Podcast episode 464ish: Oh Susanna (Suzie Ungerleider)

What's so musical, you ask? Why, this podcast episode of What's So Funny? is. Our guest is old pal Oh Susanna, who's a big star in the alt-country/roots/folk scene. Suzie Ungerleider, her nom de vie, grew up in Vancouver but has called Toronto home for over twenty years. Her latest album, called A Girl in Teen City, is all about her misspent youth in this backwater town. We talk about how she's come to appreciate everything she looked down on as a rotten teenager. And we talk about what got her into music in the first place, because back when I played on a softball team with her, I knew nothing about this burgeoning musical career. As an added bonus, I play two tracks off her new album, which you're guaranteed to love.

Oh, if you're reading this in Vancouver, she's playing the Wise Hall on October 12. If you're reading this from anywhere else, check out her tour schedule on her website. Chances are she'll be in a town near you sometime.

No go and enjoy this hour. You can click below to listen, find us on iTunes or Stitcher, or even some other podcast dispensary. Your call.

Sept. 17: Leland Klassen

Leland Klassen has been a guest with us twice before, once in 2005 and once in 2009. But in 2009, I was sick. So I haven't really talked to him at length in twelve years. As of press time, I'm feeling healthy so there's a decent chance I'll be there tonight. And not just because now he's a big-time movie star. He's just a good guy who I like talking to. There was a period a few years back where I saw him wherever in the world I went on vacation. It was like he was stalking me. We've got lots of catching up to do. Leland, a veteran standup comic, recently got the starring role in a feature film, and it's Extraordinary. I'm sure it is (it just came out and I haven't seen it yet), but that's the name of it, too. Leland plays an ultra-marathon runner. He's a tall, lanky drink of water so he looks like a runner. We'll find out if he really is one. We'll also find out what it was like to share the screen with Kirk Cameron. And lots more, I'm sure.

We're on the air at 11 pm in Vancouver at 100.5 on the FM dial. If you're an ultra-marathoner and find yourself too far from home without your radio, you can always livestream us at coopradio.org or on TuneIn Radio and other such apps. Basically, what I'm saying is you have no excuse not to listen.

Podcast episode 463ish: Johnny Perrotta

I've known Johnny Perrotta for a long time but this was his first appearance on What's So Funny? He told us about how he moved from old Italy to the frozen tundra... well, Prince George, how he grew up worshipping Tony Manero, and about his various embarrassing acting gigs. It was our first night back in three years at our old/new studio. The levels may be a bit "hot" but whatchagonnado?

Click below for the full episode. Or better yet, subscribe to What's So Funny? on iTunes and it, as well as future episodes, will automatically show up in your feed like magic.

Podcast episode 462ish: Chuck Byrn

Here you go. Another podcast episode for you. This one's with former Vancouverite (but still a Vancouverite in his heart) Chuck Byrn. The veteran standup has been living in Toronto for eons but we got him on a family visit back to his home town. Great stories. Great opinions. Great voice! Listen to him tell us how he dissed Jim Carrey. Check out the stories on a vacation to Hawaii he took with Irwin Barker and Kerry Talmage. Hear how he sounded like Ian Bagg for a spell once (and the mysterious way Bagg answered his motel room door once in Victoria). Unfortunately, we lost the last two minutes but you get the vast majority of it, and it's good.

Check it out either below or on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favourite podcast server.

Sept. 10: Katharine Ferns

Katharine Ferns makes her return to What's So Funny? She's never been a guest, but she visited another guest back in 2012. She was still living in Vancouver then, but departed not long after for Toronto. A couple years there, and then she departed for England, where she's been performing standup and doing Edinburgh Fringe shows every year or two. She's back in town performing her new show, hot off a month-long run in Edinburgh. The show's called Katharine Ferns is in Stitches. She'll tell us all about it and what else she's been doing since her time here.

We're on the air at 11 pm on CFRO 100.5 FM. If you're in, say, England, and can do the math on the time zone, you can livestream us at coopradio.org. Or on TuneIn Radio.

Podcast episode 461ish: Christina Sicoli

Here's the Christina Sicoli episode you've all been patiently waiting for. Christina loves her sleep but she managed to stay awake throughout the show. The actress/improviser's earliest credit involved sitting on a toilet. That's right, she was "Foxy Girl" in Detroit Rock City. She also tap-danced with tap master Gregory Hines. We talk about both those things and, as they say, more!

