Ever wonder what happens between commercial breaks on Breakfast Television? Curious what guests would say if they had one more minute on the show? Here is where you'll find the best from behind the scenes.
Time to call a spade a spade. This season of The Bachelor is a slow-motion train wreck.
From an (alleged) stripper starring at baseball to a manipulative former model dropping her drawers, Monday night’s episode didn’t disappoint. That is, of course, unless you were tuning in to see an intelligent, grounded, good looking man get to know several eligible bachelorettes exhibiting classy characteristics in search of that elusive final rose (in which case it was a complete disappointment).
Our BT Bachelor Panel was on fire Tuesday morning at 8:10. One panelist in particular came out swinging…almost literally. Another made a bold prediction on which ousted contestant could be in line to star as The Bachelorette down the line. All in all, it was a lively morning in the BT studio – click on the video below if you missed it.
Next Monday night, it’s off to Panama for Ben and his gaggle of gals. What drama will develop from where we left off? Your guess is as good as mine. Until next time…
If it’s a “rock star move” to party into the wee morning hours after a gig, it must be a rap star move to roll that momentum into the next day for an appearance on Breakfast Television. Our whole team was thrilled to welcome Swollen MembersMadchild, Prevail and Rob the Viking to Thursday’s show just hours after their sold-out show in Edmonton.
A few years back, the Vancouver-based artists were racking up Junos and Much Music Awards, earning rave reviews from coast to coast. Then…they seemed to drop off the map. No wonder so many of our BT viewers emailed in asking where the boys had been. Click here to check out their candid talk on what took them out of the game for so long (and how good it feels to be recording and touring again).
As you’ll see by their live performance on BT, Swollen Members are as strong as ever. Look for Madchild and Prevail’s EPs on iTunes right now along with their new album – “Beautiful Death Machine” – out this summer.
Thanks to Swollen Members for the early morning appearance…and for keeping it so classy behind the scenes. A truly memorable morning for all of us here at Edmonton’s Best Morning Show.
You had to know it was only a matter of time before a full-blown catfight broke out at the Bachelor mansion. Okay, maybe not “full-blown.” No punches were thrown, no hair torn out by hand. But still…Courtney and Emily gave us something to get excited about when the two bachelorettes went toe-to-toe on Monday night’s episode of The Bachelor (9pm, OMNI).
Other than that incident, I wasn’t sure our BT Bachelor Panel would have much to discuss. Boy was I wrong. Trevor, Katy and Carla blew through the bland and offered their insights on who’s playing Ben for a fool…and who’s on the right track to stick around for the final rose. You can check out our regular Tuesday 8:10am segment posted below.
Of course, we also had to talk about The Bachelor Canada, premiering right here on Citytv in September. I had a chance to chat with Bachelor host Chris Harrison and the show’s senior producer – turns out they’re still looking for the bachelor himself, along with the 25 women who will compete for his forever love (or something like that). Are you a perfect fit? How about somebody you know? You have until the end of this month to apply here. Good luck!
In the meantime, if you’re a) not easily offended, b) not at work and c) looking to blow the doors off any misconception that this season’s bachelor, Ben Flajnik, is a conservative, boring winemaker, I encourage you to enjoy this video that we absolutely could not show even a single second of on this morning’s Breakfast Television. Cream Dreams. Wow.
I feel for my friends in Vancouver. I mean, -6C with 3cm of snow? How’s a person supposed to stick to a daily routine with such unforgiving winter conditions?
Snideness aside, there is a certain swagger from us Edmontonians when it comes to how we handle our hellish conditions. “Frickin’ freezing” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re talking -35C and blowing snow. Winter fashion in our city has no room for cute leggings or trendy shoes. If you take a look down Jasper Avenue or Whyte Avenue, utilitarian uniforms are par for the course when a cold snap like this one hits.
Of course, Mother Nature also opens the door for some pretty cool science experiments with this extreme cold. On Wednesday’s BT, we decided to see what happens when you throw a cup of boiling water into air that “feels like” -41C with the wind chill. Check out the video below to see our results.
