James Mullinger Returns: Make Your Own Stage

In this episode of A Chat with Heart, host Christina Martin engages in a heartfelt conversation with comedian James Mullinger. They discuss the challenges and triumphs of being a creative in the entertainment industry, the importance of community support, and the journey of building a career from the ground up. James shares insights from his experiences in comedy, the significance of word-of-mouth marketing, and the joy of creating opportunities for himself and others. They also touch on the importance of supporting local artists and the excitement surrounding James's upcoming book, 'Attention, Please.'

Check out James's Tour Dates

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to A Chat with Heart
• 5:57 The Hardest Working Person in the Biz
• 9:46 The DIY Approach to Success
• 14:40 Learning from Experience: The First Big Show
• 25:01 The Importance of Community and Word of Mouth
• 29:34 Fun and Healing Through Music
• 33:46 Surprise Questions and Personal Insights
• 38:21 The Secrets to Success
• 44:29 The Journey of Writing a Book
• 50:46 Admiring Canadian Comedians
• 56:24 Supporting Local Artists
• 59:28 Family and Career Balance
• 1:02:49 Collaborative Projects Ahead

Transcript

Christina (00:00.206)
Hey, you're listening to A Chat with Heart. I'm your host, Christina Martin. I'm a singer-songwriter, curious human. I live on a dirt road in rural Nova Scotia with my partner in crime, Dale, and our Calico cat, Olivia. This podcast is basically just me chatting with people I admire. I like to ask questions that feed my curiosity, and my guests have all taught me something. They either crack me up or they punch me right in the feel.

If you've got questions, comments, or a burning desire to join the conversation, please call my heartbeat hotline, day or night. It's 1902-669-4769. You can also email me at christinamartinmusicatgmail.com. And if you want to throw a little love my way and help keep this thing going, visit my Patreon page. That's how artists like me get paid. Thanks for showing up. Warning, heartfelt content ahead.

Just talk about

could break a day if we just talk about

Christina (01:25.87)
I'm sweating. You guys, I just killed, I thought I killed the fly that was making so much noise in my office. And I sat down all winded from killing this fly. I feel horrible. And I didn't kill it. I killed another fly. This one is still at, at large. I don't know if you can hear it. I'm just going to proceed as if you cannot. And I do not want to kill another fly.

Okay. Hey, welcome. Welcome back. Welcome for the first time, my little heartbeat listeners. If you're listening now, that's what you are. You're a little heartbeat listener. You know how people say so-and-so is like the hardest working person in the biz. Well, my guest today on the podcast is actually the hardest working person that I know in

in biz, 1000%. This episode, I think is a great listen for anybody, especially, it's like small business owners, creators, musicians, comedians, but really anyone doing a lot of the work to make your dreams come true on your own. We had tons of questions come in for James, my guest today, and you're wondering, James, who? Well, I'll tell you soon. And we talk about

what it means to kind of like make your own stages basically. Use that as a metaphor for whatever field you're in. Making stuff happen, not waiting for it to be handed to you and doing it for you because you've just got one life presumably in this body with the gifts that you have to offer. So try and if you fail you'll learn and then you can decide if you want to keep trying. I want to thank everyone who called in.

before this episode texted me or emailed me questions for our guests today or voice net voice messages. Just so you know, if you've been too shy to call the heartbeat hotline, I don't actually answer the phone. If that's what you're worried about, you can leave a message, say whatever you want. And, I listened to them all and either play them or if they're not meant to be played, I don't, but yeah, if you, if you would prefer, you can text me a voice message, a question for the podcast or a comment or

Christina (03:52.628)
story about your life, you can email me, christiniamartinmusic at gmail.com with a comment, a question, or anything for the podcast. I've got nothing earth-shattering to share in this intro. The fly killing was a big one, except I do have a new holiday single coming out November 14th this year.

with a music video soon after. We're actually shooting the music video on November 14th. But if you want to hear the song first, because it is ready, join me on my Patreon. Paid members get early access to the song and my music videos and whatnot. You can also join my Patreon for free to get updates on my new music shows, updates on podcast episodes and my tour journals, et cetera, et cetera. All right. I'm not going to ramble on anymore here.

But you know who's good at rambling on in his podcast is my guest today, James Mullinger. Here's a little bit about James. If you do not know who he is, he is an award winning Canadian and British comedian and writer and producer. And he's based in Atlantic Canada. Now he lives in New Brunswick. He has built his career from the ground up, selling out arenas, theaters, venues, big and small. He's the co-founder of Edit Magazine.

which is my favorite magazine in Canada. And I urge you to subscribe and check it out. It's gorgeous. From the writing to the photography to the way it feels in your hands. It's one of those collector items really. And James has created opportunities not just for himself, but for other people in his circle. His story is, it's a long story. He's in, and you can get his book, a bird happens. And there's another one on the way to read about where he's from.

and how he has gotten to where he is today. His story is really all about hard work, heart, and doing what you love, trial and error, and all the things in between. I did end up rambling. Yeah. So James has a podcast. It's called Mollinger's Weekly Ramble. So you could check that out to keep up with what he's up to. He's just nonstop busy. Here's my guest today, my chat with heart.

Christina (06:14.498)
with James Mullinger. Thanks, James.

James (06:26.304)
Yes, I hear you now. Yeah, beautiful. The problem could have been, it could have been a me problem, could have been a, I could have not had the body mark.

You can

Christina (06:35.692)
Yes, your fault.

Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. I literally the most basic thing of all didn't have the volume turned up. This is a perfect metaphor for basically our entire lives as one person band creatives who are responsible for all 15 facets of job, of our creative field. And basically we're constantly thinking about all of those different things.

Yeah, like lot of the podcasts even that I listen to and love, you know, I know they have like a whole team of people doing everything. Like they're booking the talent, they are doing sound checks, they're sending the guests the gear.

in some instances fact-checking in real time, or someone suddenly can't remember the name of someone or something and it gets fed to them. I know. But then equally those same people, if they're musicians or comedians or whatever it is they do, they also, when they go on the road, also have a team of people who are worrying about whether it be sound checks or visual cues or the merch table, all of those things. And in our case,

Good night you and me James.

James (07:43.886)
It is all of us insisting that it is just us in charge of everything.

What is wrong or right with us? What is, I am recording by the way, I'm recording, I edit this. So if there's anything you say that I'm like,

Listen, your people are my people, we are family. If there's one thing I learned at your beautiful live concert recording at the Alderney Landing Theatre last year when I saw Sandy and Randy there, I realised that there is the Christina Martin family is, it's a family I want to be a part of and in and there's a huge Venn diagram crossover of, and basically I think people that like

what I do, community, like what you do musically, vice versa, and many of those people may not yet have met or discovered the other person, but we know that they would. I often ask myself that question about Arnold.

