Bergeron, Gosselin, Chouinard and other Franco name dropping(s)

The television season about to draw to a close has showcased more personalities with Franco-American surnames than ever before, according to a totally unofficial and undocumented survey by this writer. It could be a gut feeling, or the fact that I’ve been watching much too much TV lately, but it does seem like many French names have popped up on credits in the past few months.

The ratings surprise of the season, Dancing with the Stars, had not one but two big Franco-American names: Tom Bergeron, the ever-smiling and affable host, and Kate Gosselin, one half of the famed reality show ex-couple and the most talked about dancer of the season.

Now, Bergeron is one of the country’s best known TV hosts, but few are aware that his roots are strongly New England: born in Haverhill, Mass., and young radio and TV personality in Portsmouth, NH, and Boston. His first TV hosting job was for Granite State Challenge, a high school quiz show on NH Public Television. He was at WENH-TV at the same time I was, as producer of the Franco-American children’s show The Franco File. (I don’t think we ever met, but the TV director for the pilot of my show was a young lady who dated Tom at the time, and I think they eventually got married.)

One important thing about Bergeron – beyond his obvious talent – is that he kept his name at a time when many aspiring radio hosts and deejays would anglicize their last names. Does anyone remember Jack Smacks, famous deejay from the Worcester, Mass. area in the ‘60s, whose real name was Jacques Frappier? Bergeron’s career escalated when he moved to California and got the spot as host of Hollywood Squares, and later America’s Funniest Home Videos and Dancing with the Stars. And, the rest is Wikipedia history.

Ms. Gosselin, one of the dancers on the current season, owes her tabloid fame to the TLC reality show Jon and Kate Plus 8 that featured her and husband Jon Gosselin and their eight (!) children. The show started in 2005 and ended in 2009 when the couple announced they were splitting up after ten years and a set of twins and sextuplets (hence the 8 of the title.) Both the reality program and the media frenzy that followed the couple’s split have been controversial as was Kane’s performance on Dancing.

Ratings on TV have rarely been hurt by controversy and a couple of Dancing programs this season won the ratings war for ABC, including for the first week of April when it beat out American Idol, surprising Hollywood and Madison Avenue watchers alike.

Kate Gosselin, however, is not Franco-American. Née Katie Kreider, she was born in Pennsylvania where she met and married Jon Gosselin. The latter’s father is Franco-American and his mother is Hawaiian. But, for the purposes of this blog, it’s the name that counts, which explains the presence of Kate Gosselin and the absence of Christopher Meloni of Law & Order, SVU although his mother is Franco-American.

Another top-rated show, Castle, has Nathan Fillion in the lead role. It’s surprised everyone in the ratings game in part because of its position following Dancing on ABC. Some writers have placed the show’s success on the star quality of Fillion, a former soap opera star and heartthrob from One Life to Live, Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (And, you thought I watched PBS all the time.) Fillion, by the way, is a native of Edmonton, Alberta, and I suppose he could be considered a Franco-American as much as most of our ancestors who left Canada to make a living in the United States.

The most prominent French surname of the current TV season was probably Gervais, as in Ricky Gervais, the UK-born actor, comedian, writer and producer whose credits read like a Who’s Who of Television of the past decade. Most people recognize him from the HBO series Extras, a follow-up to the original The Office he created for British TV. Gervais’ father, Lawrence Raymond Gervais of London Ontario, was stationed in London (the original one) and met the TV star’s mother during a blackout. In the current season, Rickey Gervais hosted the 67th Golden Globe Awards, he appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and was panelist on Jerry Seinfeld’s The Marriage Ref. To date, he’s made 15 guest appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman. And, of course his name appears several times a week on the credits of The Office as the program’s creator.

The name that has warmed my heart the most, however, is that of Yvon Chouinard, the Lisbon, Maine, native, who appears on commercials for the environmentally-conscious American Express Members Project. A world-renowned mountain climber, Chouinard founded a company that produced steel pitons for rock climbing, and, as he says in the American Express ad, he became aware of the environmental damage caused by his pitons and changed the manufacturing process. He is credited with introducing the clean climbing movement to North America. He also founded Patagonia, a sports clothing manufacturer with world-wide sales that, among other things, propelled the organic cotton industry in California.

So what does all this mean? I’ll let the sociologists and anthropologists ponder that one. I’ll just keep tuned in, and maybe in a few seasons we’ll have a Franco-American version of Jersey Shore – perhaps filmed at Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Can’t wait for that one.

