I am horrible at keeping this up. I admit it. This year has been so busy. I really didn't realize it until I started to think about all the things I've been doing since January. It's been action packed. All great, fun,exciting stuff. Not much time for life but that always seems to be my problem. I'm getting better. I think. February found me hosting the Actra Awards. March, oh man what was in March. Stuff okay. I was doing lots of stuff! Oh yeah, hosted Femcab and did a new Goth Girl video. In April I was at the Winnipeg Comedy Fest and shooting Overruled. Both were loads of fun. Overruled is this great kids show or rather "tween" show about a bunch of highschool kids who run their own teen court in school. I play the mean principal. Yup. 

Winnipeg was amazing as per usual. To quote my fav, Joel Plaskett, "There's a reason that I love that town." The hospitality, the audiences, the calibre of comedians, the great people running everything - always stellar. And my piece went over great. Whew! And I won my Debaters rematch against John Wing. Sorry John, but women do age better than men.

Right now I'm rehearsing with Women Fully Clothed. We've got some great new scenes we'll be trying out in Oakville, Richmond Hill and Sudbury. I'm very excited and very tired.

Till then.

T

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Nothing like a new year to force you to catch up on your blogging. Now that the festivities are over it's back to the grind. Not that I consider what I do a grind so much as a mulch. It was nice to take some time off. But I'm gearing up to get back at it.

I was going through my daytimer (yes I still use an old school daytimer) from 2008 and I was recalling all the things I did last year. The year always whizzes by and you can never remember all that made that year so great. Or horrible. Either or. So here's a few highlights I remembered. I think everyone should make a list. Do it! Or not. Or just read mine. 

Last year I got to tour Canada with Women Fully Clothed. An amazing experience. I got to perform with the SCTV cast for the Alumnae Benefit. That was a career highlight for sure. I performed at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. Yes I did a new monologue never before performed in front of an audience for a CBC TV taping. Am I crazy? But it went well and I am extremely proud of the piece. I went to Just For Laughs and wrote a blog for Just Comedy. That was loads of fun and was something I'd never done before. I wrote and rehearsed a new WFC show (still happening), performed some of it in Huntsville and met Kurt Russell. Not bad. I created a new series idea with my writing partner and have started pitching it to networks. Stay tuned ...

I also got to spend lots of time with my amazing family and friends. That is probably the most important achievement of my year. Making time to live. It's not always an easy balance being performer. When I was shooting The Jane Show my life was completely taken over by the show. It sometimes happens. And hopefully it will happen again. But at least now I'm prepared for the experience. Look at me getting all philosophical on my website. There you go.

Happy 2009!!

T 

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I've been busy recently working on some new videos with Shoshana Sperling (of Goth Girls fame) inspired by the upcoming election. We submitted a video to the Department of Culture's "Gone In 30 Seconds" video contest. I'm quite proud of it, especially because Shoshana and I edited ourselves. No mean feat, I tell ya. May be simple to some but for us it was, shall we say, challenging. I'm no techno-simpleton (I'm blogging aren't I?) but learning a new program while at the same time being a control freak/perfectionist proved to be a little much. But we did it!

The piece I wrote for the Wrecking Ball (featuring the talented likes of Ieva Lucs and Hardee Lineham and directed by David Ferry) went over really well. I was so pleased. It was sold out and they had to turn people away at the door. I was inspired not only by the writing (Judith Thompson's piece was chilling to say the least) but by the atmosphere in the room. There was a feeling that we do have a voice and it is possible to make change. Artist or not. 

I'm really looking forward to performing as part of Girls School on October 18th at the Diesel Playhouse. It's a stellar lineup of female comedians. I can't wait!

So remember to vote and if you're having trouble figuring out how to strategically vote (if you are so inclined) go to this website as it's very helpful.

'till then,

Teresa 

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So I just wrote a really smart, informative blog and then got so consumed by the Republican National Convention my computer went offline and I lost it. AH! I'm seriously concerned about Senator Palin's baby, Trig, Tig, Twig? Up there on stage in front of millions of cheering people. Can't be good for a little one. But let's face it. The kid is a prop.

Okay well let me just say this about our upcoming election ... I went to a Town Hall meeting tonight to discuss the Conservative government's recent cuts to cultural and heritage funds. Naomi Klein spoke and many others. It is time for change in this country. Yes, we're all excited about Obama. (66% of Canadians polled said they'd vote for Obama is they could vote in the American election) But what about in our own fair country? Check out www.departmentofculture.ca  

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So it was my birthday on Monday, thanks, and even though we are in rehearsal I managed to celebrate. I am a firm believer in celebrating ones birthday. Anything less is ... well, it's depressing. I know a lot of people, especially as they get older, feel like they don't want to make a big deal about their birthday. I'm not saying you have to jump out of a plane every year to commemorate the day you were born but I do think you should at least acknowledge it or let others. I'm kinda precious about my birthday. I don't know if it has something to do with being adopted or simply wanting attention but I do like making a big deal about it. So I did. And it was great. 

Back to business ... we're rehearsing for the new show after taking July off. It was hard to imagine getting back to it as the summer has been quite enjoyable but once we got back on that horse it all started to fall into place again. Those ladies are so incredibly talented. I'm really excited about all the new material coming in. I think the new show is going to be ... okay, don't want to jinx it but ... I think it's going to be pretty freakin' great.

Ralph and I are still working on our new series. Many projects on the go. But all very exciting. And hey there's still a few weeks of summer left. Except that it seems as if the apocalypse is upon us with all this rain and hail and ... I don't know. I'm looking outside and it's pouring rain through an bright orange sky. Beautiful but eery.  

