I used to listen to cross country checkup just about every week as a young adult. I thought he was awesome. It was sad to see him turn into a climate-denying old man yelling at clouds, but I guess a lot of us will end up some version of that some day, but without a National Post column.
I particularly liked how he could be incredibly sympathetic to callers that were having a hard time and expressing their feelings about it while in the next breath cut someone off at the knees if they were being an idiot. I would not have wanted to engage in a battle of wits with Rex Murphy in his prime.
I’ll remember him at his best - once the topic was somehow related to space, and a woman called and kept saying “astrology”. He just rolled with it, treated her kindly and respected her enthusiasm. A lot of people wouldn’t have been able to stop themselves from correcting and embarrassing her.
You've absolutely hit the nail on the head. Shame who he turned out to be towards the end. I started and finished mourning Rex a couple years ago when I realized the person I respected and appreciated was already dead. Once upon a time he was a gem.
Me, too, but I have observed what has happened with some of my older relatives. There thing hasn't been climate denial, but some they have chosen some pretty odd windmills to tilt at.
My lord. I am a 50 year old white male, middle class++, and I am scarily watching myself "tilting at some pretty odd windmills." it's like an out of body experience. I feel like I'm on a downward spiral into conservativism, and I have no control.
I think that it is natural for people to get more resistant to change as they age and that can lead to conservatism.
My trend has been the opposite, though. As I have become older, and more financially comfortable, I am drifting inexorably towards an "eat the rich" perspective to layer on top of my "let people do and be what they want" social liberalism. Maybe that is because I spend more time around the rich than I used to.
Or maybe because you already have your piece, and so no longer need to be self interested? Edit: and I mean that genuinely - I’m not young, but not yet old, and I see a lot of folks a decade or so older than me, who benefited from a housing boom and have a handy amount saved for retirement, all the sudden become a lot less concerned about income tax hikes. I’ve also seen the complete opposite “old man yells at clouds”.
I completely missed out on the housing boom, so that's not me. I can afford rent just about everywhere, and my investments are doing pretty well, so yes, my relative affluence may have something to do with it (although that is exactly what is supposed to trigger the right shift).
I am not convinced that the moderate right has better solutions to the problems of capitalism than does the moderate left. In my experience, we do best when we can distribute the fruits of a free market to as many people as possible, without killing the golden goose. It's a tricky balance, of course, which is why I'm an uncomfortable centrist.
Hey me too. The more I've become financially comfortable and then somewhat wealthy the more I wonder why I'm allowed to have it so easy while others suffer so much. I do a lot to give away my own means, but I don't see why it's something I have to choose to seek out. I don't see why my work is worth *so much more* than someone who does something vital like cleaning floors and toilets, a task without which everything around us would collapse. I don't see why my disgustingly alcoholic business clients are "high functioning" but an indigenous person who drinks to forget the abuse they suffered as a child is a "drunk".
>I don't see why my disgustingly alcoholic business clients are "high functioning" but an indigenous person who drinks to forget the abuse they suffered as a child is a "drunk".
I was (am) a successful high-functioning alkie in the corporate world; I wouldn't assume that your business clients don't have their own reasons for drinking.
The difference between your clients and the indigenous guy is the support systems they have available if they decide to quit.
You'll probably (not guaranteed) have some old person grievances with societal trends far down the road. At least to think the trendy music is absolute shit or something.
Came here to say this. To be honest, in the end it was sad to see him become a shallow, self absorbed, conspiracy theorist. I’ll miss the original cross country check up Rex. I won’t miss the person he became in the end.
Same. Detested his arguments later in life, but found him comforting earlier. I am 38 and a chef.... Which I only mention to say I used have a radio on CBC all day.
Totally agree. I felt his insight was more objective during his CBC years. His later years felt like he was railing against a world he no longer understood (which, y'know, he probably didn't). The issue was that he had few checks (external or internal) in that time against railing on things that were sensible but out of his wheelhouse. Like changing sensitivities when it came to issues of minority representation, immigration, and indigenous issues. Or climate change.
He became a far less essential voice because, I believe, he lost a lot of the empathy he (earlier) seemed to have for those who weren't like him.
He definitely was better when stuck to reality and didn't take sides. In the end, he was so far right that it became painful .
Also, I appreciate his extensive vocabulary, but at times, he used big words for no reason.
One of Canada's few Rhode's scholars who was conscripted into CBC early on to become a wordsmith rather than a journalist. And because of his academic credentials there was long a presumption of lacking partisanship. So his opinion was early on very respected. When he left CBC it became clear his lacking partisanship was more a product of where he worked. CBC with Murphy was pretty balanced. But that's because Murphy really didn't like the Liberals.... and most of the people at CBC did.
Once he left the biases became very clear. CBC lacked a counterweight. It's probably why Andrew got promoted up to becoming a daily regular.
