Exclusive: Trish talks CGT finale
TrishStratus.com special guest columnist Bob Kapur recaps Canada's Got Talent airing Tuesdays on Citytv.
In the hours leading up to tonight's Canada's Got Talent finale, Trish has been extremely busy. Between photoshoots, pre-tape interview segments, hair and make-up sessions, and the overall busy-ness that comes with an event of this magnitude, it's been a whirlwind of activity. Fortunately, she was able to set time aside for her fans for this TrishStratus.com exclusive Q&A to talk about the wild ride that was CGT.
Q: Thanks for taking the time for this, I know you've been really busy. To give us an idea, for a show that only had about 15 hours of actual broadcast time, how many more hours do you judges actually put in?
Trish: I couldn't even guess (laughs). Even if you think about just the auditions, we had four days full of auditions. I can't even imagine sorting through all the footage in order to get it all ready for TV.
Then there's so much time – not only for the judges, but for all the work that the production team goes through to assemble the show and deliver the final package for example. It's a lot of work for a lot of people.
Q: How are you feeling now that we're heading into the finale?
Trish: At this point, we – the judges – we're happy to hand it over to Canada, and let you decide. We've helped get us here, but now it's up to you.
Q: You're no stranger to performing live in high-pressure situations. You must know how tonight's acts must feel, knowing that they have just one more moment to potentially achieve this dream.
Trish: I'm just so blessed that I had that experience, as it really did build up my repertoire as a performer. I know it can be intense. And for these people – particularly knowing their stories – this is life-changing, and I know they all know it. it's great for us as viewers. For the performers, wow, yes, it's a huge night.
Q: What made you decide to accept the responsibility of judge?
Trish: Honestly, I felt it would be such a special thing to help change the trajectory of someone's life. Even having a teeny little part in their journey, you know.
If you look at my Golden Buzzer moment (when Trish hit the buzzer for Theo & Mila), I was watching them, and I could really feel what they were doing. And they're so young – I think they're 15 and 18. You see so many kids right now are at home sitting on their iPad's all day. So to see those two just so dialled into what they were doing, to appreciate their athleticism, and knowing how many hours of dedication they put in to perform those amazing physical feats... that really resonated with me. I get goosebumps thinking about them. To be even a little part of their journey, to be part of something that lets them go out there and put it all on the stage and hopefully give them more chances like that, thats a huge driver for me.
Also, and this is a little selfish, is that it was a personal challenge for me – I've never done anything like this before. I always watch these talent shows, but I never thought I could be a judge. So that was something I wanted to prove to myself.
Q: How is your bond with the other judges?
Trish: I love, love, love the entire CGT fam. Luckily, we have great chemistry – because you never know, before you sit down with them. We're all from different walks of performance. Sometimes, when that happens, it's like "okay, let's see how they go together." And we just all really clicked. We're all like family now.
Q: You mentioned Theo & Mila, your Golden Buzzer picks. Unfortunately, COVID-19 protocols meant you weren't able to see their semi-final performance in person. How did you think they did, and would you have fought to put them through to the finals based on their performance?
Trish: Yeah, I definitely would have. I thought their performance was really good. Maybe I watch them through a different set of eyes (than Howie and Lilly and that night's guest judge Jason Priestley). Because I know what goes into that kind of physical feat, how difficult it can be to blend the choreography and the co-ordinate, and trusting your body in someone else's hands. So maybe I appreciate it a little deeper than they would.
But, the thing is, the performance bar is so high right now. Everyone is so amazing. But now we're at the window where it's what the home audience wants. And they'll have their own reasons for voting for someone. Whether it's the performance only, or whether the act has a story that really clicked with them. That's the cool thing about CGT – it really offers something for everyone.
Q: Final question. If there is a second season, would you want to return as a judge?
Trish: I like to do what's called manifestation. Meaning that while you ask "If," I like to say "when." So, when there is a second season, would I want to return as a judge? One thousand percent, absolutely, yes.
In the hours leading up to tonight's Canada's Got Talent finale, Trish has been extremely busy. Between photoshoots, pre-tape interview segments, hair and make-up sessions, and the overall busy-ness that comes with an event of this magnitude, it's been a whirlwind of activity. Fortunately, she was able to set time aside for her fans for this TrishStratus.com exclusive Q&A to talk about the wild ride that was CGT.
Q: Thanks for taking the time for this, I know you've been really busy. To give us an idea, for a show that only had about 15 hours of actual broadcast time, how many more hours do you judges actually put in?
Trish: I couldn't even guess (laughs). Even if you think about just the auditions, we had four days full of auditions. I can't even imagine sorting through all the footage in order to get it all ready for TV.
Then there's so much time – not only for the judges, but for all the work that the production team goes through to assemble the show and deliver the final package for example. It's a lot of work for a lot of people.
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Q: How are you feeling now that we're heading into the finale?
Trish: At this point, we – the judges – we're happy to hand it over to Canada, and let you decide. We've helped get us here, but now it's up to you.
Q: You're no stranger to performing live in high-pressure situations. You must know how tonight's acts must feel, knowing that they have just one more moment to potentially achieve this dream.
Trish: I'm just so blessed that I had that experience, as it really did build up my repertoire as a performer. I know it can be intense. And for these people – particularly knowing their stories – this is life-changing, and I know they all know it. it's great for us as viewers. For the performers, wow, yes, it's a huge night.
Q: What made you decide to accept the responsibility of judge?
Trish: Honestly, I felt it would be such a special thing to help change the trajectory of someone's life. Even having a teeny little part in their journey, you know.
If you look at my Golden Buzzer moment (when Trish hit the buzzer for Theo & Mila), I was watching them, and I could really feel what they were doing. And they're so young – I think they're 15 and 18. You see so many kids right now are at home sitting on their iPad's all day. So to see those two just so dialled into what they were doing, to appreciate their athleticism, and knowing how many hours of dedication they put in to perform those amazing physical feats... that really resonated with me. I get goosebumps thinking about them. To be even a little part of their journey, to be part of something that lets them go out there and put it all on the stage and hopefully give them more chances like that, thats a huge driver for me.
Also, and this is a little selfish, is that it was a personal challenge for me – I've never done anything like this before. I always watch these talent shows, but I never thought I could be a judge. So that was something I wanted to prove to myself.
Q: How is your bond with the other judges?
Trish: I love, love, love the entire CGT fam. Luckily, we have great chemistry – because you never know, before you sit down with them. We're all from different walks of performance. Sometimes, when that happens, it's like "okay, let's see how they go together." And we just all really clicked. We're all like family now.
Q: You mentioned Theo & Mila, your Golden Buzzer picks. Unfortunately, COVID-19 protocols meant you weren't able to see their semi-final performance in person. How did you think they did, and would you have fought to put them through to the finals based on their performance?
Trish: Yeah, I definitely would have. I thought their performance was really good. Maybe I watch them through a different set of eyes (than Howie and Lilly and that night's guest judge Jason Priestley). Because I know what goes into that kind of physical feat, how difficult it can be to blend the choreography and the co-ordinate, and trusting your body in someone else's hands. So maybe I appreciate it a little deeper than they would.
But, the thing is, the performance bar is so high right now. Everyone is so amazing. But now we're at the window where it's what the home audience wants. And they'll have their own reasons for voting for someone. Whether it's the performance only, or whether the act has a story that really clicked with them. That's the cool thing about CGT – it really offers something for everyone.
Q: Final question. If there is a second season, would you want to return as a judge?
Trish: I like to do what's called manifestation. Meaning that while you ask "If," I like to say "when." So, when there is a second season, would I want to return as a judge? One thousand percent, absolutely, yes.
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