The first time Bruce Rainnie met Kevin “Boomer” Gallant, they were kicked out of the room at a CBC function for laughing too much.
A year later, Rainnie joined Gallant on CBC News: Compass and a lifelong friendship was born.
Gallant, who was the show’s weatherman for 31 years, remembers the day in the fall of 2003 when management told him Rainnie would be taking over the anchor’s desk.
“I said, ‘What?’ Christmas came early for Boomer. I knew we'd hit it off. It's just been magic since then on air.”
The chemistry and humour that came to define the pair’s tenure on Compass began right away, Gallant said.
Rainnie’s first night on air was marred by technical difficulties. Gallant started right in with digs at the new anchor.
“It's a wonder he didn’t leave us with all the technical glitches. People see you having fun with the faux pas, and they have fun at home.”
In the two years before Rainnie got married, he had supper with the Gallants 155 times. The kids kept track.
Rainnie values the friendship greatly.
“It’s irreplaceable. That’s a once in a lifetime partnership, for sure. I would never get that again from anyone at any network.”
Even Peter Mansbridge, former anchor of CBC’s The National, took notice of the bond, Gallant said.
“He said there's no other host and weatherman in North America who get along like this on television. It’s a nice testimonial to the friendship we have.”
And it was all spontaneous, Rainnie said.
“We never rehearsed anything. When it went off the rails and we were there to put it back on, that was really entertaining stuff. It’s all from knowing the other guy will play along and come back with something.”
The comfort level between the two men was crucial, Rainnie added.
“When you find someone you can be totally open with, self-deprecating with, and you know they’re not going to be offended, that’s really watchable. People love to watch that. It’s comfortable. It’s hugely, hugely important and I think it was a big reason why the Bruce-Boomer thing worked.”
They became so close that when Gallant’s wife Mae passed away in 2006, Rainnie and his wife Kendra sang and performed at her funeral. That meant a lot to Gallant.
“He was a true friend, still is and always will be.”
The laughter extended well beyond the airwaves of Compass, Rainnie said.
“We’ve never disagreed about anything. We’ve never had an argument. There wasn’t a single day where he wouldn’t have me dissolved into tears with laughter somewhere in a room at CBC.”
Both left Compass last April. Rainnie took over as president and CEO of the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame and Gallant took the plunge into retirement.
They talk on a daily basis, but they both miss the camaraderie. Gallant compared their bond to Abbott and Costello.
“I miss Bruce, our daily banter before we got on air in the newsroom. We disrupted people doing stories for Compass. I’ve always wanted to have fun with whatever I did in life. The last 13 years with Bruce was fun times 10.”
The time spent together when Rainnie visits the Island are memorable, said the former anchor.
“(Gallant) became, outside of my wife, my best buddy. I hope he feels the same. It’s a pretty special thing when we get a chance to get together. The stories start flowing and get exaggerated more and more.”
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