
Brownstein: Satirist Roy Wood Jr. will win hearts at Just for Laughs
By
Roy Wood Jr. should touch all the bases when he hits Just for Laughs — both literally and figuratively.
One of the sharpest satirists on the continent, the former Daily show correspondent and host of CNN's Have I Got News for You news-panel series is equally adept at discoursing on American political buffoonery as he is on baseball. Audiences may even catch him sporting his beloved Expos jacket when he takes to the stage hosting a Gala, July 25 at Théâtre Maisonneuve, or when he does his solo 'experimental talk-show,' Today, Tonight … Tomorrow, July 26 at Théâtre Ste-Catherine.
Though a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Wood can feel our city's collective pain on the loss of the 'Spos. He makes his living taking shots at the powers-that-be, but baseball remains his holy ground, and little is more sacred to him than the power of a home run as exemplified in his new TV special, Going, Going, Gone: The Magic of the Home Run, now streaming on Roku.
Wood was in suburban Atlanta on Tuesday, both taking in the baseball All-Star Game in suburban Atlanta and commenting on the pure poetry of hitting dingers for the MLB Network. As always, Wood, who played some high-school and college ball, took his glove to the game — just in case.
'I love that old-school Expos logo and I'm also a big Andre Dawson fan,' says Wood in a Zoom interview, referring to the star outfielder known here as the Hawk, who spent most of his career with the Expos and Cubs.
Wood, like many an up-and-coming comic, got his start in the JFL New Faces series in 2006 and came back a decade later to perform in another show. But this is the first time he'll do the fest as a solo artist.
'I felt that an Expos jacket as a non-Canadian would be the safest thing to wear,' he cracks, noting he purchased the jacket in — yikes — Toronto on a JFL tour — that didn't come to Montreal — two years ago.
As a non-Canadian, he is also up to speed on the angst his president is imposing on Canadians with his ever-volatile trade tariffs.
'It's definitely a time now when as an American you're paying the price for someone else's policy,' he says, before jumping in with this chestnut: 'I just almost want that our voting results be made public so I could just go through Customs in the I-Didn't-Vote-for-Him Lane.'
'Regardless of what's happening on the federal level, Americans still have to pay close attention to state and local politics — when you look at the flash flooding that's happening in Texas that's taken over 100 lives. And when it's time to figure out who to blame, it's state and local … But I'm thankful to get up to Canada and argue with you guys about your politics,' he quips.
Anything to get his mind off the current state of affairs back home.
'It's almost surreal what's happening now. You've got one group of Americans who are basically still celebrating the (Trump) win, but still can't really tell you what they won. There's another group of Americans still fighting it. And then there is a third group who are in their own Dystopian let-me-know-when-this-is-over type situation. It's like a roller-coaster … you've got people up front with their heads down and their eyes closed, and you've got people in the back hanging on for dear life.
'People who love Trump still love him, but we will still need more time on blowback of some of his policies. It will be interesting to see what happens with his cuts on Medicaid in the next couple of years, with his spending-bill cuts. I'm not calling it 'a Big Beautiful Bill.' That's part of the problem: Americans want to give everything a title to make everything more glorious than what it is. … Stop it.
'It used to be kick-ass to be an American … now you just have to tuck your head down and go whoops and say 'sorry about that.''
The good news is American political parodists have an abundance of fodder, and Wood's career has been going gangbusters of late.
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that with his carving skills, Wood headlined the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2023 — under Biden as president — to its highest ratings since 2017. He also served as a Daily Show correspondent for eight years and later guest-hosted it for a period.
Apart from his baseball special, he appears in the coming film comedy Outcome, alongside Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill. And his book memoir, The Man of Many Fathers, will be released in October.
'That book is about all the dads who helped raise me after my father passed when I was 16,' elaborates Wood, the father of a 9-year-old son. 'We all encounter various people from whom we get our values. I don't feel our parents are exclusive instructors of a child's moral core. This is a collection of stories of random people, some of whom I can't even remember their names, and others like high-school coaches and Trevor Noah, all of whom helped me in one capacity or another. I'm just thankful to all these people who saw enough in me to take me under their wing.
'And I just want my son to learn and appreciate failure, because that is the key to success.'
