Toronto’s mayor brought us more joy this year than any other politician. His bug-eyed visage popped up with great frequency as questions circulated surrounding his usage of crack cocaine. Gawker was all over the story, attempting to purchase a video of the mayor smoking crack. When that fell through, many assumed the story was not legit. But many were wrong. Rob Ford did indeed smoke the crack rock.
While it’s unclear if his usage of drugs contributed to his notable inability to keep his balance during athletic endeavors, it obviously helped increase his public profile. And what a profile! The round mound of sound bites gave comedians all over something to cheer about. And, perhaps most importantly, Ford reminded us all how much worse off we are without Chris Farley in our lives.
Of course, not everyone could get into the festivities. The scolds suggested our infatuation with the Great White Crackhead of the Great White North was racist. And the anti-drug warriors tried to suggest that this unsung hero was proof that saying yes to drugs isn’t so bad after all.
The rest of us, meanwhile, were happy to have someone to laugh at. It’s the little things in life. For bringing a spot of joy into an otherwise dreary year, the Washington Free Beacon is happy to present Rob Ford with a coveted Man of the Year award.