How are you handling this wild weather? If your daily routine hasn’t changed a bit, kudos! If you’ve decided to make this a week where you stay snuggled under the covers and watch entire episodes of BT, even better! We’d love to hear from you…especially if you’ve embarked on your own extreme weather experiments!
Now that took guts. From contacting The Bachelor producers mid-season to crashing the cocktail party on Monday night’s episode, former contestant Shawntel Newton (”The Undertaker”) ruffled more than a few feathers with her courageous climb into the mix. Aside from the nasty collage of true colours displayed by every other woman competing for Ben Flajnik’s heart, Shawntel showed us all how the pursuit of passion and true love can involve pain. Or in her case, a quick trip home without a rose.
It wasn’t just the newcomer that gave our BT Bachelor Panel fodder for discussion Tuesday morning at 8:10. There was Emily climbing the Golden Gate Bridge on the episode’s first one-on-one date, group bikini skiing down a San Francisco street (Leap list? What the heck is a leap list? Answer: shameless car company product placement), Brittney’s departure from the show and Lindzi’s subsequent luck in landing the former’s first one-on-one. We did our best to cover as much as we could. Check out the video link below for Tuesday’s segment.
A few observations we didn’t get to:
- Who knew Ben could play the piano? We all do now. We especially know he enjoys “This Year’s Love” by David Grey, as it’s been the only song he’s played on multiple occasions to this point in the season. Theme song or not, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bust out “Chopsticks” or the theme from Cheers once in a while.
- From Los Angeles to San Francisco to Park City, Utah…the travel from week-to-week hasn’t exactly qualified as globetrotting. Whatever happened to touching down at a different exotic location every week? Maybe the girls will get to bust out their passports in weeks to come.
- Courtney might be the craziest bird in the house…and that’s saying something. I have a feeling we’ll be treated to a few memorable moments before she’s sent packing.
- There’s already talk of who the next Bachelorette will be. Some are saying Shawntel is a perfect choice. Others think Lindzi, Nicki or Kacie from this season might snag the role (if they’re not engaged to Ben). My money’s on Emily Maynard from Brad’s season.
Don’t forget The Bachelor airs on Omni moving forward as Citytv welcomes Alcatrazto the Monday night lineup. Until next week…
Cut to the current season of The Bachelor and Ben’s got his hands full with more women than he knows what to do with. Sure, some of them are carrying more baggage than a bellhop at the Ritz but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a shot at love with the winemaker from Sonoma, California.
Monday night’s episode two did not disappoint, providing a little something for everybody. Whether you’re hoping to see true love develop between two total strangers or just tuning in for the “car accident factor,” it looks as though we’ll all have plenty to digest before Ben hands out his final rose.
I couldn’t wait to welcome our BT Bachelor Panel back to its Tuesday morning time slot. Trevor, Katy and Carla came out swinging! You can check out our segment by clicking the video below.
Don’t forget The Bachelor moves from Citytv to Omni next Monday night. Click here to join the live blog during the broadcast. Our panel will be back at it Tuesday at 8:10am. If you want to join the discussion, do so here. Your comment could find its way into next week’s discussion!
When BT viewer Nathan Richards challenged me to a “Wall Sit War” to benefit the Bissell Centre, I knew he was on to something. Anytime you combine the total humiliation of at least one human being with a charity benefit you’ve got TV gold. I won’t say I expected to outlast my worthy competitor but I was determined to give it my all. At the very least, I figured we’d have the most captivating, entertaining bit of physical exertion featured on Friday’s BT.
Warm wishes to our friends celebrating Orthodox and Ukrainian Christmas over the weekend. Check out a couple excellent (and easy) pierogi recipes here and a fantastic polka performance by Millenia here. We’ll be back at it bright and early Monday morning. See you then!
Two games into the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and Team Canada is sitting pretty. Two wins, four lines that are clicking and two goalies battling for that coveted starting role.
Many pundits predicted Team Canada would lack the scoring depth necessary to snap a two-year gold medal drought. Others wondered if our national team would have a true #1 goaltender that could handle the intense pressure of performing on home ice in front of 17,000 hungry fans. Of course, it’s still to early to put those questions to bed but it’s fair to say head coach Don Hay has an indication of the potential this team holds.
