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Jonny: Here we are in
St. Thomas, Ontario!
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[cheering & applauding]
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Before it became known
as a major hub
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of the Canadian
auto industry,
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St. Thomas was known
as the Railway City.
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100 years ago,
you'd see 100 trains
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pass through this
town every day.
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Located halfway between
Toronto and Detroit,
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central to
industrial Ontario,
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00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,627
over the years,
30 different railways
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used St. Thomas as a
connection point.
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Railway City.
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So that's what St. Thomas
is known for.
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Trains, plainly,
and automobiles.
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[laughing]
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When you grow up in a
small town in Newfoundland,
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you see that people
have a sense of humour
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about hard times.
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Check, check.
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I turned that into a
career and hit the road.
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Announcer:
Mr. Jonny Harris!
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Now I'm on a mission to find
the funny in the places
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you least expect it,
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Canada's struggling,
small towns.
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Towns that are
against the ropes,
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but hanging in there.
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Still laughing in the
face of adversity.
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This is
St. Thomas, Ontario.
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♪
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♪
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♪
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Being a railway hub
and centrally located,
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Ford Motor Company
chose St. Thomas
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to build a huge
assembly plant,
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and from 1967 to 2011,
Ford produced
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over 8 million vehicles
right here.
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♪
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Such classics as
the Ford Fairmont,
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the Ford Falcon,
the Escort.
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The Ford Escort is my
favourite car of all time.
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And the one Ford built
for European markets,
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I love that one.
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But you can't
find them here.
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And you don't want your
girlfriend to find
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your search history
when it says,
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"How to find a European
Escort in Canada."
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[laughing]
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I got the low down from a
local who was around
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to build the crown of
Ford's fleet,
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David Matisko.
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[cheering & applauding]
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David: A lot of history here
that we're in right now.
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A lot of history.
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And sitting
in here now...
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kind of gives me
shivers.
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Jonny: Well, you, you
helped build this thing.
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David: Yes, I did.
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Jonny: The plant here built,
and this is perhaps the
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feather in your cap,
the jewel in your crown,
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the Crown Victoria.
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[cheering & applauding]
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One of the best-selling
vehicles of all time.
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80% of all the
police cars
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in North America
were Crown Vics.
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And he said not all Crown
Vics are built equally.
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David: They would
actually take an extra
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200 people to
build a police car.
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Jonny: The police ones get
the beefed up suspension,
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the biggest
engine option,
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indestructible
hoses and belts.
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David: I remember, I had
to install the carpet
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into the trunk.
I said to the supervisor,
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"How come there's a
great big piece
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of conduit here?
What's that for?"
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Great big pipe
about this big.
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Jonny: And he said,
"Oh yeah,
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that's for air
conditioning.
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These police vehicles are
going to the southern U.S."
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David: And in the South,
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they're responsible for
picking up roadkill.
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They wanted to keep
the trunk cold,
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just like a little morgue,
I guess, in the back.
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Jonny: Air conditioned
trunk for roadkill.
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David: Yeah!
[laughing]
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♪
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David: Right there,
it used to be the plant
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where we used to be.
It was massive.
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Day shift, afternoon shift,
10 hour shifts.
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Production would be
running 20 hours a day.
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Jonny: At its peak,
he said the plant had
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over 3,000
workers there,
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working around
the clock.
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David: One of the
most efficient plants
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Ford has ever had.
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Jonny: The St. Thomas
assembly plant was
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known for making
quality cars, fast.
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David: It took us 56
seconds to build one car.
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Jonny: No way.
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David: I can't even
change the oil in my car.
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It takes you two hours
to change the oil,
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but they could build
a car, one a minute.
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Jonny: That's four seconds
faster than it took
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Nicholas Cage
to steal one.
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[laughing]
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♪
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Jonny: Now you'd think
working on an assembly line
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would get repetitive,
but there were
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some wild surprises
from time to time.
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I guess the parts come in
from other parts of
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the country
or the world.
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David: All over
the world!
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Jonny: He was unpackaging
these parts that
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had been shipped
up from Mexico.
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David: And all of a sudden,
this great, big spider
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comes jumpin' out.
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Jonny: Oh.
[laughing]
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David: Tarantula,
about that big.
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Jonny: And he said that
wasn't entirely uncommon.
