Cornwall got yet another major league plug courtesy of Ryan Gosling.
The Hollywood star was the guest host of Saturday Night Live on the weekend and his adopted hometown got mentioned.
The SNL episode opened with Gosling gushing about how good he felt being in New York City. He was interrupted (on cue) by a member of the audience (actually a member of the SNL cast) who pointed out that she had Goggled his name and discovered that “You were born in Cornwall, Ont.,” which Gosling graciously acknowledged.
On average, SNL pulls in around eight million viewers.
Gosling, who was born in London, Ont. but grew up in Cornwall, has not held back on plugging Cornwall as his hometown on some of the most watched television shows in the U.S. Shows such as Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon.
On a Leno appearance he spent several minutes talking about his days growing up in Cornwall, when as a pre-teen he worked as his uncle Perry’s “manager.” Perry Gosling, a Cornwall native, was a Brink’s guard who did a pretty good Elvis impersonation.
Over the years this scribbler has suggested that the city should name something after the Hollywood superstar, might even have a Ryan Gosling Day. Perhaps the courtyard in front of the Justice Building could be named Ryan Gosling Square. There is a plan to rejuvenate the space.
Team Cornwall might want to look at making Gosling an honourary Team Cornwall member, with his own Team Cornwall card.
ALL ABOUT RYAN
* Born Nov. 12, 1980 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ont. Arrival time 2:34 p.m. Parents are Thomas and Donna Gosling. Mother was a secretary. Father a travelling salesman. Has an older sister Mandy, a film-maker who lives in Los Angeles.
* His once two-time girlfriend, actress Rachel McAdams, a native of St. Thomas, was born in same hospital a couple of years earlier.
* The Gosling surname goes back to England where his great-great-grandfather George Edward Gosling was born in Paddington.
* Moved to Cornwall when he was two years old. Attended Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School until he moved to Burlington, Ont. where he attended Lester B. Pearson High School. In school his nickname was “Trouble”.
* Ryan and sister Mandy won a talent contest at Aultsville Hall when he was 12.
* Beat out 17,000 contestants to earn a spot with the Mickey Mouse Club. Moved to Los Angeles when he was 16. Family lived in a trailer park.
* Five years ago he opened a Moroccan restaurant called Tagine in Beverly Hills.
* In 2006 he was paid the union scale of $1,000 a week for his role in Half Nelson. In 2007 he earned $1 million for his role in Fracture. His latest movie, “The Nice Guys” coming out just before Christmas Day, earned him $7 million.
* Was nominated for the best actor Oscar in Half Nelson. First Canadian in 60 years to be nominated for best actor Oscar.
* Auditioned for role of Frankie Ballenbacher in 2006 movie “Alpha Dog”. Lost to Justin Timberlake.
* Keeps few close friends. Was quoted as saying he prefers solitude when not working. Keeps in touch with “Breaker High” co-star Scott Vickaryous.
* On Sept. 12, 2014 became a father for the first time. Baby daughter named Esmeralda Amada Gosling.
RYAN QUOTES
“When I was 6 (growing up in Cornwall), a scrawny, scrawny kid, I’d get in my red Speedo and do muscle moves. I actually thought I was muscular. I didn’t know everyone was laughing at me.”
“The writing was on the wall when I saw Rocky for the first time. I went and picked a fight right afterwards and got my ass kicked.”
“I can’t tell you how many times people go, “Are you Ryan?” Then they take the picture and realize at that moment that I’m not Ryan Reynolds.” (Reynolds is a Canadian actor from Vancouver).
SPORTS STUFF Gene Villeneuve switched to cruise control in his second game of the Cornwall Curling Centre Senior Men’s Fourney Trophy draw, winning 11-0 after a 5-3 win in his opening game of the one-day, 12-team playoff round. Joining the veteran skip in the winner’s circle were Leo Lemire (third), Louis Quenneville (second) and Bernard Breton (lead).
TRIVIA ANSWER One of several family owned dairies that served Cornwall and outlying areas was Daisy Dairy at 217 Third St. E. Others included Canadian Dairy, Rivermead, Maple Crest, East Side and Cameron’s.
TRIVIA This Cornwall mayor was a former president of the Ontario Hotel Association.
IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR When the local post office took on extra help to handle the Christmas mail rush and there was twice-a-day home delivery from Dec. 1-24. … Bell Telephone operators were busy on Christmas day dealing with a huge spike in long distance calls. … Public schools had something called a Christmas pageant. … The biggest children’s Christmas party in town was the Howard Smith Paper Mill children’s Christmas party at Cornwall Armoury. … The Children’s Christmas Fund radio show carried live on CKSF from the CCVS auditorium with radio personalities like Bill LaSalle, Bill Gallant, Carl Fisher and John Larocque.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else.
WACKY HEADLINE (Hillsville, Va.) “Porn Star Sues Over Rear-end Collision”.
