In the Company of Women
(October 6, 1999 on CBC)

Screen grab courtesy of Mary-Justine's Elvis Stojko Gallery

In the Company of Women is a 1/2 hour Canadian talk show filmed in Vancouver. Today was their series premiere (and who better to have as one of their first guests than you know who!).

My only complaint is that Elvis wasn't on long enough! They started out with a clip of him skating (he was in the jeans and blue shirt). This is where I paused the VCR to do a happy dance - I love that outfit! Anyhow....

Hostess (sorry I didn't catch her name):

He's one of the greatest skaters the world has ever seen. And let's face it, he sure knows how to thrill a crowd. Recently, Elvis Stojko was in Vancouver acting the part of a hockey player in the up and coming movie "Ice Angels". He couldn't come into the studio, but in between takes, he joined us in the CBC Plaza.

Enter Elvis dressed all in black. He shook hands with all 3 hostesses and one lucky lady got a kiss on the cheek.

Hostess: So Elvis, judging by the way that you skate, which is very manly, and the things that you do in your life for fun, like martial arts and dirtbike racing , I get the impression that you're a real "guys guy" and I'm just wondering how you feel when you're in the company of women.

(Insert the hostesses giggling)

Elvis: I love it!!

(Everyone laughs)

Hostess: He's a smart guy.

Elvis: I'm most of...90% of my time is in the company of women...female...uh...companionship. Even in skating it's nice, I enjoy it. It's umm...I get along really well with women.

Hostess: Who are the significant women in your life?

Elvis: Probably be...most important one...is mom - by far.

Hostess: I'm so happy to hear that.

Elvis: By far, mom is the ultimate. I mean, she was around me the whole time supporting me in my career. It's not just one thing, it's a lot of little things that she's done that sort of creates that...the principles, the morals, and the not listening to what other people say, whether it be criticism...because I was always criticized for being...when I was younger, being smaller. 'Cause I was really tiny, and then you know, later on, I um...grew up a little bit more, but I wasn't the stereotypical figure skater and that was a tough thing that I took criticism for.

Hostess: And what did she do about that? How did she help you through that?

Elvis: She just said: "You can be the best. I know you have the talent to do it. I'm behind you all the way. It doesn't matter what anybody thinks, but what you think. How you perceive yourself, eventually, people will perceive that of you.

Hostess: As a mother, I'm happy to hear that sons listen to some of what we say.

Elvis: The thing is, it's when it's the broken record that it becomes tough.

(Okay, these women start giggling, and there's an awful lot of smiling and head bobbing going on!)

Hostess: Which brings me to something else and that is, I have a friend Jim who was a skater and he claims that it was just the greatest thing that ever happened to him, because he was surrounded by women all the time - girls - never at a loss for dates. You know...he was a rarity out on the ice. So, what about girls?

Elvis: What about girls? Well, my last relationship I had...umm...broke up in the spring time and for a year and a half we had dated - a long distance relationship - and it was great,. like she had supported me, but, it was very difficult because to give all that energy, it's very difficult to give that for one person. Especially if someone that you really care about...you don't want to hurt them..so, if there's something else in your life that's very important to you and that takes up all your time, the other person feels left out no matter what. For me, I've had to make the decision that I want to make sure that I've given everything I had in my life to make me happy...go after my dreams, and the rest will follow.

Hostess: Okay, but the fact is that you are available now?

(My...can we be a bit more obvious?????? - LOL!)

Elvis: I'm...I'm available now...

Hostess: And if you were, you know, looking for a girl or a woman, what would you be looking for? See, you're in the company of women...this is what we talk about!

Elvis: Ummm...there's a strength of character, uh...someone that's...uh...can handle me, because sometimes I get really, really, uh, outrageous and wacky and very child-like, so...someone that can laugh at me and kind of take me as I go. And I can be myself around that person without having to worry. Umm...someone that has goals and dreams that they want to pursue, someone that's driven, you know, and yet something there to grow with, instead of living part of your life through someone else.

Hostess: Besides, you've got your mom to do that.

Hostess: So, we've got thousands of women with their piece of paper and paper thinking "this is what Elvis wants - I'm 2 out of 3!"

Hostess: So, what's the weirdest thing that got thrown on the ice in appreciation of one of your performances?

Elvis: Oh...man....

Hostess: Let's have it.

Elvis: Okay, 1993, I still remember - Hamilton Canadians, after the short program, I had see-through panties thrown on the ice...

Hostesses: Wooooo

(Pause as Dee goes to find her Victoria's catalogue...I AM going to Canadians this year!)

Elvis: But the funny part about it was, a lot of the younger kids, like the novice and junior skaters all...there's a lot of stuff that gets thrown on the ice and then my team leaders always take the big boxes of stuff and the kids like filtering through all the stuffed animals and all the cool things and I say "hey, if you guys like to look through, just grab the tags for me and I'll set them aside". Well, they happened to have scrounged through this (laughing) and they end up pulling this out, so this was the big joke that was going on.

Hostess: So you actually never kept those underwear I threw on the ice for you? Rats!

(Trust me, there's a lot of laughing going on here and it's hard to make out some of what they're saying)

Elvis: So, it was quite funny. At first it was quite embarassing walking in there and "oh these are for you" type of thing with the team leaders making fun, but then after I realized it was quite the joke.

Hostess: I have to tell you Elvis, this is my very first interview ever, and I want to thank you very much because it's been totally awesome.

Elvis: Well, thank you. I enjoyed it.

There's a chorus of thank you's and he smiles and shakes hands - ever the gentleman. He looked great and it I have to admit - I quite enjoyed it!

They chatted a bit more about him acting and how his part in the movie was the part of a "bad-boy". Hmmm....

If I have misquoted anyone, I humbly apologize.

Thank you to Dee for this transcription

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