In a weird way, you can look at the glory years of SCTV as a love letter to the city of Edmonton. Sure, it was a twisted, madcap love letter, but for head writer Dave Thomas and his crew, the SCTV Edmonton era was a special one. Whether it was being able to reimagine Edmonton as a Soviet burg, or transforming the city’s downtown into a New York streetscape — Thomas and his collaborators found comfort and inspiration from a city that was far away from the prying Toronto eyes of CBC or the Los Angeles and New York execs of NBC. Thomas’s...
When Heidi Janz was born, her parents were advised by doctors to put her into an institution and forget they ever had her. Thankfully, her mother didn’t listen. Today, at the age of 46, Dr. Janz is an award-winning playwright, author, researcher, PhD scholar and adjunct professor at the University of Alberta. She also has cerebral palsy. “I’m stubborn,” Janz laughs. “So if people tell me, ‘I don’t think you can do it’, I’m...
Edmonton got a royal visit on Monday. As part of her Canadian tour to promote her family’s vineyard and the famous Sassicaia it produces, Donna Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta hosted several foodies and wine fans at Lux Steakhouse and Bar. In 2003, Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta married Prince Heinrich, the first heir of the German state of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn. Yes, in today’s world, these old families of European city-states don...
In my late teens and throughout my 20s, I listened to a lot of hardcore music. (OK, I still do, but not as much. Scares the children.) The essence of the music is power. Not only is it loud and fast, but the lyrics are about the continuing power struggle between “the man” and everyone else. The musicians take the voices of the disenfranchised, bitter because their constant calls for changes went unheeded. When I moved to Alberta back in 1993, I quickly began comparing the people of this province to those angry punk singers. Here was a province that lived in...
Dave Thomas, the man who made “take off, eh!” part of our national lexicon, will be honoured for his contribution to film and television in Alberta. Thomas was a writer and actor with the seminal sketch-comedy show SCTV, when it was based in Edmonton throughout the early ‘80s. On Wednesday, the Alberta Media Production Industries Association announced that the highlight of its 40th-anniversary celebration will be a Special Achievement Award for Thomas. The Ontario-born SCTV alumnus will be honoured as part of the “Rosies,”...
The No. 1 lesson from Western Canada Fashion Week so far? Snow-magddeon can’t stop Edmonton’s fashionistas from flocking to the runways. Fashion Week only happens twice a year in Edmonton and it’s not to be missed — the opening night, Thursday, March 21, saw a full house. But it was Friday’s collections that really caught our attention. Friday night’s show started with executive creative director Sandra Sing Fernandes and honourary chair Lynn Mandel welcoming the crowd. Then came a...
From the moment she struck a pose on the ice, just before the music began, the glint in her eyes told everyone that this was going to be a performance worth watching. Kaetlyn Osmond didn’t disappoint. With a joyous smile, an ability to make the difficult look easy and confidence well beyond her age, the 17-year old skater dazzled the crowd and, halfway through her routine, the cheering grew so loud...
Two thousand people packed the Shaw Conference Centre today, all eager to hear whether Mayor Stephen Mandel would run again for a fourth term in this fall's municipal election. The place was full of strong opinions from both sides, speculating on his next move. But when Mandel took the stage, he announced he's still undecided. But that doesn't mean his passion or opinions on current affairs are any less strong. "Today, I'll talk about what I plan to stand up for and the state of the city," said Mandel. He continued to give a candid account of the...
Edmonton will host the opening ceremonies of the largest women’s sporting event on the planet, the Women’s World Cup, on June 6, 2015. The announcement was made Thursday at City Hall. Edmonton is one of six host cities for the 2015 Women’s World Cup, but Commonwealth Stadium will host the most games, 11 in total. BC Place in Vancouver gets the final, but Edmonton will host the opening ceremonies, the opening game (which will feature Canada), Canada’s second game of the tournament, a semifinal on Canada Day 2015 and the third-place game. Even...
In grade school, she was known as “the stuttering vampire girl.” With eye teeth that protruded from her mouth, Amanda Welliver rarely smiled. She was always picked last by her peers for sports or class activities and she walked around with her head stooped down. Her hair was once lit on fire. Another time, kids locked her up in a locker. Life was painful at home as well. Welliver’s parents were divorced and she was raised by a mother who was emotionally unavailable. She was never hugged, was given lots of chores and was told constantly that she was...
