By Frank Moher
I was as excited as I know you must have been to receive a note from Ezra Levant, publisher of The Western Standard, announcing that the new Mark Steyn T-shirts are in — and just in time for Christmas.
“Do you love our columnist Mark Steyn as much as I do?” Mr. Levant writes. “He’s only the most amazing writer in the English language.” Now, we know he doesn’t really mean that — that honour, of course, goes to Dean Koontz — but it’s hard not to get all 
lathery anyway. “It’s time to take your enthusiasm a step further,” the fibrillated publisher continues, “and make a fashion statement and a political statement at the same time!” You know, Mr. Levant’s way with an exclamation mark is positively contagious! He uses them at the end of every paragraph! We want to too!
We can’t quite say that the T-shirt has the same reverberant quality as “the iconic Che Guevara shirts” Mr. Levant claims it’s modelled on. Sure, we’d like to take to the hills with Mark Steyn as much as the next compañero, but we have a feeling he’s too busy for that sort of thing. But it does still have a certain je ne sais quoi. That little cock of the head. The lick of hair spilling onto his forehead. The stubble. Let’s just say, Mark Steyn can be our Broadway Baby anytime. Right, Ezra?
One thing, though. Mr. Levant mentions that Steyn’s book America Alone has been a big bestseller in Canada — “despite a boycott from Chapters-Indigo!” But he must know that last part isn’t true. Surely, being such a big fan of Mr. S, he reads him in Maclean’s too, and so also saw the letter to the editor from Chapters-Indigo denying the charge (first levied in Mr. Steyn’s own column), and offering the less spectacular explanation that they simply underordered. Or the one in The National Post to the same effect. Or, simply being a bright guy, he recognizes a publicity ploy when he sees one.
But no matter! What does the truth matter to a magazine publisher? He has a fashion line to sell! It’s all so exciting! And only 29.95!!!!!!!!
