Steve Burgess
Steve Burgess is a freelance writer and the author of Who Killed Mom?, published in 2011 by Greystone Books.
Born in Norwalk Ohio, home of the famous virus, Steve was raised in Regina, SK, and Brandon, MB. He writes a regular column for The Tyee, often reviewing films but also, sometimes, detailing his hilarious world travels for Tyee readers. Steve is a former CBC Radio host and has won two National Magazine Awards. He has also won three Western Magazine Awards.
Reporting Beat: Travel, pop culture, politics, cobbling, knife sharpening, furnace repair.
Twitter: @steveburgess1
Website: Steve Burgess
Stories by Steve Burgess
Please Advise! Does a New Speaker Mean It’s Time for an All-out Brawl?
Darryl Plecas entering the legislature as Speaker is like Ryan Kesler returning to Rogers Arena as an Anaheim Duck.
Trump Country Road Trip! A Dispatch from Tyee’s Spin Doctor
Nothing says America like rant-y AM radio, the NRA, and something called ‘Texas SuperFood.’
Please Advise! How Will Christy Clark Spend Her Political Retirement?
Or is she really not gone forever? Dr. Steve has thoughts on what the future holds.
Please Advise! Will Spicer Quitting Loosen the Jaws of Fake News?
And did anyone fact check whether it’s true cheetahs never prosper?
Please Advise! Does Horgan Have the Whole Hiring a Government Thing Figured Out Yet?
Yes, those precarious positions are filling up faster than a summer carnival, says Dr. Steve.
Premier Clark and the Lieutenant Governor: What Really Happened
Mystery surrounds Clark’s 90-minute meeting with the LG. Here’s the inside scoop.
Please Advise! What Wouldn’t Christy Clark Promise Now?
When politicians obsessed with ‘free enterprise’ suddenly care about welfare rates, you know anything goes.
Please Advise! What Madness Lies Ahead for BC’s Legislature?
Look to ‘Game of Thrones’ for answers, says spin doctor Steve.
Please Advise! Is This British Columbia’s Political Twilight Zone?
It is neither Heaven nor Hell but in between, the fate of the wishy-washy, says spin doctor Steve.
Please Advise! Who Won the TV Debate? And Does It Matter?
Tyee’s spin doctor on the squabbles, whines, and the ‘knockout blows’ that, well, Donald Trump, so...
Please Advise! What’s with the Rah-Rah BC Liberal Ad Wrapped Around the Georgia Straight?
Don’t confuse ads for political endorsement, says Doc Steve. Newsfolk gotta get paid.
Please Advise! Which of These Blatantly Partisan Liberal Ads Did the Liberals Actually Pay For?
Not many, advises Doc Steve. And now they’ve been sued.
Please Advise: Is Paranoia the Only Sane Response to Our Times?
Dr. Steve on an age of lies, spies, Trump and a public that just doesn’t care.
Please Advise! Is This BC Liberal Budget Trying to Romance Me?
I mean, reducing MSP premiums is an awfully nice gift. But so strangely timed...
Please Advise! Sarah Palin, Canadian Ambassador?
Sean Spicer didn’t deny it, so it must be true. At least she won’t have the nuclear codes.
Please Advise! Does It Take the New York Times to Spook a Premier?
Clark didn’t seem to care what people thought about her $50,000 salary boost. Until America noticed.
Please Advise! How Bad Will 2017 Be?
Dr. Steve’s fearless predictions on the year ahead (and they’re scary).
The Year in Bummers, from F to I
This list could’ve been way longer. Sad. Second of four funereal parts.
The Year in Bummers, from A to E
Sorry optimists: 2016 was a rotten, rotten year. First of four dispiriting parts.
Please Advise! What’s a Sane Person to Do in a Trumpian World?
Dr. Steve’s advice for dealing with the next four ugly years.
Please Advise! Have Americans Lost Their Freaking Minds?
A guide to life now that Donald Trump has the nuclear weapon codes.
