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 Ricky Blue  Ricky Blue was born in Liverpool, England, but raised in Maine, New Jersey, and Toronto. He has an MA in English from Concordia University. He has been involved in bands and media music in Montreal for over twenty years. In 1981 he won an international 'Clio' award for excellence in advertising. He once appeared on television naked. His life had no real meaning, however, until he began to play with Bowser and Blue. Rick plays guitar, mandolin, and harmonica, and sings in a rather pleasant baritone when George will let him. His columns are archived here |
Posted 09.05.06 Plight of Quebec anglos a laughing matter, but not on CBC-TV
Recently I have been lucky enough to be involved with a "hit" show. I call it a hit because it sells out wherever we perform it. It is called The Four Anglos of the Apocalypse. It features columnist Josh Freed, cartoonist Terry Mosher (Aislin), George Bowser, and myself.
I know why it is a hit. Because we tackle head-on and reflect upon the experience of our audience - anglophones who have lived through the last thirty years here in Quebec. In a humorous vein we describe the creation and history, so far, of the Quebec anglo. So Quebec anglos come to see it. For all of us, it is a catharsis.
What is amusing is the reaction of our national media. It would seem that the CBC would be a natural to want to televise it. Their mandate is to reflect the very kind of authentic Canadian experience that we portray.
Indeed, a mammoth news special remembering the 1995 Quebec referendum called "The Breaking Point" was aired nationally on both the CBC networks. But that was a documentary.
Our story and reaction to the same experience falls into the category of 'entertainment,' we were told, and so suddenly qualifies under different rules: Will they give a damn about the story of Quebec anglophones in Edmonton?
That is so Canadian, isn't it?
In other countries, like the US or Great Britain, the uniqueness of a small group is exactly what makes them entertaining: Italians in New York City, Latinos in LA, Swedes in Minnesota, Cockneys in London, Scots in Glasgow, Scousers in Liverpool. In Canada. it makes entertainment producers nervous.
"Perhaps if a mass grave of Quebec anglophones was discovered in the Laurentians," one CBC producer opined.
Yes, I get the point. Our suffering is not noteworthy against the suffering of so many others around this troubled world.
But our humorous take on our experience, being in the front line of the political anglo/franco, separatist/federalist battles of the last thirty years certainly merits a look. And our political satire is not just a way of entertaining others, like the Royal Canadian Air Farce, but is a Darwinian protective device we anglos use to survive.
If we couldn't laugh at our situation we would probably go mad.
"Perhaps if you were a "real," minority, like if you had skin pigmentation or an ancient barbaric religion that you followed slavishly, then we could produce it under the "multicultural" umbrella: but you are mostly middle-class white people," the producer continued.
Yes, we are. But, of course, this is what makes the whole situation amusing.
This is one of the very few places on the planet where a middle-class white person can justifiably feel oppressed; where our existence and freedom is regulated by the state in order to keep us from thriving, because if we were to succeed here and grow, economically and culturally, it would threaten the majority. And that justifies the laws that restrict us.
(And to be truthful, these days not all anglos are fair-skinned. There are many in the racial mix of the new anglo rainbow.)
If you are interested in seeing our show, The Four Anglos of the Apocalypse, I am afraid you will only be able to see it live. It will never be broadcast on our national or local media, radio or TV. So we are remounting it at the Centaur Theatre from Sept. 5 to 10. |
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