Banff World Media Festival #1 Starring William Shatner

Beyond the marketing of my first book, the creation of my second one, and the daily task of writing all the studio material for “Entertainment Tonight Canada,” I also freelance around and write for other producers, particularly award show producers.

It started with the Banff World TV (now called Media) Festival. The flamboyant man in charge was unhappy with his previous writer who had often slipped away to attend the seminars.

So in early 2009, he declared that he wanted a writer like the writer of Entertainment Tonight Canada. Since Global Television is a major sponsor of the festival, my boss said, “You want a writer like the writer of ET Canada? How about the writer of ET Canada?” I was hired.

In 2009, there were three shows with three hosts and three big lifetime achievement awards to Paul Gross (Due South), Mark McKinney (Kids in the Hall), and Victor Garber (Alias).

I was just happy to be there. In Banff. Sleeping in a nice hotel in the mountains. Out of the office.

I also foolishly believed that I could make a big difference in my career. I mean, all the biggest TV executives in the world were there. Surely, if I did a good job, some bigwig would wonder, “Who wrote that entertaining show? I should hire him on the spot before he gets snapped up by someone else.”

Didn’t happen. Will never happen. Nobody cares about who writes the award shows (except maybe the hosts… and the flamboyant producer).

In 2010, they expanded the festival to include five shows with six hosts and four big lifetime achievement awards to Ricky Gervais, William Shatner, Eric McCormack, and Nigel Lithgoe. My comedy hero, Ricky Gervais? TV legend, William Shatner?

I was more than happy to be there. This was going to be epic. I had already given up my delusion that I would be hired by a big-time executive…

I just wanted the chance to entertain my heroes. And we did! The host, Kim D’Eon, was lovely and charming and Ricky was laughing. Laughing! At my jokes! I was standing backstage with the models, wearing my best suit, sipping a glass of wine, and watching it all happen on the TV monitor with a big grin on my face. It was definitely a highlight of the ol’ writing career. (The closest I got to meet Ricky was when he walked past me backstage, giggling, and clutching his lifetime achievement trophy.)

The same thing happened moments later with William Shatner. The host, Jason Priestley, was lovely and charming and The Shat was laughing. At this…

—

JASON PRIESTLEY:

I think it’s pretty fitting that the next award after the Best Canadian Program is the Lifetime Achievement Award to William Shatner. If you want a good debate at the bar—figure out who is the Most Beloved Canadian…. ever! It’s gotta be Shatner, right? I mean, who else could it possibly be?

Wayne Gretzky? Stanley Cups: team award. Emmys: individual award.  Shatner. Who else ya got?

You wanna go old school? Sir John A. Macdonald? Sir John A builds a railroad, Shatner captains a spaceship. Shatner. Next!

That new kid everybody’s talking about? Justin Bieber? Bieber: ridiculous haircut, 16 years-old. Shatner: kickass haircut, older than 16. Shatner.

Shania Twain? Country music. Who cares? Shatner.

Celine Dion: Your Heart Goes On and On and On and On, we get it, your husband creeps me out a little. Shatner!

Frederick Banting? You wanna go there? Fred Banting discovered insulin, Shatner defeated Tribbles. Shatner!

And now I’m proud that another Beloved Canadian is here to present this award to Mr. Shatner. Please welcome to the stage, my good friend, Eric McCormack…

—

Despite the incredible highs of a job well done, the climax always concludes in some form of creative cruelty. Seconds after a show, the crew is hustling to clean up the gear while the suits are rushing to the next event.

I stood alone backstage and processed it all. In 2009, I was just happy to be there and strolled over to the party. In 2010, I knew the evening was momentous and I needed some time to reflect upon it.

So I walked downstairs to the liquor store and purchased two cans of beer. Then I stood under the awning while the skies poured down heavy rain onto the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. I needed about thirty minutes to collect myself.

Then I went to the party. And nobody mentioned the gala. But, boy, did I dance…
 
 
For more posts from the Banff World Media Festival, check out:

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/banff-festival-2/

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/working-with-vince-gilligan/