There was a slew of media personnel covering the 2019 Collingwood Elvis Festival, and all did an excellent job. In Media Part One, I featured audio contributors, Joe Crawford of “The Joe Show”, Zoomer Radio personalities Robbie Lane, Sam Houston and Neil Hedley, and “The Amazing Edwardo”, Edward Fine. In today’s article, Media Part Two, I focus on a cadre of visual media atists: Wasaga Beach TV’s on-air personality, Dianna Chychi, producer/videographer, Mike Jablonski, and photographers Lori-Anne Crewe, Louis Young, Clarence ‘Buck’ O’Dell, Dave West, and others.
Wasaga Beach TV: Diana Chycki
Dianna Chycki is the host of a weekly entertainment show, Beach Corner, that broadcast every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on beachBOOSTER radio (available at beachbooster.com), which is followed by a podcast. Beach Corner is also a regular feature in the beachBOOSTER publication.
Dianna Chychi and Mike Jablonski, far right, pose with Elvis’s former body guard, Sam Thompson, after his interview at the 2019 Collingwood Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
Since its inception in November 2013, Dianna has accomplished over 500 interviews from local artists and organizers to worldwide exclusive interviews via Skype from Sweden, Japan, California, Russia, Australia, Los Angeles and Montreal. Some of the artists that have graced her show include: Margaret Atwood, Dale Goldhawk, the late Bobby Curtola, Moses Znaimer, Libby Znaimer, Marilyn Lightstone, Priscilla Presley (at the Annual Collingwood Elvis Festival press conference), Brent Butt, The Spoons, Alan Frew (Glass Tiger), Chuck Jackson, Irish filmmaker, Ciaron Davies, Eugene Smith, Gino Vannelli, voice actor, Christian Potenza, MIYAVI (Japanese artist/actor in “Unbroken” and “Kong”), Japanese guitarist/violinist from X Japan/Luna Sea, Sugizo, Gil Moore (Triumph) CEO of Metalworks Studios, Rik Emmett (Triumph) RESolution 9, Lynne Griffin (actress in Santa Baby 2), Sean Sullivan (actor in “Wayne’s World” and “Back to the Future 3”), comedian Ron James, Olga and Tatiana Poliektova, and award-winning Russian filmmakers, Olga and Tatiana Poliektova, to name a few.
Radio and TV personality, Dianna Chychi. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
Dianna is a resident of Wasaga Beach. She is a great supporter of her local community and beach BOOSTER Media Group is delighted to have Dianna as part of their team. With her eclectic background and unique perspective, Dianna has co-chaired the Annual Wasaga Film Festival and produced the WFF Red Carpet Gala Awards for the past five years. In 2016, she hosted and conducted Red Carpet interviews at the 5th Annual Wasaga Film Festival for Rogers TV. Conscripted by the Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce, Dianna co-hosted the Wasaga Beach Santa Claus Parade for the past four years for Rogers TV as well as narrating and emceeing the "Christmas Ice Show - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas" presented by SK8 Georgian Bay Skating Club at the Collingwood Eddie Bush Memorial Arena. Dianna was the master of ceremonies at “The Jersey Boys Dinner and Dance Show” presented by The Olde Town Terrace in cooperation with Creative Gal Productions.
Mike Jablonski and Dianna Chychi of WBTV. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
A former professional figure skater, Dianna performed in skating shows around the world. Her background is in radio and television. Her first initiation to the entertainment industry was at CFCF radio station in Montreal, where she assisted the Ted Tevan mid-morning show in scheduling guests. Her enthusiasm and hard work led to voicing some of their radio commercials. In pursuit of her quest to work in broadcasting, a move to Toronto was imminent. She landed at the Electric Circus Show at CityTV/MuchMusic as a production assistant. Dianna then advanced to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation working in several departments from the Variety Department to the Vice-President’s office. During her tenure, she had the pleasure of being a special event coordinator for award shows, such as the Gemini, Genie and Junos, to name a few.