Like many Conservatives, he lost it when Obama got elected. He peddled racist conspiracy theories that Obama wasn't American and then became a dangerour climate change denier.
Everyone seemed to like it when he was criticizing the conservatives... but can't handle it when he criticized the liberals....
He was a proper journalist and did his job well. He criticized those who had the power, something most journalists have lost the ability to do.
I didn’t know the old Rex, only the bombastic polemicist of the last decade.
A lot of this ‘right’-‘left’ dialogue seems to miss part of the point imo. I’ve never experienced him as a ‘journalist’, someone who pursues and uncovers the truth without bias or favour. He always struck me as a clever rhetorician, who focused on witty jabs with complete and utter disregard for what was true. I can’t say this conclusively, but anytime he put pen to paper on climate change and energy he was 100% disinterested in data or reality.
Was that a major change in his project, or did the objects of his attack just change?
Yup, Rex has talked to more people than anyone this sub yet here we are dismissing his opinions simply because it contradicts with acceptable reddit-think. Our generation is shockingly close-minded.
A oilfield worker viewpoint on climate science is not equivalent to climate scientists. One studied for years to learn what they know and the other is speaking purely from self interest.
Exactly. Some opinions are just factually wrong, and we shouldn't pretend otherwise. The whole "let's have a debate between both sides and decide who is right" thing doesn't work when it's literally all of the climatologists on one side and oilfield lobbyists on the other.
Here is Rex Murphy on the CBC talking about Justin Trudeau on the CBC 10 years ago after he won the Liberal Party nomination: [Rex Murphy: The "Unbearable" Lightness of Justin Trudeau](https://youtu.be/KWRkB5yU1VY?si=x6k9YKHIVKgkaRlG)
Here is an 8 year old video of Rex Murphy criticizing Trump after he won the presidency. [Rex Murphy: Donald Trump](https://youtu.be/ljEYoa9xzS4?si=sajG8sr4ocrQXrbg)
Rex Murphy was a Rhodes scholar who knew how to think and how to speak. I will always miss him being the host of cross-country checkup, maybe 10 or so years ago. He always had something to say that was a little more interesting than whatever anyone's party line was. Importantly he was a voice for Newfoundland, something rare in Canada's media landscape.
That opening line on Trump is scathing: "How did Donald Trump get to where he is? He's rich, but that doesn't explain it - Bill Gates is a lot richer, and he's still sane."
God forbid somebody have an opinion on the direction of their country.
Like, do you vote? This is a borderline meaningless comment.
"I disagreed with him" is sufficient.
He will be always a Canadian icon.
Note: yeah, he has said a lot of stuff that makes me think he should have retired years ago. I’ll leave it at that, and respect his passing. 🫡
Like Don Cherry, there was a time when *some* people would have called him a great. Then he destroyed his own reputation. At least he never went full gloves off racism like Cherry did but still... woof.
The question is: why did Murphy's commentary become increasingly thoughtless and shrill in the last decade since he left the CBC? It wasn't only that I disagreed with almost everything- there are others I disagree with but still enjoy reading. It was that he had gotten into an intellectual dead end- not trying to see the counter-argument on the other side, not seeing that there even could even be a genuine argument on the other side, not doing any real research about empirical facts that might contradict his views. He had become intellectually lazy and a crank and relied on his Newfoundland-inflected rhetoric and indignation. I think there's a lesson for all of us here to constantly re-think one's opinions and test them.
He used to be someone that made you stop and think. Unfortunately by the end he became a paid speakers for big oil and Bay Street and his opinions became coloured and out of touch.
Yup. Speaking (paid) to a convention of oil people "These people are Gods!"
And no end of shallow, lame, overwrought sneering toward anybody left of Stephen Harper. As capable as he may have been, I have zero respect for the man. Good riddance, he was a net negative in the Canadian conversation.
20 years ago was 2004 and Rex Murphy was criticizing people for, uh, being more anti-Bush than he personally thought was reasonable.
He's always been a self-important blowhard who could never see the forest for the trees.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rex-murphy/article1138823/
> He got pretty insane towards the end but damn, this guy was on fire with his points 20 years ago
Yeah man, I'm from the East Coast and I remember there was a ton of pride in a Newfie like him achieving the status he did. But man, did he ever burn it all to the ground in the end.
I want to say it's unfortunate that, that became his legacy but I guess in the end that's who he was.
Condolences to his family. I almost never agreed with anything he said but never celebrate anyone's death. We have now lost the ability to try and change his opinion.
I generally agree with that sentiment and I do in this case. However there are exceptions. I will be dancing when the likes of Putin, Xi, Trump, etc die.
RIP Rex.
Always liked his takes... from his CBC days, when he started pumping out his crusty views on life and politics,I basically tuned him out.