What's wrong with me?

James (08:41.675)
Well, that I ask myself all the time. but the fact that as you say, we we do everything, whether it be podcasting or when we're touring, we're doing it all ourselves. I often wonder what it what it must be like, because I don't think a lot of the people who because we're doing this, we're doing this in a big we're doing these shows in a big way. I mean, we're doing in some cases we're doing these shows and they're in venues that

other people playing those venues do have the 10, 15, 20 people behind them and it just does. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that most people doing that, I don't think have done it the way we did it prior to. So what would it be like for us if suddenly a situation arose where we did have the choice to have, like what would it be like relinquishing that control? Because actually, you know what I mean? It's a weird thing.

I think there would be a transition period.

A gentleman's power would be like the diplomat.

Like we would have to learn, gain, earn trust. And then get to the point where we know, it's sort of, but I think it's like that, you you're kind of training people to learn your business, right? And then you want, the goal is to get to the point where you can hand it over and focus on just the things that you need to focus on, which is mostly the art, but you never really fully let go. That's probably not like a great idea, but yeah. mean,

Christina (10:11.778)
there've probably been moments for you where in your career where you've had that in small doses, like a project base, because I have. But then when the money runs out, like the project ends, and then I realize, the thing that didn't work is that this, this whatever, this particular project didn't result in a huge raise in my revenue so that I could keep these people ongoing. Right.

Yeah, it's so true. And it really is in those small bursts, which is very interesting because creatively, how great that basically everything that we output, it's 100 % for want of a better phrase, on brand, but I guess 100 % something that we creatively love. And there's a beautiful, there's a moment that really sums up essentially the joy of...

the joy of non-traditional success. was in Doug Stanhope, he's an American stand-up comedian, for those don't know who lives hard, he's an amazing comedian, kind of a comedian's comedian, for want of a better phrase. I guess you could describe him, he's kind of like the Bill Hicks that lived, chooses to live in a very small town in America called Bisbee. Anyway, long story short, he is very good friends with Johnny Depp.

Doug Stanhope lives extremely hard, does what he wants to do, perform a stand-up all the time, often in, you know, 50 seaters, sometimes more. But basically is you know, is an artist through and through. Became very good friends with Johnny Depp, at one point, Doug Stanhope's book, he tells a story about, he says to Johnny Depp at some point, like, why are you doing all this shit? Like, why do you do all this absolute garbage? Like, this is not you. Like, I know, like, he's got to know me, he's seen,

that aesthetically and certainly philosophically Johnny Depp is an artist, he knows what he loves, knows what he wants to do and basically 90 % of what he does he doesn't want to do and just does it essentially for the money. But also, Dagestan gets to know that he isn't kind of money driven, so why are you doing all this absolute shit? And Johnny Depp says, because I have a responsibility to so many people. He's like, for example, and this isn't a stereotype, this was...

James (12:30.35)
actually actually is, his Filipino housekeeper, he says she's worked for her for 25 years. He owes her the large salary that he pays her of, you know, 100 grand a year, whatever it is. But the second that he doesn't take that shitty $50 million movie like The Tourist, for instance, to name one of the many trashy movies he's done, there's 100 people not being paid, all of whom he's responsible for. And I thought that was really interesting to basically

You have all of this kind of, know, obviously there's all that fame and success and the trappings of it. But then equally, what's his legacy? His legacy is a majority of work that he's not remotely proud of, is actually ashamed of. The joy of being...

poor and having nothing, I find is that I can honestly say that of the shit that I've put out that very few people have enjoyed, at least I can say it's 100 % creatively what I wanted to do.

I 100 % can relate and understand and there is a freedom to, you know, I mean, for me, I've had to...

work hard to put that show on or to put that tour on and make sure everybody's paid. But since it's just me, after that I'm burnt out and I kind of need a break. And then for me personally, I've had to do that. I know a lot of people who can just keep going and whatever. I did that for a long, long time, but I noticed it was really hard on me mentally, physically. And so I had to make some choices. But now I feel like I'm a little bit wiser to do my own

Christina (14:15.55)
needs, I suppose. But it's frustrating because you want to be out there doing the thing that you really love to do the way you really love to do it and you know you can. But it is hard when it is predominantly just you and your own resources. You're spending your own money. I actually want to ask you to give an example of, because we are going to talk about an upcoming show for sure, but

Give me an example of my listeners, my little heartbeat listeners, of something that you, maybe the first time you put on something big with your own money, like really went for it. And like, what did you learn from that? And how did it go? Like, can you think of one? I know there's a lot. I know there's a lot because I've seen and been involved in some of you and, and it's gone extremely well, but I'm sure there's some hit and misses, you know.

Yeah, so what I learned, I would say I think I realised fairly early on that I was going to need to do things.

myself in that like I think I've probably been doing stand-up in England for well actually was I mean it was almost instantaneous in terms of like started doing so 2005 was phoning to get open spots and and then to get like a five minute spot unpaid halfway across the country the wait list was like 10 months I mean and now it would be even worse but but but but but in 2005 this is what it was like um and um and so it was like okay clearly I need to put on my own

shows. I need to start doing my own pub nights. So I started putting on nights knowing that might make a loss, but need to invest. And to be honest, it wasn't much. mean, the thing with the, and this is the interesting, negative of the, for example, the New York or London club circuit was that I realized that I could basically hire comedy heroes of my own.

James (16:04.148)
of mine for 50 or 100 pounds to come and headline a show in a pub. I would say then about five or six years into doing stand-up, realizing that I wanted to tour, wanted to do solo shows, wanted to do longer shows. Again, it was that thing of booking venues myself, knowing I'm taking the risk, knowing I'm going to be doing all the marketing myself.

James (16:32.376)
So yeah, rent a theatre, in a small... I learnt from doing fringes, I learnt a lot. And fringes, course, are mostly in big cities. So you kind of, you you put it in a venue. It's not the usual high rental fee because there's back-to-back performances. And then, of course, you need to be there flying the streets in a big city. And I think what I learnt from that was, OK, I learnt how to fly. I learnt that...

Being the person that's in the show, no one wants it to be full as much as you and no one can sell it better than you. So then I learned that what I should do is given this in those big cities, there's so much competition. Find the small town nearby. So I did the Leicester Comedy Festival and then knew that there was a small town called Market Harbour, a 25 minute drive away for people that wanted to live slightly more rural. Maybe they're commuting to London, maybe they're commuting into Leicester. And so I'd book a community theatre there that might be 300 seats.

and no amount of advertising or radio marketing was going to do as much as me getting on a train three months before and walking around myself putting up the posters in newsagents, in laundromats, maybe even if they haven't got back to me, turning up at the local newspaper and saying, hi, I'm James McAveen, I'm doing a show here. Sometimes they might know me for something, oftentimes they wouldn't. so basically it was that.

