Results tagged “canadianidol”

The economic crisis just got so, so, so much worse: Canadian Idol will be taking a "rest" in 2009, with broadcaster CTV citing the "economic climate." Judge Zack Werner told the Star that the show proved to young people that "if you hope and you dream and you try, you can do something more with your life, whether it's become a doctor or a basketball player," which is confusing, because we thought the show was just for singers.

Each week, Torontoist examines the upcoming TV listings and makes note of programs that are entertaining, informative, and of quality. Or, alternately, none of those. The result: Televisualist.

The federal government announced that it's going to give Ontario's 1,000 remaining tobacco farmers $300 million so the farmers can stop growing tobacco. The farmers are all very excited about being paid money to not farm tobacco, and plan to grow marijuana instead.

Mookie Morris isn't the only local Canadian Idol contestant with a lawn-based cheering section. We spotted this sign for Sebastian Pigott on an east end street yesterday evening, mere minutes before he was voted off the island, or whatever it is that they do to eliminate false Idols. Sebastian's hunky full-colour signs put Mookie's single-colour quickies to shame, but a slick sign is obviously not enough to guarantee a win in a teenybopper popularity contest.

Election-style signs urging people to "Vote Mookie Canadian Idol" have started popping up on the lush and exclusive lawns of Rosedale in the last few days. If you're like us, you're probably thinking, "Who the hell is Mookie?" And why are so many Rosedalians admitting to watching lowbrow reality shows? Shouldn't they be taking their doses of reality schlock in secret shame like everybody else?

Each week, Torontoist examines the upcoming TV listings and makes note of programs that are entertaining, informative, and of quality. Or, alternately, none of those. The result: Televisualist.

Photo by David Spigolon.

Continuing a historic tradition of corporately sponsored holiday cheer, the 35-foot "Swarovski Crystal Wish Tree" was formally unveiled last night at the Eaton Centre. The star-studded event––a Children’s Wish Foundation fundraiser hosted by Justin Trudeau (yes, the Justin Trudeau)––drew a sizeable crowd of shoppers. Very few members of the audience seemed to actually know what they were lining up to see, though, as the tree was hidden by an enormous curtain for the better part...

Been looking for a way to gain fame and fortune by exploiting your kid's intelligence? Here's your chance: this Friday is the Toronto casting call for kids to be on Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader, the Canadian version of Fox's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (in case you couldn't tell). Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. at The Fairmont Royal York at 100 Front Street West. You can download the application here. But be warned: this stuff's harder than it sounds. We may or may not have just taken the online quiz, and may or may not have gotten half the questions wrong. Not a big deal.

He was a disaster with a ponytail mohawk, and somehow he made it to seventh place. We’re awesome, and for some reason we’re getting nowhere.

What would Canadian Idol be without the genial, excitable, preternaturally tanned Ben Mulroney as host? Would the CTV karaoke juggernaut be any different with another host, perhaps one wearing a black tee, a nose ring and an equally expensive, but far more tousled, haircut? What if George Stroumboulopoulos was running the show?

Billed as being about "Film & Culture About People from Israel & Palestine," the Voices Forward Film Festival is particularly intriguing because the area is going through a cultural renaissance right now, with writers and directors rejecting the nationalism of the previous generations to tell their own stories. The fest not only unites filmmakers from that troubled region, but it also shows Toronto audiences that, hey, it's not all bombing and hatred in the Middle East.

Starting September 1, the Hamilton television station known as CH will be rebranded as E! Entertainment Television. E! is an American entertainment and lifestyle cable broadcaster best known for its wildly successful E! True Hollywood Story series.

Thousands of people came from far and wide to Dundas Square this weekend in an attempt to nab a spot on Canadian Idol.

Whoever booked the bands for the Wintercity Festival this year definitely earned their paycheque. Typically these free shows consist of bands that are either Canadian Idol runners-up or musicians you've never heard of. While there are still some bands listed that'll make you say "who??!" there are a number of great acts that will make it worth the trek to Nathan Phillips Square and freeze your ass off for. Just remember to wear your longjohns and toque, and hit up your favourite cafe for an extra large hot chocolate first...oh, and be sure to get there a bit early for a decent view.

The Tories are taking a chainsaw to Status of Women Canada, closing three-quarters of the organization's regional offices, including Toronto's. Heritage Minister Bev Oda insisted that the budget cuts and office closings will streamline the department and make it more efficient. Just like a business! Because government should be run like a business!

Ok, so there are no obnoxious hosts (yes, we mean you Mulroney!) and we don't get to vote by cellphone, but in a way SOCAN's Echo Songwriting prize is kind of like Canadian Idol. The award relies on your votes to decide which of these five artists have written the "most innovative, creative and artistic songs created in the past year." The prize is $5000 which should pay rent and utilities for about six months.

All this recent talk about the Docks losing their liquor license has everyone talking about noise complaints and the densification of the city. Living right in the heart of Downtown Toronto and near a sports club that thinks it's appropriate to open their large street facing windows and blare really terrible jock-rock at 1:00 am, Torontoist is pretty familiar with the noise complaint process. Most of the time the noise stops within an hour when...

Sorry George, but the reviews are in and the One just plain sucks. The ABC produced, CBC simulcasted Idol/Next Top Model/Big Brother mashup sucks so much that the National (which was actually bumped forward an hour) managed to get almost three times the number of viewers. The One just managed to pull 236,000 viewers compared to the National which pulled in a respectable 550,000+ viewers. Antonia Zerbisias goes on at length at the show's shortcomings.

It could be one of two things the sound of CBC TV's ratings plummeting or it could be the sound of the the IQs of Canadian TV watchers reaching new lows. The CBC announced its fall lineup and it's a strange mixture of mainstream trends that the CBC resists (more reality tv, quiz shows) and giant national projects meant to unify Canadians in front of their TVs (Hockey: A People's History).

Copyright isn't exactly a sexy topic, there's no blood, no one dies, there are no burnt out houses or flooded streets to get people riled up. Or is it? Bloggers were able to get a lot of people angry over Sam Bulte when she apparently cozied up to record industry bigwigs at a Drake Hotel fundraiser. And with the Junos (or the Canadian Idol reunion) coming up and the RIAA going crazy down south there's a lot at stake with copyright. And with all those musicians crying poor maybe it is sexier than we thought.

more so than prematurely balding, nerdy-waiter Ryan Malcolm (ew) of Season One and Kalan Porter, who is the Canadian >Clay Aiken. So, we heartily agree with the judges that Melissa is the best Idol ever. Dear Melissa, may you prosper!

Fact:

weighs in on why these media types should stick to what they know.

now, we may have a chance to stop it before season three.

and was promptly kicked out of the Liberal caucus. Now she's decided to make a further ass out of herself by appearing on Global's Train 48. Which is a shame since C.P. had an interesting political career going, even winning the largest nomination meeting in the history of Canadian politics in 1993. I guess this all means there will never be a Lake Carolyn. Parrish the thought.