Making the leap from music to ice cream to comedy: a conversation with Joe Avati

Last week, I had a brief phone interview with Australian-Italian comic Joe Avati, who was in Montreal to promote his recently-launched "Back To Basics" comedy tour of  Canada (which will play three dates in Montreal, on October 21 and 22, and November 11). What amazed me at the offset of our conversation was that Joe remembered me when we first met about 12 years ago, when myself, Al Gravelle and Eramelinda Boquer interviewed him on the CJAD show "Freeze Frame", just before his first appearance in Montreal at the Saputo Theatre of the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre in St. Leonard, a Montreal suburb with a predominantly Italian population.

I then recounted to Avati when I attended his first Montreal show back in 2000, when he played to a packed house on a Sunday afternoon. I marveled to him how the audience was mostly made up of family members of all ages and generations, and because of how he built an international following through the pre-iTunes download service Napster, his fans in attendance that afternoon were able to recite the punchlines to his "Nonna's Car Accident" routine word for word (and this was before American comic Dane Cook built his large following through the internet, in which many more followed his example of going online to expose their comedy to worldwide audiences). As well, after the show, the wide assortment of Joe Avati merchandise (t-shirts, baseball caps and CDs) were literally flying off the shelves from the makeshift souvenir kiosk that was set up in the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre's foyer. I couldn't believe I saw such an enthusiastic fan response to a comedian whom I only first heard about a mere two weeks before!

"I bet you weren't able to understand all of my jokes then," Avati retorted with a laugh. He was right ... to a point. Although he did his set-ups in English (and was very good at it), he delivered every punchline in Italian. The audience responded with loud, uproarious laughter. I was ready to pull my hair out in frustration, because I didn't speak or understand Italian, so I never got the chance to fully experience Avati's brand of observational humour that dealt with growing up Italian "down under", which has earned him the moniker the "Italian Jerry Seinfeld".

Avati's career as an international comedian has been extraordinary. Wherever he tours around the world, he always plays to sold-out crowds, whether it be in his native Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States or Canada (where he holds the record for the fastest-selling comedy show ever; an appearance at the Toronto Centre for the Arts sold all of its 3200 tickets in just nine minutes). He also has an impressive line of tour merchandise and has produced five international bestselling CDs and five DVDs.

But Avati's career in entertainment didn't start out on the comedy stage. He began as a self-taught musician, and became quite proficient with several instruments, including piano and guitar. "I originally wanted to be a rock star, but I didn't have the voice for it," he said. "So my dad told me that I should get a degree. I enjoyed food and science, so I decided to pursue a degree in food science." When he got his degree in food science, one of Avati's first jobs was to work for a major food company in Australia, where he helped to introduce the Magnum line of premium ice cream (it's the brand of high end ice cream bars, in which its North American commercials show actress Rachel Bilson climb over cars in a traffic jam to get herself one of those coveted frozen treats from a Magnum truck).

However, being a sharp observer since he was a child, Avati decided to pursue comedy just as strongly as he pursued his other career paths. "What made me go into comedy on a hardcore basis was the fact that doing stand-up allowed me to be more of myself onstage," he said.

While few comics do bilingual shows (Sugar Sammy has broken ticket sales records with his "franglais" shows in Montreal throughout this past winter, spring and summer; and Greek-American comedian Basile still tours the U.S. with his shows in Greek and English), Avati enjoys doing his shows with the set-ups in English and the punchlines in Italian. "I love doing the double entendres and play on words in both languages," he said. "It's a fun technique that really evokes a lot of laughter, and I get a big kick out of being funny in two languages."

He also enjoys the fact that whatever city he performs in, his shows manage to bring together their respective Italian communities of all ages. "My shows attract kids, teens, parents and grandparents. Usually, I would see three generations at my shows laughing along with me, and it makes me tick," he said. "When come to my show, you leave entertained and you talk about the good experience you had there."

For his first tour of Canada in almost five years (which will play in 14 cities in four provinces, including Windsor, Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver), Avati promises his classic routines that have made him an international star, along with new material and even a musical segment. "I would rather be an entertainer than a comedian," he said. "The show that is going to part of the Back To Basics tour I've developed over the past three years. So far, since I started last month in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I have been getting a lot of positive responses from the audience, and I'm really happy with it."

For more information about Joe Avati's "Back To Basics" tour of Canada, check out his website at www.joeavati.com.

In the Presence of Greatness: Harry Belafonte

I always believed that if a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- ANY opportunity -- comes your way, you seize the moment and take advantage of it. Pass it up, and it may never come your way again.

