At THE CINEFORUM/THE PUBLIC ENEMY I use the Rochdale College method of teaching.
At ROCHDALE COLLEGE there were no teachers.
Each Rochdalian was to be their own teacher.
What there were was what was called resource people.
These were successful people invited to live there all expenses covered on condition they speak with those who wanted to talk with them.
One of those resource people was Judith Merril, the mother of modern SF.
When I learned that Judy was there I went to meet her.
Judy said, “You belong here.”
Not everyone agreed.
Some dismiss the value of my work. That is true of all of us. Others see value:
https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-male-orators/reference .
Gary Topp is a sweet man but he never understood that artists can’t afford to work cheap.
THE RAMONES, yes, did their first show outside New York in Toronto with the Garys.
However they learned what I learned. What is that? The more we charge the more the promoter will bust their butt to get their money back.
THE RAMONES played to an empty house. They never played with Gary again. They could not afford to.
One day I got an email from a 20 year old asking if I had room for him.
I moved him in.
He said, “I want to be a rapper.”
I said, “Friday night is yours. Start rapping. Poster. Ask for a donation of $20.”
“Nobody asks for $20,” he said.
“When people walk in in I want them to value you,” I replied.
There are not many who would open up their door to young men they don’t know. I have a bad reputation for doing that.
He called himself WIZTHEMC.
I filmed his shows in 3D.
I posted the videos on the web.
Word spread around the planet.
There was a new kid in town.
People came. They saw. They heard.
They walked out saying, “WOW”
Of course there always those who are blind and deaf.
I told WIZ, “When they ask how much you want ask to do a show out of town always ask for at least four times the first figure that comes to your mind.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you are not thinking of your real costs. You will wind up working at a loss. You will build up a reputation for being cheap. People will not value you.”
WIZ’s Dad is from South Africa.
His Mum is from Germany.
The mix made for a helluva kid.
A lot of artists passed through Gary’s life.
Not one of them gotten written up in FORBES:
When WIZ got invited back to Germany to rap he called to say, “I did what you told me. They are flying me in First Class.”
No one who worked with THE GARYS got the start WIZ got with me.
Meanwhile while I have stood up for people no one would stand up for I found very few would stand up for me.
That’s cool.
Jane Jacobs over a few beers in her home (and I do mean a few) said, “The best part of what you offer is what you have to say.”
Guillermo Del Toro and David Cronenberg are terrific movie makers but no one ever said anything remotely like that about either.
Ed Keenan coming through my door to write a piece for THE STAR said, “Reg, you are the only person in Toronto who stands up.”
That is one helluva thing to have someone say, If I am in his view the only one Ed was saying no one at THE STAR stands up which is probably why Jane J said of THE STAR, “I hate that paper.”
I said to Ed, “I’m not the only one but there are never enough.
Joe Fiorito, I believe, was born standing up. Ditto Ed.
Anyway Olivia Chow stood by and did nothing while myself and others were slandered from utility pole to utility pole.
She is not a lady to be proud of.
Neither is Toronto.
However I am determined to see Toronto a city that stands up for the least of my brothers an sisters when they get targeted the way myself and the man behind this ex-employees have been targeted.
This man lied to everyone including the police.
His lawyer said he’s Indigenous and on Ontario works.
Rene Highway asked to live with me. Through him I met many in our indigenous community. Rene’s brother Thomson performed for The Queen’s Memorial.
“Why are the bugs bothering us but not you,” Rene was asked while picking berries.
Rene replied, “Before I began to pick berries I told them I would leave them some.”
The Indigenous teach that beating a person for doing bad is beating the badness in.
I am 100% for turning the other cheek Forgiveness is the only answer.
That ain’t easy.
Only the very best do it.–Reg Hartt 2025–06–25.
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