The price of fame at Edmonton Expo
Posted on September 20, 2016 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Film, Front Slider, news, Theatre, TV and Radio
There is one huge unwritten rule at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo happening this weekend – bring money. Oh, sure, you could just stand around and gawk at all the cool nerds in their awesome costumes, but what fun is that? A lot of fun, actually … never mind. Fans spend college-tuition sums of […]
Video of racist incident in Edmonton goes viral
Posted on September 1, 2016 By Meaghan Baxter culture, Front Slider, News, news, TV and Radio
A video of a racist incident on the streets of Edmonton has gone viral – more than 200,000 views in less than 24 hours. The video, captured while local entrepreneur and actor Jesse Lipscombe was filming a PSA promoting downtown Edmonton, shows a car full of people pull up to an intersection. One of the […]
Edmonton Radio a flippers free for all
Posted on July 17, 2016 By Mike Ross Archive, Entertainment, Front Slider, life, TV and Radio
Don’t take free radio for granted. It remains an easy connection to an exciting world of music and culture outside your own. You might even imagine the person speaking on the radio is your only friend in the world, that he or she is talking directly to YOU, selecting good songs they think you might […]
INTERVIEW: Don’t cross David Cross
Posted on June 28, 2016 By Mike Ross Comedy, culture, Entertainment, Front Slider, TV and Radio
If you’ve come to the point where you trust comedians more than you trust journalists to deliver the truth, you’re not alone. David Cross feels the same way – and he’s in the thick of it. “It’s kind of a symbiotic relationship,” the 52-year-old comedian observes. “I look to Wolf Blitzer as a source of […]
Burger Baron has beef with Twitter Troll
Posted on May 28, 2016 By Mike Ross Dining, Entertainment, Food, Front Slider, Life, news, TV and Radio
Most local media people agree that the Bogus Burger Baron Twitter Takedown of Graham Hicks was EPIC. Even Hicks himself liked it. The Edmonton Sun columnist had written up the venerable burger joint in a March 2016 piece rating Edmonton’s best fast food burgers: “The patties were reminiscent of ’60s TV dinner steakettes. The vaunted […]
Juno Awards celebrate star power
Posted on April 3, 2016 By Mike Ross Entertainment, entertainment, Front Slider, Music, TV and Radio
If you were Rip Van Winkle and sealed in a time capsule for the last 20 years, you might find the Juno Awards a bit different than you remember. More star power. Jann Arden is still there – but she’s the host! A competent host she was, too, at the show from her hometown Calgary […]
25 YEARS AT THE SUN: Close enough for rock ‘n’ roll
Posted on February 14, 2016 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, life, Music, TV and Radio
I have seen The Tragically Hip 14 times, Blue Rodeo 13 times, Nickelback seven times and heard Four Strong Winds at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival 18 years in a row. I have reviewed approximately 400 concerts in the arena soon to be formerly known as Rexall Place. Ask me to remember 10 and I […]
NEWS FLASH: Nerd culture now pop culture
Posted on January 26, 2016 By Mike Ross Comedy, culture, Entertainment, Front Slider, Theatre, TV and Radio
It’s not surprising that a local nerd has taken it upon himself to catalogue the myriad of nerdy things in town – comic stores, gaming clubs, fantasy fiction, anime, cosplay, you name it. Some nerd was bound to do it. And it’s no shock that the Edmonton Nerd List has taken off so quickly – […]
REAR END IN VIEW: Stick a fork in it
Posted on December 23, 2015 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, TV and Radio
For the fourth year running, a story about Purple City was one of the most widely read articles on GigCity. It’s an Edmonton thing. Among all the weird attractions in a weird town is this time-honoured ritual of getting high and going to stare at the lights outside the Alberta Legislature at night. After a […]
Bill Maher brings political comedy to Edmonton
Posted on December 7, 2015 By Mike Ross Comedy, Entertainment, Front Slider, TV and Radio
Why one of America’s greatest political comedians would spent even a moment away from his home country in the run-up to one of the most important elections in history is a mystery. But we’re still glad Bill Maher is finding the time for a short Canadian tour next summer. Maybe it’s his vacation. The outspoken […]
Stop the Acronym Pandemic!
Posted on October 20, 2015 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, life, Lit, literature, TV and Radio
The straw that broke the camel’s back was an AHS staffer at the RAH who didn’t know what CASA stood for. It’s enough to drive you CRZ. As is this recent political news story: WTF LPC FTW JT XOXO CPC FUBAR RIP NDP SOL LOL! Does anyone know what’s up with the TPP? To what […]
Road Hammer veers into Ice Racer Showdown
Posted on October 16, 2015 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, TV and Radio
Clayton Bellamy’s entire career has been about “change in direction” – literally, and in all ways the word “literally” is misused. From singer-songwriting solo and country-rocking with his band the Road Hammers, he was called to be an announcer on CISN country radio, though he no radio experience whatsoever, lasted about two-and-a-half years with reported […]