Latest / Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam / A Coffee with Josh Classen Chief Meteorologist at CTV Edmonton!
Transcript
- 0:01I'm Josh Classen and you're listening to Coffee In The Park with your favorite hosts and mine, Cam and Jennifer.
- 0:17What a weekend it was, Cam.
- 0:18Can you believe it?
- 0:19I mean, the weather is beautiful.
- 0:20We're in the fall.
- 0:21I went to the corn maze on the weekend.
- 0:23I heard you got into a little bit of trouble this weekend at the corn maze.
- 0:25I did, because I fed the goats Doritos.
- 0:27Well.
- 0:27When you go to the corn maze, don't feed the goats Doritos.
- 0:30Okay, but I have a question for you.
- 0:31Was there a sign that says, do not feed the goats?
- 0:33Not that I saw, but I wasn't really looking for the sign.
- 0:36And so all I got told was, please don't feed the goats Doritos.
- 0:39You're lucky you didn't get kicked out of the corn maze.
- 0:41Well, I know, and we're having the owners of the corn maze on the podcast.
- 0:43We are, so we can talk to them about that soon. I'll tell you right now, the goat loved the Doritos, man, he was into it.
- 0:49Well, goats eat everything.
- 0:51Don't they, but this goat loved those Doritos.
- 0:53So anyway, yeah, but it's a lot of fun.
- 0:55And you?
- 0:56Well, you know, it was just a busy weekend of catching up, you know, back to school is in full swing.
- 1:02So, crazy.
- 1:03Yeah.
- 1:05If I sound a little funny this morning, it's because when I was shaving this morning, I accidentally shaved my tongue.
- 1:10I'm not kidding.
- 1:11Like, I don't know what happened.
- 1:12I was shaving right on my upper lip and my tongue came out.
- 1:15I don't know why.
- 1:16It just came out and the razor hit it.
- 1:17That is the most random.
- 1:19I feel sore right now.
- 1:20Like, I'm not even kidding.
- 1:21Every time I talk, it's really sore.
- 1:23This is what I deal with on a regular basis, people.
- 1:27Well anyways it is. I'm just saying.
- 1:27If it sounds funny or I'm lisping or something, it's because I shaved my tongue.
- 1:31Anyway, everybody, we want to tell you that we are coming today live from the Wall Coffee Roasters in the heart of beautiful downtown Acheson.
- 1:40That's right.
- 1:41So if you hear any machines whirring in the background, people talking, that kind of stuff, it's because we're in a coffee shop and it's live.
- 1:47You're not hearing this live, but we're recording this live.
- 1:50Cam and I hear that the new fall menu at the Wall Coffee Roasters is going to be released soon.
- 1:55They haven't released it yet.
- 1:56No.
- 1:56It's like top secret CIA stuff, but when it comes out, we'll make sure everybody knows about whatever they're offering, pumpkin spice things.
- 2:04If they offer that, I don't know what they're going to offer.
- 2:06I don't know either.
- 2:07Anyway, yeah, so we're glad we're here today.
- 2:09And Jennifer, we want to tell everybody that this episode of Coffee In The Park with Jennifer and Cam is brought to you by Wing Snob.
- 2:18Wing Snob.
- 2:19Wing Snob, one of the best wing places in all of Edmonton.
- 2:23And you're going to love Wing Snob.
- 2:24If you've never been there, they have 16 different flavors of wings.
- 2:28It's amazing.
- 2:2916 different flavors, four different dry rubs.
- 2:31And Cam, do you know why it's the best?
- 2:33Why?
- 2:33Because it's fresh, never frozen.
- 2:35That's right.
- 2:35It's fresh, never frozen.
- 2:36You can get the traditional wings.
- 2:38You know, somebody asked me when we say traditional wings, what does that mean?
- 2:41Well, that's the bone-in wing.
- 2:43And then you can get the boneless wing.
- 2:44Yes.
- 2:45So either, you can get either of those at Wing Snob.
- 2:47Well, actually, if you want both, you can order the 50-50.
- 2:50That's right.
- 2:51You can have half boneless and half traditional.
- 2:53And Wing Snob is the place to do it.
- 2:55They have amazing food at Wing Snob.
- 2:57Ten locations in the city of Edmonton.
- 3:00Edmonton and surrounding area.
- 3:01That's right.
- 3:01It's expanding.
- 3:02They're growing into Grand Prairie and Calgary and all over the map.
- 3:06And they're just amazing.
- 3:07Wonderful wings, wonderful sauces, wonderful rubs.
- 3:10And you know what?
- 3:11You got to check it out.
- 3:12You do.
- 3:12So to find a snob near you, visit www.wingsnob.ca.
- 3:18That's right.
- 3:19www.wingsnob.ca to find a snob near you.
- 3:21And tonight, if you don't have dinner planned, I suggest go get the party pack at Wing Snob.
- 3:26I agree.
- 3:26Amazing.
- 3:27What's your favorite sauce?
- 3:29Well, I like the dill pickle, but I also like the snobby Q.
- 3:31The snobby Q is amazing.
- 3:32It's really good.
- 3:33And I love the parmesan.
- 3:35Man, I'm telling you.
- 3:36And they're parmesan fries to die for.
- 3:38To die for.
- 3:40So check out a Wing Snob tonight.
- 3:41Near you.
- 3:42And we also need to tell you about some other important people that help us make all of this happen.
- 3:47And it's Mprint.
- 3:48Mprint?
- 3:49Mprint.
- 3:50Make sure you get the M.
- 3:52Mprint.
- 3:52No.
- 3:53Mprint Sign and Print Solutions here in Acheson.
- 3:56They're amazing.
- 3:57They do all your printing.
- 3:58Take care of all your printing needs, your signs, your booklets, your pamphlets, your business cards, anything you need done.
- 4:04They'll do it.
- 4:04They'll even.
- 4:05They'll even wrap.
- 4:07So what does that mean, Cam?
- 4:08They've wrapped boats, they've wrapped helicopters, giant motor homes.
- 4:12I thought when you said wrap, they're like...
- 4:16No, no, wrap W.