We welcomed Sportsnet Radio Network’s Andrew Walker to Thursday’s BT for some insight into where Team Canada goes from here. Does the returning netminder (Visentin) get honours ahead of the one (Wedgewood) who just shut out the Czechs? Does Mark Stone have a legitimate shot at setting a tournament goal scoring record? What should Edmonton Oil Kings fans make of Mark Pysyk’s limited role?
Click on the video below for Walker’s full interview. Check out his blog (updated throughout the WJC tournament) here. If you’re checking out the games at Rexall Place (especially Team Canada’s upcoming doozie on New Year’s Eve against the USA) be sure to arrive early! The atmosphere is truly something special. If you’re not lucky enough to watch the game in person, be sure to check out the Molson Hockey House just across the street at the Edmonton Expo Centre. The organizers have done an incredible job creating an atmosphere that just reeks of Canadiana.
Broccoli casserole (as seen in our family cook book Udderly Delicious) is an institution come holiday time in the Jespersen household. You need a few basic ingredients and ten minutes to spare. It’s almost impossible to mess up…and people will love it, guaranteed!
You’ll need:
Enough broccoli to cover an 8″x8″ square pan (4-5 crowns’ worth is plenty)
1 tin mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs
Butter (to grease pan and brown bread crumbs)
Cook broccoli slightly. Place in greased 8″x8″ pan. Mix 1 tin of mushroom soup with 1 cup sour cream. Place over top of broccoli. Put 1 cup grated cheese over top. Top everything with 1 cup buttered, browned crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation might be the greatest Christmas movie ever made. Much like granny’s festive fruitcake, every individual element (from the disastrous to the heart-warming) comes together to create a masterpiece you can really sink your teeth into. Who could ever forget the totally toasted turkey? Or the slipperiest saucer sled ride in recorded history? From the combustible Christmas tree (home to a squirrel) to the spectacular standard against which all residential light displays will forever be compared, Christmas Vacation introduced the concept of “Going Griswold” around the holidays.
The chemistry of a Hollywood Christmas classic is hardly formulaic. Sometimes, it’s the monumental collapse of a Christmas dinner (and subsequent duck disaster) that makes a movie memorable. Other times, it’s a display of seasonal (or secret) sentiment that really draws us in. History shows you don’t always need Santa Claus involved to crown a Christmas movie a classic. Something as “everyday” as a pizza delivery (”Keep the change, ya filthy animal”), a cab ride or a trip to the bank can make a movie special.
I have a few Christmas movies shortlisted. They’re the ones I watch every year. One takes me back to my earliest memories at Grandma and Grandpa’s place. Another reminds me of the fun we’d have as a family picking out our Christmas tree every December. One more recent addition to my list combines the childlike wonderment at the thought of the North Pole with spectacular present day special effects.
Really, though, as far as I’m concerned, none of these movies come close to challenging Christmas Vacation for top spot. I mean, how do you beat Clark Griswold’s classic rant when his Christmas bonus fails to meet expectations? Everybody can relate to stress hitting a whole new setting as the days tick down to December 25th. Maybe it’s the numerous reflections of drunk uncles real life that explains why so many millions can follow along with the movie word for word.
Every family has a true, movie-worthy holiday story. Whether it’s triumph or tragedy, a disaster or a dream come true, it seems everyone can tell at least one “you had to be there to believe it” tale. We want to hear yours! Share it by leaving a comment here on my blog and you’ll be entered to win a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation prize pack courtesy of www.RetroFestive.ca (you’ve got to check out their leg lamps from A Christmas Story).
The prize pack includes four of those legendary moose mugs (sip your homemade egg nog in style!), a moose mug punch bowl and Christmas tree ornaments, a Walley World Marty Moose toque, an official Christmas Vacationattacking squirrel and the Ultimate Collector’s Edition 20th Anniversary edition DVD. We’ll choose our winner on Wednesday, December 21 at noon so the (sold out) moose mugs have a home in time for Christmas Eve.
From all of us here at Breakfast Television, may your Christmas be a movie-worthy one…in a good way!
