Me on TV - Behind the Scenes, the Untold Story!

There are many reasons I am voting for Monica Jarabek, my candidate from the Green Party in this coming federal election.

For one thing, she's a community activist with a good reputation and I've actually heard of her before. Secondly, she set up her campaign office right in my neighbourhood. Right around the corner on Stanley Street, betwixt the old Irene's Bridal Saloon and the variety store. I like to support local people. That's why I voted NDP in the last provincial election. Just because the guy lived on my street. Even had a lawn sign. Too bad he didn't bother to do any of that necessary door-to-door campaigning and finished a distant third.

I like it when a candidate goes door to door. I voted for Megan Walker when she first ran for City Council for that very reason. Showed up on my front porch one long-ago afternoon all by herself and explained why she was running. I like that in a person with political aspirations - the fact that they actually make the effort.

And that's another reason why I'm voting for Monica on October 14th. She showed up at my door yesterday.

Of course, there's also the fact that she's a babe. And I'm just superficial enough to admit that. And that's one reason why I won't be voting for Ed Holder who is running for the Conservative Party in my riding. Ed is a life-insurance agent and looks it. And I dread the day he shows up at my door not only before the election but after when he tries to sell me a insurance policy - "Sonny, have you given any thought about your retirement or what will happen to your loved ones once you are gone?"

BUT - the real reason I am voting for Monica is because of my young lad, 'Gnut' (TM,) also known as Frasier. When the Greens opened their office around the corner a couple of weeks ago, on my mid-day dog-walk I noticed a hand-written sign in the front window telling high-school students that if they volunteered to work on the campaign, their hours would go towards the required 40-hours of community service needed to graduate. Ever wonder why the drop-out rate is so high? Well, there's one reason. Thanks alot, Mike Harris.

So I told the boy about it and got little response. Because if he's like most other young people, he has no interest in politics. And I can't blame him. He's in high-school - he's witnessed first-hand from student-council elections that it's all just a popularity contest.

I suppose that's why he seldom reads the election or political coverage in the
Free Press or listens to Charles Adler or takes part in his parents' spirited supper-time debate/arguements about who has the best hair-cut - Steven Harper or Jack Layton.

So you can imagine my surprise last Friday when he calls me after school to say that he's at Monica's Green Party headquarters and he's volunteering. I tell you, I was so proud that I ordered in pizza for us for supper.

Once he got home, I asked him, 'Tell me son, when you got there and they asked you why you wanted to work for the Green Party, just how long was it before they realized that you know next to nothing about this election?" And he said, "Oh, about two minutes."

And I'm sure that when they asked why he wanted to be involved, he probably said something like, "Well, because the Greens are like all about the environment. And because Steven Harper is just a clone of George Bush." ... I can assure you, he doesn't get that from me.

And yet, they put him to work, made him feel welcome and he's been back pretty well every day since.

So yesterday, Jane the Dane is going nuts because someone is at the front door. I look and immediately recognize Monica even though we've never met. She's out door-to-dooring. I open the door and she has a cameraman/reporter from 'A-News' a.k.a. 'Channel 10' although it's really on channel 9.

Anyway, I quiet the dog, slick back my hair, tuck in my shirt, put out my fag, zip up my fly and open the door.

Monica introduces the TV journalist - he's Brian Bicknell. I seldom see 'F.Y.I.' anymore but enough times to know that he often does the political stories. And I've always appreciated the fact that unlike his co-workers, he has not succumbed to the 'hyper-active ninny' on-camera gesticulations where he seems to be swatting at flies as he walks down a sidewalk towards the camera for no apparent reason. That typifies most of the other reporters at 'News Now.' But Brian is an affable type, not gullible and seems to have fully-functioning grey matter up there. He's like co-worker/reporter Jerry Dewan, but with nicer shoes.

Even before I opened the door, I was thinking about what I would say to Monica when she asks if I'd be willing to support the Greens. I thought about how, as much as I admire Steven Harper's hair-cut, I was very disappointed in his opposition to Green Pary Leader Liz May being included in the upcoming Federal Leader Candidates Debate on TV. And then this week when he justified his $40 billion cut-back of Support for the Arts budget, with the reasoning of "Well, the only ones interested in this are the rich people."

So when I opened the door and greeted Monica, I said something or other when asked about would I consider the Greens.

And then launched into my real reason. And doing my best Ward Cleaver impersonation told the heart-warming tale about how they had welcomed my son and are giving him his first participation in the political process. And how proud I was of him.

And Monica was caught totally by surprise - "*OH,* that's *YOUR* son?!? We luuuuvvv Frasier!"

At this time, reporter Brian came up on the porch to start filming me close-up. After all this was human interest in a pretty boring election. I was giving them gold, baby, gold.

Unfortunately, all my close-ups ended up on the editing room floor.

Instead, it was just another door-to-door-by-the-underdog-candidate report. I was disappointed in it - but not surprised. We're talking about TV-London, man.

And I was very disappointed that my son didn't get to see people on TV talking about what a great kid he was. I'm the first to admit that I'm not the greatest father in the world, but every once in a while I manage to get things right. And this was one of them. So I am doubly disappointed that the rest of the world didn't get to hear about what a great Dad I am.

Instead, what they got was about a 10-second scene of me answering the door and being asked if I would support the Green party.

And I said I would. But when asked why, I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head. "I like the Greens because they're all for the environment. And because Steven Harper is just like George Bush."