- 4:18I've seen them in their bay.
- 4:20I've seen motor homes being wrapped.
- 4:22It's incredible.
- 4:23Jan and Don over at Mprint do amazing work and finds unique solutions to suit what you are looking for.
- 4:29That's right.
- 4:29Anything you need to be printed, Mprint will do it for you.
- 4:32You can check them out at www.mprint.ca for all your printing needs.
- 4:38And they are the preferred printer of Coffee In The Park.
- 4:41That's right.
- 4:42They do our business cards.
- 4:43They do our mugs that we give to our guests.
- 4:44All that kind of stuff.
- 4:46They're amazing people.
- 4:46I love them.
- 4:47Wing Snob and Mprint.
- 4:49Check them out today.
- 4:49They are amazing.
- 4:51We need to introduce our guest.
- 4:53I am so excited today about our guest.
- 4:55Are you ready?
- 4:56Oh, I'm more than ready.
- 4:57I didn't sleep last night.
- 4:59That's how excited I am.
- 5:00No, I'm not even kidding.
- 5:01I just didn't sleep. This is amazing! It was because of the football game. Well that too.
- 5:08So our guest today is Josh Classen, who is the chief, I'm going to say this, meteorologist for CTV.
- 5:16So welcome, Josh.
- 5:16You know how you become a chief meteorologist?
- 5:18No, but I need to know.
- 5:19The TV station has two meteorologists.
- 5:22So you're like the boss.
- 5:23There's number one, number two.
- 5:25There's a morning meteorologist and then there's the afternoon that gets the chief title.
- 5:28Josh Classen is a household name in the city of Edmonton, the province of Alberta, and probably, quite honestly, in Canada, and maybe even around the world, because when people are in Egypt and they want to know what the weather's like in Alberta, they're checking out Josh Classen.
- 5:41Absolutely.
- 5:42So Josh, it's good to have you here.
- 5:44Oh, it's great to be here.
- 5:44Thanks for having me.
- 5:45I want to tell you right off the top, my, she just passed away, but my 92-year-old mother lived by you.
- 5:52She was still driving up to the day she died, and she would always tell me, she would phone me and go, I'm listening to Josh Classen because tomorrow when I go to London Drugs to get my newspaper, I need to know what the weather is like.
- 6:05So thank you for taking care of my mom.
- 6:07I do hear that a lot.
- 6:08I bet you do.
- 6:09So yeah, my regards on her passing, but 92 and still driving, that's a good run.
- 6:16But you are a big part of her life.
- 6:17I just need you to know that.
- 6:18Well, that's good.
- 6:19That's good.
- 6:19That's nice to hear.
- 6:20So good to have you here.
- 6:21So Josh, let's kick it off.
- 6:24I believe I read you grew up in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan.
- 6:27Is that correct?
- 6:28Lloydminster, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
- 6:30And Alberta.
- 6:32So both.
- 6:33Okay.
- 6:33But okay, I want to know, I've never asked but where is the hospital?
- 6:37The hospital is on the Saskatchewan side.
- 6:39So are you Saskatchewan citizen?
- 6:40I wasn't born in Saskatchewan.
- 6:42Oh, you weren't?
- 6:42Okay.
- 6:43My birth certificate says Vancouver, but I only lived there for like six months.
- 6:47Oh, but you were born in Vancouver.
- 6:49Now, my parents were in a cult and then broke free of the cult shortly after I was born and then moved to Fort McMurray.
- 6:57And we lived there for a little while.
- 6:59And then when I was like three, then we moved to Lloydminster.
- 7:02Okay.
- 7:04Did you see that one coming? I did not! It was a far right, far right Christian, super religious cult.
- 7:11And they got out.
- 7:12They did get out.
- 7:13Yes.
- 7:14So you're not in any way, shape or form.
- 7:17I'm not in a cult.
- 7:18Okay.
- 7:18No, no.
- 7:19Not that we'd stop the interview or anything.
- 7:21No.
- 7:22But that's fascinating.
- 7:24And they left Vancouver and came here.
- 7:26Went to Fort McMurray and then lived there for a while.
- 7:28And then my dad opened up Windsor Plywood in Lloydminster with my uncle.
- 7:31Really?
- 7:32Ran that for years.
- 7:33And then my dad's a fascinating.
- 7:37He should be on podcasts because he is just the most incredible dude he is.
- 7:43He invented a thing called a deck clip that was before its time.
- 7:48And then the guy who built it, the mold for it, went bankrupt.
- 7:53So he lost all of that, but they sold out all of that and then they just couldn't make any more.
- 7:57Now he's a sculptor.
- 7:58He builds giant cement sculptures.
- 8:02And now he's building a house off the grid.
- 8:04Really?
- 8:05So he's in his early 80s.
- 8:07Oh my gosh.
- 8:09He needed a project.
- 8:11And he lives in Alberta somewhere? Lloydminster.
- 8:12So that was what we did as a kid.
- 8:14So that's why I lived on both sides.
- 8:16Is that we would build a house, we'd live in it for three years.
- 8:18As soon as baseboards and stair railings were going on, it was like, all right, we're moving again.
- 8:26So yeah, we lived on both sides, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
- 8:28How long did you live in Lloyd?
- 8:30Until I was 18 and then went to NAIT and then moved back to Lloyd, did my practicum in Lloyd, worked there for a year and a half-ish, two years.
- 8:41Then I went to Saskatoon and worked in Saskatoon for five years, and then I got transferred to Toronto and then here.
- 8:46And so that like two weeks ago was my 22 year anniversary.
- 8:51Wow.
- 8:5222 years. In Edmonton.
- 8:53Wow.
- 8:54Yeah.
- 8:54So.
- 8:55You look like you're like 19.
- 8:56I know.
- 8:56Doesn't he look amazing?
- 8:58Started when he was like 4, doing the weather or something like that.
- 9:00I'm knocking on 50.
- 9:02So I'll be there in a couple of months.
- 9:03Was all of that weather like, or was it different?
- 9:06Were you DJing?
- 9:07I was a news reporter first in Lloydminster and then hated it.
