C/O Yoohyun Park

Pizza Pizza becomes the first major sponsorship signing for the Marauders this season

One of the largest pizza companies in Canada, Pizza Pizza, has entered a partnership with the Marauders as of Oct. 29.

Pizza Pizza has over 500 locations across Canada and has played an important role in the communities that they have served since their foundation date in 1967. The pizza company had more than $458 million in gross sales in 2018, making it the most successful Canadian pizza brand by far. 

What exactly does this partnership mean for the Marauders? Would it provide better financial stability to the McMaster sports association? Would it benefit the performance from McMaster athletes in general?

Although there is no concrete answer, it is no secret that for years now, many sports teams at McMaster have pleaded for donations to keep themselves running. Even the men’s soccer team, which has had a very successful season so far, has a donation website. Additionally, there are numerous teams which require their athletes to pay a fee before representing the school. 

With that said, it might therefore be expected that this partnership will result in more financial stability for Marauders teams. Although no financial income has been published by the Marauders regarding this partnership, they have promised unique experiences and promotional offers for the members of the Marauders community.

In a statement made by the director of athletics and recreation, Shawn Burt, mentioned that the new partnership with Pizza Pizza will not only benefit student athletes, but also varsity games attendees through engagement opportunities that the pizza giant has to offer. 

This new sponsorship deal can turn out to be a big game changer for the Marauders, but what is the student perspective on Canada’s largest pizza company? To find out the answer to the question, a Reddit poll was created by the Silhouette Sports reporters which would help to gather some perspectives from the students

According to the poll results, most of the McMaster students wouldn’t mind having Pizza Pizza as a sponsor, as there's an even divide between those who like and dislike the pizza giant. 

Although the students have their own opinions on the new sponsorship, there is still much to know about what the true benefit of this new deal is. What the McMaster community can hope for though, is a new financial boost for the varsity teams and possibly a better playing experience for the student athletes.

Photos by Cindy Cui / Photo Editor

By Gregory Lee, Contributor

Whether it be from the crowded lines at the MUSC Tim Hortons or to the pasta place inside Centro, hungry students are everywhere, looking for ways to satisfy their hunger on campus. 

McMaster Hospitality Services, which operates most eateries on campus, state that they aim to provide high quality food service, variety and value. Eating on campus a few times will show that in reality, these expectations are not always met.

Food at universities is notorious for being unhealthy. It is usually stereotyped as deep fried, greasy, frozen and/or unhealthy, which are all true statements. A quick look at the menu at many of the campus eateries shows that they’re mainly burgers, wraps and fries that are almost always frozen and low-quality in terms of taste — mediocre at best. 

Normally I wouldn’t have a problem with frozen deep-fried food but the fact that campus food is also notoriously expensive as well doesn’t help. For example, a slice of pepperoni pizza at the MUSC Pizza Pizza costs significantly more than a slice at any other Pizza Pizza location. A Mac Burger at Centro costs around $8.95 for the burger itself, plus an extra $2.99 for a combo, which includes a drink and fries. An order of onion rings which normally contains 5-7 rings will set you back around $4.

What really puts the prices of on-campus food into perspective is when it's compared to other locations off campus which offer better value for your money compared to the on-campus eateries. It’s worse for people who live on residence as the meal plans offered by Mac Hospitality are mandatory if you want to live on residence with few exceptions.

Although the meals plans allow students to save tax when buying food on campus, they still cost students at least $3000 upfront for even the lighter meal plans. 

It gets worse when Mac Hospitality takes away exactly half of the non-refundable portion of your meal plan in the beginning of the year for overhead costs, giving you a 50 per cent discount on all food. This discount is only for first year and disappears after the school year ends. The truth is, many students will not finish the non-refundable portion of their meal plan before first year ends. They will either have to go on spending sprees to finish their plans or cut their losses and use the money next school year, even if it technically means losing half of your money.

Health wise, the food on campus doesn’t fare well either. University eating is characterized by fears over the “freshman 15” and uncontrollable weight gain. While the freshman 15 is little more than just a myth, the health concerns of campus food are not. 

