Really, critics?

First, go read that article by Valerie Fortney of the Calgary Herald. For the record, I’ve no idea if she lives in Calgary South (thereby being responsible for homophobic tool Jason Kenney being elected MP). Also, that last sentence has absolutely nothing to do with the article. Or with this post.

Now, I didn’t watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. I didn’t watch the closing ceremonies either. In fact, pretty much the only thing I watched was curling, hockey, and the odd bobsleigh run. Had I known that Will Ferguson was the ceremony’s writer, I may have changed my mind. Probably not, but you never know.

First, I fail to see how anything that pokes fun of stereotypes on such a grand scale is either ‘shameful’ or ‘cringeworthy’. First, if you’re serious about getting rid of social taboos, one great way to do it is to make fun of them (do you hear me, Jason Kenney? While you were sitting on your arse at the Olympics instead of doing your job, people all over the world were using the words ‘fag’ and ‘dyke’ to make reference to themselves). Second, what harm does it do Canada to have a giant inflatable beaver and a bunch of Python-esque lumberjacks at an entertainment event? In my never humble opinion, the ceremonies at the Olympics are overdone and overhyped. I mean, the Olympics in general are overhyped. But, as my ten-year-old would say, Whatevs.

*I* think Ferguson was brilliant. It wasn’t his decision to have Nickelback or Michael Boob-lay play instead of someone good. It wasn’t his decision to have the Prime Minister have to sit through Canadian art which nobody cares about. Ferguson did what he was hired to do. If whoever hired Ferguson didn’t KNOW he’s a ‘humourist’ (different from ‘comedian’ in vague, non-self-explanatory ways), then that person/that committee is/are an/a bunch of ignoramus/es.

And seriously, what are critics paid to do? They’re paid to BE CRITICAL. They’re PAID to be poopypantses. Do you know what happens to critics? They die, like everyone else. So let’s just enjoy all the good bits while we’re still here, because when we harp on Bad Things like Jason Kenney, we ruin it for the whole log.