Home Grown Heroes

In case you missed it, drug charges were recently filed against Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page.

For Americans: You remember the Barenaked Ladies from about ten years ago, right? "If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you a fur coat (but not a real fur coat; that's cruel)." They've sung other stuff, too. They're certainly no competition, earnings-wise, for the cast of "High School Musical X" or the Jonas Brothers, but they're a respectable goofy band.

Unfortunately, this charge comes just after the band released a CD aimed at children. Since most of the band members now have families, and since they have many of the sensibilities of tall children themselves, it seemed a natural transition. It seems that at least one band member also has the sensibility of an adolescent, too. Too bad.

To many Canadians, the Barenaked Ladies are "our boys." About ten years ago, the worldwide Boy Scout organization held some kind of jamboree here in in Thunder Bay. Some of the church ladies volunteered at the event. It was a little odd to hear these very proper Canadian ladies talking about the Barenaked Ladies at all, much less with such affection and approval.

For sure, Canadians are proud of comedians that become famous South of 49. Mike Myers, Dan Ackroyd, Jim Carrey, Rick Moranis (hoser!) are examples. And quirky humo(u)r is often mentioned as one of the characteristics that make the Barenaked Ladies so "Canadian."

However, it doesn't take much to become "Canadian." Canadians are very protective of celebrities who have any tie (however nebulous) to Canada. Kiefer Sutherland, for example, is the son of a Canadian (Donald) who made it big in the U.S. I'm not sure Kiefer is even a Canadian citizen, but up here, he's golden.

Anne Murray? She hung the moon. Randy Bachman, from Bachman Turner Overdrive? He's a a legend and he's one of us. Pamela Anderson Lee/Whatever? OK, she's a little wacky, but look at her! Celine Dion (at the other extreme)? You can't argue with success, and what fun she is to spoof!

Get this: Canadians even get all "awww" about two actors I can't stand to watch, Hayden Christianson and Keanu Reeves. "Yeah, they're dumb as rocks," my neighbors seem to say. "But they're our rocks." (Perhaps Pam falls into this category, too.)

Many movies choose to film in Toronto and Vancouver, and Canadian TV contains breathless reports of stars shopping, having lunch, or walking dogs.

I don't really know what conclusions to draw from all of this. I do know that Canadians love their fellow citizens who make it big in the U.S., in a sort of "Yeah, stick it to The Man!" way.

And there's probably something to the whole "rock" thing, too, in relation to the Canadian Shield, and exporting natural resources. There's a joke there, I can just feel it. I'm just not Canadian enough to make it.