I'm going to try to keep a blog next week while we rehearse and preview material from the new show so stay tuned. 

 'till then.

 T 

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Oh Neil Diamond! Why do I love thee so? And why aren't you coming to Toronto on your tour? What the hell is that about? All I know is every time I've tried to go see Neil Diamond (and believe me I've tried) something comes up and I have to give my tickets away. Maybe it's not meant to be, Neil. Either way, "I'd much rather be forever in blue jeans."

Okay so ... had a great time in Montreal. You can read and watch all about it at the Just Comedy website. I didn't even realize that my uber talented friend and Last Comic Standing competitor, Erin Foley, was going to be there doing a Gala. So we hung out. She's going to be taping a half hour for Comedy Central at the end of August. And guess who's going? Yes, me. NYC here I come. Can't wait. I did find Montreal to be inspiring. I didn't know what to expect exactly but I was motivated and, well, kinda sickened but ... that comes with the territory. The territory of showbiz and all the shallowness that it can bring. But overall it was quite positive. Sometimes people in this business take themselves way too seriously. I do. Look at me writing all about my "super important" life. Comes with the territory I suppose. As Oprah and my good friend Eckhart Tolle would say (okay we're not friends but I just wanted to see if you were paying attention), "Remove the ego". Ha! In comedy? Oh Eckhart. Obviously you've never been backstage before a stand up show. 

I've been writing, writing, writing. Ralph and I are working on a couple of new series ideas that I'm VERY excited about. I can't wait to write a TV series again. Really. Now it's in me and quite frankly I'm screwed. Because it's wonderful and fulfilling but a lot of work. A lot. And I'm just getting used to living a little. I've had a great summer. I saw my brother, Cale Gontier, rock out with his band, Thornley, at the Steam Whistle Brewery (see pic below). I was part of a wonderful lunch organized by Rosemary and Wayne Umetsu of R.U. Designs at the Indian Rice Factory. There were a plethora of awe-inspiring guests including Veronica Tennant, Measha Brueggergosman, Susan Coyne, Patricia Zentilli, Jian Ghomeshi, George Kohler and many more. I had a lovely conversation with a stunning woman named Ninalee Craig. She is the beautiful woman in the famous black and white print, American Girl in Italy. It was one of those special Toronto summer afternoons when you feel incredibly lucky to be living the life you're living. When you realize that with age there comes wisdom and grace. And as Eckhart would say, you are truly in the moment. 

PS I included a photo of the lovely Sharron Matthews and I (as Gigi, don't worry I haven't completely lost it) backstage at "Bitch Salad". It was a great show. Thanks Andrew!  

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So I'm off to Montreal for the Just For Laughs festival to cover the Just Comedy conference. I've been asked to blog about the festival, the conference, the parties, the comics, the gossip, the French things ... you name it I'll be covering it. All while being followed by a camera crew. Yeah! You'll be able to find it all at the Just Comedy website. 

 Till then,

Teresa 

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Okay I'm a day late but still ... I had a great Canada Day! I went to see my friends, Sho Mo and The Monkey Bunch play at Queen's Park. Then went to see Martha Wainwright at Harbourfront. It was a perfect summer night. Watching an outdoor concert with fireworks exploding in the background. I can't believe it was a year ago July 1st that I moved into my first house! Holy Crappers! And yet I still have so much work to do on it. It never ends. Being a homeowner is challenging but I do love it. Also hard to believe a year ago WFC was gearing up to go to the Edinburgh Fringe. Part of me does wish we were going back. But it was exhausting and I don't think my liver could handle another month in Scotland. 

So we had our first two weeks of rehearsal for the new WFC show (I'm using WFC instead of writing Women Fully Clothed not to be an arsehole but for brevity's sake). There's so much funny material floating around. It has been great to write sketches again. After living in the world a half hour sitcom it is such a different beast to write five to seven minute sketches. We also had a day of music with our wondrous musical director, Bob Derkach. Lots of great stuff there too!

I've been writing a lot (Ralph and I are also working on our new series idea) and trying to enjoy some time off. I went to see the extremely talented Patricia Zentilli (she played Susan on The Jane Show) at the Jazz Festival. She did a cabaret at the Old Mill. She was incredible. Such a beautiful singer and committed actor. And she was hilarious to boot. Not that any of us were surprised. Lots of friends were there. Measha Bruggergosman, Rex Harrington, Geri Hall, Rosemarie Umetsu, Sharron Matthews ... it was great to see so many people out supporting the lovely Patricia. She was accompanied by the uber talented Patti Loach whose husband and trumpet player, John Loach, joined them for a few songs. It was a magical night. And it didn't end there. After the show a few of us headed over to Byzantium on Church Street. Yes, in the middle of Pride madness. It was so much fun. I have some pictures to prove it. I might look a little drunk in this pic but hey, what are you going to do? When at Pride ... wear ass-less chaps and have a mojito. Or something like that. (I know my cleavage is a bit out of control. See above saying)

In other news I'm going to be heading to Montreal for the Just For Laughs festival. I'll be shooting a video diary and blog that will be posted on their website covering the "Just Comedy" portion of the festival. Just Comedy is a two day event that will bring comedy industry people together for workshops, seminars and networking sessions - and lots of drinking I'm sure. It's very exciting. I'll be commentating and interviewing speakers and panelists. Like, uh, Judd Apatow for instance. I hope anyway. Freaks and Geeks is one of my all time favorite series.

So lots going on as usual.

I also posted a picture I took on Canada Day walking through the Skywalk in Toronto. There are some beautiful spots in this city. As much as I often lament Toronto's lack of vision in its urban planning and architecture there are many beautiful places in this city.  

 'Till then,

Teresa

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