Mandy: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, thanks so much for chatting with Tyler Magz and I today. You guys are the most decorated figure skaters and you are Canada’s sweethearts. We have followed you through your career and the last Olympics for sure was like crazy for us. Tyler and I were talking about you probably every single day.

Tyler: Yes.

Scott: Awe, thank you.

Mandy: So you’re doing The Thank You Canada Tour right now. You just started like what? A few days ago? Not too long ago.

Scott: Yeah, we’ve only done three shows. So started last week, yeah.

Mandy: So, with this tour… so we got to see you when you did Stars on Ice and we were the ones - we made posters here in Winnipeg and were like - Tessa, you totally tweeted us back. It was like “Are you dating? One spin: yes. Zero spins: No.

(Scott laughs)

Tessa: Yes, yes, great, that was you guys!

Tyler: And you tried to avoid the question by asking “If twizzles count?”

(Tessa laughs)

Tessa: That is so funny. Well, I’m glad to know, I’m glad to be able to chat with you now and follow up.

Mandy: Great and now call us out on our stuff.

Tessa: Exactly. I appreciate the effort.

Mandy: So, yes, we understand, I’ve read the book, too, and I was like, “I get that you guys aren’t together, but like people just love your partnership, right? They just want a fraction of even that chemistry that you guys have. So that’s why everyone just wants you to be together. We’ll stop harassing you now that you’re done.

(Tessa laughs)

Scott: Oh, we take it as a compliment, but we’re happy that people are starting to recognize and see our partnership and what that means. It’s pretty neat and special.

Tyler: I do want to know because you guys have just been on various tours since the Olympics, just constantly working. When are you going to have some time off to yourself? Because honestly, it seems like you’re just go go go. You know you had the Stars on Ice, now you’re back here in Manitoba. When are you going to take a break and maybe you know, relax a bit?

Tessa: I mean, we’re hardwired to work. We’re just those people that fill our plate. It’s um, finding a purpose again and a goal following the Olympics when that was all consuming, of course. I think it’s been refreshing to commit so much energy into this project. The Thank You Canada Tour is sooooo incredibly close to our hearts and its something we’re so wonderfully passionate about. So it’s neat to have brought it to life and we’re trying to embrace everything that comes with it. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, but to be able to go all the way across Canada and hit these smaller cities and venues that haven’t seen skating shows and haven’t certainly seen it in awhile. So that’s been really special and that’s keeping us going - that’s invigorating and energizing to us.

Mandy: Right. And I know, again because I’m reading your book, and I just love that you guys are from smaller towns, too. And you totally - you get it right? Going to the smaller rinks, because like you said they’ve never seen shows that big so far. So that’s really awesome! That’s pretty cool. And then I - we’ve been following along on Instagram with all the choreography. So we’re curious to know: are you guys more involved in your routines this time? I mean, you guys are always involved, but do you guys get to customize your routines this time?

Scott: Well, we always customize our routines. But this time we’re involved in the entire show and we’re really excited about that opportunity. But yeah, I’m happy that you’ve been following along on Instagram. You know, we can’t take the credit for the show. We’re very proud of our creative team. We’re very proud of our cast members who’ve really stepped up and embraced it and - do you guys know the flash mob yet? That’s a big part of the show. We’re excited to be able to dance in Brandon with all of the fans.

Mandy: What??

Tyler: Oh, that’s cool.

Mandy: What??? No, go on, go on. I haven’t heard about this. I will drive to Branden for this.

Tessa: It’s on The Thank You Canada Tour post (Scott: Website, yeah)

Mandy: You guys get to do a flash mob. Well, I feel like Tyler and I should be a part of this.

Tyler: I’m still trying learn your “You Rock My World” routine

Scott: I feel like, I feel like you might be.

Tyler: I can’t get past the four steps. The first four steps of it, I’m like “I’m lost.” Once you do the hand gestures and everything, so I’m just still working on that choreography that you guys’ve got going on.

Tessa: Oh, yeah, you’ll get this, you’ll get this.

Scott: You have a week from Sunday.

Mandy: Oh don’t worry, we don’t do work here. We’ll just do the routine in the studio and it will be fine.

Scott: (laughs) yeah, I’ll just clear my schedule.

Mandy: I wanted to talk a little bit more too about the book. I know it just came out - I literally got it on the day it came out and Tyler’s like “of course you did, Mandy” cause I went right after work.

Tessa: Awe, thank you. No, I mean, reflecting back on the last eight years since the 2010 publication of the book was cathartic and enlightening and emotional. It was really interesting to sit down with Steve Milton once again, and to share our story, and also just touch base with each other, and figuring out what Scott had remembered and the takeaways that he had from certain moments, key moments in our career and how different they were from my memories. It was really special. And you know, we’ve always been pretty private people. When the first book came out we weren’t on social media and now, of course, we are a little bit more active, but there was a lot that people just didn’t know of the behind-the-scenes what was gone on, especially in this comeback process. I mean, even those closest to us weren’t totally sure what we were going through. So it’s a nice way for us to share our story and we’re really proud of how it came out and it’s neat that people seem to be connecting with it.

Mandy: Yeah, I love the old/young pictures. Like they’re amazing. Tyler sent me one yesterday! What was the one you sent me?