In 2018, Wasaga Beach TV welcomed Dianna Chycki from beachBOOSTER radio to their YouTube Channel. “Dianna Chycki brings a professional friendly presentation style. Dianna is a confident person with excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, and an attractive personality. Her researching and interviewing skills are backed with an inherit quality, that we welcome at Wasaga Beach TV,” said Mike Jablonski, aka “Wasaga Mike”, producer of WBTV.
Streaming twice a month and debuting in the early spring of 2018, Beach Corner features original celebrity interviews with local and international artists. For more information about programming on WBTV, contact Mike Jablonski, aka “Wasaga Mike”, at wasagamike@wasagabeachtv.com
Wasaga Beach TV: Mike Jablonski (aka “Wasaga Mike”)
From the moment you meet Mike Jablonski, his dynamic and spontaneous sense of humour leaves you captivated by his energy. Mike is a multi-talented artist, a community theatre actor, a musician (member of SOCAN), and is featured on CBC Radio under the stage name JEMKIS.
Mike Jablonski is better known as “Wasaga Mike”, a videographer and producer of “Wasaga Beach TV - the best view on the beach”.
Mike is the brainchild of Wasaga Beach TV a subsidiary of Wasaga Beach Media Communications (2018). The idea spawned from watching several You Tube Shows. “We thought Wasaga Beach should have a TV show, not a major network but on the YouTube platform and from there we did our first show in June.” Being a one-man show, Mike creates all the amazing graphic designs. “ I used to have a graphic design company way back and I am pretty good on the computer with Photoshop and such programs.”
Wasaga Beach Television is a local “You Tube” television offering an array of shows promoting the community. During this time, Wasaga Mike produced Wasaga Talks, Beach Talk, Healing with Dawn, Live and Original Spotlight with John Eaton, Sports Rant with Mike Mangov, Fact Up News and Wasaga Tube with Mike and Dave.
“Wasaga Mike”. Photo Credit: C. M.
Wasaga Mike is often seen with his big electric bike and red trailer heading towards the beach where he sets up a tent, complete with the WBTV backdrop, inviting beachgoers from around the world to share their summer activities at the beach with “Wasaga Talks” a show about you – where you are the star of the show, based on the idea of CityTV/MuchMusic ‘Speaker’s Corner’ back in the day
As the host of “Fact Up News”, a news parody spin that is a collection of puns and jokes produced in a news format style for the pleasure of entertainment , Wasaga Mike would say, “It’s good for giggles.”
His latest addition includes hosting Classic Rock Saga broadcast every Friday at 8:00 p.m. on beachBOOSTER radio available at beachbooster.com followed by a podcast. This avenue offers Wasaga Mike an opportunity to feature the best of the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s.
When time permits, you can find Wasaga Mike enjoying a golf game at one of our several local golf courses in town.
Photographers
With an event the size of the Collingwood Elvis Festival, capturing special moments over many days requires more than one photographer. Covering this year’s festival were professional photographers, Lori-Anne Crewe, Louis Young, and Dave West, who were joined by skilled, amateur photographer, Clarence “Buck” O’Dell, and a legion of other non-pro photographers. Preferring to remain behind their lens taking photos of others, we do not see many photos of the photographers themselves: so I am very excited to share the following “rare bird” photos with you.
Lori-Anne Crewe of LA Crewe Photography
Lori-Anne taking care of business. Photo Credit: Louis Young, Louis Young Photography.
It doubles my pleasure at ETA events when my photographer daughter, Lori-Anne Crewe, is able to join me. Lori-Anne works tirelessly in capturing the beautiful photographs that I post on SIDEBURNS Magazine; but it is the bonding times in between and after events that mean the most to me. Walking around with an extra twelve pounds of equipment, bending constantly, and sometimes laying flat out on the floor, is all part and parcel in the life of this professional photographer. Lori-Anne’s dedication in capturing the feeling and emotion with her lens has earned her numerous awards, and most recently in July, a Masterpiece Award from the Wedding Photojournalist Association WPJA whose judging panel included: Jackie Bell, Martha Rial, Time Magazine contributor, Dennis Brack and 4-time Pulitzer Prize winner, William Snyder. Congratulations, Lori-Anne! We are all so very proud of you. To see more of Lori-Anne’s work and her award winning photo, please go to http://www.lacrewe.com.
