By Susan Gamble, Brantford Expositor
Friday, March 27, 2009 12:00:00 EDT AM
A former Brantford boy is gaining fame for the love/hate relationship he has with Canada’s most famous musical diva, Celine Dion.
Carl Wilson, who grew up on the outskirts of Brantford’s downtown, was tickled when his book Let’s Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste, got a mention on the red carpet of the Oscars.
First, there was the excitement of having a Hollywood actor (James Franco of Freeks and Geeks cult fame) at the Oscars, talking about this great book he was reading — by an obscure Canadian author.
But then one of the cogs who churn out guests for the talk show circuit snapped up Carl for an appearance on The Colbert Report.
“It’s been a bit of a heady week,” Carl admits.
The cumulative effect of the two items bounced Carl’s book to the top of sales at Amazon.com and put a grin on his face as he heard from childhood buddies back in Brantford.
“For a long time I had an idea about writing about taste and the objective grounds one uses to argue about what people should listen to but I thought it would be dry and academic. Then I thought of Celine.”
Is it plain mean to trash Celine as the antithesis of good taste?
Carl has fun with the topic, calling her top-ranked songs “bland monotony raised to a pitch of obnoxious bombast” and “Oprah Winfrey-approved chicken soup for the consumerist soul” but eventually, his research led him to a grudging respect for the diva.
“I went to her show at Caesar’s Palace and found a diverse crowd from all over the world. Well respected musicians like
Stevie Wonder and Prince go to her shows.”
Regardless of The Celine, Carl’s gained respect as an editor at The Globe and Mail, a freelancer to high end magazines and a well-respected rock critic.
“I grew up in a classic rock town and I sort of defined myself against that. In some ways the book is a
reflection of being from somewhere like Brantford. If I had grown up in Montreal or Toronto it wouldn’t have happened.”
Carl returns to his old stopping grounds now and then. His mom, Colette Wilson, is still in town. (Dad Doug Wilson, the city solicitor, died in 2005)
And he loves to attend the indie gigs at the downtown Ford Plant.
“It’s exciting to be there because that kind of thing didn’t exist when I was in high school.”
It’s one place he can be sure of not hearing My Heart Will Go On.
KEVIN WHO? The Kevin Smith groupies are abuzz at the news that their idol — writer, producer and director of immature adult angst hits like Clerks, and Dogma — is coming to Brantford for the upcoming Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament in June.
But Walter is a bit nonplussed by the news.
“Do I know a Kevin Smith?” he asks. “What’s he do?”
No matter. Walter, who’s busy zipping from hockey banquet to hockey tourney in various communities near and far, is ready to welcome the stranger with open arms.
Since Kevin has put a team together for the event and is busy raising funds for the cause, he’s jake with Wally.
“He’s got to be special if he’s doing that so I’m happy he’s coming.”
BIRTHDAY WISHES: You won’t likely remember Iola Augusta Phillips.
Although she grew up in these parts, Iola lived in Echo Place long before Echo Place was considered part of Brantford in 1955.
She and her family had a stand at the city’s farmers’ market — back when it was on the Market Square.
As a young woman, Iola went to BCI — by horse and buggy.
So despite the fact that most of Iola’s peers aren’t around to say it, we’re sending out belated birthday wishes for her special day last week where she was surrounded by family in Burlington as she turned 102.
If you have news about something funny, interesting or quirky, give Susan Gamble a call at 756-2020, ext. 2233, fax her at 756-9470, e-mail her at sgamble@theexpositor.com or drop a line to Word Has It, P. O. Box 965, Brantford, N3T 5S8.
Via Brantford Expositor.
