Richard Burnett
Encyclopedia
Richard Burnett is a writer, editor, journalist and columnist. His column
and blog, "Three Dollar Bill", deals with gay
life and culture
across Canada and around the world.
Burnett was also Editor-at-Large of Montreal
's alternative
newsweekly
Hour
for 15 years until the newspaper published its last issue on April 7, 2011. Burnett was also a regular columnist for Xtra!
in 2009-2010 and has been a columnist for Fugues
magazine since 1998. Burnett is also a senior contributor to The Charlebois Post which reports on Montreal's English-language theatre scene; Editor-at-Large and columnist for Charpo Canada; and writes his POP TART blog for the Montreal daily newspaper The Gazette (Montreal)
.
Burnett was one of the original organizers of Montreal’s internationally-renowned Divers/Cité
festival, was the founding president of the Montreal chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
, is a regular lecturer and panelist at universities and conferences, starred in the first season of the Life Network
’s reality-TV series Out in the City, and has been interviewed and profiled in publications across Canada, Europe and the U.S., including Xtra!
, Ryerson Review of Journalism
, Washington Blade, Canada's publishing-industry Masthead magazine and the international Dutch magazine WINQ. Burnett was named one of Alberta-based Outlooks
magazine's Canadian Heroes of the Year in their June 2009 issue, and is also listed by Quebec's French-language gay publication Fugues
as one of that province's 100 most influential gay Quebecers. "As Michael Musto
is to New York City, Richard Burnett is to Montréal
," The Montréal Buzz stated in April 2010.
(Edmonton
), Uptown
(Winnipeg
), Pulse Niagara
, View Magazine
(Hamilton
), Echo Weekly
(Kitchener
), Ottawa XPress
, Fab
(Toronto
), Here magazine (New Brunswick
), Current magazine (Newfoundland and Labrador
), the Tampa Bay Gazette, 365Gay.com and GayWired.com.
The column first made national news in September 1998 when Winnipeg’s Uptown magazine dropped the column after one installment ignited a city-wide furor over gay sex.
"After the column was published a local radio personality read excerpts over the air as an example of the kind of material easily accessed by Winnipeg children," Toronto-based Masthead magazine reported in its Nov/Dec 1998 issue. "Reaction was swift and ferocious. Uptown managing editor Jason Nichol says he was "inundated" with angry phone calls and letters; advertisers were chagrined and large-scale distribution points were jeopardized. Nichol says he had no choice but to kill the column. Interestingly, there wasn't a peep of outrage in Edmonton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ottawa or Montreal where other publications carried the same column."
As Montreal Gazette columnist Bill Brownstein reported in his July 26, 2006 column on the 10th anniversary of Three Dollar Bill,
Brownstein also writes, "Burnett has interviewed celebs from diva Cher
to author Anne Rice
. He has crossed swords with B.B. King and Mordecai Richler
. He has outed Ricky Martin
- again for hypocrisy - and outraged Cyndi Lauper
. And he's had death threats."
Burnett was quoted about rising new HIV
supervirus infections in a POZ
cover story called "Bite the Bullet" as saying that "If you want to play God, [deliberately] spread HIV and ruin other lives in the process—then do us all a g------ favor and put a f------ bullet through your head instead.”
Burnett's 2004 Hour cover story interview with Jamaican dancehall performer Sizzla was reported on national newscasts in Canada and made international headlines - including in Jamaica's national newspaper The Jamaica Gleaner - after Sizzla told Burnett, "[Homosexuality] is wrong! Once we stoop to sodomites and homosexuals, it is wrong! Wherever I go it is the same thing - burn sodomite, burn battyman. Burn all things that are wrong. Burn it... We must get rid of Sodom and Gomorrah right now." In response to Burnett and British gay activist Peter Tatchell
's criticisms, Sizzla
wrote the 2005 song Nah Apologize in which he repeats in the chorus, "Rastaman nah apologize to no batty bwoy!"
Burnett made more news when he criticized the Federation of Gay Games
decision to revoke Montreal's 2006 Gay Games after the FGG's acrimonious split with Montreal organizers. "If the Gay Games are the Uganda of the sports world, then the FGG is Idi Amin," Burnett wrote. Montreal went on to organize the inaugural 2006 World Outgames
. Burnett later criticized Montreal organizers when Montreal's World Outgames
lost $5.3 million.
Burnett also riled many Canadians when he critiqued the medals of Vancouver's 2010 Winter Olympics
. "The gold and bronze medals look like melted chocolate someone pulled out of their back pocket," Burnett told the Associated Press
. "The silver medal looks like it still has foil wrap on it."
Burnett also got the last-ever sit-down interview with James Brown
before Brown died on December 25, 2006.
Column (newspaper)
A column is a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by columnists.What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following criteria:...
and blog, "Three Dollar Bill", deals with gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
life and culture
Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures
Sexuality and gender identity-based cultures are subcultures and communities composed of persons who have shared experiences, background, or interests due to a common sexual or gender identity. Among the first to argue that members of sexual minorities can constitute cultural minorities as well as...
across Canada and around the world.