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The Province
5 hours ago
- The Province
Review: Katy Perry's Vancouver concert was a two-way love affair
'Can I still be your hall pass? I'm 40 years old now?' Perry asked the packed crowd at Rogers Arena INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 15: Katy Perry performs at the Kia Forum on July 15, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Monica Schipper / Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Katy Perry rolled into Rogers Arena last night for the opening night of the Canadian dates on the Lifetimes Tour. Save appearing at special one-off events like the Invictus Games in Vancouver last year, it's been eight years since her last live outing here. So she put the question to the packed arena: 'Can I still be your hall pass? I'm 40 years old now?' In pop music circles, taking almost a decade between records and live shows is to risk irrelevancy. Seismic shifts in style and taste in the TikTok era come faster than ever before and this is hard on 'legacy' artists. Based on the high-energy, fully-engaged audience response to every aspect of last night's concert, Perry was spot on answering her own question with '40 and fabulous.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yes, her comeback seventh album 147 is a bit of a hot mess at times. But the title, meant to represent the phrase I Love You, certainly describes the way the singer engages with her devoted audience. She gives a lot to her fans. Katy Perry performs at the Kia Forum on July 15, 2025 in Inglewood, California. Photo by Monica Schipper / Getty Images The concert plays out within a narrative line about a cyborg named KP 147 travelling different zones on the web to gain hearts that give her the power to take on the autocratic entity known as the Mainframe. This evil entity that shows up in the classic black-and-green outline of the Matrix has captured all the butterflies, which it uses for energy. This makes the world (even the sidekick, Kittybot) very sad. As the 28-plus video screens on stage deliver animated visuals of the journey and challenges the cyborg must face, we enter different levels with unique challenges that are overcome by the cyber-armoured singer and her eight very bendy dancers aided by a figure-eight stage set that has more nifty gadgets built into it than a James Bond car. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bright, flashy and constantly in motion, this is a fully-loaded arena event. One that got into high gear from the moment Perry arrived suspended in the air performing Chained to the Rhythm, with the extended Hot Chip remix outro adding to the club vibe. From there, it was right into a souped-up Teary Eyes for the first of many sing-along moments. Every track was faster than the studio version and slammed home the message that, like a Cirque du Soleil show, you didn't need to care about the storyline if you didn't want to. Rather, it was time to completely freak out over hits like California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Hot n Cold, Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) and, of course, I Kissed a Girl dropped one after the other. This last hit was 'dedicated to my fans since 2008, to the gay community,' according to Perry. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Katy Perry flies through the air in concert. Stuart Derdeyn At every turn, costume change or trip running across the heads of her dance crew rigged up on a wire, Perry was in high-performance mode. She's been taking some flack for not being a great dancer on social media. OK, but is there a reason nobody is mentioning the side planks, full speed knee-drops, aerial somersaults and runway sprints that she does very well? There was even a full-split drop among the many dance bangers. That should give the haters a clear directive to just shut-up already. A perfectly magical moment came when Perry brought a group of randomly-chosen audience members onstage to join in on the crowd selection portion of the set. The candid responses to Perry's questions proved to be an unexpected comedy set within the show. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Questioning a nervous 12-year-old fan named Ella about what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer was a marine biologist. This led Perry to observe that the school system in B.C. must be incredible. Then came a 20-year-old from Medicine Hat, AB who worked at the Co-Op Gas Bar. 'Wait, you live in a town where people wear hats with medicine in them and has a gas bar?' Perry asked. 'How fancy is Canada?' The whole show was a two-way love affair between the artist and audience and thoroughly entertaining. When the only nitpicking you can come up with in a concert is that the song E.T. is boring and the (spoiler alert) victory over the mainframe went on for too long, you know the Lifetimes Tour is going to be the performance of a lifetime for many of Perry's adoring fans. