Join Oliver as he chills with co-founder, general manager and owner of Yuk Yuk's Ottawa, Howard Wagman! Working in comedy clubs since he was only sixteen years old, Howard has been running the Ottawa branch of Yuk Yuk's for nearly four decades! He has a bona fide respect for the comedic artform and has sharpened a keen sense for discovering and nurturing the burgeoning careers of extremely gifted comedians. Howard has encouraged and guided so many great comics like Norm MacDonald, Mike MacDonald, Tom Green and Jon Dore just to name a few! The chat kicks off with talk about Yuk's Ottawa's newest location, which was set to make it's debut only a few hours after the recording of this episode. Howard discusses the hardships of the pandemic on the comedy industry and Oliver inquires about what makes a killer comedy club venue. Howard also shares some amazing memories of working with legendary comedians like George Carlin, Robin Williams and Sam Kinison. Oliver learns about the beginnings of Yuk Yuk's and Howard explains how some failure early on would teach him so much about running a business. All this and more in this special season 2 finale episode of Just Chill with Oliver George! Recorded on October 13th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 17 / Guests: 8 (No match/ Howard had to head off to the opening of the newest Yuk's!) www.yukyuks.com

Just Chill with Oliver George

Just Chill with Oliver George #65 - Howard Wagman

Join Oliver as he chills with talented musicians Jason Lam and Juan Miguel Gomez! They are both members of funky, modern jazz-fusion group 'The Good Guys' and their debut album is releasing later this month! While this group may be new to the Ottawa scene, Jason and Juan are already very accomplished performers. Jason has been involved with the music industry for 20 years, having toured Australia, China and Cuba. He has also opened for well known artists like Three Days Grace, Weezer and ZZ Top! Juan Miguel has a BA in Music Production, a Masters Diploma in Advanced Audio Engineering and is currently a member of 6 different musical projects! Juan has played all of the major Ottawa music festivals and even owns and operates his own recording studio! To start things off, Juan explains how The Good Guys came to be and Oliver describes the awesomeness of randomly discovering their recent backyard performance. The guys then talk about the unique experience of writing and playing music as an instrumental band as well as the possibility of featuring different vocalists as part of their future musical offerings. Juan describes his mountainside recording studio, leading to chat about analog vs digital recording. Jason then sheds light on his 'Father & Daughter Duo' videos, in which he performs original and cover songs alongside his exceptionally gifted daughter Ella. He also teaches Oliver about his Mauritian roots and their native musical style of Sega music. The guys then talk about some of their best (and worst) moments on tour and Juan recounts his storybook romance with his wife. Recorded on October 7th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 17 / Guests: 8 (These guys came to play! They both smoked me!) https://goodguysottawa.com/

Just Chill with Oliver George #64 - Jason Lam & Juan Miguel Gomez (of The Good Guys)

Join Oliver as he chills with clinical neuroscientist Dr. Derrick Matthew Buchanan, PhD! In addition to being very accomplished academically, he also performs comedy under the name 'Matt Buchanan' (which is how he and Oliver first met). Matt completed his PhD at Carleton University and has had additional education and scientific training at Harvard Medical school, McGill University, Saybrook University and the University of Geneva in Switzerland! This interview was recorded only days before Matt relocated to California to complete his postdoctoral research fellowship at the prestigious Stanford University! The episode kicks off with Matt discussing his upcoming move and describing a funny experience that he had paragliding in Europe. After that Oliver learns about Matt's many areas of scientific expertise, including his fascinating work with transcranial direct current stimulation. Matt also talks about other papers he has worked on that delve into things like traumatic brain injuries and how imagination interacts with our perception. Oliver receives a copy of Matt's brand new book 'An Explanation For Life: The Universe, The Brain, The Mind and Consciousness' and learns about Matt's motivations for writing it. Chat shifts to the hypothetical Mandela Effect and Matt describes his innovative brain insurance program, 'Neurosurance'. Things finish off with chat about some of Matt's comedic endeavors, including the show 'No Offense Eh' which he co-hosted with fellow Ottawa comic Jackie Graham! Recorded on September 23rd, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 18 / Guests: 6 (Another VERY close match!)

