One day during his stint as producer of the groundbreaking public affairs show "Tabloid," Ross McLean (the enfant terrible of Canadian television) was annoyed to receive a letter from a viewer in Montreal complaining about the previous week's broadcast. By way of reply, McLean superimposed the correspondent's address on the screen, subtly suggesting that loyal fans rebuke the man for his criticism.
As a result the physician who had sent the letter was inundated with crank calls, hate mail, taxis which he had not summoned and pizzas which he had not ordered.
McLean was promptly suspended, pending an apology. A grudging apology came -- three weeks later.
[Among McLean's nicknames for the CBC? "The bind that ties."]
Sources
Douglas Fetherling, Broadview Book of Canadian Anecdotes
