Famous quote by Kevin McDonald

"Of course Toronto might as well be Buffalo, because we get each other's TV"

About this Quote

The comparison between Toronto and Buffalo made by Kevin McDonald touches on the peculiar closeness between two cities separated by a border but linked in subtle and unexpected ways. The assertion that the cities “might as well be” the same, specifically because they “get each other’s TV,” highlights how mass media and technological overlap can blur distinctions that geography, culture, or politics might otherwise reinforce.

At its core, the observation functions as both a literal and figurative comment. On a technical level, broadcast signals originating from Buffalo often reach Toronto, and vice versa, particularly in the era of analog television. Residents in each city would find themselves watching the same news, sitcoms, advertisements, and sports broadcasts, developing an oddly shared media diet. This cross-border consumption creates peculiar touchpoints between communities, fostering a familiarity that might not otherwise exist. People in Toronto may have grown up watching Buffalo’s news anchors or local commercials, just as those in Buffalo may have tuned into Toronto-based programming. These shared experiences can sometimes erode the differences that passports and national narratives construct.

McDonald’s comment also evokes the ways borders can feel arbitrary when day-to-day life, especially in the realm of popular culture, ignores them. For Torontonians, American TV, epitomized by nearby Buffalo, can sometimes feel just as present as their own national broadcasting. The joke carries a hint of affectionate satire, alluding to Canada’s long-standing struggles to create a distinct national identity amidst overwhelming cultural influence from the United States. By bringing competing senses of place together, Toronto’s bustling Canadian metropolis and Buffalo’s American rust-belt city, the statement wryly undercuts nationalist pride and provincial rivalry through the mundane commonality of television.

Overall, McDonald’s line highlights how media can undermine geographical and political boundaries, making distant or different places unexpectedly familiar, and suggesting that our sense of separateness may be more porous than we’re comfortable admitting.

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About the Author

Canada Flag This quote is from Kevin McDonald somewhere between May 16, 1961 and today. He/she was a famous Comedian from Canada. The author also have 17 other quotes.
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