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David: There'd be rattlesnakes
in them as well.
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Jonny: No way.
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David: Yes, as soon
as someone yelled,
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"Snake!"
three lines over,
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everybody would clear.
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Hundreds of people
just running away.
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There was one fork
truck driver
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that was famous
in the plant.
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Jonny: And he'd
come bombing in
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with the forklift and
he'd run it over.
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[laughing]
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David: He could move
that fork truck over.
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I don't know if he made a
bandana out of it or
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what he did with it,
but that was his fame.
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Jonny: And I thought,
that's pretty good,
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but what do you
do with it then?
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And I guess you can throw
it into the air conditioned
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trunk of your
Crown Victoria.
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[laughing]
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♪
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David: I remember the
supervisor walked me
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down the line the
very first day.
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"Do you have
a new car?
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You can afford it now."
Jonny: Yeah.
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David: Coming from
a stage in my life
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where money
was hard...
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then having a job
where it's like,
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oh, my God,
I can travel.
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I can be a little bit
more generous.
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I can do this,
I can do that.
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I can send my kids
to university.
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I will have my
house paid off.
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♪
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Jonny: As SUVs became
more popular and
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the demand for large
sedans dropped,
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David told me there would
be temporary layoffs.
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♪
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The economy of the town was
so tied up with the plant.
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David: The Elgin Mall,
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I was in there
buying some stuff,
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a lady, she knew
I worked at Ford.
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She said, "When's your
next layoff?"
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I said, "Why do you
need to know that?"
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She goes, "Well, when
you guys are laid off,
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our stores go down
50% that day."
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Jonny: It's crazy how
connected they were.
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In the Railway City,
layoffs at the car plant
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meant you could lose your
job at the Subway.
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[laughing]
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♪
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And in 2011, Ford closed
the plant for good.
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David: The last day
was so mixed emotion.
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[crowd chatter]
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♪
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The last car
was a white car.
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Jonny: All the
workers signed it.
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David: An older
gentleman there,
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he was so distraught
and hurt and confused.
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I had to help him
sign his name.
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Jonny: Really?
Oh, man.
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After that, people who
worked at the plant,
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if you were driving around
and you see a Crown Victoria,
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it was mixed emotion.
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There was pride because
you know you helped
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build that,
but it also...
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you know, hit you
with some heartbreak.
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As opposed to
the rest of us
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when we see
a Crown Vic,
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we hit the brakes and
have a heart attack.
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[laughing]
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[cheering & applauding]
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♪
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♪
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Jonny: There's still
automotive manufacturing
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happening in St. Thomas.
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I went by the
Formet plant,
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the largest car parts
plant in Canada.
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-Megan, nice to meet you!
-Nice to meet you.
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I got to meet a robotic
welder who was
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actually much
more human-like
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than her job title
would suggest.
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Megan Dobbin.
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[cheering & applauding]
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She works with these
robot welding arms.
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Megan: So whenever there's
any kind of welding problem,
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then they would call
a team leader
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who would
then call me,
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and then say, "Oh,
I need this fixed."
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Jonny: She pinpoints the
area that needs a weld.
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She plots out the path
where it needs to happen
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by using a
teach pendant.
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And once she programs it,
then the robot
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can go and do it
however many times.
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Megan: It's almost like
playing a video game,
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because you use
controls to move it,
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almost kind of like
you would in, say,
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like a driving game.
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Jonny: I said, it's a lot
like a video game.
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In fact, I've been playing
automotive robotic
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00:08:04,050 --> 00:08:06,317
welding simulator for a
couple of weeks now.
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00:08:06,319 --> 00:08:07,886
[laughing]
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♪
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She walked me
around the plant,
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and there's robots
all over the place.
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These massive
robot arms.
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At one point we're watching
these two robot arms,
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and they're picking up
500 pound
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00:08:21,835 --> 00:08:25,003
Silverado frames like
they're weightless.
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♪
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I wanted to throw some
pizza dough up there
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and see if
they'd like...
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[laughing]
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I couldn't help think,
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why am I still dressing
myself manually?
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[laughing]
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These things could get a pair
of pants on me, no sweat.
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And if one had to pick me up
and spin me around
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while the other one got
the pants and put-
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that's fine.
