I love that image that an area photog did of moi. He meant it badly, mostly because he’s kinda young and probably never understood or watched Citizen Kane. He’s an example of a young person in Cornwall, with some talent, who sold his soul to get the love from a ever shrinking clique.
This week was a very interesting lesson in many ways. Patience is indeed a virtue. When there are not enough hours in the day….or week, you do the best you can.
As some of you know I sit on the board of our local art gallery. The city, some jaded souls suggest, because I’m on the board, have slashed our budget to ZERO. A 33 year old institution left to flail on its own.
This story however is not about that. The gallery is still going strong and in fact after a Friday night stint on The National, Canada’s greatest political cartoonist was in the gallery to celebrate an exhibition of his work.
It was a lovely time for those that attended. It’s almost never that an actual “A” list talent in their field graces our town.
Sadly the cliques played politics. No one from YAC, or the Arts Committee graced the event to welcome a visiting dignitary. Nobody from the Chamber of Commerce or Team Cornwall even though hub bubs were made for hugely lesser talents visiting Cornwall.
That’s where the pettiness of people like Jason McNamara, Graham Greer and yes, even the belle of the ball Sue Stewart come into play.
Saturday night there was a concert at Aultsville Hall. Tix were only $25 which is pretty darn cheap. The hall was less than half full even though the headliner was extremely talented. As another musician shared with me this morning in disbelief, if this had been Ottawa…or Brockville, the house would have been full.
Graham Greer was the supporting act and sure enough sang a song that is allegedly about yours truly that resulted in a few people phoning me.
There’s a video of it shot by….Jason McNamara, and sure enough it was sponsored by Brock Frost!
Graham doesn’t want to be a man like me. Frankly it’s a free world, but then I didn’t allegedly get fired from a patronage gig at a local charity for giving an underage boy a wedgie or hiding porn in his school bag for his mom to find. There’s supposed to be a lawsuit that still is in play or was settled as well?
Graham finished his angst filled song and Sue Stewart being the MC asked faux innocently about who inspired his song and he mentioned “A blogger.” Snicker snicker like drinkin liquor in high school. Sue is making the over 40 shift to real estate after a charming career as a local pretty poppet and party girl. Just ask my former agent and he can attest to her welcoming cheer to our fair city.
Here in Cornwall “blogger” is a “code word” for yours truly. Mr. Greer was quite happy to get assistance and coverage from CFN before the City Boycott started. He never once ever called CFN a blog or myself a blogger. Of course that was before he and his wife got patronage gigs working under the clique. Part of this biz is taking flack and criticism even if it’s juvenile and vapid. It happens.
Graham’s musical career peaked in the last century. I feel for him. The world changes around us and in a sense the comfort of a dark and moist place of evil and corruption among the clique might make sense, but at the end of the day we all have to deliver the goods because that clique won’t always be there for us, and the rest of the world will judge us by our deeds and not the spin.
There is a certain irony to him playing to a less than full house while chastising the editor of the largest newspaper in this city that if the show had been advertised on would have helped fill. That’s called delicious irony.
We helped fill a tribute show in the same hall for much higher ticket prices. But this is Cornwall where Graham’s “Kind of Man” would rather play to a half or more empty house than work together to make this city better.
At the end of the day we ignore these sorts of people. They choose to be the way they are sadly. It’s a free world. Yes, their influence keeps a city like Cornwall under 50,000, but I have and always been an optimist.
Things change. We’ve seen that. More will come. The truth never travels as fast as lies, but when it arrives it always carries the day. History has shown that to be countless times.
In the end which is better, to be unliked by those unworthy or be loved by lizards?
The exciting news is that I will be taking my first vacation in nearly a decade in October. I’ll be incommunicado for at least a week! No Cornwall drama or clique nonsense. Just detox and recharge the batteries to get ready for the Holiday rush!
To check out Graham you can visit his website. LINK
What did you do this weekend Cornwall? You can post your comment below.
Disclosure: Jamie Gilcig is on the board of TAG Cornwall. He is not writing this on behalf of the gallery or board nor speak for either.
Most excellent article, sir.
As for why Aultsville Hall was less than half full…..there were a few other events in town Saturday night. The ones I can recall were the Shorty Jenkins Classic at the Cornwall Curling Centre, the Kumite Kickboxing over at the Nav Centre and the River Kings at the civic complex. And if I recall I saw maybe one or two ads for Sean McCann and his supporting act Graham Greer. Or just perhaps no one was interested in their act.
Mr. Editor,
Do ya think anybody in the “clic” will catch the meaning of the bicycle ? Somehow, I’d doubt it ! These fine folks, don’t seem to realize that “their” so-called boycott, is like a double edged sword ? Speaking personally, I would never do business,, with one of these companies. This action is not an organized one, simply my absolute disgust with this crew ! Certain real estate companies, won’t get a good endorsement from me, certain computer outlet, a few restaurants, etc, etc, word of mouth in a small town is golden…..Actually, we did not attend the show at Aultsville because of one of the acts ! As a youngster, my Dad always said,to me, .you will be judged by the people you associate with ! So very, very true !
HC I try to avoid these Cornwall feuds as much as possible. If I personally boycotted every business that boycotts CFN in Cornwall or slags me off I’d have nowhere to shop. Of course I’m watching a lot of these businesses die off because of instead of building a stronger local economy they are getting bull dozed by Big Box operations that don’t care about the bs as much as some of these good local people do.