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She sang Roar on the back of a giant mechanical butterfly. What more do you need? Katy Perry rides a mechanical butterfly onstage during Roar at the Katy Perry The Lifetimes Tour 2025 at CDMX Arena on April 23, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. Photo by Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Katy Perry Plus, for a bonus, opener Rebecca Black was a pleasant surprise. Backed by two men in skirts named Charles and Joseph, and sporting a black and white polka-dot minidress, the breakout YouTuber and DJ dropped tunes from her latest album Salvation in style. Without a doubt, fast '90s industrial-tinged dance music is making a big comeback, and Black knows her way around a hooky single. She also had one of the better song introductions of the year for her hit Sugar Water Cyanide when she asked, 'Are you bored, depressed or excessively heterosexual? You need to try this product.' This artist is one to watch. Katy Perry The Lifetimes Tour set list The Katy Perry experience is broken down into six sections with a finale encore to close out the event. Among the unique aspects of the concert is the fourth section. Titled Chose Your Own Adventure, it reflects fan-selected song choices drawn from online voting. These tunes are changing every evening. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Vancouver selections are included below: ARTIFICIAL Artificial Chained to the Rhythm Teary Eyes Dark Horse Woman's World WOMAN'S WORLD Woman's World California Gurls Teenage Dream Hot n' Cold/Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) I Kissed a Girl NIRVANA Nirvana Crush I'm His, He's Mine Wide Awake CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE (incomplete) Lost (snippet) Not Like the Movies MAINFRAME E.T. Part of Me Rise ENDGAME Roar Daisies Lifetimes ENCORE Firework sderdeyn@ Read More Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Soccer Vancouver Canucks News


Vancouver Sun
6 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver creative community reacts to the passing of Ozzy Osbourne
He was called the Prince of Darkness. But many in the Vancouver creative community think Prince of Kindness was a better nickname for the late Ozzy Osbourne. Drew Pautler, CEO of local ad agency Good Fortune Collective, worked on a Best Buy ad for the 2011 SuperBSuper BowlOzzy and Sharon Osbourne, and a then-rising Canadian pop star named Justin Bieber. The humorous spot juxtaposes Ozzy as the embodiment of old 5G technology and Bieber as the coming future of 6G. The ad featured Sharon, as well. As art director on the set, Pautler said the team was on script number 70 without an approved version with only three weeks before game day. When they finally got approval, two versions of the spot had to be filmed quickly at Warner Brothers Burbank studios, and he expected it to be challenging. Instead, he recalls, it was a shoot for the history books. 'Previous celebrity shots had all been similar with stand-standoff-maintenance personalities. But Ozzy was completely different, giving take after take, riffing with us, working hard to give us what we wanted,' Pautler says. 'Yes, you had to talk loudly to him as his hearing wasn't great, but that character you saw on The Osbournes was an act. Instead, you had someone who understood nuance, parody and bringing out the best in the moment. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I wouldn't call him the Prince of Darkness, as my experience was he was the Prince of Kindness.' Taking that kindness even further, Ozzy invited the whole ad team to come see his show at the Hollywood Bowl the following week where he met them backstage, was engaging and a perfect host. Onstage, he was the heavy metal god. 'Working in the creative industry, anyone who has created a new style or genre has made the ultimate accomplishment,' said Pautler. 'He did that with heavy metal. Seeing him perform War Pigs from the side stage was absolutely electric.' B.C. resident Johnny Morgan was a keyboardist for Ozzy's opening act Fear Factory at Ozzfest 1997. The American industrial group performed on four different years of the tour, which was key in building its global reputation. The musician noted that Osbourne's music touched a generation. 'Sharon was like a mom to the entire tour, she was very accessible, but ran a very tight ship,' Morgan said in an email. 'Ozzy was not really around much due to his health, which didn't seem great even back then. And he didn't really integrate with the rest of the tour and bands very often. He would get a vitamin B shot before going on each night and just come alive on stage like a totally different person.' Morgan recalled being able to watch Osbourne and Black Sabbath perform at least 20 times during the tour. 'And it was incredible, every night, how many people knew and identified with his music,' Morgan says. Chilliwack's Shane Ward was a member of the indie band Mystery Machine. Signed to Nettwerk Records, the group were well-ensconced in the club scene and mining different musical terrain than Ozzy when they were asked, at the last minute, to open for him at Rogers Arena in 1996. Ward recalls opening for Osbourne was a sort of teenage fantasy, and that he never stopped loving the music of Black Sabbath. But the reality of the gig left him with a different vision of the iconic rocker. 'This was before The Osbournes show, so nobody really knew how f—d up he was at the time. But when I saw him after our set it was a very decrepit, hurting old man who only ended up making it through three songs before he called it a night and rescheduled,' said Ward. 'The band determined he was 51, but that night he didn't look a day over 80.' To this day, whenever anyone ever inquires about Mystery Machine's biggest concert ever, it's an easy answer for the local musician. 'I always say Ozzy, hands down,' he said. Ward offers up the following advice to listeners everywhere when asked the question of what you can listen to after Black Sabbath. 'More Black Sabbath,' he advised. 'Ozzy was bigger than life, an absolutely legendary human.' sderdeyn@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.


