Freddie P's Blog

May 2, 2008 @ 10:02

I got a call about 6:30 last night from a woman named Janice. She wanted to let me know that Roger, Rick and Marilyn were giving away 25 thousand dollars this morning at 7:10.

No strings attached. All you had to do was be listening at 7:10 and once Roger gives out a number the lines are cleared and the first person through wins 25 grand.

At least I think that’s what the instructions were. I didn't follow along that closely because I had no intention of taking part because the chances of winning are slim and the phone solicitation isn’t my idea of good radio.

I wonder how many people fall for this and then end up with a BBM ballot that falls in favour of CHUM-FM because it was the last radio station on the mind of somebody who followed the instruction of the phone call.

Roger, Rick and Marilyn end up with credit for a listener who really wasn’t a listener, but somebody who could use 25 thousand dollars.

Roger, Rick and Marilyn end up with credit for a listener but it doesn’t mean their show is any better or any worse than any other show on the dial.

As fate would have it, their on-air success and success from other gimmicks and promotions have allowed them to generate enough revenue to hire phone solicitors to call thousands of people in the GTA and give away thousand of dollars.

Do I think there’s anything wrong with it?

Yes and no.

Yes, because it exposes the pathetic system that determines audience measurement in Canada, and no because it begs to be exploited so why not exploit it.

And further to that, when I've critisized BBM before, many of you have pointed out that I sure didn't mind the system when it worked to my advantage throughout the years. I took bonuses when they came along.

Goddamn right I did. I was in no position to change the system, so I took the benefits as readily as I was forced to accept the flaws that worked against me.

When you think of the leaps and bounds that technology has taken in the past decade its hard to believe that the radio industry still can’t come up with an accurate and fair system of ratings.

Category: Radio

May 2, 2008 @ 10:01

It’ll be interesting to watch the bullshit fly now that Brenda Martin has arrived back in Canada.

The Liberals have already made it political and I’m sure they’ll only increase that angle over the next few weeks while Martin awaits release from a Waterloo Women’s Prison.

Already Dan McTeague, Liberal for Pickering- Scarborough East has jumped in.

“The fact that it took this long was certainly something that didn't go unnoticed for most Canadians and it was only when we got the press heavily involved did things start to move."

Yea, yea, yea.

The truth is, the Liberals would have had no interest in this case if they didn’t think they could have made the Conservatives look bad. It just lined up perfectly for them, and started with that unofficial visit by former Prime Minister Paul Martin.

And that’s the key. It’s easy for the opposition government to issue all kinds of wild statements and make cute little visits to Mexico; it’s an entirely different thing for a sitting government to handle the issue.

They have to worry about diplomacy and protocol, even if the other country is a wretched hell hole like Mexico.

The Brenda Martin case has all the makings of a TV movie and the Liberals saw that from a mile away. By pretending they actually cared about Brenda Martin they could look good and take a swipe at the Conservatives all in one motion.

As much as the Liberals helped Brenda Martin, they exploited her more.

Category: Politics

May 2, 2008 @ 10:00

Yesterday’s posting about the double murder/ attempted suicide in Brampton has turned even uglier.

It turns the victims were married. It wasn’t a Good Samaritan coming to the aid of a stranger being attacked by her spouse; it was a husband coming to the aid of his wife who was being attacked by a stranger.

An unprovoked attack that is incomprehensible. Like something out of a cheap slasher film and it happened in a small plaza on a quiet street in Brampton.

But as disturbing as the murders were, the story behind the attacker is extremely unsettling as well.

He was violent offender, out on bail.

Our system fails us again.

Category: Politics

May 2, 2008 @ 10:00

Al Falkner is a long time friend of mine. We grew up in Scarborough and went through a lot of things together, including the tragic death of his father in a car accident way back in 1977 when we were only 21 years old.

Yesterday he sent me this e-mail.

Thanks Al.

Freddie,

Hope to see you soon,
Al and Brenda

Category: Family | Friends

May 1, 2008 @ 10:18

Over the past few days I've been battered and bruised by many because of my stance on the Montreal Canadiens.

I predicted they couldn't beat Philadelphia, mainly because I couldn't see how this "soft" team could win at the Wachovia Centre.

Well, don't look now but the Habs trail the series 3-1 and in order to win they'd have to still find a way to win in Philly while sweeping the other two games at home.

