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A CBC News copy editor turned into one half of an unexpected comedy duo in a video posted to social media Tuesday.
American comedian Josh Johnson, a stand-up and occasional host of The Daily Show, was cracking jokes about CBC’s coverage of a bodega cat getting evicted due to health concerns, during his show at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver last month.
“I want so badly to meet the editor,” Johnson quipped.
A voice from the audience shouted out: “He’s here!”
A befuddled Johnson replied: “The cat’s here?”
Nope.
“The editor’s here!” shouted the crowd.
Enter Jon Azpiri.
Wearing a dark grey hoodie, coincidentally mirroring Johnson’s signature light grey hoodie, Azpiri walked onstage for a 10-minute back-and-forth filled with jokes about cats, disappearing islands and journalism.
Johnson started to ask Azpiri about the bodega cat situation before Azpiri interrupted.
“We do a lot of stories about cats. So I need to know the specific cat.”
Azpiri, a copy editor and reporter, answered Johnson’s various questions about how a newsroom chooses what to cover.
“We’re a public broadcaster,” Azpiri said. “So we have a thing called Journalistic Standards and Practices.”
“There’s really no need to brag,” Johnson replied.
As of 12:30 p.m. PT, Johnson’s video shared on Instagram has more than two million views.
Johnson ended the exchange, and the two shook hands.
As Azpiri left, he reminded Johnson the province was set to have an election the next day.
“That’s a real editor right there, too,” Johnson said. “Even as he’s leaving, [he’s like] ‘We do have an election tomorrow.'”
CBC News has reached out to Johnson.
