so boring. Right. But ours is boring. No, I disagree.

All ethnicity is boring. It's all boring. It's all boring. I think identity politics is incredibly boring. No, that's very interesting to hear your take on that. But to Mark Merlainen, who is an indigenous man, he is out with a group to expose pretendians. So pretendians are people who pass themselves off as indigenous. Well, now we have a lot of pretendegays, people that call themselves queer.

Well, think about people that call themselves queer that aren't actually homosexual So they had a threesome once in college and that's right or they or woman thought about eating pussy Like it doesn't make you you're not so I think there's an awful lot of that going around now because I think it's a way For like as you could say, you know garden variety white people like you It's a way to peddle yourself out of whiteness It's to make yourself more interesting and I think it's embarrassing and I think you should stop it Speaking of eating pussy. Okay speaking of eating pussy mouth Congress, yeah

That's a segue Scott. Well, that's what mouth Congress means, right? Right. So Paul Bellini and those who watch kids in the hall, Paul Bellini was the guy in the towel. Yeah. Great, Paul Bellini. And I'm glad to hear he's doing better now. Okay, so Paul Bellini and yourself mouth Congress. Can I just play a bit of mouth Congress?

I realize I'm gonna play, I'm gonna surprise you because I only loaded up one, but here we go. Gather round and hear our tale Of the girl on the mountain And the boy from the vale She milks her goats Which she churns into cheese Every opportunity she's down on her knees Living in harmony, living in peace Mountain goats provide them with milk and with fleas One day, no warning, Soldiers arrive.

Rounding up Furman, The one still alive. Soldiers roughed him up, Tear the clothes off the boy. Examine his manhood which is not of a goy He shoved into a boxcar Nowhere to move, nowhere to breathe I don't want to bring it down. Okay.

Girl on the mountain. Yes. It's a Holocaust love story. We need more Holocaust love stories. I bet you would have been a laugh riot in the Holocaust. I feel like that would be enough trauma for you to rise to the occasion and tell jokes. I feel there's been movies. Wasn't that... What was the Jerry Lewis?

Didn't Jerry Lewis- The clown who cried. Yes. Yeah. Oh man, that's the one, that's on my bucket list. God, I have to see that movie. I want to see it too. But the, yeah, famously he said no one will ever see it.

And I mean, it's never been in public, but there were like private viewing parties for people who had a coffee. I've never been to one, but that's one of my dreams. In order, here's what I want Scott. Okay. In order. I want everything that's on the cutting room floor from that Amazon season of kids in the hall. We got a couple of years back. I want that. I want to see the day the clown cried. Is that? Oh yeah. Yeah. From Jerry Lewis, which is basically, I guess he's a clown who's entertaining children in a concentration camp. Yes. And yeah, I've heard a lot about it. Obviously. Okay. I'm fascinated too. I wonder why that never got released. I know.

But then they did make that movie with the Italian guy. Life is Beautiful. Which was similar. Yeah, very similar. And that was what about, I mean, isn't the producers similar too? It's about a guy trying to make a terrible musical and they take a, they take this Nazi guy who's written a play and then it becomes a big hit. Right, Mel Brooks, yeah. Yeah. Geez, okay. So. It's odd that you chose that song.

Well, I don't know why I chose that song to be honest. I think it was random, but, but Mel's Congress has new, uh, new material. 17 original songs. It's a double album. It's called Valley of a Song. It's a real album, like it's real music. All kinds of music, that's sort of, they're all kinds. If you think it's gonna be like that, that's a very piano song.

But it's mostly, it's rock, it's punk, it's, you know. Cool. It's all kinds, it's soul, it's all kinds of music. And there's lots of funny songs, but they're not all funny. There's some heavy stuff, there's some really heavy music, there's a country song about the shooting. Yeah, it's a real passion project. It's the thing I'm most proud of right now.

No one's paying, no one cares because here's what I realized. People hate side projects. you if it was like no one wants the kids in the hall to branch out and do anything different this is like gore downy solo career okay nobody wanted no one he could he couldn't fill up the Rivoli okay but if he was in tragically hits you could do five nights at no one cares about Keith Richards solo album and I have had to accept that okay it bothers me but I go they really don't care unless it's the five of us. But that's incentive to make sure all five of you.

Is there any of you five who maybe resists doing kids in the hall stuff? Are you all on board still? Yeah, I mean I don't want to talk about that stuff that one we can we'll give you a passing you can so open and honest But no, I won't even speculate. But after the recording, I'll speculate. Yeah, I'll find the recording quick hits here because I'm trying to keep you to 90 minutes, but you're so freaking interesting. But what time is it? Because I want to be home by one. Remember? Oh, okay. Then we're gonna we're gonna do five. Give me five minutes. Yeah, then I will set you free. Okay. Quick. Do you have a Gary Shanley story? Because Devin Hughes just because you were on Larry Sanders show.

