Music

15 reasons we miss Speakers Corner

by Mark Teo

Photo: Fineartamerica.com

In case you missed yesterday’s announcement, Speakers Corner, City TV / Much’s much-loved celebration of free spech, is back! But don’t rush out to the corner of Queen and John just yet—you won’t find a video booth with crusty swinging doors there. (The old Second Cup across the street, though, still remains.)

Instead, City TV and 680 News have relaunched the brand, but with two major caveats: It’ll be digital only, and it’ll only be revived temporarily, after a CityNews-broadcast Toronto mayoral debate on March 26th. And while the results promise to be entertaining, we’re feeling a tad duped—this isn’t the Speakers Corner of yore, where Toronto’s wackiest paid a loonie, crammed into a stinky video booth outside the Much building, and had a fleeting soapbox.

Speakers Corner—at least the original version, which was an ’90s institution and ended in 2008—was a beautiful thing. And even if YouTube has largely replaced the venerable video booth, we want Speakers Corner back. Here are 15 reasons why.

 

The thirsty actor types

Who were the Devil’s Advocates? Were they Fringe Fest performers armed with devil-horn headbands? Were they struggling comedians? Were they actual Beelzebub in Torontonian form? Either way, we miss these dudes.

 

The bouts of delightful stupidity

Sweet dictator outfit, bruv. Pass the Russian Prince!

 

It captured Toronto’s glorious inanities

People are really, really offended that City showed “hooters” on Speakers Corner.

 

It was a platform for the city’s comedians

Who, predictably, used Speakers Corner to mock the hacks on, um, Speakers Corner.

 

The corny political impersonations

Your move, Jean Chrétien.

 

Bands recorded their own videos there

Famously, the Barenaked Ladies were noticed on Speakers corner.

 

… And it wasn’t only for the Barenaked Ladies

But it wasn’t only a platform for megastars. This dude probably just got off from his shift busking at Osgoode Station. Dude, play “Brown Eyed Girl!”

 

… Or for buskers, for that matter

No, it was a place for everyone to strut their musical stuff. For better or for worse.

 

The city’s greatest civic debates unfolded there

Remember the debate around toplessness?

 

It had definite missed connections potential

Which is precisely why Blind Date shot a segment there. And that’s another show we want back.

 

It offered relationship advice

… Like don’t watch the other person pee.

 

Celebrities would stop by

Mike Myers made it a point to swing by while visiting his old hood—Scarborough, obvs.

 

Will Ferrell stopped by, too.

Wait, what?

 

There were no substitutes for Speakers Corner

“There are no substitutes,” claimed their promo. We’re inclined to agree.

 

And it felt as relevant in 1990 as it would today

OK, maybe not. YouTube has given a voice to anyone with a laptop, but by our estimations, no one curated the bizarre Toronto zeitgeist better than Speakers Corner. Come back. We miss you.