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[laughing]
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♪
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With a strong history of
automotive manufacturing,
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car culture is
strong in St. Thomas,
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and that includes the
4x4 off-roading scene.
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Jeeps here are big,
and I met a woman
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who makes them
even bigger.
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00:09:04,411 --> 00:09:05,677
-Hello.
-Nice to meet you, Laura.
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00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:06,945
Laura: Nice to
meet you as well.
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Jonny: From Off Road
Addiction, Laura Galea.
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00:09:09,749 --> 00:09:13,718
[cheering & applauding]
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Laura told me that Jeeps
are like Lego for adults.
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Laura: Jeeps are
so customizable.
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One little brick here,
one little brick here,
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it looks totally
different.
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There's no end to the
pieces that you can tack on.
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Tires,
we do lift kits,
255
00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:28,666
which is modifying
the suspension.
256
00:09:28,702 --> 00:09:31,268
Bumpers, there's different
types of lug nuts
257
00:09:31,305 --> 00:09:32,504
you can get.
258
00:09:32,506 --> 00:09:35,540
Jonny: You can get those
long, spiked lug nuts.
259
00:09:35,542 --> 00:09:36,440
They're like Lego,
260
00:09:36,476 --> 00:09:37,742
especially if you
step on one in the
261
00:09:37,744 --> 00:09:39,210
middle of the night
with no socks on.
262
00:09:39,346 --> 00:09:41,279
[laughing]
263
00:09:41,281 --> 00:09:43,414
Laura: It's like an extension
of your personality.
264
00:09:43,416 --> 00:09:45,249
Once you get started
in building stuff,
265
00:09:45,285 --> 00:09:47,619
no two vehicles
look the same.
266
00:09:47,754 --> 00:09:49,487
It gives you that feeling
when you park
267
00:09:49,556 --> 00:09:50,621
your vehicle
somewhere,
268
00:09:50,623 --> 00:09:51,823
and you walk
away from it,
269
00:09:51,892 --> 00:09:53,358
you always turn back
and take a peek,
270
00:09:53,493 --> 00:09:55,026
and you're like, yeah,
that's mine.
271
00:09:55,161 --> 00:09:57,395
Jonny: If I wanted a vehicle
that was an extension of
272
00:09:57,431 --> 00:10:01,166
my personality, I think I'd
have to go with an MG.
273
00:10:01,301 --> 00:10:03,434
It's cute in a
funny kind of way,
274
00:10:03,470 --> 00:10:06,037
but you rarely leave home
with it because
275
00:10:06,172 --> 00:10:07,906
it's going to break
down in public.
276
00:10:07,908 --> 00:10:09,307
[laughing]
277
00:10:09,442 --> 00:10:11,042
Laura: This one
right here is mine.
278
00:10:11,111 --> 00:10:14,379
Jonny: That got some...
big ol' tires.
279
00:10:14,514 --> 00:10:15,647
Laura: It does.
280
00:10:15,782 --> 00:10:17,915
Jonny: It looks fantastic,
it's got the lift kit,
281
00:10:17,951 --> 00:10:21,119
it's go half doors
and the soft top.
282
00:10:21,121 --> 00:10:23,188
She said sometimes they
like to go topless.
283
00:10:23,190 --> 00:10:25,056
Laura: The soft tops,
there's a couple latches,
284
00:10:25,191 --> 00:10:26,825
and then you
flip it back.
285
00:10:26,827 --> 00:10:29,394
And she said,
sometimes they go...
286
00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:30,995
naked.
287
00:10:31,064 --> 00:10:33,131
Riding naked in the Jeep is
pretty much the soft top
288
00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,266
is completely off,
your doors are off,
289
00:10:35,302 --> 00:10:37,335
and it's just
wide open.
290
00:10:38,671 --> 00:10:40,738
Jonny: And I explain that
because I don't want you
291
00:10:40,774 --> 00:10:42,474
to make the same
mistake I did.
292
00:10:42,609 --> 00:10:45,076
[laughing]
293
00:10:45,112 --> 00:10:50,081
If you ever get invited to
go along on an off-road...
294
00:10:50,150 --> 00:10:54,218
and you got some Jeep or
Bronco people who are like,
295
00:10:54,254 --> 00:10:56,754
"Weather looks good,
I'm going naked."