- 9:13No.
- 9:14Well, I'm not cut out to interview people when bad things happen to them.
- 9:19Yes.
- 9:20So I was lucky enough, I wanted a sports job and the boss there was like, no, you can't have the sports job, but do weather and agriculture.
- 9:30And then I'm like, I don't know anything about weather or agriculture.
- 9:35It was like, it doesn't matter.
- 9:36Nobody knows anything about weather.
- 9:37But agriculture, you're going to have to figure out.
- 9:41What was it about agriculture you have to report?
- 9:44Every day, you had to find stories about... really? Like when elk velvet capsules all of a sudden became a thing.
- 9:55So we did.
- 9:56Yeah.
- 9:57So that was that started right when I was about there.
- 10:00There was a new pea, like a pulse crops factory that opened up east of Lloydminster.
- 10:06So you'd go out and do a story on that.
- 10:08I was horrible at it.
- 10:10Horrible.
- 10:11The woman I replaced, she won awards for her agriculture reporting.
- 10:16We had a half hour show that we had to do every week.
- 10:19A half hour.
- 10:19Agrifax.
- 10:21She would put so much work into this and win awards.
- 10:25I would go out and interview someone for 22 minutes.
- 10:29Then I would just cover it with B-roll.
- 10:33The ratings never went down, but we did not win awards.
- 10:38The farmers were still watching.
- 10:39They were just like, oh my God, why is it?
- 10:43But I really enjoyed doing weather.
- 10:45She didn't like doing weather.
- 10:46She liked the Ag stuff.
- 10:47And then she ended up going to work for Alberta agriculture.
- 10:50So I took her job and started doing weather.
- 10:52And that was pretty cool.
- 10:53Yeah.
- 10:53So you went from Lloyd to Saskatoon.
- 10:57And then while I was in Saskatoon, I thought I should, if I want to pursue this as a career, I should get my meteorology degree.
- 11:04So I went to Mississippi State University because they offer it online.
- 11:08So they set this course up for like military people basically who are overseas and needed their meteorology.
- 11:15And then all of a sudden these TV people started applying.
- 11:17They were like, oh, this is a real market for us.
- 11:20So yeah, like almost everybody that's on TV right now that is a meteorologist went to that course.
- 11:26You have a degree in meteorology.
- 11:29And so how long is that degree?
- 11:31Yeah.
- 11:31If it's online to be a meteorologist.
- 11:34You do three semesters a year for three years.
- 11:36Oh really?
- 11:37Yeah.
- 11:37So you get like two weeks off at Christmas and a week off in the summer time.
- 11:41And you just go, go, go, go, go.
- 11:43So thankfully I was single at the time.
- 11:45Yeah.
- 11:46Like I can't imagine doing it if you had a family.
- 11:48I did not know that.
- 11:50Yeah.
- 11:50So you work, you go to school and try and have a little bit of fun.
- 11:53So you truly are the chief meteorologist.
- 11:56Yeah.
- 11:56You can't say you're an... unless you have the certification.
- 12:02Then you're just the weather dude.
- 12:04You're just the weather dude.
- 12:05But no, Corey is one of the exceptions.
- 12:07So Corey actually went to U of A and took Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, got his meteorology degree that way and then got into TV afterwards.
- 12:14Now I know why my mom will listen.
- 12:16Because you obviously know what you're talking about.
- 12:18Like it's not like just you don't stick your head out the window and go, it's raining today kind of thing. And never wrong Cam.
- 12:26I was going to say how many calls do you get?
- 12:35All I will say is when I, so for a while when Bruce Bowie was still doing the mornings on Ched.
- 12:42So I Replaced, I can't remember who they used to have doing the weather for them.
- 12:47But so we had guaranteed weather.
- 12:49And then when Global bought, Ched, our relationship had to come to an end.
- 12:56But I was undefeated for eight consecutive months.
- 13:02Eight months.
- 13:03We did not hand out a gift card for eight months.
- 13:07And what was it that got you?
- 13:08Was it rain, snow?
- 13:10What was it?
- 13:10No, no, no.
- 13:11I like I ended.
- 13:11Oh, you ended on a winning streak.
- 13:13Yeah.
- 13:14It just never ended.
- 13:15Eight months. That's gotta be a record.
- 13:16That's impressive.
- 13:17Like that's amazing.
- 13:18Well, although, like in the morning, you should be able to know if it's going to be within two degrees of the afternoon.
- 13:27You should be able to.
- 13:29Now, I've read somewhere and those living in Edmonton, they'll know this name.
- 13:33If you've lived in Edmonton where we were four times, you'll know this name that you worked with or studied under Bill Matheson.
- 13:40No, you know what?
- 13:41I met Bill once, but I grew up adoring Bill.
- 13:48He was the man.
- 13:49In fact, you remember his cane.
- 13:52Yes.
- 13:53So when I worked in Lloyd for a while, I tried to adopt the cane and then people were like, that's Bill's thing.
- 14:00You can't do that.
- 14:00You can't do that.
- 14:01You can't do that.
- 14:03No, thankfully, and I mean, I didn't wear the red socks like Bill liked to wear, but yeah.
- 14:10He was a legend.
- 14:11Oh my gosh, and how many years did he do the weather?
- 14:16He was a legend again because of the Bill and Bill show, and then he was doing weather at the same time.
- 14:22Right.
- 14:23But now you're a legend because you've been around longer probably than Bill was, I would say, right?
- 14:28Well, 22 years in Edmonton, so I don't know.
- 14:30Yeah, I don't know how long he would have been around, but longest serving at CFRN CTV, for sure.
- 14:37John Barry would have been probably the second longest serving, maybe who was before.
- 14:43Now, were you at CTV when they were CFRN still?
- 14:47Yes, for the first three or four years, and then we transitioned over to CTV.
- 14:54My connection with CFRN is popcorn playhouse.
- 14:58I was on as a kid popcorn playhouse.
- 15:01You're aging yourself, you're doing it again.
- 15:06Muskeg the Moose.
- 15:08Anyway, yeah.
- 15:09Eric Neville.
