On Tuesday, a CBC News copy editor unexpectedly became part of a comedic duo in a social media video.
American comedian Josh Johnson, known for his stand-up performances and occasional hosting on The Daily Show, joked about CBC’s reporting on a bodega cat eviction due to health issues during his performance at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver last month.
“I really want to meet the editor,” Johnson remarked humorously.
A voice from the crowd piped up: “He’s here!”
A puzzled Johnson responded: “The cat’s here?”
Not quite.
“The editor’s here!” the audience shouted.
That’s when Jon Azpiri made his entrance.
Dressed in a dark grey hoodie, which interestingly matched Johnson’s signature light grey hoodie, Azpiri joined Johnson on stage for a 10-minute exchange packed with humor about cats, vanishing islands, and the field of journalism.
Johnson began to inquire about the bodega cat, but Azpiri cut in.
“We cover a lot of cat stories, so I need to specify which cat,” he said.
Azpiri, who works as a copy editor and reporter, responded to Johnson’s various inquiries regarding how the newsroom decides on its stories.
“As a public broadcaster,” Azpiri explained, “we adhere to Journalistic Standards and Practices.”
“There’s really no need to flaunt that,” Johnson shot back.
As of 9:30 a.m. PT, Johnson’s Instagram video has garnered over 1.2 million views.
The exchange concluded with Johnson and Azpiri shaking hands.
As Azpiri departed, he reminded Johnson about the upcoming election in the province the following day.
“That’s a true editor right there,” Johnson observed. “Even as he’s leaving, he’s like, ‘We do have an election tomorrow.'”
CBC News has reached out to Johnson.