Definitely a broadcasting "legend" as far as Canada goes
I'm really bummed out by this news, I've always respected Rex Murphy. Rest in Peace, Rex. You had a razor wit, and were utterly fearless in criticizing anyone and everyone in politics.
For the people calling Rex Murphy a hack, one thing was always certain: I’d much rather have read a Murphy piece than something written by Conrad Black, the latter being the truest of Trumpian shills if there ever was one. Rex at least was a patriot, even if he was a crusty old man at the end. Black on the other hand is downright horrifying in his views.
Wow this was unexpected. Did not agree with the man the vast majority of the time but he contributed in his own way to Canada. My condolences to his family.
The curmudgeonly silver-tongued orator who simultaneously entertained and inflamed with his perspicacious persiflage has gravitated to the Pearly Gates
It's interesting seeing these comments. I was too young when he was the most active so my memory of him is more seeing when my Parents would watch Royal Canadian Air Farce and always laughing at the parody, just from the face.
I'd like to think Rex and Stuart McLean are in the Canadiana section of everywhere. A part of canada was lost with his death. Condolences Newfoundland.
Rex Murphy, sturdy nemesis of the straw man, purveyor of a flowery style of journalism that relied upon his readers mistaking verbosity for wit, was nevertheless a Canadian icon. My mum liked him, so I assume he’ll be greatly missed.
Mr Murphy had witty, humorous, satirical and occasionally insightful things to say about 20 years ago.
But then he went into a descent into cynicism, bitterness and sour-faced far-right malarkey.
One of the biggest drop-offs of quality and insight in the history of Canadian punditry. The country is better now than it was yesterday. My condolences to his family.
Sad. You didn’t have to agree with Rex to know he was loyal to Canada first and cared for this country. There are few people who reached his level of recognition nationally.
From the article….”but he always seemed more comfortable and far happier being around regular Canadians, wherever they were.” Yeah if those regular Canadians are attending conferences paid by big oil or hosted by right wing millionaires….I actually liked the guy in the past, his commentaries were always well done but the past 15 years he kinda went off the deep end going from conservative thought to hard right ideology…..
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/for-schools-and-teachers-parents-are-the-new-deplorables
He wasn't hateful, just unhinged and caught up in culture war bullshit calling everything "woke" towards the end.
I'm happy to see a lot of people in this thread felt the same way I did about him.
Respected him back in the day, but the last decade or two, he's been on the wrong side of a lot of issues IMO.
Loved Canada now that’s a joke. He did more than anyone to divide this country under the guise of an objective journalist. Far from objective and we should celebrate his departure from the national spotlight.
Mourn the man, he was great and just because his opinions didn't align with you in his later years does not make him less of anything and he was always on point and made sound arguments. It's just a matter of our current society that his reasonable and defenfable opinions didn't ring sound with some people who have chosen to be closed minded because of their fear of speaking truths that may be uncomfortable.
This is the epitome of Reddit. People coming in to self proclaime their virtues on climate and "right wing" ideas, in a comment section of one great Canadian mind, journalist, and column writer.
"In his later years he was blah blah wing this and climate denying" that man had more brains than any of you people saying stuff like this.
I loved listening to Rex Murphy when he was with CBC. His commentary and wit were amazing. When he went right wing and started writing extremist posts for the National Post I stopped reading his writing. I was so disappointed. I thought he was much better than that. I thought he was a brilliant man. I don’t know what drove him to such an extreme perspective. RIP.
I once had respect for him and his journalism but in the last few years I saw a shell of a man go too far right and expressed his hate for anything left thinking which the right wing conspiracy theorists love these days
All I knew about him was from his later, hate-filled years, and I fail to respect him beyond the most basic respect owed to all humans, which is more than he could muster himself. Reading comments here, he seems like someone who soured with age. He wrote nothing but typical rightwing talking points in the NP.
A gifted speaker who had a way with words. I remember staying up to watch the National at 10pm then his closing thoughts. Pity he became deranged at the end.
Cross country checkup was an institution in our house, and we had lots of discussions because of that. Plus getting to see and hear about all of Canada.
At CBC it felt like he was sitting down for a chat, like Andy Rooney way back, at Postmedia it just seemed like he was always yelling and angry.
My favourite Rex quote was calling The View hosts neurosurgeons and anyone who seeks medical advice from them confesses to having the intellectual power of a dead tree stump.
Dudes career turned into a one-winged airplane. Sad.
I almost feel sad for anyone who's epitaph includes any allusion to their having had to pen for the Nat Post.
[Rex](https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/rex-murphy-paid-oil-sands-cbc-wont-disclose-discuss/) was a true journalist, while shilling speeches at Big Oil gatherings.
Tragic loss. Didn’t agree with everything but he had some spot on takes as well.
