OH CANADA (HOW I TRY TO STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE)!!

People say that Canada is Americanized

I agree to an extent.

However, one of the biggest differences between our two cultures that I've found out first hand is - In America, if a celebrity/media personality expands their horizon across the border, they are still supported by the general population. In Canada, once a person makes a name for himself (or herself) across the border, everyone starts to "blacklist" them and/or talk badly of them.

Examples include Pamela Anderson and Jim Carrey. Both were highly regarded Canadian stars, which the general public supported and couldn't get enough of. But the second they applied for an American citizenship, Canada answered with hatred towards them. Case in point:

"Here’s Filthy Scab [Pamela Anderson] arriving in Frankfurt, in town for the opening of some new club. She walks the carpet, pushes her tits together, waves off a few interviews, and heads inside surrounded by champagne the rest of the night. It’s her sole source of income. Habits don’t come cheap, right" -Lainey (ETalk Gossip Blogger)

I admit, sometimes even I am mean towards some Canadians on my website, but I still try my best to support even the ones I don't like - I give them press whether they are d-list, z-list or a-list, as you can see by a lot of my interviews which range from big to little stars. I'm not perfect, but I try.

Anyways, when I first started my website a couple years ago, many media outlets in Canada couldn't get enough of me:

"Getting face time with Canada’s answer to Perez Hilton - If you don’t know Perez Hilton from Paris Hilton; if you confuse Los Angeles’s TMZ with Korea’s DMZ; if ET Canada, eTalk and other rah-rah, gaga gossip providers leave you cold; even if you don’t give a hump about celebrity baby bumps, it’s all good, partner — Zack Taylor is here to show you the light." -Matthew McKinnon (CBC News)

I was asked to appear on TV shows, and provide my opinion etc. etc. But the second I accepted my media invitation to attend The Oscars, American Idol, Teen Choice Awards and other A-list events across the United States, some of my Canadian friends/partners decided they would no longer support my initiatives.

Programs such as The Much Music Awards, which are based in my own backyard (Toronto) have now rejected to have me at their show because:

"[We] believe it may be a conflict of interest with our current coverage." -An Executive Assistant at Much Music

Sadly, they have invited Perez Hilton and other smaller Canadian media outlets that are just starting up to attend... So how come I get invited to such a huge event like The Oscars, but get blacklisted from the MMVAs??

I'm not complaining here, I could do what everyone else does and keep quite on this issue and just go about my everyday business, but I want it to be known that I DO SUPPORT CANADA and I want to do my Canadian peers a favour by using my media/popularity around the world that I've worked so hard for, to help showcase the CANADIAN acts performing/presenting at this event & others... Just my own country isn't allowing me to do so.

Such responses and rejections as the one above make it easier for me to look more towards making home-base in The United States, where no matter how big you get, you will always have support from some major networks. No wonder stars such as Elisha Cuthbert, Howie Mandel, Keanu Reeves, Rachel McAdams, and Ryan Reynolds have all bought homes in the States and hardly come back home to Canada unless its to visit family or film a movie/show. Some Canadian stars have gone to the extreme and ditched their Canadian residency to become American citizens!!

Why you ask??

Maybe it has something to do with how Canadians are looked upon. Maybe is has something to do with Canada not supporting their own, and scaring actors/actresses off.

I know that if I keep trying and trying to support Canada, and in return all I get is rejection, maybe I to will jump-ship like the others.

I'm being honest when I say it scares me that my own country won't support their own personalities once they have made a name for themselves. Canada has a lot to offer the world, and I've always supported everything Canadian; from bands, to artists, to businesses - I feel Canada is one of the world's greatest countries and we have so much to show the world.

So why do Canadians support each other on the way up, but once at the top they don't give a sh*t?! That question remains unanswered, and is one of life's great mysteries...

I don't want to piss anyone off by writing about this issue. I just want to bring it forward so people within the Canadian industry are aware and try to do something in the future about it so we don't scare off other bloggers, celebs, companies etc. etc. to our neighbours in the south.

