Did George turn down Canadian Idol?

There’s an interesting moment at 26:40 in the interview George did with the Stroumboulopouli:

“I mean I took that show in the States and it bombed, and it was an amazing experience, and I was offered a show that’s a huge show here now and I turned it down.

And people said to me ‘that’s the biggest show in Canadian history, why don’t you do that show?’

Because I wouldn’t have felt right, you know?

And, you …
But I don’t regret it.
I think it was awesome.

Because of that I was able to get this show here.”

June 5, 8 am addendum-
The Stroumboulopouli took down the blog post and video early this morning, but the interview is also here.

22 Comments

  • Stephanie says:

    Enik, I never said anything about the video being copied and dispersed. That was Barbara, and i disagree with her.
    I want for it to be shared.
    If i didnt want the video to be copied, i would not have made it available for download on google vid.
    I think Barb’s concern is with the separate youtube video that was made to highlight and fuel the speculation.
    and my comments to Allan went on a downward spiral due to frustration. i dont apologize for that… now i know it is just better to not regard him at all.
    The end.

  • Allan says:

    George, before we start, we’ll need you to sign this non-disclosure agreement.

    Awesome. Sounds important.

    Well, we are talking about the greatest show in Canadian history.

    You’re bringing back Front Page Challenge?

    Eh, no.
    Now we’ll also need you to sign this non-disclosure about the non-disclosure.

  • Enik Sleastak says:

    Dear Barbara, Miss A. and Stephanie:

    With all due respect, how old are you two–thirteen? Fourteen? Because that’s how you come across with your “You never asked our permission to link to our special secret George’s-fans-only video” and your “I hope your fifteen minutes are up!” and your “THAT IS ALLLLLLL!”

    On another note: Unless George is talking about having been offered Mansbridge’s chair at The National or Don Cherry’s jackets on Hockey Night in Canada, one is hard-pressed to picture the ‘huge’ show in Canada being discussed as anything other than Canadian Idol.

    So if it’s not the obvious choice, maybe one of you or more properly George himself might want to stop being coy and just say what show he was offered. We’re all adults here (or at least most of us are), aren’t we?

  • Lauren says:

    And in the industry, this is what we call a slow news day.

    What else happened today…

    U.S. deaths in Iraq have surpassed 3,500

    Afghan Journalist Zakia Zaki Slain in Her Sleep. She ran a station called Peace Radio. Gunmen shot her seven times

    Could go on, but, you get the idea, right?

    There’s more to talk about out there.

  • Allan says:

    Great job on the video, Stephanie.
    Really, really, great job.
    Especially the opening and ending.
    The ending itself, perfection. I actually think I experienced cosmic bliss when I saw what you were about to do, and then smiled as the song played, re-assured that tomorrow’s television shows were in good hands if these are the minds and spirits doing them.

    Now if The Hour could ever do anything that good, I’d consider hanging up my mouse.
    Then again, if you ever produce a television show, I’d be tempted to start a Stephanielopouli.

  • Stephanie says:

    Allan!
    Revsunspun is me (Stephanie)
    The misfortune I am referring to is YOU!!! and the B.S. that your speculation has condured.
    THAT IS ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

  • Allan says:

    I’l try and keep this brief …
    (audience laughs for several minutes)
    Let me begin by including in the record of this blog, the news item that appeared in today’s National Post:

    “Ben Mulroney and George Stroumboulopoulos are the ying and the yang, possibly even the Salt N Peppa of Canadian television. And now, according to something that the latter let slip recently, it turns out George was actually supposed to be Ben!

    While doing a guerilla-style online video interview with the Web site The Stroumboulopouli, the host of CBC’s The Hour strongly insinuates that he turned down a job at Canadian Idol.

    Musing on his career track, the so-called Strombo, who certainly doesn’t have Ben’s cufflink collection, had this to say: “I mean, I took that show in the States and it bombed, and it was an amazing experience, and I was offered a show that’s a huge show here now and I turned it down. And people said to me ‘that’s the biggest show in Canadian history, why don’t you do that show?’ “

    In a later interview with yet another Web site, insidethecbc. com, Strombo denied having been approached about Canadian Idol, though he didn’t say what the aforementioned biggest show could be.

    – – – Shinan Govani”

    And now let’s go back to an earlier remark by Ouimet:
    “This is the kind of backhanded shit that The Hour has been railing against for years”

    How much longer before it’s clear what happened here?
    How much longer will George and the Stroumboulopouli group keep hiding from the truth and nothing but the truth?

    More questions from me, and few straight answers from George and Barbara and Stephanie.
    George never talks to me, but when I sent him the Post story this morning he actually responded with “it’s not true.”
    Well, that’s a real big help, George.

    When I posted the Shinan piece at the Stroumboulopouli, it was deleted immediately. What on earth is the big deal here?
    Has 1984 finally arrived?

    Barbara has said
    “decided to take the vidoe down so we can try to fix the tech difficulties …”
    Tod Maffin has reported
    “Actually, to come to Barbara’™s defense, I emailed her to ask why the video was taken down. Had nothing to do with the links. It was because they wanted to up the audio levels (which were quite low).”
    lauren has said
    “Video is being repaired, sometimes things need an edit, a re-dub, whatever.”
    And I ask
    why was it necessary to remove the video in order to repair it? It’s digital, and not one-of-a-kind, and could have been repaired offline without taking it down. Why wasn’t it just left up and switched out when the better version was ready?
    And I’m especially surprised that Techie Tod didn’t think to ask this as well.
    AND WHY WERE ALL COMMENTS DELETED???
    WHEN THE VIDEO IS AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE ELEMENT.