In my nearly 50 years on this planet, I have done both seized and passed up those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. I've had the chance to see Yoko Ono and George Burns up close in the flesh; I saw a rare stage performance of the Muppets; I bought a book autographed by my all-time favorite comedian Groucho Marx; I managed to be part of a private audience with the Governor-General of Canada -- Her Majesty's representative -- at his Rideau Hall residence; and I was a contestant on "Jeopardy!" On the other hand, I passed up a chance to purchase a first edition (in hardcover, with dust jacket) of Ernest Hemingway's 1940 novel "For Whom the Bells Toll" at a second hand bookstore in Montreal nearly 30 years ago for -- get this -- $5! To put it mildly, I'm still kicking myself around the block!

Lesson learned: NEVER PASS UP THOSE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITIES!

Since I began writing my Grapevine column for the West End Times five years ago, I upheld the spirit of the above-mentioned lesson, and I'm glad I did. I have covered my share of fundraisers, gala events, festivals and even the 2008 Grey Cup when it made its way to Montreal (I even got the chance to see the game from the Big O press box). So imagine my excitement when I attended the press conference for the Montreal International Black Film Festival earlier this month, that I found out that organizers planned to have legendary singer and activist Harry Belafonte personally attend the festival not only to promote "Sing Your Song", a documentary about his storied life and career, but also to accept in person the festival's Humanitarian Award at its opening night.

Believe me, it's not everyday that you get the chance to see a bona fide show business legend live in the flesh, especially one who has made an impact on the music industry and the Civil Rights Movement like Harry Belafonte. And for me, this golden opportunity didn't happen once, but twice!

The first occasion was on the festival’s opening night on September 19. Belafonte, accompanied by his wife Pamela and festival president Fabienne Colas, came to the Imperial Theatre for the screening of the biopic “Winnie” to accept the festival’s Humanitarian Prize for his more than 50 years’ dedication in service to the Civil Rights Movement, as well as a score of charities and non-profit community organizations.

When the 85-year-old Belafonte arrived at the Imperial and took his seat in the theatre’s front row, he was immediately surrounded by photographers (myself included) as they wanted to get good close up shots of him, in which he graciously and compliantly posed for. Then it came time for Belafonte to accept his award from Colas and festival spokesperson Sonia Benezra. He humbly accepted the honour, and then shared with the audience of how much Montreal has meant to him, as well as the first time he performed here during the 1940s, in a venue that was actually a burlesque house.

“I accept this award with great satisfaction. It’s an overture of validation of what I have done and it means a lot to me,” he said. “The late singer/activist Paul Robeson once told me that artists are the gatekeepers of truth. And the world is in need of artists for what they can do. I have enjoyed the world of celebrity, because it made me understand the power it has and what good it can do to inspire people.”

The following night at the Hall Building of Concordia University, at a screening of the documentary about his life and career called “Sing Your Song”, it made me fully understand why he was given this award.  Told in Belafonte’s own words (as well as colleagues and contemporaries such as Sidney Poitier and Desmond Tutu, to name a few) as well as plenty of rare film and TV footage, this is an excellent documentary that chronicles an impressive career in entertainment (in which he popularized calypso music in North America with such songs as “Day-O”), as well as using his celebrity status towards the many charitable and humanitarian causes that were close to his heart. 

It’s amazing to see what he has accomplished in this respect. He was one of the organizers of the famed March on Washington in 1963 (best known for Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial); he helped organize a fundraising concert on the final night of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965; he was one of the architects of USA for Africa, the celebrity group that recorded the megahit song “We Are the World” to benefit the victims of the Ethiopian famine in 1985; and although he doesn't perform as much as he used to, he is still involved with several organizations that help at risk teens in Los Angeles towards a better future.

After the screening, Belafonte spent another hour in conversation with Sonia Benezra and answered questions from a very eager and understandably star-struck audience. He patiently answered each question with his trademark soft, husky voice and fired off several humorous replies. One of my favorite replies was “If Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were still alive and things worked out, all of North America would be Canadian!”

He also had this to say about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney: “I get up every day and thank God for the presence of Mitt Romney, because the Republicans are delightfully burying themselves every day. So I encourage Romney to keep on talking!”

