Morning Brief: How To Become An Actor In Canada, The Life Of A Delivery Driver & More

Happy "Hump Day" — Andrew from Narcity here. ☕

Off The Top: Look, if you've spent more than five minutes of the past year racking your brain for reasons to be upset about a candy mascot, you should be placed on some sort of watch list. After all, M&M's are meant to melt in your mouth, not liquify your brain. In any case, it appears that Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson and his ilk have spent so much time complaining about... the Green M&M's boots (I guess?) that the company ultimately parlayed all that free publicity into a newly relaunched ad campaign.

In Case You Missed It

How Do You Become An Actor In Canada?

Vancouver acting agent Nigel Mikoski. Right: camera on a film set.

Rhonda Dent Photography, Dmitry Shishkin | Dreamstime

"How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" "Practice," the old joke goes. The sentiment holds true for making it in Canada's bustling film industry. No, you're probably not going to get discovered at the mall; these days, you're better off actually honing your craft through acting classes, then investing in professional headshots and then, finally, seeking representation. At least, that's what Vancouver-based talent agent Nigel Mikoski tells our Sierra Riley.

• The Upshot: There's no one-size-fits-all rate for actors but someone who ends up with five lines or fewer on a union TV series could expect to earn about $1,000 per day, Mikoski says.
• In His Words: "Lightning can strike at any time, and in an instant you can be on a hit show, playing a popular role with success knocking at your door," Mikoski said. "Be ready and treat every audition like Steven Spielberg is watching."
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Is It Like Being A Pizza Delivery Driver?

A Boston Pizza restaurant. Right: A Domino's Pizza restaurant.

Oasisamuel | Dreamstime, J P | Dreamstime

Be honest: on the odd weekday night when you just don't have any energy left to cook, how much time have you spent considering the plight of the person delivering your dinner? Never? In the first entry of our new Day in the Life series, Tristan Wheeler spoke with a three-year veteran pizza delivery driver to learn the ins and outs of the job — including the biggest tip they ever received, what an average day looks like, and the time someone pulled out a gun.

• Biggest Takeaway: Be patient with delivery drivers; no one's dinner is worth getting into a car accident. Also, turn your porch light on when it's dark out so the driver can spot your address.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Does Walmart Have The Best Deals On Everyday Staples?

A sign advertising Sharpies for $5.48. Right: Someone holds a receipt outside of Walmart.

Willa Holt | MTL Blog, Dennizn | Dreamstime

With the cost of living still sky-high, a lot of Canadians are looking for ways to save on everyday essentials. That has meant turning to cost-conscious retailers Dollarama and Walmart in search of the best possible deal. But between the two, which store offers the best bang for your buck? MTL Blog's Willa Holt recently did a head-to-head comparison and it turns out the results aren't even particularly close: the dollar store is the place to go.

• For Example: At Walmart, a two-pack of Sharpies would set you back $5.48 — but that same pack retails for just $2.00 at Dollarama. In fact, the dollar store had the edge for sponges, cleaning spray, aluminum foil and even white bread.
• READ THE FULL STORY HERE

What Else You Need To Know Today

⛴️ FERRY MAGIC
Sure, you could be a responsible adult who uses your hard-earned cash to pay for a stable place to live... or you could be an eccentric person who buys a decommissioned BC Ferries boat for about $85K. Morgan Leet has the details on the unique impulse buy opportunity.

🍬 SNACK ATTACK
Charlie Hart, Narcity's de facto U.K. culture correspondent, is back with another look at the key differences between life in Canada compared to her former home. This time, she's breaking down six British snacks that us Canucks simply won't understand — though it's not too hard to see the carb-intensive appeal of the humble chip butty.

☁️ CLOUD ATLAS
If you're looking for a unique weekend experience, why not set your course for Bel Air Tremblant, a luxurious resort two hours north of Montreal? There you'll soon find the eye-catching "Cloud Pod" rooms — and you really have to see the photos to understand how the domed suites live up to their name. MTL Blog's Sofia Misenheimer has the details (and photos) here.

🏙️ LIVING IN THE CITY
A report by 24/7 Wall Street has ranked America's most dangerous cities, taking into account the rate of violent crime per 100K residents, unemployment rates and poverty. Topping the list? That would be border town Detroit, Michigan, with Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama, rounding out the top three. Fernanda Leon has the full top-10 list here.

🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Retired San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis turns 38 years old today. Songstress Alicia Keys keeps on fallin' all the way to 42. Metric frontwoman Emily Haines is 49. CFL pass-catching great Milt Stegall is 53. Retired American hockey blueliner Chris Chelios is 61. Long-distance running legend Steve Prefontaine would've turned 72 today. Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper would've turned 80 today. The late, great Etta James was born on this day in 1938. Virginia Woolf was born on this day in 1882.

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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter written by a future failed actor.

Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.

Have a great day and I will see you back here tomorrow!