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The Hype

Prime Time

March 11, 2013 | 12:58 pm

Slideshow: the biggest stars and best costumes from Toronto ComiCon 2013

(Image: Gizelle Lau)

Thousands of fans of all stripes—Star Trek, Batman, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Evil Dead—descended upon Toronto ComiCon this weekend to take photos with their idols, purchase memorabilia and gawp at the superfans who arrive each year in full costume. This time around, the Trekkies dominated, coming out in force to meet nearly the entire bridge crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 72-year-old Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean Luc Picard, arrived in selvedge denim and a flat cap, and managed the double feat of commanding the highest prices for an autograph ($80) yet drawing the longest lines. (One fan described the snaking queues for photos and celeb Q&As as “the Hunger Games of nerds.”) Elsewhere, we saw a young ~~Vulcan~~ Mintakan family gamely posing for photos, a friendly contingent from the Ontario Ghostbuster soliciting memberships and LeVar Burton beaming at awed autograph seekers. When it came to heartthrob status, however, Burton was bested by Sean Astin (Sam from the Lord of the Rings series and Rudy from Rudy), who drew squeals whenever he moved through the crowd.

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The Hype

Prime Time

November 28, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 9: to cast a Bachelorette

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Dear Bachelor Canada producers,

First off, a big congrats on a strong first season. We admit we were scared that Bach Can was going to be a budget version of its American inspiration (the Sass Jordan to their Paula Abdul), but instead you produced something that was equally glamorous, gossip-worthy and cringe-inducing (what is The Bach without a little cringe?). Plus, for our money Brad is cuter and funnier than any dude the U.S. franchise has been able to scare up, so congrats…now back to work! Because while the “After the Final Rose” episode confirmed that a) Brad and Bianka are still blissfully happy, and b) Whitney is still totally crazy, we know that you’re already looking to the next season—which means picking a Bachelorette.

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The Hype

Prime Time

November 23, 2012 | 3:39 pm

Q&A: The Bachelor Canada’s Brad Smith and his lucky lady, Bianka Kamber

Much to our recapper’s relief, in this week’s episode of The Bachelor Canada, Brad Smith gave his very last rose to Bianka Kamber, a 28-year-old nurse from Mississauga. Yesterday, we chatted with the pair about keeping secrets, the Argos’ chances at the Grey Cup this weekend and the origin of the nickname “Cheeseburger.”

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(Image: CityTV)

Congratulations on your engagement! How are you two dealing with the big revelation?
Brad Smith: Just trying to slowly live our first day in real life. Bianka set up this thing last night where I walked into her parents’ house the second the show was over. Everyone just went bananas.

Bianka Kamber: It’s surreal!

There has been an incredible amount of attention paid to the show. Do you guys read the recaps and analysis?
BS: I read it the first couple of weeks, but I tried to live off what I remember as being filmed instead of people micro-analyzing my decisions—although most of them were hilarious.

After each episode aired, did you two have a lot to explain to each other?
BS: We got about 14 days as soon as the show stopped to kind of figure out, “OK, the cameras are gone, do we really like each other this much?” It took about four minutes to realize that it was the best decision of our lives. In that 14-day period, we basically found out every single thing about what we each did on the entire show.

Brad, you’re in Toronto and Bianka, you’re in Mississauga. You must be able to see a lot of each other now?
BS: I just moved into her parents’ house last night!

BK. He’s currently occupying the right side of my queen-size bed!

BS: It’s the European thing. We’re going to try to buy a house within the next couple of months, but until then, her parents are just so excited to have me—at least they tell me they’re excited.

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The Hype

Prime Time

November 21, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 8: and the lucky lady is…

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Dear Brad,

The journey certainly has been interesting, and we’re so (sooo, sooooooo) glad that you made the right decision, because 1) Bianka seems like a pretty cool girl and 2) she is not Whitney. Thank the Lord, thank the stars and thank you, Brad, really, for allowing us to maintain some faith in mankind.

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The Hype

Prime Time

November 14, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 7: a different kind of rose ceremony

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Dear Brad,

Tonight you finally had to face the firing squad during the Women Tell All episode and, as usual, you handled it like the good Canadian boy you are. We can’t wait until next week, when you make the choice that will affect the rest of your life (or at least the current dating season). A few words on that below, but first, since we have watched you bestow roses on your chosen chiquitas for the past six weeks, we figure it’s our turn.

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The Hype

Prime Time

November 7, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 6: living by the rules

TL-the-bachelor-canada-ep6-h

Dear Brad,

Oh, Brad, Brad, Brad—on the one hand we sort of feel like launching you up into the air like a clay disc and blasting you into a million bits. Getting rid of Kara was a horrible decision, and by doing so you are all but guaranteed to wind up with a high-maintenance diva who will eventually eat you alive. On the other hand, we get that when you’re not feeling it, you just can’t fake it, no matter how fun and hot and perfect-for-you a person is. So in that sense, way to go—you’re following your heart. Or maybe you’re following your libido. Hard to say, since we obviously don’t share the same taste.

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The Hype

Prime Time

October 31, 2012 | 11:07 pm

The Bachelor Canada Recap, episode 5: meeting the parents

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Dear Brad,

Wow, things are getting serious all of a sudden. It seems like only yesterday you were watching 10 girls perform terribly awkward cabaret routines, and now you’re making hometown visits? For some reason this particular rung on the Bachelor ladder (meeting parents and adorable babies and such) really tugs at our heartstrings. We dare say you’ve never been more adorable than when you were holding Kara’s sister’s baby—but this letter isn’t about praising you, Brad. It’s about offering advice on the life-altering decisions you’re making. So here goes.