Anyways, hopefully you will check out The MMVA's (it's looking to be bigger and better than ever this year) and sadly I will not be in attendance (I'm going to be selfish and spend that night with my father for Father's Day). But don't worry, my American friends have my back and you can catch me in Rothbury, Michigan at the beginning of July for the 2009 Rothbury Music Festival!!

P.S. Here's a video from a few months ago from the ZackTaylor.ca Winter Bash event that was ALL ABOUT the Canadian music/stars (just to show how much I love this great country):

Have a great day =)

Comments

[krisi]

I LOVE YOU ZACK
I AGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW, CANADA SHOULD SUPPORT ITS OWN

[fjneinerfjklewn]

get a life u dumb fag.

[rgfg]

seriously, isn't this supposed to be a celebrity gossip site? not a site where you bitch and moan about your issues?

[Phil Mansion]

Your right... but why would Canada support you when you would ultimately leave to the States anyway, even with help. Thats why Canada's doesn't support artists- cuz when they do artists just go and move to the States and live there. Once you leave you are no longer important to Canada... maybe Canadian fans... but not Canada So why should they ever care?

[jj]

mmvas suck anyways, they shud b begging for u

[KEMI AT HIPHOSSIP CANADA]

Zack, I am a loyal FAN of yours. I discovered you from that CBC news write up and met you in person at the Playboy shoot. You have provided a lot of entertainment for Canada from your Winter Bash to the Taylor and Tailor tour. I am very shocked about this America/Canada clash. I am a Nigerian American and MTV Africa invited me to this year's awards just like last year. I am still a Nigerian despite living in America for 29 out of my 45 years. Flow 93.5FM's Melanie Martin quotes your blog quite a lot in her morning scoop referring to a "Canadian blogger" and I feel she should just mention your blog name like they do Fred and Perez (Mediatakeout and Perez Hilton) I feel your work is very credible and excellent. Keep on doing what you are doing. Your coverage of the Grammys, Oscars, Golden Globes and more were awesome. Don't give up. The people at CTV are good folks but everything happens for a reason. Take heart. You are the #1 blogger in Canada for Hollywood gossip at the end of the day. I know cos I am a Journalist. Keep up the good work.

[Canada]

Canadians are smarter.

You're not at the MMVAs because nobody reads your site. You do not get any hits. We have checked your stats and you don't get ANYWHERE CLOSE to the audience you claim to receive. In each article, you get usually less than a handful of comments.

So American Idol gave you a media pass... they either didn't check your stats, believed you for some reason, or were impressed you were coming from Canada.

It doesn't mean the MMVAs has to give you a media pass. The Much clan is smarter - they know you have no audience.

[Xofer]

Dude, get the fuck over yourself. You're a small-time blogger with a limited fan base who is leeching a retarded niche market. No wonder you get no love from the MMVAs.

You claim to be Canada's answer to Perez Hilton and then later mention that he got an invite to the MMVAs. Why the hell would someone order the steak and get the waiter to bring a shitty hamburger too?

Again, get over yourself and get a real job, you whiny piece of self-righteous garbage.

[jjrghnsd]

zack u rule!
keep doin what u do

[whogivesashit]

To get no love in your own backyard must be a kick in the balls,BOO FUCKING HOO!Time to quit your day job.Hey I heard timmy`s was hiring I`LL take a double double & a box of timbits keep the change CHUMP!!!!P.S. get a life

[Giuseppe]

This is the same guy that dissed my GF.

Zacky, you will always be a "nobody," so bask in your own self-pity and try to post something constructive. You have ability to change peoples perception if you just posted relevant things. You, Perez and other bloggers have no accountability in what you write -- its easy for you to deface people and not give a shit. Grow Up!

[KEMI AT HIPHOSSIP CANADA]

Zack, .....JUST keep blogging and I'll be reading....