NY Times obit of Michel Chartrand shows ignorance

The Sunday April 18 NY Times obituary of Michel Chartrand hit a nerve.
In the first sentence, Chartrand is called a firebrand 'Canadian' labor leader. Right away, here's bias or stupidity or both! Chartrand spent his entire adult life fighting to be identified as Québécois instead of Canadian.
Douglas Martin, one of the Times' veteran obituary writers, then refers to Chartrand's court outburst as 'vulgar'. A cheap, very cheap shot. Chartrand was one of the more than 400 individuals arrested and jailed for months during Québec's October Crisis of 1970 when Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act and suspended civil liberties. At his trial several months later on a charge of sedition, Chartrand spoke to the judge in strong terms, accusing him of being "prejudiced, partial and fanatical." Looking down on the judge (Chartrand was very tall and large), he added: "You're smaller than I thought." That's how Montreal's English language press translated it. In French, 'petit' in this context would have referred to intellect as much as stature. Fiery, imprudent, yes; vulgar, no.
Also, in his obiturary, Martin retells how Chartrand entered the Trappist monastery as a young man. His comment about Chartrand being able to keep the vow of silence as 'remarkable' is gratuitous and shows a true lack of respect.
I doubt that the writer knows much about the unrest and turbulence in Québec in the 60s and 70s. His obituary of Chartrand, one of the icons of that era, is a rewrite of the English-language press items in Canada since his death April 12. If Douglas Martin had bothered to, or been able to, read what the French media had to say, the NY Times piece might have been more nuanced and more honest.

My new novel unleashed on an unsuspecting literary world.

Paré’s new novel blends the sacred and the erotic.

A new novel by Ogunquit, Maine, resident Paul Paré explores the secret lives of Catholic seminarians and middle-aged closeted men in a driving narrative that has attracted critical attention.
“Singing the Vernacular” travels from the snow-covered countryside of Québec in the 1960s to the desert landscapes of Southern California in the 1990s, with an occasional nod to the principal character’s youth in a New England mill town. The book is both a coming of age story and a coming out story. It was recently published by iUniverse of Bloomington, Indiana, and is now widely available on Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble’s website, and other sources.
§ “A totally enjoyable entry into the rich borderland of American and Canadian literature…a breath of fresh air,” is the endorsement given by Barry Rodrigue, Associate Professor and Scholar at the University of Southern Maine.
§ “The novel is heartrending and poignant, stylistically impressive, and beautifully tethered to geography,” chimed in Joy Tutela, a literary agent in New York City.
§ “The protagonist struggles along two roads in life, one sacred and the other erotic, until they converge, changing forever the direction of his journey. A brilliant gay novel,” added William S. Palmer, Professor Emeritus, University of North Carolina.
Marc Ladouceur, the main character, thought he wanted to become a priest. His mother, his Aunt the Nun, and his pastor knew he should be one. His constant doubts about his vocation ended when he left the seminary, but his sexual ambivalence haunted him for years. Marc spends his adult life looking at men, but he never has any. Fighting job boredom and grieving the loss of his wife of twenty-five years, Marc embarks on a desert road trip that will push him out of his depression and out of the closet. At a Palm Springs resort, he confronts the gay lifestyle he has denied himself.
Well crafted, with complex and compelling characters, this novel explores a number of contemporary issues: homosexuality in the Catholic priesthood, bisexuality, closeted married men, peer pressure at any age, how to age gracefully.
The author, a resident of Ogunquit, Maine, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, began his writing career as a newspaper reporter in Lewiston, Maine, in the late 60s. He worked in public relations and as an editor and radio-television producer, winning an Emmy in the early 80s. With his partner of twelve years, Michael Ferry, he owns an antique shop in Maine and tax preparation businesses in Massachusetts and Florida. He still finds time to write, and two other novels are currently in the works.
Commenting on his first novel, Paré points out that the work is fiction while acknowledging that his own life has inspired the framework of the book. “I may have lived through a few of the situations in the novel, but their treatment and the characters involved are entirely fictitious,” he states. “That’s why it took ten years to write; there was so much I had to make up. And, really, that was the fun of it,” he added.
An excerpt of “Singing the Vernacular” was included in “Voyages: A Franco-American Reader” (Tilbury House, 2007), a project undertaken by the Franco-American Studies Program at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston campus. Paul Paré can be reached at pmpare@comcast.net or on his blog: whatspargottosay.blogspot.com.

