I saw on social media that the Toronto Blue Jays, a Rogers property, had brought back BJ Birdy. I previously wrote about BJ Birdy back in 2012. BJ was the Toronto Blue Jays mascot of my youth, and I even read his comic strip in the Toronto Star.

In 1999, after 20 years, the Toronto Blue Jays told BJ Birdy creator Kevin Shanahan that his services were no longer required, and replaced him with Ace and Diamond. It was a business decision, as the team owned Ace and Diamond, and Kevin Shanahan owned BJ Birdy.

Admittedly, I felt the pangs of nostalgia when I saw the footage of BJ Birdy on social media. This is the Blue Jays's 50th season, so they're pulling out all the stops as they drive down memory lane. Only they didn't cover all the bases...

The CBC reports that Kevin Shanahan did not approve of the usage of BJ Birdy, and wasn't even notified this was happen. Rogers just did it, without consideration for the rightsholder.

Kevin Shanahan stared at his screen perplexed — watching the mischievous, big-eyed blue jay mascot he created and performed for two decades hamming it up in the ballpark once again.

"When I saw it, it was this kind of multi-verse … there’s been a glitch in the matrix," he said. "I’m kind of going 'What am I doing there?'"

The Toronto Blue Jays brought back Shanahan's beloved mascot creation BJ Birdy to mark the club's 50th season. They just failed to tell Shanahan, who says he still has its copyright. It wasn't until CBC Toronto reached out to Shanahan that he learned of BJ's return.

"It would have been nice if they would have contacted me and asked or at least informed me," said Shanahan, at his Mississauga home.

Here, from my personal collection, are a few of the BJ Birdy comic strips I'd read in the Star.

For years Ed Keenan from The Toronto Star has been dropping by every quarter to chat for a couple of hours about what's happening in Toronto. I finally got around to creating a category so you can access every Edward Keenan episode of Toronto Mike'd on one spot.

Ed Keenan’s Quarterlies - Toronto Mike

Every three months, Ed Keenan from The Toronto Star visits Toronto Mike’s basement studio to discuss what’s happening in Toronto.

Toronto MikeToronto Mike

Subscribe to The Toronto Star for even more Ed Keenan quality content.

Welcome to this week's Open Mike. I'm Mike and I'll be your master of ceremonies for the day.

Feel free to use this space to vent, rant,  share a story and/or ask a question of the FOTM hivemind.

Afrika Bambaataa was one of the progenitors of hip-hop whose breakthrough track “Planet Rock” helped define electro-funk and influence generations of artists.

In this 1878th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Dr. Brian Goldman, host of White Coat, Black Art and The Dose, about his latest book The Casino Shift and how Canada's emergency rooms compare to ER and The Pitt. This episode is exactly 1:27:32.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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• Subscribe on Podcast Addict
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• Listen on tunein
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• Download the MP3
• Play below

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

Ed Keenan from The Toronto Star dropped by yesterday for his quarterly appearance on Toronto Mike'd and I dropped the name Ben Kerr because I remember Ben Kerr always ran for Mayor of Toronto. When I lived at Charles Street and Yonge in the mid-90s, I'd see Ben Kerr daily by the Yonge/Bloor subway station.

Ed shared a story he learned from Ben, a musician who would play Toronto's folk scene in the 1960s. One band from that time was The Mynah Birds, a collective most famous for including Rick James and Neil Young before they were famous.

In this clip from episode 1877 of Toronto Mike'd, Ed tells us how Ben Kerr came to write a song for The Mynah Birds, that sadly was never released.

And here's a recording of The Mynah Birds with Rick James and Neil Young performing The Mynah Bird Hop, written by Ben Kerr.

102.1 the Edge has tweaked its branding. From the Corus press release:

A radio station so iconic it had to be put in the name, 102.1 the Edge has officially joined the Corus Iconic Alternative Network, with the station known now as 102.1 the Edge – Iconic Alternative.

The station joins the Edge Calgary and Winnipeg’s Power 97 as the next addition to the unrivaled Iconic Alternative brand, featuring the very best of classic alternative music, including artists like the Foo Fighters, Tears For Fears, Green Day, Florence and the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Talking Heads, The Beaches, David Bowie, The Killers, Arkells and more.

