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'Nobody has ever been inspired by Vancouver to write a great novel': Vancouverites clap back against Toronto podcast host

"If you like talking to sharp funny people who might be damaged but they're very interesting, you may be going to the worst city in the world for that."
Brendan Kergin
Brendan Kergin
brown-and-vancouver
Jesse Brown (right) isn't a fan of Vancouver's culture. The Canadaland host has started a battle on social media following remarks about literature originating in the city. Aolin Chen / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images/Canadaland

It seems Jesse Brown, host of Canadaland, isn't much of a fan of Vancouver.

In a recent episode the Toronto-based podcaster shared a few thoughts on the city with American comedian and podcaster Marc Maron, who's strongly considering moving to Vancouver (to the point of applying for permanent residency). He starts off by noting people who enjoy "extreme sports and the rugged wilderness" or "nutrition and wellness, spirituality, real estate speculation" would enjoy Vancouver.

"If you value culture, if you like having conversations with artists and creators and authors and comedians, if you like talking to sharp funny people who might be damaged but they're very interesting," Brown goes on, "you may be going to the worst city in the world for that."

Brown doesn't stop there. 

"Nobody has ever, like, been inspired by Vancouver to, like, write a great novel," Brown continues.

"No one has ever written a kick-ass rock song about Vancouver. It's a vacuum."

In the show, Maron pushes back on the idea a bit, noting that for the lifestyle he's looking for, along with seeking a less anxiety-inducing locale than the US, Vancouver could be good.

"Vancouver is all those things, but it's also psychotic; It's just a different kind of psychotic than you're used to," Brown explains.

When Maron asks him to flesh it out, Brown notes the homelessness issue in Vancouver, mixed with vacant mansions.

"There's a lot of money parked in Vancouver; people speculating on real estate," adds Brown.

Maron isn't much dissuaded, pointing to the current socio-political climate in the US.

Vancouverites responsed on social media

Freelance Vancouver journalist Michelle Cyca shared Brown's comments on Twitter about Vancouver being uninspiring to writers, and shared a long list of notable books written by writers in Vancouver, inspired by the city, or set in the region including Son of Trickster by Eden Robinson (which was adapted for TV), Five Little Indians (which won several awards including the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction) and Bad Cree (a recently-released novel getting strong reviews).

Others from (and fans of) the Vancouver literature scene added on.

At the same on Reddit locals pointed out a variety of comedians and rock songs from or inspired by Vancouver, with one noting that four of the last five Juno Award for Comedy Album of the Year winners are from or spent significant parts of their lives in Vancouver.

Vancouver also has a long history in rock music, as the home to the likes of the Japandroids, D.O.A., the Pack A.D., the New Pornographers, Spirit of the West and Dan Mangan (depending on preferred style) to inspiring bands like Motley Crue (they mention a Vancouver strip club in Girls, Girls, Girls), Genesis (they have a song called Vancouver) and They Might Be Giants (who penned the song about Richards on Richards).