Tuesday, September 4, 2001
The Media Questionnaire - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- The National Post used to run a questionnaire of sorts. Unlike the Proust test, this one is about media. It surveys certain people’s media tastes. Since it’s the first day of school, lemme do the “Mixed Media” quiz here today. Space filler, if you will.
Newspapers: I read both Vancouver papers -- the Sun and the Province -- daily, as well as the National Post. I don’t read the Toronto Globe and Mail regularly, because I can’t really stand them.
Magazines: I like the New Yorker a lot. I had a subscription to Maclean’s but its since run out and I haven’t gotten around to renewing; plus I don’t know if I should renew. Talk, is also a favourite.
Books: Throughout the summer I’ve been reading Jeffery Archer’s The Fourth Estate, an engrossing look at mass media through Archer’s fascinating characters, who throughout stray from being heroes and anti-heroes. I started Christina McCall’s Grits, which is a history of the Liberal Party of Canada. I know I shouldn’t be reading anything remotely about the Liberals, but sometimes one must be learned of the enemy. Tell that to Stockwell Day. On the finished list as well is Keith Baldrey and Gary Mason’s history on the Bill Vander Zalm years in Victoria. Anyone wanting an almost play-by-play account of The Zalm’s premiership, should read Fantasyland.
Radio: The radios in the house are tuned to CKNW AM 980. They’re tops for news, talk and sports -- heaven for news junkies. Their morning host Frosty Forst has been a frequent listen of mine. Frosty in the mornings make everything else bearable with his acerbic humour and witty repartee with his counterparts. And of course, right after Frosty is Rafe Mair and that is the radio show in this province. There’s one radio in the bathroom that’s actually tuned to AM 600, the local adult listening station, which I will relent I listen to occasionally. Many a day, I’m listening to either Frank Sinatra or Michael Bublé on 600 AM, and I’m prone to mutter ‘they don’t write ‘em like that anymore.’
Television: I always try to see who Larry King has on his CNN talker Larry King Live. If it’s a good guest or topic, I’ll try and tune in or read the transcript on the website. Urban Rush, the locally produced talkfest on cable is an addiction. Hosts Mike Eckford and Fiona Forbes are funny and witty, that I try not to miss that show. I’ve also been tuning into TalkTV on the digital cable. Their flagship show, the chatroom, I also enjoy watching. The hosts: Roberto Verì, Seamus O’Regan, Louisa McCormack, Jenn Hollett and Ben Mulroney are all young, hip and well-informed -- an amazing combination in this day and age. Their contributor, Craig Norris, who roams the streets of Toronto, is a really funny guy and it’s worth tuning into just for him.
Films: Of the summer flicks, I saw A.I., America’s Sweethearts, Moulin Rouge and a slew of other forgettables. I’ll try to catch more in the fall, especially closer to the Oscars’ deadline.
Live Theatre: I don’t go to the theatre as much as I’d like to. The last real big thing I saw was Terrence McNally’s MasterClass starring Faye Dunaway when it was in town. In terms of big musicals, I thoroughly enjoyed Show Boat when it was here six years ago and Sunset Boulevard, the ill-fated Andrew Lloyd Webber musical adaptation of the Billy Wilder film.
Music: I’m a sentimental bloke who likes the old songs as sung by Sinatra and such. Vic Damone is my favourite singer, as he’s the singer that guys like Sinatra wished they could sing like.
Internet: A website I like is « nytimes.com » because I hardly get the New York Times and it’s nice to read ‘all the news that’s fit to print.’ This past summer I’ve also been addicted to visiting « hsx.com », which is a cool Internet trading site where you can ‘buy stock’ in upcoming movies and up and coming stars.
- 30 -
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .