Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Ziggy Lorenc: Toronto Mike'd #248

Episode Date: June 30, 2017

Mike chats with Ziggy Lorenc about her many years working for Moses at City-TV, MuchMusic and Zoomer.

Welcome to episode 248 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a local independent brewery producing fresh craft beer. And propertyinthesix.com, Toronto real estate done right. I'm Mike from torontomike.com and joining me is a woman who needs no introduction, Ziggy Lawrence. Hi, Mike. At last. What an honor it is. Do you remember an afternoon in 1990, a young man who looked like me with less white hair in Runnymede Station, me and my buddy Andre, we were like, that's Ziggy, that's Ziggy. And you walked by us and you smiled at us and you said, hello, boys. I did.

And this happened, I think 1990, 89 or 90. And I never forgot that. That's hilarious. It's like a Marlena Dietrich moment there. Exactly. Hello, boys. Yeah, I just like that, too. And I'm glad it was a good experienceena Dietrich moment there. Exactly. Hello, boys. Yeah, I just like that too. I'm glad it was a good experience.

It was very positive. You know, we were teenagers, so it was like our hormones are everywhere and Ziggy walked by and she saussaded by and said, hello, boys. And we're like, is this happening? Runnymede subway station. Yeah, I'm a West gender.

What can I say? And of course, a TTC rider. That feels good to hear that. Yeah. Welcome to television in Canada. I've heard some stories. Firstly, I introduced you as Ziggy Lawrence, but you're Ziggy. You're like Cher or Madonna or Oprah in that you only need one name.

Oh, well, thank you so much. My name was changed, actually, by a co-worker at City TV, but we knew each other in high school because my name is actually Isabella Anna Sabina Lawrence. Now, does that sound like an opera singer or what? So I had to change it

when I got into show business. And my friend Alfred at school said, help me. He said, I've got a name for you. Ziggy. Like Ziggy Stardust. And I said, okay. And it stuck. It just worked.

It stuck. And now, like, as a Zoomer, I'm going to be in a wheelchair and, you know, coming onto the set. Here comes Ziggy. How charming. I'm going to need one of those things,, coming onto the set. Here comes Ziggy. How charming. I'm going to need one of those things, those lifts on the stairs. I don't think I'm wheelchair accessible. An acorn. Oh, here comes Ziggy in the acorn. He's sliding down. I need to tell the people listening because they cannot see us right now, but there is someone else in the room. This sounds so ominous. Oh, my Lord, yes. My great friend and my colleague,

who was the first person to offer me a job on air at City TV, Joel Goldberg. And now you're driver. I'm Ziggy's driver now, yes. I think Joel's here because he knows the Great Lakes beer is here. I think that, yes. I heard all about the beer. Great Lakes beer.

I'm going to try a beer. As a matter of fact, I will try one. But Joel, I love Joel being here. Everything's great about Joel except his fascination with Cleveland sports teams. But now that Joel's between us, like I'm looking in your eye. So sometimes I won't make eye contact. It's because Joel's microphone is, I would say, sea blocking. But I don't know if it's a family-friendly show.

I see that. I know, right? He's always coming between us. Ever since 1990 when I got that hello voice. So Ziggy, I was talking to you briefly about this before I hit record. But I just came back from a trip to Harborfront where I saw the giant rubber ducky. I know. It's most amazing why we would celebrate our 150th birthday with a rubber ducky. I'm trying to get past that. Did you actually see it being moved onto the lake?

This is what I want to know uh my wife who works at one young street uh was watching it like arrive like you know sort of like when they took captain johns away yeah right these are the great things she's witnessed but and then i basically i at lunch hour i'm like i'm gonna bike somewhere i'm gonna go see what what is this thing i keep seeing on twitter this giant rubber ducky i'm gonna go check this out for myself. And I had two like sensations when I got to it. It's really big, first of all. Firstly, I'm like, is this like a Trojan horse? Like, are there some Rochester Inns? Are there Rochester people? I was like, this doesn't seem right. That's funny. And also, did you see the movie, The Arrival? Like giant alien orbs are just sitting there and we don't know why That's funny. And also, did you see the movie The Arrival?

Like giant alien orbs are just sitting there and we don't know why it's there. It had that feeling to it. I know. It's peculiar. But what I want them to do now is stick like a lot of Mr. Bubble in Lake Ontario. You know, just like a ton of Mr. Bubble. Then I'll really be impressed. But Ziggy, would you make the trip to the waterfront to see the uh giant rubber ducky i i doubt very much that i will because i i was thinking about this

and if i were a politician what i would have put on the lake or over the lake rather than the gigantic rubber ducky and to me I think there should be biplanes with like 150 drag queens strapped onto the biplane. And right, like at a flying down to Rio with Fred Astaire. You should be the city planner. Well, I don't know why no one has thought about this. I mean, isn't that more apropos for the city than a rubber ducky? Well, I mean, I don't really understand why rubber

ducky, but unless it's so absurd that it gets us talking about it. Because here we are, fascinated with this giant rubber ducky that showed up. So maybe that's the whole genius behind it. Well, maybe they're fans of coons. With this balloon dogs.

I don't know. But that's not for me. You know what it is like balloon dogs. I don't know. But that's not for me. Right? You know what it is for you, Ziggy? This is... Oh, see, Joel, I learned how to do these segues now. I'm like a poem. You know what it is for you, Ziggy?

The beer in front of you. We did talk about it briefly. Great Lakes. Joel loves his Great Lakes beer. In fact, Joel, I might have to get you some before you go. Oh, please do. But Ziggy, I don't know if... Shall I partake

i'll have a sip i'd like to try this beer that i do you want a cold you want a cold like i have to run upstairs but no no i like my drinks lukewarm this is perfect you actually you know what white wine or beer anything should be lukewarm then you really taste it really i feel this way these are cold you know why it's cold down I feel this way. These are cold. You know what? It's cold down here, so they're a little chilled. So, Joel, when you crack it open for Ziggy,

write on mic, because that's the coolest sound in the world. I'm going to crack open a pompous ass. What are you trying to say there? There we go. So Ziggy is getting drunk, everybody. I will taste this beer now. You want to pour it in the six? Sure.

Okay, so let me tell the people that you are now pouring your pompous ass Great Lakes beer into the property in the six pint glass. Not bad. Not that much head. Oh, we're going there already. Okay, so this pint glass, by the way, that's going home with you as well. Thank you. That's courtesy of Brian Gerstein. Thanks, Brian.

And speaking of Brian. Propertyinthe6.com Call Brian at 416-873-0292 if you're planning to buy and or sell in the next six months just by meeting brian you will receive a free property in the six pint glass and a six pack of great legs beer joel's already pulling out his cell phone. He's calling Brian now. I'm selling the house, honey. Sorry. You have no obligation to even sign anything. This is just for meeting Brian and having a conversation.

