Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal
VJ, TV broadcaster and Apple Music Hits host chats about keeping it real for the last 25 years.
By Claudio Aprile | @ClaudioAprile1 | ClaudioAprile.com
When I was first approached to be a contributor for Best Side magazine, I was asked to do two things: first, to explain the purpose of the column; and second, to share my dream list of people I wanted to interview.
I was intent on wanting to reveal something unknown about each one of my guests. My goal was to learn and share more about people who’ve made an indelible impact on their surroundings, individuals who always remained optimistic, honest and took risks. When I was tasked to share that list of individuals, George Stroumboulopoulos was at the very top.
Like any Canadian who is passionate about music and culture, I had been admiring George’s journey for over 25 years. His curiosity and endless evolution have profoundly resonated with me.
When I watched George on MuchMusic in the early 2000s, I was continuously captivated by how sincere and quick-witted he was. Later came The Hour on CBC. In my opinion, The Hour was the ideal format to allow him to solidify his intuitive approach and natural ability to connect with his guests, and the audience. It was at The Hour where George became recognized as one of the most influential and exciting broadcasters in Canada. The format was straightforward: two red chairs, no desk to obstruct the guests from the host, no division, no hierarchy. The classic lean-in, when George was engaged in a question, created the perception that you were there sitting on that red chair.
During a Zoom conversation that lasted over an hour, I came to feel like I knew George even though I’d never met him. At times I almost forgot that it was an interview. I found myself just enjoying a discussion with a fellow appreciator of music, motorcycles and Canadian culture. There are so many public personalities who portray a false image of themselves; that could not be further from the truth with George. I realized immediately that I was having a conversation with someone who was honest, generous, and, at times, even vulnerable.
George grew up with a single mother within a small family that encouraged and aided his natural-born curiosity. From an early age, he learned the importance of being engaged in what was going on around the world, soaking up all the news and information that was available to him. Whether it was reading the newspaper with his uncle or listening to the radio at obscurely early hours of the morning, he had an insatiable appetite for knowledge. That curiosity and love for news brought him to Toronto’s Humber College, where he enrolled in the Radio Broadcasting program.
After graduating in the early ’90s, he got his first gig at a rock station in British Columbia, shortly before getting a job offer in Toronto at radio station Fan 590 AM, and later CFNY-FM. “I would practice relentlessly, including going to work on most days off to sneak into a studio and fake a radio show. By the time I got my first live show, I had already spent countless hours alone in a room and loved every second,” he says. “I still practice at almost the same pace today.” Patiently waiting for his turn, he worked to ensure that when the opportunity presented itself, he would be ready to seize the moment. It was the perfect example of the quote from Amy Hemper: “There is no such thing as luck. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” It’s something I tell my kids all the time.
In 2000, George went on to work at the iconic MuchMusic as a host and producer. It was his first foray into television after working in radio, and he soon became one of the most recognizable VJs at the station. He loved the fast-paced environment; it was a time when pop culture was buzzing and music videos were the most important medium for artists. MuchMusic was also home to the revolutionary Speakers Corner – cutting-edge technology in the ’90s to early 2000s. “The intersection of Queen and John was the hottest place in the city,” George says. “This is not just because incredible artists across the spectrum would be hanging out but also because the viewers could, too. We had the windows open, and, of course, Speakers Corner. There’s something really powerful to be said about a place where the audience knew they were being seen, heard and welcomed.”
Photo Credit: George Pimentel
Photo Credit: George Pimentel
George got his own show, The Hour, in 2005 (later renamed George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight). It covered everything from pop culture and politics to human rights, entertainment, music and more. I was always in awe of the diverse guests this show would include. When we spoke about this time, he talked about the importance of breaking away from categories that other people impose on us. “For better or worse, you must find that line between trusting your instincts and being readily open to admit that they might not always be correct,” George says. “One of the reasons that the show could do what it did was because the team all brought compelling ideas and diverse experiences to the table. We collectively moved towards things that hadn’t been done before. It took me a minute to figure out the line in a different space than I was used to, but I’m eternally grateful for all the teams I worked with to trust in our ideas and abilities to deliver on them.”
The Strombo Show first aired in 2007. It was filmed in his own home and would feature conversations and live performances. It felt real, raw and authentic. Guests included some of my favourite artists like Emily Haines, Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend, and so many more. I remember watching the Tragically Hip special episode that aired shortly before the death of the band’s lead signer Gord Downie. It featured other artists covering The Hip’s songs and sharing what that band meant to them and Canadian culture. It was a beautiful tribute to an exceptional artist. We all felt that loss so immensely.
George went on to host Hockey Night in Canada, a show on CNN, and several specials on CBC before landing his current show, Strombo, which drops on Apple Music Hits every Sunday to Thursday, is heard in over 165 countries and is available on demand on the Apple Music platform. He brings to this new show over three decades of music knowledge, and a desire to see music used as a conduit of change. His goal is to lean into the connection between his listeners’ favourite artists and the artists whom they were inspired by. This philosophy underscores how important storytelling is to George.
Over the course of his career, George has solidified himself as one of the most prominent broadcasters in North America. He is also Canada’s Goodwill Ambassador for the UN World Food Programme and on the Canadian Board of Artists for Peace and Justice. Last year he was appointed to the Order of Canada. Yet, more than his accomplishments or accolades, what resonated with me the most was his outlook on life. After our conversation wrapped up, I realized that he exemplifies an individual who had a dream and tirelessly chased after it without ever compromising his beliefs and values.
George told me that he never wanted to live a mundane life; he wanted to live an aspirational life. He wasn’t going to sit back and watch someone else do something he knew he could do. “My mother impressed upon me that the cavalry wasn’t coming and we needed to do everything we could to carve the life we wanted, but she also didn’t place value on careers or material accomplishments. My sister and I grew up knowing that how we behaved was infinitely more important than what we did for a living. It allowed me the intellectual and emotional freedom to write the kind of story I wanted to read, regardless of what outside factors expected. I haven’t always got it right, but so far, I’m comfortable with the ratios. In the end, I feel like we’re only directing one movie, which flashes before our eyes before we die. I want to make sure that that final film has more of the scenes I want to see and less of the ones I don’t.”
For more information, visit Strombo.com