Burnett was also Editor-at-Large of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's alternative
Alternative media
Alternative media are media which provide alternative information to the mainstream media in a given context, whether the mainstream media are commercial, publicly supported, or government-owned...
newsweekly
Newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published piece of paper, magazine or a radio or television program, usually weekly, featuring articles or segments on current events...
Hour
Hour (magazine)
Hour is an English-language urban news magazine published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, by Communications Voir. Its president-publisher is Pierre Paquet, the editor-in-chief is Kevin Laforest. It caters to Montreal's anglophone community and is published every Thursday. The news features "expose...
for 15 years until the newspaper published its last issue on April 7, 2011. Burnett was also a regular columnist for Xtra!
Xtra!
Xtra! is a gay magazine, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History and content :...
in 2009-2010 and has been a columnist for Fugues
Fugues (magazine)
Fugues is a gay magazine, which publishes monthly in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, since April 1984. The magazine is primarily in French, although some English content is published as well. It focuses on news related to LGBT communities, gay culture, nightlife, health, fitness, fashion, travel,...
magazine since 1998. Burnett is also a senior contributor to The Charlebois Post which reports on Montreal's English-language theatre scene; Editor-at-Large and columnist for Charpo Canada; and writes his POP TART blog for the Montreal daily newspaper The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
.
Burnett was one of the original organizers of Montreal’s internationally-renowned Divers/Cité
Divers/Cité
Divers/Cité is an LGBT multidisciplinary arts and music festival taking place each year in the heart of Montreal, since 1993. An avant-garde event in the heart of downtown Montreal and in Montreal's Gay Village area held usually on the end of July and beginning of August every year and extending...
festival, was the founding president of the Montreal chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association is an American professional association dedicated to unbiased coverage of gay/lesbian issues in the media...
, is a regular lecturer and panelist at universities and conferences, starred in the first season of the Life Network
Life Network
Slice is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Shaw Media. Slice is a lifestyle channel directed towards women with programming including talk shows, reality television and more.-History:...
’s reality-TV series Out in the City, and has been interviewed and profiled in publications across Canada, Europe and the U.S., including Xtra!
Xtra!
Xtra! is a gay magazine, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History and content :...
, Ryerson Review of Journalism
Ryerson Review of Journalism
The Ryerson Review of Journalism is a Canadian magazine, published twice annually by final year journalism students at Ryerson University. The magazine profiles personalities, issues and controversies in Canadian media. In addition to the features in the printed magazine, weekly online features...
, Washington Blade, Canada's publishing-industry Masthead magazine and the international Dutch magazine WINQ. Burnett was named one of Alberta-based Outlooks
Outlooks
OUTLOOKS is a Calgary Canada based LGBT magazine, published a 10 times annually . Founded by Roy Heale in 1997 as a newsprint monthly, in 2009 the publication was purchased by Brett Taylor and was changed to a full gloss lifestyle magazine magazine for the LGBT community. The head office is...
magazine's Canadian Heroes of the Year in their June 2009 issue, and is also listed by Quebec's French-language gay publication Fugues
Fugues (magazine)
Fugues is a gay magazine, which publishes monthly in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, since April 1984. The magazine is primarily in French, although some English content is published as well. It focuses on news related to LGBT communities, gay culture, nightlife, health, fitness, fashion, travel,...
as one of that province's 100 most influential gay Quebecers. "As Michael Musto
Michael Musto
Michael Musto is an American columnist for the The Village Voice, where he writes La Dolce Musto. Musto was born in Brooklyn to an Italian American family. He attended Columbia University graduating in 1976. During his studies, he was a theater critic for the Columbia Spectator...
is to New York City, Richard Burnett is to Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
," The Montréal Buzz stated in April 2010.
Three Dollar Bill
The column debuted in July 1996 and has also run in several other alternative newsweeklies, gay publications and websites, including Vue WeeklyVue Weekly
Vue Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and with new issues coming out every Thursday.Vue was founded in 1995 by former employees and owners of SEE Magazine, upset over losing control of SEE to creditors...
(Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
), Uptown
Uptown (newspaper)
Uptown is an alternative weekly arts and entertainment newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Like most alternative weekly newspapers in Canada, Uptown includes articles regarding the arts and entertainment, CD reviews, concert reviews, book reviews and extensive current events listings...
(Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
), Pulse Niagara
Pulse Niagara
Pulse Niagara is an alternative weekly newspaper serving the Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada. Its offices are located in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario.It is published by Dynasty Communication Inc of Hamilton, Ontario...
, View Magazine
View Magazine
View Magazine is an alternative weekly newspaper serving the Hamilton, Ontario area in Canada. It covers the cities and towns of Niagara Region, Ancaster, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Glanbrook, Dundas, Flamborough, and Hamilton. Its offices are located in downtown Hamilton.It is published by Dynasty...
(Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
), Echo Weekly
Echo Weekly
Echo Weekly is an alternative weekly newspaper serving the Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph areas in Ontario, Canada. Up until January 2008 Its offices were located in downtown Kitchener but have moved to downtown Guelph....
(Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
), Ottawa XPress
Ottawa XPress
The Ottawa XPress, currently spelled press on its cover, is an alternative weekly newspaper in Ottawa, Ontario.The paper was initially launched in April 1993 by Jim Creskey, who also founded The Hill Times. In March 2001, the paper was sold to Voirs president and founder, Pierre Paquet...
, Fab
Fab (magazine)
fab is a Canadian magazine which targets the gay community. The magazine publishes biweekly issues in Toronto, Ontario. It publishes alternate weeks to the city's other biweekly gay publication, Xtra!...
(Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
), Here magazine (New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
), Current magazine (Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
), the Tampa Bay Gazette, 365Gay.com and GayWired.com.
The column first made national news in September 1998 when Winnipeg’s Uptown magazine dropped the column after one installment ignited a city-wide furor over gay sex.
"After the column was published a local radio personality read excerpts over the air as an example of the kind of material easily accessed by Winnipeg children," Toronto-based Masthead magazine reported in its Nov/Dec 1998 issue. "Reaction was swift and ferocious. Uptown managing editor Jason Nichol says he was "inundated" with angry phone calls and letters; advertisers were chagrined and large-scale distribution points were jeopardized. Nichol says he had no choice but to kill the column. Interestingly, there wasn't a peep of outrage in Edmonton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Ottawa or Montreal where other publications carried the same column."
As Montreal Gazette columnist Bill Brownstein reported in his July 26, 2006 column on the 10th anniversary of Three Dollar Bill,
Brownstein also writes, "Burnett has interviewed celebs from diva Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
to author Anne Rice
Anne Rice
Anne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
. He has crossed swords with B.B. King and Mordecai Richler
Mordecai Richler
Mordecai Richler, CC was a Canadian Jewish author, screenwriter and essayist. A leading critic called him "the great shining star of his Canadian literary generation" and a pivotal figure in the country's history. His best known works are The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Barney's Version,...
. He has outed Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...
- again for hypocrisy - and outraged Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
. And he's had death threats."
Burnett was quoted about rising new HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
supervirus infections in a POZ
POZ (magazine)
POZ is a monthly magazine that chronicles the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS. Its website, Poz.com, has daily HIV/AIDS news, treatment information, forums, blogs and personals....
cover story called "Bite the Bullet" as saying that "If you want to play God, [deliberately] spread HIV and ruin other lives in the process—then do us all a g------ favor and put a f------ bullet through your head instead.”
Burnett's 2004 Hour cover story interview with Jamaican dancehall performer Sizzla was reported on national newscasts in Canada and made international headlines - including in Jamaica's national newspaper The Jamaica Gleaner - after Sizzla told Burnett, "[Homosexuality] is wrong! Once we stoop to sodomites and homosexuals, it is wrong! Wherever I go it is the same thing - burn sodomite, burn battyman. Burn all things that are wrong. Burn it... We must get rid of Sodom and Gomorrah right now." In response to Burnett and British gay activist Peter Tatchell
Peter Tatchell
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
's criticisms, Sizzla
Sizzla
Sizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla in are de reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is well-known for his above-average prolificacy...
wrote the 2005 song Nah Apologize in which he repeats in the chorus, "Rastaman nah apologize to no batty bwoy!"
Burnett made more news when he criticized the Federation of Gay Games
Federation of Gay Games
-Concept and official purpose:According to the Federation of Gay Games :-Schism in LGBT sports communities over Gay Games VII:In 2001, the Federation of Gay Games awarded the seventh edition of the Gay Games to Montréal, Quebec, Canada for 2006, but the FGG removed its sanction in late 2003 after...
decision to revoke Montreal's 2006 Gay Games after the FGG's acrimonious split with Montreal organizers. "If the Gay Games are the Uganda of the sports world, then the FGG is Idi Amin," Burnett wrote. Montreal went on to organize the inaugural 2006 World Outgames
2006 World Outgames
The 1st World Outgames took place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 26, 2006 to August 5, 2006. The international conference was held from July 26 to the 29. The sporting events were held from July 29 to August 5.-History:...
. Burnett later criticized Montreal organizers when Montreal's World Outgames
World Outgames
The World Outgames are a sporting and cultural event hosted by the gay community. With over 12,000 participants, the 1st World Outgames, held in 2006, was the largest international event to be held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada since the 1976 Summer Olympiad. These first Outgames were not as...
lost $5.3 million.
Burnett also riled many Canadians when he critiqued the medals of Vancouver's 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
. "The gold and bronze medals look like melted chocolate someone pulled out of their back pocket," Burnett told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. "The silver medal looks like it still has foil wrap on it."
Burnett also got the last-ever sit-down interview with James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
before Brown died on December 25, 2006.
External links
- Three Dollar Bill website
- POP TART blog at The Gazette
- Three Dollar Bill archives at Hour magazine
- Three Dollar Bill archives at the Ottawa X Press
- Three Dollar Bill archives at Vue Weekly
- Richard Burnett's "Montreal" archives at Xtra
- Richard Burnett's "national" archives at Xtra
- Archives of Richard Burnett's column at Fugues magazine
- The Charlebois Post website
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