But the shit storm against the Globe and Mail brewing in Quebec is perhaps nothing compared to the outrage in Newfoundland about the fact that their guy lost. My boycott of CTV apparently didn't stop an Anglo-Quebecker from winning the Canadian Idol Contest.
The show is hosted by Ben Mulroney, son of the most infamous Anglo-Quebecker in the Province's history, I'm talking of course of the truly evil Brian Mulroney, former Prime Minister of Canada.
The sight of Ben encouraging people, with his Ottawa-Gatineau accent, to vote, and vote often, was perhaps to much for the good people of Newfoundland and Labrador (border between Quebec and Labrador is disputed). Some in the province have clearly lost it. This rant on the subject makes Rick Mercer's sound rather weekly (sorry for the pun, but at least it is politically correct).
In case this post isn't political enough for you, consider that Gatineau eleceted a Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament. Now, one of its citizens wins Canadian Idol!
Disclaimer: I'm originally from Gatineau and I've never been to Newfoundland (I'm waiting for them to finish their stupid road ).
Conspiracy theories abound in Newfoundland after Sharpe's loss on Cdn Idol
17:22:51 EDT Sep 18, 2006
Canadian Press: TARA BRAUTIGAM
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. (CP) - Newfoundland's popular call-in shows were abuzz Monday with allegations that Canadian Idol was fixed and unfair to Craig Sharpe after their native son lost the top prize on the televised singing contest.
The kind of vitriol normally reserved for politicians or the fisheries hit the airwaves almost instantly after the show concluded Sunday night with the win by 19-year-old Quebecer Eva Avila. The verbal barrage continued Monday, dominating other topics such as Canada's role in Afghanistan and the province's 15 per cent unemployment rate.
"The voting is as rigged as anything has ever been," said Randy Simms, host of VOCM's Open Line, a morning radio show heard across the province.
"That you're allowed to get on the telephone ... and you can make it 200 votes, 300 votes, well then you know that the voting system, like I said, it's anti-democracy. It's get out there and stuff that ballot box," Simms said.
"But we shouldn't forget that it's a TV show."
That didn't calm the nerves of anguished callers fuming outrage and conspiracy theories.
"I think that they didn't pick him because he's a Newfoundlander," said a first-time caller identifying himself as Bill.
"I thought it was ridiculous that they kind of shunned him after she won," said another caller named Kay. "I certainly thought she was kind of cocky."
"I'm not knocking Quebec, but if he had been up against any other contestant other than a Quebec contestant, I really do believe that he would've had this hands down," added Emma.
"They can get more votes in than we can because there's more of them."
As Sharpe moved closer to the finals, residents throughout the province increasingly complained of jammed residential phone lines - so much that a payphone "Vote Craig" campaign was launched. In recent weeks Sharpe supporters drove at night looking for available payphones. Even grizzled old-timers at the pub would slide their drinks aside to drop a quarter for the Upper Island Cove, N.L. native.
Sharpe's loss also sparked accusations in the blogosphere that CTV had cunningly calculated his rise to prominence.
Kurtis Billard of Conception Bay South, N.L., suggested that Idol officials are simply trying to get Newfoundlanders even more revved up for next season.
"Even though Newfoundland has under half a million people, the residents of the province probably make up for about 40 per cent of the voting total ... Newfoundlanders generally have such an inferiority complex that the supporters of this show vote in the hundreds (not even joking) for whomever is representing this province in the show," he wrote on kurtisbillard.bravejournal.com.
"I'm nearly certian (sic) that the Canadian Idol executives ensure that a Newfoundlander gets at least to the top 5 to keep ratings insanely high."
Officials at CTV said such talk was nonsense.
"Canadian Idol is not a popularity contest based on region," said spokesman Scott Henderson.
"Craig and other finalists from Newfoundland have made it as far as they have in the competition because they receive the support of the entire country."
Avila edged 16-year-old Sharpe by a three per cent margin.
It was the second year in a row a Newfoundlander finished second at Canadian Idol. Rex Goudie of Burlington, N.L., lost last year to Calgary's Melissa O'Neil.
Sharpe was also the fourth from the Rock to make it to the top five.
As the soft-spoken teen's popularity grew on the show, the province became galvanized. Even Premier Danny Williams and St. John's MP Loyola Hearn attended the show in Toronto to lend their support.
Other blogs:
Regional voting on Canadian Idol ;
Eva Avila Crowned Canadian Idol ;
Longshot ;
Craig Sharpe's Canadian Idol Blog ;
Gobsmacker of the week: Jan Wong's writings are offensive (great minds think alike, I read this _after_ I wrote this post) 20 Sep 2006 by Ed Hollett
Her piece is as worthy of attention as the rantings of the callers to Open Line shows in Newfoundland who think that Canadian Idol was rigged. Incidentally, an ex-pat Newfoundlander now living in Iqaluit has some very accurate ... ;
Wager on the next Canadian Idol ;
Online Casino Taking Bets on Popular TV Series ;
Pink, Enclosed, Blackness, Love ;
2 comments:
Thank you for this post. People in the rest of the country have to witness the sheer tribalist lunacy that the current generation of Newfoundland politicians is turning the place into. It's an embarassment.
Mark, I agree. Now hand over Labrador, it belongs to MY former tribe of Quebec.
And if you drive to the rest of Canada (aka Toronto), be sure to stop for a ploye in La République du Madawaska (aka Edmundston area).
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