Episode 77 starts abruptly. Following the standard intro and preview, an acoustic guitar is being played on its own before a voice cuts in.
“New Kids on the Block had a bunch of hits, Chinese food makes me sick, I think it’s fly when girls stop by for the summer, for the summer” is sung in a Gordon Lightfoot impression.
“I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch, I’d take her if I had one wish, but she’s been gone since that summer, since that summer,” follows, this time in a Steven Page – former lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies – impression.
The real singer – Jonathan Torrens, best known amongst the student population for his character J-Roc in Trailer Park Boys – flips between the two impressions while singing LFO’s “Summer Girls” until his podcast co-host Jeremy Taggart – the former drummer from Our Lady Peace -- can’t contain the laughter any longer.
The exchange shows what makes the Taggart n’ Torrens podcast unique and so infectious. The entertainment duo has fully embraced Canadian pop culture and its surrounding figures to create a one-of-a-kind pod.
In its second year of production and at nearly 80 episodes, the podcast focuses on what it calls “Canadianity.” The term refers to Canadian minutiae, ranging from in-depth discussions of the greasiest places in Canada (Hamilton’s “Boomers” gets a shoutout) to skits about a Nova Scotian woman named Andrea who moves to Toronto and experiences life in a big city. Jonathan Torrens talked about how the podcast developed.
“At first, we thought ‘tales from the road’ – that guy from that show, that guy from that band – that peek behind the curtain, sharing insider stories. But we realized that one of the things we really bonded over was a nostalgic affection for Canada,” said Torrens.
The podcast aims to “embrace the clichés Canadians roll their eyes at,” which is not a simple task. Marketing campaigns like the #SoCanadian ads from Tim Hortons try to do the same thing, but they are hokey and transparent.
TNT does the opposite. They joke about Canadian things, both fringe and significant, in such an earnest way that you feel like you are right there with them.
The format has changed significantly through its duration. Early on, the pair would have a guest on to talk, including Corner Gas’ Brent Butt or comedian Gerry Dee.
“In the early goings, because of my background in particular, I was more concerned with producing the show. Act one we have a guest, act two we play a game, act three we play some songs. It was only listening to the listeners of the podcast, who educated us in what they want: to eavesdrop on a conversation between two buds,” said Torrens.
Now, the shows typically start with a catch-up conversation about whatever the pair have been up to or discussing some current events. Taggart lives in Toronto, and Torrens calls Truro, Nova Scotia home but is on the road fairly often, so they call each other. Around the half-hour mark, they will dive into a game.
The games range from Taggart creating top-five scenario song lists, like top-five cleaning the cottage or staying awake jams, and they act out different scenes as a couple of characters they make up on the spot.
By moving to a less structured format, the show feels more genuine than ever.
For Torrens, an actor since 1989, the podcast is a welcome change of pace.
“The thing I like about [the podcast] is it’s probably the most real thing I’ve done. It’s sometimes serious, it’s sometimes silly, it’s sometimes funny, it’s sometimes poignant. It’s all the things that people are,” said Torrens.
Part of their inspiration for the podcast and the style is from another pair of Canadians: Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole, the former TSN SportsCentre hosts who work for Fox Sports and make the Jay and Dan Podcast. On a more conceptual level, Torrens said that fellow Canadian TV star Rick Mercer provided guidance.
Torrens recalled a Mercer’s Gemini awards speech, where he said the Rick Mercer Report succeeded because it does not try to be anything it isn’t. That idea hit home.
“It really resonated with me because I would rather do a show that’s everything to some people than just something to some people,” Torrens explained.
The pair can consider that goal accomplished. The “bahds” – the Canadian-twang on “buds” used to describe fans of the shows – are a passionate group, making websites or creating t-shirts without any kickback.
With an established fanbase and a deep library of episodes, TNT is looking to the future. The duo is writing a Canadianity book because Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2017. There will be tales from the road, stories about some of the best Canadians bahds of all time, and recommendations for off-the-beaten-path places to see across the country.
Monetizing the podcast is something on their radar, but Torrens explains that is not a simple process. With sponsorship come different responsibilities, so it is still just an idea.
In the meantime, TNT does not need to make any changes. They have a strong product with an unrivalled Canadianity identity. The connection between Taggart and Torrens is infectious and will draw you in.
If you dig Canadian culture for all that it is, then TNT is worth every minute of your time.
***
Check out the latest TNT podcast below.
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Lore
In Lore, Aaron Mahnke tells true-life scary stories based on urban legends and supernatural folklore. This is an on-going series, with episodes being released bi-weekly — the most recent one came out on Monday. Mahnke is a writer of supernatural novels, which lends to his ability to flesh out these horrifically true stories into a narrative.
Release timing? Every two weeks
Length? 15 – 20 mins
Where? Spotify, iTunes, lorepodcast.com
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Serial
Each season of this podcast — hosted by Sarah Koenig — focuses on a different criminal case. The first season focused on Adnan Syed who had been found guilty on account of killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, in 1999. We are now on the second season, which focuses on Bowe Bergdahl, the U.S. soldier who walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was captured and held by the Taliban for nearly five years.
Release timing? Weekly
Length? 30 mins – 1 hour
Where? iTunes, Stitcher, Pandora, serialpodcast.org
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Mystery Show
Starlee Kine solves every day mysteries. Listeners are able to submit personal mysteries that have plagued them for years, as long as the answer is not easily google-able. Thus far, there are only six episodes, but season two is in the works.
Release timing? TBA
Length? 30 mins – 1 hour
Where? iTunes, gimletmedia.com
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Revolutions
Mike Duncan is currently in his fourth season of this podcast series that examines political revolutions around the world. Duncan is rather serious in his delivery, but this is a strength, given that podcast’s content is focused on historical information and analysis.
Release timing?
Weekly
Length? 30 – 40 mins
Where? revolutionspodcast.com
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Criminal
As described on their website, Criminal consists of “Stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.” For those of us who are still reeling from the first season of Serial, Criminal is a good replacement. This series is in its third season now.
Release timing?
Every two weeks
Length? 20 mins
Where? iTunes, Soundcloud, thisiscriminal.com
Photo Credit: Patrick Breitenbach
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