Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable How I Tried to Help the World's Most Notorious Mayor

by Mark Towhey, Johanna Schneller

In February 2013, Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford, was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. Weeks later, he was accused of groping a campaign rival. In March, he was asked to leave a gala for being too intoxicated; in May 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, Ford’s former chief of staff, Mark Towhey, stood by his side. Towhey was part of Ford’s inner circle; he’d joined Ford’s mayoral campaign in 2010 and quickly became one of his closest advisors. He responded to media questions regarding Ford’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. 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 the 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 Uncontrollable: My Life with Mayor Rob Ford, 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 Ford—and his antics—all over the world. It’s an unparalleled tell-all and perhaps what’s most amazing is that Towhey bears no ill will toward the mayor. This is not the account of a man eager to get revenge. It’s simply an up-close look at the mayor—and what goes on behind the scenes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Canada, Biography, Memoir, History

360 pages, Hardcover

First published November 10, 2015

About the author

Mark Towhey served as senior adviser and, later, chief of staff to Rob Ford from 2010 to 2013, helping to run North America’s fourth-largest city, with fifty-three thousand employees and a $13 billion budget.

Prior to working with Ford, Towhey was an esteemed management consultant for clients around the world. He also hosts a popular weekly radio program and was the executive director of Patrick Brown’s recent successful political campaign (Conservative Party leadership, Province of Ontario).

Reviews

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like reading about a train crash happening in slow motion. Surprisingly engaging and very readable.

It seems clear that Towhey wrote this book as a somewhat extended resume for himself. By highlighting all of the things that went wrong that we didn’t hear about, it makes his crisis management skills look that much better. I don’t doubt this version of events though - this entire ridiculous story rings true.

After reading this book, I can say that the environment surrounding Rob Ford, and what his staff had to deal with on a daily basis, seems even worse than most people think it was. It almost sounds like most of Ford’s staff ended up with the political version of PTSD after dealing with him.

Ford is uncouth, unwilling to compromise, not knowledgeable about politics, policy or how to make things happen in a consensus. He didn’t listen to the people he hired, listened to other random people instead (the "night shift"), constantly changed his mind, and wouldn’t engage with anyone - aside from the constituents he would obsessively phone (returning their calls). And this was all before the alcohol and dugs started becoming an issue.

After having read this, plus Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story , (John Filion's book The Only Average Guy: Inside the Uncommon World of Rob Ford is next) I still cannot, for the life of me, figure out why Rob Ford even wanted to be mayor. He doesn’t like half the people in the city, has no interest in long-term big picture ideas (waterfront, casino, transit…), can’t compromise or work in groups with other councillors, and spends too much time focusing on small ticket items instead of the $13 billion dollar annual budget for the city of Toronto. This is a guy who, on principle, hobbled the mayor’s office by cutting the office budget and then refusing to fully staff it. Yes, that may save you a few hundred thousand - but at what long-term cost for the running of the city?

If someone had written a fictional novel with these characters and protagonists in it - police raids, high-profile politicians, hidden videos, drugs, bullying, violence, family drama..., no one would believe that it could actually happen. This entire sordid affair (all 4 years of it) was like an extended soap opera - fascinating, ridiculous and compelling.

A great read! Recommended for policy wonks, political nerds, and others interested in learning more about the day-to-day workings of the civil service and the mayor’s office. Plus all those who want to learn more about the Rob Ford fiasco.

[N · Rating 2 out of 5]

A strange, self-serving, and ultimately not very insightful or informative book. Having just left a hostile work place (albeit NOTHING like Toronto City Hall under the Ford brothers) I was curious; what would keep you there? What would keep you working for a lousy, f***ed up boss, like Rob Ford? Looks like in this it case it was a couple of things; he needed the money (not a spoiler, it’s a refrain that keeps getting repeated), and ideology; even a drunk, crack smoking, lying, disengaged from the job right from the start, Rob Ford is a useful idiot for the modern neo-con. Perhaps what’s most disturbing about this book are the warped senses of entitlement, democracy and accountability that seemed to surround Ford. Apparently in Towhey’s mind he may be an uninterested, drunk, cross-addicted mess, but he’s the elected uninterested, drunk, cross-addicted mess, therefore untouchable. Until they start doing his job for him, then, you know, that’s democracy too.

