A man who makes a living impersonating Don Cherry is defending the longtime hockey broadcaster who鈥檚 out of a job after a rant that was widely criticized for scolding immigrants who don鈥檛 wear poppies.
In an interview with CTV Calgary, 鈥溾�� Clark Robertson said the former 鈥淗ockey Night in Canada鈥� co-host 鈥渃ould have said it better鈥� and 鈥渋s never going to win awards for grammar.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 not a wordsmith,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淒eep down -- even on surface I don鈥檛 think he is (a racist). He just words things wrong. He鈥檚 a blue-collar Joe, working dude who would swing a hammer if he wasn鈥檛 doing what he鈥檚 doing. He says what a lot of people think but he鈥檚 the only one who鈥檚 got the balls to say it half the time.鈥�
The 85-year-old Cherry was fired Monday, nearly four decades after he began working for 鈥淗ockey Night in Canada,鈥� as part of the fallout from Saturday night鈥檚 broadcast. During his 鈥淐oach鈥檚 Corner鈥� segment, Cherry claimed that immigrants do not wear poppies or support veterans.
"You people 鈥� that come here, whatever it is, you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that," he said. "These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price."
Robertson echoed Cherry鈥檚 statements to CTV on Monday, saying 鈥減eople need to assimilate and become one.鈥�
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to be in our country, no matter who you are -- 鈥榯hose people鈥� -- any person,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ome join us, enjoy our beautiful country, our natural resources and let鈥檚 be one.鈥�
Though Cherry鈥檚 comments were widely criticized online, there was also a strong contingent of supporters calling for his rehiring, and others suggesting a boycott of Rogers Media, which owns 鈥淗ockey Night in Canada鈥� broadcaster Sportsnet. That support is why Robertson feels there will still be a market for his impersonations.
鈥淎s long as I鈥檓 alive on this Earth, people are going to know who Don Cherry is,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome are going to hate him, some are going to love him. The ones that love him are still going to hire me to come and do a show.鈥�
If he receives some backlash as a Cherry impersonator now, it鈥檚 nothing new, said Robertson.
鈥淏efore this, people would come up to me in the streets and tell me blatantly 鈥業 hate you, I hate everything about you, I hate your suits.鈥� I don鈥檛 think it will be any different,鈥� he said.
Robertson believes Cherry has been wrongfully reprimanded for his comments. If Robertson had it his way, Cherry would be named to the Order of Canada for his work in sports and charity. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a great Canadian,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淗e really is.鈥�
