...hm, Pam Anderson is #2...

[scielle]

... there's a joke here, somewhere...


Lighting up the world
Jonathan McDonald, David Spaner, Stuart Derdeyn, Renee Doruyter, Duncan Clark.
The Province. Vancouver, B.C.
Nov 14, 2004.

B.C.'S BIGGEST: We know our stars by their first names: Diana, Pam, Nelly, Bryan, Carrie-Anne

Women rule the West Coast.

While CBC's ongoing Greatest Canadians series has virtually ignored the accomplishments of women -- not a single one in their top 10 -- in compiling our list of B.C.'s 25 biggest stars we found female domination is alive and well here, placing seven in our top 10....

1 Diana Krall

Jazz artist

Nanaimo // 2002 rank: 4

Love, love, love. That's what's inspired Diana Krall since she met and married the great Elvis Costello. With Costello's encouragement and songwriting help, the longtime New Yorker finally stopped doing all those covers that have made her famous and actually put pen to paper. The result: The Girl in the Other Room, which has about half a dozen original songs and solidified Krall's standing as the first wildly successful jazz crossover in generations. Norah Jones owes her.

2 Pamela Anderson

Model/Actress

Ladysmith // 2002 Rank: 1

"Someone called me and said, 'You know, you're on the New York Times bestseller list,' and I was like, 'Is that good?'" Pam, you're adorable. Your candour, your innocence . . . so refreshing. Suffice to say it's good to be on the Times' list. That's what happened to her new book Star: A Novel -- yet one more feather in the cap of a woman who has become a massive, worldwide industry.

3 Nelly Furtado

Singer/Songwriter

Victoria // 2002 Rank: 9

Truth is, Nelly Furtado is tired of singing "I'm Like a Bird." At concerts, she'll hold up the mike during the song, imploring the crowd to please, please, please take over. Who can blame her? But fears that Furtado would fade after Whoa, Nelly! were unfounded. She sang the anthem for this year's soccer World Cup and continues to be in hot demand as performer and collaborator.

4 Bryan Adams

Singer/Songwriter

North Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 5

Singer/songwriter, sure. But maybe Bryan Adams' greatest success today is coming as a respected portrait photographer. We're not talking department store portraits. The world's most fabulous women line up to be in front of Adams' camera -- including the late Princess Diana and her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth. When not shooting, he still packs 'em in. Bry, they still run to you.

5 Sarah McLachlan

Singer/Songwriter

West Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 3

She did an amazing thing leading Lilith Fair. Her stewardship of that massive GM Place concert a couple of years ago helped raise millions of dollars to combat breast cancer. She's sold tons of albums and has an incredibly devoted following. Not a bad resume -- and she remains high on the list despite spending most of the past couple of years at home with her family.

6 Nickelback

Rock band

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 13

Isn't this a face any mother could love? We sure think so. As does the entire music industry, which owes a debt to Chad Kroeger and his fellow Hanna, Alta., expatriates. Besides his ability to write top-10 singles for the likes of Carlos Santana, Kroeger recently started up 604 Records, whose first signing -- local guys Theory of a Deadman -- sold platinum and won Junos. Midas touch.

7 Kim Cattrall

Actress

Courtenay // 2002 Rank: 11

Sexy Samantha, always in the middle of it. While Sex and the City got massive publicity during its series finale earlier this year, Cattrall managed to whip up a firestorm because she didn't like the script for a proposed big-screen version of the series. And she's done wonders for instilling confidence -- and a whole lot of sensuality -- for a generation of women staring 50 in the face.

8 Carrie-Anne Moss

Actress

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 8

Moss is at the heart of one of Hollywood's most successful movie series. Though critics went to town on Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions, moviegoers still lined up for the sequels. The series made her a sci-fi cult favourite but she's more than that, often taking smart roles in innovative films such as Memento and Chocolat. Next up: oh, a little flick called Mission: Impossible III.

9 Randy Bachman

Singer/Songwriter

Saltspring Island // 2002 Rank: NR

Takin' care of business, indeed, this transplanted prairie rocker has been everywhere in the past two years. Rockin' the SARS-fest, hitting local stages with hot Scandivanian band Soundtrack of Our Lives, touring with the Guess Who and releasing his very first album of jazz originals. Did we mention his own label releasing long-lost works by guitar genius Lenny Breau? Genius!

10 Alice Munro

Author

Victoria // 2001 Rank: NR

One of the great short story writers ever. Like Chekhov, only ours. (Says Munro: "I really wish people wouldn't bring him up.") This week in Toronto, she won the coveted Giller Prize for Runaway, her 10th collection of short stories -- just one of countless awards. Closer to home, we salute Munro for another great legacy: her role in creating the great Victoria bookstore Munro's.

11 Eric McCormack

Actor

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 19

When NBC unveiled a new sitcom about a couple of gay guys back in 1997, it had moderate hopes for a series sharing the same network as the great Seinfeld, Friends and Frasier. At the end of the season, NBC bosses bought Will & Grace star Eric McCormack a fabulous new Porsche. Nice wheels to return to his home here. And, seven seasons later, Will is still going strong.

12 Ben Heppner

Opera singer

Dawson Creek // 2002 Rank: 21

Somewhere around 50, we lost count of the recordings. Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Royal Opera Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, Opera National de Paris, that's where he hangs. Grammys, Junos, honorary doctorates, Order of Canada. Whew. Is it any wonder the main street of Dawson Creek is named after the great tenor Ben Heppner? Feb. 12, Chan Centre. Scalper city.