296
00:10:56,823 --> 00:10:58,956
[laughing]
297
00:10:59,092 --> 00:11:00,658
Don't make the
mistake I did.
298
00:11:00,661 --> 00:11:02,293
It's very embarrassing.
299
00:11:02,429 --> 00:11:03,961
[laughing]
300
00:11:03,997 --> 00:11:06,130
[cheering & applauding]
301
00:11:09,269 --> 00:11:13,304
♪
302
00:11:13,373 --> 00:11:17,174
♪
303
00:11:17,210 --> 00:11:20,512
Jonny: There is one other
thing St. Thomas is known for.
304
00:11:20,514 --> 00:11:22,113
I suppose it's time
to talk about
305
00:11:22,149 --> 00:11:23,515
the elephant
in the room.
306
00:11:23,517 --> 00:11:25,250
[laughing]
307
00:11:25,385 --> 00:11:28,853
[applauding]
308
00:11:28,922 --> 00:11:32,590
This is the place where
Jumbo the Elephant,
309
00:11:32,726 --> 00:11:36,994
the huge seven-ton elephant
that came from
310
00:11:37,030 --> 00:11:40,231
East Africa and
astonished the world...
311
00:11:40,233 --> 00:11:43,334
met his end.
312
00:11:43,336 --> 00:11:46,604
The Northern Trunk Freight
Train that rolled into
313
00:11:46,606 --> 00:11:49,273
St. Thomas
back in 1885...
314
00:11:49,309 --> 00:11:51,276
on a cool
September night,
315
00:11:51,411 --> 00:11:53,944
struck and killed
Jumbo the Elephant.
316
00:11:53,946 --> 00:11:55,813
He was crossing
over the tracks,
317
00:11:55,849 --> 00:11:57,482
and it's hard to
stop a train.
318
00:11:57,551 --> 00:11:59,417
Hard to stop an elephant,
probably.
319
00:11:59,419 --> 00:12:02,087
[laughing]
320
00:12:02,222 --> 00:12:03,955
Jonny: While I make
a joke about it,
321
00:12:04,024 --> 00:12:06,090
I get the impression in
my short time here
322
00:12:06,126 --> 00:12:08,159
that people here
honour Jumbo.
323
00:12:08,228 --> 00:12:11,830
You've got that big,
beautiful statue of Jumbo.
324
00:12:11,832 --> 00:12:15,400
You see Jumbo depicted in
all these beautiful murals.
325
00:12:15,535 --> 00:12:17,635
So, I'll respect that,
and I'll try not to
326
00:12:17,671 --> 00:12:20,438
make too many
bad jokes, but my god,
327
00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,240
did the train have to
be Northern Trunk?
328
00:12:23,276 --> 00:12:25,810
[laughing]
329
00:12:25,812 --> 00:12:29,914
♪ [hip-hop] ♪
330
00:12:29,916 --> 00:12:34,885
♪
331
00:12:34,921 --> 00:12:37,454
St. Thomas is now called
home by a couple
332
00:12:37,591 --> 00:12:39,723
of Canadian
hip-hop legends.
333
00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,260
Before we called it a wrap,
I had to have a
334
00:12:42,262 --> 00:12:45,263
chat with Choclair
and Malichi Male!
335
00:12:45,332 --> 00:12:49,601
[cheering & applauding]
336
00:12:49,603 --> 00:12:52,670
When I asked these guys
how they went from the
337
00:12:52,672 --> 00:12:55,406
hip-hop scene in Toronto to
living in a small town,
338
00:12:55,541 --> 00:12:57,041
Malichi told me it
all started out
339
00:12:57,177 --> 00:12:59,544
when his driver took
a wrong turn.
340
00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:00,945
He had a gig
in London.
341
00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:02,413
His driver went
out the highway.
342
00:13:02,449 --> 00:13:04,816
Half an hour later,
he's lost here.
343
00:13:04,818 --> 00:13:06,283
[laughing]
344
00:13:06,319 --> 00:13:09,220
But he caught a vibe
from St. Thomas.
345
00:13:09,289 --> 00:13:12,490
Malichi: Kids playing around
just freely, no traffic.
346
00:13:12,492 --> 00:13:14,092
The cost of living
was amazing.