DIY approach. the learning process was small towns, near to big cities, 100 % doing it yourself. And then the first time I started doing big things outside of the, had to organize big shows in London with GQ and stuff. So that was different because there was that kind of brand and like, you know, names attached. But it was coming to New Brunswick in 2014, doing tiny shows in vineyards.

Tony says in pubs, word of mouth building, and then that October playing the Imperial Theatre in St. John for the first time. So that was the first time kind of going, okay, I know I'm putting out, you know, and to give, you know, to be honest, we will give people real numbers. Like I know I'm putting out between five and $10,000 and I'm in a new place without a job, without any backing, without any, know, so it was a huge gamble. that was obviously was and is a huge amount of money, but then without any other.

James (18:52.652)
form of income. was a terrifying prospect. I guess the thing I learned, well, the thing I learned then is the thing I rely on now, which was that was, we did fill it and it was, it has a great success, you know, story ending, but it was really all down to word of mouth. That was the thing that I realized was the key here was word of mouth.

And where that word of mouth came from, of course, you can't fake it. It came from me going out there and doing shows. if someone...

Good job too.

Yes, there is that. I guess it's that thing of embracing everything. So someone, a high school wrote to me and said, would I take part in a high school fashion show they were doing? And I said, yes, but can I, every kind of five looks, can I tell a few jokes? Yeah. So they were like, yes. And that was, you know, there's 300 people in the room, 98 % of which probably would never heard my name before. Or hopefully leaving going, maybe we'll go and see him.

Yeah, that's interesting because I've seen your tour schedule and one of the things that hit me because I mean, and maybe this, don't know if this is different for comedy versus music, but we like, we would be told and in my experience, like there's also this overplaying, but in your case, is not like overplaying, overperforming an area has not been an issue for

James (20:24.622)
Well that's interesting, yes, because it's funny because I, I basically, um, the hand-made show I'm doing next year is one of the first shows where I'm actually working with, uh, someone that's essentially in the know, and I know you know Fiona Diamond, and,

my gosh, I love Fiona.

I like I'm amazed here. of course, because this is a bigger venue than I'm used to playing in that particular market, know, she very kindly has come on board as a consultant, advisor, promoter on it. And to your point, one of the points she made was, which of course I'm aware of in some capacity, which is yes, to your point, not overplaying in a market. Now, I am hugely aware of it in St. John, although it might not look it from looking at my

turn listings because of course I do multiple shows in St. John but it is all very I am still turning down a lot in St. John I have it hugely in mind I don't want people to get sick of me here

You're being selective about the choices.

James (21:25.358)
That's it. Making sure they're all different in some way. for example, you know, there is each year I tried to do one big show, which would be a kind of an 800 seats, say an Imperial Theatre or a St. John High. And so anything else I do like a smaller studio space, the intention it would be like, this is an unscripted show and this is this is an improvised show or this is. So, for example, in Halifax, yeah, I would definitely be thinking I don't want to be doing

smaller, as Fiona puts it, the message is if you want to see me in Halifax this year, it's in this space, I won't be doing what I normally do, which is the shows that I love in the places like Halifax Live Comedy, Yuck Yucks, The Carton, all those other little things, it's like needing the message to be.

everybody come to Rebecca Cohen. Let's give people the date. I mean, I'm going to blast about this. It's April 17th because I know this because I checked my calendar and I'm devastated that I'll be, we will literally just be flying over to our final Germany tour. Honestly, was like, should I just cancel the tour?

my god, I'm honored that this goes to show what a good friend of Christina is to her friends. The fact that even that thought would even come into your head. That sums up everything that's amazing about you.

I think I'll save money if I just cancel the tour and come and enjoy a night with you. I think it'll be better for me.

James (22:57.63)
It will not be, know, for a while nothing fulfills us all more. And how great that after the fact we get to reconvene, I get to hear all about Germany and then I get to tell you all about, well, the place that you live.

No, but the Rebecca Cohen is a big, it's a big show. It's another example of like, you did somebody knock on your door and say, we would like you to play the Rebecca Cohen. I'm loving it because I know how this goes. like, you, you were like, I want to do this.

I'm not

James (23:26.542)
planning it for years. It's been, I mean, planning it for years. And for years it's been, what's the big, you know, what's the big venue here? How do I, you know, and it stems from so many different things. It's like, you know, I'm playing Yack Yack like 11 years ago for the first time and then probably done it 50 times since. And then, you know, going through various different things like, you know, having people from the Halifax Comedy Festival come and see me in Yack Yack like 10 years ago. And then,

you know, go away and tell people, well, he's not funny, he's not good. And so going, oh, I see how it is gonna be here. Like, I'm gonna have to do this all myself. So I need to, I can't wait to do what other comedians do and wait for the phone call or hope for the best or keep begging people who want to block you. Just do it all yourself. Do it for yourself for the people that actually want to see you and like what you do. And so over the years, it's funny.

Like I've had some like Sugar Sammy reached out to me about a year ago about opening for him at the Spats. And I was like, I'm desperate to, you know, because I'm like, which venue do I do? So part of it was like, yes, I want to do that. Yes, I want to see him. I had a show elsewhere that night. But also in my mind, it's like, let me see how this room feels because he's the room. And I was actually due to play there in April 2020. But of course, that didn't happen for obvious reasons. And I'm secretly now glad because.

The record currently is on, and I have been on that stage before as part of the debaters, so I've seen it. Similarly, another Canadian comedian, actually you were there that night, Canadian comedian Sean Collins asked me to open for him at the lighthouse. I wanted to see what that was like. And again, I think it's a space that is probably a great, mean, not to it's not good for comedy, but it's certainly, I would say it's great for music without the seats. But with the seats in, it feels somewhat, again, I don't mean to be displanaging, but it's a great venue at end of the day.

but it doesn't feel like a theatre inside. But you're right, it's years and years of planning and thinking about and meticulously working out what's the best day of the week, what's the best year for this. Yeah. Yeah, it's a lot.

Christina (25:35.918)
It's going to be a huge success. already know that. go get your tickets listeners. know my mom is, I was like, mom, James is playing the Rebecca Cohen. I can't go. But, she's like, I'm going. I'm like, gotta bring a friend. And she's like, no, I can, my mom's so cute. She's like, I'm independent. I can go by myself. I don't need a date. I'm like, yeah, I know. But like encourage other people to buy tickets.

But I do get it. I am with your mum because I go to a lot of things by myself. And so I do get that. I think that is also to be celebrated and embraced that mindset of like, especially like movies. well, that's true. So yeah, people want to bring people. Great. But yes, know, if you want to go to something by yourself. other thing is you don't have people interrupting. I'm a huge cinema by myself goer.

