As Canadian Idol's new roving reporter, Dave Kerr has had to acquire some crucial skills to give the job his very best.

While learning to apply makeup and pretend to listen have elevated the quality of his game significantly, Kerr recently took a big step toward reporting perfection -- with a lesson in tough questions from CTV's Craig Oliver.

"If you want to become a guru yourself you have to climb to the top of the mountain," said Kerr. "I had to see how Craig Oliver does it."

A member of Canada's Broadcast Hall of Fame, Oliver has been asking the toughest of questions for CTV News for the past 49 years. He had plenty of advice to offer a fledgling reporter such as Kerr.

"The ultimate question is always why," Oliver instructed, adding a few more suggestions: "What... Sometimes who. How. When."

Kerr lapped up these interviewing gems with a spoon, and according to Oliver, was a quick study.

"I think Dave's a very sharp young man," the renowned journalist told Eye on Idol. "There's no problem with his reporting skills."

While he was initially concerned about appearing in a comedic segment after years in the very serious realm of national politics, Oliver said Dave Kerr's unassuming manner quickly put him "in the right mood."

"He made me very comfortable," Oliver said. "He was very empathetic, good at drawing me into it... It could have gone either way with someone else, but we had a lot of fun."

But the wise words didn't stop with Oliver. Dave Kerr also got to meet co-host Jane Taber, who advised him not to wear shirts bearing toothpaste stains.

To see the magic for yourself visit the CTV Broadband Network.