The Belafonte love-in continued after the Q&A wrapped up, as a multitude of those in attendance rushed up to him -- many clutching copies of his memoir "My Song" or original copies of his RCA Victor albums from the 50s and 60s, (including his live at Carnegie Hall record and "Calypso", the LP that earned him a gold record in 1958 for being the first album to sell over a million copies in a single year) -- in order to get a prized autograph from him on their respective collectible. I'll admit, I was also one of those autograph hunters. I had a review copy of "My Song" that I hoped he would inscribe, so that I could add to my growing collection of autographed tomes. Although I came quite close, it was getting quite late and after signing several books and LPs, Belafonte was quickly being ushered out of the auditorium. However, as he was being led out, I found a quick vantage point and snapped a final, up close picture of Harry Belafonte looking cool and confident amongst the swell of fans that surrounded him (pictured below).

Thus ended my encounters with Belafonte. At the very least, it was great to seize that rare opportunity and be within the presence of a legendary entertainer who was also a catalyst for social change, and wisely used his talent and fame to make sure that change happened. In a way, that's probably even more valuable than an autographed book.

Electoral Dysfunction: A must-see documentary for anyone who ever casted a vote

While covering this year's edition of the Montreal World Film Festival (MWFF), it gives me the chance to catch some interesting and offbeat documentaries from around the world, some of them tackle subject matters that are of interest to me that I wouldn't expect to get the documentary treatment. Then there are those docs that when I first glance at their respective descriptions in the festival catalogue, my immediate reaction is "gotta see this!". “Electoral Dysfunction”  falls into the latter category. 

This is a humorous, informative (and right now very relevant) look at how frustratingly imperfect the electoral system is in the United States. Political humorist (and correspondent for CBS News’ “Sunday Morning” program) Mo Rocca went on a four-year journey to discover how America votes, and the result is “Electoral Dysfunction”. With a style that’s influenced by controversial muck raking filmmaker Michael Moore, this documentary focuses on one of the 13,000 voting districts in the U.S. – in particular Jennings County in Indiana – during the 2008 presidential election from both the Democrat and Republican sides, and all the lengths their respective organizers go through to get people to the polls on election day. As well, it explained how some stringent measures prevent civic-minded citizens from exercising their right to vote, such as the Photo ID Law, which was dubbed as a “modern day poll tax”. It's amazing to discover how many voters in this district (not to mention the 32 other states that have this photo ID law in their books) -- and many of whom were dedicated voters every election day for years -- were turned away at the polls because they didn't possess the required photo ID that is prescribed in the law. Then they are instructed to go to the local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) bureau to get a free photo driver's license (eventhough they never owned a car, let alone sit behind the wheel of one) in order to go back to the polls to cast their vote; however, if they don't have a valid photo ID at the DMV, they can't get that coveted driver's license. Talk about "Catch-22"!

Rocca, along with the film’s writers/producers/directors Mridu Chandra, David Deschamps, Leslie D. Farrell and Bennett Singer (pictured below), were in Montreal to attend the two screenings of the documentary during the festival (the first one, which I attended, was the final film that was shown at the NFB Cinema on St. Denis Street, before it closed down for good the following day thanks to federal government budget cuts) and explained that the film’s impetus was the 2000 presidential election was decided by the Supreme Court and gave Republican candidate George W. Bush the presidency over Democrat Al Gore.

The film has been shown at both the Democrat and Republican conventions (and will air on PBS on October 18), and they hope to have it available for high school and college students in order to open their eyes about the American electoral system and spark some dialogue amongst them about this sacred right to vote that’s not even mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. And with this year's presidential race between Obama and Romney becoming a tension-filled, tight race, "Electoral Dysfunction" should be required viewing by every eligible (and ineligible) voter in America to why casting that precious vote is important (oh, yes ... and how you can distinguish the difference between "voter" and "elector").

This prompted Mocca to quip during the Q&A session that followed the screening: “Maybe we have too much democracy in America!” 

My Memories of 1411 Fort Street

This past weekend an era in Montreal radio broadcasting ended, as CJAD, Virgin Radio and CHOM FM left 1411 Fort Street, its collective home since 1980. And with that, a new chapter began, as of September 1, CJAD began broadcasting at its new, state-of-the-art home base at 1717 Papineau Street near the Jacques Cartier Bridge; the area also houses a group of Montreal English and French TV and radio stations, such as CTV, RDS, CBC/Radio Canada and CKOI (CHOM and Virgin will be setting up shop by the end of the weekend).

