The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Reed, Navigator markets itself as a "crisis" PR firm , and has had a stable of high profile political and corporate clients.

Their slogan is "When you can't afford to lose."

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

And more, thankfully putting their names to their stories.

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/10/30/author_reva_seth_accuses_jian_ghomeshi_of_assault. html

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Apparently both Navigator and Rock-It Promotions have now resigned his business.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

CBC has "graphic evidence that Jian had caused physical injury to a woman".

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

So, the "graphic evidence" consists of videos that Ghomeshi gave CBC.

Videos of bondage and beating during sexual activities involving Jian Ghomeshi were presented by the former CBC host to his bosses late last week, sources say.

“CBC viewed scenarios where Jian Ghomeshi asks, for example, a woman to do something and she does it,” a source close to the matter told the Star. The source said Ghomeshi was trying to show “how bruising could happen and it could still be consensual.”

According to sources, Ghomeshi was afraid that the story of his alleged activities was about to break and he was trying to convince the CBC that everything he had done in his sex life was consensual.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Two things: thank goodness the police are finally involved. And something that Kevin Donovan (The Star) said earlier suggested that they're already talking to more victims.

[Cal Alamein]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

So, is this the opening for Kim Mitchell to not just go for soda, but hit the big time?

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Kim does the drive time show on competitor Q107, and he should hold on to that like grim death. If there's one thing that'll get Mrs WOM ranting like a loon, it's Kim Mitchell. Me, I don't care much either way. But CBC material he ain't.

[MsD]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

My Toronto friend (with the blue milk jug) was a bit shaken by this.

On another tip, she is going to see Wicked tonight. I'm sure you must know each other.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

I'm sure we do, if the milk jug colour is anything to go by. Wicked was quite good.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Broad update: three women have now come forward to the police. And the floodgates have opened more anecdotal stuff: that universities and colleges weren't sending interns to Q because of women's experiences with Ghomeshi. He apparently went full-out on everyone who walked into the studio.

And as of this morning, the exec producer of the show has 'taken some time away' while the CBC's third-party investigator gets to the bottom of this. It's becoming clearer that the show's producers (and likely the CBC) knew that there was a problem and either ignored it or flat out enabled it as he was one of their most profitable stars.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

That always had to be the case, given the number of people who weren't surprised when the shit hit the fan.

This is going to be very bad for the CBC.

Add this to the Hockey Night in Canada debacle, and you have a real annus horribilus for the corporation.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Somewhere, Stephen Harper is chuckling deeply into his sweater-vest.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

I wonder if the Fords are secretly pleased that the Star has a new obsession.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Doug is already chumming the waters for a run at the PC leadership. He managed to offend most of the other candidates during the provincial election by suggesting that none of them were up to defeating Wynne. He's polling a decent second to Jim Flaherty's widow, and his name's not even on the ticket yet. Yoy.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Back to JG: the first male has now come forward saying that he was sexually harassed by Ghomeshi in the early '90s when JG was a student council president at York University. Apparently there were meetings/discussions about Ghomeshi being a 'bad date' back then, and not to be alone with him. He apparently lurked in stairwells playing bongos as a means to hooking up.

JG has reportedly retained a notorious bulldog lawyer who has dealt with a couple of high-profile public figure cases in the past couple of years.

[Bored Of Education]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

WOM wrote: He apparently lurked in stairwells playing bongos as a means to hooking up.

I think that some of the case is getting mixed up with "Animal House" now.

[Reed John]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

By the way, I noticed that his participation in his university's student government is mentioned like its important. I get the impression that these student councils matter in Canada.

In the US, at least in my experience at W&M and observing it at PSU, student governments do very little but attract some of the worst assholes you could possibly imagine from the student political associations - including some out-and-out racists - who argue about petty slights and bullshit, antagonize their perceived enemies, and occasionally fund a concert on campus. They then go on to become lobbyists or lawyers of the most evil kind.

The reason I never liked either Clinton is because everything about them reminds me of the people who ran for these offices at W&M.

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

I don't think it's generally important in Canada, but he was the President and it was a paid position. I think it's more a part of the narrative, though, of him being widely 'known' as a letch but still holding positions of prominence. I was surprised that a male is now involved, as I've not heard anything that hints in that direction.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

His new lawyer has a developed sense of humour

[WOM]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

Ghomeshi chose her 'cuz she's tough to beat, etc.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

I was surprised that a male is now involved, as I've not heard anything that hints in that direction.

His "issue" is clearly more about power than about gender; I'm not surprised he crossed that line.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

More on what people knew, and their complicity.

It’s as if no matter where you go, you are in the position so many Catholics have unwillingly found themselves in: You are always in some way part of a community that is studiously ignoring the wrong some man is doing. In this case it was the Canadian arts and media scene. But friends have told you these patterns occur among scientific researchers. In education. In medicine. In theater. In an activist group, an ethnic community, a queer community, a kibbutz. Men at the top, abusing their influence. Objections murmured mostly behind their backs.

Worth reading, I think.

[Reed John]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

We know a bit about that here. Except there weren't really many rumors.

[ursus arctos]

The Jian Ghomeshi 'scandal'.

As the author intimates, I think that pretty much any "community" can relate to this. If you are an active member of one long enough, you hear stories, and few of us (including me) act on them.