To say that Rob Ford has made a bit of a spectacle of himself would be an understatement.

Ever since Toronto’s Mayor Rob Ford admitted to using crack cocaine, an outpour of stories and reports have been dominating the political limelight. Here, we see Miller and Shepherd’s instance of intersecting public and private spheres. While Rob Ford’s drug usage is a private matter, it has become amalgamated with his public reputation as the mayor. Although our studies in ASTU class have primarily focused on the benefits of an intersecting public and private, (such as in PostSecret, Six-Word Memoir, and the blogs of Pax and Riverbend), it is obvious that the blurring of the public and private boundaries is becoming problematic for Rob Ford.

The scandal that has surfaced would not have become so prominent if it weren’t for the various media releases, that take part in the collective act of telling Rob Ford’s story. Notably, a variety of talk show hosts have, in the word’s of Whitlock, “co-opted” and retold Rob Ford’s story to the point where he has become the laughing stock of our nation. Although many media outlets have taken a more serious approach to the Rob Ford scandal, the results are the same: Rob Ford’s public identity and reputation have been ruined.

Of course, all this wouldn’t have happened if Rob Ford hadn’t smoked crack cocaine, made a fool out of himself in front of reporters, etc., etc., but the media does play a substantial role in shaping Rob Ford’s public image. While I’m not trying to take away from the seriousness of Rob Ford’s actions, such an event illustrates the power of storytelling. Before the scandal, I, personally did not even know of Rob Ford. However, when the rumours, news reports and comedic impersonations began to surface, it seemed as though he was only known for his political scandal. Although such a scandal does indicate what kind of personality Rob Ford has, the stories out there do not entirely represent himself as a human being.

Confusing, yes, but it is important to remember that the scandal we are seeing unfold before our eyes is only a small part of Rob Ford’s life. Though it is an extremely prominent and turbulent time in his life, the stories we hear has the potential to limit our perspectives of Rob Ford. For all we know, he could have been a football star, right? (Although this video indicates most likely not.) Furthermore, we can become so focused on his actions that we may forget about some more important questions. What was Rob Ford like as a mayor before the scandal broke out? How were/are the municipal affairs doing? Shouldn’t there be more discussion about corruption in Canadian politics?

While I must admit that the Rob Ford scandal is somewhat entertaining, the way in which media outlets and talk show hosts retell such a story can become what Whitlock refers to as “soft weapons.” That is, these stories can be manipulated in a way that can distract its viewership from raising questions about more important and systemic issues, or even alter their opinion of Rob Ford into something more positive, as attempted here.