"From Ottawa to Manitoba, Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia, there's a feeling in the air."
Ryan Gosling, who is secretly Canadian, hosted "Saturday Night Live" last week. Gosling started the monologue touting his "hometown" of New York City.
From the audience, Cecily Strong let us know that Gosling is from Cornwall, Ontario, which is in Canada. Gosling was standing there, vulnerable, Canadian.
Fortunately, Mike Myers, dressed in his best Toronto Maple Leafs sweater, came along like a Canadian Christmas angel to show Gosling that Canada was a source of pride and Gosling should be proud to be Canadian.
There were a few stereotypes: drinking Molsons, clubbing seals. How Canadians say "sorry" a lot. Oot and aboot. Myers' list of reasons to love Canada: "our hunky new Prime Minister, Trudeau,' 'Degrassi Junior High' and 'Sir Justin Bieber." Gosling even teased Myers that they made him wear the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater as part of the stereotype. Myers, a passionate Maple Leafs fan in real life, said no and that he pretty much wears the sweater every day.
"Santa's coming don't you pout, it's time to break the Molsons out. We'll club some seals and then we'll shout, that's what Canadian Christmas is a-boot."
But we also had a cameo from Bonhomme de neige, the mascot of the Quebec Winter Carnival.
They sang a Canadian Christmas song, complete with the stereotypes. "Nobody does Christmas better than Canada," Myers joyfully said.
Gosling did make a significant point about dramatic actors being able to blend in better, making things easier to hide one's Canadian identity. In comedy, the Canadian element is more obvious. Jim Carrey and Caroline Rhea would be a pair of exceptions, but think of Jennifer and Meg Tilly. Unless you are paying close attention, you wouldn't know the Tilly sisters are Canadian.
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"Saturday Night Live" was created by Canadian Lorne Michaels. Gosling joked that an American wrote the Canadian stereotype but it's also possible that Michaels wrote the joke that said an American wrote the joke. Very meta.
Canadians have graced the stage of "Saturday Night Live" in front of the camera including Dan Aykroyd from the original cast, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, Martin Short, Mark McKinney, and Norm Macdonald as well as Peter Aykroyd, Paul Shaffer, Robin Duke, and Tony Rosato.
"Saturday Night Live" airs on Global TV in Canada as Global sim subs the NBC feed.
photo and video credit: Broadway Video/NBC
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