John Catucci is a Canadian sketch comedian, singer, and actor. He is the host of the Food Network Canada series You Gotta Eat Here!, and a member of sketch troupe, The Minnesota Wrecking Crew, and the musical comedy duo The DooWops. Catucci has also appeared on MuchMusic’s Video On Trial and in the movie The Tuxedo. He also appeared as Bus Driver Bob on CBC’s The Doodlebops.
Bravo’s gritty cop drama 19-2 and CBC’s high-profile comedy Schitt’s Creek topline the nominations for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards. Announced Tuesday morning in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox by Lyriq Bent (The Book of Negroes) and Aislinn Paul (Degrassi), 19-2 captured 12 nominations, including Best Dramatic Series and Best Performance nods for supporting cast and leads Jared Keeso and Adrian Holmes; Keeso and Holmes recorded a video to mark the occasion (check it out below).
Meanwhile, Schitt’s Creek does battle in the comedic categories, with co-stars Eugene and Dan Levy facing off for Best Performance and the Tuesday night comedy fighting off fellow CBC series Mr. D, Mohawk Girls, Young Drunk Punk and Tiny Plastic Men for Best Comedy Series.
Space’s Orphan Black did well too, snagging 13 nominations including performance acknowledgements for Ari Millen and Tatiana Maslany, though it was shut out of the Dramatic Series list. Global’s final season of Rookie Blue was recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, as Missy Peregrym and Ben Bass received nominations.
The nominees in the key television categories are listed below. Who do you think deserves to win? The two-hour Canadian Screen Awards gala airs Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Gerry Dee, Mr. D
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Dave Foley, Spun Out
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Adrian Holmes, 19-2
Jared Keeso, 19-2
Ari Millen, Orphan Black
Ben Bass, Rookie Blue
Aaron Poole, Strange Empire
Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Brittany LeBorgne, Mohawk Girls
Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Belinda Cornish, Tiny Plastic Men
Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Kristin Lehman, Motive
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Megan Follows, Reign
Missy Peregrym, Rookie Blue
Jennie Raymond, Sex & Violence
Best Dramatic Series
19-2
Blackstone
Motive
Saving Hope
X Company
Best Comedy Series
Mr. D
Mohawk Girls
Schitt’s Creek
Tiny Plastic Men
Young Drunk Punk
Best Reality/Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada
Big Brother Canada
Dragons’ Den
Game of Homes
MasterChef Canada
Best Animated Program or Series
Endangered Species
Numb Chucks
Rocket Monkeys
Slugterra
Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series
As previously announced, comedian Norm Macdonald will host the 2016 event. Wendy Crewson—currently starring on CTV’s Saving Hope—will receive the Earle Grey Award for acting and Martin Short will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Canadian Screen Awards air Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.
The addition of Roland—the pair adopted him last week—made an immediate impact on our favourite couple: he threw their lives into complete disarray. Adding an infant to a television series is always a challenge, and it will be interesting to see how Murdoch Mysteries handles the little fellow from week to week. Will he be handed off to a nanny? I don’t think so, as Julia and William seem intent on having him there all the time. Perhaps he’ll be shown cooing in a corner, leaping about in William’s latest contraption, the Gleeful Bouncer—a.k.a. Jolly Jumper. One of the great strengths of the series continues to be the not-so-subtle nods to things we use in everyday life that were on the cusp of being realized in Murdoch’s world. Having a Gleeful Bouncer made me laugh out loud and be inspired by the creativity in the writers’ room.
Monday’s “The Big Chill” also paid homage to the 1922 documentary Nanook of the North. The murder of a man on-board the CGS Arctic introduced viewers to Nuniq, an Inuit man who struck me as a nod to Nanook. The thought was proven true when Crabtree befriended Nuniq and proposed he document him in the city’s hot spots and call it “Nuniq of Toronto.” Crabtree has had some pretty serious storylines so far this season, so it was fun to not only see him create play-by-play and colour commentating last week but serve as a drunken wingman for Nuniq this week.
Mark Little has got a lot on his comedy plate. The veteran comedian and actor figures he’s got at least a dozen projects in various stages of development at the moment. He’s just flown into Toronto after a week in Atlanta where he was performing improv with friends. Prior to that, he spent Christmas with family and managed to unwind for a whole five says until the wheels started to turn and he started writing again.
Mr. D, returning for Season 5 on CBC this Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., represents one project where Little doesn’t have to write—series creator Gerry Dee and his writing room take care of that—but his character, Simon Hunt, does require work.
“Every summer I arrive in Halifax to film Mr. D and I have to go through the process,” Little says. “How does this guy talk again, how does he feel about things? I also watch old episodes. Doing that to figure out who you are is a weird experience.” Definitely helping Little immerse himself in the role of Xavier Academy’s socially awkward science teacher (with a borderline creepy relationship with his mother) is Simon’s wardrobe; as soon as he buttons that plaid shirt up to the top, dons the cargo pants and ties up the desert boots, he’s become the TV character. Good thing too, because the Picnicface performer called on all his acting skills in Episode 2, where he did artistic battle with Wes Williams. Simon signs up for guitar lessons with Williams’ Paul Dwyer and things get destructive.
“Wes really dives into his character,” Little says with a laugh. “He really works to figure out his motivation and that keeps me on my toes. His method takes him to a pretty intense place and it really brings out natural reactions from me.”
As for what else is to come for Simon story-wise, Little reveals Xavier’s resident science teacher enjoys a workplace flirtation.
“His love life has been hinted at in previous seasons, but I get more going this year,” he says. About time.
It’s hard to feel sorry for Steve Fonyo, but Hurt certainly tries. And, sometimes, writer-director Alan Zweig succeeds.
It is tough though, especially when Fonyo unleashes an expletive-filled tirade against his girlfriend’s ex, rails against Canada for “not helping” (a.k.a. giving him money) and opines that recreational drug use makes sex better. In a classic case of “how the mighty have fallen,” Zweig’s documentary—the Platform Prize winner at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival debuts on Super Channel on Tuesday—traces Fonyo’s life from hero to dude struggling just to eke out a living.
In 1985, at 19 years of age, Fonyo completed his run across Canada, after having lost his left leg to cancer. He did what Terry Fox was unable by dipping his toe in the Pacific Ocean, raised $13 million for cancer research and was named to the Order of Canada. Fonyo exudes pride as he goes through boxes of old awards, medals and a picture of him meeting then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Then came the fall, a constant tumble brought on by the sudden death of Fonyo’s father and continuing into petty crime and drug use. Money dried up and the Order of Canada was taken away.
Hurt follows Fonyo during a year in his life, 12 months in B.C. marked by anger, sorrow and heartbreak thanks to a marriage ending and tough economic times. Yes, Fonyo is largely responsible for his own situation, and the stubborn attitude he shows towards his neighbours, ex-wife and family is the same that urged him across the country back in 1985.
Hurt isn’t a pretty picture. As a matter of fact, it’s downright sad in some spots, especially when Fonyo eats Chinese food off a plate set on top of a recycling bin, but there are glimmers of hope that Fonyo will triumph over his demons.
Hurt airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Super Channel 4 and Super Channel On Demand.