And to go to.

James (26:28.558)
For example, I think I've talked about this before, certainly, I mean, I know no one else can see, one of my favorite performers, Andre Rieu, the violinist, does these shows. Now, I talk about it a lot, and so people often say, oh, I'd love to come to the cinema with you to see that when he does the Christmas concerts and things. And I'm like, yeah, the thing is, it's three hours. I can spend three hours with Andre, I can spend three hours with Christina, but I can't have someone interrupting me.

chit chatting during a Johann Strauss...

That's the worst when you bring a friend and they chat through the performance that isn't meant to be chatted through

That's it. It's too risky often. See, I'm a big solo. Well, as you know, and I didn't, I came to your concert solo. Obviously, I guess I knew there would be some people I knew there. I didn't know there would literally be everyone I love there. That's still, that's still, I guess everyone listening has access to the full concert, they? The Alderly Landing theatre concert? Or maybe only Patreon?

They don't because what what but I wish they could but here's the thing they actually have to buy the digital album which they should do in camp and then then they get a link the old-fashioned way I email them a link to see the whole show otherwise there are there are certain songs that are released

James (27:58.83)
Basically, you should all be doing that right now. This concert is one of the most spectacular concerts I've seen, both in terms of the artistry on display and the musical prowess on display. then in the room that night, was so mad. I've talked about this before, but I turned up in a downer mood. I walk in, it's just like the atmosphere, everyone's so excited, everyone's so excited to see you. Everything about it was just wonderful.

I'll be doing that.

James (28:27.859)
and I implore everyone to relive what I felt by buying the album now so you can get the video and experience it on your big screens.

Well, I really appreciate that. I think it's great that now this chat with Hart is turned, the focus has turned on me and my... No, but you know what? Speaking of people we love, we've had some, I have some surprise questions from people that you know and love. So let's play them and let's have you answer them. What do you think?

I love this. So you actually have audio of them.

I'm going to see if you can hear it. I'm going to play the messages from my phone into my microphone and then Dale's going to actually replace that with the actual. Nice. Fine. So let me just grab one now. Okay.

While Christina's looking for that, can I just tell everyone that is listening that, I don't know if this will be out by then, but Christina's song, Sex, Drugs and Christmas Time, is basically, I mean, obviously, like most people, those are three of my favorite things. I think a really fun game to play would be to get people to put in order how much they, I think Christmas would be my number one.

James (29:47.086)
And just purely based on past fun experiences, not so by life now, number two would be drugs. then sex. then sex. Yeah, because I'm 47 now. It's Yeah, it's not a priority. And the drugs memories are just so good. But don't do them kids, but equally. Yeah, kids get ready. the 90s, it was amazing. And most of the things that I loved in the 90s are no longer available.

Priority is that you're saying?

Christina (30:08.674)
don't do them but like

Christina (30:17.26)
The cool thing about drugs now, and I was someone who went through a lot of struggles with like how to think about drugs. let's just, just a reminder, friendly reminder that alcohol is a drug for some people, one of the very dangerous ones. So, went through a long period of like, you know, abstinence from everything and, wasn't sure how I felt about it. It was a very triggering thing because of the history of addiction in my family and losing people I love to it. But growing up.

Yeah.

James (30:44.558)
first.

dealing with stuff, know, having, doing the work and working through stuff. And now understanding that, do you remember that? I don't know if you grew up with this song, James, but here growing up, we had a song as like a commercial. was, drugs, drugs, drugs. Some are good, some are bad. Drugs, drugs, drugs. Ask your mom and ask your dad. And it's true. Some drugs are good and some are bad.

And some can, you know, there's a lot of great research right now with psilocybin drugs and mental health and using them to help addiction. so this song for me is like, it's sort of like a very healing, it was a healing kind of process of like, you know what, I'm just going to say it. We all need a little more fun.

Yeah, well, this is the thing, the song is fun, it's huge fun. It also has the catchy beat of a almost like a comedy Christmas song, which I But it also has, by comedy I kind of mean like all the Christmas songs that I love, like Slade. But of course, with, you know, quality musical prowess within that, your voice, of course, beautiful. The lyrics are brilliant. And it just made me feel...

Yeah, I mean, I love Christmas, it made me feel Christmasy. But yeah, to your point, mean, drugs, like a lot of things, can obviously, you can ruin your life. They can also... But yeah, and the point is, the song just exudes...

Christina (32:12.206)
your life.

Make your life better.

James (32:21.122)
fun and it's not like it's an endorsement, just anyway, I can't wait to see.

I think we should release this episode the day it comes out, which is day we're shooting the music video, which I know you can't make, you were definitely

on top of the list. there in some capacity, But I guess my point is, what I love is that it's funny how, it's funny how we live in such a beautifully community-minded thing that we have to emphasize that no other artist has to just, has to explain that just because the drugs.

where drugs is in their song or joke or whatever, but it's not okay. But we feel this huge responsibility. And this is the thing that's so depressing really about the people with real power who don't use that wisely. I mean, I'm talking right now about the number of artists that we see, like for example, promoting gambling apps. And it's like, holy shit. that's like one of the worst addictions ever. There's literally zero.

plus side to it. yet you see people, multi, multi, multi millionaires with huge influences on children pushing a thing that can literally, at least with heroin, it takes a few years to drain your bank account, lose your house and ruin everyone's house. Whereas with John Hamm, scumbags, selling some betting app, someone can lose everything and everything in a second.

James (33:54.016)
Right, least crack tastes a couple of years is what I'm trying to say. So if you have a choice between gambling or crack, choose crack.

You know what, James? This is the next Christmas single that you and I can write. Focus fixated on that message.

It's

Yeah, okay, perfect, perfect. Anyway, so I didn't mean to interrupt from the questions, but I wanted to talk about the song before any of us forgot. yeah, it's awesome. So congrats.

I appreciate that and thanks for listening. And now let's get to some fun questions from people that we love. get serious here. So let me know if you can hear this one. Here's one from our dear friends, Mike and Kristen from the Make It podcast. let's see if you can hear this. James Mullinger, it's Mike and Kristen here. And we have a very important question for you.

James (34:30.667)
Okay.

James (34:52.237)
So James, if you only have $20 on you and you have to get supper at an Irving Big Stop, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna go into the restaurant component and get a club and fries, or are you going to the gas station and getting chips, pop, and a Snickers bar? You let us know.

