He looks like the Canadian beaver. Goofy and lovable. A superstar? Not with those teeth.
But he is us. Ron MacLean, the host of Hockey Night in Canada, has something of that "Mr. Canada" aura, à la Peter Gzowski. Ward Cornell, plump and avuncular, who hosted Hockey Night in the 1960s, had it, too. If you're attached long enough to a national institution, something of its shine rubs off.
Mr. MacLean's relaxed, humble, intelligent presence on live television, his knowledge of the game (he's been a minor-league referee), and his evident love of hockey whether played on road, pond or ice rink have been good for Hockey Night in Canada. (And we like his puns, too.)
Above all he plays the straight man to the brass-knuckled comedian Don Cherry on Coach's Corner in the first-period intermission. At its best, their act has been a mini-drama, which, like all good theatre, lets viewers see their own barely perceived psychological processes worked out. Don Cherry, in his abhorrence of foreign players, his fear of change, his longing for an idealized past, is the least admirable part of our nature; Ron MacLean is our better self. Sometimes, though, we wish our better self would try just a little harder. But Ron (it is hard to call him Mr. MacLean, so familiar does he seem) knows his place. Don Cherry is the star -- and besides, he has a bad temper.
Frankly, after 15 years, the duo's shtick is sometimes as interesting as an old married couple that bicker in public. Mr. Cherry won't attack his friends in the game. Ron will wilt if Don looks angry enough. Drama needs surprise, and we don't mean Don Cherry referring to Jean-Luc Brassard, the Canadian flag bearer at the Nagano Olympics, as a "French guy, some skier nobody knows about." Coach's Corner has survived this long because nobody at the CBC has been able to think of something better. And because Mr. Cherry remains a star, and the CBC has precious few of those.
Still, the groundswell of support for Ron since the news broke this week that he and CBC were parting company suggests he is a valuable commodity. His skills may be replaceable; but he is familiar and viewers connect with him. And so the news yesterday that negotiations were back on didn't seem surprising; both sides need each other. They are expected to announce a deal today.
Ron MacLean did forget his place, momentarily, asking for a raise to $600,000 from $400,000 (Don Cherry gets more, still.) Even Mr. Canada has to make sure he does not price himself out of the market. CBC-TV news anchor Peter Mansbridge and others of his ilk could make much more money in the United States, yet they choose to ply their trade in Canada because -- well, it's a pretty good gig to be a national institution.
Welcome back, Ron.