"In 5 years you'll be giving unsolicited life advice to strangers."
March 10, 2025 11:13 AM Subscribe
Baroness Von Sketch was a sketch comedy show by women for women!
Four Toronto-based comedians--Carolyn Taylor, Aurora Browne, Meredith MacNeill, and Jennifer Whalen--created BvS in 2016. The show aired for five seasons. Episodes are still available to watch on CBC Gem.
Whalen and MacNeill have a new sitcom, Small Achievable Goals, airing on CBC. It focuses on when life hands you menopause...and you have figure out how to live with it.
Some of my favourite BvS sketches (apologies if they are region-locked):
"40+ Hangover"
"Jeans"
"Locker Room" Probably my all time fave?
"Land Acknowledgement"
"White Wine"
Four Toronto-based comedians--Carolyn Taylor, Aurora Browne, Meredith MacNeill, and Jennifer Whalen--created BvS in 2016. The show aired for five seasons. Episodes are still available to watch on CBC Gem.
Whalen and MacNeill have a new sitcom, Small Achievable Goals, airing on CBC. It focuses on when life hands you menopause...and you have figure out how to live with it.
Some of my favourite BvS sketches (apologies if they are region-locked):
"40+ Hangover"
"Jeans"
"Locker Room" Probably my all time fave?
"Land Acknowledgement"
"White Wine"
Rarely do you find a quartet of middle-aged women getting their own sketch comedy show; it's giving Crone Island.
posted by Kitteh at 11:42 AM on March 10 [6 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 11:42 AM on March 10 [6 favorites]
oh man, they had some good ones and I've only ever grazed so this is a timely reminder to watch some of this in the evening
I think Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) are worthy of mention if we're honouring BVS, this clip featuring a scene with Walsh and Stephen Harper.. I mean, I don't remember this happening??
posted by ginger.beef at 11:48 AM on March 10 [2 favorites]
I think Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) are worthy of mention if we're honouring BVS, this clip featuring a scene with Walsh and Stephen Harper.. I mean, I don't remember this happening??
posted by ginger.beef at 11:48 AM on March 10 [2 favorites]
The sketch with elderly Canadian moms going "hello? helloooo? hello???" made me look at Shepherd and go, "OMG, that IS your mom!"
posted by Kitteh at 11:55 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 11:55 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]
BvS is and was hilarious. Meredith's physical comedy is the best...truly Mr. Bean level. Also they're all kind of hot in their own ways.
This is one of my favourites and I have played it to my marketing teams. "Drink up, it will make the feelings go away." Women's products
I say hellooo just because of that sketch.
Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh - don't make me smite ya.
Also a shout out for Workin' Moms
posted by warriorqueen at 12:11 PM on March 10 [5 favorites]
This is one of my favourites and I have played it to my marketing teams. "Drink up, it will make the feelings go away." Women's products
I say hellooo just because of that sketch.
Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh - don't make me smite ya.
Also a shout out for Workin' Moms
posted by warriorqueen at 12:11 PM on March 10 [5 favorites]
The sketch with elderly Canadian moms going "hello? helloooo? hello???"
This is like every Anglo mum in Canada. I'm not sure what the Franco equivalent? A smooshy kiss and being handed a plate of Pets de Soeurs? Might be just my experience.
posted by Ashwagandha at 12:24 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
This is like every Anglo mum in Canada. I'm not sure what the Franco equivalent? A smooshy kiss and being handed a plate of Pets de Soeurs? Might be just my experience.
posted by Ashwagandha at 12:24 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
Meredith's physical comedy is the best
Totally. This (Send Nudes) is my favorite of hers.
posted by kitcat at 12:25 PM on March 10 [7 favorites]
Totally. This (Send Nudes) is my favorite of hers.
posted by kitcat at 12:25 PM on March 10 [7 favorites]
I relate to the locker room sketch because I experienced it a few years ago when I was still going to the community gym. The women's locker room was a bastion of women in their mother/crone years, just letting it all hang out, and chatting. (Especially true in the swimming pool change room.) I am not yet that brave but I'm getting there!
posted by Kitteh at 12:37 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 12:37 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
Alas, "The uploader has not made this video available in your country" for all of these except the first one...region-locked indeed.
posted by Molasses808 at 1:18 PM on March 10 [3 favorites]
posted by Molasses808 at 1:18 PM on March 10 [3 favorites]
loooove BVS, and Small Achievable Goals is hilarious so far. They are the best!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:20 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:20 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
Molasses808, I encountered the same issue, but if you have access to a VPN, just set it for Canada. Works fine.
posted by the sobsister at 1:25 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
posted by the sobsister at 1:25 PM on March 10 [1 favorite]
Friendly Work Emails. I have worked there, at that place! And somehow I survived... but did my soul? (No.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:28 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:28 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
Seem to have a bit more luck with the IFC links. (Amerikanski here.)