- 15:10Eric Neville, that's who it was.
- 15:11Yeah.
- 15:11Popcorn playhouse.
- 15:12Then that's when local TV was.
- 15:14Yes.
- 15:14Oh, absolutely.
- 15:15Everybody watched local TV because that's what you had.
- 15:18That and CBC were the only two in Edmonton for the longest time.
- 15:22Then along came ITV and stuff like that.
- 15:24That's right.
- 15:25The new kids on the block. New and hip.
- 15:27Greg Musselman and those guys.
- 15:29Yeah.
- 15:30So anyway.
- 15:31So, wow.
- 15:32Okay.
- 15:32So you came, you were in Saskatoon.
- 15:35Then where did you go?
- 15:36You said Toronto for a bit?
- 15:37Toronto.
- 15:37And how was that?
- 15:38I was with Global in Saskatoon.
- 15:42And they wanted me to do mornings.
- 15:46They were launching a new morning show in Toronto.
- 15:48And I didn't really want to do mornings, but I was like, okay, fine.
- 15:52And my girlfriend, who's now my wife at the time, she was like, you have to, you have to do this.
- 15:56You have to take it.
- 15:58So I got to call it about four in the morning Saskatoon time.
- 16:02Hey, we'd like to offer you the job.
- 16:04Yeah.
- 16:05I said, okay, great.
- 16:06And she said, that's awesome.
- 16:09So we're prepared to offer you $35,000 a year.
- 16:12I said, I make $35,000 a year in Saskatoon.
- 16:20You're going to the biggest market in the country.
- 16:22I'm sorry.
- 16:23I have to.
- 16:23So I turned it.
- 16:25So then she would call back and offer like $5,000 more.
- 16:29So I turned it down three times.
- 16:32Then eventually the senior vice president of news called and he says, sometimes doors open and you walk through and good things happen on the other side.
- 16:42I said, okay, well, I'm done in this company unless I get this job.
- 16:45So they, still wasn't enough to live.
- 16:48I was like, babe, you're going to have to work.
- 16:51Sorry.
- 16:52Both of us are going to have to work.
- 16:54But so we took that and then I hated it.
- 16:58You hated the job or you hated Toronto?
- 17:00You know what?
- 17:01I loved Toronto.
- 17:03Did not enjoy...
- 17:06I've worked for some really, really amazing people.
- 17:11The news director we had there was not great.
- 17:17We would get into fights about...
- 17:19So I talk with my hands.
- 17:20If you have seen any of my weathercasts, you notice I point...
- 17:26I'll go and mentor kids at NAIT, and the instructor always says, no one's allowed to point at the camera except Josh.
- 17:32For whatever reason, it works.
- 17:34It doesn't look intimidating.
- 17:36It doesn't...
- 17:36But please don't copy that.
- 17:39So we would fight.
- 17:40She's like, I'm going to tape your hands to your sides.
- 17:43I'm like, you offered me this job three times.
- 17:45Yeah.
- 17:45And then it would be like, why do you say these things?
- 17:47I'm like, you know how I...
- 17:49Aren't they watching?
- 17:50Yeah, exactly.
- 17:52So...
- 17:53They were trying to change you.
- 17:54Yes.
- 17:54So then you remember Ian Leonard.
- 17:56Yeah.
- 17:57So you remember Michael Kuss.
- 17:59I remember Michael Kuss.
- 18:00Okay.
- 18:00So Michael Kuss was the chief meteorologist at Global in Toronto when I was there.
- 18:04Yeah.
- 18:05Ian Leonard was still here.
- 18:06He left, called Kuss, and I was out for lunch with Kuss that day.
- 18:10And Kuss was like, oh, well, Ian's going to...
- 18:14I guess you're going back to Edmonton now.
- 18:17And so, yeah, I called Ryan Rashog, was the only guy at the station that I knew, because I had worked with Rashog in Saskatoon.
- 18:24And I was like, Rashog, you got to give me an interview.
- 18:27Who's the news director there?
- 18:29And so, yeah, Steve Hogle was the news director.
- 18:33He flew me out and put me up for a couple of nights.
- 18:38The rest is history.
- 18:39That was 22 years ago.
- 18:43Unbelievable.
- 18:43It is.
- 18:44Okay, so you met your wife in Saskatoon?
- 18:48Yes.
- 18:48Yeah, yeah.
- 18:49Did she follow you to Toronto?
- 18:51Yeah thankfully, I would not have gone had she not.
- 18:54She had just gotten into...
- 18:57She was going to go into education, special needs education.
- 19:00So she had just taken some years off and was like bartending and doing whatever, trying to figure out her life.
- 19:06Finally figured out, okay, this is what I want to do.
- 19:08Got accepted.
- 19:09And then she was supposed to start, right?
- 19:13Like in September, but we left July 1st.
- 19:16So she turned her back on all of that.
- 19:18And then the second day we were in Toronto, we were pregnant.
- 19:26So she couldn't even work.
- 19:28So I was like, we gotta move home.
- 19:30So it all, everything, everything worked out perfectly with the job opening here.
- 19:36Yeah, really lucked up.
- 19:36That's awesome.
- 19:38So Josh, you said initially you wanted to do sports casting.
- 19:43Now, why?
- 19:45I think everybody just wanted to. Everybody does.
- 19:45Like, did you play sports growing up?
- 19:47Was that like a big part of your life?
- 19:51And like when I was in grade 12, I would do the announcing for the in-arena for like all my younger brothers, hockey games and everything.
- 19:59And I had enough people come up and they're like, you should you should think about doing this as a career.
- 20:04So I decided I was going to do that and all of my grade 12 teachers were like, you're you're doing what?
- 20:13Yeah, I'm going to go into broadcasting, like you could do anything you want.
- 20:19Why are you going into broadcasting?
- 20:22Listen, all those other things are still going to be there afterwards.
- 20:25I'm going to have fun at NAIT for two years.
- 20:28If I get a job in broadcasting, great.
- 20:29If not, I'll go back to university afterwards.
- 20:33I probably would have been a teacher.
