Canada TV Tax Credits: A Comedy of Errors

Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor

Noted Authour Michael Coren states (in Italics):
"Authentic censorship is a problem in Canada" 

To that I say to Michael, I do not know if we have a censorship problem in Canada, anyone who watches the "Trailer Park Boys" knows full well the colourful language of Ricky, Julian and Bubbles would Blanche the American Public, with Christian Mob Groups storming American Networks, Torches alight, like in a Modern Day Frankenstein Movie, along with lengthy exhaustive Congressional Hearings by Politicians wives, all at the US Taxpayers expense of course.

So censorship doesn't seem to be a problem in Canada.Furthermore Michael states (in Italics)
"Its champions are not Tories who want to cut taxes, but leftist students who ban university anti-abortion clubs, bureaucrats who persecute editors for publishing cartoons depicting Mohammad and arts councils which, for years, have funded only projects that fulfil their own left-liberal perceptions of what is acceptable.

Somehow, again, I have to disagree with Michael once again. True CBC may be Lefty dominated, but Lefty's are taxpayer's too.  I am as pretty far right as Fiscal Conservative Politics fly, but  I enjoy some of the "Masturbatory Arts" when it comes to Comedy.
So we really want to see more Pat Robertson style Christian Canadian TV?  Perhaps some do, but I have pretty much had my fill of Benny Hinn style, "Lawd Jaysus" preferring the more sedate  "Benny Hill British Comedies"Though long in the tooth, Benny Hill was funny, with a touch of the Stewie Griffin "Let's have a Sexy Party" a term Benny Hill made his trademark.

 Now on the other hand, the misdirection of Canada's Tax Credits Funds to Canadian Made Television Shows  and Movies, that in the "Real Entertainment World" would never see the light of day, I would agree.

 If these Canadian made Tax Grant, Culture TV and Movies from Canada were ever put on the "Open Market"  for Network Biggies  to Bid on for their Prime Time slots in the USA or anywhere in the world for that matter,the deafening roar of  "Tumbleweeds and Crickets" would overpower  the Bidders voices who would most likely stay away in droves, even PBS, which will showcase pretty much "Paint Drying" would stick knitting needles in their ears and eyes before showcasing this Canadian Made Entertainment, Entertainment they rely on for Public Donations to remain viable .

Now Granted we do have exceptions in the past and present, Second City (SCTV), Trailer Park Boys,  This Hour has 22 minutes, Rick Mercer,Just for Laughs to name a few. Pretty Much all Canadian Comedy, though a few Dramatic series like Da Vinci have made it into the USA.

SCTV in the early 80's was accused of not fronting Canadian Culture, thus could have lost their Canadian Tax Grant, Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, nonplussed by CBC idiocy, invented a 7 minute all Canadian Skit titled " Bob and Doug MacKenzies "Great White North", where "Eh" was interspered with Beer guzzling contests, and Canadian Smokes Galore.  Certainly not what the CBC Political Masters wanted to see, versus a Royal Canadian Air Farce, But Bob and Doug became a iconic hit around the world.  So in the end Bob and Doug told CBC to "Take Off Eh !!".  And two stars were born, as was the rest of the SCTV cast which found fame in the US in mainstream comedies and movies for stars all North American audiences know and love such as the late John Candy, Kathleen Ohara, Martin Short, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin.  Now Tell me people, how many of you can name the cast of the Royal Canadian Air Farce whose debut  was around the same time as SCTV in the mid 70's?   Anyone?  I thought so....read below on this Turkey of Canadian programming....

Of Canadian Made Turkeys,  This apparent comedy "Royal Canadian Air Farce" elicited from me and many, many others a "God Please Kill me now" , perhaps one reason to give up TV entirely.  

When the Royal Canadian Air Farce was taken off the air last month after a 30 year run, one reporter asked one of the Cast "why now?"  To which one Geratric cast member replied, "We have been on the air since the mid 70's and felt we have said and done all we wanted to do as a Comedy Troupe".  To which, if I were the reporter, the more appropriate question would have been "Why, not sooner", say  20 minutes into your first Pilot episode  Comedy Skit?"   But then we all know the answer to that one, when the Canadian Taypayer is fronting your Canadian made TV Series, you milk it for all it is worth.

The World needs Comedy, Good Comedy, and Good TV, but some shows should have never been made period, but will continue to be made unfortunately  if Canadian Content is the prerequisite to lacklustre writing and programming.
 
Now that's a "Comedic Tune we Taxpayers can all cry too".