Please Advise! This Halloween, Be a Scary World Event
Put down that inadvisable clown costume and get 2016 political, says spin doc Steve.
Please Advise! How Big Is the Demon Factor in the US Race?
Dr. Steve reveals all about the dark one’s role in the presidential election (and mentions Satan too).
Please Advise! This US Debate Needs a Serious Drinking Game
Dr. Steve couldn’t agree more, and offers his calming variation. Warning: may require all the booze.
Please Advise! Stephen Harper Is Doing What Now?
Our former PM is re-entering the workforce! Spin Doc Steve explains what he’s in for.
Please Advise! Why Is Trudeau Everywhere This Summer?
He’s at the Hip show, he’s at Stampede, he’s shirtless on your vacay. Is it all a stunt, Dr. Steve?
Please Advise! Why Tax Foreign Homebuyers Before the Study’s Done?
Dr. Steve joins the speculation on Clark’s desperate, drastic and apparently data-less decision.
Please Advise: What Should I Expect From Next Week’s GOP Convention?
For the first time, maybe ever, spin-doctor Steve has no idea.
Please Advise! Is the World Voting Its Way to Ruin?
First Trump, now Brexit. Democracy is leading us into a world of madness and lies.
Please Advise! Does Hating Free Trade Put Me on the Trump Team?
Britain's debate on leaving the EU shows left and right labels don't apply when it comes to trade deals.
Please Advise! Should Bernie Sanders Quit?
Well, there is the fact that, um, he's lost. There's also the fact of Donald Trump.
Please Advise! Will Scandals Sink Christy Clark?
Spin Doc Steve says the Libs have sailed through worse, but if the NDP gets nasty...
Please Advise! What's Wrong With a Little Pay Top-up?
Life on $195,000 is hard, but why not a paper route, suggests Dr. Steve.
Please Advise! Calgary Mayor Sorry for Uber Honesty
Doc Steve soothes a chastened Nenshi: if only all gaffes were so endearing.
Please Advise! Does Trump Prove US a Nation of Trolls?
He wins because web's mean 'losers' turn out to be most white male Americans.
Please Advise! Climate Leadership from the Fraser Institute?
Fazil Mihlar perfect choice as Clark's new climate czar, explains Dr. Steve.
Please Advise! How Nuts Could Trump's America Get?
Spin doc Steve peers unwillingly into the crystal ball of a crazily possible presidency.
Please Advise! Alberta Beefs? Premier Clark Has a Few
Watch out, Notley. Passive-aggressive sniping is our spin doctor's specialty.
Please Advise! Repentant Rona Prays for Scientists' Forgiveness
Doc Steve advises Ambrose on her groundbreaking new experiment.
Please Advise! Cheap Oil's Temptations, They Burn!
You're not alone, soothes Dr. Steve. We're all victims of a resource-based economy.
Please Advise! Canuck Seeks Distance from Squirrely American Neighbours
Militias got you down? Dr. Steve's got some visionary engineering for you.
Please Advise! Wish-Granter Trudeau's Putting Santa Outta Business
He turned the electoral map festive red, then got busy. How can St. Nick compete?
Please Advise! Any Cushy Red Chamber Seats for Me?
Senate hopeful, for all the right reasons, seeks counsel on new appointment scheme.
Please Advise! Who Is Feeding America's Political Trolls?
Let spin doctor Steve welcome you to the pre-election Absurdity Zone.
Please Advise! New Hope PM Ponders Astronomical Expectations
No pressure, Justin. At least JJ Abrams knows how you feel.
Please Advise! Fear Merchant Community Falls on Hard Times
Spin doctor Steve isn't unemployed, he's only resting for the next Machiavellian wedge campaign.
Please Advise! Is My Cynical, Divisive Tip Line Working?
With turkeys calling in, Dr. Steve helps Harper define 'barbaric' practices.
Please Advise! Is Wayne Gretzky Running for President of Canada?
In an election as Canadian as Ted Cruz, Dr. Steve helps our southern neighbours translate.