- 20:36But yeah, my whole family are teachers.
- 20:39My mom's a teacher, my dad was a teacher.
- 20:40Now that's a interesting because I know you do a lot of stuff in schools.
- 20:44In schools, yes.
- 20:47You love that.
- 20:48I do.
- 20:49My favorite part of every week is Tuesday mornings in a grade five class.
- 20:54Oh yeah.
- 20:55Although it's...
- 20:59You can say it, Josh.
- 21:00No, the beauty of that is that I am like, like if the teachers are those kids' parents, I'm like their grandparent.
- 21:09I get to come in, I have fun with them for an hour.
- 21:12Right.
- 21:12And then I like hand them back.
- 21:14I don't have to mark any papers.
- 21:16I don't have any of that to deal with.
- 21:18So, but that's probably what I would have done.
- 21:20I think that you go into the classroom and you talk to kids about the weather.
- 21:23I think that's awesome.
- 21:26Better than just reading it out of a textbook, now you have a live meteorologist talking about weather.
- 21:32I mean, the curriculum has changed.
- 21:34Oh, yes.
- 21:37The hour-long presentation used to hit almost everything that was in that curriculum.
- 21:42With the changes, we're trying to tweak it a little bit so it matches a little bit more.
- 21:45But there's some things that I think should have been kept in and some things that.
- 21:50So, was it your idea then to go into the school?
- 21:52Did you pitch that or were you just approached one day and says, hey Josh, you want to come into the schools?
- 21:56In Saskatoon, although in Saskatoon it was great, like they study weather in grade two.
- 22:02It's tough when they're in grade two.
- 22:04Grade two is a lot.
- 22:05Grade five is a great age for it.
- 22:08They don't hate you yet.
- 22:09They're not too cool.
- 22:12But they're smart enough that they can learn things.
- 22:14Yes.
- 22:14Right.
- 22:15So.
- 22:15That's pretty cool.
- 22:16Yeah.
- 22:17We had a little technical difficulty there, a little behind the scenes.
- 22:20Cam's getting a little flustered.
- 22:21Getting a little warm in here.
- 22:22I don't know if I can handle this.
- 22:23Anyway, I.
- 22:25Just blame it on me.
- 22:26It's fine.
- 22:28It's the weatherman's fault.
- 22:29No, no, no, no, no.
- 22:31I'm never going to do that.
- 22:32Although I do have a question about that.
- 22:34What's that?
- 22:35Josh, if you are wrong about the weather, do you hear about it when you're out and about?
- 22:40Like do little old ladies come up to you and...
- 22:42It was a lot worse in Lloydminster.
- 22:44Yeah.
- 22:46But in Lloydminster, I was not a meteorologist.
- 22:48So I was just repeating whatever Environment Canada said.
- 22:51So I was like, it's not my fault.
- 22:53I know it was wrong.
- 22:54Yes, I'm well aware.
- 22:56Now, people just assume you're always wrong.
- 23:03So even when I'm right, people are like, yeah, you totally blew that one.
- 23:08I'm like, yeah.
- 23:10When's the last time you watched the news?
- 23:12They're like, oh, I haven't watched the news in years.
- 23:14I'm like, well, how do you know I was wrong then?
- 23:15Right, exactly.
- 23:16See, that's not fair.
- 23:17But I can see where the people would get mad, it's like they had a wedding, and you said it was going to be sunny and then it poured.
- 23:23Or if you had a soccer game, and you know, but that probably doesn't happen very, very, very often.
- 23:31Okay, well.
- 23:33So listen, it's hard to do pinpoint forecasting like that, right?
- 23:37I know.
- 23:38For one tiny little location.
- 23:40Exactly.
- 23:41Really.
- 23:41I have a weather app on my phone and it's never right.
- 23:45That weather app is absolutely useless.
- 23:47No, we compare weather.
- 23:49We do.
- 23:50Mine will be different than Jennifer's.
- 23:51It's like crazy.
- 23:52Yeah.
- 23:52So there is one app that actually is really, really good.
- 23:56It's the one we used to have.
- 23:57It used to be the backbone of our weather app.
- 24:01You may not be able to download it anymore because people have been telling me they're having issues.
- 24:08Right.
- 24:08But WGN, the Chicago Superstation, their weather app.
- 24:13And I believe that Fox Minneapolis uses the same app.
- 24:18Really?
- 24:18Okay.
- 24:18So the modeling that comes out of that for long range forecasts is superior to the Weather Network and Environment Canada.
- 24:27Environment Canada is really good for like today and tomorrow.
- 24:30Right.
- 24:31But not a week from now.
- 24:32But not a week from now.
- 24:33Well, that one is generally the most accurate I've found.
- 24:36Jennifer and I.
- 24:36I wish we still had one, but we don't.
- 24:39Jennifer and I just bought the farmer's almanac.
- 24:42Oh, yeah.
- 24:43And I don't know.
- 24:45Has it been accurate?
- 24:46I haven't looked at it.
- 24:47You haven't looked at it?
- 24:47You know why?
- 24:48Because the one we have is for 2026.
- 24:49Oh, that's right.
- 24:50It doesn't start till January 1st.
- 24:52So yeah.
- 24:52So but anyway, yeah, that's...
- 24:55Here's my bone to pick with the farmer's almanac.
- 24:58Being an agricultural reporter.
- 25:04If you forecast for a large enough area, it doesn't matter what you say, you're going to be right somewhere.
- 25:11Yeah, true enough.
- 25:12No good point.
- 25:13If I say in Alberta, it will be a warmer and drier summer.
- 25:16Yeah.
- 25:17It's going to be warmer and drier somewhere.
- 25:21So yeah, it's just not right here.
- 25:23Maybe in Edmonton, but nonetheless.
- 25:25So yeah, we use the farmer's almanac, but I don't know if that really works either.
- 25:29So you came to Edmonton.
- 25:32You're the chief meteorologist.
- 25:34How soon till you became the chief meteorologist?
- 25:37Ian was already calling himself chief meteorologist.
- 25:40So I just sort of inherited that.
- 25:42I like that, calling himself the chief meteorologist.
