Has any politician operating beneath a global scale ever garnered more attention than Rob Ford did in 2013? In terms of exposure, Toronto's crack-smoking, hopping mad mayor made eight years of George W. Bush seem comparatively tame - and it only took him a few months to do it. While many Canadians and most Torontonians knew that the city was being led by a bit of a different character, accusations of drug abuse and various other types of sordid behavior made Ford something of a target in the Spring. Once he confirmed he'd smoked crack in a "drunken stupor" a few months later though, that's when he really took off. Ford's actions and behavior was nightly news all over the world, often taking the front page of papers and websites from places all throughout Europe and beyond. It would be nothing to see Canadian, American, and British television all leading with stories on Ford, and his influence seemed to spill over into specialized media such as sports and entertainment. Simply put, Rob Ford owned 2013 as much as any politician has ever owned any year in history - especially someone who's antics should be largely a local phenomenon. His haven't been, and thanks to his refusal to leave office we might get plenty more from him in 2014.
Freelance writer situated on the east coast of Canada. Ten years writing pop culture, sports, news, and anything else that people will read. Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!