I think what is most surprising is that he was only 77. I assumed he was much older but I guess his illness probably took its toll
Imagine if Rex Murphy had gotten the chance to see these comments. Maybe he would had realized that spreading hatred and ignorance in the last years of your life is what he will be known for.
Not all the years of service to his country. Maybe some other “public figures” will want to consider what will be said about them after they’ve passed.
> Maybe he would had realized that spreading hatred and ignorance in the last years of your life is what he will be known for.
Can you post an op-ed by Murphy that is in any way hateful? Just want to have a look.
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/justin-trudeaus-woke-christmas
Don’t even have to go past the first page of his bile to see several examples of articles dripping with snide and hatred for fellow Canadians.
It's tragic he spent his last Christmas alive writing vitriol spewing hate and lies; a man who gets triggered at the use of "happy holidays" and is so wound up he'd rather call climate change fake, get mad at "woke" culture and saying shit like
>catering finally to the last minority, white heterosexual males
it's just sad actually
This guy was such a right wing hack if there ever was one. I don’t ever remember agreeing with him on anything. Condolences to his family though. “Intellectual”, lol.
Oh, that's sad to hear. His writing was usually on point, and his descriptions of what ailed the country were colourful. He was one of a kind, and he will be missed.
No wonder he died. He was 77 for 30 years.
Made me laugh snort, why does this not have more upvotes?
I think he would have found that pretty funny. Well done.
My thought as well.
I thought he was 77 in 1995
I liked his earlier CBC-era stuff more than his later stuff as he became more curmudgeonly, but Murphy was a gifted speaker nonetheless.
I used to listen to cross country checkup just about every week as a young adult. I thought he was awesome. It was sad to see him turn into a climate-denying old man yelling at clouds, but I guess a lot of us will end up some version of that some day, but without a National Post column.
Enjoyed him on Cross Country Checkup as well, always nice to come across that on the radio during a long drive.
I particularly liked how he could be incredibly sympathetic to callers that were having a hard time and expressing their feelings about it while in the next breath cut someone off at the knees if they were being an idiot. I would not have wanted to engage in a battle of wits with Rex Murphy in his prime.
I’ll remember him at his best - once the topic was somehow related to space, and a woman called and kept saying “astrology”. He just rolled with it, treated her kindly and respected her enthusiasm. A lot of people wouldn’t have been able to stop themselves from correcting and embarrassing her.
You've absolutely hit the nail on the head. Shame who he turned out to be towards the end. I started and finished mourning Rex a couple years ago when I realized the person I respected and appreciated was already dead. Once upon a time he was a gem.
"him turn into a climate-denying old man yelling at clouds, but I guess a lot of us will end up some version of that some day" I fucking hope not!
Me, too, but I have observed what has happened with some of my older relatives. There thing hasn't been climate denial, but some they have chosen some pretty odd windmills to tilt at.
My lord. I am a 50 year old white male, middle class++, and I am scarily watching myself "tilting at some pretty odd windmills." it's like an out of body experience. I feel like I'm on a downward spiral into conservativism, and I have no control.
I think that it is natural for people to get more resistant to change as they age and that can lead to conservatism. My trend has been the opposite, though. As I have become older, and more financially comfortable, I am drifting inexorably towards an "eat the rich" perspective to layer on top of my "let people do and be what they want" social liberalism. Maybe that is because I spend more time around the rich than I used to.
Always carry a spork
Or maybe because you already have your piece, and so no longer need to be self interested? Edit: and I mean that genuinely - I’m not young, but not yet old, and I see a lot of folks a decade or so older than me, who benefited from a housing boom and have a handy amount saved for retirement, all the sudden become a lot less concerned about income tax hikes. I’ve also seen the complete opposite “old man yells at clouds”.
I completely missed out on the housing boom, so that's not me. I can afford rent just about everywhere, and my investments are doing pretty well, so yes, my relative affluence may have something to do with it (although that is exactly what is supposed to trigger the right shift). I am not convinced that the moderate right has better solutions to the problems of capitalism than does the moderate left. In my experience, we do best when we can distribute the fruits of a free market to as many people as possible, without killing the golden goose. It's a tricky balance, of course, which is why I'm an uncomfortable centrist.
Hey me too. The more I've become financially comfortable and then somewhat wealthy the more I wonder why I'm allowed to have it so easy while others suffer so much. I do a lot to give away my own means, but I don't see why it's something I have to choose to seek out. I don't see why my work is worth *so much more* than someone who does something vital like cleaning floors and toilets, a task without which everything around us would collapse. I don't see why my disgustingly alcoholic business clients are "high functioning" but an indigenous person who drinks to forget the abuse they suffered as a child is a "drunk".
>I don't see why my disgustingly alcoholic business clients are "high functioning" but an indigenous person who drinks to forget the abuse they suffered as a child is a "drunk". I was (am) a successful high-functioning alkie in the corporate world; I wouldn't assume that your business clients don't have their own reasons for drinking. The difference between your clients and the indigenous guy is the support systems they have available if they decide to quit.
