The Buzz

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This article was published 19/9/2019 (250 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BEN MacPHEE-SIGURDSON / BOOKS
Federal leaders’ lives as kids drawn by local author

Ever wonder what Justin Trudeau, Jagmeet Singh, Elizabeth May and Andrew Scheer were like as kids? Local cartoonist Kaj Hasselriis’s Politikids explores the lives of the leaders as kids based on insight from their respective memoirs and/or tidbits culled from past news articles about them. Geared towards Canada’s future voters and politicians, the small volume includes stories about Justin Trudeau’s struggles as the son of a prime minister, Andrew Scheer’s time as a paperboy in Ottawa, Jagmeet (then Jimmy) Singh’s training in tae kwon do, Elizabeth May’s Connecticut origins and much more. The book costs $10 and can be purchased at kajhasselriis.com.

 

JEN ZORATTI / NETFLIX
Chelsea Handler checks her privilege

If you’re looking for things to stream this weekend, Chelsea Handler’s much buzzed-about documentary, Hello, Privilege. It’s me, Chelsea, is now available on Netflix. In it, the comedian examines the often prickly concept of white privilege in America, and, perhaps most interestingly, how she herself has benefited from it. She travels around the United States, talking race with everyone from comedians Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish and W. Kamau Bell to a Republican women’s group in California, in order to learn "how to be a better white person to people of colour."

 

ERIN LEBAR / MUSIC
Winnipeg teen in semi-finals of Opening Act competition

Winnipeg-based singer-songwriter Allanah Jeffreys has made it to the semi-finals of Opening Act, a competition based out of L.A. which offers one aspiring artist the opportunity to perform an opening slot at the seventh-annual We Can Survive concert at the Hollywood Bowl, as well as a $10,000 cash prize. Other acts scheduled to perform at the concert event include massive music names such as Taylor Swift, Camila Cabello, Jonas Brother, Billie Eilish, Marshmello and Lizzo, among others. Jeffreys, who has already beat out applicants from all over the world, is relying on public votes to make it through to the final round; voting can be done at wfp.to/openact and ends Thursday (Sept. 19) at 10 p.m. local time. Jeffreys’s newest single, Loyalty, is available to stream on all major streaming platforms.

 

EVA WASNEY / DANCE
Winnipeg-born dancer brings home Big Apple moves

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is hosting a series of pop-up masterclass workshops this year to celebrate its 80th season. The first session runs from Sept. 19 to 21 and features RWB School alum and current Radio City Dancer Connor Coughlin. Since graduating in 2014, the 23-year-old from Winnipeg has made a name for himself in New York’s dance scene, performing in Elf, 42nd Street and the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. Coughlin is also a teacher at Luigi’s Jazz Centre and will be sharing techniques developed at that studio and choreography inspired by the Rockettes. All workshops take place at the RWB at 380 Graham Ave. and are suitable for dancers aged 10 years and up, including adults. Classes run 6:40 to 7:40 p.m. on Thursday; 8:30 to 10 p.m. Friday; and at various times from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Call the ballet’s office at 204-957-3467 for more information and to register.