347
00:13:14,094 --> 00:13:15,526
By the time I got
back to Toronto,
348
00:13:15,595 --> 00:13:17,161
I just sold everything,
and said,
349
00:13:17,197 --> 00:13:18,963
"I'm gone."
Just like that.
350
00:13:18,965 --> 00:13:21,232
Jonny: And then, he convinced
his buddy, Choclair,
351
00:13:21,234 --> 00:13:23,100
to move here as well.
352
00:13:23,136 --> 00:13:24,435
Choclair: Because of
the nature of what I do,
353
00:13:24,571 --> 00:13:25,903
it's always late nights,
354
00:13:25,939 --> 00:13:27,872
and it's all these
crazy strobe lights.
355
00:13:27,874 --> 00:13:29,206
So when I get home,
I just like
356
00:13:29,242 --> 00:13:31,442
to just kind
of just chill out.
357
00:13:31,577 --> 00:13:33,044
Jonny: Although, these guys
have hardly
358
00:13:33,179 --> 00:13:34,979
put their feet up
since they got here.
359
00:13:34,981 --> 00:13:37,782
Malichi ran for mayor
for Pete's sake.
360
00:13:37,784 --> 00:13:39,350
-Are you serious?
-Yeah, I ran for mayor.
361
00:13:39,386 --> 00:13:40,985
It was 2018,
right?
362
00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:42,453
The first thing
I noticed, right,
363
00:13:42,455 --> 00:13:44,188
the younger generation
were pretty much
364
00:13:44,224 --> 00:13:45,890
embarrassed to be
from St. Thomas.
365
00:13:45,892 --> 00:13:48,259
I said to myself, what can
we do in this city
366
00:13:48,295 --> 00:13:49,660
to make, you know,
the youth
367
00:13:49,696 --> 00:13:51,629
or even the citizens
a lot more proud?
368
00:13:51,764 --> 00:13:53,631
♪
369
00:13:53,667 --> 00:13:56,567
Jonny: So, they started
a clothing line, Saint T.
370
00:13:56,603 --> 00:13:58,535
Malichi: Saint T, which is
the nickname for St. Thomas.
371
00:13:58,572 --> 00:14:00,271
Jonny: They do
a Jumbo t-shirt,
372
00:14:00,273 --> 00:14:02,807
and I've seen people
around town wearing them.
373
00:14:02,809 --> 00:14:04,808
They're big.
They're really big.
374
00:14:04,845 --> 00:14:06,277
In fact, no matter
what size you get,
375
00:14:06,279 --> 00:14:07,678
they're all Jumbo.
376
00:14:07,714 --> 00:14:10,081
[laughing]
377
00:14:10,150 --> 00:14:12,216
They opened a
barber shop.
378
00:14:12,252 --> 00:14:13,551
Malichi: One of the
specialties that
379
00:14:13,620 --> 00:14:16,054
you need to learn in
urban culture...
380
00:14:16,056 --> 00:14:17,221
the fade.
381
00:14:17,257 --> 00:14:19,891
Jonny: Malichi offered to
teach me how to do the fade,
382
00:14:19,893 --> 00:14:21,859
and I got the clippers there
and I'm doing these
383
00:14:21,862 --> 00:14:24,962
like little like kind
of jabs and moves.
384
00:14:25,031 --> 00:14:26,297
And Malichi,
God love him,
385
00:14:26,366 --> 00:14:27,532
he's very encouraging.
He's like-
386
00:14:27,667 --> 00:14:29,167
Malichi: That looks perfect.
387
00:14:29,169 --> 00:14:32,704
So, and same thing
with the other side.
388
00:14:32,706 --> 00:14:33,804
So now...
389
00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:35,240
Jonny: Geez, man,
you do it like that.
390
00:14:35,375 --> 00:14:37,708
Malichi cuts a perfect fade
the same way
391
00:14:37,744 --> 00:14:39,343
I wash a bowl.
392
00:14:39,379 --> 00:14:42,046
[laughing]
393
00:14:42,048 --> 00:14:45,083
He said, "You can
even draw designs."
394
00:14:45,218 --> 00:14:47,117
I said, "Could you do
Jumbo the Elephant
395
00:14:47,153 --> 00:14:49,988
into the back of my head?"
He said, "Yes."
