George Stroumboulopoulos: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|Canadian broadcaster}}

| employer =

'''George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|CM}} ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|t|r|ɒ|m|b|ə|ˈ|l|ɒ|p|ə|l|ə|s}}; [[Greek language|Greek]]: Γεώργιος Μάρκος Παύλος Στρουμπουλόπουλος; born August 16, 1972) is a Canadian media personality, television host and podcaster. He is one of Canada's most popular broadcasters and best known as formerly being a [[VJ (media personality)|VJ]] for the Canadian music television channel [[MuchMusic]]. He was also the host and co-executive producer of the [[CBC Television]] talk show ''[[George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight]]'' (formerly ''The Hour'') from 2005 to 2014. From 2014 to 2016, Stroumboulopoulos worked for [[Rogers Media]], anchoring ''[[Hockey Night in Canada]]'' and the ''[[NHL on Sportsnet|NHL on Rogers]]''.<ref name=rogers>{{cite news|title=Stroumboulopoulos named 'Hockey Night in Canada' host|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/stroumboulopoulos-to-take-over-for-maclean-as-new-host-of-hockey-night-in-canada/article17390692/|access-date=March 10, 2014|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=March 9, 2014}}</ref> HeFrom is2009 currentlyto (as2023, ofhe December 2019)was a radio host on [[CBC Music]]. Most recently, he joined [[Apple Music Radio]] as host of a Monday to Thursday live show.<ref>{{cite news |title=Strombo talks 'Hockey Night in Canada,' the art of hosting and recreating the Much magic on Apple Music Hits |url=https://outline.com/45WJ2A |access-date=September 26, 2020 |work=Toronto Star |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref>

Stroumboulopoulos was born in [[Malton, Ontario]], a neighbourhood in [[Mississauga]], Ontario, to a [[Greek Canadians|Greek]] father [[Greeks in Egypt|from Egypt]] and a [[Ukrainian Canadian|Ukrainian]] mother.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourpublicairwaves.ca/index.php?page=961|title=Our Public Airwaves - This Hour has a nose ring<!-- Bot generated title -->|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103082633/http://www.ourpublicairwaves.ca/index.php?page=961|archive-date=2007-01-03}}</ref> He was raised in [[Toronto]], primarily by his mother and a close-knit extended family.<ref name="Ryerson Review of Journalism">{{cite magazine|title=The Case for George|magazine=[[Ryerson Review of Journalism]]|date=Summer 2007|url=http://www.rrj.ca/issue/2007/summer/696/}}</ref> After graduating from [[Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School]], he brieflygraduated studiedfrom radiothe broadcastingRadio Broadcasting program at Toronto’sToronto's [[Humber College]] in 1993.<ref name="HC ref">{{cite news|last=|first=|authorlink=|url=https://humber.ca/advancementandalumni/alumni/news-and-events/humber-stories.html |title=Radio Broadcasting grad George Stroumboulopoulos mentors students |agency=[[Humber College]] |date=6 April 2018 |access-date=26 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

From 2000 to 2004, Stroumboulopoulos worked at [[MuchMusic]] as producer and host of ''[[The Punk Show]]'', then host of ''[[The NewMusic]]'', ''[[MuchLOUD]]'' and ''[[MuchOnDemand#News|MuchNews]]''.<ref name="cbc1">{{cite news |url= httphttps://www.cbc.ca/artsnews/storyentertainment/2004/11/12/Stroumboulopoulos041112george-stroumboulopoulos-departs-muchmusic-1.html484515 |title=George Stroumboulopoulos departs MuchMusic |access-date=2009-12-11|publisher=CBC | date=November 12, 2004}}</ref>

Stroumboulopoulos has hosted a long-running Sunday night [[talk radio]] show, ''[[The Strombo Show]]'' since 2005, on CBC Radio 2. Originally aired as a talk show on [[CFRB]] in [[Toronto]] and [[CJAD]] in [[Montreal]], the show moved to the Corus network in November 2007 and the format changed to one of mainly music. ''The Strombo Show'' broadcast from [[CFNY-FM|102.1 The Edge]]'s Toronto studio and on other radio stations in the [[Corus Entertainment]] network, including [[CFOX-FM]] in [[Vancouver]], [[CJKR-FM|Power 97]] in [[Winnipeg]], [[CFPL-FM|FM96]] in [[London, Ontario|London]] and [[CJXY-FM|Y108]] in [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]].

