Stompin’ Tom Connors, to no one’s surprise, turned out to be more beloved than Hugo Chávez

When the death of Hugo Chávez hit Twitter, the reaction was mixed. Lame jokes and inflamed political rhetoric flooded our feeds as people tried to figure out what to think, and how much to care, about the passing of the controversial president. Some of us didn’t even say anything, preferring instead to wait until an actual news source confirmed the story. After all, we’d been burned before.

When the death of Stompin’ Tom Connors broke the following night, there was virtually none of that. The reaction among Canadians in my feed, at least, was instant, good-natured and universal, just as you’d expect for a beloved national icon. My friend Peter alleged that he’d had a manslaughter conviction, but that was about it.

I’m pretty sure that prior to yesterday, nobody had ever mentioned Hugo Chávez and Stompin’ Tom Connors in the same sentence. And I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that in the court of public opinion, Stompin’ Tom Connors would come out on top. But it’s still nice to know he that does, you know?

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