Oh yes, I was. And you were great on the show. And I love that show very much speaking of HBO. Any quick, quick hit on Gary before I play a little clip? Oh Lord. I mean, you know, Jesus, I guess you don't mind things that aren't funny, right? I don't mind things that aren't funny.

Well, have you heard the show? The first, this is gonna make me seem like the trauma king, but like when I first started the show, the very second week of my time on Larry Sanders, my brother committed suicide. Oh, I'm sorry, man. And, thank you, and a long time ago, but it was very traumatic, and you know, my mom told me, you gotta finish your job before you come home.

So I had one day more on the show. And one day that I had to shoot, so I went in and did it. But Gary was incredibly kind. This is like not a funny story, but I remember Gary knew what I was going through and he took me aside. We had a long talk in his office. And he told me all about losing his brother when he was young.

And we had a really wonderful conversation about that. And that, and that was when I realized this is not just a comedy genius. This is a really good man. And, uh, he just shared with me how difficult it was for him to lose his brother and, and losing my brother is, is probably the worst thing that's ever happened that I've ever had to go through. But because we were like a year, you know, just a year apart, right?

And you know, Irish twins. And that's my one of my favorite memories of Gary is just how kind and compassionate he was. And that's when I realized that, you know, I think he's probably the greatest, probably the greatest comedian I've ever worked with, other than the other four kids in the hall because they're all masters. But I also just realized this guy has a big heart and those two things can coexist. Thank you for sharing.

And so sorry that you know, of all the trauma you live through that sounds like that's going to hit the hardest. Oh, yeah, I can the hardest. Oh, yeah. I can't imagine. Oh, yeah. So, Scott, I only have two more minutes. Okay. And my oldest daughter, she's in Montreal, but we were chatting last night and I said

you were coming over and she says to me, make sure you ask him about and then she said the name of a show. So this is a 20 second clip. Look, where'd you buy this from the guy on the exit ramp? This is disgusting. Calm down, picky Ricardo. He made us a great breakfast and you're just riding his butt. And not in a good way.

Thank you, Homer. It's a pleasure cooking for you. Well, get used to it, cause I'm gonna stay. Fabulous! Here's the key to the lotion cabinet. Grady, are you sure you want to live with him? It's either him or that girl who put Mother Earth as a reference.

And with a male roommate, we can walk around naked! Way ahead of you! Woo! So that's The Simpsons. One of my favorite shows of all time. Oh yes, the best. How did you end up on The Simpsons? They just asked me. I played a character called Grady.

I think I did three episodes. I think I did three episodes three times. I think the first one I did it won an Emmy. But I kissed Homer. They just basically wrote this part for me and I wasn't famous enough to be like you know a famous character like it wasn't like a Scott Thompson character. Right. But that's kind of like Kim Basinger and Val Goldwyn. But it's the best thing about being cult. You know, that's actually a really recipe, a real recipe for longevity. And I just played this character Grady and they liked him and I was very honored because when I went in to record it, they all came in and they said they never do that. So I was like

Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright. Yes! Amazing. Julie, Julie Kavner, right? Of course. They all came in for my episode and, and they gave- Hank Azaria? Yep. And they gave me the best swag I have ever gotten. Better than the lasagna and the beer.

Nothing is better than that. But I still have a bag that I use. It's like a suit bag that I continue to use. It has Homer. It says on the outside, it's got a big decal that says Homer Security. And I love it. It's been the best gifts. They give you such good gifts. Is Grady coming back to the Simpsons any time? I don't know.

I hope so. I'd love to do another Simpsons three times. That's pretty cool. It's very cool. And Scott, this was very cool. I really appreciate this. Thanks for dropping by and hopefully this isn't the last time because I realize I have a cutting room floor with a whole episode of stuff I wasn't able to get to. But thanks so much for your time today. Thank you. And that brings us to the end of our 1,640, do you remember? What was it? 48th show. Got to get that number right.

Okay. 1648. That's a lot. Go to torontomic.com and only two kids. I still have three more to go. Go to torontomic.com for all your Toronto Mike needs. Much love to all who made this possible. Again, that's Great Lakes Brewery. Scott's got his beer. Palma Pasta. I'm going to grab his lasagna before he drives away

in his cyber truck. Did I see you in a cyber truck out there? You did. Yes, absolutely. I'm going to drive it off into the lake though. Don't worry. I'm burying it. Palma Pasta. That's what you're getting that lasagna, RecycleMyElectronics.ca and Building Toronto's Skyline and of course our dear friends at Ridley Funeral Home, subscribe to Life's Undertaking. See you all tomorrow when Allie Weinstein makes her Toronto Mic debut. She made a great documentary about Ontario Place. We'll be talking tomorrow. See you then! So So The So You