By Gillian Downes

George Stroumboulopoulos

If you Google "George Stroumboulopoulos" you might be amazed at the number of sites that come up discussing his "intense brown eyes", his piercings, or his innate ability to be the thinking woman's sex symbol. However, if you really don't care how intense his eyes are, you'll click and scroll your way past the numerous giggly blogs that analyze every square inch of him until you seek out the homepage of his new CBC show, The Hour (CBC Newsworld, Monday-Thursday, 8pm EST).

A hard sell was set in motion for Stroumboulopoulos' arrival at the bountiful gates of the CBC. The Hour has been touted as bringing viewers "a different take on the news. It's not a newscast. It's not a magazine show. This time, it's personal." Okay. We get it. The Hour is supposed to be a different kind of not-a-newscast, not-a-magazine show. A hard sell indeed, since it's well-known that if you pay Rogers Cable a little extra each month you'll have access to at least six all-news stations, numerous different kinds of news-based talk/magazine shows and a whole slew of journalists who are, arguably, just as sharp as Stroumboulopoulos. Still, with its edgy, fast-paced format, The Hour lends itself to those already familiar with Stroumboulopoulos' edgy, fast-paced delivery - a delivery that has made him a successful figure on whom everyone has an opinion.

Stroumboulopoulos arrived at the CBC by way of Canadian music channel MuchMusic. The thought that an on-air personality came from a music-based background (not to mention his earlier days as a radio broadcaster for sports station The Fan 590) would make die-hard CBC loyalists cringe. No doubt that  The Hour, with its unapologetic intent on serving the news in a condensed, guitar riff-laden format has seen many parents roll their eyes while muttering something about those darn kids and their rock n' roll music. Nonetheless, Stroumboulopoulos, coming off of a successful six-month run (note: The Hour is on summer hiatus and will return in September), believes that his show offers up something even the staunchest followers of Mansbridge can adhere to.

"We walk the line", Stroumboulopoulos admits proudly of his show - a sentiment echoed by many viewers. In fact, The Hour indulges and invites the critical masses to objectify and pillage the show after viewing interviews with the likes of so-called "shock writer" Chuck Palahniuk, and watching brief, humorous opinion pieces on why Roy Horn of famous Vegas act Siegfried and Roy was attacked by his own performance tiger (note from George: perhaps it's because he's a tiger and that's what tigers do…).

The Hour often dedicates (on-air) time to consider viewers' reactions to what they've witnessed on that day's show; some e-mails praise the show, some take us back to those intense brown eyes, and some viewer input dares Stroumboulopoulos to defend, or not, as the case may be, portions of the show - something that is definitely not a far cry from his days at MuchMusic. As a host and interviewer for MuchMusic's The New Music he was often shut down, told off and subsequently cut off by many interviewees simply for daring to tread where no rockstar publicist would allow.

"We just talk about the things we're interested in, "Stroumboulopoulos humbly notes of The Hour. "…ten years ago this (type of show) wouldn't have been done. Now there's room for a show like this."

Apparently the CBC shares the same opinion.

Buzz had it that Stroumboulopoulos was wooed in an effort to attract younger viewers. Maybe. But to a station that often only seems fit to be watched by silver-haired grandmothers, you might figure that the youthful category, in the world according to the CBC, might hover around the 40-year-old mark.

Still, the squealish blogs don't lie, and Stroumboulopoulos has definitely attracted a crowd the CBC, despite efforts of other shows that are obviously borne of the smells-like-teen-spirit movement have failed to attract - and keep.

Well, the youth smelled the teen spirit and itchy fingers zoomed up the dial to CBC Newsworld, eager to get their local/national/worldwide news in a no-nonsense format as told by Stroumboulopoulos, making The Hour a favourite among even die-hard CBC viewers.

As for the second season, well, change is surely and, perhaps sorely, inevitable.

Though nothing's been etched in contract, Stroumboulopoulos speaks of possible set changes, greater accessibility to the show (perhaps more shows being taped in front of studio audiences) and more audience interaction.

After all, Stroumboulopoulos observes, "We've laid a nice foundation here. I'm looking to build a nice house on top of it."

As long as he maintains his somewhat infamous quick-witted ability to see the absurdity at all things newsworthy (insert Britney comment here…), Stroumboulopoulos should at least be able to lay a brick or two.