Please Advise! 'Wizard from Oz' Ready to Drag Canada's Election Down Under
Tyee's spin doctor gleefully meets his match with Harper's latest hire.
Please Advise! Did Duffy Testimony Spin Out of Control?
As trial wraps, too many desperate PR patients seek our spin doctor's aid.
Please Advise! PM Ponders Next Summer Vacation Pledge
Have you tried #NoPingPongTax, Steve? Could be a viral hit.
Please Advise! Trumping Polls Can't Be This Simple
As sure as the pope is Catholic, Dr. Steve dishes hard-to-hear popularity lessons.
Please Advise! Jesus-Like Candidate Seeks Backbench Position
No skills? No cred? No problem! Dr. Steve will save you from political sin.
Please Advise! Is Vancouver World's Most Liveable Smoky Hellscape?
Sure is, says Dr. Steve. Hey, when climate change gives you fires, make s'mores.
Please Advise! Too Soon for a Sinking Ship Metaphor?
Spinmeister Steve reminds us the Conservative ship is still very much afloat.
Please Advise! I'm Mad as Hell, and I'm Not Going to Namastake it Anymore
Burrard Bridge 'yogathon' a perfect opportunity to get bent out of shape.
Please Advise! Quality Control Issues Could Sink My Team
Note to Leafs Coach Babcock: Does Phil Kessel have an Instagram account?
Please Advise! 'My Funny Speech Wasn't Funny'
Humour is unstable dynamite for politicians. Elizabeth: you bombed.
Please Advise! Where Can I Aim My In-transit-ive Rage?
Don't worry, commuters. Dr. Steve's got a ballot for you.
Please Advise! Mayhem, Havoc... Could the Duffy Trial Get Crazier?
With Dickensian characters and Marvel-esque stakes, the carnage only grows.
Please Advise! Trudeau Asks, Was That Weekend Racket a St. Paddy's Day Thing?
Sorry Justin, they were protests, and you missed the parade.
Please Advise! I Miss the Toronto Terror Tunnel
Don't we all, laments Dr. Steve, for now our vague fears lack a depository.
Please Advise! Justin Trudeau Needs More Liberals! More!
Two estranged Tories are not enough for the young redeemer of political souls.
Please Advise! This Gas Pump Needs a Warning Label
For starters, how 'bout: 'No, that sports car does not redeem your middle-aged ass?'
Please Advise! Any Tips for Vancouver's Working Poor, Globe and Mail?
No? Well, Dr. Steve can try, but as Eric and Ilsa show, this is a city of indiscriminate struggle.
Please Advise! Which Ministry Should Fantino Embarrass Next?
With Harper's eye on national defence, Tyee's spin doctor prescribes an alternative.
The Christmas Letters: CBC's Rejected 2014 Holiday Specials
Leaked emails disclose what you won't see this year.
The Christmas Letters: Christy Clark's Note to Santa
Leaked emails reveal BC's premier feels 'out of gas.'
The Christmas Letters: Stephen Harper on 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'
Leaked emails reveal PM's latest try at warm and fuzzy.
Please Advise! This Christmas Music Is Goddamn Awful
Just 'cuz it's tradition doesn't mean your ears should bleed, says Dr. Steve.
Please Advise! I Wish to Ironically Enjoy the Grey Cup
Come all ye hipsters feigning disinterest, and hear our sportive Steve's advice.
Please Advise! Is This an Election, or a 'Law & Order' Episode?
As Dr. Steve says: If elected office you're pursuin,' you had best commence the suin'.
Please Advise! Which Local Candidate Represents Me?
Depends, do you have ebola? No? Well, read on anyway for Dr. Steve's opinion.
Please Advise! Why Hasn't Postmedia Bought the Tyee Yet?
We're stumped, too. Dr. Steve explains the nuances of gobbling up everything.
Please Advise! I'm the Speaker, Not Parliament's Babysitter
If anyone can help turn petulant crybabies into dignified MPs, it's totally Steve Burgess.