A quick look at the nutrition facts of campus food will be enough to give any health-conscious individual a heart attack. Calories, unhealthy fats, sodium, carbohydrates and bad cholesterol are high for most, if not all dishes. In addition, the foods on campus are often low in key nutrients such as fibre, protein and vitamins. The campus eateries do have their healthier options such as salad bars or select food from Bridges, but healthy options are almost always lacking on the menus around campus. 

Let’s not forget the fact that food options for vegetarians and vegans are limited on campus. While we do have Bridges serving vegetarian and vegan options, other eateries on campus are often lacking in vegetarian and vegan options. Halal and kosher options are also limited and just recently, McMaster Hospitality stopped offering halal beef burgers at their eateries.

The food at Mac is definitely not the worst, but it can be greatly improved upon both health-wise and cost-wise. The introduction of the new $5-dollar daily meals is a step in the right direction for food accessibility at Mac and the menu at the campus eateries is always changing. Hopefully, Mac continues to make improvements to the food on campus so that one day, it can be accessible for all.

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If you had to decide which restaurant has the best pizza in the city, which restaurant would you pick? Luckily for Justin Tanada, he’s doing the research for you.

Tanada is looking for the best slice of pizza that Hamilton has to offer. As a local photographer, Tanada decided to document his quest for the perfect slice of pizza on an Instagram account known as Pizzatography.

Pizzatography features photos and videos of various pizza dishes from Hamilton and the greater area. From gooey cheese pulls, pizza memes, or to slices loaded with deluxe toppings, it’s no wonder that the account has gained nearly 27,800 followers since its November 2016 inception, most of whom love pizza as much as he does. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkK7ZATD3KD/?taken-by=pizzatography

“If I had to choose only one thing I could eat for the rest of my life it would probably be pizza,” said Tanada. “I get tired of eating at the same pizza place more than once in a row though. I gotta switch it up.”

The idea behind Pizzatography came out of Tanada’s love for pizza. Growing up, he says, his friends would call him Pizza Boy because of his love for the pie. Out of that passion, in addition to some knowledge of digital marketing, Pizzatography came to life. 

“I’ve always had hundreds of photos of pizzas in my phone throughout the years so I decided to create a photo album for them on Instagram,” said Tanada. “I studied up on how to build an organic following on social media and plugged my knowledge of that into Pizzatography.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiNFwF9Dbhn/?taken-by=pizzatography

From asking his followers’ opinions, replying to and liking their comments or working with local pizzerias to share a slice of Hamilton, Tanada is constantly interacting with his followers. Tanada also features photos of pizza from around the world through the account, asking his followers to share their favourite slice in their own cities.

More recently, Tanada has been working with local pizzerias to host giveaways on the account. He recently hosted a giveaway in celebration of having his account featured in Canadian Pizza Magazine that saw two gift cards to Hamilton’s own Original Pizza, one of Tanada’s “absolute favourite pizzerias in Hamilton”. 

“I’m actually not that surprised,” Tanada mentioned about his following. “Everyone loves pizza! It’s just such a beautiful food and brings together so many people. That, being paired with being social on social media goes a long way.” 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh_pvxsDOdr/?taken-by=pizzatography

Hamilton is chock-full of pizza options. From smaller mom-and-pop restaurants, to corporate chains or to formal dining experiences, the city definitely has a whole pie of options. With so many places to choose from, Tanada says he still hasn’t found the best slice, but he definitely has a few favourite options.

“I haven’t been to every pizza place in town yet, so I’m still on the search. There are some really great places though,” said Tanada. “As for a favourite, that’s super tough to pick. I really like Knead and Marinos for slices and NaRoma, Earth to Table or Bronzies for special occasions.” 

You can follow Tanada’s quest for the perfect slice on Instagram through @Pizzatography and can have your photo featured on the account by sending Tanada a message, or by tagging him in your pizza pics. 

 

An Interview with Richard 'Cheech' Marin (of Cheech and Chong) 

Myles Herod
Entertainment Editor

Comprising one half of the famed ‘70s duo Cheech & Chong, Richard ‘Cheech’ Marin comes equally accomplished. From pot toking stoner to Don Johnson’s cop sidekick to playing Chicano priests in Robert Rodriquez movies, he’s done it all.