You get your pint glass and six-pack. So that's the best deal in the city. Next to that wonderful rubber ducky that showed up on the waterfront. I think this is the best deal. I'm saluting the rubber ducky with my Great Lakes beer. Brian Gerstein, by the way, is a real estate sales representative

with PSR Brokerage. Alright, Ziggy, are you ready? It's good. The beer is good. It's rich. It actually tastes like a Guinness to me. Did you try this? actually tastes like a Guinness to me. Did you try this? Oh, I've had many, Zig.

So what do you think? I love it. I love it. It's rich. You guys are a West End person, Ziggy, you mentioned. Are you aware of the Rib Fest that goes on at Centennial Park? Yes, I'm aware of the Rib Fest. Are you going?

I might go, but if I go, I can tell you the big change this year is they've gone back to a local craft brewery. So they actually are going to have Great Lakes beer at this year's Centennial Park Rib Fest. Yay! If you go, grab yourself a pint. Thank you so much. Enjoying it. Now, I need to start at what I think might be the very beginning. But you tell me, Ziggy, but can you tell me about a show

that you would appear on called Boogie? Oh, no. Yes, I did. Tell me about Boogie. Reluctantly, I was a disco bunny and my friends wanted to go on Boogie, which was, I guess, our Dave Clark's American bandstand.

And I'm like, you've got to be kidding. I was a disco bunny. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Dick Clark. I was in Disco Bunny. Yeah, yeah, Dick Clark. Dave Clark's five. Oh, Dave Clark five? Yeah, no, Dick Clark. And so I was an elitist Disco Bunny. And I reluctantly went to City TV to appear on this program.

And of course, now there is the clip, right? Doing the tunnel dance and all of that but no no I was going to like gay bars I was going to shows at midnight no TV for me right and I went once just the one time

were you pals of Tanya Williams yes I was and tell us how famous Tanya became what did she go on to do? She went on to the Soaps in New York. But she was a lovely girl. And I met her, of course, at a discotheque. And we hung together with another lovely woman and a model named Velvet Richardson.

What a great name, huh? Velvet Richardson. It can't be real. Yeah, it is. That's as real as Ziggy. But hers was. And so, yeah, we would hang together and dance and put on 10 tons of makeup and hardly any clothing

and go out there, yeah. Boogie, yeah. She was lovely, by the way. She's charming. You stay in touch with Tonya? No. Or she blocks your calls now because it's a big deal. No.

Well, she moved to the States, so that kind of puts a wrench in things. But occasionally I'll see her at a function. Cool. Yeah. Is it Young and the Restless? Is that what she does? It was Young and the Restless.

There you go. See, I know a little bit about soap. Yeah, yeah. Just enough to be dangerous. You know, Toronto was really small back in the day in terms of the entertainment business and who wanted to be in it. you got to know everyone right um so many people i don't know where to begin who went on to become famous uh michael wincott um jim carrey jim carrey jim

carrey and um of course Tanya it's funny the first two names it's like Michael Wincott and Jim Carrey it's like Michael Wincott do I know this guy I should know this guy

you do from the Princess Bride he always plays the evil guy his brother's Jeff Wincott yeah yeah Jeff is his brother

cool so I used to hang out with those people and also Kim Cattrall who's a friend of Michael Wincott. You just reminded me of Porky's. She has that lassie scene. Yeah, but she's always very serious, very beautiful, too.

Very cool. So Michael Wincott went on to Juilliard, and I guess also Kim Cattrall to New York City. And I was supposed to go to New York City, but I was accepted into the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater at the time. And I actually did go and I auditioned, which wasn't an audition. You had to sit in front of Sanford Meisner, and he just spoke to you. And at any rate, I realized I didn't come from a wealthy family,

and if I lived in New York, I couldn't work. If I went to the school, they wouldn't allow you to, so you'd have to sneak around. I thought, oh, my God, I'm going to become a stripper. I'm going to be like in Hell's Kitchen as a stripper, and there's no guarantee that anything is going to happen to me. So off I went back to toronto and you end up at 99 queen street east yes so so how do you end up how do you end up there and you're you're working

like at the beginning you're working on the switchboard yeah but you know what i started to get into show business when i was 13 as a teen model and then i switched because i didn't grow tall and my agent said you have to become a character actress hence the name Ziggy and then I was trying to find work and in order to find work you needed to work elsewhere so I held down like three different jobs and I had a boyfriend who said there's this benefit for an actress who who has died He was a doorman at the venue where this was to be held. And he says, I think you should go. He says, I think you should go to more theatrical events where people start to get to know you.

So I went there again reluctantly to this benefit where I knew no one. And I sat at the bar. And the woman had died. So I felt like really awkward sitting there. And as I sat there, a man sat beside me and said, hello. And I said, hello. And he said, who are you? And I said, my name is Ziggy. He says, what do you do? I said, well, I'm a disco bunny, but I'm also an actress looking for work. And I said, who are you? He said, well, I'm a disco bunny, but I'm also an actress looking for work. And I said, who are you?

He said, my name is Moses. And then I had a litany of complaints about people being snobby at the party. And he said, well, you're a cynic. Such a cynic. I've never seen such a cynic. And I'm like, OK, all right. And so as I was leaving, he gave me his card. And I didn't even look at the card. But my boyfriend at the door, the doorman said,

do you know who you were speaking to? And I said, No, he said, that's Moses Nimer. He owns City TV. And you should give him a call. I didn months went by months and months and um one day i decided i would and so i phoned his office and his assistant answered and i said may i speak with moses neimer please she said is this business or is it pleasure and you said it's what's the answer pleasure because if i said business he'd never get on the line that's right and so he didn't remember me and he said speak to my assistant and so she was in charge of the switchboard i auditioned for switchboard part-time job seven times but i look like one of those chicks out of that ro Palmer video, too much makeup and really harsh.

Oh, yeah. So we were hired just on our looks. So the seventh time, I let my hair down, and I wasn't wearing a lot of makeup. She says, is that you? You've got the job. Does this happen anymore? No.

How many places do you have to audition for the switchboards? Exactly. That's so true, you know? So tell me about how the switchettes comes to be, the switchettes from the switchboard work. Well, you know what? The switchboard was like working at NASA because, you know, it had like 10,000 buttons

and dial-back situations, and you'd have to make long-distance calls for all the people in the building. And we were working at the original City TV location at 99 Queen, which was near Church Street, and it was a dump. Let's face it, it was a dump. You had to buzz people in. It was so bad. And somehow Brian Linehan all of a sudden decided to have all these movie stars

come up to this dump of a building. You'd buzz them in and they'd have to go up a ramp. They're probably asking themselves, oh my God, what am I doing? Because he had big names coming through. Yeah, yeah. And so what happened was that

the girls were pretty and I'd worked on the board for a while, and I decided we should have uniforms. And so I went to a designer to create uniforms and to call ourselves the Switchettes. And we put out a newsletter with all the station gossip, which would be printed out and shipping and receiving. Would you listen for a moment?

Long story. No, great story because I wanted that story because it leads up to this clip. I want you to listen to this, the Switchettes. Brian, 7 p.m. Monday on City. Good afternoon, City TV. Get connected to Toronto Television with the City TV Switchettes.