Please Advise! Baggage Fees Are No Joke
Spinmeister Steve Burgess helps WestJet safely land its latest luggage policy.
Please Advise! As Premier, I Must Further Crush the Teachers
Tyee's PR guru explains how Clark can break her fat-cat foes.
Please Advise! Can I Get a Job in the Liveable City?
In Vancouver? Sure! You're an apartment-peeping drone, right?
Please Advise! Women Leaders Behaving Badly!
Thought they were immune to slippery politics? Dr. Steve's got your naivety pill.
Please Advise! My Great American Road Trip Has Gone Awry
A travellin' Steve Burgess explains how to make the best of a sputter-filled vacation.
Please Advise! Facebook Controls My Emotions
Spinmeister Steve fans the flames of social media's most insidious conspiracies.
Please Advise! World Cup Proves Unethical, Irresistible
Like heading a solid gold soccer ball, FIFA guilt can mess with your mind.
Please Advise! Trudeau's 'Choice' Dilemma
Our spinmaster-in-residence weighs in on the latest 'bozo eruption' in Parliament.
Please Advise! Attention Seeker Seeks Attention
If you are not Tara the Cat, some pointers on getting serious media.
Please Advise! My Candidacy Needs Wings
Black-Capped Chickadee yearns to be Vancouver's official bird. Burgess swoops in.
Please Advise! King's Landing Politics Are Harsh? Try Canada's
Tyrion Lannister whines of vicious schemers and insane rulers. It ain't so different here.
Please Advise! Benched Canucks GM Starts the Job Hunt
Spinmeister Steve helps Mike Gillis set new goals.
Tyee Expands into Medical Marijuana
Why we're betting a newly emerging business sector can save journalism.
Please Advise! How to Leverage that Hitler Brand?
With a name dropped everywhere from Pictou to Crimea, history's most heinous wonders how to exploit his infamy.
Please Advise! Gregor Wants to Get Ford-Level Famous
Tyee advice-man Steve wades into the awkward realm of mayoral envy.
Please Advise! Why Does Libs' Gas-Powered Budget Stink?
Might be all those magic beans you're passing, Burgess tells BC money minister.
Please Advise! Putin Stumped by Vancouver's Putin-Free Games
So cheap! So gay! So dissent-y! How'd we do it, Russia's leader asks Burgess.
In Bangkok's Streets, It's Occupy Flipped
For largely upper class Thai protesters, democracy hasn't worked of late. A dispatch.
Please Advise! Stephen Harper Wants to Get Lucky
In search of a happier 2014, the PM consults super natural Steve Burgess.
Please Advise! All Harper Wants for Christmas Is Good PR
But how to appeal to all the godless holiday heathens, he asks spinmeister Steve.
Please Advise! Help Harper Keep the Xmas Bash Under Control
So many hard-partying Tories, so many secrets to spill. But Burgess knows the fix.
Please Advise! What Should Rob Ford's Agent Have Him Do Next?
Spin doc Steve ponders some crack projects for the rising star.
Advice? The Unstoppable Rob Ford Needs None
Spin doctor Steve's re-election tip for Toronto's mayor? Just be you.
Please Advise! Burgess Tells Harper Why the Senate Scandal Has Legs
And why that 'look at this free trade deal' feint won’t work.
Please Advise! A Throne Speech from the Senate... Awkward?
Burgess offers feedback on Harper's great vision for the Canadian people.
Please Advise! Burgess Advocates for a 'Friendlier' Anthem
Canada's song too gendered? Steve's got a waaaaay better version in mind.
Please Advise! Burgess Thanks Marois for Crushing Progressive Politics
Advisor Steve gets a lesson, courtesy of Quebec's values charter.
Please Advise! Burgess Tempers Big Telecom's Verizon Victory
Was the cell despots' jingoistic ad campaign against the US giant a success? Steve's got opinions.
Please Advise! Burgess Counsels Closet Canuck Ted Cruz
The U.S. Senator wants to sever his Canadian ties for good. Steve can help.
