The O akville Beaver W ee ke nd , Saturday January 7, 2006 - 3 A familiar face from numerous television commercials, Christian Potenza is laughing it up in CBC' s The Tournament I By Krissie R u th erfo rd PMOTn<; RY RARRIF FRSKINF / fW V II I F RFAVFR "It's the greatest group of actors I've ever worked with in my life. It's an honour and a privilege to work with these people," he said. "It's so much fun. We laugh a lot on set He's the guy who says, "Let's get naked" on the sub that's the only thing keeping us warm." After two and a half months of waking up at 2 a.m. and way in the Tostitos ad, the hoarse-voiced golfer who filming episodes in cold Montreal hockey arenas, Potenza is yells, "Fore!" on the golf course after popping a Halls happy to be back in Oakville, where he settled a year ago lozenge and the giant yellow toothbrush that fights with his girlfriend of three years, Becky, and their one-yeargingivitis in the Listerine commercials. Now, Christian Potenza's latest role has landed him old daughter, Teagan. "Oakville is the first place in about 15 years that ever felt on billboards across the country wearing nothing but like home. It made us a family," he said. "We moved here and : ajockstrap. we're all happy." The 32-year-old Oakville resident plays Doug in An Ottawa native, Potenza the CBC mockumentary, The Tournament, a grew up in Trenton and Sault comedic look at a peewee hockey team, but more"There's a lot of St. Marie before moving to so, a look at some crazy Canadian hockey parents. comedy to the show, Toronto to attend George "It's the ugly side of hockey," said Potenza, who but underneath that Brown Theatre School. He showed up at River Oaks Arena decked out in is the sad, pathetic knew he wanted to act Team Canada hockey gear, carrying skates, gloves lives these people are because, he says, '"I like the and a hockey stick. attention." "There's a lot of comedy to the show, but living. It's funny, but But the classical theatre at underneath that is the sad, pathetic lives these it's almost that George Brown wasn't for people are living. It's funny, but it's almost that nervous laughter." Potenza, or as he put it, "I nervous laughter." wasn't enticed with a sword Potenza just got back from filming the sec · Christian Potenza, in Stratford." ond season of The Tournament in Montreal a.k.a. Doug on the So, he took a year off and his second year playing an alcoholic, single 'CBC mockumentary, got an agent. Soon after, hockey dad, who lives in his mom's basement The Tournament offers were on the table, with his 10-year-old son, Gordie. including his first big role as a rookie cop named Jimmy "Doug is the lovable, drunken hoser with Snow in the CBC soap, Riverdale, which ran for three years. the fat kid on the team," said Potenza, smil Since then, Potenza has appeared in movies, including a ing. "He's a very laid-back, weekend kind of role as music manager Chaz Chandler in Hendrix, a bad guy dad - but not even all the time. Gordie is pretty much raising himself. It*s pretty bad." who punches out Jackie Chan - which he calls one of his career highlights - in The Tuxedo and a supporting role in Potenza plays best friend to the show's central character, Barry, who has obsessive Escape from the Newsroom, which earned him a Gemini Viewers Choice Award nomination for best comedic appear NHL dreams for hfs son Robbie, though ance. He's also had regular and recurring roles on TV shows Robbie prefers to dance. They're just two like Degrassi: The Next Generation and Leap Years and has of a whole cast of crazy hockey parents done voice work for Bob and Margaret and My Dad' sa whose kids play on the Farqueson Rockstar. Funeral Home Warriors, an underdog But Potenza is most often recognized for his role as "that team of 10-year-olds from a fictional guy" in commercials. Canadian small town called Briarside. For more than a decade, he's been featured in ads for "It's hockey-town Canada, any beer, chips, chocolate, Kraft Dinner, mouth wash and more, where," said Potenza. "It's Briarside in all roles he landed using a goofy character he created. the province of hockey." "He's not stupid, he's not smart. He's not skinny, he's not And so fa'r, it's been a hit. fat. He's just your average Joe Hoser. Girls think he's cute, or After airing six episodes last year, The Tournament earned three Gemini at least endearing, and guys are like, `Yah, I'd hang out with that guy.' nominations, including one for best "That stupid laugh," Potenza said, doing his signature comedic cast ensemble. Now mid chuckle, "it got me work." way through its 10-episode second But after a long career as "that guy," he's now focusing on season, Potenza says he'd be sur prised if the show didn't earn more TV shows and movies. Currently, he's the voice of the mayor of Teletoon in the cartoon, 6Teen, which recently got picked Gemini recognition this year and sign a contract for a third season. See Actor page 7 OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF \A/foere iffiyvtaw. S e rv ice te A F ^q t, N o t J u s t A Pggn^ a ?; *j*i Oakviifa 4