Bruce Turner - Actor, Host of Style by Jury and Strip Search, voice over artist, producer

By Jay Cooper. Contributor, Graphic Designer & Musician

Bruce at his cottage

Photo by Jennifer Spasoski

I met up with Bruce Turner in Haliburton. You will know him from Style by Jury, Strip Search, and CNN’s Race for the Whitehouse. With over 10 years of prime time experience under his belt, Bruce is a true pro when it comes to understanding what it takes to deliver. His charming quick wit is a hit with all audiences. W Network’s top rated show, Style By Jury, garnered him a 2008 Gemini nomination for “Best Host in a Lifestyle Program.” Bruce has been cottaging in the Kawarthas for his whole life.

ATOTK- A Taste of the Kawarthas: Bruce my friend! So glad to chat with you today! BT- Bruce Turner: Wicked, my brother, anytime!

ATOTK: How are you?

BT: I’m great just a bit chilly out but it’s that time of year. You know I’m a true Canadian, I like this type of weather, I’m a 20 degrees kind of guy. I really don’t like into the 30’s unless I’m at the cottage on the dock then totally good (he laughs). Now we’re leaning into my time of year. Well it’s going to get very beautiful with the colours shortly at the cottage. Oh my brother, I tell you I actually watch the forecast for 100% colour and as you know living in the Kawarthas it is epic. I strategically plan my visits to the cottage around that in the fall. Usually the first week in October but depends on how the weather was and is to bring it out. Check out my YouTube channel and there is footage from a couple years ago I did with my drone at the cottage and was the weekend that was 100% colour.

ATOTK: So let’s talk about your connection to the Kawarthas, which is your family cottage on Haliburton Lake.

BT: My grandfather built the place all by hand by himself and bought it at the Sportsman Show sight unseen in 1950. It was a cookie cutter cottage that they would deliver and he put it all together himself. My mother and father fell in love up there and adopted me in 1969. I just got back yesterday. I go up all year around. My parents (who have now passed) would pick me up from school, had my bags packed in the car and off we would go every single weekend. Now myself, my sister and my wife own that piece of paradise. My story is that I had the greatest parents in the world. We were a blue collar family but they made sure we were all looked after and even put me through University. So did we stop at Kawartha Dairy every single time? Absolutely. Now my son, Tallon, helps me at the cottage all the time.

ATOTK: I think people who know you from ‘Style by Jury’ would not think of you as a ‘let’s get our hands dirty’ kind of guy.

BT: Exactly, most people think I’m this Metro Sexual from the show but I’m not. I’m actually a handyman. When I met my wife, her friends and Dad, they were like ‘Are

you sure you know how to drive a tractor?’ Are you kidding me? I’ll do a wheelie right up this road on a dirt bike in two seconds and bang off a door on your washroom if you need it (he laughs). The producers of the show would dress me in these paisley shirts. And don’t get me wrong, I loved Style by Jury, I had a great experience and it bought my house in the beaches but I’m really not the pretty boy, metro sexual. I’m the one with dirt under my fingernails. I just replaced the plumbing under the cottage and I’m building a new dock. I’m not getting up and fixing my hair in the mirror (he laughs).

ATOTK: The other connection to you and Style by Jury is our editor, Karen Irvine who was on that show.

Style by Jury Host Bruce Turner

BT: Yes Karen was our fourth guest, Season One and as we know she is so easy to love. The show was also about an internal makeover for people that needed it but Karen never needed that. We were like “Let’s just give this rocker chick a new hairdo and some clothes” (he laughs). The friendship I have with Karen still goes on today. And that was the power of the show. It was the W Network top rated show for many, many years. It changed people’s lives truly with the simple fact that we’re talking about it still today. After 8 years, the show wasn’t renewed but was syndicated in over 25 countries. Voiced over in Turkey, Israel, Iran and more. It has crossed all cultural and religious barriers. Why does it touch people so much? It’s because of compassion and it is helping people.

ATOTK: Actor, Writer and Director, lets go into the back story which is truly quite the journey.

Bruce with his dogs at the Cottage

Photo by Jennifer Spasoski

Bruce's baby picture at the cottage

Photo by Jennifer Spasoski

BT: Yeah, for sure. I was in University taking psychology, sociology and I really wasn’t that interested. Then I bumped into a friend of mine at a gas station who had a City TV jacket on. We were chatting and he said, “Do you want to do lunch sometime?” I was like, yeah, I’ll come down to MuchMusic for lunch. Now I was 26 years old, already owned a small bar on the Danforth, which I had just sold and was looking for something to do. I was stripping so I had an income, but nothing during the day. So we met up across from 299 Queen Street West and that is really where my career started. Ironically, that is where my mother and father met. My friend worked in the maintenance department and jokingly asked if I wanted a job. I said “Yeah sure”. He was like really? It only pays $11.50/ hr. Now, he knows I’m a stripper and I just sold a bar. “This guy is gonna work for that money moving desks around” (he laughs). So yeah, I started in the Maintenance Department. There were a lot of renovations going on so it was very busy and I became the second in command for the Department. But the key was, while everyone was going home or to lunch I would volunteer my time. It was George Lagogianes in the Entertainment Department that would show me how to use the camera and take me out on shoots. I learned how to edit and then eventually got hired as an assistant to the great Jana Lynne White on MuchMore Music for Speak Easy. So I went from the Maintenance Department to that (he laughs).