Please Advise! Burgess Helps Vlady Putin Stay Real
Rich? Powerful? In need of discreet counsel? Write to Steve. We'll tell the world.
What's in a Royal Baby Name?
William and Kate should have kept their kid genderless as long as possible.
Oh, To Be a Harper Enemy
With a nod to Nixon, the PM proves you're nobody in politics 'til somebody hates you.
Vic Toews, You Could've Been Our Cheney
Eclipsed by media-hog mayors and senators, the Public Safety Minister resigns. Too soon, I say.
The Conservative Convention that Wasn't
What policies will Tories come up with next? Due to floods, we'll have to wait and see.
Obama Knows Your Canadian Secrets
If I hear him right, it's not just American data collected. Imagine what he knows!
Mike Duffy, Poor Rich White Man
The senator simply adopted the culture of his new profession. Was that so wrong?
'Star Trek Into Darkness'
Under director JJ Abrams, the Starship Enterprise is more of a Led Zeppelin.
BC Election 2013 Wildcard: How 'bout those Canucks?
When fan favourites win big games incumbents get a boost, scholars discovered.
What the Lady of Myanmar Reads
Once imprisoned, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi found escape and courage in literature. Including Harry Potter.
Stoned in India
Across the chasm of class and privilege in India, a rock sometimes flies at a visitor.
Getting Schooled in Bangkok's 'Som Tham'
Attempting to stomach a chili-laden local favourite, Steve Burgess looks foolish. A dispatch.
Are You Dirty for Seeing 'Zero Dark Thirty'?
Storm of controversy about film's portrayal of torture precedes its opening today.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Postscript and Acknowledgments
Watching TV with Dad. Acknowledgements. Eleventh of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 19 + 20
Life and death on the streets of Rome. And finally, a Japanese vision of Heaven, in a blue and white dress. Tenth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 17 + 18
The parables of Joan Burgess. And the curtain falls on a life well-lived. Ninth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 15 + 16
A 50th birthday to remember -- and forget. Plus: Tales from Riverheights Terrace. Eighth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 13 + 14
Who killed Grandma? And a meditation on luck. Seventh of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 11 + 12
Who killed Mom? A suspect is ID'd. And subsequently brought to trial. Sixth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 9 + 10
Wherein the Burgess family arrives in Christmas Town. Whereupon the pressure cooker finally explodes. Fifth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 7 + 8
Wherein a honeymoon on a troop train proves less than ideal. A potential president of the United States arrives on the scene. And the Burgesses enter the Land of the Jolly Green. Fourth of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 5 + 6
Wherein Joan Slorance lives -- and nearly dies -- on the prairies; and later encounters the bouncing football of Fate. Third part of 11.
A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir, Chapters 3 + 4
Wherein Steve Burgess goes to Casablanca but does not meet Ingrid Bergman; and even monsters have back stories. Second part of 11.
An Early Gift: A Delinquent Son's Audiobook Memoir
The tale begins with a crisis and a Dickensian voyage though Christmas Past. First of 11.
Thirteen Alternative Christmas Movies
Scrooge repentant again and again? Might as well be watching 'Groundhog Day'!
Twilight of Lincoln
'Breaking Dawn Pt. 2' has hairy werewolves. 'Lincoln' has Abe. The parallels abound. Right?
'Skyfall'
A quantum of solace: this meaty Bond flick is a worthy rebound from previous franchise installments.
Burgess: Dispatch from Florida on Election Day
Even comparing Obama to Fidel Castro didn't work. Mitt's boat ran aground here.
'Cloud Atlas'
A film with three directors, six parallel plots, and countless versions of Tom Hanks. Can it be done?
'Hellbound?'
When it comes to Christians, there's no hotter dividing line than hell, reveals Kevin Miller's new film.
'Looper'
Moral quandary. Human destiny. Totally suspend disbelief and this time-traveling thriller has it all.
Let Mitt Be Mitt!
Who says that secret video is a problem slip? Romney's finally free to let it rip.