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The Hype

Prime Time

October 24, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 4: a plot to oust the virgin

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Dear Brad,

Something’s rotten in Bachelor Land, and it ain’t the fact that Whitney claims to be 24 years old (though she could easily pass for 35, no?). Here are the facts as we see them: Last week, Chantelle-the-virgin-pastor revealed her lack of sexual experience. You said this was not a problem—and to prove it, you kept her around for another week. But then this week she’s the only one who doesn’t get a date, and then all of a sudden her grandfather passes away. Before you can say “saving it for marriage,” she’s leaving the mansion because she decided attending her grandfather’s funeral was more important.

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The Hype

Prime Time

October 17, 2012 | 11:10 pm

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 3: lumberjacks and teeny bikinis

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Dear Brad,

You’ll forgive us if this missive sounds a little woozy. We decided to join in on The Bachelor Canada drinking game fun, you see, opting to do a shot every time Whitney said “win” and Chantelle said “virgin” in tonight’s episode. Needless to say, we are now absolutely blotto. And while we’re on the topic of everyone’s favourite 25-year-old female pastor from Alberta, we’d like to say for the record that she may not be quite as innocent as she seems. Who knows? Maybe she’s not even a virgin. This is a competition, after all, yet you seem to be lapping up her Little Miss Purity act.

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The Hype

Prime Time

October 11, 2012 | 10:06 am

The Bachelor Canada Recap, episode 2: How many bachelorettes does it take to screw in a light bulb?

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Dear Brad,

We’re guessing that the best and worst part about watching The Bachelor Canada is seeing the stuff that you weren’t present for during taping. For example: How did you feel last night when eight girls (some of whom are pushing 30) didn’t know where or even what The Big Easy is? It’s not that we think your dream girl needs to be some sort of globe-trotting PhD, but really? While marvelling over the bachelorettes’ collective ignorance of city nicknames, we came up with this joke: How many Bachelor Canada contestants does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer: A whole bunch—but just remember that Chantelle, bless her heart, doesn’t screw anything. (For the record, Brad, that is not an anti-virgin joke—we love that Chantelle is saving herself for a night of unbridled passion in the fantasy suite.)

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The Hype

Prime Time

October 4, 2012 | 9:36 am

The Bachelor Canada recap, episode 1: an open letter to a very giggly ex-football player

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Dear Brad,

We know that finding love isn’t easy. If it were, The Bachelor Canada wouldn’t exist. Except that it probably would—we’re pretty sure that when the entire planet is annihilated in a nuclear holocaust, the only two things that survive will be cockroaches and The Bachelor franchise. Anyway, Brad, point is that love don’t come easy, so we’re here to help you navigate those choppy waters, every week. And by choppy waters, we mean the pack of bat-dung-crazy women who are throwing themselves at you like pencil shavings on a magnet.

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The Hype

Prime Time

September 26, 2012 | 11:05 am

Introducing: The bachelorettes of The Bachelor Canada, part five

Meet the bachelorettes of The Bachelor Canada, part five

(Image: CityTV)

Earlier today, CityTV unveiled the final five bachelorettes competing for the affection (and roses) of Brad Smith, the titular star of the first season of The Bachelor Canada. Clearly, they’ve been saving the best for last, since this latest batch includes one contestant who had a real-life brush with reality TV royalty—her ex is none other than Kris Humphries, who was very briefly the husband of Kim Kardashian. There’s also a photo lab manager, a 23-year-old CFL team rep and a cocktail waitress. For the last time, we take a look at each bachelorette to assess her chances of winning Brad’s love—and her nearest celeb lookalike. The show premieres on October 3.

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The Hype

Prime Time

September 19, 2012 | 1:34 pm

Introducing: The bachelorettes of The Bachelor Canada, part four

bachelor-canada-bachelorettes-4

(Images: CityTV)

Another Wednesday, another bachelorette reveal leading up to October 3’s The Bachelor Canada premiere. Weeks one and two had a fun enough assortment of ladies, but after last week revealed a would-be wife who was a multilingual model and neuroscientist (really?), we’re relieved that this week’s bachelorettes are a bit less intimidating. Only one candidate has an advanced degree in this week’s group, with an optician (too bad Brad doesn’t appear to wear glasses) and a trio of quirky, multifaceted service industry vets rounding out the field (okay, spoiler: one’s a server at a strip club). As always, we’ve taken a hard look at each candidate to suss out their chances and determine which celeb they kinda-sorta look like.

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The Hype

Prime Time

September 12, 2012 | 11:31 am

Introducing: The bachelorettes of The Bachelor Canada, part three

Our close examination of the bachelorettes who will populate the Bachelor Canada mansion (and bachelor Brad Smith’s thoughts) starting October 3 continues with five more ladies (in case you missed them, here are the first and second crops of candidates). This week, we meet a former CFL cheerleader who now moonlights as a yoga teacher, a quirky trial lawyer from Thunder Bay and a model/neuroscientist who gives us an inferiority complex. As always, we give some background, present our predictions of how they will fare and offer a celebrity lookalike for each.

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The Hype

Prime Time

September 5, 2012 | 11:30 am

Introducing: The bachelorettes of The Bachelor Canada, part two

bachelor-canada-bachelorettes-2

(Images: CityTV)

Last week, we took a closer look at the first five bachelorettes who will be vying for airtime and the love of football player Brad Smith come October 3—a group that included a Playboy model and a wannabe Miss Universe contestant from Toronto. This week’s crop of candidates ramps up the brain quotient with a law student and a medical student. Once again, we’ve used our encyclopedic knowledge of seasons past to predict how each of these ladies will fare (and, for kicks, chose their celebrity dopplegangers).

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