Ben Mulroney took to the airwaves this morning to announce that he is stepping down as the host of ETalk, CTV's popular infotainment show.
He did so after blowback from his wife Jessica Mulroney's tone deaf attack on a black fashion influencer threatening her livelihood. As a result of her antics, CTV cancelled the shoe heiress' wedding show, I Do, Redo.
Now many people wonder why Ben has to step down because his wife showed bad and insensitive behaviour. He didn't. She is not him, he is not she.
I'm sure the move was simply a public relations gesture, possible at the request of CTV where he is Everyman. Benedict is, after all, host of the flagship morning show, This Morning as well as host of ETalk and all of its red carpet specials.
It's a pretty sweet deal but he probably doesn't mind losing the evening show as he has to get up so early to entertain Canada with cute dog videos, constant weather updates, and a smattering of news.
"While I have certainly worked hard to build my career, I know that systemic racism and injustice helps people like me and harms those who aren't like me, often in ways that are invisible to us, " he told viewers. "This needs to change."
"More than ever, we need more Black voices, more Indigenous voices, more people of colour in the media as well as every other profession -- and that is why I have decided to immediately step away from my role at ETalk to create space for a new perspective and a new voice."
Then Ben quickly piveted to reassure Canadians that he would still keep his day job, and would be on hand for all the red carpet events.
In other words, I'll throw the diversity gang an already gnawed on bone. After all, ETalk is filled to the brim with people of colour -- black, brown, Asian -- who are mostly women dressed in strappy sandals and plunging evening gowns. Ben was just the ringmaster!
That is the one network show that didn't need more diversity.
So it's a stretch to say that adding one more person of colour would make a big difference.
No, Ben simply decided to keep all the best jobs for himself.
Whoever let him do this ridiculous announcement should be fired. It was insensitive, it was tone deaf, and it was smarmy. He's still the white straight rich guy in the chair in the morning.
CTV would do well to stop listening to Ben Mulroney and start listening to viewers who are looking for more diversity in the news division.
CTV used have an authoritative news presenter, Marci Ien, at Canada AM but that show got canceled and they gave Marci a makeover, put her in evening gowns and scrappy sandals and then gave her a chair on its vacuous daytime show, The Social.
Not cool.
News is a greater influencer in Canada than a show full of dress up dolls. My granddaughter, who is black, would love to see someone in the news division at CTV who looks like her, or her father.
But no, we still have Ben Mulroney.
Why?
I suggest CTV take a good long look at its lineup and realize that its news shows on the main network and in the regions are loaded with blue eyed blonds. There are diverse reporters, sure, a few. But no main anchor in the whole place is black.
Only a change like this will signal to people that Black Lives Matter at CTV.
Just letting Ben Mulroney give up his tuxedo doesn't cut it.
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