To the fans who've diligently followed our television series and the production team from Enter the Picture, who 'sailed my ship' through stormy waters of change in an increasingly fractured media landscape, employing in the process, dozens of talented actors, comedians and crew from a community of dedicated professionals, the show was cancelled today by CBC. Poor numbers this season were cited. An odious time slot of 9:30 on Monday night was not. Nor were the four other slot...s we were subject to over the years. The last five seasons saw us bounced around by The Mother Corps. more often than an albino foster child!
Nevertheless, we held our own without a penny of publicity, other than during the Sochi Olympics, which unfortunately came too late and at a time of egregious federal budget cuts.
However, despite today's disappointment make no mistake, its been a blistering rocket ride of creative fulfillment from start to finish. Every working day I 'punched the clock' I had the good fortune to moil for gold in the 'comedy mines'. I laughed my arse off in the Writing Room with my 'brothers of the Muse', whose comedic acuity was imbued with a rebel spirit made all the more authentic by their innate decency. I had the opportunity to immortalize the childhood world of a long gone 'coal town road' with 'L'il Ronnie' cartoons, all made manifest by animation's imagination courtesy of CRUSH studios! I shot dozens of sketches with comedic actors who share a collective pedigree honed from years of struggle in the 'trenches of funny' and never failed to bring their 'game'. And our production crew... Jesus eh?! From location to studio and from seasoned pro to willing acolyte, each and every one were all sailing the ship in the same direction. And the editors saved what didn't work! Ha! We were a team.
Joseph Campbell coined a phrase in his book, 'Hero of a 1000 Faces' more than fifty years ago: 'follow your bliss.' Its since become a catch phrase of pop culture but suffice to say it means, 'do what your heart tells you to' and you'll reap the boons of the journey. In a world where it seems sometimes sentiment is suspect and cynicism rewarded, I argue on behalf of the former, because 'cynicism' has a short shelf life and Life, is all about the long haul baby. And my life these past five years, was remarkable in having the opportunity to make a living in the company of these people. Period.
Its been a great run. I'll see you all further on up the road.