You'll note that for this post I used the logo for 107.3 the Edge – Iconic Alternative. That's because when Corus made this announcement they published a higher resolution image for their Calgary station while the best I could find for 102.1 the Edge here in Toronto was this little guy:

When I'm in the car I toggle my 6 FM radio presets, and I've noticed 102.1 has been playing more and more "classic alternative". In fact, I noted on a recent episode of Toronto Mike'd with Jeff Vidler that the 102.1 and Q107 playlists were getting closer and closer, as Q also plays a lot of "classic alternative".

I'll let you know when CFNY starts playing Kim Mitchell.

In this 1877th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with The Toronto Star's Ed Keenan about what's making waves in Toronto. This episode is exactly 1:58:17.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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• Download the MP3
• Play below

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

Davey Lopes was a member of the Los Angeles Dodger's record-setting infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the finest basestealers in MLB history.He twice led the National League in stolen bases, posting 77 in 1975 and 63 in 1976.

In this 1876th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Starlotte Satine and Jeremy Hopkin about the history of burlesque and strip clubs in Toronto. This episode is exactly 1:41:17.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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• Download the MP3
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Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

In this 1875th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Dave Hurlow about his years in The Darcys, Decafwolf, his new book Deep Sea Feline and more. This episode is exactly 1:21:46.

You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways:

• Listen on Apple Podcasts
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• Download the MP3
• Play below

Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Electronic Products Recycling Association, Palma Pasta, Nick Ainis and Ridley Funeral Home.

The McLaughlin Planetarium was such a fixture growing up. Many a school trip was to the McLaughlin Planetarium to see a film about the stars, planets, and cosmology.

The planetarium closed way back in 1995 and is now being demolished for a new University of Toronto building.

The building – set to become a major centre for scholarship on urban issues, a hub for community engagement and a key gateway to the St. George campus – will now rise six storeys instead of eight and will occupy approximately 60 per cent less space than originally envisioned.

U of T’s School of Cities will be the primary occupant, anchoring the facility with a mission to advance urban-focused research, teaching and dialogue. The building will include spaces for the Faculty of Arts & Science, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Music and will feature a world-class recital hall.

I'm sorry to see the planetarium go, but I said my goodbyes over 30 years ago.

These words about the late great Michael Oscars were written by FOTM Antonia Zerbisias.

THE LATE, GREAT MICHAEL OSCARS
(né Jean Michel Orski)

As many of us have sadly learned, yesterday Michael passed away at the Toronto General Hospital after a mercifully not-too-long but hard-fought battle with lung cancer. (I think he was about to turn 78 or 79 but I never dared to ask.)

I thought I'd share a few things about Michael with whom I had had a 20-year professional relationship before we moved into our condo building -- he just after I -- while I was media columnist at the Star and he was the greatest talent agent in Canadian history.

He handled all the big ones, some perhaps less familiar now to the younger among us, from the Dale sisters, Jennifer and Cynthia, to Helen Shaver and Margot Kidder who played Lois Lane to Christopher Reeves' Superman, to many members of SCTV, including Andrea Martin, Martin Short and the recently-deceased Catherine O'Hara (pictured) to Gordon Pinsent to Shirley Douglas (Keifer Sutherland's mother) to Mary Walsh (Marg Delahunty Warrior Princess!) and on and on.

And on.

Michael played a major role in building Canada's arts and entertainment industry, getting his start working with Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in London where he was born Jean Michel Orski to a Belgian mother, who was a stunningly glam milliner to British royalty, and a Polish father who disappeared when Michael was a child.

As written in our monthly condo newsletter in 2016,

<...Michael ... founded and owned a talent management company for forty-five years. Oscars Abrams Zimel & Associates Inc is close-by on Queen between Parliament and River.

Michael’s passion for acting began when he was twelve years old and attending a French Lycée in London, England. He was recruited for a television series about a French family called Notre Ville which aired as a ‘French for School’ program. He later attended drama school in London. After his voice broke and the acting jobs dried up, his long career began in the London mail room of Columbia Pictures when he was sixteen. This quickly led to a job with Sir Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre Company where he worked in the box office and administration in the mid-sixties.