The show moved to [[CBC Radio 2]] on November 8, 2009, and continuescontinued as a music-oriented [[Freeform (radio format)|freeform]] radio [[talk show]] until 2023.

On January 17, 2005, the first episode of ''[[George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight|The Hour]]'' went to air. In the show's seventh season, in 2010, the show's name changed to ''George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight'', and it was shortened from one hour to half an hour. ''George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight'' was a hybrid of news and celebrity and covered everything from politics, pop culture, the environment, human rights, entertainment, sports and more. It won eight [[Gemini Award]]s. There are a range of guests on the show from world leaders to celebrities and politicians.<ref>Some of ''The Hour's'' more notable guests included: [[Gene Simmons]], [[Al Gore]], [[Sarah Palin]], [[Tony Bennett]], [[Tom Cruise]], [[Ricky Gervais]], [[Bono]], [[Jane Goodall]], [[Noam Chomsky]], [[Matt Damon]], [[Gordon Ramsay]], former Prime Minister [[Jean Chrétien]], former Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]], [[Tim Robbins]], [[Gore Vidal]], [[Spike Lee]], former U.S. President [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Richard Dawkins]], [[Samuel L. Jackson]], [[Paul Anka]], [[Richard Branson]], [[Barbara Walters]], Former President of Mexico [[Vicente Fox]], [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Larry King]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Bif Naked]], [[Adrien Brody]], [[Ted Danson]], NHL Commissioner [[Gary Bettman]], [[Chris Jericho]], [[Hulk Hogan]], [[Georges St-Pierre]], [[Dave Grohl]], [[Geddy Lee]] and [[Alex Lifeson]] of [[Rush (band)|Rush]], [[The Smashing Pumpkins]], [[Coldplay]], [[Russell Peters]], [[Michael Bublé]], [[Tegan and Sara]], [[David Suzuki]], [[Stephen King]] and [[Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)|Engelbert Humperdinck]]. On December 31, 2008 ''The Hour'' hosted a New Year's Eve Special and interviewed [[Sarah Palin]] from [[Fairbanks, Alaska]].</ref> The show concluded at the end of the 2013-20142013–2014 season as Stroumboulopoulos moved to [[Rogers Communications]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Brioux |first=Bill |title=Report: Strombo scores as Rogers' HNiC host |url=http://www.brioux.tv/2014/03/report-strombo-scores-rogers-hnic.html |access-date=March 10, 2014 |newspaper=brioux.tv |date=March 9, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310183716/http://www.brioux.tv/2014/03/report-strombo-scores-rogers-hnic.html |archive-date=March 10, 2014 }}</ref>

The show was reportedly the most expensive summer series in the history of the ABC network.<ref name="cbc_cancelled">[httphttps://www.cbc.ca/artsnews/story/2006/07/28entertainment/canadian-version-of-the-one-cancelledstill-possible-cbc-executive-1.html587603 Canadian version of The One still possible: CBC executive], CBC.ca, July 28, 2006</ref> Its first episode, on July 18, 2006, scored a low audience of 3.08 million viewers,<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/25/AR2006072501591.html 'One' Miserable Showing: 'Idol' Knockoff Sets a Record], John Maynard, ''[[The Washington Post]]'', July 26, 2006</ref> and subsequent episodes had even fewer viewers. The series was cancelled after just two weeks (four episodes) with the final results undecided on July 27, 2006, with no plans for any further episodes.

Stroumboulopoulos’ hour-long talk series for [[CNN]], ''Stroumboulopoulos'', aired during the late spring and the summer of 2013.<ref>{{cite web|title=Strombo comes to CNN|url=http://strombo.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/01/strombo-comes-to-cnn/|publisher=CNN|access-date=10 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911073739/http://strombo.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/01/strombo-comes-to-cnn/|archive-date=11 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name = "strombocnn">{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2013/09/17/george_stroumboulopoulos_is_back_with_his_cbc_talk_show.html|title=George Stroumboulopoulos is back with his CBC talk show|work=[[Toronto Star]] |author=Tony Wong|date=September 17, 2013|access-date=December 29, 2013}}</ref> It was taped before a live audience in [[Los Angeles]], and featured interviews in a format similar to his CBC show.<ref>{{cite news|title=CBC's George Stroumboulopoulos to host CNN show|url=httphttps://www.cbc.ca/news/artsentertainment/story/2013/04/09/strombocbc-s-george-stroumboulopoulos-to-host-cnn-show-1.html1401548|access-date=13 April 2013|newspaper=CBCNews|date=9 April 2013}}</ref> Sometimes, episodes did not air as scheduled.<ref name = "strombocnn"/> After airing seven episodes from June 14, 2013, to August 16, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvlive.com/todays-news/2014/1/22/zucker-celebrates-1-year-at-cnn?dtoc|title=Zucker Celebrates 1 Year at CNN|date=22 January 2014 }}</ref> CNN did not renew the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://o.canada.com/entertainment/television/cbc-pulls-plug-on-george-stroumboulopoulos-tonight-as-host-rumoured-to-take-over-hnic/|title=CBC pulls plug on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight as its host leaves for hockey|publisher=canada.com|author=Jon Dekel|date=March 10, 2014|access-date=April 21, 2014}}</ref>