Toronto Sun
6 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Permits revoked for two of 'MAGA superstar' singer's East Coast concerts
Published Jul 23, 2025 • 3 minute read American musician Sean Feucht had been scheduled to perform in Moncton, N.B., on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Photo by Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0 HALIFAX — Public officials in Nova Scotia and P.E.I. have cancelled concerts by a U.S.-based Christian musician, citing complaints from residents and planned protests that raised concerns about public safety. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Singer Sean Feucht describes himself as a musician, missionary, author and activist. Having spoken out against 'gender ideology,' abortion and the LGBTQ+ community, his religious and political views have grabbed the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Late Tuesday, Parks Canada issued a statement saying it received advice from police before revoking the permit for Feucht's performance, scheduled for Wednesday night at the York Redoubt National Historic Site overlooking Halifax harbour. 'Parks Canada has reassessed the conditions of the permit and potential impacts to community members, visitors, concert attendees and event organizers,' the agency's statement said, adding there were 'security challenges' with the site — a British fort built in 1793. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'After careful review, and due to heightened public safety concerns, Parks Canada has notified the organizer that the permit has been revoked.' Read More Parks Canada did not respond to a request for an interview and Feucht could not be reached for a comment. On Wednesday, the City of Charlottetown confirmed it had also consulted police before telling Feucht his concert slated for Thursday at Confederation Landing was cancelled due to 'evolving public safety and security concerns.' The Atlantic magazine, based in Washington, D.C., recently described Feucht as a Christian nationalist who has become a 'MAGA superstar. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Between praising President Donald Trump as God's chosen one and suggesting that abortion supporters are 'demons,' Feucht has repeatedly advocated for the fusion of Church and state,' the article says. During a 2023 performance in Wisconsin, Feucht is quoted as saying, 'Yeah, we want God in control of government … We want God writing the laws of the land.' During the COVID-19 pandemic, he performed at Christian rock concerts in violation of lockdown orders. And in 2020, he was representing the Republican party when he failed to win a congressional seat in California. In response to Parks Canada's decision, Feucht posted a video on his Facebook page saying he was the victim of intolerance. 'This is the classic playbook of the media, of the anti-Christian bigots out there that hate Christians,' he said. 'This is the same, exact place where people gathered for a Pride event last week. But now they're not so tolerant when peaceful Christians come together.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In another social media post, Feucht announced the Halifax-area concert venue would be moved to a site in Shubenacadie, N.S., a rural community about 60 km northeast of Halifax. 'This is not the hour to bow down to the mob,' Feucht said Wednesday on Facebook. 'No, we need to rise up. Tonight, we are going to gather. The show is going on, baby. God is with us.' On Wednesday, Quebec City organizers announced a concert scheduled on Friday at ExpoCite was cancelled. Authorities said the presence of a 'controversial artist' wasn't mentioned in the contract between the promoter and the venue and said new information led ExpoCite officials to cancel the contract. Feucht had concert dates scheduled for Thursday in Moncton, N.B., and a string of performances in Ottawa, Toronto and five locations in Western Canada. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There was no shortage of support for Feucht's tour on his Facebook page. 'I am also embarrassed and ashamed to hear this is happening,' said one supporter. 'We live near Moncton and can't wait to go see the Lord moving through you here Thursday night.' Another commenter was more blunt: 'Wow, this is just a Christian event. Not political.' But there were detractors as well. 'It has nothing to do with free speech,' wrote one commenter. 'It is directly a reflection of Sean's political views that support the threat against (Canadian) sovereignty.' Before city officials in Charlottetown revoked Feucht's concert permit, they issued a statement saying it was aware of concerns raised about the event, but they said there were legal restrictions on limiting access to public spaces. Still, the officials expressed the city's support for the LGBTQ+ community. 'This week marks the beginning of Pride Fest 2025,' they said. 'The City of Charlottetown stands in full support of our diverse and vibrant 2SLGBTQ+ community.' Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Sports Golf Canada Columnists Columnists