Posts with the CHCH TV tag

Barris Beat

Drinking, more or less

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment

My wife queued up at the grocery store the other day, she told me. The cashier began tallying her purchases, but then hesitated. She said she wasn’t qualified to process the purchase of beer and had to call on another cashier qualified to check through beer and wine.

“Does it matter that the beer is zero alcohol?” my wife asked.

“Oh, I see,” the cashier said.

And the person next in line at the cash behind my wife piped up, “Mine are zero-alcohol too,” he said.

Is it just our imagination, or has all this talk about the link between alcohol and cancer sparked a sea change in the habits of casual drinkers? (more…)

Barris Beat

A Frightenstein who done it

Written by Ted Barris on . 1 Comment

The reporter had asked her final question about my appearance at a regional theatre in Alberta that afternoon. Jana Semeniuk turned her camera off. But she gestured for me to stay put for a second. She had one more question to ask, but she wanted to be sure it was OK to ask it on camera. I nodded.

“Have you ever heard of the TV show The Hilarious House of Frightenstein?” she asked. I nodded again. “Is it true you wrote that show?”

“Half true,” I said. “I co-created it with my writing partner Ross Perigoe. Want to know more? Roll your camera and I’ll tell you.” (more…)

Barris Beat

Truly virtual Remembrance Day

Written by Ted Barris on . 2 Comments
This year’s Remembrance Day presentation recorded at St. Thomas’ Princes Avenue Playhouse.

Normally, I’d be feeling a bit nervous. But not this time. Last Tuesday morning, I just walked up a short set of stairs and onto a theatre stage, in St. Thomas, Ont. Unlike many times before, however, there was no audience, just the empty Princess Avenue Playhouse. Then, from the darkness in front of me, I heard the only other person in the theatre call to me.

“Camera’s rolling, Ted,” he said. “You can start anytime.”

And I began my annual Remembrance Day presentation for the Township of Southwold, this year with no audience, just a video camera. (more…)

Barris Beat

NORAD Trophy ceremony

Written by Ted Barris on . Leave a comment
Author with L/Col. Dean Black and the 2018 NORAD Trophy at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Photo Matthew Wocks.

Just as I finished a presentation, last week, my cellphone rang. The readout said, “Air Force.” It’s silly, but almost instinctively I straightened by back and my tie, as if duty were calling. It turned out to be a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, Dean Black, who’s also the executive director of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association on the line. Not quite the Air Force, but, as it turned out, just as important.

“The RCAF Association has decided to recognize you and your new book with the NORAD Trophy,” Black said.

“I’m flattered,” I said, “but what’s the NORAD Trophy?” I knew that NORAD stood for North American Aerospace Defence Command and that the U.S. and Canada had formed it originally in 1957 when Cold War tensions between the Soviet Union and the West were at their highest, to ensure the protection of North America. (more…)