Ten Catchy Right-wing Pop Songs
TYEE LIST #21: A mixtape for your next dance party. Bust a move! Conservatively of course.
The Coquihalla Gets Its Own Reality TV Show
Savouring 'Highway Thru Hell' and 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo!' too.
'Alps'
Odd characters perform odder jobs in this possibly genius, possibly hack film. Opens Friday in Vancouver.
The Flaming, Frenzied Legacy of US Politics
Health care hysteria, shameless attack ads. It's not crazy, it's constitutional!
Euro 2012, Tournament of Political Scores
Germany defeated by debt-shocked Italy, villains and thugs abound. Stay tuned.
Burgess Does the Twist, Italian Style
Winding up the Amalfi Coast is a race against whatever you had for lunch.
Ten Ways Ryder Hesjedal Changed Canada Forever
TYEE LIST #15: Victoria's cycling boystar didn't 'just' win the Giro d'Italia.
Is the Eternal City Crumbling?
Greying centurions, decay, Vatican and soccer scandals. Nothing boring about Italy.
'The Avengers'
How to make the ol' superhero blockbuster fresh? Try letting a quirky cult-meister direct.
Canucks' Lu-dicrous Management
Three years ago Roberto Luongo was the $64 million future. Now he's chopped goat liver?
Canada Can Do Less with Less!
TYEE LIST #11: Five aspects of our national life that will be downsized by the Harper cutbacks. Change is good!
Watching the Home Team: 'Real Housewives of Vancouver'
Contemplating the one per cent most Botoxed of the one per centers.
The Reigning 'Game of Thrones'
No level of controversy could bring down this narratively fearless series. (Sorry, 'Luck.')
'Into the Abyss'
Werner Herzog is your guide in this peculiar tale of crime and death row in Texas. Plus, a special screening.
'Game Change'
Palin, McCain, and the presidential race of a lifetime. Political campaigns, the genre that keeps on giving.
It's Better to Wander than to Search
And other musings while traveling the back roads towards (I'm pretty sure) Xang Kong.
Ten Things Never to Say to the Sedins
TYEE LIST #2: Prepare yourself for a chance run-in with Vancouver Canuck twins Hank and Danny.
Do Gooders and Guilt Tours in Luang Prabang
Helping is a thriving industry in Laos, but some locals wonder who benefits the most.
In Tokyo, English Is Business Serious
Back on the road, Steve Burgess immediately gets in trouble with authorities.
Republican Braintrust: Update
Which political titan shall be the one to take on Obama? America starts to decide!
The Bell Man's Mission
A gong, a balaclava, and a Sarah Palin puppet. The makings of a true Christmas caper.
Inside the Xmas Music Underground
Vancouver filmmaker Mitchell Kezin helps rescue weird holiday tunes from oblivion.
'Young Adult'
Charlize Theron's 'psychotic prom queen' vies for a high school flame in this highly immature flick.
'The Artist'
What is this (mostly) mute film about a silent movie star's struggle for relevance really saying?
Pssst. A Lot of People Hate the Canucks
Local media doesn't dwell on why, but outside the home town no one holds back.
'Wiebo's War'
Documentary director David York on sour gas, flawed heroes, godless filmmaking, and more.
'The Ides of March'
Ah, to live in George Clooney's America, where politicos have principles and movies are intelligent.
MeTV
Were the good old days of TV really any good? A border-crossing broadcaster lets you answer that for yourself.
Really, Why Is Shakespeare Still Selling?
Blasphemous question, I know. But help me here. Why aren't more bored by the Bard?
No Suckers Please, We're Leacock Lovers
With a funny book to share with Canada, Burgess heads to make-or-break Orillia.
The Joy of Unplugging from My iPod
A traveler embraces letting random noise be the trip's soundtrack.
Far from the Madding Crowd
Traveling in Italy, a Canucks fan learns Vancouver not only has lost, it's burning.
Lunch with a Roman Swami
Spiritual sage Bhakti Madhurya Ban Maharaj assessed my meatballs: bad karma.