- 25:44Yeah.
- 25:45No, that's good.
- 25:45Okay.
- 25:46You're married.
- 25:47Looks good on a business card.
- 25:49I am married, yes.
- 25:49No, but you, so where, did you get married in Toronto or Edmonton or?
- 25:52Oh, no, no.
- 25:53We were traditional.
- 25:55We had three kids, then got married.
- 25:56Then got married.
- 25:57Okay, perfect. I love that.
- 25:58And you have three kids.
- 25:59How old are your three kids?
- 26:0021, 19 and 17.
- 26:04Really?
- 26:05Yeah, I can't, I told you I'm old.
- 26:07Josh, I keep looking at you, guy's like.
- 26:10That's amazing.
- 26:11I'm old.
- 26:12And are they, they're all in a school or they're in school or they're.
- 26:15The oldest is making music and doing like beat battles and stuff like that, and just working trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life.
- 26:24And then the middle one is at SAIT in digital music production.
- 26:28Okay.
- 26:28And then the youngest is just going into grade 12 right now.
- 26:32So he's plays basketball and makes music too.
- 26:36So where does the music fit in?
- 26:39Like now I heard.
- 26:41It's true.
- 26:42Is it true?
- 26:43It is.
- 26:43I heard.
- 26:44Well, you know RJ.
- 26:45I do.
- 26:45So I know the legend of Jing and Jock.
- 26:48So I hear you have another career as well.
- 26:54Listen, Mprint could probably hire me.
- 26:56I heard they're big in rapping.
- 26:57Yeah.
- 26:58This is it.
- 26:58This is what I'm saying.
- 27:00I heard you're a rapper.
- 27:01Is this true, this rumor?
- 27:03It is true.
- 27:03Wow.
- 27:04I'm sort of semi-retired until RJ pulls me out every now and then to do a song or a show.
- 27:11Do you have an album or?
- 27:12Oh, we, there are many albums.
- 27:15This is so me.
- 27:16There are many, many albums on cassettes and CDs.
- 27:20Okay.
- 27:21But no, digitally.
- 27:23Digitally.
- 27:25The footprint is pretty small digitally.
- 27:27Okay.
- 27:28So would you, now, we're in a coffee shop and there's a lot of people here.
- 27:32And we have had, as one of our guests, we had Broddy Olson.
- 27:35Broddy is the assistant concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
- 27:39And he brought his violin.
- 27:41Yes.
- 27:41And right here, he played the... do you know where I am going with this?
- 27:43Are you, you're not honestly comparing me to the Symphony Orchestra.
- 27:51No, Josh, my point is, would you be willing to give us a little, a little taste of the Josh rapping, even though we're in the, and don't feel, don't worry about these people.
- 28:02They'll love this.
- 28:04Okay, so go ahead.
- 28:06Well, I heard you beatboxing before, so I don't know if you want to lay track.
- 28:11No, no, no.
- 28:12Okay, all right.
- 28:14Got a lot of personas, hip hop author.
- 28:15The father of three and a degree in weather phenomena.
- 28:19The sky scholar, guy rocking a blue suit and tie on your monitor.
- 28:22The one your grandmama loves.
- 28:24That's awesome.
- 28:28That's right, folks.
- 28:29He'll be here every night this week.
- 28:31Get the veal.
- 28:32Anyway, that's amazing, pal.
- 28:35Okay, but Josh, how did you start?
- 28:37Yeah, like what, yeah.
- 28:39Like what got you into rapping?
- 28:42Public Enemy.
- 28:43Do you remember the group?
- 28:45Yeah, of course I remember Public Enemy.
- 28:47Huge.
- 28:47So I had a buddy when I was growing up and his dad owned the bar.
- 28:53Okay.
- 28:54So the DJ would always give like Fat Boys records to my buddy, Marcus, and then we had run DMC Tougher Than Leather.
- 29:01Yeah.
- 29:02I was like, this is pretty good.
- 29:03I like this.
- 29:04And then I convinced my mom to buy me the cassette of Fear Of A Black Planet, Public Enemy, and that album changed my life.
- 29:13I was like, this is the greatest.
- 29:16And so, yeah, that's all.
- 29:18So then I just would start writing raps.
- 29:20Yeah.
- 29:21I mean, I was always kind of, I would write poetry or short stories and stuff like that.
- 29:26And did you perform?
- 29:27Like, were you, like, performing?
- 29:28Yeah, really.
- 29:30We performed at many talent shows in Lloydminster.
- 29:33And then when I worked in Saskatoon, we would perform once, at least once a month.
- 29:40Really?
- 29:41And then I was in a group with some guys from the States, the Worldwide Wordsmiths.
- 29:45The Worldwide Word, I love that.
- 29:47Did you tour?
- 29:48We did, we did. Did you really.
- 29:50Yes.
- 29:51And so, yeah, one guy, my buddy Derek from Oklahoma and two guys from New York.
- 29:57And then another guy, Shane O from Toronto, who never really did a whole lot.
- 30:01It was sort of just the four of us.
- 30:02But yeah.
- 30:03That's so awesome.
- 30:04I have a box.
- 30:05I should have brought a couple of copies.
- 30:07I've got a box of CDs that I was never able to sell.
- 30:12My kids enjoy having freshly wrapped CDs of their dads.
- 30:16So is this where they got their musicals?
- 30:18I think so.
- 30:19Yeah.
- 30:19Yeah.
- 30:20I would guess that that's.
- 30:21Wow.
- 30:21They want to follow in dad's footsteps.
- 30:23I don't think they want to follow in dad's footsteps.
- 30:26But I do think they think it's kind of cool.
- 30:29It is cool.
- 30:31And I sort of knew how to set up a studio and stuff.
- 30:34So we have a studio in our house.
- 30:35Wow.
- 30:36There is always someone recording something in my.
- 30:41Now, when you go into the schools with the little grade 5ers, do you do a little rap for them, too?
- 30:47No, I mean, after this, you might have to.
- 30:49The word gets out that you're going to have to.
- 30:51Once in a while the word will get out.
