Me on TV tomorrow
If you want to see me fight it out with a Toronto Star columnist while struggling to retain my dignity beneath a half-inch of clown-whore makeup, don't miss the next episode of Behind the Story tomorrow evening.
And be sure to dial down your Cliche Detector or you'll interfere with the program's signal. Journalism is about "making the world a better place," "why doesn't The Government(tm) do something?" and much cant about "fairness" and "not being divisive" flew around the table like hornets at a picnic. I alone was able to fend off this foolishness, people.
Bear in mind that this is Toronto. The notion that "taxes" are "your money" or that all viewpoints/religions are "equal" and deserving of "respect" are deeply engrained and never to be questioned. Except by Yours Truly.
I did manage to add something to my Falwell musings, too: that while the Left was unfairly accused of "creating" 9/11, what they really were responsible for was... Jerry Falwell himself. Without the ERA, Roe v. Wade, Engel v. Vitale and the radical gay and feminist movements, the rise of a Jerry Falwell would never have happened.
As usual, I didn't (get to) say much that I wanted to. The host asked me (with an understanding smile) not to express my delight at scenes of Palestinians killing each other.
As for the CBC's latest "desecration of the host" comedy offering: my Star opponent brought up the old chestnut that you can't criticize a program you haven't seen. 99% of the time, I'd agree. However, this show was produced with my extorted tax dollars, so I can say whatever I want about it. (His objection also implies that the news stories describing the show's content were all somehow misleading, and surely as a reporter himself he didn't mean to imply that...)
Imagine a burglar breaking into your house, but instead of stealing anything outright, he raids your cupboards and bakes a cake in your oven. You return home and are outraged. His response? "But you haven't even tasted it yet!"
That burglar is the CBC.
The day ended with me getting a cab ride home from the studio by the only white Anglo-Saxon taxi driver I've had in 15 years, my late father excepted. We had a fine conversation about religion and "happy clapping" evangelicals (he came here from England -- in 1967 of all years, aka Year One of Trudeaupia, very bad timing...).
Anyway, I won't be watching, but you may want to tune in. Yes, I do talk out of one side of my mouth and look more like Hilary Clinton every day. Thank you.