Hi, what's your name? When your group holds a special event from a bazaar. What have you bought at the bazaar today? To be bazaar. Do you dress like this every day? Yep. We want to be there. Are you ready?

Yeah. To share it with all of Toronto. City Switchettes. Ziggy was on hand for the fun. Just call the City TV Switchettes at 367-5757 because we want to be there. Oh, my God. For those who don't remember, that was the switchettes. You know what? You

really jog my memory, because I had forgotten about that, where we would do the news stories taking us out to the beach to hand out t-shirts and spot people wearing t-shirts. This is the Torontoonto tees right yeah that's how it began so i was the gal in charge of the the t-shirts and also doing news stories

came after that it parlayed itself into the worst news stories that could not be considered news there was the grape stomping contest where no one showed up. And so you'd have to stomp on the grapes. The giant duck that showed up on the waterfront. Oh, my God. And I'd phone the news department and say, there's no one here. And they'd say, shoot tight. Shoot tight.

You're on it. So the Toronto Tees, though, do you remember what you would say when you found someone, spotted somebody wearing a Toronto Tee? No. I don't remember. I guess you're wearing a Toronto Tee and here's another Tee for you. Okay, so the phrase I think was,

you're a winner with City TV or something to that effect. I remember so well as a young man, the Toronto Tees. And I remember, where'd you young man the Toronto Tees. And I remember, where did you get them? At Stitches or something like that? Or if you got spotted, you'd win a prize or whatever?

It was kind of a fun deal here in the summertime. Listen, those T-shirts, because I knew everybody's size at the station. Everybody wanted one. I want one. I wish I could get one for you. We might be able to, Mike, actually. Is that true? We speak to Sylvie Marcoux.

She has some. Does she? Uh-huh. I want a medium Toronto tea. A medium one? Any color in particular? Oh, I would be grateful to have any color. I would wear any color. Okay.

Well, we'll be on the lookout then, Mike. I promise you. And you breezed by it pretty quickly there, but I want to bring you back to Brian Linehan for a moment because I was a big fan of his interview style and the show City Lights. Is that City Lights? I think it was with you. I called it City Line, which is another show completely.

Tell me what kind of guy, you know, he had the big stars coming through 99 Queen Street East, but what kind of guy was Brian to work with? Brian was wonderful because I was a lowly switchboard operator, and he made friends with me. And the first thing he decided to do was to take me to the Imperial Room of the Royal York Hotel to see Peggy Lee. And then another time he took me again to see Peter Allen. If he flies with me, we go to Rio de Janeiro. And I was so drunk. He got me so drunk. And I was so young that I had to hang on to the side of the wall as we were leaving

the hotel. He was fun. But at work, he was really professional. He was a superb researcher. Yes. And, you know, it's before junkets. Now, if you are an interviewer, you're not getting an interviewer because the junket ruined everything. You're not able to ask what you would like to ask. You have like a certain amount of time. It's very clinical, not any good. So he was doing this at a time when it was easier to do it. And how he got access to these people, I guess through sheer charm. Maybe it's some people have a good experience

and then they become almost like references or whatever and then people maybe want to do it because they respect the work. Yes, yes. You could have a conversation with him. Well, that's how I got you on this show because Joel said I had a great experience. There's free beer and you're like,

I'll do that. I'm in. But no, it's very seldom that you could have a very good conversation. It's probably why I don't want to do television anymore. Right? It's just not the same. There's no personality, right?

It's these canned sound bites. It's not like this right now where we're getting real ziggy, unfiltered content instead of some snappy 20-second sound bite about how you're happy to be here or whatever. The political correctness has killed everything. It's no fun. It's no fun. And if you can't be sassy, then I don't know. I don't know. I just cannot watch those entertainment programs

because they're not entertaining. And I don't understand why the women stand there with their hands clasped before them. It's, come on, what are you doing? Feel free. I don't understand why the women stand there with their hands clasped before them. It's, come on, like, what are you doing? Feel free. Right. I don't know. It has just changed so dramatically.

I wanted to go back. Well, okay, so that, thank you for the Brian, but we heard another voice on that clip that when I played that Switchettes clip, the voice actually. Mark. Mark Daly. Please tell me what it was like working with Mark. He was a really normal guy with this fantastic voice. And he was apt to say or do anything like we all were.

But he was very tall. He was an ex-cop. He was fabulous. He was not in any way narcissistic. And I don't think anybody really was about their work back in the day. It was almost like being in an Andy Hardy movie. Let's put on a show. And they'd go, yeah, sure, you can put on a show. Here's $25 and a box of crackers. That was the budget pretty much. But you see, that's very freeing when you don't have to worry about the money or worry at all whether you're smooth or not.

And he worked with this crazy guy, Bob Cook. Bob Cook would do a lot of the writing with Mark. And they'd come up with some really outrageous stuff. As you know, he was wonderful. Cook on five. Cook on five. I have a little bit of Mark Daly here. He was wonderful. Cook on five. Yeah. Cook on five. I have a little bit of Mark Daly here. Let me just play a little more, since I remember I had this for the... Ed the Sock came in, and I had

this from that, and I'm going to just drop it here real quick. Okay. The following program contains adult themes, nudity, and coarse language. Viewer and parental discretion is advised. What a voice. I know. We miss him. We talk a lot about him and all the people that have since passed.

Too young. Too young. For sure. Bright lights, right? Yeah, like a comet, right? That's true. Very brief. There's another question.

I used to watch Bizarre, okay? This is a show I used to watch, mainly for Super Dave Osborne, to be honest with you. But do you have any bizarre stories about Bizarre that you could share with the listeners? Actually, Bizarre was very bizarre because I was working the switchboard. I auditioned because I told you I was trying to act,

and I auditioned for Dave Osborne, right? Who is the producer. Dave Einstein. Yeah, Bob Einstein. Bob Einstein. Bob Einstein. Thank you. You're very good.

He was the producer for Sonny and Cher. And so at any rate, I did my audition for what was supposed to be a season's regular on Bazaar with John Biner. Right, John Biner john i got it i told the executives at city like i was some big deal i was working switchboard that i got this gig i needed some time off and then the executives went away and one of the assistants said you can't do the show after it was okayed i said well then I'm out of here. So here's what happened. I go to do Bazaar. I'm okay for a few episodes.

I really am because I'm unaware that they do a completely different version for Showtime. So we're rehearsing over here by the lakeshore in one of these halls, banquet halls. And all of a sudden, I'm asked to do a seduction scene where I have to take off my top. And there's John Biner. Well, I completely froze. And I was fired. I was fired at lunchtime. So I didn't have bizarre and I didn't have my city TV job. Okay, so I'm back on the hunt again. And so it didn't quite work out that well but um it was peculiar i played a human lamp right there were i remember a lot of uh attractive young women removing their tops on bizarre i think that was part of the allure as well yeah but you know what those are the girls that uh took over from me because i i to you, you know what? I just couldn't do it.

