Second Chances and Second Editions...

I've done it again, not blogged for a while. I always kick myself when I realise this and yet, it takes self-shaming to get me back into gear. It's not that I don't want to, it's that the world seems rather noisy right now and trying to shut my brain off to sit down and write is something I struggle with, especially if it's about myself. 

Since I last blogged a fair amount has changed in my world. Last September I sadly lost my cat, Archie, heartbroken is not a big enough word. I have never felt such a pure love before nor after and I don't suppose I ever will, I get on with it by telling myself I will never get over him, and that's okay.

In happier news, I then achieved an MA in Comedy Writing, before having more major surgery last October (of which I've recovered beautifully).  So you could say it's been a bit of a mixed bag. 

John Candy has brought a lot to my life - comfort, laughter and some courage. Whilst writing and learning about John I read a lot about improv comedy and I've always been envious of people who can get up there and just do it! The fear has always got in the way. A few weeks ago I attended my first-ever improv workshop courtesy of the wonderful Giant Leap Improv, I was terrified and exhilarated and will definitely be doing it again. 

On top of that I've been working on something... 

A Second Edition of Searching For Candy, and I'm so proud of it. Big thanks to the team, editor Joe Shooman and designer, Gary McGarvey for all the hard work they put in for me. I was blessed with new interviews from friends and colleagues of John's, new stories, new pictures, and in total around an extra 20,000 words, it's also available in hardback and looks stunning (thanks Gary AKA Horse). 

You can buy it now here

In other news, I was one of the main admins on a very successful Facebook group called Long Live John Candy, unfortunately in March we were hacked and it has since been taken over by bots and spammers. We (myself and Johnny Zito) put years into that group and it was all very upsetting, however, we have started a new one (and because we didn't inherit this one we can't be kicked out), so if you are on FB please come join our new group and join in the conversation about John Candy at John Candy Lives On.   

One final thing to mention (this is what happens when I don't blog often, there is a lot to fit in!) I was interviewed by the wonderful Jim Hawkins for his Hello, You podcast, you can hear me talking about John and the book here, Jim is brilliant and creating a wonderful community so you should definitely check it out. 

I hope you are all keeping well and are finding joy in the world, even at this turbulent time. Gawd knows we need John Candy more than ever. 

Big love to you all, 

Tracey x

Those Aren't Pillows!

Hey all, 

Well, how is everyone doing? 

I have been slacking on the ol' blog posts, haven't I? I promise to write more than once a year in the future, sometimes life gets a little overwhelming and things go on the back burner. 

I am doing okay, my health has been holding me back a little, I had major surgery in June and am awaiting another large operation. Still, it may slow me down, but it doesn't stop me. 

I'm presently busy with a few different projects, most notably an MA in Comedy Writing - which, as you can imagine is great fun. I'm also writing the second edition of Searching For Candy which will be finished imminently. Thanks to Gary at Horse, here is the new front cover, it will also be available in hardback which is very exciting. 

Have you heard the exciting news about the release of the 4k Blu-Ray Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (out on 22nd November)? Of course you have, everyone is talking about it, it's already at the top of most Amazon charts just from the pre-orders! The big gift is the bonus disc, 75 minutes of unseen footage including deleted scenes. I have to be honest, I never thought we would see this footage. I read a John Hughes interview from many years ago stating the film had likely perished so I never held out much hope. Big kudos to Joe Ramoni at Hats Off Entertainment for finding some deleted scenes and starting a campaign to release the Hughes cut and to all those that put pressure on Paramount Studios for the release. Sadly, we won't get the full director 4-hour cut but there is surely some wonderful comedy gold that has been dug up. I can't wait! If nothing else it's just lovely to see footage of John Candy that I've never seen before. 

Also, if you are into film trivia, have you checked out my book, Those Aren't Pillows! A  Fan's Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles? It also includes information about deleted scenes, interviews from some of the actors and crew, and takes you through the film step by step. It's well worth a look (even if I do say so myself).  

I hope you're enjoying the changing of the seasons. It's been a strange few years, hasn't it? I hope everyone is doing okay and hanging in there. Thank goodness for comedy, as John himself said, "As long as you can savor the humorous aspect of misery and misfortune, you can overcome anything". 

More news coming soon (well, sooner than 12 months I hope). 

With lots of love, 

Tracey xxxx 

No Guts No Glory

Hey everyone, 

Is this really my first blog post of the year? I'm ever so sorry, I'm writing on my personal report "must try harder". It's not that I haven't been meaning to, it's just sometimes I fear I risk repeating myself. 

However, there is a new topic in town that I've been thinking about, not my town, but in a town not too far from here. John Candy fan, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) is now the co-owner of Wrexham Town Football Club, alongside his partner Rob McElhenney (It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia). It's a huge coup for British football and certainly for Wrexham itself who are very much the underdog.  The excitement is palpable - even I, not a football fan, am very excited to see where this goes, it's more than football, they are creating a dream to chase, and what is more wonderful than that? 

So what does this have to do with John? Well to me it has so many similarities to the time when John Candy co-owned the Toronto Argonauts. In 1991 John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, and Bruce McNall bought the Toronto Argonauts, and John completely emersed himself into the role.  Not only would they sign the highest paid footballer that the US and North America had ever seen at that time, Rocket Ismail, they would go on to win the CFL Grey Cup that year, lift every blackout and rejuvinate the whole of the CFL. John was a huge part of this, he put so much of his own time and money promoting, he blew the budget on the opening game that year getting his pals on stage including Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi as The Blues Brothers, he made it exciting again. John would stand at the side of the pitch, all he had to do was lift an eyebrow and the whole stadium would errupt. He put the passion back, he put the hope back and he put the entertainment into the league. 

I think Reynolds and McElhenney are going to do the same and it is exciting. 

It has taken every bone in my body not to drive to Wrexham and hunt down Ryan Reynolds to give him a copy of my book, so I sent him one instead C/O Wrexham TFC. Rhys Perry my partner in crime ran to the post office yesterday with me shouting "RUN Charlie, run as fast as you can!" after I had kissed the parcel for luck, (luckily Rhys came back, I wouldn't have blamed him for leaving). Just that in itself made me feel like a teenager again. I may never hear back, but for a moment there was hope and for a moment it was a possibility. 

Hope. We all need more of that don't we? 

I hope you're all keeping well. 

Sending you much love, 

Tracey xxx 

PS Just in case you haven't seen Ryan's tribute to John you can watch it here

Be More John

Well, what was that?! 2020 was a rollercoaster, a couple of highs and a few more lows, but do you know what? We made it, and for that I am thankful. If you lost a loved one this year please accept my sincere condolences, I know how that feels and my heart is with you.  

I'm not making resolutions going into 2021, I'm just glad I'm still here, I'm glad you're still here, the world is still turning and at some stage, all this crazy pandemic will pass (it may pass like a kidney stone, but with vaccination in sight, it will pass). Well, I'm not doing resolutions, apart from one... Be More John. 

Be more John. 

I encourage us all to have a go at this one. Not just 'be more John' but be more like his characters too.

Be as sweet and respectful as John was to everyone, he would treat the CEO the same way as the janitor and rightly so. Towards the end of this year I needed some extra cash so I started cleaning schools - holy moly, I've seen some things, and some stuff... I wouldn't recommend it. It's hard work,  really hard, ball-breaking work and the money is low. Cleaners are presently trying to keep people safe, so never dismiss the work that they are doing and never think of them as 'just a cleaner', for they most certainly are not. They are students, parents, ex-managers, people who got out of the rat race, or people who need the money (like struggling authors). Treat them with respect. Be more John. 

Go with the flow. Just like Del Griffith (Gawd bless him), advising Neal Page that he simply 'goes with the flow', because life is easier like that. That odd couple met many of the same situations with different attitudes, Del went with the flow and his life was more full of love and laughs, he was like Dickens' three ghosts of past, present and future, he haunted Neal until Neal saw the light. On top of that, like yourself. Be more Del. 

Dance and sing, it's free and you can do it at home. Uncle Buck sure knew how to cook (or not) and had a lot of fun doing it, singing and dancing around the kitchen whilst he was cooking up garbage, it's a hell of a way to wake up in the morning and it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Be more Buck. 

Just like Barf in Spaceballs, half man half dog, he was his own best friend, in these unprecedented times we all need to look after ourselves like we are our own best friend. Be more Barf. 

