In Canada, John Candy isn’t just a comedy legend—he’s a cultural icon

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In Canada, John Candy isn’t just a comedy legend—he’s a cultural icon.

Sure, he starred in classics like Cool Runnings, Uncle Buck, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

But it was SCTV that made him a giant here. That sketch show was formative. And Candy’s characters were unforgettable.

My favourite? Johnny LaRue. He was the station’s resident star. A kind of sleazy, egotistical Geraldo Rivera type who showed up in ridiculous vanity projects like Polynesian Town. Totally over-the-top—and totally brilliant.

Now, his son Chris Candy is releasing a documentary about his father’s life. And honestly? It’s about time.

https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/john-candy-was-my-dad-heres-what-i-learned-from-i-like-me-his-tiff/article_007d9f86-7d88-4352-9207-cf976bfdc668.html

@movies@piefed.social

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Just gonna whitewash the time he tried to invade Canada?

“There's a time to think and a time to act. And this, gentlemen, is no time to think!”

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Canadians are always dreaming up a lotta ways to ruin our lives. The metric system, for the love of God! Celsius! Neil Young!

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Welp, going to have to watch that!

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As someone in their 40s from Canada, John Candy was just there in so many movies growing up. Spaceballs was probably my first one I recall (for some reason I thought the Great Outdoors but evidently that released later and I saw Spaceballs in theatre), still love that one, watched it more than anyone under 10 should have, I can probably still write most of the script if I tried. Everything I saw him in he committed to the role and comedy. I was quite sad when I heard he passed. I bet he'd have been in Schitts Creek if he was still around for that. If he is in a movie it usually means there are good enough parts to watch it.

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I’ll be checking this out for sure. It’s nice that his son Chris is learning more about his father by doing this.

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@atomicpoet @movies I was a huge fan as a kid and was sad when he died. It was something of a yearly ritual of my family to watch The Great Outdoors. We lived up in the mountains and had an uncle JUST like "Uncle Roman"

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If it was me, I’d go all in.

But that’s me - Mister Vegas, heh heh

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