Obama's French Connection

As a political junkie and a fervent franco, I can’t help but notice the Franco-American and New England presence in the Barack Obama campaign as well as in the future administration.
First there’s the kingmaker, David Plouffe (pronounced pluff and pictured above), who received Obama’s thanks before the nation on election night for orchestrating the most effective campaign in political history. As campaign manager, Plouffe was responsible for the smooth organization that awed all watchers. Although the name is definitely French-Canadian, Plouffe was born and raised in Delaware. He’s been handling local and national election campaigns since the early 90s, including the 2004 Dick Gephardt presidential campaign. Plouffe came to the Obama campaign through his connection with David Axelrod, Obama’s media strategist. The two are partners in AKP Media, a political consulting firm in Washington. There doesn’t seem to be a visible role for Plouffe in the next administration. He’s made it known that he wants to get some rest, spend time with his young family, and write a book about the campaign.
Jon Favreau, a native of North Reading, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Holy Cross in Worcester, served as Obama’s principal speechwriter. His initial foray into national politics was in 2004 as a speechwriter for the Kerry campaign. Favreau has been enlisted to continue in the administration as the White House director of Speechwriting.
Emmett Beliveau worked in the campaign as Director of Advance. The Maine native was responsible for all the event planning during the Obama campaign. He’s the son of Severin Beliveau, a Maine political power broker and former gubernatorial candidate who was recently honored by the French Government with the Legion of Honor medal. His grandfather, Albert Beliveau, was the first Franco-American to serve on the Maine Supreme Court. The younger Beliveau is a graduate of Colby College and Georgetown Law School. He has been tapped by the president-elect to serve as Executive Director of the Presidential Inauguration Committee.
Another Colby graduate, Jean-Michel Picher, also worked as an advance coordinator for the Obama campaign. Part of a well-known Colby family, Picher has a law degree from the University of Western Ontario. A U.S citizen, he’s been involved in several political campaigns in both the United States and Canada. He lives in the Ottawa area.
Other French names in the Obama campaign included that of Joshua DuBois who served as Director of Religious Affairs. DuBois is African-American and a Boston University graduate who became involved in evangelical groups as a student. He’s been referred to by the media as a representative of the young wave of black religious leaders. Ben LaBolt served Obama as Deputy Press Secretary and knows New England as a Middlebury College alumnus and the director of the 2004 Howard Dean campaign in New Hampshire. He’s a native of Lagrange, Illinois. Steve Chasse was field organizer during the crucial Iowa caucus early in the campaign. A former Boston resident, he worked on the Kerry campaign and has been a labor organizer.
To what extent are these men connected to their Franco-American roots is a good question. With the exception of Beliveau, they are probably not. What they share is their youth, their passion for politics, and the assurance that they played major roles in the most important U.S. election in recent history. I suspect we’ll be hearing much more about them in the future.

Presidential Endorsement

October 29, 2016

We rarely use these pages to make political endorsements, but today, we at USA Tomorrow, the country’s last newspaper, wholeheartedly endorse the candidacy of Ms. Bridget B. Little for the presidency of the United States. Not only is she the most qualified candidate, we believe that this country is ready for a Lesbian Little Person as its commander in chief.

Considering the disasters of the last two administrations, not only is a new kind of candidate necessary, but a new party will be required to back her up. To this end, we also endorse all the candidates of the New New Party.

What impresses us the most about Candidate Little is the fact that she has not used her physical stature as a crutch nor as a wedge issue, all the while advancing the cause of little people in this country and throughout the world. And, we cannot defend her opponent’s crass attempt to belittle her with the nasty campaign nickname of Bridget the Midget.

Finally, he believe that her choice of Carlos Myopia , the legally-blind first governor of the new state of Baja California, as her Vice Presidential candidate proves that President Little will think big.

Amazement in Ogunquit

Is it because of the near-constant rain that everyone seems to be huddled and touching each other? I watch them rush by, grouped under their umbrellas or their outstretched jackets, protecting each other, jumping across puddles in unison, forming neat little clusters of arm-in-arm tourists.

Moments later, the warm late-afternoon sun returns and the passers-by break up and return to the prescribed (by whom, I don’t know) decorum of not touching as they stroll down Shore Road. As if the deity of politeness has swept up and down the street and measured and dictated the appropriate space between humans.

My eyes spot an exception: two unidentified males, one taller than the other, heading in my direction, their arms around each other’s shoulder. Not to be surprised, I tell myself. This is Ogunquit, plenty of gay men vacation here. As the entwined duo comes closer, I realize one is much younger than the other. They’re both laughing heartily and I wonder.

A few feet away from me, the taller and older man recognizes me. “Ah! Bonsoir,” he says to me. As I notice a woman and two young girls behind him, I place the ensemble in my mind among the diners of a few nights before. The younger man is the son and with his voice still squeaky with adolescence he tells me in his comfortable French, “That was the best meal we’ve had all week.” The father adds through his broad grin, “And, we’ve made reservations for tomorrow night.” The mother maneuvers around them, pats my back and says the family is returning to Montreal Saturday morning. “We’ve saved another diner at your place for our last night,” she says. “We want to end on a high note,” throws in the father.

We have created a delta on the narrow sidewalk around which the strollers must flow to continue on their way. Some walkers stare at the father and son who remain arm over shoulder as they talk to me. Is it the embrace that draws their attention or the genuine gaiety that hovers over our meeting? A few more exchanges and the Québécois family is on its way.

Later, as I walk into the restaurant for my shift, I am greeted warmly by the three Turks, two of them waiters and the other, a busboy. The ritual is well-established even if we’ve been co-workers only a few weeks: they all shake hands with me. It’s a robust handshake, often accompanied by a gentle pat on the shoulder or upper arm. Neither fleeting nor lingering, the gesture seems entirely natural. I am filled with amazement.

Cry of the Newborn

The cry of the newborn. There’s nothing like it; no other sound in nature comes close to that primordial shriek of freedom. This, my first foray into the blogosphere comes close, however. After how many months of impatient gestation, after how many false starts and sudden surges of creativity, all aborted by inertia…here it is! My pure, untested, brave spurt; my cry of innocent triumph. What will become of it?