It is early on Friday morning in Collingwood, and photographer Lori-Anne Crewe has already started her long day of shooting. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
I wish to thank our friend and professional photographer, Louis Young, for the following two photos.
Louis Young of Louis Young Photography
Louis Young at the 2018 NFEF. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
Both Lori-Anne and I look forward to seeing professional photographer Louis Young at ETA events. I had the pleasure of featuring Louis in “A Chat with Louis Young”, where we learned more about the man with the super sized camera. Louis photographed his first wedding in 2003 and really enjoyed the experience. In 2005 he started to do landscapes, flowers and animals; and then he started working with models in 2009, shooting fashion show and beauty contests. In 2010, Louis started taking photos of ETAs in Collingwood…and we are so grateful that he did! While not formally trained as a photographer, Louis was given a lot of advice on his new found hobby from his brother, Marc, who has been a photographer for over 40 years, and his friend, who initiated him in studio photography that he loves. Self taught via Youtube videos, Louis learned some tricks in the post -processing stage that he uses in his home studio. The hours of dedication that Louis puts into processing each photo is evident in his beautifully presented work. To learn more about the photography of Louis Young, please go to http://louisyoungphoto.com; and for his “Chat”, please check out my blogs.
With long hot days in the July sun, protection from the rays is a must. Great shirt, Louis! Also, I like how you can see Lori-Anne’s shadow in the photo. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
Photographers Buck O’Dell and Louis Young at the 2019 Collingwood Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe, LA Crewe Photography.
Photographer Clarence O’Dell
Lori-Anne and I first met Clarence ‘Buck’ O’Dell at Flaming Star in 2017. It was our first ETA competition and show, so all the faces in the ETA world were new to us. What I have learned over the past two years is that not only is Buck a great photographer that we count on seeing at ETA events , he is a friend to everyone in the ETA family. As with most photographers, the details Buck’s personal life is a little sketchy on his FB page, preferring, instead, to let his camera do his talking. This is not to say that Buck and other photographers are not a lot of fun, and very funny. I have enjoyed many laughs with Buck—the photos in the grid show some of Buck’s more hilarious moments. What I do know about Buck is from Thorald, ON, and once lived in Tweed. According to his birth date astrology: “Buck is an Aquarian, born on February 6th, which counts for his charm. Aquarians speak to everybody, no one is a stranger. A February 6th birthday personality is adventurous and unconventional. Buck most likely loves exploring new and exciting things, and he is not afraid to be spontaneous and daring. Buck knows that people appreciate his concern for them. It is an intuitive appeal that attracts his associates and family.”
Photographer Clarence ‘Buck’ O’Dell at the 2018 Niagara Falls Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe, LA Crewe Photography.
Photographer Dave West
Professional photographer, Dave West, was a visible, but quiet, presence at the 2019 Collingwood Elvis Festival. Originally from Toronto, where he attended high school and then York University in the 1970s, Dave is a resident of Collingwood. The award-winning, bilingual, freelance photographer, who started Dave West Photography in 1985, covers events in and around Collingwood and southern Ontario.
Photos of Dave West are credited to Louis Young, Louis Young Photography.
Other Photographers
Photographers cannot be everywhere, so thank goodness for moms. In the following photos, Stacy Clark Russo captures her son, ETA Connor Russo, on stage. Stacy is representative of hundreds of family, friends and fans who take thousands of ETA photos every year. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
Other Media
I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing ETA Ray Guillemette in Collingwood. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe, LA Crewe Photography.
“In my interviews, I like to ask questions that allow fans to get to know their favouite ETAs a little better, while edging ever more closely to answering the question that was the catalyst for SB Mag, ‘What does it take to be a top Elvis Tribute Artist?’ “ Carolyn MacArthur, Editor, SIDEBURNS: The Ultimate ETA Fan Magazine.