Farewell to Brian Linehan

I'm saddened to learn of the death of Brian Linehan. (Celebrity interviewer Brian Linehan dead at 58). Brian was a tower of wit and intelligence in the world of celebrity. His level of  preparation and in-depth research of his subjects left them wondering how he became the proverbial fly-on-the-wall in their lives. He was quintessentially charming and mesmerizing -- his greatest strength as an interviewer. His extended questions often became soliloquies, prompting  me to wonder if Brian liked listening to himself sometimes more than he preferred listening to his guest of the moment.

I'll never forget the extended interview with Brian, conducted by my then girlfriend, on McMaster student radio CFMU-FM in  1978. She turned the tables on Brian, having visited his old neighbourhood in Hamilton, spending hours tracking through archives and old newspapers to uncover never before told stories about Mr. Linehan. He was delighted and truly surprised. I wonder if the station still has that archived.