396
00:14:54,094 --> 00:14:58,195
[cheering & applauding]
397
00:15:04,203 --> 00:15:08,572
♪
398
00:15:08,642 --> 00:15:10,808
♪
399
00:15:10,810 --> 00:15:13,277
Jonny: Some motorheads
feel the need for speed,
400
00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,814
while others want
the slog of bog.
401
00:15:16,816 --> 00:15:18,082
Jarrett,
how are you?
402
00:15:18,084 --> 00:15:19,150
Jarrett: Not too bad,
Jonny, how are you?
403
00:15:19,219 --> 00:15:21,386
Jonny: I met the general
manager for the
404
00:15:21,388 --> 00:15:24,756
St. Thomas Dragway,
Jarrett Spriet.
405
00:15:24,891 --> 00:15:29,160
[cheering & applauding]
406
00:15:29,295 --> 00:15:30,894
It's become very aware
to me, obviously,
407
00:15:30,931 --> 00:15:32,096
since I got
to St. Thomas,
408
00:15:32,165 --> 00:15:34,499
there's huge car
culture here.
409
00:15:34,634 --> 00:15:35,733
Jarrett: Well,
with the Ford plant.
410
00:15:35,735 --> 00:15:37,001
Jonny: It's in there.
Jarrett: Correct.
411
00:15:37,136 --> 00:15:38,869
It's the blood here, right?
Jarrett: Oh, yeah.
412
00:15:38,905 --> 00:15:41,306
Jonny: Okay, so
St. Thomas Dragway...
413
00:15:41,441 --> 00:15:43,441
how long has
it been around?
414
00:15:43,443 --> 00:15:45,043
Jarrett: So St. Thomas
Dragway is Canada's
415
00:15:45,178 --> 00:15:46,977
oldest purpose built
drag strip.
416
00:15:46,979 --> 00:15:48,679
This one was
built in 1962
417
00:15:48,748 --> 00:15:50,781
specifically
for drag racing.
418
00:15:50,850 --> 00:15:54,919
♪
419
00:15:55,054 --> 00:15:57,088
Jonny: Every summer,
tens of thousands
420
00:15:57,223 --> 00:15:59,256
come here to take
in car shows,
421
00:15:59,326 --> 00:16:02,059
and drag racing,
and burnout competitions,
422
00:16:02,095 --> 00:16:04,195
mud bogging,
sand racing.
423
00:16:04,264 --> 00:16:07,865
People with muscle cars or
import tuners, dragsters,
424
00:16:07,901 --> 00:16:11,135
classic car enthusiasts
can all come together.
425
00:16:11,270 --> 00:16:13,137
Jarrett: It's kind of this,
we're all in it together
426
00:16:13,272 --> 00:16:15,773
family aspect that kind of
makes this place special.
427
00:16:15,908 --> 00:16:19,811
♪
428
00:16:19,946 --> 00:16:23,214
Jonny: Jarrett told me
about the bounty hole,
429
00:16:23,349 --> 00:16:25,949
the long narrow
bog hole,
430
00:16:25,986 --> 00:16:29,020
and the quickest to
get through it wins.
431
00:16:29,089 --> 00:16:31,756
Jarrett said, "It's got
teeth underneath.
432
00:16:31,891 --> 00:16:36,627
It's just waiting to swallow
its next victim whole."
433
00:16:36,629 --> 00:16:39,564
I was like, "Oh my God,
like the Sarlacc Pit in
434
00:16:39,699 --> 00:16:41,833
Return Of The Jedi."
He said, "Sure."
435
00:16:41,835 --> 00:16:44,768
[laughing]
436
00:16:44,804 --> 00:16:46,637
Jarrett: That's the
biggest, baddest pit
437
00:16:46,639 --> 00:16:47,705
in the entire place.
438
00:16:47,774 --> 00:16:49,306
That's what guys
come and talk about
439
00:16:49,342 --> 00:16:51,041
when they're talking
about this place.
440
00:16:51,077 --> 00:16:55,013
I have flooded that pit for
the last 12 and a half hours.
441
00:16:55,148 --> 00:16:56,580
That's quicksand in there.
442
00:16:56,649 --> 00:16:58,315
Jonny: Is there a
chance that nobody will
443
00:16:58,351 --> 00:16:59,550
make it all the
way through?