I first set foot at 1411 Fort in September of 1984. At the time, I was a devoted listener of CJAD's "Trivia Show" and they had a contest where listeners would win a one-shot co-hosting gig on the show with host/creator Michael Libling. All you had to do was write to him and say why you would like to be a co-host, and what your area of trivia expertise was. Mine was (and still is) the Marx Brothers. Somehow, Libling was convinced, and I was one of the contest winners. I don't remember much of the show, but one thing that sticks in my mind is that I was completely calm in front of the mic and really enjoyed the experience of doing radio, live in studio.

Fast forward to April of 1985. After winning another prize from "The Trivia Show" (after waiting the required three months between prizes), Libling took the phone during a commercial break and wanted to know if I wanted the gig of "Igor the Screaming Screener" as of the following Sunday. Of course, I took it and for the next three-and-a-half years, I spent most of my Sunday mornings in master control of 1411 Fort screening calls and taking down information of the prize winners. But it wasn't all just answering phones and filling out prize forms (and piping in answers to Mike and Dave Fisher). I got a few fill-in gigs to host the show when Libling was on vacation to get some on-air experience. Then there was the time when Libling cracked up with laughter several times one morning when my friend Barry visited the station before taking off for Israel for the summer ... sporting a new blue hairdo! And then there was the embarrassing appearance on "The Trivia Show" by 15-minute celebrity of the day Mark "Jacko" Jackson, the loud, obnoxious Australian Rules Football star who was best known in North America for his TV commercials plugging Energizer batteries (OYYYYY!!!).

At the same time, I was contributing trivia questions for John Oakley, who was CJAD's popular late night host. I finally got on the air with him in early 1985, doing his "Friday Free-For-All" programs doing nothing but trivia with him and the listeners. We would do them from midnight to 5:30 a.m. and I took away from that experience two things: it was great to work with Oakley, who is a consummate radio pro who was just as well read and articulate as myself; and after doing several midnight to sunrise stints, I certainly appreciated the world of late night radio a whole lot more.

Which leads me to the longest serving gig I had with CJAD at 1411 Fort. In the fall of 1990, I pitched to then-station manager Rob Braide about a radio segment that was quite uncommon at the time: book reviews (normally, a host would interview the author about their book, but would never bother to review it on the air). Two weeks later, Peter Anthony Holder (a producer/announcer for CJAD and FM-96 -- and fellow trivia buff -- whom I first met at John Oakley's Christmas party broadcast in 1984), called me and heard about my book review idea and liked it, and as a result, invited me to make it a regular feature and his recently launched late night show on CJAD called "Holder Overnight". On November 15, 1990, "Book Banter" made its debut on "Holder Overnight", an association that lasted 19 years.

During its first two years, "Book Banter" aired once a week at 1:15 a.m., and we pre-recorded the segment earlier that evening. In 1992, when Peter's show moved to prime time (8-10 p.m.), after a busy night when he was busy scrambling to adapt to the new format, he had no time to record the segment. I suggested I come back later and do it live. And for the rest of the segment's run, it was always done live on the air. There were plenty of books read and reviewed during those 19 years (almost 3,000) and plenty of great (and funny) memories. Doing the show live from a phone booth at B'nai Brith Perlman Camp in Starlight, Pennsylvania (Peter was convinced the phone wires from Starlight were held together with duct tape), from the casino at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, or from third base line box seats at the Rogers Centre during a Blue Jays-Red Sox game (and in the middle of a Jays rally, which had Peter laughing hysterically back home at 1411 Fort ... I was alternating between book reviewing and play-by-play sportscasting) ; losing it while doing the "Kids' Korner" portion after Peter tore apart a book I just reviewed on the history of the TV series "Hee Haw!"; and Peter's "walk out" from the studio as I was about to review Kitty Kelley's latest celebrity bio.

In 1999, another phase of my CJAD involvement at 1411 Fort began with my involvement as one of the on-air regulars on "Freeze Frame", the entertainment-oriented show that aired every Friday night as part of the "Al & Era" show that aired throughout the week, which was hosted by veteran broadcasters Al Gravelle and Eramelinda Boquer. What I liked about doing this show was that everyone involved with "Freeze Frame" were entertainment junkies, which ended up with lively on-air discussions about classic and current TV and movies. I did everything from being a movie and TV expert, to "Survivor" authority, to comedy correspondent. I'll never forget doing a special Saturday night broadcast with Al about "Survivor" in August of 2000 ... while sick as a dog with bronchitis (yet I did a solid two hours on-air like a true showbiz trouper); letting Mark McKinney, of Kids in the Hall fame, do our weekly "Top Ten" lists that were complemented by his snarky comments ("BECKER!!! Who watches BECKER?!?"); and comedienne Lisa Lampanelli making us permanent fans of her when she demolished some arrogant members of the Upright Citizens Brigade improv troupe during a live "Late Nite Laff Zone" broadcast at the Delta Hotel.