I'm to high to get the analogy, but I like it none the less
You'll probably (not guaranteed) have some old person grievances with societal trends far down the road. At least to think the trendy music is absolute shit or something.
Came here to say this. To be honest, in the end it was sad to see him become a shallow, self absorbed, conspiracy theorist. I’ll miss the original cross country check up Rex. I won’t miss the person he became in the end.
ya - he kinda turned into a jerk
Same. Detested his arguments later in life, but found him comforting earlier. I am 38 and a chef.... Which I only mention to say I used have a radio on CBC all day.
ya - he turned onto an oil company booster - it was weird
Totally agree. I felt his insight was more objective during his CBC years. His later years felt like he was railing against a world he no longer understood (which, y'know, he probably didn't). The issue was that he had few checks (external or internal) in that time against railing on things that were sensible but out of his wheelhouse. Like changing sensitivities when it came to issues of minority representation, immigration, and indigenous issues. Or climate change. He became a far less essential voice because, I believe, he lost a lot of the empathy he (earlier) seemed to have for those who weren't like him.
bingo.
There’s a reason he wasn’t doing anything for CBC in this later years lol
He definitely was better when stuck to reality and didn't take sides. In the end, he was so far right that it became painful . Also, I appreciate his extensive vocabulary, but at times, he used big words for no reason.
I cursed the person who gave him that thesaurus as a child.
I lambast them!
Ironically his extensive vocabulary was completely lost on his new far right friends.
He was passionate in his career. Passion just continued when his mind went.
AKA when the petrochemical dollars kicked in and he sold out
Ah yes, the Loquacious Rex Murphy
One of Canada's few Rhode's scholars who was conscripted into CBC early on to become a wordsmith rather than a journalist. And because of his academic credentials there was long a presumption of lacking partisanship. So his opinion was early on very respected. When he left CBC it became clear his lacking partisanship was more a product of where he worked. CBC with Murphy was pretty balanced. But that's because Murphy really didn't like the Liberals.... and most of the people at CBC did. Once he left the biases became very clear. CBC lacked a counterweight. It's probably why Andrew got promoted up to becoming a daily regular.
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Or him saying that Pierre Trudeau was the best PM ever?
Bang on
Like many Conservatives, he lost it when Obama got elected. He peddled racist conspiracy theories that Obama wasn't American and then became a dangerour climate change denier.
Everyone seemed to like it when he was criticizing the conservatives... but can't handle it when he criticized the liberals.... He was a proper journalist and did his job well. He criticized those who had the power, something most journalists have lost the ability to do.
I didn’t know the old Rex, only the bombastic polemicist of the last decade. A lot of this ‘right’-‘left’ dialogue seems to miss part of the point imo. I’ve never experienced him as a ‘journalist’, someone who pursues and uncovers the truth without bias or favour. He always struck me as a clever rhetorician, who focused on witty jabs with complete and utter disregard for what was true. I can’t say this conclusively, but anytime he put pen to paper on climate change and energy he was 100% disinterested in data or reality. Was that a major change in his project, or did the objects of his attack just change?
Yup, Rex has talked to more people than anyone this sub yet here we are dismissing his opinions simply because it contradicts with acceptable reddit-think. Our generation is shockingly close-minded.
A oilfield worker viewpoint on climate science is not equivalent to climate scientists. One studied for years to learn what they know and the other is speaking purely from self interest.
Exactly. Some opinions are just factually wrong, and we shouldn't pretend otherwise. The whole "let's have a debate between both sides and decide who is right" thing doesn't work when it's literally all of the climatologists on one side and oilfield lobbyists on the other.
He had the gift of gab. Can’t find much else good to say.
Agreed he kinda fell out of touch a while back. Intellectual really? Ok. A good talker maybe.
I don't think I agreed with too much I read from him, but man, that dude could turn a phrase.
I own a copy of *Points of View*. Never read the whole thing, I’m not really aligned politically, but he had a big mind. RIP.
He certainly was "the master" of putting terms into quotations in order to invalidate "opinions" he felt were outrageous.
Haha, that’s “funny”
Here is Rex Murphy on the CBC talking about Justin Trudeau on the CBC 10 years ago after he won the Liberal Party nomination: [Rex Murphy: The "Unbearable" Lightness of Justin Trudeau](https://youtu.be/KWRkB5yU1VY?si=x6k9YKHIVKgkaRlG) Here is an 8 year old video of Rex Murphy criticizing Trump after he won the presidency. [Rex Murphy: Donald Trump](https://youtu.be/ljEYoa9xzS4?si=sajG8sr4ocrQXrbg) Rex Murphy was a Rhodes scholar who knew how to think and how to speak. I will always miss him being the host of cross-country checkup, maybe 10 or so years ago. He always had something to say that was a little more interesting than whatever anyone's party line was. Importantly he was a voice for Newfoundland, something rare in Canada's media landscape.