I could not do it. There's a quick bizarre story, real quick, is that I remember this episode where a woman would take off her top, but she had a top underneath it. Yes. And she would keep taking off her top. And you kept thinking, oh, this is the last top. We're going to see her like in a bra, maybe topless. But no, it's like a hundred tops. You never get

to the end and it was very frustrating as a young man i remember that it was a frustrating program it was like really it was a silly program to say the least yeah but that's part of the repertoire and by the way that's part of your history your history uh super dave osborne who is bob einstein of course his brother is albert einstein who changed his name because of the other albert einstein and became albert brooks oh wow and now you know the rest of the story yeah wow that is great to know thank you you're welcome you're an educational feature no gal should be without my god ziggygy, I haven't been so happy since I heard, hello, boys, running the station.

I will say this. I get very delighted if I can tell that fun fact to somebody. Because I know Joel knew that, and I can tell Joel knows this. You never told me, Joel. Sorry. I can sense you did not know this, and I was so delighted that I could tell somebody the story who didn't know it.

Because if you don't know that, that is a fun fact. Joel, you got my back on this one. Joel, do you remember we were running around with the Handycam when they first came out? That's how we met. I was producing Toronto Rocks at the time and Moses wanted more field reports and

Moses was always at the leading edge of every little technology thing. He had these Video 8 cameras and we would take them out to schools and have the kids in the school shoot their own. Right. We only had the one, though, because we had to share it. Yes. And I have no eye.

So I was like the worst handy cam videographer to ever walk the face of the earth. So we would have to get together to switch the camera over but they were making fun of us the cameramen were like what oh are you doing your home movies again remember that Joel yep but we we persevered yes we did and we still love the camera guys we do the camera guys are great well I know like from other city tv people who have been on like you you're asked to like multitask if you will you get your hands dirty in different areas like i know this because i know dwight drummond was a security guard so that's all you need to know right because these guys are just doing whatever it takes and picking up a camera or whatever

shooting your own stuff that was a fun thing about it because you know people would would come uh and they were unprofessional, but they would learn the ropes. And I don't know if that happens any longer. I feel sorry for young people. It doesn't, right, Joel? This doesn't happen anymore. I don't think so. I think City TV was a phenomenon of its time.

Right. I don't think something like that could ever happen again. It should be celebrated. It really shouldn't. We should do more of it now because with all the old fogies still hanging on to their jobs, it's really hard for the young people to get a start. But the old fogies, they make too much money and then they get turfed often. understand why we're still at it we are i guess you know our employer has his loyalties and it's still like a family-run operation which is probably the only one right now that is left we're gonna get to that for sure uh for sure but so toronto rocks you mentioned there and just

oh my god tell me about it because brad brad giffen and john major like this was such a big deal to when if i needed to hear helixes rock you, where was I going to turn? I got to go to Toronto Rocks. It was shot in this box on the third floor. Third floor was master control. So it was literally a box. It was the size of a postage stamp. So you'd squeeze in there.

So it makes this studio look large. This is large. This is large. Absolutely. in there so it makes this studio look large this is large this is large absolutely and uh yeah but yeah first it was john major and then it was brad who i knew well and we would see each other socially as well we would we would hang but i remember seeing janet jackson just standing around those lockers on the third floor we'd see like chaka khan by the xerox machine one time i said to joel because it was open concept area much music and we were working on my program much music and i saw this little girl sitting there with us and she looked really familiar i said

joel who is that little girl he said it's drew. Oh, wow. She would sit there for hours by herself, unsupervised. She had to be all of, what, 11 or 12, right? That's like a fire starter time, I guess. Joel would just let her sit there. The poor thing. She's watching us. Yeah. That's nuts.

Drew Barrymore, that's crazy. Now, you mentioned mush music. So this is basically, is Joel Goldberg responsible for you being on mush music? Yes. Yes, because he graduated from doing Toronto Rocks, and he was made producer of Toronto Rocks. Am I correct? Yeah, that's correct.

I was running Toronto Rocks, yeah. So you should tell this story, Joel. Well, it was Moses who was responsible for Ziggy being on the show. He told me to approach her. And he said, I've got this idea for this show. And I said, this is perfect for Ziggy. And I went down and said, this is a romantic show. We want you to play mushy music and recite poetry

and write things that come from your heart. Cause Ziggy's an amazing writer and, everybody else at much music hated us, but we loved it. We love the show. Let me pause you there and play a little, uh, promo for mush music.

And then we'll come back and talk more about mush music. Have you ever noticed how big a role water plays in these videos? I have. Let's pursue this later. Water? Water? That was very perceptive of you. There's more.

I have a question, dedications, and just want to let you know that if you've got one, write to me and let me know what you want to hear. I'll get it on the air for you, even if it's a message to someone that you've lost track of, as we will have later on in the show. Okay, write to me, care of mush music, 299 Queen Street West, that's Toronto, Ontario, and the postal code is M5V2Z5. No hesitations. Let's begin. The first lady that wrote to me says she's a big fan of michelle rivard she wants to hear chevaux de voile and it goes out to rob from good accent and also a lady wrote to me from holland who says that her favorite tune is by mark knopfler and willie deville it's calledbook Love. So I'm going to play that one for her

even though I don't know whether she's going to really hear this. Peculiar name. Nice name, though. Anyhow, moving on. Holland? Also a lady from Saskatchewan wrote to me and she says that she's one of my biggest fans.

And she loves this guy named Gilles, but she never gets to see him. We're going to play I forgot. Oh no. I love this by the way. That's why I haven't faded out yet. She's been dating this guy for two months now, and he says that he really likes her and never wants to lose her, but he has yet to prove his affections because when he says he's going to call, he doesn't call. When he says he's going to come over, he doesn't come over. Well, Carolyn, some guys are just like this, and if you love this guy, you're going to have to put up with this. What?

That's terrible advice. I never put up with that. What was I thinking? Was I drunk? See, before the internet, we had to go through much music to find people. This is like Miss Connection. Hold on, 15 more seconds. That's great. If you've run into him, if you know where he is, write to me and let me know so I can put this poor girl out of her misery. That's great. Oh, my God, I sound like such a keener.

Oh, my God, that's hilarious. That's great. By the way, is this the show? I forgot about all that. Your advice, so today if you were giving advice, it would be different maybe than your advice? Oh, would it ever. That's fine. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

If you love him, you put up with his shit. That's basically the advice I'm hearing from Ziggy on mush music. Run for the hills. Oh, my goodness. Is it mush music that ends with the clip of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush? That's the one, yeah. It was Art of Noise, Moments in Love off the top. That was our intro music.

We call this the hug song in my home it was the hug song and it was like oh ziggy show is ending and they just hug or whatever there's some brazen hug but it's yeah it's even when i hear it now it's i think about your show it was a telepathic communication with people out there pretty obvious not to give up. And it's still a great song, isn't it? Oh, it's a great song. It's fabulous. And it's perfectly mushy, but it's not corny mushy.

No. It walks that fine line between corny and mushy. It's very difficult to find that safe space. Right. Yeah, I love this song to this day. And I don't know why I don't play it enough on my radio program.