- 30:53But yeah, no, we just keep it strictly professional.
- 30:57With the grade 5s.
- 30:59We only sell tickets to the.
- 31:00No, just kidding.
- 31:01Wow, that is so cool.
- 31:02Have you ever done it on air?
- 31:04Like have you ever?
- 31:05No, no.
- 31:07Have you ever seen?
- 31:09There's some guys in the States that like rap the weather.
- 31:12Have you ever seen this?
- 31:13No, I've never seen that really.
- 31:14I gotta go check this out now.
- 31:16It's terrible.
- 31:17Is it terrible?
- 31:19I know that I could do a better job of it, but it's not.
- 31:21It's too cheesy.
- 31:22Yeah, don't.
- 31:24I hear you.
- 31:24I like, I really, really enjoy my job.
- 31:27Yeah, and I love rap.
- 31:30Yeah, and those two should not.
- 31:32Not mix.
- 31:33No.
- 31:33Yeah.
- 31:35That's cool.
- 31:35I can respect that.
- 31:35Okay, I have another question.
- 31:36Okay.
- 31:37This is taking me down the road.
- 31:38There are things that have been in this pod.
- 31:40That've blown me away already.
- 31:41I know.
- 31:41This is incredible.
- 31:42The cult.
- 31:42Yeah.
- 31:44Right.
- 31:44My eyes are still spinning on that one a little bit.
- 31:46But anyway, yeah, okay.
- 31:48So we talked about Public Enemy.
- 31:50You talked about Run DMC.
- 31:53What are your thoughts today on rap versus the rap from then?
- 31:57There's some really good new rappers.
- 31:58I mean, it's always kind of changing.
- 32:00It's the guys that listen to Kool Moe Dee and Rakim.
- 32:08Probably didn't love Busta Rhymes and, you know, The Far Side.
- 32:16So yeah, I mean, I'm not, I don't love it.
- 32:19I don't listen to a lot of it, but it's fine.
- 32:22I think that's what my kids listen to, is that sing songy and I'm like, it got a bit of a bad rap at one point in time.
- 32:31Hey, I didn't even know I was gonna say that.
- 32:33But it really did, didn't it?
- 32:34There was a point in time where rap music got a bad rap because of stuff that was going on.
- 32:39But it was, so I'll tell you, so many years ago, back in the early 80s.
- 32:44You mean back when they were like steamroll and when Tipper Gore was steamrolling.
- 32:49They were burning albums, remember, in the field?
- 32:51So I'll tell you, so many years ago, I worked for an organization and I worked in the ghettos of New York.
- 32:57Yeah.
- 32:58I would spend time in the ghettos of New York way back in the early 80s.
- 33:01Right.
- 33:03That's before it had been, Giuliani came in and cleaned things up.
- 33:07Yes, that's right.
- 33:08So we were in the ghettos, we worked in the ghettos, that's where I spent.
- 33:10That's how those guys, I remember standing on the street corner and they're rapping to each other.
- 33:15Yeah.
- 33:15And nobody really knew what this was yet.
- 33:17And these guys are rapping to each other.
- 33:19And I'm like, this is fascinating.
- 33:21And I had no idea it would become sort of a phenomenon.
- 33:24Global phenomenon.
- 33:25Yeah.
- 33:26But that's where I first heard it, which was really cool.
- 33:28And they were amazing.
- 33:29Like they were just street guys who were just like, you know, I'm like, whoa.
- 33:34And also breakdancing.
- 33:35That's where I first saw breakdance on the cement, on their heads on the cement.
- 33:39None of this, mats with a helmet on crap.
- 33:41I hate stuff.
- 33:42It was just that's what it was.
- 33:44It was amazing. Anyway off topic.
- 33:45Yeah.
- 33:46And now it's in the Olympics.
- 33:47Now it's in the Olympics.
- 33:49Not rapping, the breakdancing.
- 33:51Yeah, rapping will be the next thing in the Olympics.
- 33:53This is all, there already is the Rap Olympics.
- 33:55Josh, this has been absolutely amazing.
- 33:57I'm just, I'm in awe of all of it.
- 33:59This is so cool.
- 34:00So, so, so the other thing we know that you do, and I think it's fabulous, you're really involved in the community.
- 34:07You love giving back to the community.
- 34:10Tell us a little about that, like, you're...
- 34:13I mean, I think it was sort of drilled into me early in my career.
- 34:16That's, yeah, you give back as much as you can.
- 34:21And my parents are kind of like that.
- 34:22I was sort of raised that way.
- 34:23Anyway, so, yeah, I'm involved with, I feel bad that I don't have like one charity, but it's, it would be hard to devote that much time to just one, at the exclusion of everything else, right?
- 34:40So like I get to repel down the side of a building for Wellspring on Friday, and then I'm hosting all day for them on Saturday.
- 34:50They're big fundraisers.
- 34:51What building are you going to repel down?
- 34:52The Sandman Downtown.
- 34:54The Sandman Downtown.
- 34:55All right, if you're in Edmonton, when do we release this?
- 34:58Be live?
- 34:59We'll release after that that's happened.
- 35:01Yeah, so yeah.
- 35:01Well, by then people will have seen it.
- 35:03We're going to do it live during the news on Friday.
- 35:06Fabulous.
- 35:07Yes, I mean, there's a million really good causes in the city.
- 35:13I remember one segment you did, actually.
- 35:16You would walk through the show home.
- 35:19And we still do that.
- 35:21I remember one year, and maybe it's more than one, but I saw the one where you took your kids with you through the show home.
- 35:27That was hilarious.
- 35:28So for years, we would do, every time the Stollery Mighty Millions Lottery House was out, I would go shoot a video with my kids.
- 35:37We'd run around the house.
- 35:39My kids, about ten years, five years ago, my kids stopped getting cute.
- 35:45Yeah.
- 35:47They were awkward teenagers.
- 35:50And so the producers were like, maybe don't bring them.
- 35:53I think that might have been one of them as it was coming to the end, because one of your sons did not look happy about being there.
- 36:00Oh no, that would have been prior.