Being a "comedy correspondent" for CJAD during the 2000s had its fringe benefits. One of them was during the 2002 and 2003 festivals, in which Just For Laughs hired me to be a special festival correspondent when Ric Peterson hosted the morning show (2002) and the afternoon drive home show (2003). Basically, I was armed with my notepad, flashlight, stopwatch and several Digital Audio Tape (DAT) cassettes to record several of the Club Soda shows (thanks to Club Soda's tech guy Yves Moquin's DAT machine), select some choice lines from the comics who performed that night and do a live 5-minute report on Ric's show the following morning around 7:30 (in studio, I might add). So during those two summers, my daily routine was to catch and record that evening's Club Soda shows, head back to the Delta and appear on "Late Nite Laff Zone" from midnight to 3 a.m., make a beeline to CJAD to edit and compile that night's selected highlights (based on my copious notes), go home to grab a couple of hours of sleep, and then head back to CJAD to do my live report on Ric's show. Exhausting, but a lot of fun (and all of my selections made Ric laugh out loud, so I guess it was mission accomplished).

The last time I appeared on-air at 1411 Fort was last summer. It was a sort-of "Freeze Frame" reunion, when Al, Era and myself did a couple of Saturday afternoon fill-ins and discussed the jazz and comedy festivals, and which shows were highlights and not-to-be-missed. It was just like 2000-2001 all over again, and I couldn't find a better way to make my CJAD swan song.

I always enjoyed coming to do radio at 1411 Fort Street, wander the halls after hours and revel in the laid back camaraderie with the on-air and tech operators, who were and are the backbone of the operation. Although like the previous generation of CJAD personnel who had fond memories of its previous home on Mountain Street, the 27 years I spent as a guest and regular contributor for CJAD at 1411 Fort Street will always give me great memories of how much fun radio broadcasting can be. And I am sure that the next generation of CJAD/Virgin/CHOM personnel will garner their fair share of memorable moments in their new Papineau Street digs.

And most of all, it was the numerous people -- past and present -- whom I encountered and befriended during that time that helped to make it such a joy to go to 1411 Fort, no matter which day or time of day it was.

First, there's the on-air personalities as Michael Libling, John Oakley, Peter Anthony Holder, Al Gravelle, Eramelinda Boquer, the "Freeze Frame Gang" (made up of Oliver Sedra, Jim Pacheco, Jason "Video Boy" Wiley and Wayne Appleby), Jake Lawrence, the late, great Mark Rennie, Abe Hefter, Ric Peterson, Dave Fisher, Chrys Goyens, David Edey, Shuyee Lee, Kathy Coulombe, Richard Deschamps, Jennifer Potvin, Laurie and Olga, Sharon Hyland, Pete Marier (the world's number1 Rodney Dangerfield fan), Too Tall, Billal Butt, Rob Kemp, Derek Lind, Rob Kemp, Dan Delmar and Mark Bergman.

And there's the unsung heroes of 1411 Fort Street, the technical operators who always pushed the right buttons and literally made the shows happened: Keith Tomasek, Peter Wilkinson, Earl Eichenbaum, Mitch Beim, Glen Wildemon, Mark Silverman, Peter Lopata, Leo D'Estrala, Shawn Starr, Anthony DiBiaso, Sheldon Fried, Corinna Vierek, Derek Stanbridge, Esteban Vargas, Matt Stone, Merv Willaims, Toby Goodfellow, Brandon Craddock, Tina Lullham, Larry Martos and John Collette.

Finally, there were the people who ran CJAD, Virgin and CHOM in its different managerial departments on a day-to-day basis: my sister Nancy (who spent five years in the commercial traffic department), Rick Moffat, Lisa Fuoco, Matthew Wood, Joanna Bennett, Pat Burke, Stewart Currie, Andrea Elias, Mickey from the mailroom (who always placed my bulky parcels filled with review copies of the latest book releases in a safe place for me to pick up, for which I am eternally grateful), and last but not least, Rob Braide who took the time to listen to my "Book Banter" pitch back in that fateful tete a tete at 1411 Fort in the fall of 1990.

Good bye, 1411 Fort Street. You will be missed. Hello 1717 Papineau.