That the most brilliant question that only someone that understands our lives could ask. the answer... Wait, we... I already know the answer, okay.

answer. Okay, but is that Dale and I just went to the Irving Big Stop. It was like after a gig we couldn't sleep and we were up at 5 a.m. so we drove and the only place it was open at 6 a.m. was the Irving Big Stop or maybe it was 7 a.m. in Enfield, Nova Scotia. And we had the most amazing breakfast. And I was like why don't we do this more often? Anyway, okay what's your answer?

Well, you're right. And the thing is, to be honest though, most people are doing it more often. mean, you see the line-ups. People are going there. People do treat it as a big... Info big stuff, it's funny. I was there about... This is the kind of mad... Very quickly in brackets. This is the kind of mad stuff that I do. A good friend of mine called Shannon McLeod, who used to be the editor of the Sussex newspaper, the King's County Record, about 15 years ago. She asked me to do a video message for her dad's...

70th birthday, I hope it was 70th, otherwise it's very, so it's Gerald's birthday and I'm driving back from a gig, so thought, well I'm at the Big Stop, so the car's charging, so I'll do a video. Hi Gerald, I'm at the Enfield, having Big Stop, happy birthday, and it was played on the screen for his birthday. Anyway, long story short, in the next subsequent five weeks, I happened to find myself at the Big Stop another dozen times. So I couldn't help, just thought every time I'm at the Enfield, I'll do another video for Gerald.

James (36:42.926)
So now if you go through, I mean, if people think I'm a crazy man, you go through Shannon's Facebook Messenger, there's literally 15 videos of me going, hi Gerald, it's James again, at the Irving's Big Stop, like three days apart every time. Isn't it, Anyway, love the Big Stops. However, the answer is, 20 bucks in my pocket, I go into the Irving's, which I'm doing all the time, it is always, I used to have a joke about the fact that it's so weird that,

Why do the sandwiches look or look like they've been at the bottom of someone's book bag at school? Like, know how children... Yes. ..how you make... Mums or dads, or theys, make their children sandwiches for lunch and then the sandwich sits in the bottom of the bag and it gets all squashed up and books go on it and toys go and it gets stamped on and then the kid gets beaten up and so the bag's been punched and kicked.

And then at the end of the day, that soggy, rotten, misshapen sandwich gets dropped. And there's no sadder sight than the garbage bin at the door, at the entrance or exit of an elementary school, because it's just piled up with motherly love, lovingly made sandwiches, all discarded by the children who've instead just stolen money to spend on it in the vending machine. Anyway, why do the Irving Big Stuck sandwiches all look like those sandwiches?

How are they making them? It says handmade. It looks like they've been made with someone's feet. Anyway, all of that said, are absolutely, this is my caveat, they are absolutely delicious. I adore the, I'm a chicken mayo aficionado. No how misshapen it is, it doesn't matter that it looks like the elephant man's testicles. It doesn't bother me. The chicken mayo sandwich. Now, I think economically,

it is far better to go into the restaurant because what you get, it's incredible value. think you actually get far less if you are, especially now with the cost of a goods going up, different conversation, but what's with the food prices? But I'm like you and no doubt like Mike and Kristin, I'm always in a rush. So I never go in and sit down. think occasionally I might do, if Pam and I have been somewhere for meetings and it's...

James (39:01.47)
ended and then there's time like this so that you just subscribe with day on I once finished the season of a TV show and we had our wrap party meal at the Enfield big stop but yes exactly so it would always be the sound the eight or nine dollar chicken mix sandwich a large cappuccino which I will thanks to the lid being on pretend

Classy.

James (39:28.462)
is a coffee so you pay a buck less. Sorry Circle K, but fuck you. no, no, no, you got it, you got to take it where you can get it. And the reason I do that is not because I believe in criminality, but it's because my remaining five bucks will be spent on a ridiculously overpriced protein bar. No protein bar needs to be $5.50. It's 15 bucks for the entire box, then, Costco.

You know that's where Circle K are getting them. So I'm just basically bringing that price down to four pound fifty, four dollar fifty by getting the bark off the coffee. So I hope that answers your question. Mike and Kristin, love you, thank you very much. Love you guys. chicken sandwich, protein bar, and a stolen cappuccino. That's how you make it!

Incredible the secrets to success from James Mullinger

Just so I know how much, how short to make these answers, how many questions are there?

think that's fine. think there's no limit other than your own personal time that I'm taking. Remember, you can't get this time back, James. We will. I'm going be listening to this on my deathbed just for fun.

James (40:25.347)
I'm just gonna...

James (40:33.614)
You are, it's to be that long. It's going to be that long. It's true. It's going going then.

Okay, we got another one. You ready? I am. Okay, this one's from our friend Rebecca Higgs, DIY mom.

Beautiful. Big fan of her back.

Me too. Hey Christina, this is Rebecca Higgs from Halifax, Nova Scotia, also known as DIY Mom. Anyway, my question for James Mullinger is what is your favorite part of being an editor of an arts and culture magazine? Like what's the best perk of the job? Is it getting to try new restaurants and check out up and coming chefs? Is it getting that first listen to a music album or an invitation to a concert or maybe staying?

in a cool hotel or visiting a place you've never had the opportunity to travel to? Or is it meeting interesting people and getting to ask questions of creative types, the ones that you cover in your magazine? Anyway, love to hear your response and looking forward to listening to the podcast.

James (41:36.02)
Rebecca, Rebecca, you're amazing. Watched you for years, read you for years, always admired. Interesting how perceptive she was because all of those things are all absolutely perks that would be enjoyed by most editors. 100%, just to clarify how perceptive Rebecca was with that question, is it's the final one. It's 100 % being given an excuse to ask the questions you want to ask of the people that you know and love. So, you know.

And even when commissioning, it's like the fact that, know, reading the interview that Mike and Christine did with you, Christina, getting to learn things about your friends that you want to ask and then you never have time to ask because you're too busy joshing, having fun, laughing. you know, it's rare that I would sit there when friends sit down together. We don't sit down and interview each other. So 100 % it's, yeah, it's that getting to them. But perk wise, like, unfortunately, I rarely actually get the time to go and for example, if I'm doing a restaurant,

We're doing a feature, for example, on Table Do Set, which is a fine dining experience on Cape Breton Island. Now, it would make perfect sense for me. I would love to review it, but they never invited us. I haven't got the time to go, but we want to get them in there quickly. So I've interviewed everyone involved. So the piece runs as an interview, but I don't actually get to go because it too is with other things. that's one. So that's, would say it's a part that I miss. It was definitely something that I...