- 36:02He was never happy to be there at any point in time.
- 36:05One of them, I think, was in the bathtub or something, or you were in the bathtub or something.
- 36:10Yeah, that just went.
- 36:10We had so much fun with those.
- 36:13So good.
- 36:15Now they get to have me sleep in the house.
- 36:19I spend a night in one of the houses.
- 36:21Oh, really?
- 36:22So yeah, we do lots with all of those.
- 36:25That'd be kind of cool.
- 36:26You can have like a party or something in the house.
- 36:32It's generally just me and the security guard hanging out.
- 36:37Why are all those cars parked out in front of the lottery home?
- 36:40Yeah, that's right.
- 36:42We're just breaking it in.
- 36:44Yeah, that's right.
- 36:44Just making sure it's working.
- 36:45Well, that's cool.
- 36:47Yeah, it's good.
- 36:48I think if you have the ability to give back and to help, you should.
- 36:53So I have the ability and the time.
- 36:55So you do a great job of it.
- 36:57Well, this has been amazing.
- 36:59I could go on forever.
- 37:00I've learned so many things today.
- 37:02Just blowing me away.
- 37:03Cam's just in awe.
- 37:05I'm totally in awe.
- 37:06I always was a fan.
- 37:07Now I'm just a massive fan.
- 37:10Anyway, this has been fantastic.
- 37:12It has.
- 37:12Josh, we have one final question that we ask.
- 37:15All our guests.
- 37:16So what is the best piece of advice you've been given, either personally or professionally, that you carry with you to this day?
- 37:24Oh, my.
- 37:26Okay, I'm going to bring this back to my dad.
- 37:29So I won't tell you the backstory, but his piece of advice was, this is not the first time it's happened.
- 37:36It's not the last time it's happened, but it should be the last time it happens to you.
- 37:41Oh, that's classic.
- 37:44That is parenting advice right there.
- 37:46That is classic.
- 37:48Wow, I love that.
- 37:49I've dropped that on my kids a couple of times.
- 37:52The fact I've had to use it multiple times means maybe it didn't affect them as much as it affected me, but yeah.
- 37:59That is, that's classic.
- 38:00That is really amazing.
- 38:02You are an amazing guy.
- 38:03We're fortunate in the city of Edmonton to have you, I think.
- 38:08I mean that because just by watching you and hearing stories and the things you do now after today, I'm like, you're like an icon.
- 38:17You're like a legend here.
- 38:19That's fantastic.
- 38:20I hope you never leave.
- 38:21I hope no big station calls you in like Miami or something and come down and do Miami.
- 38:26There will be no offer that will be better than what I have here.
- 38:34There have been opportunities over the years and nothing is better than what I have here.
- 38:39People in Edmonton are fantastic.
- 38:41They've treated me well.
- 38:43So yeah, my career will end here.
- 38:46You know, whether it's of my own volition or not.
- 38:51But you got a career to fall back on.
- 38:52Sure.
- 38:52You always need rappers.
- 38:54Like seriously.
- 38:55Yeah, exactly.
- 38:56And so I just think and you know, and I say this sincerely because I think media personalities in any city and in ours and we've interviewed a couple of them and we're very fortunate.
- 39:06I just find that that they're amazing people who want to not only give back, but do care about this city, do love this city and are ingrained in this city.
- 39:16And it's not just some passing fad or this is where I live or you know.
- 39:20And it's something about this city.
- 39:22Yeah, it is, isn't it?
- 39:23Yeah.
- 39:24Okay.
- 39:25I don't know that that's the case in a lot of other cities.
- 39:29I'm probably wrong.
- 39:30It probably is.
- 39:31But you think about the personalities that this city has had.
- 39:36Oh, yeah.
- 39:36Absolutely.
- 39:38So, yeah.
- 39:39I mean, in every aspect, whether it's entertainment, sports, whatever it is.
- 39:42I mean, it's just, you know, and even the entertainment side of things, music and movie and film industry and all of those kinds of things, television, all of that radio.
- 39:52We've had some amazing, amazing people.
- 39:54And they all come back and they all live here.
- 39:56Yeah.
- 39:56And they want to live here even in their retirement.
- 39:58Many of them want to come back and endure the minus 30.
- 40:02Well, they're probably down in the...
- 40:03No, no, no.
- 40:05Coming from a meteorologist.
- 40:06It's fine.
- 40:08It's a dry cold.
- 40:09I was going to get into the whole climate change thing.
- 40:13That's a whole other podcast.
- 40:14We don't.
- 40:15Bring me back for that one.
- 40:16Yeah we'll bring you back for that one.
- 40:18I don't need people at the door.
- 40:19Anyway, we won't go into that.
- 40:20It's like, this has been great.
- 40:22It's been great.
- 40:23Fantastic.
- 40:23Hey, everybody.
- 40:24Just again, want to remind you about Wing Snob.
- 40:27Great place to have wings.
- 40:31www.wingsnob.ca, Mprint sign and Print Solutions, if you need something printed, www.mprint.ca, and we want to tell you about our new website for Coffee In The Park, www.coffeeinthepark.ca, and no,.
- 40:46com.
- 40:47That's right,.
- 40:48com.
- 40:48Read the script, Cam.
- 40:50Read the script.
- 40:52I vowed today, because I struggled in the last podcast.
- 40:55We did struggle in the last podcast.
- 41:00www.coffeeinthepark.com, dot.com,.
- 41:02com.
- 41:04Oh, man, am I going to hear about it after this?
- 41:08Anyways, listen, make sure you tell somebody about the podcast.
- 41:12Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your coworkers, tell your enemies.
- 41:16If you don't have a friend, go and make one just so you could tell them about the podcast.
- 41:20And this has been absolutely fantastic.
- 41:23Josh, I'm just honored.
- 41:24We're honored that you would take time out to do this today.
- 41:27Thank you so much.
- 41:28Thank you so much.
- 41:28No, thanks for inviting me.
- 41:29It was great.
- 41:30Yeah.
- 41:30Thanks everybody.
- 41:31We'll see you next time.
- 41:31See you next week.