Having re-teamed with his old compadre, Tommy Chong, the two are performing once again, wafting their signature off-brand comedy throughout their aptly titled ‘Get It Legal’ tour across North America.

I recently had a chance to chat with Cheech, who cheerfully reflected on his storied career in film, television, and a two-time stint on Celebrity Jeopardy. “It’s as nervous as you’ll ever be in show business. At least for me, because you can really look like a dummy,” he said.

Modesty aside, the presumed pothead infamously outscored CNN anchor Anderson Cooper in an episode that attained viral popularity. In what he called a ‘shellacking,’ Cheech abridged the incident, and his bemused opponent, with playful brevity.

“It was nice. He’s a very nice guy,” he said. “He’s just a little slow, ya know?”

Talk inevitably shifted to his blunt-burning rise as a counter-culture comedian, forever paired with Tommy Chong. With them back on the road, I questioned their decision to reunite in 2012.

“You know, we still enjoy touring and playing in front of the folks and going to places we haven’t been for a little while, or maybe ever.  It’s fun to get out there and be among the people because what I missed is being able to go from city to city and feel the pulse of the nation, or you know, the country, or North America, or wherever we are,” he said.

After a successful slew of records and films in the 1970s, Cheech parted ways with Chong in 1985, reflecting “we got sick of each other.” When referring to his kindred counterpart today, he proclaimed their reconciliation as “one of the easiest things I’ve ever done,” comparing it to riding a bicycle – “you don’t forget.”

In terms of comedy duos, he had some interesting, albeit experienced insight as well. He said, “You really have to actually get along, compromise and harmonize in a certain way, which we do automatically no matter whether we love each other, hate each other, never seen each other. As soon as we get together are two voices go together. I mean, it’s just one of those things, like the Everly Brothers or something.”

After their initial spilt, Cheech “concentrated on doing everything that didn’t have a big joint in it,” utilizing his put-on Chicano accent for more family friendly entertainment. “Ironically, the thing that really started busting me out in different areas was doing voices for Disney cartoons.”

After 1988’s Oliver & Company, Cheech found his way to television, spending six years on what he described as “one of the best times of my life” playing Inspector Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges with former Miami Vice heartthrob, Don Johnson.

With Cheech currently starring in Rob Schneider’s new CBS sitcom Rob, I was curious to know if he still dabbled in the ‘herbal grass’ of his past. “Every once in a while. When you get older, ya know, the recovery period is a little bit longer.” He added, “It’s this past two, three generations choice of intoxicant.  Aside from saying nothing is good for you, I think pot is much better than alcohol.” As he hails from Los Angeles, my final questions pertained to directing – something Cheech attempted with his underrated 1987 film, and subsequent music video, Born In East LA – comedically commenting on the plight of immigrants in America.

However, two years prior, auteur Martin Scorsese placed both Cheech & Chong in his nocturnal mind trip, After Hours, affording them an experience that was “very enlightening.” He concluded, “We went there and did our bit and he worked exactly like we did – very improvisationally. It was great in that we realized, here’s one of the biggest, world-class directors that there is, working exactly as we do. It was an inclination for us to think that ‘hey, we belong here in the big time.’”


 

 

Albert Nobbs
Starring: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer
Directed by: Rodrigo Garcia

3 out of 5 stars

Myles Herod
Entertainment Editor

Some of the best moments of Albert Nobbs come from a look or a pause. They are moments devoted to capturing the posture of its working class, the silence of a secret or the embarrassment of an intimate exchange. Put together, the parts that function best come to form a portrait of a woman in 1850’s Ireland – a woman disguised as a man.

Based on a novella by George Moore, and spearheaded by actress Glenn Close for its adaptation, the film tells the peculiar tale of gender and survival. As the attentive waiter of Dublin’s Morrison Hotel, Albert (Close) is extolled as the archetype of prim and proper.