I could carry on, we could be here all night, but I think you get the picture. 

However shitty 2020 was I bet there are some diamonds in the dust, even if it was that you just got through. For me, one of my highlights was releasing Those Aren't Pillows in November, a Fan's Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles that I'm really proud of. If you fancy cheering yourself up, you may like to check it out, you'll find plenty of cast stories, cut scenes and trivia. 

So bring on 2021, let's rejoice in what we can. I really appreciate your support this year and I'm sending you a lot of love as always, 

Happy New Year!

Be More John, 

Tracey xx

PS Maybe another resolution of mine should be to blog more? 

 

 

Happy 70th Birthday Mr Candy - You Should Have Seen the Toast...

Happy 70th Birthday dear John, and Happy Halloween to all! (Let's face it, it just isn't Halloween without Candy). 

This year the Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, has also declared it's John Candy Day, which is the most fantastic news and so well deserved. #JohnCandyDay   

I mentioned last year, but I think it's worth repeating, that John loved Halloween more than he did his birthday, he could focus on others instead of himself and do what he loved, make people happy.  

I'm not sure what John would make of 2020, there is so much crazy stuff going on in the world at the moment, I think he would have worried about it but would have focused on those he could help. John once said, "As long as you can savour the humorous aspect of misery and misfortune, you can overcome anything" and in the main, I think that's true. For anyone struggling at the moment, please focus on yourselves and your loved ones. Focus on what you can control - not what you can't, remember that this too shall pass and look for the light because there will always be some, even if it's just a pinprick. 

John's films make for a great distraction, so it's worth locking the world out for a while and putting on one of your favourites. My goto movies are Only The Lonely, Uncle Buck, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors and Cool Runnings, all these movies have a beautiful theme, it's okay to be flawed as long as you are kind, act with love,  life will find a way. I think that's a great ideology, especially when we increasingly seem to live our lives on social media, just remember you don't need to compare your life to other people's, what they show you are probably the edited highlights anyway, we can all win, we don't need to be in competition with each other, look at how much we love John for being himself on and off the screen. That's enough, and you are too. 

Please go and remember John today, make sure you go and watch that Candy movie, share that meme, reminisce about your favourite movie of his, send some love in his direction and I guarantee you, you will make others smile in the process.

John, I feel like this world needs you now more than ever. Luckily for us, we have a plethora of your work to keep you present. 

I'll be raising a rum and coke to you later, 

With love and thanks as always, 

Tracey x

Hercules may have been in New York, but John was in Toronto

There is an aged old debate that will crop up every now and then...

Someone on social media will state what they think is a 'rare John Candy fact' that goes something like this... "John Candy's first film role was in Hercules in New York".

WRONG

I hate to give it to you straight, but usually, if I reply with "I'm so sorry you are wrong, it looks possibly like an older John, but it isn't" I get a barrage of abuse.

It's not John.

John was only twenty years of age when Hercules in New York came out in 1970. He was fresh-faced and apart from travelling to Buffalo in 1969 with his friend Jonathan O'Mara to apply for the Marines, John never left Canada until 1973 when he was accepted into Second City and went to train in Chicago. And I presume, if the title 'Hercules in New York' is anything to go by, the film was shot in New York? Just a guess.

John's first film appearance was actually The Class of '44 released in 1973, he played Pauly, only had a few seconds of screen time, but was thrilled to be involved.

So John may not have been in New York to film Hercules, however, he certainly was many times later on in his career, including filming the taxi scene in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Which links me nicely into my next story...

I was in New York at the end of last year. It was a complete whirlwind of a trip, I flew on a Sunday and was back in Blighty by the Tuesday! I've never been to the States before, the people were lovely, the sandwichs expensive, the pizza cheap. It was nearly Christmas, there were outdoor ice skating rings and Central Park is as lovely as you think it is.

In November I'd received an email from producer, Gideon Evans. Gideon was making a new documentary about John and wanted to pick my brains. He even asked at one stage if I would be up for an interview. I have been asked to take part in documentaries before, I turned those down, for me, I have to feel like the intention is right and I liked Gideon and where he was coming from an awful lot. So, of course, I'd be delighted to be interviewed, but seeing as he worked for NBC and was based in New York I really didn't think it would happen, just kind of a nice gesture from his side.

