Pubdate: Tue, 26 Sep 2006
Source: Brock Press, The (CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2006 The Brock Press.
Contact: http://www.brockpress.com/main.cfm?include=submit
Website: http://www.brockpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2865
Author: Anne-Louise Cole

IS IT TIME TO ASK YOURSELF IF REBAGLIATI HAS A REPUTATION TO DEFEND?

Recently, Olympic gold medallist Ross Rebagliati decided to sue CTV 
for its television series Whistler. He claims that this 13-part 
series is damaging his reputation and causing great distress and embarrassment

I hate to break to him, but I think his reputation might have 
suffered a greater loss at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics when he 
tested positive for marijuana.

Even though Rebagliati claimed he only inhaled second-hand smoke and 
was eventually given back his gold medal after the International 
Olympic Committee ruled that at the time marijuana was not a banned 
substance, Rebagliati is today synonymous with marijuana.

This makes me wonder why someone who already has a damaged image is 
so concerned with a television show that happens to depict someone 
who is slightly similar to him.

Instead, he is suing for significant damages because every time the 
show airs, according to his lawyers, it becomes increasingly 
detrimental to his image.

To be honest, some of the similarities are blatantly obvious. The 
character who Rebagliati believes is tarnishing his reputation is 
named MacKaye; has blue-eyes, blond hair, lives in Whistler and has 
won a gold medal.

While all of these characteristics are shared by Rebagliati, they are 
all still positive attributes.

Therefore, I am assuming Rebagliati has a problem with some of the 
other character traits. For instance MacKaye is an alcoholic who not 
only blackmails, but leaves the scene of an accident after paralyzing 
a woman. Obviously, these are not traits anyone would like to be 
associated with, but, since Rebagliati has never committed an offence 
remotely close to this, why is he so concerned?

If the show had featured MacKaye purposely involved in drug use, then 
I could understand the outrage because it would be too similar to reality.

However, just because MacKaye looks like him and lives in the same 
area, it does not mean that the public is automatically going to 
assume Rebagliati is really involved in a hit-and-run and 
blackmailing others. I think Rebagliati should give the viewers some 
credit and believe they will be able to discern between fiction and reality.

Besides, the show is already decreasing in popularity. From its first 
to second episode, it dropped from 550,000 to 371,000 viewers.

The hatred for the show may have even started before the first show 
was produced. When Rebagliati first heard about the series he wanted 
to do a cameo for it. However, CTV neglected to respond to his request.

All Rebagliati's complaining seems to be doing is giving the show more press.

But this could be exactly Rebagliati's point. Maybe the publicity is 
good for him as he prepares for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver 
and Whistler.
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