As Journal de Montréal columnist Richard Martineau whines about the hate mail he’s getting after his appearance on Tout le monde en parle Sunday night (he’s still getting plenty of blog hate too, but I’d love for someone to setup a blog solely for the purpose of making fun of me), someone dug up a column he wrote for Voir back in 2003 bashing Quebecor’s convergence and has apparently been emailing it to Richard Therrien, Steve Proulx, Rue Frontenac and others. Considering he now blogs for Canoe, writes for the Journal and has a show on LCN, it does kind of make him look like a hypocrite.
In other news
- Martineau’s company is fading fast: Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte has apparently become the latest freelance columnist to quit the paper (once again, according to a Le Devoir paywall-blocked article).
- Steve Proulx lists the articles from ICI that have appeared in the Journal (under the vague rebranding “Agence QMI”). Both are movie reviews, which all sound alike anyway.
- Pierre Foglia (ladies, control yourselves) writes about the idea of crossing a picket line, and how doing what Richard Martineau does a few decades ago would have been looked down upon by society. He also takes Bernard Landry to task for his shifting ideals.
- Rue Frotenac is getting some solidarity from at least one blogger who refuses to post links to Journal articles during the lockout. Kate McDonnell of Montreal City Weblog is also refusing to link to Journal articles.
- Freelancer Marie-Julie Gagnon writes about good vs. bad freelancers, and agrees that freelancers are used mainly because they are cheaper than staff reporters.
You know, I have no problem with the fact that Martineau speaks his mind on issues, and that he doesn’t toe the line so to speak. Hell, I often find myself agreeing with him.
What annoys the hell out of me is his inability to have a discussion. As soon as someone has a different opinion, rather than a lively and courteous debate, we get the whole “C’est ça, je suis de la merde” (oops marde), strident defensive adolescent. It gets old really fast. The man really should learn how to debate without his emotions getting the better of him.
And sorry, I don’t care how much of a polemicist you are, resorting to name calling – especially calling people “conasse” (i.e. cunt), is rude and low and pathetic.