Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with award-winning standup comedian & cartoonist Jacob Samuel! Known for his insightful wit and clever joke writing, Jacob has appeared multiple times at both the Just For Laughs and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals. In 2021 his debut comedy album 'Horse Power' impressively took home the JUNO award for comedy album of the year. He is also a talented cartoonist that has published two books and has had his work featured in 'The New Yorker' several times!

The podcast begins with Jacob describing his origins in comedy and reflecting on working his way up in the clubs. This leads to talk about the many different trends in comedy that have emerged over the years, and why it's so important to hone your own unique comedic voice. Jacob opens up about the bittersweet experience of winning a JUNO, while simultaneously grieving the loss of his mother. The conversation then shifts to marriage and Jacob explains to Oliver how food poisoning ended up being the uninvited guest at his wedding party. All this and more in this fun, down-to-earth chat!

Recorded on October 12th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly (so talented!)

ARCADE- Oliver: 28 / Guests: 14 (No match, no time!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with actor, comedian and dancer Anjelica Scannura! Poised to become a household name in no time, Anjelica is a comedic force to be reckoned with. Currently touring Canada and the United States, she kicked off 2024 by becoming the first Canadian woman ever to win the prestigious Boston Comedy Festival! Anjelica is also an exceptional dancer, having studied ballet, flamenco and Irish dance styles (among others). Additionally, her YouTube show 'Anjelica's Daily Surprise' is a charming mix of funny, informative and playful.

The podcast starts with the wonderful news of Anjelica's recent engagement and pregnancy, leading to talk about choosing baby names. Things then get into the origins of Anjelica's comedy career, with Oliver learning that she used to be a professional bellydancer before pursuing comedy full time. Anjelica details the frustrating process of obtaining a US work visa, and teases some of the upcoming segments on her show. The chat also touches on baseball, pole dancing and using beetle venom to cure a foot ailment!

Recorded on October 5th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly (so talented!)

ARCADE- Oliver: 28 / Guests: 14 (No match, no time!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with standup comedian and cartoonist Jeff Davis! Easily one of the most respected and beloved comics in the Ottawa comedy scene, Jeff is well known for his engaging presence and quick wits on stage. He is also a skilled artist, who's quirky cartoon characters often adorn advertisements for shows all over town.

Making his triumphant return to the show (after a brief mini-interview during last summer's live 100th episode), Jeff brings a bundle of laughs and pop culture knowledge to the podcast. Things start off with Oliver learning about Jeff's youth, before the conversation shifts to an expansive talk about sitcoms and horror films. The chat then gets into Halloween, discussing phobias, cults, the best candy and memorable costumes. All this and much more!

Recorded on October 2nd, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly (so talented!)

ARCADE- Oliver: 28 / Guests: 14 (3rd round win with literally a sliver of the health bar remaining!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with legendary comedian Jon Dore, who makes his return to the show for this special Father's Day episode! Jon is an adept comic who weaves together whimsical charm and deadpan delivery to create a truly unforgettable standup comedy experience. His 2023 release titled 'A Person Who Is Gingerbread' received critical acclaim, winning the JUNO award for 'Comedy Album of the Year'! He now also co-hosts 'Brother/Sister: The Podcast' alongside his delightful sister Allison. A pod that boasts an enchanting mix of inane riffs and sincere sibling stories.

Things get started with talk about Dads, fasting and the fantastic opening acts at Jon's recent Yuk Yuk's Ottawa performance. As you might expect of a Father's Day episode, the conversation dives into parenting, step-parenting and annoying kids' shows. The discussion then touches on seizures, superstitions and Jon's memories of working for a murder mystery theatre production years ago. Oliver's Dad inquires about the pros/cons of living in Alaska and Jon gets curious about Oliver's job at the hospital. All of this and much more in this chat with one of the funniest human beings on the planet.

Recorded on June 10th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly (so talented!)

ARCADE- Oliver: 27 / Guests: 14 (No match, no time)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with local funnyman Emmett Morrison! A wonderful comedian, Emmett has mastered the art one-liner style comedy. His sharp wit, great writing and calm demeanor have delighted audience members at standup shows all over town. In addition to slinging jokes, Emmett is also a talented DJ with a penchant for tunes from the mod scene!

Things kick off with Emmett talking about his love for both comedy and music, and how he became involved with each. Explaining how he'd been writing jokes for ages before ever actually deciding to try performing them in front of a crowd. While his journey towards becoming a DJ was spurred on by the lack of venues playing the soul, Motown and garage rock songs loves so dearly. Oliver recounts some memories from his honeymoon in LA last fall, including being an audience member for a taping of The Price Is Right. The chat also delves into UFOs, thylacines, nicknames, Emmett being a Bruce Springsteen superfan and much more!

Recorded on June 4th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 27 / Guests: 14 (Victorius!)

*Please Note: The alleged thylacine photos discussed during this podcast were sadly revealed to be a hoax.

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with extremely funny comedians Dave Merheje, Kyle Brownrigg and Mike Rita! All of whom recently performed as part of this year's Just For Laughs Road Show, alongside the hilarious Nour Hadidi (who unfortunately wasn't available to join in on the podcast). All three of these wonderful gents are return guests to 'ust Chill with Oliver George', so the fun conversation kicks off immediately!

