Let’s go back to when you were first getting into the VJ groove. Were there any interviews that you botched up?
There weren’t that many at the beginning. I was very diligent and I worked really hard to make sure I didn’t make a mistake. Last year I was hosting the red carpet MuchMusic Video Awards and I had a “blank moment”. I forgot Tori Spelling’s husband’s name so I said ‘Tori Spelling and . guest’ and they kind of looked at me like I was a little crazy!
Ouch! Then would you rather pre-record your shows?
I love live television, you have that one chance to do it and that’s it; it’s all in the moment. I get one shot, no retakes. It’s just really exciting.
What aspect of your job do you enjoy most?
Being on TV is cool and really fun, but it’s not necessarily the being on TV that’s fun; it’s the interaction. I get to meet some really, really interesting people. I spoke with Chuck D from Public Enemy last weekend and a couple days before that Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols. But famous or not there are a lot of really good people I get to come in contact with. That’s probably the best part of my job.
Tell us about Chuck D.
Chuck D was cool. He was really, really nice. People’s lives in retrospect are really interesting to me and hearing how they look back on the situations in their lives. He just changed so much since his early days. Chuck D is really interesting.
What is meeting icons like?
You know, usually the bigger the star the nicer they are. You’d think it would be the complete opposite, but it’s not. The people we meet are really down-to-earth and you realize that a lot of that stardom is all fake and all kind of created by the media.
From your side of the television and working in media, how do you feel about the way Britney Spears is being picked on, even demoralized by the media now?
There is a lot of tabloid culture out there and we try to stay away from it because it’s based on rumours. Unfortunately we live in a culture that likes to build people up and then bring them down. It just doesn’t rub me the right way. It’s like making fun of strangers who are going through problems and anguish. You wouldn’t go to a rehab centre, stand outside and throw things at people who are walking out. If you actually put that into modern practice it’s just completely ludicrous. So then why is it ok to do it in media form? It’s ridiculous.
What do you like least about working in television?
Sometimes it gets really loud! People screaming during live interviews. It gets tough when you can’t hear what’s going on. But the worst, I did a Live at Much with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. It was outside and there were 1,600 kids outside screaming at the top of their lungs! We’re talking 14-15 year old girls. It didn’t even sound like screaming anymore, it sounded like white noise!
Among your VJ duties at Much Music you co-host #1s. Can you tell us what one of your personal #1 videos of all time may be? One that has not necessarily been #1 on the charts?
A babysitter of mine introduced me to Much Music when I was six years old and she taped this New Kids on the Block thing. On the tape, after the New Kids there was Weird Al’s video “Fat”. That’s probably one of my favourite videos of all time! But there are so many, like “Fake Plastic Trees” by Radio Head is a fantastic video.
What music are you listening to these days? What’s #1 in your sound system?
I just bought the Arcade Fire’s new album and I really, really like it! I wasn’t crazy about their first album and I really didn’t understand what everybody was freaking out about. Do you remember when they first came out? Everybody was like “Oh my God! They’re so great!” They’re good, but I didn’t quite see it. But I love this one. I also listen to a lot of Elliott Smith, Amy Winehouse and Rufus Wainwright.
Touching on your personal interests, I’ve read things like you’ve been playing the drums for 10 years now. Is there something about you that is unobserved and overlooked that you can share?
I’m actually training with my dad to run a triathlon right now. My dad made a promise to himself that on his fiftieth birthday he was going to be in the best shape of his life. So he started training and he got me into it.
But my friend, there are a lot of things people don’t know about me that are overlooked! [Laughs]
Catch Devon Soltendieck co-hosting Much 911, #1s and MuchTakeOver”