With skin strangely tight, hair carefully coiffed, and a demeanour bereft of gender, Closes’ studied portrayal is no less an uncanny feat of androgyny. Conscious of guest’s secrets, we never get the tipoff that they are on to hers - with one patron even remarking, ‘what a kind, little man.”

Placed in and around the hotel, the film’s tendency to dwell on servants and sophisticated clientele is obvious and rather simple. The heart of the matter, as personified in its title, is the question of identity.

Serving under an undetermined amount of time, Albert’s hotel tenure has afforded her the ability to save and fantasize for an economic escape. Beneath her bedroom floor lays a treasury of coins, preserved from years of strict diligence. Like her other, more solemn secret, Albert’s reasons for hiding are more enigmatic than the screenplay lets on (implying rape under her hush tone of naivety).

For some, Close’s performance may be dismissible as mere make-up and male drag. It isn’t. With complete dedication, she restricts herself from overacting and in turn crafts an homage to Charlie Chaplin with childlike poise and manner.

Circumstance transpires and one day the unblinking Nobbs is instructed to share her bed with Hubert Page (Janet McTeer), a painter with an unreadable countenance. Albert remains terrified, mind you, vehemently guarding herself amidst the awkward predicament.

The plot thickens, and in lieu of bearing a flea-ridden bed, Albert violently stumbles, relieving herself of a confining girdle to Hubert’s knowing eye.

In the wake of fear and concealment, Albert’s gender bending unveil does little to damper Hubert’s nights rest. Turns out Mr. Page has been living a similar secret, but for her own reasons.

Having successfully impersonated a working class man, the painter’s confidence awakens Albert’s own, allotting the asexual being to explore emotion, femininity and even the thought of marriage.

Together, both actresses establish a charismatic bond that comes to define the picture’s strength. Janet McTeer as Hubert Page is an absolute marvel.

Duly awarded an Academy Award nomination (along with Glenn Close), her performance is star making, and beautifully unannounced from left field.

Unfortunately, the rest of the picture plods with an ensemble cast straddling class prejudices and whiny melodramatics.  The overarching story of a Victorian Hotel is familiar, further tarnished by two supporting parts that emanate a whiff of amateurism.

Mia Wasikowska and Aaron Johnson seem to exist only to shove the story to its inevitable conclusion, playing lovebirds within the Hotel’s working staff - one a brutish urchin, the other an object of Albert’s desire. Neither work.

As a whole, the film travels unevenly, fastened by two superb performances.  With Meryl Streep receiving her 17th Oscar nomination for the Iron Lady, it comes as a shock that this is only Glenn Close’s sixth. Considering her 23-year gap from 1988’s Dangerous Liaisons, Albert Nobbs reinstates why she rivals America’s finest living actress.

Paul Fowler

Silhouette Staff

Six months ago, a relatively unknown singer-songwriter working under the grandiose moniker Lana Del Rey posted the song “Video Games” on YouTube. The song set the Internet ablaze, and, in a matter of weeks, Del Rey signed a major record contract and promised her rapidly expanding fan base an album. As songs from the record slowly trickled onto YouTube, Del Rey’s runaway hype machine collided with a wall of fiery hatred, igniting the age-old debate of authenticity in music. After months of squabbling, Born to Die is finally here.

The album opens on a surprisingly pleasant note with its title track, “Born to Die.” Like most of the record, the opener weaves Lana’s seductive croon into a dense web of pop production that is particularly heavy on strings. Unfortunately, after “Born to Die,” it’s almost all downhill.

The worst aspect of Born to Die is without a doubt its atrocious lyricism. Each song is a catalog of uninspired clichés: “I will love you till the end of time,” “love hurts,” “you’re no good for me,” “money is the reason we exist, kiss, kiss.” The sappy, superfluous strings, which slowly leach the life out of the album, feel like an attempt to cover up the lack of depth in Del Rey’s songwriting.

At its best, Born to Die is catchy yet completely forgettable pop, and at its worst, it’s absolutely unlistenable.