Thanks for reminding me. That's what I'm reminding me. We had fun with this show. Joel and I had a lot of fun. Yeah, tell me a bit more about working with this Jay Gold character and the mush music before we get you into the VJ land. Okay, well, you know what? As Joel said, we weren't all that popular. And some of our first interviews that Joel managed to get for me was Eddie Fisher, Carrie Fisher's father. Do you remember that one? He was amazing. I loved him. Me too. He was so honest. And he would talk about his program that he had called Coke Time. He said,

well, it really was. He was funny as all get out. That's where Carrie Fisher got her sense of humor and it's strange, he said to me after the interview was over, he says you really must meet my daughter you two would really get along I never did but I always remember that

because she was already blowing up, right? because in 77 the Star Wars comes out so yeah, that's a missed opportunity and we had the Platters some really remarkable people and you know what So yeah, that's a missed opportunity. And we had the Platters. Remember the Platters? Yes. Some really remarkable people. And you know what? It's sort of like asking someone,

what is your favorite restaurant? You can't name it at the moment because there are so many people in and out of there. And like, jog my memory here, Joel. So there was the Platters. There was Rick Ashley was one of the first ones. They were going to give you up. Yes, and we loved him.

But there was people that really wouldn't be right on much music, wouldn't be right on City TV, and then they would come to us, and it would be a new place for them to book the interview. Yeah, and it was just a really camp kind of experience. I'm trying to think of some of the other people. It's hard to remember them, and they just come up. Sometimes I'm laying in bed, and I'll go, Oh, yeah, I forgot all about that person.

Well, just now that, you know, the Rick Astley is enough for me. You know, he's had his resurgence lately with the Rick rolling. I didn't know that. Yeah, it's like, so the meme, the big, and now it's actually kind of old now. I'm trying to think when it's by 10 years old or something now, but I think they've been Rick rolling for 10 years, but essentially you kind of bait somebody that, Oh, click here to see whatever.

But what they actually end up seeing is Rick Astley is never going to give you up video. And then they're like, you've been Rick rolled. Like this is a whole thing. So a lot of young, you'd be surprised. My daughter, who is 12, knows never going to give you up because you can't not know it if you're on the internet. Well, he's just, he was fantastic. What a voice. He didn't look like he should have that voice, right?

He doesn't look like his voice. No, and he was charming. You know what? The bigger the star, the nicer they are. That's what you find out. The ones that are not huge stars are the ones that you have problems with. They have some sort of hissy fit and tell you

where to go. You did a good interview with Mitsu, remember? Bye-bye, Mon Cowboy. She was fun. We actually hosted the first MMVAs together, except it wasn't glamorous back then because we had to sit in shipping and receiving on a crate.

We were freezing. So like, you know what? There's like snot running out of our noses and freezing and we're all dolled up. And it wasn't, you know, as it is now where, my God, you know, there's so many specifications for the artist. But it's lost its character. It's sanitized.

And partly why this show exists right here is because I hate that sanitized, over-polished, over-produced. It's like the iHeartRadio or whatever. It's like, oh, no, thank you. I'll take some goofball throwing a Christmas tree off of a Queen Street West building or whatever. Well, thank God. Because you know what? Everybody was a normal human being.

Yeah, you were real, right? And so you could relate. It's like living in a plastic world right now in so many ways. So when – I don't – when – well well maybe i'll get there here but i was my guess i'm wondering like when does this all fall apart like when exactly does this character of like that moses kind of developed and nurtured become what we see today okay so you mean when did it stop or sure like like how does it transition like, where does it break down? Is it when... Well, you know what? The show evolved into other programs and evolved into kind of a sitcom, quirky show called Life on Venus Avenue, which I did.

But I was also doing segments on Ooh La La, which was like the younger sister of fashion television. Then I did book TV. Okay, but actually, I hate to interrupt you, but I need to play a promo you did for the radio for A Life on Venus Avenue. Okay. Since you said that, those magic words. Hi, I'm Ziggy. I just cannot believe my life. But the trouble is my life is my show and it's so unpredictable.

I mean, all these strange things happen to me. It's almost like I'm from Venus while everyone is managing their little lives. Thank you very much on planet Earth. It's strange. It's too weird for words. And why does this music keep following me around? Oh, well, that's Life on Venus Ave, weekdays at 12 on City TV. So between mush music and Life on Venus Avenue, are you a VJ? Yes.

And so, yes, I am. Because all of a sudden, they liked us again. And I would do segments for four-hour shifts on Mush Music. four-hour shifts on Much Music. And then my original Much Music show, Jill went off to do other things, and I took it to a different level, not a better one.

A different level. A different one. And I had bought a house, and I had no furniture, so I was tired of getting into town. So I said, well, let's just use it as a studio. So we shot at the house and I had rental furniture that would come in and out. And everybody who wanted to could take a chance at the station of writing or directing an episode. So it was really fun. But it was strange.

You know, I wasn't too far off in that promo that you played. It was very surreal. Our cameraman used to say that working with me was like working with Fellini because something bizarro would always happen. Oh, that's funny. Now, is this the pink house? This house was pink?

It was pink. It was in the West End on Venus Ave. Wow. I took a cab once and the cab driver said, so where is Venus Ave? I said, it's Dundas Street. Is it still pink? No.

And I no longer live in it. It's changed. It should be part of like Toronto Tours or whatever. Oh my God. I don't know. Well, they better get it together before they tear it down. Smallest house in the neighborhood and you know the market in this city. Wow. So Back of Much Music. Tear it down. Smallest house in the neighborhood. And you know the market in this city.

So back a bunch of music. Can you tell me a little bit about your interview of Henry Rollins? Oh, wow. Okay. Oh, that was nervous making. Because that was not up my alley at all. You know what? If it was some gay performer coming in. Perfect. Somebody singing show tunes but you know he's intense he's got a very large neck yeah and intense and so i'm like oh god no because i came in they told me i was doing this interview and i said okay okay and for some reason or another

we just got along like a house on fire. And I guess it was our love of books. I don't know, some kind of strange sensibility, but he was even flirtatious, right? Who could blame him, really? No, no, but you know what? He's not that kind of a guy. And so that was a big surprise. And then, you know, the next day Mariah Carey would come in, who's like as vapid as a sponge. Is that right? I'm not surprised to hear that. And so, you know, nothing going on, basically.

Rollins, I remember, much would play Liar. That was the video. I'm a liar. I don't know. Rip your heart out. It was a very angry song. Yeah, Black Flag song He seemed very angry Exactly

But he wasn't an angry individual To interview Very bright And I was glad to have that opportunity And I was scared Come on, wouldn't you be? Even as a guy They send Miss Flakian

To do this What do you mean? even as a guy they send Miss Flakian to like you know do this and like what do you mean what I should have I'm actually now regretting I didn't pull the clip

of the Henry Rollins it's my bad somebody go find it on YouTube if you're listening because it's worth watching so Ziggy we actually I don't know if you'll remember this

but at the the Royal this is the theater yes I almost forget where I was the Royal yeah yeah recently like last winter maybe so speaking of ed conroy from retro ontario so some guy named joel goldberg was hosting this uh christopher ward book launch which is very nice of joel and christopher's a

great guy yeah and that was the first time i've made any kind of appearance is that right i was sitting right behind you on purpose purpose, by the way. On purpose. What did you overhear? By the way, everything I overheard, I treated as off the record. Didn't tweet it. Never shared it. I'm like, I'll get her in and she can say what she wants to share.

