Saint John — The “biggest little city in the East” has proven to be a popular destination among the Hollywood elite.
Below is the list I am happy to say I’m perpetually augmenting as more and more of our brightest stars land in the Port City, and I find some way to meet them.
Mike Holmes: While in town filming an episode of Holmes on Homes, the godfather of renovation himself graced our streets and spent the better part of an evening at the Saint John Ale House. Having followed him from the airport, I watched him from afar at the door of the restaurant. After 20 minutes, his companion finally left to use the washroom; I used the opportunity to sidle up next to him and ask him to sign my shoe. He laughed as he signed it “Not Mike Holmes” but I fixed it by crossing out the “not” part. Now I have a shoe signed by Mike Holmes.
Devon Sawa: I was using the Internet at the public library when I saw Mr. Sawa in the reference section… without a bodyguard detail. My jaw hit the floor. I approached him and told him that despite being half my age, I wanted to be him when I grow up. He insisted that he was not Devon Sawa; he claimed to be a Saint John High School student. I take the fact that I was arrested that day as proof that he definitely was Devon Sawa.
Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea: I saw Alan having breakfast by himself at Reggie’s the morning after a concert at Harbour Station. I don’t know if you noticed there, but I referred to him by his first name — I feel comfortable doing that because I did it when I saw him at Reggie’s and he was totally cool with it. Unfortunately I was banned from Reggie’s, so we didn’t get to chat for very long.
Pat Borders: Fresh off his World Series victory as the catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, Mr. Borders visited the Lancaster Mall and signed autographs. On the one hand, the day was a wash because Play it Again Sports was out of baseballs, but on the other hand, I’m probably the only person on earth with a Pat Borders autographed badminton shuttlecock.
Red Green: Unable to attend his performance at the Imperial Theatre for legal reasons, I cannot say for sure how or even what Mr. Green’s performance was. I can say however that from the City Market entrance (the imposed minimum of 250 feet away) I could see a red flannel object move from the front door into a waiting car. Sure, it may seem like the Red Green encounter was the least intimate, but just because of who Mr. Green is, and what he represents to the global cultural landscape, it was without a doubt the most profound moment of my life. Mr. Green inspired me to make a full child-support payment.