Just Chill with Oliver George #63 - Dr. Derrick Matthew Buchanan, PhD

Join Oliver as he chills with chef extraordinaire Eva Bee! A lover of all things culinary, Eva's journey as a chef was initially sparked in an effort to overcome depression and several food allergies. In addition to honing her skills at the internationally renowned farm-to-table Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, Eva also studied environmental science and chemistry! She offers fantastic personalized cooking experiences through her website and has hosted several cooking programs for Bell, Rogers and Coral TV! The chat starts off with Eva discussing sustainability and the farm-to-table approach to cuisine. Oliver then learns about Eva's Serbian heritage through a sampling of traditional Balkan beverages. Eva discusses how international travel prominently influenced her journey and shares her insights on some popular dieting trends. Oliver and Eva converse about the feeling of being drawn in many different creative directions before chat shifts to the current state of society. Recorded on September 21st, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 17 / Guests: 6 (VERY close match!) http://www.evabee.com/

Just Chill with Oliver George #62 - Eva Bee

Join Oliver as he chills with radio host, photographer and cycling enthusiast Erik Stolpmann! Constantly out and about connecting with folks in the Ottawa community, Erik always makes sure to have his trusty camera at the ready! When he's not busy taking killer snapshots, you can find Erik hosting his fabulous show 'Curiocity' on Ottawa's CKCU (93.1 FM)! The conversation kicks off with Erik explaining his love for photography and capturing human beings in their element. Oliver reminisces about meeting Erik at a comedy show, leading to talk about the recent passing of legendary Ottawa comedian Norm MacDonald. Next up discussion shifts to Erik's radio program and why meeting new, interesting people is his lifeblood. The chat also touches on spirituality, music, scotch, biking and the isolating nature of social media (among other things)! Recorded on September 19th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 16 / Guests: 6 (No match/Erik had to jet) https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/477/info.html

Just Chill with Oliver George #61 - Erik Stolpmann

Join Oliver as he chills with alternative aficionado and broadcasting badass Alan Cross! Well known around the world as the amicable and informative host of the syndicated radio series 'The Ongoing History of New Music'. Since it's debut in 1993, over 900 episodes of the program have been produced! In addition to his vast musical knowledge, Alan is also an accomplished author and public speaker! Things start off with Oliver learning which unique instrument Alan played in his youth. Conversation shifts to musical comedy and Alan sheds light on the constantly evolving face of the music industry. He then explains his fascination with the origins of band names and talks shifts to his sweet musical book collection. Leading to chat about Alan's great new children's book 'The Science of Song'! Recorded on August 31st, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 16 / Guests: 6 (No match/Zoom) *This episode was intended to be uploaded on Mon, Sept 6th, 2021 but was delayed due to an injury (I'm fine now, thanks).

Just Chill with Oliver George #60 - Alan Cross

Join Oliver as he chills with the incomparable Mike Rita! Signed by Yuk Yuk's at only 20 years old, Mike has spent more than a decade since then absolutely rocking the Canadian comedy scene! He has performed several times at the 'Just For Laughs' comedy festival, including being featured as part of Kevin Hart's 'Laugh Out Loud Network'! Mike was also the longtime host of the always entertaining 'Stoner Sundays' show at Vapor Central in downtown Toronto. Relatable, clever and downright hilarious, Mike always leaves audiences in stitches! This cannabis-fueled conversation truly is a gem. Containing many of the funniest moments ever recorded on Just Chill, but also some truly heart warming sentiments as Mike reflects on his comedy career thus far. Oliver asks about Mike's legal weed reviews, which leads to talk about the intricate process of growing marijuana. Mike talks about the joy of creating art, and why his family was so influential to his creative process. The chat is a blast and touches on so many fun topics like parenting, 90's nostalgia, Mike's Portuguese heritage and so much more! Recorded on August 27th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 16 / Guests: 6 (No match. We wrapped recording at 2AM)

Just Chill with Oliver George #59 - Mike Rita

Join Oliver as he chills with hilarious stand up comedian Greg Houston! A comic for nearly a decade now, Greg has opened for the likes of Tig Notaro and Doug Stanhope! He also now hosts a comedic news panel live on Twitch for his show 'Houston We Have A Problem'! Things start off with Greg discussing his fast-approaching move to London, England this fall and Oliver quizzing him on British slang terms. The conversation then shifts to chatting about legendary Canadian comedy icon Mike MacDonald (who Greg also worked with). Later on Greg explains his love for 'Fast & Furious' franchise and Oliver's Dad addresses the distracting nature of John Cena's intense bicep vein. These are only a few of the topics that arose during this spirited discourse! Recorded on August 14th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 16 / Guests: 6 (Greg was triumphant!)