I wonder if it was interesting or lame. It was like the highlights were, yeah, your anecdotes to what I would hear on the stage. Because this was like a VJ reunion of sorts. It was, yeah, your anecdotes to what I would hear on the stage because this was like a VJ reunion of sorts. It was, yeah. I heard her on cue today, Laurie Brown, by the way. She's doing a great job. Yeah, she's a wonderful girl too. There's one that's really bright. She's a film

editor, actual film editor before she started to do... In the basement. Right, and she starred in the Corey Hart video, which made her really famous. Did you know that? Which video? Sunglasses at Night.

Yeah, the big one. The first big one. Absolutely. By the way, a little fun fact is that Corey Hart says he's coming on this podcast, believe it or not, but I'm supposed to keep it on the down low. Like he's going to come through town and just sneak into my basement and do it wouldn't that be crazy i think that'd be nuts so well that would be really great so i'm trying not to promote it

because i don't know like i don't feel confident it's really going to happen but he said it's putting it out there and and nice wishful thinking the way that i used to talk about crushes when i was doing my show hoping they'd appear. Did it work? It's like if I build it, they will come. Very Field of Dreams. And then Joel showed up. Alright, so back at the Royal and people would come on. Denise Donlan was there.

Simon Evans. Michael Williams, Master T. Absolutely. Master T, Michael Williams. And yourself. And you came on. And what's the gentleman's name who would work at the bar across the street and smoke? Oh, this was John.

John Martin. John Martin. That's the name I couldn't remember. Yeah, he ran Much Music. And he was like this real like um hard drinking cigarette smoking brick and he was very abrasive to boot and didn't mince words and um everyone has a john martin story i guess i had absolutely yeah yeah he wasn't the easiest guy to get well this is it so i what i overheard because i sat behind you was off the record.

But when you're in front of the mic and on the stage, that to me was like, okay, she's putting this in public. So it sounded like you had some challenges working for John at Much Music. Yeah, well, he didn't like me. He thought I was like a lightweight kind of tinkerbell. And he would say things to me like, you're the worst interview I've ever heard he would say that to you just like that yeah and i said okay well i'll work on it you know what i i'll work

on it and i became capable i don't think i'm the best interviewer i don't think it's my forte and plus you'd have to like try to reach him at the bar because he had his office across the street at the bar, which is really uncomfortable. It wasn't like a nice bar. It wasn't like going to Bemelmans or anything. It was a pub. He'd get his calls there, right? So calls would be directed to the pub. Yeah, they'd put the phone on the bar.

He'd show up there about 11, and that was it. That's fascinating because he's not a name. He's not because he's a behind-the like he's not, because he's a behind the scenes guy, you know, like we all know Denise Donlan,

for example, because she was in front of the camera and we got to know her in front of the camera. John Martin was always behind the camera. So unless you like

read Christopher Ward's book or Denise Donlan's book or had a chat with somebody like yourself, you don't know John Martin existed. No, you wouldn't know. And you know what?

After a while, you got to like just kind of work around him because there's no point no point and you know what i had joel i you know we had a nice team um right joel yeah ziggy and i were both moses hires too so so did john maybe think you were moses's people and maybe that yeah yeah and then what what you have to do then or what i had to do at that point with John, is prove myself to him. And I think over time we both did. And I ended up having a good relationship with him at the end.

But he was very negative towards me at the beginning. Yeah. Yeah. And you know what? Surprisingly, I think a lot of people had a hard time. But we didn't know that they were having a hard time. They're having just as hard a time. I coach.

I don't coach, but I have children and I work and stuff. I'll coach younger people on how to do things. I can tell you if you want to get somebody to improve and get better, that tactic of you're the worst interviewer I ever heard is a terrible tactic, really. It is a terrible tactic. It's demoralizing. It's rude. It makes you want to... It's negative reinforcement. Right. It doesn't work. No, really. It is a terrible tactic. It's demoralizing. It's rude. It makes you want to...

Negative reinforcement. Right. It doesn't work. No, no. But, I mean, it was a management style. Let's say Moses, in a way, uses that sometimes

to light a fire under your butt and make you better. But that's what it was. And with both of them, you really had to prove yourself. But usually it was by work ethic. It was showing up, working hard, and proving to them that you deserve the gig.

I'm still stuck on working from the bar. That's quite the gig if you can get it. I know, right? Wow. It's in Chris's book, too, Christopher's book. Yeah. Actually, here, I know no one can see us, but look, I'm holding Christopher Warren's book. Is This Live, it is called.

It's a good book. It's an amazing book. It really is. It is. To me, it was not knowing that so many people were having these challenges. And, you know, you kind of be envious of them because they seem to be walking through it brilliantly. And you felt like it was such a struggle sometimes. But, no, it was a struggle for everyone.

And that's nice to know, isn't it? Everybody has the struggle. Yeah, you're not alone. No, you're not alone. But I'm sorry to hear that because it sounds like a really cool environment in a lot of ways. And there's a lot of chance to do different things and to to grow and stuff and just it's surprising to hear that that you had that experience with somebody with so much like power in them but it's only when you're really young because we're both really young so that's

going to affect you more when you're really young you know later on in life you're like oh give them the finger you know just like oh you. You do, and you're more able to withstand, you have the resilience. But, you know, it isn't a nice thing to do to a young person. Would never occur to me. No. They need reinforcement. Now, Bravo Books. So this is, I mean, Bravo.

Bravo is where I'm watching on demand on channel 100 i get this on-demand thing i discovered i'd hardly never used it and i found out the handsmaid tale is sitting there in hd to just on-demand watch and i'm like six episodes in and it's filmed here and around here right it's amazing have you said i just saw the word Bravo and it reminded me because I see that bug in the corner of this hand-made stamp Margaret Atwood and she's formidable and all the books

that I read in school and she writes the TTC yeah she does why not? you have to stay in the loop I like it actually because I can get driven around if I wanted to. But you know what? I actually like taking the subway because you see what's going on.

I'm with you. And I personally bike now, but if I didn't bike, I would be a TTC guy as well. No, absolutely. And it's the easiest way to get around in the city because it's so congested. And plus, you see culture and you see what everyone's wearing. And you can see Margaret Atwood? And you can see Margaret Atwood or me at Renamee Station.

Here's a small, here's a ties it all together. Yeah, exactly. Renamee Station. So Peggy from Mad Men stars in The Handmaid's Tale and Don Draper is sitting beside me right now. You think so? A little bit? He does look You think so? A little bit? He does look like Jon Hamm.

A little bit, right? Joel, he's right. He's right. I told him this in his episode. I never even said this properly, but if anyone's listening and they want to do a deep dive into everything Jay Gold, there is an episode for that.

