Past your bedtime

Gord Reid

Good day true believers and welcome to your brand new weekly guide to Winnipeg's bars, pubs and night clubs -- the good and the bar...and the really, really bad. We'll try to focus on the good as much as possible in this space. Make sure you keep watching this column for your chance to hop on the proverbial "prize wagon of love." Yes, you too can win free stuff. Beer! Wise Guys paraphernalia! Beer! Naked pictures of Bea Arthur! Beer! (You'll need it to look pictures of Bea Arthur...)

Playing all this week (until Saturday) at Wise Guys is local band Shake Naked. Bea Arthur won't be there. Be sure to get there early to avoid the line-ups, because it will be packed.

long this December 31st? (I'll bet Bea Arthur isn't...) Be sure to reserve your tickets to Wise Guy's New Year's Eve bash. Tickets are $19.96 prior to Christmas and $29.96 afterwards. Tickets include buffet and your own personal bottle of champagne. Last year's event was sold out by December 17, so buy early!. Bea has.

Further south, Wise Guys on Campus is growing to be a fixture at the U of M, even after only two months of service. Memberships are only five dollars, with all proceeds supporting Bison Football Alumni and Friends. Every Wednesday is Rez Night on campus, featuring prize giveaways all night, 10¢ BBQ chicken wings and the best atmosphere south of Bishop Grandin. Bea Arthur won't be there, either. This Friday and Saturday (December 8 & 9), Wise Guys on Campus are proud to host campus favorites Not Going to Vegas. Remember, doors open every day (except Sundays) at 11:00 a.m...just in time for the hands-down best lunch at the U of M.

At least that's what Bea Arthur told me.

This article first ran in The Manitoban, Vol. 83, No. 18 (December 6, 1995). This was the first advertising feature column I wrote for Rob Cable and the people Wise Guys. After a few spectacular failures with student-run campus pubs, UMSU decided to farm out the club to Wise Guys, a popular bar in Winnipeg's Exchange District. It was a success.

At this time, I was the volunteer writer at the Toban with the "brightest future," so Asst. Managing Editor Tanya Ho recommended me to UMSU's Campus Media and Advertising, who was responsible for selling the Manitoban's ad space. For the next few months, I made excellent coin by devoting under an hour per week writing shitty ad copy like that you see above. That, and they gave me free food.

As for Bea Arthur, my obsession has dimmed somewhat, but I still love her sweet ass. And if you read Crappy Ex-Flame Rant #9, you can see that I got some nookie out of the column, too.