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Jian Ghomeshi Speaks Up

The New York Review of Books decision to publish a piece penned by the disgraced TV broadcaster has sparked online outrage.

Jian Ghomeshi Speaks Up

By FYI Staff

The New York Review of Books decision to publish "Reflections from a Hashtag,"  a piece penned by the disgraced TV broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi, has sparked online outrage. Here is an excerpt.


"Not so long ago, I spoke to hundreds of thousands of listeners across North America every day on a public radio show. These days, the closest I come to public performance is at a neighbourhood karaoke bar in New York. Even that can have its perils. One night last year, I was waiting my turn to sing when a woman spotted my name on the list. “Jian!” she said to me. “Your name is Jian? Ha! Hey, you know who ruined that name for you?” “No. Who?” I said, bracing myself. For the first time, she looked straight at me—and stopped smiling.

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"For her, it was like one of those excruciating moments when you accidentally include the butt of a joke in a reply-all e-mail. For me, it was just another day in the life of the notorious Jian. She apologized and said all the right things. And I said all the right things back. (“How could you have known?”) Mostly I felt bad because she felt bad. But then we rallied and sang a duet together. And then we became friends and are regularly in touch. Chalk up one more human being who no longer thinks I’m a creep.

"Here’s the thing about being an erstwhile “celebrity” who is now an outcast: You’re not just feeling sorry for yourself. You’re also feeling sorry for everyone around you—sometimes even the strangers. You can see the anxiety in their faces as they stammer out banalities, studiously avoiding the subject of career (or lack thereof), making vague gestures of encouragement that trail off into silence..." - Continue reading here.

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Loreena McKennitt
Courtesy photo

Loreena McKennitt

FYI

Music News Digest: National Music Centre Launches Exhibition for New Canadian Music Hall of Famers

Also this week: Popular East Coast singer-songwriter David Myles gets elected as a Liberal MP, notable songwriters go Inside the Song, a star-studded tribute to Neil Young and more.

On May 7, National Music Centre (NMC), in partnership with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), unveils a new exhibition at Studio Bell, celebrating the latest Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees. That list comprises Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger and Loreena McKennitt. The exhibition opens in advance of the sold-out live Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, taking place on May 15 at Studio Bell.

The exhibit will showcase photos, storytelling, and memorabilia from the four inductees. Highlights include a synthesizer and stage outfits from Glass Tiger, along with handwritten lyrics for “My Town,” signed by Rod Stewart. Also featured are a Montreal Canadiens jersey worn by Ginette Reno during multiple national anthem performances, along with Loreena McKennitt’s harp and the ornate mask worn in her “The Mummers’ Dance” music video. There are also two learn-to-play interactives, allowing fans to get lessons directly from two inductees – acoustic guitar with Dan Hill and synthesizer with Sam Reid of Glass Tiger.

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