As per usual with neo-cons the media are part of the problem; they’re usually referred to animal like terms (herd, swarm, smelly, etc.), the second most important thing about Robyn (Crazy Town) Doolittle is she’s attractive, and hush my mouth, Gian Gomeshi was equally famous for his ‘liberalism’ (ergo; liberal = violent, perverted, sex criminal). Except Christie Blatchford, she’s ‘brilliant’.

You get sick of reading a couple of things; ‘A sober Rob Ford could…..’ fill in the blank; be mayor for life (I’m not kidding), do more than a ‘solid 2 hours a day’ of work, whatever. Unfortunately asking for a sober Rob Ford seems to be like asking for a Jewish Pope. Ain’t gonna happen. And you get sick of reading ‘We knew it something else other than the booze……but what…..it’s a mystery………..if we could only figure it out…..’. Right. You don’t do anything about it until you know what it is. From Edmonton I could tell you it was crack and coke, you were in the same office. ‘A mystery’ my arse.

As for the rest; the Ford family writ large is a rich stew of dysfunction, Doug Ford is probably more dangerous than Rob, the mayor’s office ‘worked’ just the way you’d think it would, and for a guy who makes a lot of noise about supporting the average guy the fact that Rob Ford treats his own staff like crap tells you just what he thinks of ‘the average guy’. Oh yeah, has any sane person thought you could live in Toronto on $40K a year since about 1985? Apparently Rob Ford does. Maybe he should try it.

The book closes on a depressing note that I won’t spoil by describing, other than to say my initial question, why would you stay, gets asked again, with more emphasis.

Oh yeah, and when you’re looking at the reviews and scores for this book Towhey scored his own book; 5/5. That’s kind of like yelling out your own name when masturbating. In public.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is a class one asshole - he touts what a consummate professional he is throughout the book, keeping confidences and never bending to iron Rob's abuse. Then he writes a salacious tell-all under the auspices of "doing it for the kids" (the junior staffers that purportedly can't get jobs after working for the Ford administration.) Why not just provide letters of reference? My guess is that he not only burnt a million bridges being the total condescending dick he comes off as in the book, but he thought he'd make some quick cash off of it as well (and maybe by ass kissing and name dropping and touting his own skills, get a job offer in the process?). Don't pretend to be the knight in shining armour when you were just as much a part of the problem. However, it's a great story to retell, even if the author spends the whole time patting himself on the back. (So appropriate that I read this right after James Fry...)

[Zoom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rob Ford. How could you go wrong writing an insider's book about the world's most infamous mayor? Like many others, I was riveted to the news while Ford spectacularly unraveled before our very eyes. Every day he outdid himself, plunging unfathomable depths of outrageous behaviour. Crack videos, murder investigations, making lewd comments about his wife's pussy on live tv, knocking women down in Council chambers, 911 calls to his home for domestic violence, drinking mickeys and urinating in public, getting kicked out of public events and fired from volunteer coaching jobs, hosting underage drinking parties at his home, appearing on American talk shows to be ridiculed by comedians. It was horrifying and funny and sad all at the same time.

So when his former Chief of Staff wrote this book, I scooped it up. And it IS entertaining, if for no other reason than getting to relive the whole odyssey. I didn't think it shed a whole lot more light on the Rob Ford story, though. Maybe a little. I learned more about his personality and his relationship with his brother Doug. I learned that nobody knows anything about his wife, Renata, but she seems to have her own issues. (For example, when the Children's Aid Society investigated the family, they deemed Rob Ford to be the more reliable parent, if you can imagine.) It was interesting to hear a description of the inside of the Ford house, which few people have seen, but which Mark Towhey saw once (mattress on the living room floor, sheets on the windows!). And I gained some insight into how campaigns are run, and how politics work on the inside. Also, it was fascinating to read about how decisions were made once Rob Ford had mentally checked out. So all in all, for content, I'd give it 4 stars.

What I didn't like about the book was it felt throughout that Mark Towhey had a vested interest. He was careful to preserve his own self image and reputation. He painted himself in a little too white a light for my taste. In other words, I didn't trust him. I got a strong sense that he was writing this book for an American audience, as he kept explaining things that all Canadians know. He was writing it in hopes of landing a good job with an American right-wing politician.