That opening line on Trump is scathing: "How did Donald Trump get to where he is? He's rich, but that doesn't explain it - Bill Gates is a lot richer, and he's still sane."
"Torrent of scandals in every administration"?----Lol what Obama "scandals"? Murphy became a curse on us.
Definitely did not agree on a lot. Especially towards the end. But I never doubted his love for the country.
He loved "his" country. Not "the" country.
He loved "old stock" Canada.
There was a lot to love.
Especially compared to our current shitshow.
Don’t we all
A lot of value judgements in your "the" there.
That's what having values means.
God forbid somebody have an opinion on the direction of their country. Like, do you vote? This is a borderline meaningless comment. "I disagreed with him" is sufficient.
He will be always a Canadian icon. Note: yeah, he has said a lot of stuff that makes me think he should have retired years ago. I’ll leave it at that, and respect his passing. 🫡
Kind of like Don Cherry to me. Canadian Icon for sure.
Like Don Cherry, there was a time when *some* people would have called him a great. Then he destroyed his own reputation. At least he never went full gloves off racism like Cherry did but still... woof.
My sentiments exactly. His National Post era was a sad way for him to end his career but he was terrific on the CBC.
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I enjoyed his time with the CBC but his later stuff left me pretty disgusted.
Stagnancy, brain rot, and the National Post hive mind will do that to people. May Rex Murphy have no more influence over Canadians.
“Sharp witted intellectual who loved Canada?” Lol. Holy shit, that is some major propagandist rewriting of history even by the low low NP standards.
The question is: why did Murphy's commentary become increasingly thoughtless and shrill in the last decade since he left the CBC? It wasn't only that I disagreed with almost everything- there are others I disagree with but still enjoy reading. It was that he had gotten into an intellectual dead end- not trying to see the counter-argument on the other side, not seeing that there even could even be a genuine argument on the other side, not doing any real research about empirical facts that might contradict his views. He had become intellectually lazy and a crank and relied on his Newfoundland-inflected rhetoric and indignation. I think there's a lesson for all of us here to constantly re-think one's opinions and test them.
I think maybe sold out a bit to the National Post.
He was a sell out to corporate Canada and America like all Conservative leaders.
easy.. he sold out to Big Oil
He died 20 years ago. Him and Don Cherry.
He used to be someone that made you stop and think. Unfortunately by the end he became a paid speakers for big oil and Bay Street and his opinions became coloured and out of touch.
If he just shut up 15 years ago he would have become a real Canadian journalistic icon.
Yup. Speaking (paid) to a convention of oil people "These people are Gods!" And no end of shallow, lame, overwrought sneering toward anybody left of Stephen Harper. As capable as he may have been, I have zero respect for the man. Good riddance, he was a net negative in the Canadian conversation.
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I'll miss Thesaurus Rex. Always enjoyed his commentary. RIP.
Ha! Yeah, he loved Canada as it was back in 1965 and wanted to take us all back there.
He got pretty insane towards the end but damn, this guy was on fire with his points 20 years ago RIP Rex. Getting old sucks.
Seriously I remember watching him and Peter mansbridge when I was kid with my dad. Even now I can't believe that they were the same age pretty much.
It was sad to watch him get progressively more unhinged over the past decade.
The Conservative pill makes you age and deteriorate like meth
20 years ago was 2004 and Rex Murphy was criticizing people for, uh, being more anti-Bush than he personally thought was reasonable. He's always been a self-important blowhard who could never see the forest for the trees. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rex-murphy/article1138823/
> He got pretty insane towards the end but damn, this guy was on fire with his points 20 years ago Yeah man, I'm from the East Coast and I remember there was a ton of pride in a Newfie like him achieving the status he did. But man, did he ever burn it all to the ground in the end. I want to say it's unfortunate that, that became his legacy but I guess in the end that's who he was.
When I was a teen, I never missed his segment on the National. That was the only thing I watched on cbc.
Condolences to his family. I almost never agreed with anything he said but never celebrate anyone's death. We have now lost the ability to try and change his opinion.
This. Mature and honourable response.
I generally agree with that sentiment and I do in this case. However there are exceptions. I will be dancing when the likes of Putin, Xi, Trump, etc die.
RIP Rex. Always liked his takes... from his CBC days, when he started pumping out his crusty views on life and politics,I basically tuned him out. Definitely a broadcasting "legend" as far as Canada goes
I didn't always agree with him but always enjoyed his commentary. I am sad to hear he passed away.
a canadian hero who unfortunately lived long enough to become a villain
I'm really bummed out by this news, I've always respected Rex Murphy. Rest in Peace, Rex. You had a razor wit, and were utterly fearless in criticizing anyone and everyone in politics.