It got to enjoy at GQ, although I used the word enjoy in the loosest sense in that I didn't fully appreciate it then. But I would say the number one thing is being able to ask people I admire and I'm fascinated by questions and learn about them. But also what I love is the fact that I, a workaholic slash someone that needs to be, I'm never not.

working so every movement of my life I'm able to justify as a I'm basically never waiting to expect that if I go to for example to use Cape Breton as an example I was I was there in North Sydney a few weeks ago for the Cape Breton Comedy Festival there and and while I'm there Other comedians might be you know sleeping off the night before or you know sitting in their rooms I'm going around exploring because both I'm looking for inspiration for the show that night for things that might be funny

James (43:57.262)
But I'm also know that I'm constantly on the lookout for things to put in the magazine so it basically means that my ADHD brain is able to be constantly stimulated because there is always something you know I go to a dinner party and and yes, you know I'm sure socializing is very nice for people without this this insane brain, but I need to be doing something productive So instead when someone tells me I had a bottle of water I went to the gym a couple days ago my friend Frank who owns Ross athletics

hands me a bottle of water. says he's no longer stocking the American, the water that is produced by the American Coca-Cola companies, whatever. He's now stocking his other water that is produced from a spring in Blanchard, New Brunswick, which I'd never heard of. And Blanchard, New Brunswick is north of Miramichi and his family has owned this spring for years. Why isn't every Circle K, to use a callback, selling New Brunswick made water rather than American?

There's a question. sorry. Tangents. I guess my point is, that the best thing about Home Magazine is that I'm constantly learning about things and then instantly have an outlet to share them with other people. That's the...

Good question.

Christina (45:09.774)
Awesome. You mentioned ADHD. I correct me if I'm wrong, you okay, first of all, you have your first book, Brit happens, which I just happened to have a copy sitting right here with me.

I did, thank you.

That's you. Huge success. In fact, there's a big sticker on this, the one that I have that says New Brunswick winner book awards, best nonfiction book. I think it has a million other awards.

No, that's the only one. It was a lovely one.

I was trying. I could have gone with that. You're supposed to say yes and...

James (45:42.68)
No, no, no, no. God damn I know, the first rule of improv, right? Yes, and?

Can you give us a sneak a book to like theme and I want I want to say that ADHD and your experience living with it is part of that. And then like what's exciting and or daunting about this this particular book number two.

So I guess what was really exciting was the first book, I was obviously very honest and open in, but definitely held back in some respects. I didn't want to come across like I was whinging, I didn't want to horrify people. I also was aware people would expect the book to be comedic. So there was definitely traumatic things that I held back. then one of the things that...

that transpired when the book came out was that the thing that resonated most of people was the kind of very honest and open approach. So the second book, I almost felt like I'd been given permission to open up, which was great being able to kind of go, okay, carnivore therapy on a weekly basis. I can open up everything, get it all down on paper. I had so many stories that I forgot to put in the first one. So one of the really exciting things is stories that I'm like, my mum would die. Why didn't you, after the first book came out, she's like, why didn't you tell the story about the time when...

You were six and you were called on stage by Lionel Blair and Patsy Kensett at Cinderella in front of a thousand people. And this whole thing happened that was possibly the formative moment that led me to... And I'm like, I completely forgot about that. And she's like, why didn't you write about the pen pal relationship you have with Kate Winslet? And I'm like, yeah, I forgot about that. And so all these things, so basically, I so I definitely feel like already it's possibly, hopefully, better. Because that's always the fear.

James (47:26.542)
is like, oh, is it going to be as good as the first one? then because, you know, when you are a humble person, you're not thinking the first one was, you know, so I'm always wanting to do better. But I guess what's exciting is being able to be more honest with it, knowing what works, knowing what didn't work. Yeah. Yeah. And, and really, I just want it out. Like, like, contract negotiations have been slow-ish, which, which I guess is in nature, this time I was working with an agent, which is a wonderful

thing obviously for many, many reasons. It's things have, but it should be lit. again, granted I might have heard this before, but it's literally supposed to be being signed like any second day right now. By the time it's out, she'll be signed and the book is called Attention, Please. And I can't believe someone hasn't used it before considering. So.

By the time this is out, could

James (48:25.262)
But yeah, I'm super, super excited about it. And basically, would say writing a book was the... of any of the things I've done, it's the number one thing I'm most proud of. I'm also proud of the content. Most things we've released, any comedy albums, any stand-up specials I've done, I kind of cringe a bit out all those things about it, like, why did we do that? Or wish we could have done this better. The book is one of the only things I've ever done that I'm proud of through and through. And...

you

James (48:55.054)
all over, you know, as a child, it's like, the thing I wanted to do was write a book and I was, it's funny, I always think...

I that's all right. I've always wanted to write a book someday well, and so it's super inspiring

Right now? Yeah, right now. Right now. And it's funny because I always thought that if you know how in some ways in life you always think and I've tried to not do this because I realized living in the in a kind of a fictional future isn't a healthy or a happy way to live. But I always used to think, you know, I used to always be like, well, when this happens, I'll be happy or when this or if this week goes well, I'll be happy with this. And I always used to think if I could just write a book, then I would be happy. And then

And so I said this to him, I went to the house of Leslie Choice, one of the most prolific Atlantic Canadian authors of all time and the owner of Pottersfield Press, and he lives in East Lawrence Town, which is the rival town to Cow Bay. Anyway, he has written over 100 books, about 115 books.

So I went into his little study and saw his shelf of like 115 books. And I'm like, well, I always thought if I wrote one book, I'd be the happiest man alive. You must be the happiest man that's ever lived. You've written 115 books. And you know He kind of is. I mean, he's in his seventies. Looks phenomenal. Interesting fact, moved to, there's a couple of weird, I can't remember what the other one was, but one of the main crossovers is that he,

James (50:22.382)
moved from New York to the mountain over Scotia in March 1978, which is the year I was born. Yeah, anyway, so yeah, I think I can't remember what the question was.

That happens sometimes. Can I your attention please? That's okay. You were being inspired by yourself and I forgot what it was too. No, we were talking about...

Well, second book, yeah, second book, guess. that was the second book.

I think I want to have you back on here after I've read the second book.

Well, I think we should do this daily even yeah, even before that cuz I need this spiritually

Christina (51:08.462)
I love chatting with you, so we'll have you on a million more times. you ready for a couple more questions before you have to go on with your busy day? Hit me. Okay, I think you'll appreciate this next one. Here we go. Hi, James Mellinger. It's Steph.

I have a question for you on Christina's podcast. You've spent obviously so much time in Canada now and while I'm sure you've admired many comics from your previous world living in the UK, wondering who is your favorite Canadian comedian and someone that you admire their work and their humor and them as a person. Just wondering who your favorite is.

