andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Ian Ross Peak - Season

Peak Season: The Finale

All good things must come to an end. Just like Christmas, your birthday, and a really good buzz, Peak Season is joining the ranks of these time-expired events. How do I feel about this? Right now I’m in shock in denial, the first of the seven stages of grief. On Monday nights, you can find me staring blankly at the screen for thirty minutes, remote in hand, laughing at who knows what. It’s like the phantom limb syndrome, and Peak Season is my missing appendage.

What happens:

I decided to switch it up a bit for the Peak Season finale. With the incessant repetition of  Christmas carols drilling in my head, being offended by a rude name and realizing it was just a fake Santa and shortbread, I’ve decided to make this a festive special. So without further ado, here is possibly the longest Christmas card ever written:

READ MORE »

Peak Season: Episode Nine

Some say you’ve made it in life when you pay off your mortgage. Others say it’s when you get married, or have children. Well I disagree. The surefire way to tell if you’ve made it is if your life has a censorship warning. How many other people in the world can say, “let’s hang out, but I gotta’ let you know, I may contain coarse language, sexuality and mature subject matter.” This should be Whistler’s new welcome sign.

What Happens:

Lauren: Muhammed Ali’s Ring Partner

In this day and age, it seems as though Facebook is the newest form of foreplay. Why put in the physical effort when a simple semicolon can do the trick? It seems to work for the hilarious Steph Weber and the newly-deserted Matt James. I like Lauren and Steph’s analysis of Matt as a potential prospect. Apparently he’s “cute but he’s Aussie and has a girlfriend.” Hopefully that statement isn’t in order of importance.

After Matt pushes Lauren’s hot buttons by insulting her and Scoot, she decides to abandon her anger management steps and let her fists do the talking. Unfortunately, I’ll admit to being notable distracted by the small dog growing on Matt’s forearm the entire time. After decking Matt with a right hook that would make Chuck Liddell’s knees quiver, Lauren is pulled away from the cursing Aussie. In fact, the whole spectacle is like a twisted version of Jerry Springer, but with better looking people. In fact, I was tempted to jump up and scream for Lauren to use her formidable hoop earrings as a weapon.

Scoot: The Social Butterfly

Scoot always looks so comfy in his oversized parka and hat. If I were to go strictly by clothing, the idea that opposites attract would be completely accurate. Lauren’s hard-edge leather jacket pairs perfectly with Scoot’s soft parka, and that, my friends, is my attempt at a relevant metaphor. These university classes are truly paying off well.

It’s too bad this eternal bliss doesn’t last forever, because Scoot can’t hide in the jacket forever. You know those couples in your group that seem to fight as a form of foreplay? They scream, yell, smoke fiercely and sulk, all the while having no clue what they’re mad about? Scoot and Lauren seem to have the textbook symptoms of being one of those couples. He leaves her in a sullen smoking mess to barhop to the Beagle (bar-hopping in Whistler is literally that, hopping a block away), and we’re left to wonder if this volatile couple will make it.

READ MORE »

This week on Peak Season: Episode Six

Episode six of Peak Season was, for lack of a better word, overwhelming. To clarify, take the best parts of the Real World, Twilight and Intervention, mash them together, and you’ve got an imitation of life in Whistler. Don’t let those serene snowflakes at the beginning fool you, that’s what some people refer to as the calm before the storm, and this episode was a level nine on the Richter scale.

What happens:

Matt and Elle: Adrenaline-Junkies.

On a coffee date, Elle questions the value of remaining in Whistler to Matt, while he sheepishly defends his actions at the club earlier. One thing I really like about the Australians is their lingo, which consists of talking how I did in elementary school. I mean, how can Elle even consider leaving after hearing how “sucky” it will be for poor Matt?

Fortunately, all it takes is accompanying Elle to a skills competition, consisting of jumps, backflips and your typical ring of fire. I half-expected a bearded lady to Allie Oop through the ring after the competitors. After this, they continue on to complete their couple bonding by tandem bungee-jumping off a bridge. I’ll give it to Matt, he certainly knows how to make unique apologies. These Canadian fellows need to step it up!

Matt continues his new gentleman act at the bar when the Australian posse meets up for beers. When Elle is hit on, he immediately gets defensive, which translates into standing on the bar and making faces at the perpetrator. The poor guy is already single, don’t you think he has enough problems? A bar fight ensues, where they end up sloppy-UFC’ing outside in slippery conditions. Elle cries, because that’s what girls do best when someone else gets hit, and Matt the manly man comforts her outside the bar. All’s well that ends well.

READ MORE »