Tag Archives: This Hour Has 22 Minutes

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TV Eh B Cs Podcast 87 — In the director’s chair with Jordan Canning

Jordan Canning was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She has been exposed to the world of filmmaking from a very young age through her mother who worked as a production designer.

Her television credits include directing all 23 episodes of the CTV digital series Space Riders: Division Earth. The show won the 2014 Canadian Screen Award for Best Digital Series and four Canadian Comedy Awards, including Best Director. She has also directed on multiple TV series, including hour-long dramas—Saving Hope (CTV/NBC), The Detail (CTV), Burden of Truth (CBC/CW)—and half-hour comedies Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC/IFC), Schitt’s Creek (CBC/PopTV/Netflix), This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC) and Little Dog (CBC).

Her first feature, We Were Wolves, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Her second feature, Suck It Up, premiered at Slamdance 2017 and won Best Feature Film at the 2017 B3 Frankfurt Biennale. Her third feature, an omnibus film called Ordinary Days, won Best Director at the 2018 Canadian Film Festival.

Coming up next, Jordan’s work can be seen in Season 4 of Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC/IFC), the brand-new show Nurses (Global) and the upcoming season of the hit comedy television series Schitt’s Creek (CBC/PopTV/Netflix).

Image courtesy of Shlomi Amiga.

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This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Link: This Hour has 22 Minutes in ‘existential crisis,’ say sources, losing Shaun Majumder and key writers, including Greg Thomey

From Tony Wong of the Toronto Star:

Link: This Hour has 22 Minutes in ‘existential crisis,’ say sources, losing Shaun Majumder and key writers, including Greg Thomey
The abrupt departure of star Shaun Majumder from CBC’s 22 Minutes heralds some significant changes to the upcoming season of the sketch comedy show, even as insiders point to what they say is an “existential crisis” at the long-running and beloved Canadian series.

In exclusive interviews with the Star, producers outlined for the first time plans for a revamped 22 Minutes that will showcase four nights of 10-minute digital-only shows. The series is also adding two new “correspondents” in Toronto and Vancouver leading up to the weekly broadcast premiering Sept. 18 on CBC. Continue reading.

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This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Link: Shaun Majumder’s departure from This Hour has 22 Minutes is all about CBC arrogance

From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: Shaun Majumder’s departure from This Hour has 22 Minutes is all about CBC arrogance
There has been a bloodless coup at CBC and the nitwits have taken over again.

That is this column’s take on the bizarre departure of Shaun Majumder from CBC’s This Hour has 22 Minutes. The situation also stands as a reminder that CBC TV has a longstanding problem with recognition of talent and that the faceless bosses matter more than those who create at the network. It’s an arrogance problem. Continue reading.

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This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Link: Shaun Majumder jumping ship from CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes

From Bruce DeMara of the Toronto Star:

Link: Shaun Majumder jumping ship from CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes
This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC’s long-running comedy show, is losing a key cast member with the departure of Shaun Majumder.

Majumder made the announcement on Saturday, on the final night of The Gathering, a three-day festival of food, comedy and music that he founded in his hometown of Burlington, N.L. Continue reading. 

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Featured, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Susan Kent sings the praises of This Hour Has 22 Minutes

For This Hour Has 22 Minutes, entering its 24th season tonight is astounding longevity. For Susan Kent, entering her fifth season as a full-time cast member is equally astounding.

Some of her favourite recent sketches are one of Mark Critch’s from last season inspired by the fact that a Breaking Bad writer is rebooting Anne of Green Gables for CBC, and the Heritage Minute spoofs by writer/comedian Adam Christie, including one where Kent’s little boy character got to name Winnie The Feces Bear.

“What a job,” she said. “It’s your dream as a performer to get a gig that’ll last a couple of months because that’ll give you time to hustle to get the next gig, so to have four solid years of work is a dream.” She breaks into song: “I cannot believe this is true.”

Kent breaks into song and voices sporadically, a funny and relaxed  performer even in an interview. The gig isn’t all fun and games, though. She describes the rapid-fire schedule of putting together the show, which starts on Tuesday morning with the first pitch meeting and ends on Monday night with a live taping in front of an audience.

By Wednesday evening they know what sketches they will shoot starting Thursday, and the art department and props get busy. “Oh dude, it’s crazy, and the only thing open is Walmart. You call in favours, make things yourself—we’re like MacGyvers on Wednesday night.”

Her boyfriend also works for the show, otherwise she says she would never see him. “It’s important to understand why your spouse is happily stressed out and won’t look you in the eye because they’re figuring out how they’re going to write that sketch or make that robot.”

This Hour Has 22 Minutes airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBC.

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