I don't remember the number. Do you remember your number? You might know. Do you remember the number? Like which episode number is the jewel? Oh, 239, I think. 239. J. Gold.

Yeah, J. Gold. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anything else? Okay, great. So, Bravo Books, that's right. So, how does life on Venus Avenue end, I guess? Not with a bang, but a whimper? Is that what happens there?

No, it kind of ended with a bang but a whimper is that what happens there no it kind of ended with a bang it went the distance and i was uh already doing some uh interviews with authors from time to time on life on venus ave and so that just got parlayed into bravo and uh doing the ziggy show so the show was uh books book relatedrelated, author-related, which is tough to do because, you know what, authors aren't really that interesting unless you're reading them. They're not really entertainers. So sometimes it was a challenge, to say the least. I did interview Margaret Atwood.

See, it all comes together. It does, yeah, and she was very good. You know, some of her books I like, some I'm like, oh, okay. I actually saw the opera, well, at least five minutes of it, of The Handmaid's Tale. Now, when the fetus

came on the screen, I said to my sister, I gotta go. I just, I can't do this. It was very bizarre. See, bizarre, that word, too. Oh, yeah gotta go. I just, I can't do this. It was very bizarre. See, bizarre, that word too. Oh yeah, bizarre. It's with John Biner and then it keeps coming back.

It's a good word. Yeah, I'm gonna start using it more. So I have a quote from Moses. It's a very short quote, but I just think you should hear it because this is his quote. I've heard him say this. Ziggy, City TV, they're a metaphor for each other.

That's a Moses quote. Have you ever heard that before? Never. Where'd you get that from? Wonderful quote. That's very nice. I'm very complimented by that quote. I've never heard it before.

I haven't seen it. I don't want to make this sound like a university class or whatever, but when you hear that, I know you're hearing it now for the first time apparently, but Ziggy, City TV, they're a metaphor for each other. What does that mean to you? This is for extra points on your report card. I think it means that City TV is democratic, and I come from originally very honest beginnings, lower middle class, I guess you would say, struggling to be middle class. of all nationalities. I would always find it odd that when I was on television that someone who was just new to the country, let's say from Ethiopia, who worked at the gas station,

would say, Ziggy, and say hello. So I think that's what he means by it. So that's a huge compliment to me. I mean, we're going to, you're still working with Moses. I am. So just before we get to the Zoomer radio show, you worked on sex TV. Oh my God. I forgot. You forgot about that? I uncovered some footage of you on sex TV. Oh my God. So remind people what sex TV was. Oh, well, it was a, it was an entertainment program related to all things sexual. And I don't even remember the

stories I did for it. I can't remember why. They were sexy stories probably. Or not necessarily. But they were more clinical. What I'm doing now is not clinical. Because I really, I don't have well, I have some knowledge but I'm not like a Dr. Ruth. And so Our Canadian reference would be Sue Johansson.

Oh yes, Sue Johansson. Right, and there's another One of my heroes. She's amazing. There's another young woman that took over from Sue Johansson. You can't take over from Sue Johansson. She's still with us, by the way. She is 118, but she's still with us. Zig, you have to tell the story of the movie you did with Jim Carrey, too.

Oh, my God. Well, okay, I think it was one of Jim's first movies. Again, I'm working at City. Well, actually no, because that was when I got fired from Bazaar. Bazaar time, yeah. And so I decided I'd take on a job at night at Bemelman's, but then I was asked to do,

play one of the romantic leads in this crazy movie, B-grade producer in Copper Mountain, Colorado. He said, Jim Carrey is going to be in this. I didn't know who Jim Carrey was. How the hell should I know who Jim Carrey was? He was like 19 or 20. Alan Thicke. And then a cast of characters,

like the group Chicago, Ronnie Hawkins, Rita Coolidge. The movie we shot was never finished. And it was so bizarre. I think that you can see it on YouTube. And Jim's going like, this is a terrible movie. And I'm like, yes yes this is a really terrible movie what was the name again?

Copper Mountain this never got a theatrical release right? because it was never finished? it came out on I feel like I'd know the title beta right? I think you could rent it only on beta though

straight to video couldn't get it on VHS. But it's like, it's the plot, the non-existent plot that turns into concert footage with ski footage

because Jean-Claude Keeley was also in this movie. What a cast. Can I ask you a question? When Ron Hawkins shows up, is he wearing a fur jacket? Ah, do you know he might?

I think he does. Maybe it's because of the City TV, the Nathan Phillips Square New Year's Eve special. I can't picture him without it now. I think that he does, actually, because we actually were in Colorado in the winter. But the funniest things that should have been shot were just like everybody carrying on in their rooms afterwards in the comedy shows. I mean, I remember Jim singing Beast of Burden with Chicago

and I sang Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow with Rita Coolidge doing the backup. Like as if, like where else can this happen? You know what? I think right as we speak, Retro Ontario is looking for the footage. So did you like, was there any sense of like,

this guy's going to be something like this Jim Carrey guy? So you knew? I mean, of course you knew. You could tell. You could tell. And, you know,

he was an interesting guy because he never spoke about his hardships that we know so well, but now about his childhood. But his father was always with him. His father, Percy, would go hither and yon with him while he was working. He was very attached to his dad, who was in some ways funnier than Jim was. Jim tells that story. And I've heard Jim tell the story about how he promised his daddy. I can't remember.

He would maybe make $10 million in a movie or something like that. There's some story. And then after his dad passed, he did it. Yeah. Yeah. But at that point, I really had no contact with Jim because he got big really quickly. Oh, yeah.

I guess Ace Ventura blows him up I guess if I remember yes yes and so he's on In Living Color but then he blows up with Ace Ventura right and so I remember when Ace Ventura came out he was at the station so he had left a message with me knowing that I worked at Much Music with one of the producers I called him up hey Jim how you doing how great in living color ace ventura and your daughter's really cute he's like look i have to do this gig at the metro convention center come on down off a ticket waiting he says come by afterwards say hello to me backstage but i went to the show but i didn't show up uh behind the stage because I just felt very strange about that.

Modest. And so I don't think he ever knew that I was ever at the show. But I was. And I watched him, you know, become a star. And I knew that he would be. That's no surprise. Wow. That's a big name.

No surprise. That's a big name. Tell me everything you can about Zoomer Radio. And I know you have a big name. Tell me everything you can about Zoomer Radio. And I know you have a show there, but so Zoomer Radio is what Moses owns and operates now? Am I saying that right? Yes, yes. It's one of two radio properties

and how many TV properties still now? Four television properties. I don't do much on the TV side. I do have a day job, but not as much as I used to, because I really love the radio. And Zuma Radio has the most amazing veteran DJs, this wonderful group of men, and they are really good. Like, you want to hear voices. Those are voices. Where is the studio? The studio is on Jefferson Street in Liberty Village.

