Category: humour

John Candy: I Like Me

On By Rick McIn humour, movies, TVLeave a comment

John Candy was born 1950, seven years before me.

Like pretty much every Canadian, I was a huge fan of SCTV, the low budget, super hilarious, Canadian television sketch comedy show about a fictional TV station.

Many of those comics went on to have great careers, including John Candy.

John Candy: I Like Me is the 2025 documentary on Prime about his all too short life. He died age-43 while filming a movie in Mexico.

I saw most of his TV bits and films, but — looking back — it’s Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) that I remember best.

Some feel that Uncle Buck (1989) was even better at portraying John the man.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Too OLD for Adventure Travel?

On By Rick McIn about Rick, health & fitness, humour, travelLeave a comment

6-7 is oh so last year.

I turned 68-years-young today.

I’m finally old enough to join the Old Fart Adventure Travel TikTok Crew. 😀

On the road in Singapore.

I’ve had many birthdays on the backpacker trail.

Tam and Les bought me birthday lunch in Little India. We had a robot waiter — though it was too uncoordinated to actually make it to our table. A waiter brought it the last mile.

For decades already I’ve been the oldest person in most hostels. I’ve grown used to the distinction.

Mostly, the kids treat me as a bit of a novelty: How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?

Life is short ➙ If you want to travel, travel.

Cats That Look Like Hitler

On By Rick McIn humourLeave a comment

I submitted this photo to the Cats That Look Like Hitler website.

A feral Kitler living in downtown Jakarta, Indonesia.

I’ve submitted other photos to this site in the past.

Lifebeat – the alternative friendship Newsletter 😀

On By Rick McIn friends, humourLeave a comment

Well kids … there was a time before the internet when friends used something called a telephone to keep in touch. Once in a while we’d write letters. It’s true.

Ron and Kate took the time to put together friendship newsletters called The Calgary Redeye. They collected contributions from friends and put it together on a photocopied, stapled publication.

Out in Saskatoon, I decided to launch a goofy competitor to the Redeye. I called it Lifebeat.

Here’s the Christmas 1991 edition. 😀 The goal was to make friends laugh.

click for larger images

Middle School: Too Uncool for School

On By Rick McIn books, humourLeave a comment

For some reason I downloaded a kids book ➙ Middle School: Too Uncool for School (2025) by James Patterson and Martin ‘Ed’ Chatterton.

Surprisingly entertaining. An easy read, only 3 hours on audio.

It’s of the popular Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life series.

Rafe Khatchadorian has never been cool. But all that changes when he becomes the guitarist in an awesome rock band and wrangles a part-time job at Hills Village’s trendiest new coffee shop slash yoga studio. No more being at the bottom of the middle school food chain—Rafe is finally going to be popular!

He just has two teeny problems: the awesome rock band is led by none other than the school bully. And the band actually isn’t awesome—they absolutely stink, and Rafe has to whip them into shape for the Best Band Competition.

With Rafe’s newfound coolness on the line, will he find a way to hit the stage in style or is he doomed to dorkdom forever?

The CBS made for TV movie looks entertaining, as well. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Hacks – season 4

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

I got sick of Ava and Deborah fighting at the start of this season. Too much negativity.

I’m finally tiring of the drama in this comedy.

Michaela Watkins as Stacey, the HR representative is great, however.

And there are some laughs in every episode.

Dance Mom is fantastic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Blues Brothers Movie

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, humour, movies, musicLeave a comment

Happy 4th of July. I’ve always admired American music, technology, innovation, and film.

A perfect example is Blues Brothers 1980.

After Animal House, John Belushi had the movie, album, and late night TV show. A huge star.

In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood are on “a mission from God” to prevent the foreclosure of their Roman Catholic orphanage.

The Blues Brothers were controversial in a very American way. The intrinsically racist Hollywood film industry assumed they couldn’t sell a celebration of Black music and culture. The industry was wrong.

For example, Ted Mann, head Mann Theatres, refused to book the film as he didn’t want Black patrons. Mann was Jewish.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Belushi was self-destructive, as is the USA.

I relate more to the Canadian, Dan Ackroyd.

Dan published Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude in 2024. His personal recollections of the Band with interviews with many of the key players.

Nicest Man in Stand-Up ➙ Nate Bargatze

On By Rick McIn humour, TVLeave a comment

Though I didn’t recall his name, I howled at Bargatze’s bit on Saturday Night Live.

Click PLAY or watch him as George Washington on YouTube.

Bargatze’s stand-up special Hello World, filmed at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, Arizona, was released in 2023 on Amazon Prime Video.

Hilarious.

He has been called a clean comedian, generally avoiding profanity, sexual humor, and potentially controversial or politically incorrect material. His success among adult audiences has been noted as a departure from the provocative and surreal styles of humor that dominated the 2010s. 

What does he joke about?

… Mostly about his wife Laura Blair. 😀

The two met in their early 20s while working together at an Applebee’s restaurant in Tennessee.

“We got married on Friday the 13th. Got a pretty sweet deal on that,” he quipped. “They were wide open. We were like, ‘What times are available?’ They go, ‘Every one of ‘em. All 24. You can call us that day if you want.’ ”

After a while his shtick does start to seem repetitive. Still … worth watching.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.