Ljungberg no longer to be master of the TV morn

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/11/2010 (5777 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wearing his retro 1976 tan tuxedo with white Naugahyde shoes and velvet butterfly bow tie, Jon Ljungberg is hosting his last Breakfast Television show today, after 11 years of waking Winnipeggers with warmth, info and comedy.

“It’s been a very good run and I’ve had a good time. But I’m over it, and it’s time to move on,” said Ljungberg. Jon’s position has been posted for weeks but still no announcement has been made for Monday.

“I’m sure they (management) will let us know as soon as they know,” says producer Michael Draven. “Pay Chen will be continuing,” he adds “and the show will go on.”

Meanwhile, Ljungberg — the consummate host and standup comedian — confirmed the hot rumour around town he has another TV project in the works that will be announced in January. “I’m going home to New England in December, but will be back for Christmas,” says the American-born transplant, who has his kids here. He’s also entertaining several offers for daytime work that doesn’t involve a clanging 3:45 a.m. alarm. Miss him already? You can catch Jon hosting and doing his special brand of comedy at the big New Year’s show with Kim Mitchell at McPhillips Station Casino.

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SINGING A SONG AS WE GO ALONG: Psst! Lucky Winnipeggers will get a surprise serenade in local restaurants with new a capella group, the SnowTones, making secret rounds. The new quartet, who do fab harmonies and percussion with their voices only, are headed up by Bill Quinn of disbanded Easy T’s fame (four albums, 1983-1995) and are practising Christmas songs as we speak. They will be popping into local restaurants over the Christmas season, doing two or three songs at each stop. The group includes recording jazz artist Jodie Borlé, tenor Conrad Siebert, sweet soprano Sara Clefstad, and Quinn singing bass. They recently debuted at the MGEU provincial conference at the convention centre and their doo-wop harmonies inspired a standing ovation from 300 union types pumping their fists, yelling and dancing. Yours truly squeezed out one of their routes — Harrow Street to Confusion Corner including all places, from ethnic restaurants to little spots like Daly Burgers (“They’ll give us a deal on chips!”)

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HONKING DIDGES: Michael Thompson loves to honk — on his one-note didgeridoo, which is a long pipe of Australian wood, hollowed out by white ants. Sunday at 3 p.m., the well-known tenor and expert didge player is directing a fun choir of 30 Winnipeg didge virgins including local well-knowns such as the WRHA’s Marlene Stern and David Northcott of Winnipeg Harvest. They get one practice only and will be honking away on “special” songs as part of the Camerata Nova concert of “rare and beautiful early music” performed by a choral group of 16 singers. The concert at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church is free to the public, with donations of food to Winnipeg Harvest. The didgeridoos made for Thompson’s didge choir are not traditional eucalyptus trees. “They’ll be made out of black plumbing pipe,” laughs Thompson. “I think it’s the sound of the Earth, something very organized about it… your whole body is full of water and that vibration courses through it. It’s my mental health strategy.” Thompson sings tenor with Camerata Nova and first tenor with the Winnipeg Singers, but he’s determined not to be a starving artist. At 42 he’s back in school taking electrical applications at Winnipeg Tech. “I had a huge mid-life crisis at 40. I didn’t go and get a sports car and a new girlfriend. I looked at my finances and said, “I gotta make some money before I can’t.”

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