Have a listen. The last two minutes are sadly cut off for reasons beyond my control. But the bulk of our scintillating conversation is intact and here for posterity. You can click below to listen or head over to your favourite podcast dispensary. We're everywhere.

Sept. 3: Andy Cañete

Summer's over. Maybe ñot officially for a few weeks, but oñce September hits, it's always fall to me. It always feels like back-to-school. Toñight we're going back-to-Cañete. Añd I'm celebratiñg the tilde! I love the squiggly liñe over the ñ! Standup comic and actor Añdy Cañete was first with us back iñ 2015 wheñ he was doiñg his Porn & Pinochet show at the Friñge. This time, he's got a ñew one: The Cañete Chroñicles. Añdy will tell us all about it añd whatever else he's beeñ up to iñ the past two years.

Fire up your radio at 11 pm to CFRO 100.5 FM. Or livestream us at coopradio.org. Or oñ the amazing TuñeIn Radio app, where you cañ find añy radio statioñ in the world. What a crazy time we're liviñg in.

Aug. 27: Oh Susanna

What's So Funny? gets musical again tonight. As regular listeners out there know, we do that sometimes. This week's guest is fab singer/songwriter Suzie Ungerleider, aka Oh Susanna. Suzie's a Vancouver girl but she hasn't lived here in over twenty years. Back in the day, before she made a name for herself in the music world, she and I played on the same softball team for a season, under the leadership of my former manservant, Kevin, who served on this very program for ten years before calling it quits. See how it all comes together? Anyway, she's a mesmerizing singer. I love all her albums. And her latest one, called A Girl in Teen City, is all about growing up in Vancouver. We'll play a couple of tracks for you in this hour. But mostly it's us talking, as per usual. Find out how she got her start. Find out about her youth in our fair city. Find out if she's still embarrassed about Vancouver.

We recorded this a couple weeks ago when she was in town visiting family and doing some press. She'll be back to play at the Wise Hall on Oct. 12 so get your tickets! If you're reading this from somewhere else in the world, go look at her tour schedule and maybe she'll be coming to a club near you soon.

We're on the air at 11 pm Vancouver time on CFRO 100.5 FM. If you'd rather livestream us, we won't be offended. Go to coopradio.org or find us on one of your fancy radio streaming apps like TuneIn Radio.

Podcast episode 460ish: Bob Robertson tribute

This podcast episode is a loooong one. But well worth it. We paid tribute to the late, great Bob Robertson, who passed away earlier this year. Bob – along with his wife and comedy partner Linda Cullen – was a guest on What's So Funny? three times over the years and in this episode, we take clips from all those shows. Bob talks about his early years, pre-Double Exposure fame, and works right up to his post-Double Exposure projects. It's a good little overview of the man's career, I think. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed going back and compiling it.

You can click below to listen. Or you can find us on your own. Click around at iTunes or Stitcher or wherever fine podcasts are dispensed and we'll be waiting for you.

Podcast episode 459ish: David Beckingham

David (right) enjoying the swanky Co-op doorless studio.

With a name like David Beckingham, you'd expect a posh English accent. And that's exactly what Beckingham had for the first eight years of his life before Canada beat it out of him. We talk about that with one of the founding members of Hey Ocean! as well as other topics, such as why the band split up, why it's back together, and what it was like living in Kenya. It's his first ever podcast appearance! I love the band, by the way, so we play a tune from them as well as a song from David's solo album, Just When the Light. Oh, mark this down on your calendars: Hey Ocean! is doing a cross-Canada tour in October and November. Check your local listings! Or something like that.

Enjoy this one. We've got another coming right around the bend. You can listen here or find us on iTunes, Stitcher, or your favourite podcast server.

Aug. 6: Johnny Perrotta

They say you can't go home again, but that's precisely what we did. CFRO left the Downtown Eastside three years ago for life on Wall Street. As of last week, we're back where we started, in the newly renovated studios in the DTES. Tonight we have our first guest of the new era, standup comic and actor Johnny Perrotta. His Twitter will tell you he's not only John Perrotta, but THE John Perrotta. I wonder what the Rhode Island standup comic John Perrotta thinks about that! So I'll call our guy Johnny, as I first knew of him many, many, many years ago. How long ago was it? It goes back to the Urban Well days, but I don't know the exact year. We'll find out tonight. Strangely, this is Johnny's first appearance on What's So Funny? so we've got tons to talk about.

Even though we've moved physically, you don't have to go looking for us. We're still on the air in Vancouver at 11 pm on CFRO 100.5 FM. Or you can livestream us at coopradio.org. Or find us on the TuneIn Radio.