That's where all the cool kids are. Well, apparently. All the cool condos. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And also classical 96.3, but we've been rebranded as Zoomer Radio. And there's no real supervision. You get free reign. You can do what you like i program my own music and get to pick and choose and get to talk about whatever i want to talk about when uh

when can we hear you on zoomer radio i'm on at 11 p.m on the night birds i go from 11 at night till one in the morning it gets racy at midnight. Just a disclaimer. Is it live? I'm not going to tell you that. It's okay. I don't want to be the wizard pulling back the curtain. This is the mystery of radio. People ask me this all the time.

Or they'll say, why aren't you visible? Somebody just asked me today, wrote me, why aren't you visible? Somebody just asked me today, wrote me, why aren't you visible? And I said, because I've been visible for years. And I think that sometimes it's nice for radio where you're just listening to the voice and not seeing the face. And then, look, I'd have to like stick a ton of makeup on. Well, it's radio.

They know it's radio. Like, why do you need to be visible for radio? You don't. I don't think you do. But you're right, because it was very popular for a while the zoomer radio uh youtube stream right so that must be maybe what they're alluding to but to me like because we're so vintage radio zoomer radio is i like the mystery behind not being seen and what? It gives me time to relax and express myself through my voice rather than my physicality, which you do for years. So it's very interesting.

Theater of the mind. I think that's the cool thing about radio. Right. So just for people who are thinking like, I got to tune into this to Ziggy on the Zoomer radio, like, can you give us a feeling like what, what might, what kind of... Can you hear music talk? Is it a combo? Well, of course, it's music. It's a music talk combo. But it's cheeky. And you know what?

It's nothing too serious. It's not intense. Do you play any... It's fun. I like to think it's fun. Sometimes I bomb royally, so I don't know. Like, you know what? It is what it is.

But it isn't too serious. I was going to say, you don't play any Henry Rollins on is what it is but it isn't uh it isn't too serious i was gonna say do you don't play any henry rollins on this show do you i could liar maybe an acoustic kind of a liar i mean it'd be kind of fun um yeah the music switches up it's the great american song book but then it's also followed by pop but great american song books pop anyways when you think about it but i do all the different decades, and I like many genres, so it's always different. Will you allow younger people to listen? Like, is there an age minimum?

You have a rule. You've got to be a certain age for Zoomer. No. No. I mean, how old was I when I was watching the Baby Blue movies? 11. Oh, that's right. Right?

So you know what? Kids are going to watch what they want to watch. Gosh, who knows what they see these days. So, you know, compared to a lot that's out there, I'm not as racy as some of the stuff that they hear or see. Well, I will say that a good voice and good content is a good voice and good content. Like, there's no age here.

This is about quality content. Well, it was new to me, and I never thought of radio again. I got thrown into the radio, and so that was a learning curve for me as well and challenging. It's now that I'm really starting to enjoy it because I don't feel stressed. I feel no stress. It's playful and it's a good thing to do.

I like it. My final question is about Moses. Because from the time you're a switchette to now, you you have a constant uh business relationship with moses in fact i don't know it might be the strongest i'm trying to think of anybody else i know joel's now involved again but you went and you left and came back and all this but ziggy like uh you and moses have been working together pretty much consistently uh for decades, except for about five years, maybe four, four to five. And I think that that's the time of the revolution when city TV had to take over. And so I pursued a few different things. That's the hostile takeover by the big rubber ducky. Yeah, you could say so.

And so I tried my hands in new fields or I didn't work in entertainment for a while, but traveled. And so I was back with him in 2006. So I left in 2000, back in 2006. Yeah, so the majority of my life, actually, which is very nice and unprecedented. Well, it's very nice. We know him, both Joel and I, very well, so that we know what he wants

without him having to explain what it is that he wants. And we're just dedicated employees when push comes to shove. Znaymaristas, as Clint Nickerson used to say. May he rest in peace. Znaymarista, yeah Clint Nickerson used to say. May he rest in peace. Oh, I heard he passed away just recently. I'm very sorry about that, Clint. He was the one that I used to call up and say, there's nothing happening at this event.

And he'd say, shoot tight. That was Clint? That was Clint Nickerson, yeah. For those of you out there, he was an assignment editor and news director in the early city pulse days. Also had a great voice. He did. He did.

Too bad he passed away. Yes. So non-professionally, what's your relationship like with Moses? Would you guys go out for dinner? Would you ever hang? Well, once a year, we probably do. He's a busy man, and we'll see him at events at the station as well

or bump into him in the hallway. And it goes like that. So yeah, how often do you have a dinner with him, Jill? Maybe once a year? Yeah, that's about right. And mostly at events. At events. Right.

But you know what? He's a cat who walks his own path, and so are we. So you know what? He's also our employer. So, you know, it's not like, hey, Mo, let's go grab a beer. Although if he does, make sure that it's a Great Lakes beer. Yes. We just finished off that pompous ass, didn't we?

It was very good. It's really good. We enjoyed it. Thank you. He's a West End guy, too, because I would see him in High Park when I used to be involved with that running room at High Park at Bloor there. Right. I know he's a West End guy.

I used to see him walking near the Grenadier Pond and stuff. Well, Joel's a West End guy. Absolutely. I'm a West End girl. Brian. I'm a West End girl. Brian Linehan was a West Ender. Who else was a West Ender? David Kynes for a while, who ran Much Music for a while.

But now he's moved to Yorkville. And Michael Hayden, another producer, used to live out in the West Side. So is it fair to say the West End is better than the East End? Damn straight.

Uh-huh. I think so. You know what? You'll never go East once you've been West. It's the trees. Yeah, it's something. Although I hear

they're fixing up the Port Lands. That's what I heard. So they're fighting back. The East is fighting back, I think. They're going to make a run at us. It's just different. It's like being

in a different country almost. I used to make a joke. Once you cross East of Yonge, like Yonge Street is great. West of Yonge has all the sports teams play West of Yonge. It seems like being in a different country almost. I used to make a joke. Once you cross East of Yonge, like Yonge Street is great. West of Yonge has all the sports teams play West of Yonge. It seems like all the venues of the music stuff. And then East of Yonge is like, where am I? Sure.

I can appreciate all parts of Toronto, but I think to come home, it's the West End. Ziggy, I got to say, I know I've been singing your praises for the past hour ever since you said hello boys to me. Now we finally got to speak. How long did that take? I know. From the time of the subway station in front of me. That's a long time, actually.

It was just hello boys. 27 years maybe, something like that. Oh, wow. Look at that. And here we are. Life is amazing that way. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoyed yourself because it was a pleasure for me it's it's uh very nice of you to to have me on and i thank you get moses over here he should both of you tag team we'll work on him we will work on him moses needs a client and I'll call him Mo when I offer him his beer. Just get him over here. Hey Mo. And that brings us to the end of our 248th show.

You can follow me on Twitter at Toronto Mike. Ziggy is at Ziggy Radio. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer and propertyinthesix.com is at Brian Gerstein. And Joel, remind me, I forgot to write it down. What is your Twitter handle?

Uh, uh, uh, Joel Goldberg, four, one, six. You got to memorize that.

You're going to get asked that sometimes. Joel Goldberg, four, one, six. Oh yeah. See you all next week. And he does look like Don Draper.

Thanks everyone We'll see you next time.