Eight 90s Much Music VJs: Where Are They Now?
By Distributel
The nineties were an amazing time for music, and what better place to find out about new music than Much? The channel’s endless parade of music videos was the background to many a hangout session or party back then, and every teenage visitor to Toronto wanted to hit up Speaker’s Corner.
So what have your favourite VJs of the era been up to? Well, it turns out they’ve been busy.
Erica Ehm
One of Much’s first VJs, Erica went on to write three stage musicals, had a rich song writing career, and wrote two books. These days she’s most often in the public eye when she’s on the speaker’s circuit, but she’s also very active behind the scenes as the CEO of Ehm & Co, a marketing company that engages with female consumers.
Rick the Temp (i.e., Rick Campanelli)
He started off as a temp after winning a contest and that turned into a years-long stint at Much. That was followed by a decade at ET Canada, where Rick was one of the faces of the network. These days he’s all about travel, writing the Family Travel Guide Blog.
Juliette Powell
Juliette hosted Electric Circus and French Kiss, a show that highlighted Québécois talent. After leaving Much, she dove into business reporting, working for CablePlus 24. She founded a media consulting group, wrote a book, and gave a TEDx talk on unconscious bias that’s worth a watch.
Master T (i.e., Tony Young)
A cameraman turned VJ, Master T hosted Rap City and Da Mix, where he promoted new rap artists and was known for his insightful interviewing. After leaving Much he did some acting and directed documentary films. These days he directs media production at RX Media Music Live.
Sook-Yin Lee
Sook-Yin Lee is best known for hosting The Wedge, Much’s alternative music show. Since then, she’s been an actress, a musician, a director (of both theatre and film), and more. Her second film, Octavio is Dead!, was nominated at the Canadian Screen Awards, she hosted a podcast with the CBC called Sleepover, and this year she hosted Canada’s version of Landscape Artist of the Year. Honestly, what doesn’t she do?
Monika Deol
After hosting Electric Circus for nearly a decade, Monika worked as a television news anchor, appeared as an actress in Deepa Mehta’s film Beeba Boys, and contributed to a book on motherhood. She also created Stellar, a brand of beauty products geared towards medium and dark skin tones.
George Stroumboulopoulos
It’s getting to the point where being a Much VJ is the thing George Stroumboulopoulos is least known for. He no doubt reached much wider audiences during his time on Hockey Night in Canada and with his much-loved CBC talk show George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. These days you can still hear his radio show The Strombo Show, where he talks all things music. Also, the interviews and performances they shot for YouTube are pretty great.
Ed the Sock
Part VJ, part Canada’s answer to Bevis and Butt-Head, Ed the Sock hosted Ed’s Big Wam Bam and kept impressionable young teens up to date with the coolest of alternative music while heaping scorn on the most vapid parts of the music world.
These days, Ed the Sock makes content with the FU Network. It’s still funny, rude, and grumpy. He was last seen taunting anti-social-distancing protesters.