Strombo's role on ''Hockey Night'', which was part of an effort to appeal to younger viewers,<ref name=gandm-george>{{cite news|title=Rogers betting Stroumboulopoulos can grow HNIC's appeal|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/cbcs-stroumboulopoulos-to-host-hockey-night-in-canada/article17394956/|access-date=October 5, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail|date=March 10, 2014}}</ref> received mixed reception. Viewers surveyed upon his introduction felt that he was not a "credible" successor to Ron MacLean,<ref name=gandm-heretostay>{{cite news|title=Sorry Ron MacLean fans, George Stroumboulopoulos is here to stay|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sorry-ron-maclean-fans-george-stroumboulopoulos-is-here-to-stay/article21548809/|access-date=March 16, 2015|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref> In a move which the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' speculated was meant to help re-gain viewership lost over the first two seasons of the contract (which was also credited to the poor performance of Canadian teams in the 2015-162015–16 season),<ref name="torstar-stromboisout">{{cite news|title=Ron MacLean to replace Strombo on Hockey Night in Canada: Feschuk|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2016/06/19/ron-maclean-to-replace-strombo-on-hockey-night-in-canada-feschuk.html|website=Toronto Star|date=19 June 2016 |access-date=20 June 2016}}</ref> Sportsnet announced on June 27, 2016, that Stroumboulopoulos had been let go from Rogers, and that Ron MacLean would be reinstated.<ref name="sportsnet-macleanisback">{{cite web|title=Ron MacLean to host Hockey Night in Canada, with David Amber|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/ron-maclean-host-hockey-night-canada-david-amber/|website=Sportsnet.ca|access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref>

Starting on August 18, 2020, George Stroumboulopoulos became the host for his new show called STROMBO on the newly created [[Apple Music 1|Apple Music Hits]] radio station on [[Apple Music]]'s live radio. The shows airs Monday to ThursdayFriday every week at 26:00pm (PST).<ref>{{Cite web|title=STROMBO on Apple Music|url=https://music.apple.com/us/curator/strombo/1496683317}}</ref>

===Other Worksworks===

Stroumboulopoulos is a strong advocate of social issues and has been actively part-takingpartaking in many global initiatives and involved with numerous charitable initiatives, such as hosting the 'HipHop4Africa' Mandela Children's Fund Canada and CapAids February 2006 Toronto benefit. He has traveled to the Arctic for a special on literacy, youth culture and the loss of Inuit identity. He has been to Sudan with War Child Canada, and Zambia for a World AIDS Day special documentary. He also supports Make Poverty History. He joined other prominent Canadians in sharing views on global issues in the March 2010 issue of ''Upstream Journal'' magazine.

*He was also awarded an honorary degree in Communicationscommunications from [[Humber College]] in June, 2009.

*On March 6, 2012, the World Economic Forum announced that he had been selected as a Young Global Leader (YGL) for 2012, and was one of three Canadians to receive the global honourindoctrination.

He received a [[Canadian Screen Award]] nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series at the [[10th Canadian Screen Awards]] for his role in the comedy web series ''[[The Communist's Daughter]]''.<ref>Brent Furdyk, [https://etcanada.com/news/867531/2022-canadian-screen-awards-nominees-announced/ "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, ‘Sort Of’ & ‘Scarborough’ Lead The Pack"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308182553/https://etcanada.com/news/867531/2022-canadian-screen-awards-nominees-announced/ |date=2022-03-08 }}. ''[[ET Canada]]'', February 15, 2022.</ref>

[[Category:Canadian VJsvideo (media personalities)jockeys]]