444
00:16:59,619 --> 00:17:01,185
That's not the chance,
that's the hope.
445
00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:02,553
Jonny: Right, okay.
446
00:17:02,622 --> 00:17:03,688
Jarrett: We've had
one guy that's won it
447
00:17:03,823 --> 00:17:05,123
five out of
the six years.
448
00:17:05,258 --> 00:17:07,057
Jonny: Who's that?
Jarrett: Dan Neeb.
449
00:17:07,059 --> 00:17:10,528
♪
450
00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:12,797
Jonny: I got to take a run
at the Bounty Hole
451
00:17:12,799 --> 00:17:16,601
with five-time champ,
Dan Neeb,
452
00:17:16,736 --> 00:17:20,404
in his big, red
Dodge diesel.
453
00:17:20,473 --> 00:17:23,207
I threw on a helmet,
and I hopped in the truck,
454
00:17:23,209 --> 00:17:24,809
and when I say hopped,
I mean
455
00:17:24,811 --> 00:17:27,377
I climbed a ladder,
not a stepladder,
456
00:17:27,414 --> 00:17:32,149
12-foot ladder to get
into this vehicle.
457
00:17:32,185 --> 00:17:35,019
♪
458
00:17:35,154 --> 00:17:39,690
♪
459
00:17:39,692 --> 00:17:42,293
[engine revving]
460
00:17:42,428 --> 00:17:44,362
SFX: [bell chiming]
461
00:17:44,364 --> 00:17:49,901
♪
462
00:17:50,036 --> 00:17:52,003
SFX: [bell chiming]
463
00:17:52,005 --> 00:17:54,972
And then, we're ready
and they give us the go.
464
00:17:55,008 --> 00:17:58,442
♪
465
00:17:58,511 --> 00:18:00,677
And Dan hauls it into gear,
hits the gas,
466
00:18:00,713 --> 00:18:03,314
we go flying into
the Bounty Hole.
467
00:18:03,316 --> 00:18:06,683
♪
468
00:18:06,719 --> 00:18:10,921
And about 20 feet in,
it grabs us.
469
00:18:10,957 --> 00:18:12,389
♪
470
00:18:12,425 --> 00:18:15,659
The truck comes to a stop,
but Dan's still on the gas,
471
00:18:15,728 --> 00:18:17,328
and the engine
is screaming,
472
00:18:17,463 --> 00:18:18,696
and the wheels
are spinning.
473
00:18:18,831 --> 00:18:20,564
Mud is flying.
474
00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,867
I had a white
dress shirt.
475
00:18:22,869 --> 00:18:24,702
Enough said,
I had a white dress-
476
00:18:24,771 --> 00:18:26,737
I used to own a
white dress shirt.
477
00:18:26,739 --> 00:18:29,072
[laughing]
478
00:18:29,109 --> 00:18:30,341
[revving engine]
479
00:18:30,343 --> 00:18:32,743
Finally, Dan kills the
truck and we were stuck.
480
00:18:32,779 --> 00:18:34,946
I mean, we were
glued in there.
481
00:18:35,081 --> 00:18:37,681
Turns out we were more stuck
than any other vehicle
482
00:18:37,717 --> 00:18:39,917
in the history of
the Bounty Hole.
483
00:18:39,919 --> 00:18:43,020
A bulldozer came and it
couldn't pull us out.
484
00:18:43,022 --> 00:18:45,223
And then, it was like
out of a movie,
485
00:18:45,225 --> 00:18:46,324
around the corner,
486
00:18:46,326 --> 00:18:48,693
this excavator
comes rumbling out.
487
00:18:48,828 --> 00:18:52,964
These massive tow straps are
snapping like rubber bands.
488
00:18:54,701 --> 00:18:56,501
Everybody's
working on it.
489
00:18:56,636 --> 00:19:00,571
I never saw one person
give up on the problem.
490
00:19:02,142 --> 00:19:04,741
[effort grunting
& laughs]
491
00:19:04,777 --> 00:19:06,477
Dan: Whatever!
Abandon ship!
492
00:19:06,612 --> 00:19:09,046
Jonny: Abandon ship!
Thanks, buddy!
493
00:19:09,082 --> 00:19:10,648
Yeah, no problem man.