Pictured below is a copy of a profile that was written about me in November of 1997. It appeared in the employee newsletter of CAE Inc., the flight simulator company where I was working as a technical editor at the time, and was written by Tech Pubs colleague and friend Craig McPherson (whom I have known since we worked at The Suburban newspaper in the late 80s). The photo of me -- taken by Craig during one of my "Book Banter" broadcasts -- is a rare one of me "in action" at 1411 Fort; the reproduction is not the greatest, but it did complement the profile).

Confessions of a NASCAR rookie at his very first race

Since NASCAR arrived with great fanfare in Montreal five years ago, I basically relegated myself to the outdoor street festivities that took place on Crescent Street, Montreal's party central, and immersed myself with admiring the NASCAR autos on display, listening to the free concerts, collecting the free swag and taking pictures with some hot, comely models who were there on behalf of Ford Racing. Basically, I took in the festivities, but I never attended the actual race at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.

That was until this past weekend, and I have to thank the State of Florida for that.

About a week ago, I got an invitation to attend a NASCAR media event at the Circuit on race day, August 18, that was hosted by www.VISITFLORIDA.com, the state's official website that promotes Florida tourism, and the attractions, restaurants, hotels and events that the Sunshine State has to offer throughout the year. Being a frequent visitor to South and Central Florida on a regular basis (and enjoyed every visit), and curious to experience the phenomenon that is NASCAR racing both on the track and in the paddock, I enthusiastically my RSVPed my attendance for my very first NASCAR race.

And what is www.VISITFLORIDA.com's connection to one of the most popular spectator sports in America? Well, besides the fact that two Florida locales host NASCAR races (Daytona and Miami), the website also sponsors two Mazda cars that race on NASCAR's Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series (one of them is pictured below). They are part of the Dempsey Racing team, which is run by actor Patrick Dempsey (best known as Dr. McDreamy from the popular ABC series "Grey's Anatomy"), who is himself a NASCAR driver for five years running. Unfortunately, Dempsey himself wasn't able to attend the Grand-Am race here at the Napa Auto Parts 200 series, because he was behind the wheel at the Road America race.

So I made my way early Saturday morning to the Circuit with many of the NASCAR faithful from across North America. I somehow felt out of place, because I was one of the few attendees not decked out in a NASCAR team jersey, t-shirt or pit cap. As I made my way to the Mazda Hospitality Area at the www.VISITFLORIDA.com paddock, I was immediately immersed into the world of NASCAR. There were crews surrounding both cars, doing last minute repairs, maintenance and testing to these complex, mechanically sophisticated souped up driving machines for the race that would begin at 11:15 that morning. The paddock of each team was represented by a long, rectangular metal trailer displaying their respective colors and sponsors, with a vertical banner waving in the breeze in front of each paddock trumpeting how many racing championships the team in question has won. And there were no shortage of fans wandering around, enthusiastically taking photos of the Grand-Am cars as they were being wheeled out of the paddock on their way to the track, or with themselves and the drivers.

The representatives from www.VISITFLORIDA.com treated myself and the other members of the media who were present at the hospitality area with open arms, as they introduced us to the two sets of NASCAR crews who would be racing their cars at the upcoming Grand-Am. The drivers -- Tom Long, Scott Maxwell, Charles Putman and Charles Espenlaub -- were very cordial and were equally passionate about their careers as NASCAR drivers. The common denominators that each driver said to us were how special the Montreal fans are, and how unique the track at the Circuit is, which is unlike the type of track they are used to racing on the NASCAR circuit.

"This is one of the most educated crowds we have seen and they make the race special for us. We love coming here," said Maxwell, a native of Toronto. "And we like the track here because it involves a lot of heavy braking and passing."

And on the subject of autos and Florida, the www.VISITFLORIDA.com reps told us about a recently opened museum dedicated to classic cars. The Dezer Collection Automobile Musuem in North Miami features a diverse collection of 1,200 classic cars of all makes from all eras, including cars of Hollywood stars, rare cars and vintage autos from the U.S. and Europe. And for all of you James Bond fans -- in time for the release of the upcoming Bond thriller "Skyfall" -- the museum also has an exhibit that features some of the best known cars, planes and boats that were driven by 007 throughout 50 years of his screen adventures.

