Reading through a magazine is usually thought as a past-time for waiting to see the dentist or a doctor. Turning to the 64th page of the June 2007 issue of Spin embarks one onto a journey through the life of one of the most celebrated and despised rock stars of the modern day. Jonathan Ames slams the reader into the passenger seat of an interview with Brian Hugh Warner, otherwise known as Marilyn Manson.
To say that the beginning of the story is strong is an understatement. Although indirectly, the Manson’s character permeates the story from the first sentence on despite the fact that he may not even be in the scene. “Black metal gates swing open, and I steer my car up Marilyn Manson’s driveway”, the nervousness of the writer is tangible and the reader continues almost sympathetically as if to comfort him before he meets what some call the antichrist.
As mentioned above the character of Manson continues but in a static form; he changes throughout the piece leaving all preconceived notions about him at the door. The writer includes a brief biography of the subject for the sake of the dentist office reader but moves quickly into the meeting of Manson and the initial answers to Ames’ questions. The article flows seamlessly between the business of the interview and the dialogue that must have been running through Ames’ mind as he takes in his surroundings and the surprising nature of his subject.
The ending of the story links subjects and elements that have surfaced in the middle portion and references these as meeting in a VIP bar ends one of the few evenings the writer has spent with Manson. Just before the story reaches its completion the writer recalls a switch from an interviewer objectively portraying Manson to a person who has grown to “experience” Marilyn Manson. The end is nearly as strong as the beginning, wrapping up a story about an infamous man in the minds of many and a god in those of his fans. The character of Manson follows through all the way to the end and by this time it has changed from an amalgamation of dropped preconceived notions to the beginning of a whole new set of ideas that surround the celebrity of Brian Hugh Warner.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Election Night Reflection Article - JN 101
Reflection Piece
Out of a steady drizzling rain and into the warm, dry, and welcoming Black Badger Pub and the election headquarters of Colin Carmichael and the Cambridge installation of The Green Party of Ontario.
Walking into the Badger I feel like my hand may fall off for how many times it is shook by Carmichael, campaign manager, Michael Bond, and the many Green supporters attending the election night event. The bar and many of the tables are filled with Green partisans chatting amongst themselves and at times with the candidate only breaking conversation to periodically listen to a brief speech or to watch the events of the election projected on a nearby screen. After sitting at a corner table for 20 minutes my colleagues and I, with surprising ease, track down both Carmichael and Bond for a quick interview.
Both men sit down and seem to have adopted an open-book policy with the party’s platform both on a provincial and local scale. Bond is confident and excited about his candidate and the response of their Cambridge riding; his optimism in the election is contagious to say the least.
Next in line is the Green Party candidate himself, Colin Carmichael, a graduate of the Political Science program at Wilfrid Laurier University and a largely involved member in his local political circle. As with Bond, Carmichael is open to the questions we throw at him and not only answers our questions but also shows us areas local to Cambridge where his values could be implemented and would influence change.
Sharing the infinite optimism of his campaign manager, it becomes hard to imagine how Colin couldn’t be optimistic with all of the love and support shown to him through those attending the election event.
After two interviews leaving my colleagues and myself full of useful information, we continue to talk and share about the results pouring into the news; notably none of these results show a Green Party victory, but it doesn’t hurt to hope. As we leave the Black Badger I can’t help but feel that if more of the population of Cambridge could talk to Colin Carmichael the same way I just have the results in this riding would be much different.
Out of a steady drizzling rain and into the warm, dry, and welcoming Black Badger Pub and the election headquarters of Colin Carmichael and the Cambridge installation of The Green Party of Ontario.
Walking into the Badger I feel like my hand may fall off for how many times it is shook by Carmichael, campaign manager, Michael Bond, and the many Green supporters attending the election night event. The bar and many of the tables are filled with Green partisans chatting amongst themselves and at times with the candidate only breaking conversation to periodically listen to a brief speech or to watch the events of the election projected on a nearby screen. After sitting at a corner table for 20 minutes my colleagues and I, with surprising ease, track down both Carmichael and Bond for a quick interview.
Both men sit down and seem to have adopted an open-book policy with the party’s platform both on a provincial and local scale. Bond is confident and excited about his candidate and the response of their Cambridge riding; his optimism in the election is contagious to say the least.
Next in line is the Green Party candidate himself, Colin Carmichael, a graduate of the Political Science program at Wilfrid Laurier University and a largely involved member in his local political circle. As with Bond, Carmichael is open to the questions we throw at him and not only answers our questions but also shows us areas local to Cambridge where his values could be implemented and would influence change.
Sharing the infinite optimism of his campaign manager, it becomes hard to imagine how Colin couldn’t be optimistic with all of the love and support shown to him through those attending the election event.
After two interviews leaving my colleagues and myself full of useful information, we continue to talk and share about the results pouring into the news; notably none of these results show a Green Party victory, but it doesn’t hurt to hope. As we leave the Black Badger I can’t help but feel that if more of the population of Cambridge could talk to Colin Carmichael the same way I just have the results in this riding would be much different.
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