What a lovely question. Hi, Steph. Love you. And Steph, of course, was one of them. One of the very first and also very few people, industry-wise, welcomed me in a way that was not across the board. And it's continued to be a great friend and a great collaborator and great just, you know, any job that do with Steph, you know, it's going be amazing. I'm looking behind myself to see what Canadian, well,

Canadian comedians, I mean, I was looking behind me and I can see books by my mutual friend, who I know, Steph, works closely with, Steve Patterson. Now, Steve Patterson would be... I love Steve. Yeah. He would be one of my all-time favourite Canadian comedians in that he is an incredible stand-up, a joy to work with, incredible... I mean, on the debate is just an incredible host, incredible writer, all around brilliant comic mind, is someone that you can often... Some comedians are very difficult to...

socialize with because they're constantly trying to be funny and it's just exhausting because it's comedy over sincerity. What I love about spending time with Steve is that somehow he manages to do both, where you're having a real conversation with a real human while also being incredibly funny but not making you feel like you need to, you know, spar and do this kind of one-upmanship. So Steve Patton, greatest comedian of all time, John Candy. I have a whole chapter on John Candy in

James (53:22.542)
In my second book and it's actually of a new film that Ryan Reynolds produced is a is a wonderful wonderful film I met John Candy's children Jen Candy The yeah, like in Ottawa at the what was called the candy awards part of the crack-up comedy festival I was performing out and we were both on stage at the same time and and and and Chris Canyon Jim Kennedy's his children

And I realized, and this is where the chapter comes from, not to make everything about me, but I guess it's a book about me. But yeah, I realized that the year that I was meeting them, sorry, the age I was was 43, which was the age that John Candy died, which of course made me think a lot about what that must have been like for them as children, what it meant to, what kind of dad I wanted to be to my kids, all those things went through my mind. So John Candy, other Canadian comedians that I love,

This is about you.

James (54:18.104)
Derrick Seguin is without question one of the funniest comedians in the country. And interestingly, he is here in the Kennebocases Valley tonight playing at the... I know it won't be tonight when people are listening, but he's playing tonight at Kennebocases Valley High School. And I wish I could be there, but I'm performing actually at the Hampton Brewing Company again tomorrow. fine. But I would say Steve Patterson would be my number one favourite in every way.

that's, I'll say he's my number two because I think, I think we all know who my number one is.

Bye bye.

James (54:55.342)
I'm so not sure it's definitely me. Oh, and actually this was one of the... Was No, you weren't. weren't. No. This is one of the reasons I am calling this show next year Canadian Comedian. it's a joke on the fact that for many years when I moved here, of course, every single article would always say like English comedian, British comedian, and then even after I became... And then it might say St. John comedian. But I never described as a Canadian comedian. So... Yeah. I wanted to call it that and also wanted to call it that because...

Yeah, no, I wasn't specific.

James (55:24.886)
You know, there's one of the things that I'm trying to, I'm talking about in the show and trying to enforce is this idea that there's a lot of obviously, you know, as Canadians we're all supporting local, we're all trying to, you people are in grocery stores boycotting American products. And not that I'm saying that they need to boycott American performers, but it's a shame that people's love for Canadian bread and eggs doesn't translate to performers. I'm just saying treating performers with the same respect that you treat your groceries with.

And right now there's a lot of Atlantic Canadian theatres whose sole comedian on their roster for this season is an American comedian. Now, great, fine, he's a very good comedian. There's also a lot of great Canadian comedians. So why not put those there? And it's frustrating to me when people are selective. on the one hand, you've got multi-millionaire Trump supporting Trump voting Trump funding.

American comedians coming to Halifax, playing to 10,000 people, spending $200 to pay a comedian who literally voted for Trump, campaigned for Trump, appeared at Trump's rallies, but then meanwhile boycotting a family-owned vineyard in California who campaigned against Trump, whose business is now sinking because, you

People are boycotting Californian wine when when I mean clearly it wasn't California that got that got trump in so why? Why boycott the vineyards anyway? no, I'm not. Yes. Anyway, that's that's a So if another day hit me

No, this is a new political segment on the chat with our podcast featuring James Mullinger and I love it.

James (57:11.47)
That's it, yeah. I guess it's my thing, be consistent. yeah, it doesn't make sense. Yeah, be consistent. know, this one particular family I'm thinking about, California vignette, as I say, campaigned against Trump for years, could not be more liberal, could not be more left-wing, you know, could not have done more for, you know, equal rights. They're at the beak of all these things. yet, know, Canadians and companies globally are boycotting them.

But meanwhile, you know.

But meanwhile, they're supporting and purchasing. I think there's a little bit like I think there are some people who as soon as they hear American, think boycott, but there can be a little bit more research behind the decision making sometimes.

That's it. And lot of festivals and theatres could do a lot better at prioritising Canadian artists than American ones.

Absolutely, especially if now is the time to do that. We are saying that we are struggling. It's a known thing, even just like in entertainment and certainly in the world of music with not to make this about. Do you hear that? That's exciting moment when a tractor drives by our house on our dirt road and something just happened and everything stops. I don't know if you could hear that, but that's you just take a breath.

James (58:36.342)
This is what you get. This is the joy of Maritimes produced podcasts. You get the authentic experience. It's not even, you know, all those New York comedians with their sirens going off. No, no, no, no sirens. We have tractors.

But back to, you know, there are so many obviously American musicians and arts that we love and we've loved and supported. But now we are saying now's the time to, you know, as much as possible, let's support Canadian artists who are really struggling. And we have world-class entertainment here. let's not be shy to pay for a ticket to go see a show.

and maybe just give up a bottle of wine that week if it's a matter of the money. If it's a matter of like, I know priorities are feed your family. I know hundred percent.

But for example, and to make it, you to move it out of performing arts even and go into like, if you're going to spend 70 bucks on a pay-per-view for UFC, go to see Fight League Atlantic, you know, instead. And for that same money, you probably get a ringside seat and a bottle of, you know, at the very least, Carver delivered to you, tell you the

Yeah, exactly. Okay, we got a couple more questions here from friends. I want to squeeze them in before I let you go. that...

James (59:56.888)
So for time?

Okay, here's a fun one. you know what? In the meantime, while that's downloading, I'm going to read you the one that was submitted via text from our mutual dear friend, Jessica Ray.

Nice, lovely.

James (01:00:10.27)
wonderful, kind.

James, hey James, do your kids understand what you do for a living and how do they react when you're away touring or when they see you perform?

Very nice question, Jessica. Yeah, and I would ask that question right back to her, because I would love to hear what Jessica's experience is. And Mike is both definitely know very much what I do. They've seen me live lots of times. My eldest son, Hunter, has also opened for me, like, kind of come on stage and roasted me before shows. So they know what I do. They don't think I'm funny. Maybe they think it's... But they pretend that they don't think it's good at all.

They never like you never catch them laughing.