Tyler: The one that like - I don’t know how old you are, Scott, but it’s just a hey this is - what is it? you have it right there.

Mandy: Tessa, here’s my picture. To the best partner ever, love Scott.

Scott: Oh yeah, I was young.

Mandy: And it’s like your school picture. So people really love that.

Scott: So see, that might have been from the years when we were dating because we were 6 and 8.

Mandy: Right, the 8 months that you guys were together.

Scott: Yeah, (Mandy talks a lot right here) That’s long gone.

Mandy: Yeah, we know. I know.

Scott: Now we’re magic all on the ice.

Tyler: Now do you guys have any plans for Halloween, specifically coming up? Or anything fun that you guys have coming up?

Tessa: We’re going to be in.. Barrie? So, usually we’re competing over Halloween. We haven’t really celebrated Halloween in many many many years. But hopefully we’ll be rocking the house of Barrie.

Mandy: Are you going to dress up?

Tessa: I mean, we dress up (laughter) I will dress up as Satine from Moulin Rouge.

Tyler: And I wanted to let you know that Mandy and I, we were planning on dressing up as you guys for Halloween.

Scott: Yes, yes.

Tessa: Awww, that’s amazing.

(more talking jesus)

Tyler: What specifically do we need to have to master the Scott and Tessa look? Like pieces of clothing? Hairstyles? What do we need to encapture you guys in a Halloween costume?

Tessa: I think you’re going to need to rock a deep v, that’s for sure. Regardless of which one - who you are.

Scott: You’re going to need a big nose if you’re going to be doing me. Nose and the hair, and you’ve got it.

Tyler: I have the hair down, the deep v’s I have no problem with that, I’m already set with that.

Tessa: just enter every room dancing. Whatever party you’re going to, just dance away.

Scott: In 2010, there were some really good Halloween costumes, Tessa and Scott, so you have some competition, so bring your A game.

Mandy: Okay, alright we can do some research.

Tyler: We’ll do some research.

Scott: You’re going to need some mesh there, Tyler.

Mandy: He said he’s going to rock it. Speaking of Tyler, Tyler is learning how to skate this winter, he doesn’t know how to skate and I’m going to teach him.

Scott: Oh, cool.

Mandy: So he was wondering if you had any tips - what was that?

Scott: It’s never too late!

Mandy: Yeah! So we were curious to know if you had any tips? Like should he start on figure skates? Should he do hockey skates? Should he start with a chair in front of him?

Scott: I think he should probably do all of those things. Start with hockey skates so he doesn’t have to worry so much about the toe pick and yeah, he’s going to need a chair probably. He can handle it. I say just go for it!

Tyler: How many layers do I have to wear to soften the padding of like falling so many times?

Scott: I’d wear elbow pads.

Tessa: Some pillows would never hurt. But you have a good partner! So that’s half the battle.

Mandy: Right? I try.

Tessa: Maybe a helmet

Scott: A helmet and confidence goes a long way.

Mandy: Okay, fair enough. I’ll suit him up. We’ll be okay. You guys are going to be in Brandon for The Thank You Canada Tour - now in the book I know you guys said you were going to do other fulfillments - so what’s kinda the next chapter for both of you?

Scott: That’s a good question, actually! We’re hoping to take a Christmas off and catch our breath, to be honest. We’ve been really going since the Olympic games, which has been a ton of fun. But this project got us thinking. We’ve really enjoyed putting a tour together. We enjoy being on the road kinda in this capacity. So I think there will be more skating shows to follow. We just don’t know exactly what those are, but hopefully we’ll have an update in the next little bit. I think we’re probably leaning more toward the show - we’re still skating ourselves - but we want to excite the next generation of skaters. We also want to make sure we’re exciting the young, the youth just taking up skating - inspiring them a little bit. And I think that’s where we can be most impactful right now. So we’ll probably focus on more of our shows and performing. But I think, for me anyways, coaching is probably is in the future in some capacity, I just don’t know how far.

Mandy: Yeah, I grew up figure skating too, when I was like 4, and then we switched, because again, I didn’t know too many figure skaters back in the early 90s about skating. I think the young kids now know who you are and totally going to keep going because of you guys.

Scott: Oh, that’s cool! That’s a great compliment. I mean, we are figure skaters and we’re very happy about that, but we’re just happy to hear stories about kids in sport. Whether it’s figure skating or hockey or anything. We just like to hear kids do many sports.

Mandy: And I saw your mad dangles when you’re doing your hockey stuff on the ice.

Scott: You know, that’s the one thing about The Thank You Canada Tour - the only negative thing I found is that I miss the first fifteen hockey games in my beer league, so my dangles, I gotta work on. Hit a golf ball on tour.

Mandy: Well, you guys are going to be fantastic, it’s going to be awesome. The Thank You Canada Tour rolling into Brandon on Sunday, October 21st. Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir.

Scott: Can’t wait!

Tessa: We’re so excited to perform in Brandon.

Mandy: Miss you guys, come back any time and Tyler and I will always make signs and be in the crowd for you.

Tessa: Awesome

Scott: Good luck with your Halloween costumes.

Tessa: Send some photos