How the Internet Kills Great Neighbourhoods
As clicks replace human exchanges, Vancouver film emporium Videomatica is latest victim.
It Seems Harper's Bubble Is Twitterproof
He's still well ahead, immune to the constant deluge of terrible things tweeted about him.
My High Flying Youth in Brandon, Manitoba
Family dinner, zoned on LSD. And more confessions of a problem prairie child, from the new memoir by Steve Burgess, 'Who Killed Mom?'
Canucks 2011: Dare You Hope?
Such a great season. So much more reason, therefore, to brood and worry.
Japan in Springtime
Amidst catastrophe arrive cherry blossoms and the season for hanami, a nation's celebrations of life.
'The Adjustment Bureau'
Sci-fi whoa dude movie keys on hats, water, and one pretty good meet-cute. Just sayin'.
Disco Lit Bridge on the River Kwai
In Kanchanaburi, Thailand, war crime memories mix with cheerful kitsch.
Thailand's Ghosts, Political and Not
Keeping the spirits satisfied is never easy, and an election now hovers.
In Japan, Why Ask Why?
Just get used to what seems weird, and sing along with the pink elephant head.
Make Yanni Stop! Pay What it Takes!
Public television in the US is great, when not meeting its bills by peddling folkie nostalgia and new-age nostrums.
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One'
Our young heroes are on their own, feeling their way through a dark and unfocused storyline.
Nine Per Cent Gordo
A preliminary attempt to put the premier's latest popularity rating into some useful perspective.
'The Social Network'
Hey it's just a fun flick. Tell that to the real people forever depicted as sleaze-geeks.
The Affleck Effect
He wrote, directs and stars in 'The Town.' Are we to think he's the next Clint Eastwood?
Sportsnet One Screens out the Sedins
Did we really need another sports station? One that carries Canuck games we can't see?
Obama's a Muslim, Reports Globe
The crackpot tabloid Globe, that is. And that's how the body politic gets infected by nutty, wrong ideas.
Who Killed My PVR?
All those shows I'd saved digitally, mysteriously wiped clean. I must learn to live again.
'Inception' Is a Dream of a Movie
Finally, a summer blockbuster film that invites you to use your brain.
Where Rome's Dead Tourists Hang Out
They have their own cemetery. Among too many visitors who've died young are poets Keats and Shelley.
Postcard from Cup Crazy Europe
No telling who you'll sit next to at game time in a Paris restaurant or a Roman piazza.
Unhand My Baguette!
It takes guts to sample the pride of Lyon's French foodies. And think before you grab.
Albert Maysles, King of the Rock Doc
The genius documentary maker on Mick Jagger, concert mayhem, emotional honesty, and more.
How about Those Canucks? Cough, Cough
What in the name of Jiri Bubla is going on with our goddamn hockey team?
Why 'Breaking Bad' Is So Good
Pitch black and often funny, the show wouldn't work here. We have health care.
'A Prophet'
Great story, great acting, Oscar nominated and French. This prison yarn surely ranks among the year's best films.
This Was an Olympics of the Streets
It was at Vancouver's ground zero where protests urged change, police behaved, and throngs celebrated.
As Vancouver Waits, It Skates
On eve of Olympics, some of us are bitter, some exultant, and some just glide along.
'Avatar'
Thanks to James Cameron, Hollywood special effects march on. Hollywood scripts, not so much.
Vancouver's Asian Film Fest Is Nothing to Sneeze at
It showcases Canadian and US filmmakers of Asian descent, and the audience is growing.
'A Serious Man'
The Coen brothers' latest drops Job into a Minnesota suburb in 1967. Nihilism ensues.
'Hell's Kitchen' Claims about Araxi a Tad Overdone
Cooking show says winner gets to be 'head chef' at a top Whistler restaurant. Actually, no.
Michael Moore, Yesterday's Manic
His political spin jobs once seemed needed. Now they're just part of America's very bad problem.
Hollywood Hijacks History
Special effects and Tarantino-sized egos mean anything goes, even in the past.