Well, sometimes, yeah, I mean, they used to when they were younger. But so they when I'm and I'm never away for too long. But I mean, I guess when I was younger, they used to miss me. And now that now that one's a teenager, one's almost a teenager, you know, I come in the door and the dog jumps all over me. But the kids are kind of like, hi, dad. But I guess where were we when we went we went to we went on holiday to. And basically, they often talk about the fact that, know, that we can't go anywhere without.

James (01:01:23.532)
without me being recognized. So they often like will say like, like, you know, we need to go to somewhere that's not in the Maritimes to, and because then, you know, someone won't come and chat to dad. But, but of course, I mean, I absolutely love that. So, so, so that's why I want to vacation in the Maritimes. But, so they often joke about that. But I guess I would say that probably deep down, secretly, they'd probably be proud of that, that fact. But, but, but

For the most part, yeah, they don't think it's funny, they don't think I'm cool, they pretend that they think I'm a loser, which is great because it keeps you grounded.

see the show where Hunter opens for you.

Oh, I'll send it to you. Yeah, it's great. You're full on hardcore roast. He says, um, jokes... I mean, really good stuff. I mean, here's a joke that he wrote that has about five beats, five laughs in it. He's like, um... He says, they say that my dad's one of Canada's hardest-working comedians. Well, that's only because he's willing to drive five hours to bomb in a curling rink in Miramachi to ten people. And each of those things gets a laugh. Yeah, and it's, um...

And it's comedy based in accuracy. Another one he said was, they say that my dad's the best comedian in New Brunswick. That's like being the best sushi chef in Saskatchewan. think he's that one. Well that one I reckon he got from ChatGBT.

Christina (01:02:52.846)
And he came up with his own

my god, that's perfect.

That's a great thing. There's enough stand-up of mine online that you can type into chat GBT right roast jokes about James Rolinger and it can come up with some quite accurate ones. He described my eyebrows as he said that I look like a cross between Burt the Muppet and Eugene Levy. That was another one. Oh, yeah, that's okay. for sure. think you're very expressive.

was great.

Christina (01:03:27.118)
The next, the question that's downloading here, as you can see, we're almost done, is from our friend Jeff Sammet in Toronto.

nice, love Jeff. Yeah. Yeah.

here it is. Hi there, name is Jeff and I'm calling from Toronto. Long time listener, first time caller. I have a question for James Mollinger and you Christina. How did the two of you meet?

You two are so brilliant and so lovely that I just think it's like the best thing ever that the two of you met. And I want to thank the person, whoever this person is that may have introduced the two of you. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart because seeing the two of you together just makes my heart grow 10 sizes bigger. In all seriousness, question for James and I guess for you Christina as well.

you

Christina (01:04:27.95)
you two going to work together on something? There's got to be some kind of big project that the two of you can work together on and Christina you can have Dale work on it as well. Oh thanks. Because if you guys are getting together on something it's going to be amazing and I mean if you're going to get together on something again it's going to be amazing. Anyway can't wait to hear the show you guys are the best love you both bye. Listen I'm trying to get I'm trying

get James to write a song and now I think it should be a Christmas song.

I agree that maybe this could be your 2026 Christmas song. We love you too, Jeff. Jeff, course, for Vileces that don't know was being hilariously facetious in asking how we met because he knows full well that it was him that brought us together even though obviously we were both aware of each other before. That's right. I was obviously a fan of Christina's work. That's what he was getting at. Did you not get that joke?

I did not! I was like, I don't fucking know how we met! Jeff, I'm sorry!

my god. Yes. Yeah, my goodness. I knew exactly what he was getting at. That's you listen to that again, you will see why he's... That's why he says I want to thank that person. It was all him. So it was Jeff. How interesting that it took a Toronto-based journalist to bring two Maritimes performers together. Anyway, thank you, Jeff. It was you. And yes, to answer your question, we are working on a project together. We will be writing a song together.

Christina (01:05:57.134)
I'm just gonna sing.

James is going sing on it. Christina and Dale are convinced that they can literally make me be able to sing and not sound terrible. God bless AutoTune. So let's hope.

We can do it.

Christina (01:06:09.198)
I think, but you know, it could be a shouty, speaky part too. That's true. We did that at the Moncton show. Remember how that worked well? It your show. It so phenomenal. But I do want to mention, say special thanks for inviting me to play a very small role in that. But like it was huge for me. But that show was so, my friends came, Dale was there and I didn't get to watch it I was backstage. I got to hear clips of it. But then I, was, my friends were raving about it.

It was wonderful,

Christina (01:06:37.966)
And then you have the orchestra, New Brunswick Youth Orchestra performing with you. then you have this, you invite me up to sing a Queen song. And it was so fun because you and I didn't really have, like I had time to rehearse with them. And then what I loved about it was that it just worked with us. And you were like, do you mind if I like interject? And I'm like, do it. And it could have bombed and it did not.

And that's thing, we could have stumbled, could have... And yet when you especially look at the photographs of it, the two us kind of arming arm at the end, like that looks like a kind of, you know, the motions of a well rehearsed, you know, Liam and Noel Gallagher, people that have done this together a million times. And yet it worked, it worked perfectly, which goes to show that if we can do that without rehearsal, imagine what it's going to be like when we do rehearse.

Or a Christmas song. A holiday song.

I cannot wait. Great question, Geoff, but yes, to answer your question, it's going to happen.

It's going to happen. And I want to thank you, James, for your time today, but I have to let you go because you're too busy.

James (01:07:41.87)
Well, yeah, I need to run around. My next job is, might be waiting, I was going to say the engine might be running, but is there an engine in an electric car? I guess there is, know. Anyway, maybe not, I know. from Nightmare. But we're driving around to go and put up posters for the Ross et Yule Christmas Market that is Pam's annual Christmas Market in support of the St. John Regional Hospital Foundation. That is my job for the next three hours, putting up posters. Then Hampton Brewing Company tonight. Happy, days in the dream. Bish bash bosh sweet as an up.

in the election.

Christina (01:08:09.934)
and we're waiting for your book and we're gonna go everyone's all my listeners are gonna fly in or and go get tickets to the Rebecca Cohen show in Halifax on April 17, 2026. Tell your friends if you can't be there even tell your friends that's what I'm doing. And you're amazing and I just I can't wait to chat again.

Love you very much. Thank you very much. Please see my best Adele and can't wait to hang, perform, sing, write and just have fun with you generally very soon.

Christina (01:08:43.682)
I say goodbye to you

Christina (01:08:50.528)
I don't wanna say goodbye to you

Christina (01:08:59.224)
Welcome to the Heartbeat Hotline, 1902-669-4769. I'm the host of a Chat with Heart podcast, Christina Martin, and I'm so excited you called. Leave me your question, suggestion for the podcast, or a comment about this episode.

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and I'll catch you next time.