The economy is mired in a meltdown! The world is ending! Bosses must take extreme action! The fear-mongering opening segment of W Network’s Undercover Boss Canada certainly isn’t subtle, but it almost makes the show’s absurd premise—CEOs saving their companies by disguising themselves as everyday working schleps and manning the front line for a week—seem both logical and necessary (we said almost, okay?).
In the inaugural episode, the first bigwig to try his hand at hard labour is John Tracogna, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, who announces his plans to a boardroom of lesser execs in a meeting that has clearly been staged for the cameras (everyone nods enthusiastically and one guy actually says, in wooden tones, “I think it’s a great idea”). Transformed into a beatnik-biker hybrid, Tracogna scoops a lot of poop, buddies up with a gorilla and quickly reveals that he’s never cleaned a toilet before. He also does some superficial bonding with a few employees, whom he showers with gifts, Oprah-style, after he reveals himself as the big boss-man. See whether Tracogna was an Everyday Hero or an Everyday Zero (and whether we’d hire him) after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »
Your favourite competitive cooking show—no, 
Quick: name a Canadian Idol winner. Unless you’re one of those people who fell for Kalan Porter’s curls or Ryan Malcolm’s glasses, chances are you can’t. Over its six-year run, Idol produced a lot of tears, drama and vocal histrionics, but no bona fide stars. Former contestant Sebastian Pigott may be the exception that proves the rule, having become a hot property despite never making it to the winner’s circle. 
It’s almost time. After seven weeks of batch-up challenge 
Follow Toronto Life on Twitter, Facebook and via RSS