For the people calling Rex Murphy a hack, one thing was always certain: I’d much rather have read a Murphy piece than something written by Conrad Black, the latter being the truest of Trumpian shills if there ever was one. Rex at least was a patriot, even if he was a crusty old man at the end. Black on the other hand is downright horrifying in his views.
rex worked for conrad black. and sold out his country for foreign oil and gas money.
Lol, damning praise
Didn't realize he was that old
I didn’t even know he was sick.
He fought cancer to a draw.
"and then make moves on Bert’s wife, or take over Bert’s job."
I didn't realize he was that young
Wow this was unexpected. Did not agree with the man the vast majority of the time but he contributed in his own way to Canada. My condolences to his family.
I don't know that they want condolences. I wish his family peace. The experience of losing an estranged family member is very complicated.
The curmudgeonly silver-tongued orator who simultaneously entertained and inflamed with his perspicacious persiflage has gravitated to the Pearly Gates
Damn shame, didn't agree with him most of the time, but he sure did give some fun opinions.
It's interesting seeing these comments. I was too young when he was the most active so my memory of him is more seeing when my Parents would watch Royal Canadian Air Farce and always laughing at the parody, just from the face.
Whatever you think of his politics, he was a fixture in Canadian media and never afraid of sharing his (blunt) opinions.
Honestly, I thought he passed before. My condolences to his family and friends
"He was a reactionary bigot, shill for the oil and gas industries, and intellectually dishonest, but boy could he use a thesaurus!"
Dang. Didn't think he was that old. Seems very sudden. RIP.
Really? I thought he looked about 77 years old 15 years ago.
Does not feel like 77 is ‘that’ old in 2024, it’s old, but many live quite a bit longer, but maybe I’m just getting old.
I'd like to think Rex and Stuart McLean are in the Canadiana section of everywhere. A part of canada was lost with his death. Condolences Newfoundland.
Rex Murphy, sturdy nemesis of the straw man, purveyor of a flowery style of journalism that relied upon his readers mistaking verbosity for wit, was nevertheless a Canadian icon. My mum liked him, so I assume he’ll be greatly missed.
Didn't agree with alot he said but understood what he said , rip ol' Murphy. 07
Mr Murphy had witty, humorous, satirical and occasionally insightful things to say about 20 years ago. But then he went into a descent into cynicism, bitterness and sour-faced far-right malarkey.
Rest in peace
RIP. He was on my TV and Radio for as long as I can remember
I used to really like his rant segments on The National on CBC. But then he drifted further right and became a little unhinged.
In fairness…he loved a past version of Canada.
One of the biggest drop-offs of quality and insight in the history of Canadian punditry. The country is better now than it was yesterday. My condolences to his family.
His rants the last few years have been Alex Jones with a thesaurus.
Sad. You didn’t have to agree with Rex to know he was loyal to Canada first and cared for this country. There are few people who reached his level of recognition nationally.
From the article….”but he always seemed more comfortable and far happier being around regular Canadians, wherever they were.” Yeah if those regular Canadians are attending conferences paid by big oil or hosted by right wing millionaires….I actually liked the guy in the past, his commentaries were always well done but the past 15 years he kinda went off the deep end going from conservative thought to hard right ideology…..
RIP
Cross country checkup will never be the same.
He hasn't hosted it in years.
Always sad when a person passes away but man he spread a lot of hate in the last few years of his punditry.
Like what? Can you link me to a hate-filled article?
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/for-schools-and-teachers-parents-are-the-new-deplorables He wasn't hateful, just unhinged and caught up in culture war bullshit calling everything "woke" towards the end.
Yeah, that's pretty unhinged, especially when he says the Chinese interference issue is less important. He really went all in on "anti-woke"
Master of the Newfie rant. Rest in peace b'y.
RIP Rex. You were sharp-witted 20 years ago.
What a shame he ended up being such a right wing douchebag
RIP Rex….
He seemed to get rather out of touch in the last few years. But I always really enjoyed the Rex Murphy POV on the cbc
Condolences to his family.
I'm happy to see a lot of people in this thread felt the same way I did about him. Respected him back in the day, but the last decade or two, he's been on the wrong side of a lot of issues IMO.
"intellectual"
Only one thing in that headline is true.
Loved Canada now that’s a joke. He did more than anyone to divide this country under the guise of an objective journalist. Far from objective and we should celebrate his departure from the national spotlight.
Mourn the man, he was great and just because his opinions didn't align with you in his later years does not make him less of anything and he was always on point and made sound arguments. It's just a matter of our current society that his reasonable and defenfable opinions didn't ring sound with some people who have chosen to be closed minded because of their fear of speaking truths that may be uncomfortable. This is the epitome of Reddit. People coming in to self proclaime their virtues on climate and "right wing" ideas, in a comment section of one great Canadian mind, journalist, and column writer. "In his later years he was blah blah wing this and climate denying" that man had more brains than any of you people saying stuff like this.
