Friday, February 6, 2009

In Memoriam: David Waldon

TV critics are a funny lot, characterized by some commonalities; most are driven, smart, and more than capable of demonstrating why the word assertive starts with the letters a-s-s. But, as there is with any group, there are those who stand out; journalists who balance ambition with altruism, whose sharp wit is tempered by compassion, whose jokes don’t come at the expense of others.

TV critics across North America are reminded of that today as we mourn a kind man who embodied a lot of what’s good about arts-and-entertainment journalism. On Wednesday, February 4, freelance journalist David Waldon, a man not yet 40 and a liver transplant survivor, passed away in Los Angeles.

Dave will be missed by his friends and fellow members of the Television Critics Association. His warmth, generosity, unassuming manner and intelligence made him a rare find, indeed. Rarely seen without his trademark Chicago Cubs ball cap, Waldon was liked by all who met him. Here’s to you, Dave.

A lovely tribute to him can be found on his good friend Brent Furdyk’s blog, http://www.tvweekonline.ca/tvweekblog.

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