August 10, 2000
Mixed Media - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- Since the arrival of Saturday Night to the Saturday National Post, they’ve revamped the Weekend Post section, which is the Post’s version of an arts/food/book review section. One of the neat features they’ve got inside the front cover is a quiz/interview type thing they ask of Canadians, famous or not. They’ve asked Kim Campbell do the quiz and so to fill today’s space let me attempt to follow the format.
They ask you for each medium, which products you frequent. For example when it came to newspapers, the former PM responded she liked reading the LA Times and listed off a bunch of things she reads. Last week’s interviewee was Suzanne Boyd, who’s some sort of fashion guru. Anyways here’s me, and my, “reading and viewing pleasures.”
Newspapers: I read almost everything we get at the house, except BC Catholic. We get the National Post, The Vancouver Sun and The Province. I get to them everyday and finger through for stories that interest me.
Magazines: I get TV Week, every week. It’s a good magazine with okay features and Red Robinson. His items are old, but then again he’s Red Robinson. I try to buy Talk every month, and if it’s at the 7-11, the New Yorker. Both have interesting and terrific articles. I finally got a subscription to Maclean’s but I yet to receive my first copy. It’s a hell of a lot better than Time. Time is quite boring and especially because of this split-run stuff going on, their coverage of Canadian affairs is pathetic. I was at the airport yesterday and I bought a copy of George. It’s actually very readable and chock full of neat stories, as well as high-brow schlock. Saturday Night, which is in my Saturday Post is also a reader. And of course Entertainment Weekly, whenever I remember to buy it.
Books: I’m not an avid book reader. But, some will say I buy a ton of books and it’s true - they just sit at my other desk here in the living room. I did however just read a book called British Columbia’s Premiers In Profile, by William Rayner. It’s an interesting book, but bias is easily spotted. (I’ll review it some other time.) I also started the 2-volume set on the life of Trudeau, by Stephen Clarkson and Christina McCall. I’ll probably never finish it.
Radio: CKNW [980 AM] is on almost everyday. I listen to Rafe, but if I’m still in bed or out, I tape him. I tried listening to the CBC [690 AM or 95.7 FM], but nothing is more anally retentive. For music, because I’m such an old coot, I listen to The Bridge [600 AM]. Whenever I’m in a car however, I station surf.
Television: For the last two seasons Sports Night was required viewing, but since it’s cancelled I don’t know what to do. I like NYPD Blue and ER, but haven’t kept up to those shows in the last 2 years or so. I do tune it occasionally to The National and The Magazine has interesting stuff on. Larry King Live is terrific and I am a CPAC junkie, especially when the House is in session.
Films: The last movies I saw were The Sixth Sense, Me, Myself and Irene and Nutty Professor 2. Enjoyed them and thought Eddie Murphy was terrific. I enjoy The Insider immensely. Seen it twice.
Live Theatre: The last live theatre thing I saw was Faye Dunaway in Master Class and I thought that was superb. She was at Cannes recently trying to prod Roman Polanski into directing the film version.
Music: The old guy that I am, I listen to Sinatra and Judy Garland. She’s pretty good, but my favourite singer isn’t as folks who know me well will think is Frank Sinatra. My favourite singer is Vic Damone. He was Frank’s favourite and mine too. Diana Krall is good and Tony Bennett is getting better every year.
Internet: The political junkie that I am, I go to www.legis.gov.bc.ca to read Hansard or to www.rafeonline.com if I need info.
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .