During an entertainment career stretching back to the 1950s, Norm Grohmann has won renown as a radio disc jockey, a TV weatherman, an off-the-wall comedian, an actor, and a “man of a thousand voices.”
The Tsawwassen-based entertainer’s just released autobiography, And Here’s Norm With The Weather, will be launched Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. with a special book-signing event at Peninsula Productions’ studio theatre in Centennial Park (adjacent to the arena), 14600 North Bluff Rd.
While many listeners and television viewers came to rely on Grohmann’s sure comedic instincts — whether putting his own highly individual spin on reporting the weather for BCTV, or creating wild and crazy humour with CBC’s Dr. Bundolo’s Pandemonium Medicine Show — his book reveals a more serious, and sometimes sadder, side to his life.
In addition to reliving high spots of his radio and TV career — and his successful latter-day forays into theatre acting — he pulls back the curtain on his early life: having been adopted, and his unusual upbringing — although that sometimes had its hilarious aspects, he acknowledges.
It’s an intriguingly frank self-portrait by the man who became a household name, in which he also discusses romantic entanglements, his world travels, and voyages of self-discovery.
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“I’ve never been interested in or good at self-promotion,” Grohmann said, in a media release.
“The opportunities I’ve had and the things I’ve done just happened, I never chased after them — including this book I co-authored with a friend, ” he added.
”It was his idea to create it, and I’m glad we did, but I wouldn’t have done it otherwise. I’m happy with the result, but will anyone want to read it? I have no idea.”
His many fans may want to take the opportunity to signal their interest: And Here’s Norm With The Weather will be available for purchase ($20, preferably cash) at the book signing.
Grohmann said he plans to kick off the event informally with jokes, anecdotes, some favourite voice impersonations — and a few surprises — before opening the floor to questions from the audience.
“I may not answer,” he said. “But they can ask questions!”
Tickets are $10 at showpass.com (and as the theatre holds only 60 people, pre-booking is advised).