Ultimately, Born to Die feels like a desperate grasp for mainstream attention. Despite describing herself as a “gangster Nancy Sinatra,” there is nothing daring, racy or exciting about Del Rey. Her mixture of generic music and sterile lyrics is not only safe for the pop world, it fits in perfectly beside Katy Perry, Taylor Swift and the other dregs of mainstream female pop.

I suppose Lana Del Rey does give profit-addicted record executives a chance to rejoice. They’ve managed to pluck yet another blossoming Internet sensation and transform it into bland and uninspiring mainstream pop while somehow managing to keep the hype machine churning.

However, despite all the hatred, there is one gem on Born to Die. “Video Games,” the song that launched Del Rey into the mainstream, is an undeniably gorgeous piece, driven by a graceful melody steeped in longing and sadness. Instead of detracting from the work, the beautifully swelling strings make lovesick lines like “heaven is a place on Earth with you” seem shockingly poignant.

Given “Video Games,” it’s not surprising that Lana Del Rey was originally seen as the antithesis of trashy radio pop. Listening to the song gives a hint at what could have been had Del Rey stuck to the style that briefly captured the attention of both the mainstream and independent musical spheres. Unfortunately, the evil lure of the major record labels won her over. Now, she’s just another run-of-the-mill, generic pop star.

Josh Parsons

Music Editor

When you step back at take a gander at the Canadian musical landscape, it’s easy to spot a healthy stream of rootsy rock ‘n’ roll flowing like the St. Lawrence down the banks of time. Our vast, open land has served as the perfect inspiration for many road-worn storytellers with affection for simple, chordy guitar.

That being said, Canada’s tradition of straightforward rock ‘n’ roll is still very much alive. Our latest treat to the world is Saskatoon’s Sheepdogs, who, over the past year, have leapt from the cramped backseat of a tiny tour van to the front cover of the most fabled publication in music, Rolling Stone.

Recently, ANDY caught up with Ryan Gullen, bass player for the Sheepdogs, to chat about standing at the helm of a rich tradition and the expectations, opportunities and experiences that arise from such attention.

“We’re into older music, you know? The Band, Neil Young and the Guess Who, that’s the stuff that really inspires us. It’s definitely a sort of Canadian tradition,” laughed Gullen. The Sheepdogs are heavily indebted to this lineage, as pointed out by the countless critics who liken the band to the roots of rock ‘n’ roll past.

“I don’t necessarily feel a constraint,” he said confidently when asked about the expectations placed on them by the media. “People do make the connection to the classic rock ‘n’ roll bands, but that’s the type of music we like to listen to and, as a result, that’s what comes out.”

He continued, “There are lots of bands nowadays that take cues from the ‘80s. They’re considered modern pop music, yet their music is also derivative of another time. We play what we like and hope that other people will like it too.”

The skyrocketing popularity of the Sheepdogs owes greatly to their winning of the first ever “Choose Your Own Cover Contest” hosted by Rolling Stone. Unbeknownst to the band, the contest also offered a spot on the popular fashion-focused reality television program Project Runway.

“We were told shortly before that if we did in fact win, we’d have to appear on the show,” Gullen admitted. “Of course, none of us had ever watched the show. Initially they wanted us on the runway, and we wanted to play. Eventually, they came back and told us that they’d love to have us be the first band to play on the show.

“It was definitely a weird experience,” Gullen laughed. He went on to praise the show for allowing them to bring a sense of humour to it. Gullen proudly revealed the sense of irony they felt when they approached the show with garnered acclaim from one of the most notable rock critics, Chuck Klosterman.

As a result of their newfound superstardom, the Sheepdogs have been forced, on the Canadian leg of the tour, to move gigs into larger venues. “Our [Studio at Hamilton Place] show sold out in the pre-sale, but there were a lot of people in Hamilton and the surrounding area talking to us through social media and telling us that they wanted to come.” The show was subsequently moved to Copps Coliseum.

Gullen went on to celebrate the music-mad audiences that our city fosters. “Hamilton has historically been an great place for us to play,” he said. With tickets still on sale, make sure you catch what the buzz is all about.

The Sheepdogs perform Saturday, Nov. 26 at Copps Coliseum 

 

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