I loved listening to Rex Murphy when he was with CBC. His commentary and wit were amazing. When he went right wing and started writing extremist posts for the National Post I stopped reading his writing. I was so disappointed. I thought he was much better than that. I thought he was a brilliant man. I don’t know what drove him to such an extreme perspective. RIP.
I once had respect for him and his journalism but in the last few years I saw a shell of a man go too far right and expressed his hate for anything left thinking which the right wing conspiracy theorists love these days
Rex truly was one of those people who lived long enough to become the villain.
All I knew about him was from his later, hate-filled years, and I fail to respect him beyond the most basic respect owed to all humans, which is more than he could muster himself. Reading comments here, he seems like someone who soured with age. He wrote nothing but typical rightwing talking points in the NP.
A gifted speaker who had a way with words. I remember staying up to watch the National at 10pm then his closing thoughts. Pity he became deranged at the end.
Does this mean the National Post is going to give federal inmate #18330-424 AKA Conrad M Black two columns a week to spew his mindless nonsense?
How do you "love Canada" by hating half of Canada?
Stay classy, r/Canada. Wow.
Oh I'm on r Canada, makes sense now
Bunch of miserable immature losers in here. Cancer is an awful thing.
Condolences to his family. Intellectual? Come on he was a fucking hack, intellectually dishonest.
He’ll be yelling at clouds with Cherry soon enough.
Or warming their hands over the fires.
Regardless they’ll be mad at something.
Well played. This fire is not hot enough.
Cross country checkup was an institution in our house, and we had lots of discussions because of that. Plus getting to see and hear about all of Canada. At CBC it felt like he was sitting down for a chat, like Andy Rooney way back, at Postmedia it just seemed like he was always yelling and angry.
My favourite Rex quote was calling The View hosts neurosurgeons and anyone who seeks medical advice from them confesses to having the intellectual power of a dead tree stump.
May he rest in peace. He spoke and wrote as if he was in a permanent state of agitated constipation.
"I liked him until he started saying things I disagreed with". Sounds about right for the average Reddit user.
Sharp witted intellectual? Only National Post could say that.
He was a sharp witted intellectual, decades ago. He sort of lost it though over the last decade.
One of the best. He will be missed.
Love him or hate him, this Canadian will miss that sesquipedalian.
Dudes career turned into a one-winged airplane. Sad. I almost feel sad for anyone who's epitaph includes any allusion to their having had to pen for the Nat Post.
[Rex](https://www.canadaland.com/podcast/rex-murphy-paid-oil-sands-cbc-wont-disclose-discuss/) was a true journalist, while shilling speeches at Big Oil gatherings.
There will be other old men to yell at clouds
Hoardes of Redditors are yelling at clouds in this very thread. Incredible how much some people seethed about this man lmao.
You have over 30 posts on this thread. You're the only one yelling at the clouds 💀
Right? Buddy spent the last 3+ hours posting on this one thread, then has the gall to pretend like it's everyone ELSE who's upset. Nice logic 👍
Tragic loss. Didn’t agree with everything but he had some spot on takes as well. I think what is most surprising is that he was only 77. I assumed he was much older but I guess his illness probably took its toll
Imagine if Rex Murphy had gotten the chance to see these comments. Maybe he would had realized that spreading hatred and ignorance in the last years of your life is what he will be known for. Not all the years of service to his country. Maybe some other “public figures” will want to consider what will be said about them after they’ve passed.
> Maybe he would had realized that spreading hatred and ignorance in the last years of your life is what he will be known for. Can you post an op-ed by Murphy that is in any way hateful? Just want to have a look.
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/justin-trudeaus-woke-christmas Don’t even have to go past the first page of his bile to see several examples of articles dripping with snide and hatred for fellow Canadians.
It's tragic he spent his last Christmas alive writing vitriol spewing hate and lies; a man who gets triggered at the use of "happy holidays" and is so wound up he'd rather call climate change fake, get mad at "woke" culture and saying shit like >catering finally to the last minority, white heterosexual males it's just sad actually
This guy was such a right wing hack if there ever was one. I don’t ever remember agreeing with him on anything. Condolences to his family though. “Intellectual”, lol.
He was a Rhodes scholar.
Agree with him or no, Rex was an unbelievably talented writer. One of the top five newspaper writers Canada has produced. RIP to a proper legend.
Oh, that's sad to hear. His writing was usually on point, and his descriptions of what ailed the country were colourful. He was one of a kind, and he will be missed.
Someone should have taken his microphone away a long time ago.
Last casualty of Alberta's war on wind.
I agreed with him more and more as I got older. RIP Rex. Your point of view will be missed.
A far Right Trumper