Days, weeks went by, I'd tried to not get my hopes up but I was still disappointed that it might not happen. Then I got the email, it arrived on a Wednesday I think, asking me to fly over that Sunday! Holy shit balls! Well, I'm not a good traveller, but I'm not passing up on that, I took Rhys as my Dumbo's Magic Feather.

Honestly, Gideon, his colleagues and NBC could not have treated us better - we had cars from the airport to a very fancy hotel, the day to look around, saw the streets where Steve Martin raced Kevin Bacon for a cab in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (before tripping over Del's trunk and losing another cab).

The following day we were chauffered to The Delamar Hotel, West Hartford, where filming would take place.  I even got to meet Valri Bromfield who I'd interviewed for Searching For Candy but never actually met previously, as she was just leaving the makeshift studio as I arrived.

Many other people I interviewed for the book are included in this new doc, including Juul Haalmeyer, Rob Salem, Dave Thomas, Rawle D Lewis and Jonathan O'Mara. It finally airs Sunday 26th July 2020 at 9pm ET on Reelz, John Candy: Behind Closed Doors. Apparently, I made the cut, so fingers crossed I've not made a fool of myself!


 As I'm in the UK I'm not sure when I'll actually get to watch it, so if you see it before me, please do drop me a line and let me know what you think. One thing is for sure, it will be filled with love and you'll probably need to get a tissue ready.

Much love to you all!

Stay safe and well,

Tracey xxxx

RIP Mr Reiner

Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner

A week today we lost a comedy legend, Mr Carl Reiner.

I was sad, I still am. I'm not sure I have the right to be, but I am, so there you go. I only interviewed Mr Reiner once, it was over the phone, he was lovely and his memory perfect. His hearing was the only thing that gave any clue that he was in his elder years, either that or it was my mousey voice, a bad line, or all three, but we muddled through.

Of course, I interviewed Mr Reiner about John Candy, they had worked together on Summer Rental in 1985. Candy, in his first real lead role, directed by Reiner, was a perfect combination. Believe it or not, the film was done and dusted in just three months with budget to spare - totally unheard of in Hollywood.

Reiner inspired Candy so much, not only was he working with a genius - the man behind The Dick Van Dyke Show, director of classics such as The Jerk and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, he was also working with a true mensch and World War ll veteran. Reiner showed Candy the ropes of directing, so much so it was the first time Candy thought about directing for the screen himself (and he would, much later on with his directing debut, Hostage for a Day).

John Candy and Carl Reiner on the set of Summer Rental

When I spoke to Reiner, he said the first thing that struck him about Candy was how in love he was with his family. Then he commented, "When I heard he had died I couldn't believe it, he was so full of life, how could he be dead?" Well, I know Reiner was 98 years old, but I could hear myself saying that exact same phrase, I actually thought he was going to last forever. I guess the secret to a fulfilling life is happiness, love and laughter, Reiner had that in spades.

When I first tried to contact Mr Reiner for an interview I got nowhere, I tried every contact I could find, the only thing I didn't do was tweet him (he wasn't actually on twitter when I started my search - yes I looked on and off for two years). Then, just as I was about to give up I noticed he had joined Twitter and I sent him a tweet, "I'm writing a book about John Candy, please can I interview you?", no chance I thought, but at least I had exhausted all routes. Within five minutes I had a DM from Reiner himself, telling me to contact his assistant to arrange an interview. Holy shit!

Carl Reiner 

A tweet, a simple cheeky one-off tweet and I was going to be chatting to comedy royalty! Not only that, but Reiner's office also helped me get an interview with Reiner's best friend, Mr Mel Brooks! I hit the jackpot. By these two guys giving me a chance I was suddenly being taken more seriously, they didn't know me, and yet they helped me, I will be eternally grateful.



Just like John Candy, Carl Reiner will live forever.

My heart is with his family and his dear friend Mr Brooks.

RIP Carl and thanks, John will be thrilled to see you.


To you all,

I hope you are safe and well. These are some crazy times we are living through at the moment, be good to yourselves and each other.

With much love as always,
Tracey xx