'Mad Men' Still Crazy Good
What's that cheater Don Draper going to sell us next? Maybe his downfall.
John Hughes, Breeder of the Pack
He made Dubya's favourite film and spawned the Brat Pack. Don't hate him for it.
'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'
Still a great ride, the Hogwarts Express chugs down a long, dark tunnel.
Italians, Dark and Sunny
Tobias Jones got them right: corrupt, partisan, maddening... and bellissimo.
'Gomorrah' & 'State of Play'
What's your pleasure? Tawdry Neopolitans or hard drinking Irish heroics?
Singapore Loosens Up
Our intrepid columnist is back on the road, with tales of the 'One-Eyed Dragon.'
Talking Politics in a Nevada Brothel
In this desert outpost, Obama and McCain barely stand a chance.
Canucks Win First Round
Just like we probably shouldn't have said they would.
Mark Steyn's Latest Victims
Massacres prompt pundit to slag old folks, paraplegics and dead students.
When ‘The Shield’ Is Just Too Shiny
For cop shows with complex hero/villains, I’m down to ‘The Wire.’
Help! I Live in Lorne Mayencourt’s ‘Hood!
When politicians vow to kick ‘living ass’, where can a trembling West Ender hide?
Vietnamese Driving Lessons
Traffic is normal today on the Saigon-Pan Thiet highway. Hang onto your lunch.
Burgess and the Big Night Out
It’s a new year in the former Saigon, and the smoke, the explosions and Mylar fish are just as they ought to be.
Walkabout with Hanoi Steve
On the streets are many faces but one refrain: “Help me. Help you. Help me.”
Forced to Watch: Too Much Sex
The smug divas of Sex and the City just wore me out. Gotta wonder, is HBO good for Canada?
My Greatest Canadian? Sorry, Not Terry Fox
Hint: In the great Canuck tradition, my choice is running off to the U.S. to make it big.
It's Branson Vs. Trump as Centuries Clash
Two new reality shows invade; our intrepid correspondent succumbs.
Bushed! It Couldn't Be Worse
Politics, truth, justice and the American Way are currently incompatible.
The Hogwarts School of Debate
The presidential debates are like the game of Quidditch. Where does Dubya get his mojo powers?
Say it Again, Dubya!
Kerry was the better debater last night. But Bush proved long ago how to lose arguments and win anyway.
Why PBS Can't Save America
U.S. Public TV scrambles grating gurus, dead singers and major exposes no one sees.
Better Dumb TV, through Science!
OK, if a gnarly croc fought a Great White, who'd win? Animal Face-off seeks answers our greatest minds (past age ten) have ignored.
My Favourite Soap Opera
It's Winter Love Song, a tortured, trashy Korean masterpiece on Shaw's Multicultural Channel.
Dude! Where's My Chariot?
Don't send a boy toy to Troy. And other musings about today's zero heroes.
CanWest's Clumsy Vendetta against CBC
The more the National Post cries bias, the more oddly obsessed it appears
Forced to Watch: Canucks on Sportsnet
Announcer Jim Hughson goes easy on the Canucks, but at least he knows Mats Sundin plays for someone else
They Killed TV's Fun Couple
Fiona Forbes and Michael Eckford were morning TV's best hosts until CityTV execs forced a divorce. What would Moses say?
Forced to Watch: Gas Jokes
Who says Canada can't produce a decent sitcom? Brent Butt's Corner Gas pumps out laughs.
Forced to Watch: God Does Sitcoms
Vancouver's new religious channel looks like regular prime time, until the commentators examine the shows from a Christian point of view
Bashing Japan: People Love It!
Let it slip that you hate Sofia Coppola's film 'Lost in Translation' and readers demand an explanation. Here it is.
Forced To Watch: A Dumb Undertaking
Everyone says Six Feet Under is the new Sopranos. Fuggettaboutit.
Forced to Watch "Muurrrdeeerrrrr"
City Confidential's pulpy narration makes it the guiltiest pleasure on crime-soaked TV.