By 11 a.m., our gracious hosts escorted us to our seats in the stands by one of those perilous turns on the Circuit (and second row from the safety barriers) to witness the two sponsored Mazda autos participate in the Rolex Grand-Am Series race. First order of business as we got to our seats was to put on the ear plugs that were provided in the media swag bags that were given to us (which I am doing pictured below). I had an idea that the engines on a NASCAR auto were quite loud (which was quite evident during engine tests that were conducted at the paddock before the race), but I never knew how eardrum-popping loud it could get when these cars were making their way around the track at a terrifying, furious speed. And believe me, those ear plugs were an essential tool for a two-hour, 74-lap race. Although Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas of Chip Ganassi crossed the checkered flag to take the Grand-Am race this year, the two www.VISITFLORIDA.com cars helped provide an exciting race that certainly got my adrenaline pumping and fulfilled that need for speed.

I have to admit that my first NASCAR racing experience was everything that I it expected to be. And what I found so amazing was how many people this race attracts every year in Montreal, and how its drivers and pit crews are so accessible to its many fans. That was evident when I decided to stick around after the race and check out the carnival atmosphere around the Circuit, which doubled as a fan fair. There were BMX motorcycle demonstrations, autograph sessions, photo ops and plenty of souvenir kiosks, where fans where eagerly snatching up all sorts of NASCAR team merchandise (the most popular were that of drivers Patrick Carpentier, Andrew Ranger and Danica Patrick, in her godaddy.com Chevy). I left just before the main Nationwide Series race was about to begin. But before making the trek back to the Metro, I caught the introduction of the drivers who were paraded around the track in Dodge pickup trucks. The driver who got the loudest and most enthusiastic response? You guessed it ... Danica Patrick!

It was quite a full day for this NASCAR rookie. Next year, I will be back at the Circuit. This time, wearing my www.VISITFLORIDA.com racing colors.

"WIcked" a bewitching experience in the land of Oz before Dorothy arrived

I've been familiar with "The Wizard of Oz" since I was a kid. I watched the movie everytime it aired on TV (before the days of VCRs, VHS and DVDs, it was regarded as a highly-anticipated TV event that always got high ratings). In fact, I even played the Scarecrow when my camp group staged the play when I attended Green Acres Day Camp back in 1973. Even without reading the series of Oz books by L. Frank Baum, I couldn't imagine how far they could take the story of Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Wizard of Oz -- from Kansas to the Emerald City and back -- to another level.

That's where "Wicked" comes in.

Based on the best selling novel by Gregory Maguire, "Wicked" made its Broadway debut in 2003 and quickly became a smash hit, garnering three Tony Awards (including the coveted Best Musical award). It also gained a lot of critical acclaim, and has been heralded as one of the best Broadway musicals in a very long time. With its national and international touring companies included, "Wicked" has been seen by over 30 million people around the world.

"Wicked" is sort-of like a prequel to the Wizard of Oz. It begins at the point where the 1939 movie ends ... when the Wicked Witch of the West meets her demise thanks to some water that was thrown at her by Dorothy. Glinda, the Good Witch of the East, meets up with a group of Munchkins afterwards, and explains to them the unlikely friendship between her and Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West. The show then flashbacks to the first day at Shizz Academy, where Glinda (whose actual name is "Galinda") is a new student, and Elphaba is there to watch out for her wheelchair-bound sister Nessarose, by request of their father, who is the current governor of Munchkinland. However, Elphaba is different from the rest of the students at the school; she was born with emerald green skin, which makes her an object of fear and derision amongst her fellow students. Somehow, by accident, Galinda agrees to be her roommate. Through her bubbly optimism, she teaches Elphaba that she too is a beautiful person, and she can be popular in her own right.

Elphaba has her own ambition, which is to meet the venerable Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, and learn to use her unusual powers in a positive manner. But somehow, through a misunderstanding during that audience with the Wizard, strange forces turn Elphaba's intentions into evil, and transforms herself into the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Wicked" overall is a magical theatrical experience. The sets are visually dazzling and looks like they come alive from the pages of Maguire's (and Baum's) novels. And for mavens of the Oz movie, you get to see the unlikely origins of many of the elements of Oz, from the flying monkeys, to why the Wicked Witch wears her pointy black hat, to the beginnings of such characters as the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. As well, it gives a moral lesson to the age-old expression "opposites attract", the power of friendship and how not to judge others by their outward appearances.

The performances by the entire cast are strong, especially the two leads Christine Dwyer (Elphaba) and Jeanna De Waal (Galinda), who use the right amount of humour and drama to express the message that "Wicked" effectively conveys (which is why -- understandably -- they received a loud, thunderous ovation during the curtain call). And for the two showstopper musical numbers; "Defying Gravity" will leave you amazed, and "For Good" will leave you in tears.