Just Chill with Oliver George #58 - Greg Houston

Join Oliver as he chills with magical pranksters Alex Boyer and Eric Leclerc! Both talented magicians with popular YouTube channels, they are also now stars of their very own show called 'Big Trick Energy' (available on truTV and Netflix Canada now!). The guys make their return to Just Chill, this time stopping by for an in-studio chat! Things start off with Alex and Eric describing what it feels like now that their show has aired it's first season. Oliver asks about their experience being guests on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, as well as how they've been handling the criticisms and trolling that seem to accompany success. The guys share their favourite tricks from season one and Eric talks about being able to finally quit smoking. Discussion shifts to conversation about the lack of prominent female magicians and Oliver learns about a planned boxing match between Alex and Eric. Recorded on July 29th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly ARCADE- Oliver: 16 / Guests: 5 (Took them both down!)

Just Chill with Oliver George #57 - Alex Boyer & Eric Leclerc

Join Oliver as he chills with the very funny and knowledgeable Don Kelly! A mainstay of the Ottawa comedy community for years, Don has appeared on CBC's 'The Debaters' and hosted two different shows on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network)! Don was the Communications Director for the AFN (Assembly of First Nations) for over two decades and is extremely well educated on Indigenous history and current events. This episode starts off with Don shedding light on the disingenuous treaties made between early colonizers and the native peoples of North America. Oliver learns about Don's Anishinaabe heritage and that leads to discussion about ever-changing terminology. The conversation shifts to talk about the recent horrific discoveries of countless unmarked graves at the sites of Canada's former residential schools, prompting a deeply heartfelt question from Oliver's Dad. Later on, Don describes how he first got into comedy and recounts a weekend in the early 2000's when he opened for the late Mitch Hedburg. Recorded on July 17th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 14 / Guests: 5 (Finally back in-studio!!!) www.saverezdogs.com

Just Chill with Oliver George #56 - Don Kelly

Join Oliver as he chills with old friend and community spirit exemplar Tom Radford! His love for the city of Ottawa runs very deep and he is always finding interesting, collaborative ways to celebrate it. Like the mixed media urban art fest House of PainT, which Tom has served as the project coordinator for! A man of many skills, Tom has hosted his own radio show, worked in the House of Commons, been part of an innovative design studio and more. This episode starts off with Oliver and Tom catching up and reminiscing about a very short-lived podcast they recorded together years ago. Tom then explains his strong fondness for the often maligned Ottawa neighbourhood of Vanier and all of the hard work that he is doing to help it garner a better reputation. Highlighting and celebrating all of the amazing people that reside there, while also assisting local food banks and other assistance programs through his efforts. The conversation also explores a ton of other topics like technology, mortality, carpentry and even Carrot Top.   Recorded on July 11th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Zoom Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 13 / Guests: 5 (No match, Zoom)

Just Chill with Oliver George #55 - Tom Radford

Join Oliver as he chills with Justin Jacobson, who is the President of Restoration Games! A company with an extremely unique and innovative process for designing and producing amazing tabletop games! Friendly and very knowledgeable, Justin has an exceptional work ethic and a lot of integrity as well. In addition to presiding over this phenomenally cool company that revives and improves classic games, Justin has also been a lawyer for over 20 years! The chat starts off with Justin talking about his drastic career shift from the world of law to launching and running a board game company. Justin then shares his thoughts about the surge of interest that tabletop games have experienced over the last few decades. Discussion then shifts to talk about Unmatched, which is one of Restoration's flagship games. Oliver shares some questions from fans of the game and learns a bunch of interesting, behind the scenes info along the way!   Recorded on June 21st, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Zoom Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 13 / Guests: 5 (No match, Zoom)   www.restorationgames.com

