(Image: Christopher Drost)
Okay, the tale of Rob Ford and This Hour Has 22 Minutes has become decidedly unfunny. The news this week that Ford called 911 after Mary Walsh ambushed him at his home seemed pretty laughable at first, but we were somewhat sympathetic—maybe because we understand some public figures consider their home off-limits, maybe because one of Ford’s children was allegedly involved, or maybe because of those death threats. But then we saw footage of the event and changed our minds. In the larger media world, not surprisingly, Ford’s usual defenders are rushing to his side, and Ford’s usual opponents are roundly castigating him. Yet we think there’s a little more to this than the standard ideological saber rattling.
The National Post’s Kelly McParland has more (from the decidedly pro-Ford side):
Lots of people are mad at [Ford], since he’s not the most polished guy in the world and he hasn’t exactly been diplomatic while pursuing his promise to chop the massive city budget and eliminate a spending gap measured in the hundreds of millions. The local papers treat him like some lame-brained buffoon who stumbled into city hall while trying to avoid a Pride parade.
So maybe he did in fact realize his attacker was just an actor and he wasn’t really under threat, and maybe he just didn’t feel like going along. Mary Walsh has unleashed her Marg character on lots of other politicians, though generally during the work day when they’re on their political rounds, not on the front lawn at 8 a.m. They usually react in one of two ways: they either spot the character and play along, making it all very jolly and a bit boring, or they don’t get the joke and are a bit cool. People must like it, because they’ve been doing it for years.
Either way, Ford wasn’t up for the gag. Can’t really say I blame him. Politicians aren’t game animals; you can’t just hide in the woods and fire at will.
These are all fair points. McParland also devotes some space to the image of Ford as an everyman: someone who still drives himself around town, goes to football games and is “a big, overweight guy with a brush cut and a big round face, who is easy to make fun of.” Of course, the mayor’s supporters probably would have made these points whether or not Ford tried to defend himself (the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington even called the CBC stunt a coordinated effort by lefties to discredit the mayor).
What’s strange about the whole brouhaha, though, is that Ford couldn’t just tell the truth about the whole scenario and let his fanboys (and fangirls) in the press back him up. In his statement, Ford said it was dark when he was ambushed when it clearly wasn’t, and Walsh is disputing the mayor’s claim that his daughter was present. Plus, after watching the clip, it’s difficult to not to find Ford’s reaction was just a wee bit melodramatic.
• Toronto mayor had no time for This House Has 22 Minutes [Toronto Star]
• Ambush at mayor’s home no joke [Toronto Sun]
• Kelly McParland: CBC plays unfunny joke on unamused mayor [National Post]
Rob Ford has become the biggest laughing stock in this city. He’s an embarrassment, not only to the mayorship, but to the human race in general. He actually had the chance to look like a normal human being for once, but chose to wildly exaggrate (or LIE) about what happened on that dark, stormy morning, when masked strangers tried to kidnap his daughter from her bed while she was sleeping. Yah, cuz most armed maniacs show up with a camera crew and introduce themselves. Can’t wait until this idiot eats himself into a coma.
October 27, 2011 at 2:56 pm | by whoshotjr?Rob Ford is an embarrassment to Toronto.
October 27, 2011 at 11:52 pm | by dennisRob has to keep in mind that he works for ( all ) Toronto taxpayers and not just the ones who elected him.
He is Mayor and has to start acting like a Mayor and stop acting like a jackass!
October 28, 2011 at 12:19 am | by samPoor misunderstood everyman my ass. Long and short of it: he’s a coward who can’t take a joke. An immature kid who defends himself by lying and blaming someone else.
October 28, 2011 at 2:33 am | by emjayLOL give him a break, maybe he was rushing home to a BIG sandwich. He is the biggest looser I have ever seen in politics. He doesn’t possess any speaking skills, no charm, no charisma and he is an embarrassment to all the people that elected him. Good choice!……..LMAO
October 28, 2011 at 11:58 am | by haveoneI, initially, felt sorry for Ford because of the alleged death threats he received in the past year. (Of course, in full disclosure, this is a guy who was accused of making death threats of his own in 2008. Google it.)
However, upon watching the tape, it’s embarrassing how he reacted. Say what you will about Ford’s driveway being some kind of sacred ground… When Halloween is a mere week away and a woman (over the age of 40?) with 1980s-style glasses and a Sarah Palin-like bouffant hairdo approaches you in a ridiculous red-and-gold “Xena, Warrior Princess” getup, you gotta know it’s some kind of joke.
Once you’ve walked away from the “threat” and are in the security of your own home, call the non-emergency number, say you’re being harrassed and be done with it.
I won’t even address the verbal abuse the 911 operators endured.
Shame on you, Mr. Ford, you so-called “public servant.”
November 1, 2011 at 8:36 pm | by LynnAnything I post on Kinsella will have to be arleady published in a national daily/weekly, or else he’ll sue for sport.
February 12, 2012 at 10:40 am | by Bodhi