Abstract

In this week’s Audio of the Week clip from PennSound, a partner affiliate of the SpokenWeb research network, we hear a televised reading of bill bissett chanting and reading from his then upcoming book Sailor (1978) on Vancouver’s CKVU-TV (now CityTV) show “The Vancouver Show” in early September 1978. As bissett recalls, host and reporter Pia Shandel invited bissett and members of Vancouver’s literary community to be on the show. Remarkably, the poet was one of several members of Vancouver’s literary community, including Gerry Gilbert who was their on-air poet in 1977 (Ellis 271), to be involved with the station. By listening to the clip, we gain an aural glimpse into bissett’s life following accusations of pornography against his work in the House of Commons. Audio clips of bissett reading from the 1960s are discussed in The SpokenWeb Podcast and SoundBox Signals crossover episode “Is that Me?” and recordings of bissett can be heard in the Sir George Williams University Poetry Series collection (see below for link). In contrast to these earlier recordings, in the CKVU-TV recording, we hear bissett incorporate chanting, humour, and audience interaction into his reading, giving listeners access to a bissett performance that more closely reflects his contemporary practice. While bissett has become an iconic figure in Canadian literature, this clip from the 1978 CKVU-TV broadcast demonstrates that he was not always beloved.