13 Michael J. Fox

Actor/Activist

Burnaby // 2002 Rank: 2

Fox emerged as a huge star in the mid-'80s with the NBC series Family Ties and the box office monster Back to the Future. But in recent years he's become a different kind of star -- one whose activist passion could affect the daily lives of those afflicted with the debilitating Parkinson's disease. And he's doing it with the same irrepresible energy as Marty McFly or Alex P. Keaton.

14 Kristin Kreuk

Actor

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 24

Back at Eric Hamber secondary, Kreuk probably never thought FHM magazine would one day name her one of the world's sexiest women. Then came CBC's Edgemont, looking for an exotic-looking actress. And, now in its fourth season, WB's buzz series Smallville. Next up: a starring role in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea miniseries. Lazy girl. She should have accomplished more at 21.

15 Michael Buble

Singer

Burnaby // 2002 Rank: NR

This list's bad boy works for Bruce Allen, models himself on Frank Sinatra and hangs out with Brian Mulroney -- yes, he's doing just fine. It wasn't that long ago that you could find Buble playing the PNE, or doing his regular gigs at the late Babalu. Now he's touring the world and his big label debut is a hit. And he really does have the girls swooning. Frank would have been proud.

16 Team Corporation

Documentarians

2001 Rank: NR

Team Corporation? Who's that? Try the most successful Canadian documentarians in history. No small feat when you consider the National Film Board's been a regular Oscar nominee for decades. Co- directors Jennifer Abbott (right) and Mark Achbar and writer Joel Bakan's The Corporation has attracted lineups across Canada and the U.S. and is now opening all over the world.

17 Joshua Jackson

Actor

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: 17

He's much bigger than that other guy from Dawson's Creek. Not only did Pacey win Joey's heart in the series finale, but Jackson has a slew of projects in the works. He made fun of himself in an Ocean's Eleven cameo and is now heading back to what made this Kitsilano kid a household name: The Mighty Ducks. Yup, the fourth movie is in the works. Emilio Estevez returns, too!

18 Don Mattrick

Video-game architect

Burnaby // 2002 Rank: NR

Not the most familiar face on this list, but Mattrick's creations have helped turn Electronic Arts into the world's biggest video- game company. Let's see: NHL 2005. Particularly big this year. FIFA 2005. Oh, just the biggest game in the universe. Mattrick oversees EA's Burnaby-based Canadian operations and is the mastermind behind one of the country's most progressive workplaces.

19 Bob Rock

Record producer

Victoria // 2002 Rank: 25

Rarely has a last name been more dead-on. His work with hard- rock masters Motley Crue, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and -- of course -- Metallica all went platinum, over and over again. He just finished work on Simple Plan's new hit album and should be heading back into the studio with Our Lady Peace soon. Plus, his teaming with Paul Hyde as The Payola$ still makes us feel money, baby.

20 New Pornographers

Rock band

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: NR

Recognize this face? It's A.C. Newman, founder of New Pornographers -- the biggest little indie band to come out of Vancouver. With its second CD, Electric Vision, the group managed to score spots on 2003 year-end lists in Rolling Stone and Spin ("A reason to greet the day," they said). Newman has launched a solo career with one of the year's best Canadian records, The Slow Wonder.

21 David Foster

Songwriter/producer

Victoria // 2002 Rank: 16

Sure, you might think Foster hasn't been active since his hairstyle was popular. Truth is, the guy still has his hand in countless prime Tinseltown projects. Don't believe us? Have you heard of Celine Dion and her book Miracles? Who's behind it? Yep. How about 14-year-old jazz phenom Renee Olstead? Yep. Or piano virtuoso William Joseph? Throw in a load of philanthropy. Star.

22 Sarah Chalke

Actress

North Vancouver // 2002 Rank: NR

"You're Becky from Roseanne!" It's been 10 years since Sarah Chalke starred on that hit series, but it' s still how people see her. Well, maybe not people who live in the 21st century. Since 2001 she's been Elliot on NBC's Scrubs, opposite Hollywood it guy Zach Braff. Chalke's long dabbled in film -- and in the next year she has two, co-starring with Heather Graham and Tom Cavanagh.

23 Lynn Coady

Author

Vancouver // 2002 Rank: NR

Heir apparent to great Canadian novelists such as Margaret Atwood and Carole Shields, Coady writes about the East Coast from her relatively new home on the West Coast. Her bestselling novels have drawn international praise and fans worldwide. Next up: Mean Boy, out next spring, about a young poet and his mentor. Says one prominent critic: "Coady is brilliant."

24 Joe Keithley

Musician

Burnaby // 2002 Rank: NR

Canada's answer to Johnny Rotten. Keithley (a.k.a. Joey Shithead) is a legend in the international music underground. Since the 1970s, he's fronted the seminal punk band D.O.A. and recently he's drawn considerable attention with the publication of his autobiography, I, Shithead. One of two prominent Burnaby Joes, this one's relentless, with album Live Free or Die recently in stores.

25 Molly Parker

Actress

Maple Ridge // 2002 Rank: 22

Molly Parker went from being Vancouver's indie queen to co- stardom on HBO's celebrated Western series Deadwood -- in which she plays a high-fallutin' big city girl stuck in this profanity- spewing hellhole of a Wild West town. Had her breakthrough back in Vancouver when her performance in Kissed drew raves and offers from Hollywood -- and she's never stopped working.