Prime Time (radio program)
| Genre | talk show |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Home station | CBC Radio |
| Hosted by |
Stan Carew (1986-1987) Ralph Benmergui (1987-1989) Geoff Pevere (1989-1993) |
| Produced by | Anton Leo |
| Recording studio | Toronto, Ontario |
| Original release | September 29, 1986 – June 4, 1993 |
Prime Time was a Canadian radio series, which aired on CBC Radio in the 1980s and 1990s. The program aired weeknights at 8:05 p.m.
The program premiered on September 29, 1986 with host Stan Carew, initially focusing primarily on celebrity interviews and musical guests. It was a companion to Carew's weekend variety series The Entertainers.
Ralph Benmergui took over as host of both Prime Time and The Entertainers in September 1987, adding a more irreverent and mocking tone to the program; one of his early coups was an interview with David Bowie. Contributors to the program under Benmergui's tenure included Nils Ling as a video reviewer, Edmonton Journal critic Helen Metalla as a record reviewer, Toronto Sun writer Jim Slotek as a television critic, and Geoff Pevere as a film reviewer.
Benmergui left the program to become host of Midday in 1989. At this time, Prime Time and The Entertainers were separated, with Karen Gordon taking over as host of The Entertainers.
The audition process for Benmergui's replacement involved potential new hosts interviewing Pevere about the film Heathers; producer Anton Leo was unimpressed by all ten contenders, and was discouraged until the studio technician who had been sitting in the booth turned to him and asked if he'd considered Pevere himself as the new host. Under Pevere, the program evolved into a more serious-minded newsmagazine on all aspects of pop culture, covering programming, personalities and issues in television, radio, popular music, film, media criticism, fashion and sports, as well as airing comedy sketches by Radio Free Vestibule. Kevin Courrier replaced Pevere as the program's film reviewer.
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