Revolutionary Moderation

Conan O'Brien, Don Cherry. Who can tell the difference?



As I'm sure you've heard, Conan O'Brien is broadcasting this week from Toronto. Normally, it wouldn't matter if he was broadcasting from my front lawn. I still wouldn't watch him, because I find him a little dull. But last night, he was pushing musical guest, Stompin' Tom Connors (though he kept calling him "Connor" for some reason). All right, I thought, watching Stompin' Tom playing to an American television audience might be interesting. I tuned in.



Here's what I didn't need in the meantime: listening to the Toronto crowd boo, loudly, when Montreal was mentioned. Real frickin' mature. Watching Triumph the Insult Comic Dog wandering the streets (of Quebec City? It wasn't made abundantly clear to me) trotting out tired French jokes as if the Quebecois had just arrived here from Marseilles. "So you're French Canadian? That must mean you're arrogant and dull. You don't understand me? Hey, you live in North America - why don't you learn the language?!?"



Where's the Official Languages commissioner now? How is this less offensive then Cherry?



On the bright side, I will admit a bit of a rush watching Tom haul out his stompin' board, listening to a crowd singing along to The Hockey Song, and imagining Americans in their living rooms saying "what the hell?"



Update: It looks like I wasn't the only one who was put off.