Corner Gas article...LOL

[Ireneparalegal]

Tuned In: Fill 'er up
'Corner Gas' has a tank full of clean fun
Sunday, September 09, 2007
By Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.

America's broadcast networks will begin rolling out their new series over the next month, but perhaps the fall's best, least objectionable comedy series is the Canadian import "Corner Gas," airing on cable's Superstation WGN.

Created, written by and starring stand-up comic Brent Butt, the show is set in the fictional prairie town of Dog River, Saskatchewan. Butt stars as Brent LeRoy, proprietor of the farming community's gas station/convenience store. His father, Oscar (Eric Peterson), ran the place before him.


As the series begins, the new owner of the coffee shop next door arrives from Toronto. Lacey Burrows (Gabrielle Miller) takes over the place from her late aunt Ruby and in early episodes shocks the natives with her expectation that they pay for their coffee.

In another early episode -- the best of the first four, and they do improve as the series goes along -- the townsfolk debate what to build as a tourist attraction.

To honor the local farmers, the mayor's grandmother suggests they build a giant hoe. Many "big ho" jokes follow, but no one is willing to tell the old lady about the innuendo she's inspired.

"They do attract people," Lacey notes of the proposed giant hoe. "And they certainly generate revenue."

That's as dirty as "Corner Gas" gets. It is an amazingly clean show in this day and age -- no one's having sex, there's no violence, little-to-no profanity. It's just funny, sometimes wry, sometimes sly.

In an upcoming episode, Brent writes the names of anyone who fails to pay for his or her gas on a chalk board, confounding his clueless father, who thinks customers named Marge Simpson and Jean-Luc Picard truly exist.

The show's community aspect -- they have town meetings, gesture as if to spit when anyone mentions a nearby rival town -- brings to mind "Northern Exposure" or "Gilmore Girls," but "Corner Gas" is far less estrogen inspired.

While the show may be unheard of stateside, "Corner Gas" has been a hit in Canada since its 2003 premiere. (The Pittsburgh Pirates will be introduced to Butt in person -- he's scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the Sept. 23 Cubs game in Chicago where the Cubs play against the Pirates.)

Currently shooting its fifth season, Butt said he keeps the show clean for a simple reason: "I live in terror of my mother, who I know watches, her and her church lady friends. [If it was dirty], there would be hell to pay."

During breakfast in July, Butt said he grew up in a small Canadian prarie town and originally envisioned "Corner Gas" as a film. Later, he reconceived the idea for TV.

"There's a big market, a big chunk of North America that's referred to as 'flyover.' TV [depicts] a lot of dirty Vancouver drug deals and Toronto Bay Street lawyers and nothing in the middle of the country," Butt said. "It kind of parallels in the states, too, when you get a comic who's talking to people, not television executives, but welders or farmers or whatever. That's the bulk of the population."

The show's Canadian network was initially concerned about the appeal of "Corner Gas" in big cities, however, Butt said the show's highest per capita viewership is in Downtown Toronto, followed by rural Saskatchewan.

"You're either from a small town and can relate or you've never been to a small town, so it's exotic and weird," Butt said of the show's setting and appeal. "It's kind of a win-win."

Butt said while some TV shows get too many directives from network executives, "Corner Gas" has never been pressured to be anything other than what Butt envisioned.

"A lot of times, TV shows get saddled with an agenda, like, you have to have two bedroom scenes per episode or the notion of wanting to make a show dark and edgy," he said. "Aside from funny, we weren't saddled with any agenda from the network. They just wanted it to look good."

This week Superstation WGN will air an assortment of "Corner Gas" episodes at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Monday, 9 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and 4 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Beginning Sept. 17, "Corner Gas" will air at midnight Monday through Thursday. Episodes will also air at 8 and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

[Mikado]

During breakfast in July, Butt said he grew up in a small Canadian prarie town and originally envisioned "Corner Gas" as a film. Later, he reconceived the idea for TV.

Corner Gas a as film? Geez Im glad that didnt happen, no one watches Canadian movies!

[Ireneparalegal]

ERIC PETERSON aka Oscar Interview:


Eric Peterson stars in two of Canada’s most popular television series. He portrays Oscar Leroy, the father of Brett Butt’s character in CTV’s Corner Gas, and Judge Malone on CBC’s This is Wonderland. Peterson has lived at his current Toronto home in Seaton Village, near Christie and Bloor, for 12 years. He refers to the area as the sub-Annex because it’s close to the actual Annex, just the other side of Bathurst, but ever-so-less grand.

