All About Aba

This past year, Aba Amuquandoh has taken Canadian entertainment by storm. From joining the 29th season of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, to hosting Best In Miniature, CBC Gem’s upcoming reality competition program highlighting the world of miniature design, Amuquandoh shows no signs of slowing down. With Best In Miniatures set to premiere on CBC Gem February 11, and 22 Minutes to reach its 600th episode milestone on February 22 on CBC TV and CBC Gem, Amuquandoh was kind enough to share her thoughts and excitement about her upcoming projects. 

Before your role on Best in Miniature, what was your relationship to the world of miniature design?

I have the dexterity of a dog trying to hold a ball. (Laughs) I’m so bad at using my hands. But I am obsessed with watching people who are very artistically inclined create things. It got to the point where my Instagram explorer page was literally just like miniature objects and mini videos of people making meals out of felt in mini kitchens. I’ve always been really fascinated by it, and I have a few friends who are artists and who are capable of making things that are that small. It just felt crazy that I got asked to do this show because it was such a secret love and secret hobby of mine. So I was like “you guys are watching me! How do you know this?”

What excites you the most about the series?

The most exciting aspect of the series is watching 11 different individuals with this HUGE time crunch create entire rooms. It’s truly the most exciting thing to watch. I didn’t get to watch the entire process of it because there has to be an air of surprise to it when they do the big reveal at the end of the challenges. But watching people with five minutes left making a chair or doing woodwork or some people were blowing glass - it feels wild to imagine how someone has that type of talent. 

Was there anything that surprised you throughout the series?

I think I was definitely surprised by some of the builds that certain people chose to make. It’s really easy to assign a certain type of aesthetic based on what you’ve seen the competitors do already. So there were certain reveals of not just pieces that they created, but rooms and pictures that I would have NEVER ever expected (them) to have created, especially when doing a blind judging of one of the mini challenges. It’s so surprising seeing what they can do within like an hour… And it’s so funny, I don’t know if you can read it from watching (the series) but it was intense, but it was simultaneously incredibly encouraging and nurturing to each other. They’re all so sweet to each other.

WIth designing miniatures being such a specific and niche subject, what would you say to encourage people to watch this series? 

I think people should check it out because it’s incredibly soothing. As tense as it is to watch people create incredibly elaborate rooms or an entire house with a set amount of time, it is so soothing to see how meticulous they have to be, and just watch them create things with not only craftsmanship, but care. And I think it’s also low-stakes in the sense that you can only be SO tense about making something so cute. It’s a really good family watch as well. I’m gonna watch it with my mom, we’re gonna FaceTime each other (Laughs) … And I think it’s a secret hobby a lot of us have, and it’s coming to mainstream now and it’s nice to see.

Having joined 22 Minutes’ 29th season, how does it feel being part of Canada’s longest running comedy series? 

I’m so lucky to be employed during a pandemic as a comedian and an actor, but at the same time, it feels so good to join a cast that works like a machine. Everyone knows what they’re good at, and everyone knows what they like to do. It’s a space where funny wins. So if you write something funny, it’s getting on, which feels good! But also, the writers room is my favourite part of being part of the show because it’s full of people that I liked a lot before I started on the show, and that I knew of but never got to meet. And now we all work with each other, and really like hanging out with each other, so that’s exciting! . . . (And) being part of it I got to learn more about (the series’) legacy, and learn more about the precedent that the women in particular have set.

What do you feel has contributed to the longevity of the series?

I think the show has certain characters that people hold on to forever. It’s like with SNL, how everyone has a generation that they love the most - but with this show, the same cast members have been part of it so long that it really feels that you get to watch your favourite part of that show for as long as possible. . . I think a big thing too is that for people seeking out Canadiana - this is their outlet for it. It’s also Canadian-specific comedy, which we didn’t have a lot of before, there’s more now, but for a while it was one of the only things we had. 

The 600th episode is just around the corner - what would you say to encourage folks to check it out?

It’s a huge milestone! I think people should check it out because for as much as it’s stayed the same in certain aspects, it’s definitely changed a lot. It’s far more diverse this year. And tune in to see how we get to marry the two, because it’s a really hard thing to do. It doesn’t look that hard from the outside, but from the inside, you get to see the ins and outs about how hard our writers work and how hard our cast works. . . so why not tune into the 600th episode? I don’t think there will be another opportunity for something like this in Canadian media in the next generation or the next ten years or so. 

Best in Miniature premieres Friday, February 11 on CBC Gem

This Hour Has 22 Minutes airs Tuesdays at 8pm (8:30 NT) on CBC TV and CBC Gem
The 600th episode is scheduled to air on Tuesday, February 22

You can also listen her podcast Nostalgique with Ben Sosa Wright on Sonar Network