494
00:19:10,650 --> 00:19:13,050
Dan, I'm sorry I had
to jump ship, buddy!
495
00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,353
Eventually, I got hungry,
and it was hot,
496
00:19:15,488 --> 00:19:16,921
and I had to
take off, but...
497
00:19:16,990 --> 00:19:19,323
-[laughing]
-People stuck with it.
498
00:19:19,325 --> 00:19:23,894
♪
499
00:19:23,897 --> 00:19:26,864
And Dan, I know for
sure they got him out.
500
00:19:26,933 --> 00:19:29,767
[laughing]
501
00:19:29,836 --> 00:19:31,736
And I think that's
some grit right there.
502
00:19:31,871 --> 00:19:35,539
[cheering & applauding]
503
00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:39,477
♪
504
00:19:39,479 --> 00:19:45,149
♪
505
00:19:45,151 --> 00:19:48,552
Don't let it be said, once
the Crown Vic was dead,
506
00:19:48,588 --> 00:19:49,954
so too was
Saint Thomas.
507
00:19:50,023 --> 00:19:51,622
That's thoughtless.
508
00:19:51,658 --> 00:19:53,357
It's on the rebound,
this town.
509
00:19:53,492 --> 00:19:55,359
Yes, the strip club
closed down,
510
00:19:55,361 --> 00:19:57,862
but at least you have
Jeeps that go topless.
511
00:19:57,997 --> 00:20:00,164
[laughing]
512
00:20:00,166 --> 00:20:01,765
If I had to choose a car
513
00:20:01,801 --> 00:20:03,901
that's an extension
of myself,
514
00:20:03,970 --> 00:20:07,204
I'd choose the
Crown Victoria with ease.
515
00:20:07,339 --> 00:20:09,106
I like to think
I'm dependable,
516
00:20:09,242 --> 00:20:11,675
I know I'm made in Canada,
and for good measure,
517
00:20:11,744 --> 00:20:13,411
I'm familiar to police.
518
00:20:13,413 --> 00:20:15,112
[laughing]
519
00:20:15,148 --> 00:20:16,914
Where you're Jumbo T
with pride,
520
00:20:17,049 --> 00:20:19,450
and whether you prefer
to drive or ride,
521
00:20:19,519 --> 00:20:21,686
in St. Thomas you'll
find yourself
522
00:20:21,688 --> 00:20:23,788
right in your element.
523
00:20:23,790 --> 00:20:25,522
But whether it's mud
up to your knees,
524
00:20:25,558 --> 00:20:28,459
or racing crazy
quarter mile speeds,
525
00:20:28,528 --> 00:20:30,795
just watch out and
have respect
526
00:20:30,797 --> 00:20:32,663
for crossing elephants.
527
00:20:32,665 --> 00:20:34,398
Thanks so much,
everybody, for coming out.
528
00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,701
-[cheering & applauding]
-You've been great.
529
00:20:36,703 --> 00:20:38,869
Love you, St. Thomas,
thanks so much!
530
00:20:38,871 --> 00:20:40,771
We'll see you again!
531
00:20:40,906 --> 00:20:44,175
[cheering & applauding]
532
00:20:44,177 --> 00:20:49,146
♪
533
00:20:49,182 --> 00:20:53,551
♪
534
00:20:53,553 --> 00:20:55,118
Choclair: I really love
the fact that...
535
00:20:55,154 --> 00:20:57,755
he brought the history
of the city into it.
536
00:20:57,824 --> 00:20:59,156
Jarrett: I love
the Jumbo stuff.
537
00:20:59,225 --> 00:21:02,492
I'm a big Jumbo guy, always
had like a fascination with
538
00:21:02,528 --> 00:21:04,628
Jumbo and his connection
to St. Thomas.
539
00:21:04,697 --> 00:21:07,465
♪
540
00:21:07,467 --> 00:21:10,267
Laura: I am surprised,
but happily surprised,
541
00:21:10,270 --> 00:21:12,236
by how many people
showed up here.
542
00:21:12,305 --> 00:21:16,507
David: 1,500 people
made it in here.
543
00:21:16,509 --> 00:21:18,142
We don't get that
for the hockey games.
544
00:21:18,144 --> 00:21:19,843
[laughing]
545
00:21:19,879 --> 00:21:24,348
♪