NAME: Eric Peterson
OCCUPATION: Actor
RESIDENCE: Two-storey brick home in Seaton Village, Toronto IN RESIDENCE: 12 years
HANDYMAN DISASTER: Putting hardwood flooring in the kitchen

Q: What does your home look like?

A: I live in a two-storey brick house with a narrow veranda across its width and gabled windows on the top two rooms facing the street. If I remember correctly, the realtor described it as a cottage design when we were buying it. This is to distinguish it from the tall narrow Victorian houses, which are such a feature of Toronto, and to make a virtue of the fact that the house has no attic. The roof is the ceiling of the second-floor bedrooms. The east side of the house is bounded by an alley, as is the north end of the lot.

The rear of the house has a rather large porch with many odd-sized windows that we have incorporated into the kitchen. This sunny room has double doors opening directly into the back yard, which has a very modest garden and a large two-car garage that was probably originally a barn. This wood structure was converted into my studio/office space with a single-car garage.

Inside the house, which is square, there are four rooms on each floor. The main floor has a Wedgwood blue living room with white trim and taupe foyer at the front and the dining room and kitchen at the back in a light green with hardwood floors.

Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and a bathroom. The master bedroom is painted a mid-tone green. We have maple hardwood upstairs.

This is not a large house by any means, but with the vaulted ceiling of the living and dining rooms, it gives the impression of a mini-mansion.

Q: What attracted you to this house?

A: I lived in a semi-detached two-storey house about half a block away on the same street.

We wanted to stay in the area, though not necessarily across the street, but when this house suddenly came up for sale, we were very interested. It was a house I had always admired: It seemed so snug and cosy, it was detached and it had a garage — no more street parking.

Q: What is the decor of your home like?

A: The decor of our house is an accurate representation of the people who live in the house — my wife, Annie, and our two teenage daughters, Molly and Katie.

There’s a graffiti wall in Molly’s bedroom and pictures of Orlando Bloom in Katie’s. The house is eclectic, original, a bit cluttered and messy.

Q: What is the most exotic decor piece in your home?

A: Exotic doesn’t really come to mind when I think of the decor of the house, though there is a rather nice Arts and Crafts chair from the set of Billy Bishop Goes To War. In the play, I could stand on the arms of it while enacting one of the dog fights, and I can still, should the mood take me. When John Gray and I performed Billy Bishop Goes To War, our run lasted longer than the actual First World War.
The chair is my treasured memento of that endeavour.

Q: Did you renovate yourself or use professional services?

A: We renovated somewhat when we moved into the house. Two very good architect friends, Jana Levitt and Dean Goodman, designed and made suggestions for us, and we’re still very good friends.

The contracting was done by a group of enthusiastic artists and artisans. It took a little longer than expected but was generally a positive experience. It was all done the way Annie and I wanted.

Q: What is your favourite room?

A: My house is full of women and animals. We have a lot of pets — cat, dog, budgie and a rat and I love them all. My studio in the garage allows me to live with them in comparative tranquillity, because it allows me my very own space.

It is my favourite room. It is full of books with a counter desk running across one wall. One wall is stained tawny mustard brown and the bookcases are terracotta, another wall and the ceiling are white and the fourth wall is all glass french doors.

The floor is a deep brown. It has a wood stove, which is very pleasant in the cold, wet winter. Here I can make as much noise as I want while rehearsing a part.

Q: What and how much was your most expensive renovation project?

A: The restoration and creation of the studio-garage. It was about 20 grand.

Q: What was the last thing that needed fixing around the house?

A: I replaced the eavestrough. I did it by myself, which is quite a feat when you think about it. How does one hold the end of an 11-foot gutter while attaching the other end?

Q: What was your worst decorating choice?

A: Having hardwood floors in the kitchen. My wife disagrees with me vehemently. In our house, the kitchen is a high-traffic area, and the hardwood has worn out. My wife would like to refinish the floors, and I would prefer to lay ceramic down instead.

Q: What home renovating challenges lie ahead?

A: Painting the interior.

[Mikado]

Man, hes not at ALL like his character on Corner Gas, IS he?

[Ireneparalegal]

I know. He never said "Jackass" once!

[Mikado]

.

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

I know. He never said "Jackass" once!

I can't even IMAGINE Oscar as the Father of 2 teenage girls with a happy home full of pets!!!

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Mikado

I can't even IMAGINE Oscar as the Father of 2 teenage girls with a happy home full of pets!!!

Or that the home is even HAPPY!

[Mikado]

[Ireneparalegal]

Ever seen this article? It is too lengthy to copy and paste.

Enjoy: http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com/200...verything.html

[Mikado]

yup, i have read this article before...makes an interesting point or 2