Senior Discount
Products for Women
No Plans For the Long Weekend?!
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:45 PM on March 10
Senior Discount
Products for Women
No Plans For the Long Weekend?!
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:45 PM on March 10
Alas, "The uploader has not made this video available in your country"
Yes, I'm afraid we have had to put a 100% tariff on comedy, as it is one of our exports the US is heavily reliant on
posted by Jon Mitchell at 2:00 PM on March 10 [27 favorites]
Yes, I'm afraid we have had to put a 100% tariff on comedy, as it is one of our exports the US is heavily reliant on
posted by Jon Mitchell at 2:00 PM on March 10 [27 favorites]
They are SO good! I just introduced them to my wife last week and she laughed heartily. As a middle-aged women who can't sleep through the night herself, she especially liked Late night thoughts that keep you awake. We've started randomly shouting PEABO BRYSON at each other.
posted by mrphancy at 2:13 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
posted by mrphancy at 2:13 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
OMG you guys I just called my mom and GUESS HOW SHE ANSWERED?
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 3:17 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 3:17 PM on March 10 [2 favorites]
I’ve always thought the Land Acknowledgment one is pretty spot on. Also interesting to see why people think it’s funny.
And jeez I’m dumb, all these years I’ve confused Carolyn Taylor with Teresa Pavlinek*, who was in a different sketch comedy troupe, "Women Fully Clothed” as well as in Workin’ Moms apparently.
*she is known to an entire generation of Ontarians as the “chicken and stuffing and pie, oh my!” waiter from the 90s Swiss Chalet ad.
region-locked indeed
Sucks, doesn’t it?
As someone not in the USA, this is my experience with so many videos here.
posted by chococat at 4:31 PM on March 10 [3 favorites]
And jeez I’m dumb, all these years I’ve confused Carolyn Taylor with Teresa Pavlinek*, who was in a different sketch comedy troupe, "Women Fully Clothed” as well as in Workin’ Moms apparently.
*she is known to an entire generation of Ontarians as the “chicken and stuffing and pie, oh my!” waiter from the 90s Swiss Chalet ad.
region-locked indeed
Sucks, doesn’t it?
As someone not in the USA, this is my experience with so many videos here.
posted by chococat at 4:31 PM on March 10 [3 favorites]
Locker room was my hands down fave for a long time. Psych-up Salad is close. Meredith MacNeill is a genius. Hope it's not region-locked for ya.
posted by kaymac at 6:28 AM on March 11 [1 favorite]
posted by kaymac at 6:28 AM on March 11 [1 favorite]
Ironically, if you are a Canadian in Canada, a couple of the video links are region locked.
Goddam tarrifs. (I know it's not tariffs, but hey.)
posted by kaymac at 6:53 AM on March 11 [1 favorite]
Goddam tarrifs. (I know it's not tariffs, but hey.)
posted by kaymac at 6:53 AM on March 11 [1 favorite]
Thanks to Kitteh I have been bingeing BVS all night and sharing with partner/family. I knew of the troupe, watched a few sketches over the years, but they just fell outside my viewing radar and mostly I missed it
If London has its ravens in the tower, surely Canada will fall once the generation comes along that fails to put forward a solid sketch comedy troupe. In my mind there's a pedigree going back to Four On the Floor, Codco/This Hour, Kids in the Hall, Baroness Von Sketch
posted by ginger.beef at 8:20 AM on March 11 [3 favorites]
If London has its ravens in the tower, surely Canada will fall once the generation comes along that fails to put forward a solid sketch comedy troupe. In my mind there's a pedigree going back to Four On the Floor, Codco/This Hour, Kids in the Hall, Baroness Von Sketch
posted by ginger.beef at 8:20 AM on March 11 [3 favorites]
don't forget SCTV!!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 3:28 AM on March 12
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 3:28 AM on March 12
now I think on it, Bizarre introduced us to Super Dave Osborne
posted by ginger.beef at 7:47 AM on March 12
posted by ginger.beef at 7:47 AM on March 12
Excellent cover story from Toronto Life about Meredith MacNeill and Jennifer Whalen talking about Small Achievable Goals.
posted by Kitteh at 8:10 AM on March 12 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 8:10 AM on March 12 [1 favorite]
To MacNeill, SAG shares both a sensibility and a metabolism with Baroness—“the speed and the muscle,” as she puts it.
yep, that writer earned every penny
posted by ginger.beef at 8:21 AM on March 12
yep, that writer earned every penny
posted by ginger.beef at 8:21 AM on March 12
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Unrelated but not really, I quite enjoyed Meredith MacNeill in Pretty Hard Cases.
posted by ashbury at 11:41 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]