Next, Beatles Manager Brian Epstein offered him an administrative position with the Saville theatre in London’s West End (now converted to movie theatres) which, controversially at the time, featured rock’n’roll concerts on Sunday evenings. (Sundays at the Saville! — Antonia)

In 1967, when he was nineteen, Michael’s family moved to Canada. His first job here was as a French/English translator, but he quickly obtained a post at the Royal Alex as Box Office Manager where Hair, the musical sensation of its time, was about to open. He returned briefly to London in 1971 and worked at the Regent Park’s Open Air Theatre; realizing how much he missed Canada, he returned to a position as an actor’s agent with Phoenix Artists Management. After eighteen months he started his own company representing actors, directors, and writers. He now works closely with many diverse television and film companies, and in theatre with both the Stratford and Shaw Festivals...>

What many people don't know is the role Michael served as a founder, along with the late activist June Callwood, of Casey House, the first hospice in Canada devoted to AIDs patients. In fact, he helped raise the money by launching and producing a multi-year series of absolutely fabulous darling sell-out major production drag shows, "DQ '87", "DQ '88 The Sequin", "DQ '92" and "DQ '95."

Michael loved watching RuPaul's Drag Race. But, as those of us who witnessed his acing the condo's Trivia Nights with his encyclopedic knowledge of movies, TV shows, and Broadway show tunes, that wasn't all he watched. In fact, he turned his master bedroom into his viewing room, with a gigantic screen surrounded by speakers, and walls of DVDs, many of which he shared with residents on the Movie Nights he launched.

After he retired about four years ago, he became a relentless traveller, usually with devoted older sister Micheline, and a die-hard Blackjack player in Vegas. He entertained generously and often, stuffing guests with his devilled eggs and cheese boards. He loved his martinis, Chardonnay, dining out and enjoyed life to the fullest.

And oh how we gossiped about the industry stars and big shots, sharing all the places where the bodies we knew were buried.

Michael was my beloved dear friend, whom I shall miss very much. I shall not be the only one. There are hundreds of Canadians' whose lives have been touch by Michael.

No funeral or memorial event plans have been made yet, to my knowledge.

The best thing about Easter Monday as a kid was that it signified a 4-day weekend. 4 whole days off in a row without school! That simply didn't happen outside summer break, the Christmas break and the March break.

If memory serves me correctly, University held classes on Easter Monday. I remember adapting from a 4-banger to a 3-banger. Still a long weekend, but 25% shorter.

This transition prepared full-time working Mike for the fact Easter Monday wasn't actually a holiday at all. The office was always open and you were expected to work unless you took a vacation day, which you'd often do because your kids weren't in school that day.

In 2011 I started working for a German company and they took all four days, so I followed suit. From 2011 through 2018 the joy of Easter Monday returned. I don't think they realized we Canadians were technically only supposed to take Good Friday off.

Now that I work for myself, I was sure to block the day so I can hang with the two littles who are off school. So this is a four-day weekend for me once more.

Same as it ever was.

A BiWay bag,
A CD,
A CFNY jacket,
A Blue Jay's calendar,
A poppy,
A Cherry Blossom treat,

A CHUM chart from ‘74.
A photo of George Bell playing left field.
Is this heaven?

Or is it just Mike's basement? Mike's basement studio.
Mike's basement. Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio.

Kurt Swinghammer art.
Flutie bobblehead.
CJCL mic flashes.

Variety Village Blue Jays parody jams.
A bobblehead of Vladdy Guerrero, Jr.
A stuffy slice of toast.
Some random quote from Bruce Cockburn incorrectly attributed to BNL.
Is this heaven?

Or is it just Mike's basement? Mike's basement studio.
Mike's basement. Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio.

My favourite photo of Brian. The caption says,
"I can't believe it. Brian Linehan would be proud.
Keep up the great work and real talk.
Almost 1,900 episodes. Who would have thought CNN would call not once but twice?
Mike, you'll be covered in the Toronto Star.
You'd be the grand marshall at the Lakeshore Parade. Your little podcast didn't do too bad.
Mike, I love you. Give a hug and kiss to Cam.”

All Heart Wendel Clark
12 inch singles
A simple glass of GLB

The ceiling’s so low, you've got to check your head.
MuchMusic logos, sent by David Kines
Three little words from Mr. Mugs
And George the Animal Steele from a person that he loves.
Is this heaven?

Or is it just Mike's basement? Mike's basement studio.
Mike's basement. Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio. Mike's basement.
Mike's basement studio.