TORONTO -- Tom Cruise's Toronto appearance included a breakout comedy performance by a Canadian newcomer, MuchMusic's Bradford How.

The young VJ's offhand handling of his celebrity guest on yesterday afternoon's Live At Much session was hilarious and refreshing. It appeared to both amuse and slightly unnerve Cruise.

The big 23-year-old with the bedhead, diabolical brows and 'burns and Mr. Glib personality dryly introduced the grinning actor as "the most powerful man in freakin' showbiz today," and "T.C."

"Maybe I'm being a little self-indulgent saying Tom Cruise's name again and again but it's fun to hear you scream," How said of the fans, mostly young women, whose shrieking rarely let up during Cruise's about 40-minute on-air appearance.

"This happens to you every day here though, doesn't it?" Cruise asked How.

"Tom, that's another story for perhaps after," How replied.

About 45 contest winners who had been taken to screen Cruise's new movie Vanilla Sky beforehand were invited into the Queen St. W. studio.

"COME OUTSIDE!" the less-lucky screamed from the sidewalk as Cruise explained the movie's plot.

"I promise. I will. I will," said Cruise, who wore faded jeans and a tone-on-tone black striped shirt. "I've got to finish my sentence."

"Let the man speak," chided How. "Think of him as your brother. Your brother's here trying to tell a story. Listen to your older brother!"

Cruise relented, signing autographs and dispensing hugs and kisses. After Vanilla Sky director Cameron Crowe, who also directed Cruise in Jerry Maguire, joined them halfway through, there was a brief threeway bout of "Who do you know who's from Winnipeg?" -- How's home town.

Cruise and Crowe went to the window to the street a second time during Radiohead's video for I Might Be Wrong, a song that's in the movie.

Scientology

It was Cruise who brought up Scientology, saying it's helped him overcome a learning disability and resist the pressures of the entertainment industry.

"Do you ever think to yourself, 'Do they actually realize I'm just a regular guy, I've got a hole in my tube sock and I'm just kind of here to hang out?' Do you ever think that people get the real Tom, you know?" How asked.

"I'm me. I am who I am," said Cruise.

"Be who you are!" an admirer cried, earning a "Thanks, darlin'," from the actor.

Cruise's co-star and girlfriend, Penelope Cruz, wasn't on hand and How didn't ask about their relationship.

Audience "questions" were variations on, "Um, hey, I just want to say that I love you ..." and, "Can I have a hug?"

"The three of us will come out again," How said, but when Cruise made the move, he and How and Crowe stayed on the couches and kept on talking.

One alarmingly determined admirer kissed Cruise, spoke urgently to him, hugged him twice and wouldn't let go of his arm.

"Guys, I almost didn't make it back," he said when he returned. "I was calling for you and you just left me here. You guys weren't even paying attention."

"We had our eye on you," How said. "We checked in, from time to time."

Cruise said he and Crowe have a habitual evening recap of their days together.

"Yes, we will have a recap of this tonight," said Cruise.


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