Things begin with Kyle recalling the whirlwind experience of his recent JUNO win for 'Best Comedy Album' (which Dave also won in 2019!). Mike beams about his own official signature strain of herb called 'Rita's Rntz', leading to talk about how much things have changed in the world of weed. The chat then gets into the art of roasting, as the guys reminisce about the epic nature of 'Roast Battle Canada'. Oliver poses a post-apocalyptic hypothetical and also finds out which Simpsons character each guest relates to the most. This episode is full of laughs, fun stories and much more!

Recorded on April 20th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Thierry Wildgust

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 26 / Guests: 14 (No match, had to get them back to their hotel on time!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join me as I chill with paleontologist Dr. Jordan Mallon! More specifically, Jordan is a paleobiologist that specializes in paleoecology, functional morphology, horned dinosaurs and other areas of interest. He is an adjunct research professor at Ottawa's Carleton University as well as a research scientist with the Canadian Museum of Nature. Jordan has a ton of experience working out in the field on dig sites and has even had the honour of naming three different prehistoric creatures!

The podcast kicks off with Jordan recalling how he first fell in love with dinosaurs at a young age, before diving into some of the history of paleontology as a science. Which leads to some very interesting facts about fossils, holotypes and taphonomy. I then learn why it's so important to relocate old quarries from the 20th century, which may contain crucial, overlooked data. Jordan gives a glimpse into how vastly different North America used to be, while also discussing how so many large beasts might've been able to coexist. He also breaks down how fossilized dinosaur feathers are now allowing scientists to calculate what colour some of these animals actually would have been! Plus facts about microsites, dental batteries, the late-cretaceous extinction event and lots of other stuff, in this dino-riffic episode!

Recorded on April 3rd, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 26 / Guests: 14 (Jordan kicked butt!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with tremendously entertaining comedian Tavis Maplesden, who makes his third appearance on the show! Truly one of a kind, Tavis' deadpan style and top notch crowd work skills have made him one of the most beloved comics in Ottawa.

This podcast is a great hangout, with old friends catching up and talking about a variety of different topics. Tavis shares some funny memories of hosting live comedy, including a current show that's headlined by hilarious comedian Eric Leclerc (another three-time guest of Just Chill!). Some awesome milestones are discussed, as well as a very tragic one. Oliver seeks Tavis' advice regarding a prospective live podcast at the upcoming Ottawa Comiccon. The conversation next turns to TV, movies and pop-culture at large before shifting to chat about some of the challenges that parenting can present. Plus talk about aging gracefully, Tavis' new facial hair, a story about being too baked, and much more!

Recorded on March 27th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 26 / Guests: 13 (No match, we've battled before!)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

Join Oliver as he chills with accomplished marine biologist and whale expert Dr. Shane Gero! Since founding The Dominica Sperm Whale Project almost 20 years ago, Shane has spent thousands of hours studying these magnificent creatures. He is a scientist-in-residence at Ottawa's Carleton University and is also the biology lead for Project CETI. Shane's passionate research analyzing the languages, cultures and societies of sperm whales has not gone unnoticed. In addition to becoming a National Geographic Explorer, Shane was also heavily featured in the award-winning, James Cameron-produced docuseries titled 'Secrets of the Whales'!

The fun, fascinating facts start flying right away in this conversation, with Shane explaining the unique and intense relationship between sperm whales and squid in the deep ocean. The discussion then dives into (pun intended) echolocation and the many distinct sounds that cetaceans around the world use to communicate. Oliver learns about the complex customs and traditions of whales, as well as some of the dangers that they're often confronted with in today's oceans. Shane details how sperm whales are carbon heroes and why inherited family values are crucial to their survival. This episode is chock-full of compelling information, intriguing concepts and good vibes!

Recorded on February 5th, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 26 / Guests: 13 (No match, podcast ran long)

https://www.shanegero.com/

https://www.thespermwhaleproject.org/

https://www.projectceti.org/

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George

*Oliver mistakenly refers to the documentary 'Secrets of the Whales' as "The Secrets of Whales" during this podcast.

Join Oliver as he chills with legendary children's entertainer Sharon Hampson and her delightful daughter Randi! Sharon first rose to fame over 45 years ago as one-third of the acclaimed musical group 'Sharon, Lois & Bram'. This beloved trio delighted audiences of all ages for decades and garnered many impressive accolades along the way. From performing at the White House and the UN General Assembly in the 1990's, to becoming members of the Order of Canada and being awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002! In more recent years, Randi has joined her mother on stage to belt out all of the classics and help keep the group's legacy alive (in more ways than one).

The conversation starts off with Sharon detailing how she first met Lois & Bram, and the experience of recording their very successful debut album 'One Elephant, Deux Éléphants'. This leads to talk about the unforgettable tune 'Skinnamarink' and the impact that their iconic television program 'The Elephant Show' had on viewers around the world. The chat then delves into the group's massive, multi-generational fanbase and the wide variety of individuals that are still so deeply moved by their performances. Oliver learns about the decision to continue on after founding member Lois Lilienstein decided to step away in the year 2000 (Lois sadly passed away in 2015). Randi discusses her many substantial contributions (past and present), including launching a line of children's books inspired by some of the group's most recognizable songs! The podcast also touches on Mr. Dressup, performing at Strombo's house and much more in this magical episode!

Recorded on January 2nd, 2024

Audio/Visual Production by Brian Reilly

Edited (poorly) by Oliver George

Additional editing and graphics by Maverick Reilly

ARCADE- Oliver: 26 / Guests: 13 (No match, they had to go grab some dinner)

©2024 Just Chill with Oliver George