It ain't gonna happen.

And you know what else ain't gonna happen. The Habs ain't gonna make the playoffs next year.

Category: Sports

May 1, 2008 @ 10:17

I realize money isn’t everything and money definitely doesn’t guarantee happiness, but as the father of a 25 year old woman, I can’t help but wonder it would be like to have her walk in the door and tell me she was marrying a 37 year old rich guy.

That was it was like for the parents of 25 year old Swede Josephine Johansson who was yesterday officially introduced as 37 year old Mats Sundin’s fiancée.

I’ve got to admit, if my daughter brought at 37 year old guy into the house and I didn’t know his financial situation, I’d probably be pissed.

I’d wonder what this old bastard wanted with my little girl and I’d be concerned for her future. What about having kids and her retirement. The old prick will probably be useless down the road.

However, once it was presented to me that he was worth tens of millions of dollars I wonder how I’d react.

To be honest, I’m sure it would lessen the blow and allow me to get my head around my little darlin’ marrying someone who comes across as a cradle snatcher.

All of a sudden I wouldn’t worry so much about her future knowing that even with a pre-nup she’d be set for life before life had really even begun. I’d realize the burden of child rearing would be made that much easier and who the hell cares about retirement because retirement would start the day she tied the knot.

And I’ve got to admit, it wouldn’t hurt that along with the money came the profile of my daughter marrying a freakin’ Toronto Maple Leaf for cryin’ out loud.

I might even overlook the fact it’s Mats Sundin, although I’m sure at family dinners I’d be all over him for not accepting a trade at the deadline and for keeping company with the likes of Tie Domi.

And get his opinion on why, still to this day, a team has never won a Stanley Cup with a European captain.

Category: Family | Sports

May 1, 2008 @ 10:16

My heart sunk yesterday when I heard of the double murder/ attempted suicide in Brampton, not far from where I live.

It must have been a horrible scene as a man plunged a knife into a woman, and then did the same thing to a good Samaritan who tried to help her out. After killing those two, he started to slice his own throat before police arrived a tasered him.

A horrible incident that could have happened anywhere, but something that puts another knife into the heart of Brampton.

It's another one of those things that will leave non residents of Brampton shaking their heads this morning, thankful that they don't live here.

I don't think I have to explain the reputation that Brampton has acquired over the past several years, much like Scarborough. And much like Scarborough, it's undeserved.

I've made the point before, Brampton gets tagged with a lot of what it doesn't deserve because the Peel Court House is located here, and whenever anything happens its usually reported with the tag line "in Brampton Court."

It could happen anywhere in Mississauga and Caledon, but it always comes back to Brampton because of that damn court house.

I've lived in Brampton for close to 30 years now, and I can only tell you that its been a fabulous place to raise a family and continues to be a safe and peaceful community.

I don't know exactly what happened at that Brampton Mall yesterday, I don't even think the police know at this point.

What I do know is that Brampton dropped a couple more notches in public opinion yesterday and it's getting to the point where its reputation is probably beyond the point of recovery.

Sad, but true.

Category: Stuff

May 1, 2008 @ 10:15

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned American Idol on my blog this year.

I've given up on it. I gave up a few weeks ago when Michael Johns was voted off the show.

Not that I was in love with the guy, but he was so much better than a few others that I couldn't take the bullshit any more.

American Idol has become nothing more than a popularity contest for little girls who tend to vote for young cute guys long after they've proved they have no talent.

It happened last year with Sanjia, and it's happening this year with a dread locked freak named Jason Castro who probably should have been the first one one voted off. To be honest, he's got less talent than Sanjia but he's managed to weasel his way into the final four.

Only because the little girls love him.

The guy can't sing, he's got no stage presence and when the judges talk to him he sounds like he smoked half a dozen reefers before he hit the stage.

It's a joke and not worthy of my time. And it's caused a split in my family.

My wife and I used to enjoy watching American Idol together but back on April 10th I told her I couldn't take it anymore and walked out of the room. She wasn't pleased and has felt lonely every Tuesday and Wednesday night since then.

Oh how I regret that moment during my appearance on the John Derringer Show back in March when I declared that American Idol was one of my favourite shows.

What a mistake. Thank goodness I'll be able to retract it this coming Wednesday when I visit Derringer again.

Category: Show Biz