Darth Vader Blackhawks Vs. Master Chief Blues

Darth Vader playing hockey against Master Chief? Yeah, I could watch that game. Let me tell you, it's tough being Canadian and not caring about hockey. (Vader vs Masterchief by Tyler Edlin; Link via Geek Art)

Previously on Popped Culture...

No Goooooooals!

The Dude Invitational

Art Grand Slam

The Hockey Song

A couple of months ago I was blathering on in my regular, ill-informed manner about how the CBC would never walk away from the theme music of Hockey Night in Canada. There are several million reasons that can explain how I got that one wrong.

I also called the idea of a contest to find a replacement "trite," but what do I know? And now that a friend has submitted his version, promising me free ice cream if he wins (free ice cream, people!) I'm all behind the contest.


So vote, vote like it matters!

Ice Ice Baby

It is likely that the above editorial cartoon by the Globe and Mail's talented Anthony Jenkins will be baffling to non-Canadians — in fact it is too me as well, not because of the content but the context behind it.

Gallons of ink and tears have been spilled over the CBC's decision to walk away from the theme music of Hockey Night in Canada, a jingle that has been bizarrely lauded as Canada's "second national anthem."

I for one reject the notion that every Canadian is obsessed with the game and that our nation's greatest triumph came in 1972 when a Canadian team out-thugged the USSR. But there's little point in saying so — I can't deny the stranglehold that hockey holds on our culture. Even I can talk (sorta) about hockey and I didn't even watch a (whole) game this season.

Admittedly, after 40 years, the song is iconic, so the plan to replace it with the help of a contest seems a touch trite. "It would be the ultimate Canadian Idol, really," mused CBC Sports executive director Scott Moore. Umm, exactly. Idol meets hockey culture — it's the worst of both worlds!

Which brings us to George Stroumboulopoulos. Strombo has been the whipping boy for anyone who hates change at the CBC. As the 'toon says, he "skews to the younger demographic," which was the complaint when he was brought over from Much Music. So he talks fast, get over it. I think I'll have to tune in to The Hour this week to see if we do get an armpit rhapsody.

So there's Canadian culture in a nutshell: hockey and complaining about the CBC.