He's the ham in ‘Ham Jam': Comedic bard B.A. Johnston has new season of show about the Hammer
Ozzie, the former punter and placekicker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, is just one Hamilton icon that turns up in the new season of the comedic troubadour's show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.'
Johnston says it was a highlight of the five-episode show that is now playing on Bell Fibe TV 1 and YouTube. Each episode is about 15 minutes.
'I idolized Osbaldiston while I was growing up,' says the 50-year-old west Hamilton resident and entertainer, who will be on a tour this month, playing in bars between Thunder Bay and Vancouver. 'That was a real special one.'
I love Hamilton. I could write love letters to Hamilton all the time.
B.A. Johnston
Other episodes see Johnston going to the 2022 Labour Day Classic, and a special food show where he visits Hutch's on the Beach, Roma Bakery & Deli, Easterbrook's, Grandad's Donuts, the Tally Ho, Black Forest Inn and Shakespeare's fine dining.
B.A. Johnston gets shut out of the 2022 Labour Day Classic, despite having a ticket. It is part of an episode on his show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.' The second season is now running on Bell Fibe/TV 1 and YouTube.
He has one sobering episode about gentrification of Hamilton, and the housing problem, but throughout the five episodes there are bursts of his infectious humour and his warmth for the Hammer.
The first season featured shows on steel, waterfalls and sub shops.
'I love Hamilton,' Johnston says. 'I could write love letters to Hamilton all the time.'
He thought of doing more food shows because 'I'm a food guy. Why don't we talk about Hutch's for six episodes?'
In the show, he talks about having an eating challenge, maybe eating 'all this stuff in 24 hours.' His mother, Kim, advises against it. 'I don't think you should be scarfing down a bunch of food,' she says.
B.A. Johnston chows down on a roast beef sandwich at the Tally Ho in an episode of his show 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam.' The second season is now running on Bell Fibe/TV 1 and YouTube.
At another point, he waxes poetically about the Ghostbuster doughnut at Grandad's. 'This is the doughnut I would marry,' he says. 'This is the doughnut I would take to the prom.'
It took six years to get the second season of 'Ham Jam' on the small screen. The first season premiered in 2019. The show is directed-produced by Douglas Nayler, co-founder of Quiet Ghost Inc.
Johnston said the pandemic played a role in the delay, but there were some family crises and worry of legal action from the Canadian Football League over a cartoon. That latter issue required an episode to be changed.
'I don't know a lot about the TV business, but it takes longer than you think,' he said. 'But, it's out now.'
The second season got a premiere in December at the Playhouse Cinema.
'I thought the response was great,' said Johnston. 'My mom said it was better than the first season.'
Johnston went to Westdale Secondary School and took philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough. He said it took him seven years to get his degree 'but I did finish it.'
B.A. Johnston is his stage name and he likes to say he uses that because his name is Bryan Adams Johnston. Of course, there is 65-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams.
'He's a little older than me,' says Johnston. 'He got the jump on me.'
He joked his entry into music was 'spite driven.' He started learning how to play the guitar in the last year of high school.
'No one would let me in their band, so I thought I'd have my own band,' he said.
He was a regular at the former This Ain't Hollywood, but also played the old Underground, Pepper Jack Café and the Casbah Lounge. He has 14 albums and been nominated for two Polaris Prizes given to Canadian albums — in 2015 and 2017. His last album was titled 'Argos Suck.'
Comic singer B.A. Johnston's second season of 'B.A. Johnston's Ham Jam' featured two episodes on his beloved Hamilton Tiger-Cats. One featured him being shut out of the 2022 Labour Day Classic, despite having a ticket.
Johnston doesn't foresee a third season of 'Ham Jam.'
'There's more stories to tell, but I think that's the end of 'Ham Jam,'' he said.
He's on the road a lot. He drives to his gigs, which he doesn't really enjoy. This month, he will be playing in places such as Winnipeg and Lethbridge.
'I like playing music,' Johnston says. 'I don't like driving to Wawa.'
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