Just Chill with Oliver George #54 - Justin Jacobson

Join Oliver as he chills with the extremely interesting and multitalented Mitchell Smolkin! In addition to being a well respected psychotherapist with a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology, Mitchell is also an accomplished speaker, author, actor and musician! He has built a successful international psychotherapy practice with offices in both Toronto and Sweden, and has also recently launched a fantastic podcast titled 'The Dignity of Suffering'. Appearing from his office in Stockholm, the conversation kicks off with Mitchell explaining what it has been like living there during the pandemic. Watching the majority of the planet go into lockdown, while the Swedish government decided to take a very different approach to dealing with the situation. This leads to discussion about the effect that Covid has had on human relationships at large. Oliver shares a story about recently confronting a very uncomfortable situation and Mitchell explains what first drove him to want to help people. The chat then delves into Mitchell's many artistic exploits and he shares insight into why he decided to start his new podcast. Things finish off with some talk about craft beer, followed by an absolutely moving and beautiful story from Mitchell's past. Recorded on June 11th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Zoom Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 13 / Guests: 5 (No match, Zoom) --------------------------------------------------------------- https://mitchellsmolkin.com/  

Just Chill with Oliver George #53 - Mitchell Smolkin

Join Oliver as he chills with the supremely funny Josh Williams! In addition to being a hilarious stand up comedian, Josh is also a fellow podcaster! He hosts the "One Man Podcast", which serves as a thoroughly entertaining journey through Josh's performances, personal growth and day-to-day adventures. His show will also intermittently feature special bonus episodes where Josh brings a great guest on board. Some of his past guests include Paul Virzi, Trent McClellan and K Trevor Wilson! In the longest episode of Just Chill ever recorded to date, Josh and Oliver have a blast catching up and discussing a myriad of topics! The conversation starts off with a solid half hour of geekery, chatting about everything from comic books to board games. Things then shift to talk about comedy, fasting, relationships, cancel culture, podcasting and so much more!   Recorded on May 26th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Zoom Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 13 / Guests: 5 (No match, Zoom)   One Man Podcast on Spotify!: https://open.spotify.com/show/1QyQSR6WuGHpiAFPaOFQbY

Just Chill with Oliver George #52 - Josh Williams

On this date 25 years ago, Sublime performed for the last time ever at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California. The following morning, the world tragically lost the band's innovative and soulful frontman Bradley Nowell to a heroin overdose. Join Oliver as he chills with Brad's younger sister Kellie, who in recent years has been working tirelessly as the executive director of the The Nowell Family Foundation! Providing addiction recovery services to musicians, the foundation is currently raising funds to open an opioid recovery facility in Brad's memory called 'Bradley's House'! Please donate if you can!! This episode is a dream come true for Oliver, who has been a Sublime fanatic since his youth. Acquaintances for over a decade, Oliver and Kellie finally have a real hangout and become fast friends! Things start off with talk about the foundation and all of the fantastic things it has spawned. Including the recent, dynamite tribute album titled 'The House That Bradley Built'! Featuring a ton of amazing artists, the proceeds will go towards all of the foundation's spectacular efforts! Kellie then discusses the 'Bradley's House' podcast, which she co-hosts and is a must-hear for any Sublime fan! Kellie shares fantastic stories about Bradley, Lou Dog, and Sublime, leaving Oliver completely elated in the process. She also expresses how profoundly difficult it was to lose her brother to addiction, and how her work with the foundation has helped her in processing that grief. Kellie then answers some of Oliver's burning questions, as well as some fan inquiries from Reddit! Recorded on May 12th, 2021 Audio/Visual Production by Zoom Edited (poorly) by Oliver George ARCADE- Oliver: 13 / Guests: 5 (No match, Zoom) https://thenowellfamilyfoundation.org/ https://shop.law-records.com/collections/the-house-that-bradley-built

Just Chill with Oliver George #51 - Kellie Nowell

Join host Oliver George as he chats with various folks he's met through his adventures as an aspiring comedian/actor/musician.

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Just Chill with Oliver George

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