After nine seasons, 105 Canadian towns have made the spotlight on CBC’s Still Standing, and Season 10 is set to kick off with a visit to Rama First Nation.
Canadian comedian Jonny Harris brought laughter to town but also gained some knowledge from history lessons and personal anecdotes while visiting with locals.
“We’re always looking for a survivor story, an underdog story, a community that has overcome challenges, and Rama was a great story,” Harris told OrilliaMatters about his time spent learning from Chief Ted Williams and the locals who set out to build the world’s largest dream catcher.
Harris was most surprised about Casino Rama and its effects on the infrastructure and history of Rama. He joked about hearing ads when he moved to Ontario and not knowing Rama was the location. He thought it was a quirky title for marketing the facility, which plays well into his comedy routine.
When describing what he learned, Harris mentioned “the dolly with 12 banker’s boxes filled with the homework they had done” to win approval for Casino Rama’s construction.
Along with the efforts of Bob and Bela Williams, calling for help from the community to build a dream catcher 43 feet in diameter and weighing 2,000 pounds, there were many positive highlights.
Harris noted Rama’s history, referencing the “Coldwater experiment, which has a nasty sound to it, and … that they were particularly oppressed for a First Nations community.”
Through this, he recognized how connected the community was as he spent more time with them and learned about the ways they have faced such adversity.
Notably fortunate as well, the cast and crew of Still Standing arrived in time for National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. Harris delighted in taking part in the baseball game, parade, and fireworks.
“There’s a real energy now there ... The casino has created so many jobs ... The town has gone from surviving to thriving,” he said.
After 10 seasons of exploring small towns, one might think Harris has seen them all. Sometimes, he explained, the team arrives when a community is in the midst of some struggles. This will affect the tone of the episode and how comedy comes through during tough times for the people experiencing them.
For Rama’s episode of Still Standing, “it’s kind of a happy-ending story,” he said.
“Not to say that everything is peachy keen, but Rama has made its comeback.”
Season 10 of Still Standing premieres Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 8:30 p.m. on CBC Television and CBC Gem.
