The Man Who Remembers Everyone.
A cod, a shot of rum, and a ceremony you’ll never forget—especially in the eyes of Brian Day.
If you find yourself in St. John’s, Newfoundland, you’ll inevitably wind your way down George Street—a strip of neon, live music, and laughter carved into the rock above the Atlantic. And if you’re lucky, you’ll step inside Christian’s Pub, where the lights are warm, the stories are older than the walls, and a man named Brian Day is about to change the way you think about memory.
Brian Day is the longtime host of the Screech-In. He bought this establishment in 2005 and transformed it into something very special. In this beloved Newfoundland tradition, visitors become honorary Newfoundlanders by taking a shot of potent Screech rum, kissing a frozen codfish, and shouting a tongue-twisting oath in thick local dialect.
It’s wild. It’s hilarious. And it’s deeply human—because of Brian.
Not Just a Host—A Witness.
What sets Day apart isn’t just his booming voice or theatrical timing. It’s his extraordinary, deliberate memory. He doesn’t just perform the ritual—he sees you and then knows you.
Because Brian Day has a memory that borders on the unbelievable.
While most might struggle to recall a few names from a crowded room, Day remembers everyone. Not just hundreds. Not just thousands. Tens of thousands. Faces. First names. Where they came from. Sometimes even what they were wearing the night they stood under the lights and kissed the fish.
He looks each guest in the eye, ask each person their name and where they are from. With a slight, pause he repeats it back and you know by just looking at him he now has it locked into his memory. He remembers it. Somehow he locks away the details: your name, your city, your reason for coming. Not for a few hours—for years. Return five, ten years later, and you’ll hear him say, “You’re the couple from Wisconsin—Screeched in during the snowstorm, right?” And he’s right—every time.
It’s not a gimmick. It’s a gift. And in a place where hospitality is sacred, Day’s memory becomes a form of grace—a simple, powerful way of saying: You belonged here. You still do.
The Screech-In: One of a Kind.
The Screech-In ceremony is part comedy, part cultural handshake. The rules?
Watch Brian prepare and flambé a large piece of bolognese and cut it up for each of us to eat.
Take a shot of Newfoundland Screech rum (brace yourself).
Kiss the cod—a real, cold, slightly absurd slab of frozen Atlantic. (OMG!)
Recite the oath, which ends with the unforgettable: “Indeed I am, me ol’ cock! And long may your big jib draw!”
Then You’re in! A official Newfoundlander!
Afterward, you get a certificate, a cheer, and if you’re at Christian’s, a hug, a handshake, or a knowing nod from Brian Day. What you really walk away with is something more challenging to name: a story, yes, but also a sense of belonging.
Anthony Bourdain Came—and Never Forgot It.
When Anthony Bourdain visited Newfoundland for Parts Unknown, he participated in the Screech-In at Christian’s. He later described it as one of the most joyful and unforgettable cultural rituals of his career. Not because it was outlandish—but because it was real.
The laughter. The shared experience. The cod. The rum. The fact that Brian greeted him by name, looked him in the eye, and made him feel like he wasn’t passing through—he was home.
It was everything Bourdain sought in his travels: truth, absurdity, humanity—and hospitality with teeth.
St. John’s: A City That Knows Your Name.
A visit to Newfoundland is not just a trip—it’s a step into a parallel emotional universe, primarily in St. John’s, where the fog rolls like folklore and the city’s Irish roots run deeper than its cobblestone alleys.
Fiddles ring late into the night. Strangers become friends before the first pint is gone. The past is alive. The future is fiercely local. And somehow, everything—the color of the houses, the bite of the wind, the rhythm of the accents—feels like it was meant for you.
Newfoundland doesn’t just welcome you. It remembers you.
Travel Tip for the Curious.
Put Christian’s Pub on your list. Ask for Brian. Say yes to the Screech. Kiss the cod. Laugh until you cry. Let yourself be remembered.
Because sometimes, being known by name is the most meaningful passport of all!
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What a great read. Newfoundland’s already on my list of places to visit and Christian’s Pub will definitely be a stop.
What a unique authentic experience! I want to go there!