    Barbara (and Tod repeating) have said that the video will be back up soon. Then what was so wrong with my posting it for a few days? No one is trying to hide anything are they?
    And besides, it’s way too late for that, don’t you know.

    A more telling remark was posted elsewhere by RevolutionsUnspun:
    “I am not one who enjoys riding on the curtails of someone else’s misfortune. That is NOT what I am about… and i find it really sad that this work has attracted attention for the wrong reasons.”
    Begging the question – what misfortune is being referred to here?

    And as we ponder these things, George still withholds any explanation, and now his most ardent fans have joined him in apparently having something to hide.
    Let’s hope his example doesn’t rub off on too many others, if only in this instance.

  • Miss A says:

    Allan,

    In reality YOU created the issue here. You picked up the ball and ran with it and you bloody well know it.

    I certainly hope your fifteen minutes are nearly up…

  • Allan says:

    Ouch, Tessa.
    Barb and Stephanie and the other Watergate burglars are of course almost completely innocent in this.
    Instead, a certain young man making “a passing remark” is the issue here.
    It seems that without his writers he had to find something else to put in his mouth.
    What do Adidas taste like, George?

  • Tessa says:

    Barbara – I’d like to link to this comment you’ve made, is that okay?

    Oops. I already did. Blasted hypertext.

    Sorry to interrupt.

  • Allan says:

    And you’re not alone.
    But I think we’re getting the drift.
    These innocent ladies seem to feel they’ve been hurt in some way, when I’ve done everything I can to glorify and applaud their work. Because the project and the result were that good! On every level (except the sound).

    So where’s the tough guy who said “bring it on!”?
    Too busy polishing his own mirror at MySpace?
    He seemed like such a nice young man in person. So polite.
    A gentleman.
    It’s times like this we need the Brown Pumpernickel more than ever.

  • hugh says:

    barbara … i hate to be rude, but have you ever used the internet? i’ve never even *heard* of anyone asking if they can link to something, let alone someone else expecting to be asked. as ouimet says, she linked to you, she referenced you. what more do you want?

    sorry if that sounds harsh or something, but I’m dumbfounded.

  • Ouimet says:

    I have to agree with 11:24 AM Anonymous. I don’t get why this is such a big deal.

    He was offered the job. He turned it down. So what?

    He said it in an interview. The interview was posted online. So what?

    I’m not sure what everyone is trying to hide, or why they’re hiding it. The only thing I can think of is George is trying to protect Ben Mulroney’s feelings. This is just too strange to contemplate.

    Barbara, I extended you every courtesy. I never pretended the interview was mine. I credited you. I linked to your site. Twice. I thought the whole thing was fun. And if it was private, you shouldn’t have put it online.

    If you want to talk about courtesy, yanking down a thread where your readers are enjoying themselves is something I’d never do. Never. They put time and effort into your site. They’re your fans.

    Quite frankly I’m surprised by your reaction. And by George’s. This was the truth. It was real. Now everyone is pretending it never happened and taking down every mention of it.

    This is the kind of backhanded shit that The Hour has been railing against for years.

  • Allan says:

    Ouimet didn’t post the video.
    She just referenced it.
    As did The Hour blog.
    I posted it. One of the best things I’ve ever seen.

  • Barbara says:

    You never asked our permission to use our interview Ouimet…
    Whatever happened to common courtesy?

  • Allan says:

    Never.
    Well, at least not until the day George’s sideburns are as white as Pierre Berton’s and he’s heard saying “welcome to The Shopping Channel”.

  • Anonymous says:

    Allan’s comment: “I like him because he gives hope to stupid people.
    And there’s more of them than the other kind, so we need all the help we can get.”

    GET OVER YOURSELF ALLAN!!!!!

  • Allan says:

    Like others, George is an inspiring figure to me, on a very personal level.
    I like him because he gives hope to stupid people.
    And there’s more of them than the other kind, so we need all the help we can get.
    If only the CBC would let him be himself more, instead of a slave to an agenda that tries to be all things to all people. Then we might see some outstanding broadcasting from him.
    They should let him do whatever he wants, instead of forcing him to pretend that The Hour is it.
    When it clearly isn’t anywhere near what he’s capable of.
    Let him do his bitchin music show and anything else that he believes in passionately, as we watch him grow up.
    And as we accept that, well, that’s all the brain there is there ain’t no more.
    For the moment.

    Please replace him with Rick Mercer immediately, and give him the midnight to 5 am slot where he can get away with anything he wants.
    Really.
    And stop this charade.
    Straight up, yo! You know what I’m sayin’?

  • Anonymous says:

    i dont get why this is a big deal?
    so he made a good career choice- kudos to him.

  • Anonymous says:

    actually rick campenelli was originally offered to host but had to turn it down as he couldn’t get out of his chum contract. then they called on george….then ‘third in line’ ben (ouch).

  • mark f says:

    Wow. I like the Hour but if George S could have spared us Ben Mulroney…or at least limited him to E-crap and fawning red carpet interviews, and didn’t take the shot…

    wow, tough call.

  • Enik Sleastak says:

    The truth can now be told: George was offered the role of Fatima in Little Mosque on the Prairie, which eventually went to Arlene Duncan instead. And the rest is history.

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