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The 2007 winner of
the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour is no stranger to the award
podium. Stuart McLean, the genial CBC host and author has completed a
literary hat trick by winning the prestigious national humour award for a
third time. Last year, fellow CBC host (alumnus) Arthur Black also won the
award for his third time.
The announcement
was made at a noontime luncheon on Wednesday, April 18 at Swanmore Hall on
the grounds of the Leacock Museum National Historic Site in Orillia,
Ontario. President of the Stephen Leacock Association, Dr. Richard Johnston,
announced the winner before a standing room only audience.
Secrets
From the Vinyl Cafe, Mr. McLean’s most recent book based on his radio
show characters, was selected by a panel of national judges as “the best
book of humour written in the previous year by a Canadian.” McLean won the
Leacock award in 1999 and 2001 for Home
From the Vinyl Cafe and Vinyl Cafe
Unplugged. As with the previous two volumes, this book is about the
misadventures of Dave, Morley and the rest of that familiar family of
characters as they reveal their nefarious double lives, petty crimes and
everyday transgressions.
In winning the
award, McLean’s book edged out a number of other worthy authors this year.
Forty-six books in total were nominated, from which five finalists were
selected. Douglas Coupland’s JPod,
Ryan Knighton’s Cockeyed, Tuckahoe Slidebottle by Neil McKinnon and The Passionate Gardener by Des Kennedy were the other four finalists
for this 60th anniversary version of the medal.
The Stephen
Leacock Medal for Humour has been awarded since 1947 as a means to honour
the dean of Canadian humourists and to perpetuate comedic writing in Canada.
Some of our finest writers - Pierre Berton, W.O. Mitchell, Mordecai Richler
and Robertson Davies - have all been recipients of the award over the past
six decades. In addition to winning the silver medal, the winner also
receives a $10 000 cash prize thanks to the sponsorship of the TD Bank
Financial Group. The cheque will
be presented at the annual Leacock dinner to be held June 9 at Geneva Park,
near Orillia. |
