An Honour And A Privilege

In the business of media and entertainment, those of us in the spotlight mark our success rate by the degree of recognition we receive from the public. It's what we have to do to survive in a competitive field. Recognition of any kind, it's been said, is good recognition; even if it's critical because, at least, people are talking about you. I'll agree with that, to an extent. Somehow I can't see how being caught flashing little old ladies at a fruit stand in the Byward market on a Saturday morning can be a good thing. But I digress.

As the Doc and Woody Fund for the Operating Rooms at CHEO crests the $200,000 mark, the foundation has decided to recognize our contributions by inducting Doc and Woody into the Order Of The Good Bear. It's a nice thought and Doc and I are both touched by the gesture.

Last week we received the letter from CHEO Foundation President Fred Bartlett inviting us to a special ceremony at the end of November. The letter was precedent by the following email from Corporate veep Kevin Keohane:

Hi Doc & Woody,

Each year we hold a special event to recognize some of our great supporters and this year we are including you in that distinguished group. You will receive a letter in the next day or two from Fred Bartlett inviting you to a special ceremony on Wednesday, November 30 where you will be inducted into the Order of the Good Bear. Sound's sappy but it's very grassroot stuff and probably our favourite event of the year. It's short and sweet with a start at 5:30 p.m and it's all over by 7:00 or so. Finger foods, drinks and little mingling here at the hospital along with some of the other recipients and hospital/foundation staff. I know you guys don't help us in order to be recognized and that's what makes it so nice to do it. Very much deserved and overdue. Stay tuned for more info. Congratulations and thanks!

Kevin Keohane

Vice President

Development & Corporate Relations

The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Foundation

415 Smyth Road

Ottawa, Ontario

K1H 8M8

(613) 737-2782

One thing, however.

We're just the middle men. It's the generosity of our listeners, friends and neighbors that makes the Doc And Woody Fund work as well as it does. We're quite inspired by the growing number of unsolicited donations and fundraising activities that are now occurring on our behalf. Schools, offices, sports leagues, amateurs and professionals are contributing on a continual basis. From $300 efforts from school activities, to a quick thinking single opportunity to sell Leaf tickets as Dan Cowley did at Don Cherry's (where he initially told me he raised $400 then slipped a $500 cheque into the envelope: Thanks Dan), to Mark Rushton and CR Associates raising over $30,000 to-date for the Doc and Woody Fund from their annual golf tournament, we are giddy and humbled at the same time.

To our friends everywhere and there are way too many to mention, it's you who should be thanked.


On November 30th, in the clinic play park, we'll have our pictures taken. But make no mistake, we'll be accepting on your behalf. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

A Double Edged Sword

I see in the news this week that a Sikh man is considering taking VIA Rail to the Human Rights Commission for not allowing him to board a train wearing his ceremonial dagger.

I can relate. I remember one time, at Ottawa International airport, security refused to let me board with my ceremonial nail clippers. In fact, the same thing happened to my wife, on her recent trip to Arizona, when she had to surrender her ceremonial travel sewing kit.

If all one has to do to justify boarding a carrier with a weapon is to declare the item "ceremonial", we'll soon witness the flourishing of thousands of ceremonial AK-47's.

Yesterday's Ottawa Citizen editorial on the matter, in my view, was the perfect take. I recommend its reading.

In Other News........

Ottawa City Council narrowly and technically voted down a ban on cosmetic pesticide use in the city this week. Understanding the sensitivity of the issue here in Ottawa, the debate has to continue at this level of heat before people truly understand all the facts and, considering the interest and the input council has received from the public on this one, Baseline Ward Councillor Rick Chiarelli level-headedly proposed the issue be put to referendum on the next ballot a year from now. Of course, level-headedness has yet to prevail with this clowncil and Chiarelli's motion was voted down 16-4 with one councillor suggesting that the public is not up to the challenge of deciding the issue. They may have a point. Look at the council we have: Less level-headed, more anvil-headed.

FYI.....

I got my autumn Liberal newsletter this week. It says the government is in the mindset to get things done. So, I scrolled down to see what all the excrement, whoops, excitement was about and I found a notice on the Aboriginal People's Commission Of The Liberal Party Of Canada. I thought, "this should be interesting" and I clicked the link to learn of a couple of appointments, that the APC met in Montreal last month and that "Many issues were addressed and updates were given, including one provided by the Honorable Andy Scott who talked about the plans for the upcoming historical meeting of the First Ministers on Aboriginal Affairs. This meeting is scheduled for late November in British Columbia." So, by the looks of things, life seems to be good for our aboriginal friends. Just thought you should know.

Harper Aide Returns Bra: Snaps Out Of It

Cross My Heart, it's a true story. A Newfoundland band's "lucky bra" went missing a few weeks ago during a provincial PC convention in St. John's which Stephen Harper attended. The band performed the night before at the same club where Harper's address to the delegates was delivered during a luncheon.
Ya gotta love the Newfoundlanders for their spirit. Not only is the band called Eight Track Favourites (I love 'em already - note unheard), but they've even named their lucky bra. Check out the story.. I'm not here long. I just have to say I'm glad the bra was returned because it shows the difference between the Conservatives and the Liberals, who feel they always have to support their boobs!

Finally. The Finale. It Was Fine.

CTV News wrapped up its series on Morning Radio Wars last Friday with a look at the heated battle for rock supremacy. The piece focused on the Doc and Woody Show and the morning show from The Bear, where Doc and I first became a team.

Seeing the daily installments that highlighted the other formats, including talk radio, I was wondering if we were going to get a fair shake on the week's airtime. As the days went by, I knew, that in the most competetive radio market in Canada, there was still plenty to cover. And that concerned me. It's not every day television bothers to cover radio.

The series was well produced and gave the viewers a fairly realistic impression of the product they hear every morning on their way to work. Because it went in-depth and sometimes personal, there was a sense of revelation with some of the personalities. Majic 100's Kevin Nelson spoke somewhat emotional about his late father and Toronto Radio icon, Jay Nelson. The cynic in me noted that "this sonofabitch can cry on cue. No wonder he does well with adult females!" In the end, though, I'm glad it came off the way it did. I'd really have a hate on for him if he showed coolness to the memory of the man I grew up a fan of in T.O. I'm still pissed that he never acknowledged the condolences Doc and Woody sent at Jay's passing several years ago. Maybe he's still bitter that we used to parody him as Kevin "Half" Nelson on our show. He actually ignored us once at a public function because of that. I also recall him inferring that we did "whoopie-cushion" radio. An absolute falsehood. All our farts were REAL.

Another segment that showed the true colours of the personalities was on talk radio. Steve Madely left a pro impression while it was no surprise that the uppity and pretentious CBC Morning host Anthony Germain fired a salvo toward CFRA, inferring its listeners were all "angry white males". Only back a week and the liberal spin machine is in high gear. Impressive.

The rock format segment illustrated the intensity of the competition for the audience but it was tempered by the comments of The Bear's Stuntman Stu and myself. The desire to win is strong but healthy. And, while we're passionate about achieving results, we're respectful of the others' successes. To reflect that on television, in my view, shows a touch of humility and a measure of class. It would be a lesson well learned by Mr. Germain. The camera always adds ten pounds to your ego.

As for how we were presented in the piece, I can't complain. There's always the doubt that, when the press pack up their gear and head off, much of what you wanted to say or do will have hit the floor before airtime. It's a lot like politics in that regard. The media could very well use your content within the context of their agenda: their script: their angle. Thank god I said nice things about people.... and I didn't fart.

Hat-tip to CTV's Chris Day for a fine series.

Other blog references to this topic found here, here, and here.