ATOTK: So you really did start from the basement (laughs)

BT: I started from the Sub basement because there was a basement under the basement (he laughs). Then I moved up to the basement and then up to the main floor. Jana will tell you, I was paid for 16 hours a week but I worked 5 days for the same money for her. As she knew, I wanted to go further in the company. She introduced me to the Production Manager and thought that maybe they could give me a few shifts as Floor Director. My first Directing job was on a Saturday and the artist was Nelly (Rap Artist) whom I love and one of the nicest people. But it’s like first day directing and here you’ve got this big time rapper (he laughs). Why not some melodic acoustic dude? But no. (he laughs) I did such a great job they said now you’re the Lead Floor Director. I Floor Directed the MuchMusic Awards for many years and the Live at Much shows. Pretty

much every artist from 1998 to 2004 would know me by name. Beyonce would be like, hey Bruce, how’s it going (he laughs).

ATOTK: So then you went to the show Strip Search?

Bruce Turner (2nd from the right back) Host of Strip Search

Photo Credit: Suddenley SeeMore Productions Inc.

BT: Yes, our sister company Bravo was commissioned to do the show. No one ever judged me at Much, as I worked 5 days a week as the Senior Floor Director and was stripping on the weekends and they knew it. So they were like, who better to host a stripping show then a guy that’s been stripping for 10 years and he’s in TV (he laughs). They offered me the job, so I go to my boss and ask him “Can I take a couple of months off to go around the country looking for male strippers?” And he was like, well, it’s for Bravo, so yeah, you just have to hire your own replacement. Which I did and now that guy is the Executive Producer on ETalk Canada (he laughs).

ATOTK: Next in your career was the huge hit, Style by Jury.

BT: It was about a year later. I was back at Much and the producers of Style by Jury got hold of me and told me I was perfect for their show. That lasted until 2010. Then I realized getting older and hosting a show with the competition for those jobs, much younger guys, that I should go into the dramatic world meaning acting and voice-over work. I’ve done voice-over for 200 television shows so I know I can do that. The cool thing about voice-over work is that you can do that until your 90. No one wants to look at me at 90 but they’ll still listen to my voice (he laughs). And, of course acting and I still do short films, which is a lot of fun.

ATOTK: What advise would you give to young aspiring actors?

BT: There is an expression called “Staying in the Pocket”, and as I meditate 3 hours per day, you need to find that pocket that doesn’t get you riled up. Stay steady, stay straight and don’t work at outward emotions, work at inward emotions. Subtle acting is where it’s at and the directors are asking for it. I just like people to be themselves and be kind. And if you are, good things will happen.

ATOTK: You are starring in CNN’s Race for the Whitehouse?

On the set of CNN's Race for the Whitehouse Season 2

BT: Yes, well CNN must likes me because they keep hiring me (he laughs). It is the second season where I play John F. Kennedy and it's an important role as we was an iconic man.

ATOTK: And played by a Canadian (laughs)

BT: Yeah, played by a Canadian and directed by a Brit (he laughs). The production company is British and the actors are Canadian but maybe that’s a good thing (he laughs). We just wrapped up the second season in July and honestly wearing the suit and portraying the scenes is very powerful and such a great history lesson.

ATOTK: Alright, best gig or show you ever had?

BT: Oh what a great question! To be honest my favourite time was Floor Directing for MuchMusic. Your a music guy, so just imagine being in front of Green Day as they are just belting out American Idiot or Metallica and you’re three feet from them cranking in sound check. Christina Aguilera with that voice, I was surprised she didn’t shatter my eardrums from a few feet away. That voice is incredible. Just an amazing time!

ATOTK: Worst gig or show you’ve ever had?

BT: I’ve loved all my gigs, but floor directing Live at Much with Tom Cruise. We took him outside to meet the fans on the street and he insisted on no security. So it was just he and I and the camera guy. Women started throwing themselves over the barrier at him. He was laughing the whole time and I was pulling women off of him. When we went to commercial he was like “Thanks Man…I’m grabbing a water. Do you want something from the cooler?” I said sure and in that moment I was like, holy shit, Tom Cruise is getting me a drink and delivering it to me. He was an awesome guy. But I had a couple of bruises from fighting off the fans (he laughs).

ATOTK: It’s always a pleasure hanging with you Bruce, and thank you for talking with me.

BT: Wicked! I always love connecting with you and Karen and look forward to the magazine.

2010 & 2011 Spokesperson and Model for NaKeD Underwear

Photo by Jennifer Spasoski

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