After seeing "Wicked", I can easily understand what the excitement was all about for this genuine Broadway blockbuster. It certainly defines the new face of American musical theatre, and a offers an entertaining, bewitching night in that wonderful land they call Oz.

And for those who want to catch "Wicked" during the remainder of its run at Place des Arts until August 26, take note. A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held for the production. Two and one-half hours prior to each performance, people who present themselves at the Place des Arts box office will have their names placed in a lottery drum; thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of orchestra seats at $25 each (to be paid in cash only).  This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person.  Lottery participants must have a valid photo ID when submitting their entry form, if chosen, when purchasing tickets.

Two Star Trek captains, Malcolm McDowell and the Batmobile (circa 1989) making its way to Montreal Comiccon 2012

While enjoying a week off from my day job at the English Montreal School Board (and at the same time, winding down from a whirlwind 17 days at the Just For Laughs fest), I decided to spend my afternoon of the first day of August at the Terrasses Bonsecours in the Old Port. It wasn't to enjoy a sunny summer day or the cool breezes from the mighty St. Lawrence River, but to immerse myself in a fantastic world of comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and animation.

In short, it was the press conference to officially announce this year's Montreal Comiccon, which is taking place at the Palais de Congres from Sept. 14-16.

Personally speaking, I grew up an avid reader of Mad magazine and Batman comics (especially those 100-page special issues with reprints of 1940s and 50s Batman stories ... all for 60 cents!) back in the 70s. I didn't continue my interest in them as I graduated from high school. However, when I attended last year's Montreal Comiccon, seeing all those booths with tons of books, comic books, magazines (and lots of old issues of Mad) for sale, not to mention seminars, panel discussions and autograph sessions with pop culture stars past and present (including Adam West and Burt Ward from the 1960s ABC "Batman" series -- along with their 1966 vintage Batmobile), needless to say my interest was immediately sparked again ... not to mention countless happy memories in front of the TV and the local newsstand suddenly resurfacing.

So when I found out the line-up of personalities appearing at this year's Comiccon, I knew this was another event I must attend and cover for my column.  To make things more interesting for those members of the local media who were present at the press conference (and create a great deal of buzz), Comiccon organizers brought out a whole parade of sci-fi, comic book and fantasy characters ... C-3PO, Star Wars storm troopers, Poison Ivy, and even the Incredible Hulk, not to mention a couple of lovely ladies dressed in skin-tight latex Star Trek costumes. Even Kristen Hager, one of the stars of the TV series "Being Human" made an appearance at the press conference to promote her Comiccon appearance (pictured below).

Organizers also announced a very special event that will take place on the evening of Sept. 15. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", two generations of Star Trek captains -- William Shatner and Patrick Stewart -- will appear together to talk about their own memories onboard the deck of the Enterprise (I guess that explains the Star Trek lovelies; Trekkers ... get your Vulcan ears ready and set your phasers to stun).

Along with Hager, Montreal Commiccon will also feature appearances by these personalities: actor Malcolm McDowell (here's a person whom I would pay to meet and get his autograph ... I would like to discuss the days of how he practiced the old ultraviolence as my favorite droogie Alex in "A Clockwork Orange"); Star Trek: TNG alumni Brent Spiner and Wil Wheaton will also share their Trek memories; Adam Baldwin ("Full Metal Jacket"); Davis Blair (them man behind Dire Straits' iconic "Money For Nothing" video); "Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola; Quebec cartoonist Mike Rabagliati (author of the popular series of "Paul" books that are huge bestsellers in Quebec; my favorite is "Paul Gets A Summer Job"); Gunnar Hansen, who starred as Leatherface in the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"; and Lloyd Kaufman, the man behind the cult film studio Troma Entertainment (remember "The Toxic Avenger" and "Surf Nazis Must Die"?). And for those who like their pop culture on four wheels, Comiccon will have on display the Batmobile from the 1989 Batman movie, the car from "Starsky and Hutch" and the famous "Mystery Machine" van used by Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and company to help solve all those mysteries (I wonder if it will show the compartment where they stored all those Scooby Snacks?!?).

Based on the overwhelming success of last year's Montreal Comiccon (which prompted the move to the much larger Palais de Congres and the addition of one extra day), it is helpful advice to say that you should get your tickets now (and arrive at the Comiccon site early). That way, you will get your fill of childhood memories, favorite characters and make those additions to your respective collections. No doubt about it, Montreal Comiccon will promise three days of sheer, unadulterated fun (and this time, I will be expanding my 1960s Mad magazine collection).

For more information, go to www.montrealcomiccon,com.