Synopses & Reviews
In February 2013, Torontos mayor, Rob Ford, was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. Weeks later, he was accused of groping a campaign rival. In March, he had to leave a gala for being too intoxicated; in May he was fired as the coach of a high school football team. The events were part of a stream of Rob Ford mishaps,” which include DUIs, accusations of domestic violence, and a trial where the Toronto City Council stripped him of his powers.
Through it all, Fords former chief of staff, Mark Towhey, stood by his side. Towhey was part of Fords inner circle; hed joined Fords mayoral campaign in 2010 and quickly became one of his closest advisors. He responded to media questions regarding Fords drug and alcohol additions, his anger management problems, and, of course, the video of Ford smoking crack.
In May 2013, Mark Towhey had a confidential conversation with Ford. It was shortly after the video was made public and also followed rumors of Ford's involvement in the murder of Anthony Smith, who stands beside Ford in an infamous picture released by the source who tried to sell the crack video. Thus far, the public only knows two words from that conversation; Towhey told Ford to get help.” They also know what happened next, Towhey was fired.
In Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable, Towhey gives an insider account of working with Ford, covering for him, managing a man who people see as a joke, who trips over himself in videos; who throws candy at children instead of handing it to them; who rants and raves, and gets belligerent in meetings and at private events.
This is a must-read for Canadians voting in the mayoral election, as well as fans of Fordand his anticsall over the world. Its an unparalleled tell-all and perhaps whats most amazing is that Towhey bears no ill will toward the mayor. This is not the account of a man eager to get revenge. Its simply an up-close look at the mayorand what goes on behind the scenes.
Synopsis
Rob Fordthe most ridiculed and scandal-ridden mayoris an international celebrity. When the photo of him smoking crack cocaine circulated, garnering billions of hits, it was the icing on the cake. Ford, not just the favorite buffoon of late-night comics and journalists, was also a known alcoholic and the subject of legal, political, and police investigationsstripped of his mayoral powers by Toronto s City Council and a star subject in a murder investigation.
Here for the first time, Ford s former chief of staff Mark Towhey, who tried to wrangle Ford during his highly public meltdown, comes clean, filling in incredible behind-the-scenes details previously unknown and providing invaluable context. With this highly anticipated and much-talked-about tell-all, we go deep into Ford s personal life, including his addictions and his rivalry with his brother; we watch him as he runs Toronto; we overhear hair-raising late-night phone calls and see private, after-hours events; and we also get the much-gossiped-about but little-known account of Towhey s desperate struggle to protect the mayor from himself.
This juicy read is, like Ford, political candy, but it doesn t expose Ford for the sake of ridiculeit empathizes with him and explains him. It provides a fascinating portrait of twenty-first-century urban politics, as well as a character study of a larger-than-life personality, a mayor so colorful that he remains in office as a councillor anddespite it allmay one day become mayor again."
Synopsis
In February 2013, Torontoand#8217;s former mayor, Rob Ford, was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. Weeks later, he was accused of groping a campaign rival; had to leave a gala for being too intoxicated; and was fired as the coach of a high school football team. The events were part of a stream of Rob Ford and#147;mishaps,and#8221; which include a DUI; accusations of domestic violence; a trial where the Toronto City Council stripped him of his powers; even accusations of murder.
Through it all, Fordand#8217;s former chief of staff, Mark Towhey, stood by his side. Towhey was part of Fordand#8217;s inner circle; heand#8217;d joined Fordand#8217;s mayoral campaign in 2010 and quickly became one of his closest advisors. He responded to media questions regarding Fordand#8217;s drug and alcohol additions, his anger management problems, and, of course, the video of Ford smoking crack.
In May 2013, Mark Towhey had a confidential conversation with Ford. Much speculations has been about this conversation, but thus far, the public only knows two words from that conversation; Towhey told Ford to and#147;get help.and#8221; They also know what happened next, Towhey was fired.
In Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable, Towhey recounts the conversation and shares what Ford was like behind the scenes. This is a candid insider account of working with Ford, covering for him, respecting his strengths, and managing his weaknesses. It will release after Ford has dropped out of the mayoral election, as he battles health problems, and as the world waits to see what this larger-than-life personality does next.
About the Author
Mark Towhey joined Rob Fords mayoral campaign in 2010 and, after Fords election, served as his chief of staff from August 2012May 2013.
Johanna Schneller writes for publications such as The Globe and Mail, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Toronto Life. The Toronto Film Critics Association named her one of North Americas leading freelance journalists."