For those reasons, I'm giving it just 3 stars, with the proviso that it's one of my favourite 3-star books.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Towhey was senior advisor and Chief of Staff to former Toronto mayor Rob Ford from 2010 to 2013. This is his story of what it was like working with Rob Ford and his brother, Doug, and all the damage control he and others did to protect Ford and make decisions in his absence.

I've never been a fan of either of the Fords ... I think they are lying arrogant bullies. But from the sound of it, Ford's heart was in the right place in the beginning ... fighting for the "little guy". But as Ford's alcohol and drug addictions took hold of him, having him as our mayor became an embarrassment to our city (it is North America’s fourth largest city and Canada’s sixth largest government) and he became a laughingstock around the world.

As time went on, Ford spent less and less time at City Hall and more time on the missing list. He started showing up at events hammered and stoned. There were rumours that he was hanging out with drug dealers and murderers. When it was reported that there was a video of Ford doing coke, he denied its existence and proclaimed that he didn't do drugs. It was only when he was backed up against a wall that he admitted the truth ... that seemed to be the way he dealt with everything. Deny deny deny until proof comes out to show he was lying. Eventually because he couldn't be kicked out of the office, the councillors voted to strip him of his powers so for his last year he was our mayor in name only. When yet another video surfaced of him in less-than-stellar behaviour, he said he was heading to rehab (he was only there for about a month). All these events played out in the news and it was interesting to get a behind-the-scene view of what was going on.

I enjoyed this book. It's an interesting read, especially for people living in Toronto. If more of the "Ford Nation" read it, perhaps they wouldn't be as brainwashed into still idolizing Ford.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/11...

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really 3.5 stars than 4. I'm writing this review as someone who has no background knowledge in Toronto politics (or anywhere for that matter) and did not follow coverage on Ford's unraveling obsessively. I knew about the video of course but a lot of the information provided in the book was still new to me.

The book is a very easy read and the first part of the book offers a primer on Canadian/Toronto politics. Towhey writes with a reader like me in mind and juxtaposes the Canadian political system to the US one. My takeaway was that the Canadian one makes more sense (campaign spend and time restrictions, balanced city budgets etc.) Towhey tone wasn't spiteful and gave Ford a lot of credit. Of course in doing so, he is also giving himself and his team credit for successes of Ford's administration whilst defending their position in sticking with Ford. Fair enough. If your name and work is now forever tainted by association with a very public junkie, you'd also want to recount and record your successes. In the end, you can't help but feel sorry for absolutely everyone (except maybe Doug Ford - he still seems like a conniving sleazeball).

What I didn't like about the book was the sequencing of the narration. I would have preferred that the author stick strictly to narrating events chronologically. He attempted to and did split the book into sections with the campaign in the beginning and the fallout in the end. The middle however were more arranged by topics/agendas which may have occurred simultaneously. Due to this, there were people that were already dismissed/resigned back into the narration when the next topic was discussed. If Towhey had stuck to a strictly chronological sequencing, I think he would have been more effective in narrating the impending train wreck as more and more people left and the Ford grew increasingly erratic.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the conversational voice of this book and I felt like it helped me see Rob Ford more clearly as a person instead of the caricature he'd become in my mind. I do feel like it would have benefited from less focus on his weight though. I care more about his character, decisions and actions than what his scale says or how his clothes fit.

[H Wesselius · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand this is an well written interesting account of Toronto City Hall politics and the rise and fall of Rob Ford. On the other hand, its written by his chief of staff who marginalizes his own involvement and even attempts to justify his tenure due to his neocon and false populist notions. I preferred Crazy Town by Robyn Doolittle.

[Cheryl Oates · Rating 3 out of 5]

A self-serving personal memoir masquerading as a book about Rob Ford. Though some of the anecdotes were interesting, overall this book is a lesson in how not to write a political tell-all.

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second account of Rob Ford and his shenanigans that I have read (I'm sure there are several more out there), and of course it reinforces my visceral sense that this is a man I would never want to have over for dinner - or, indeed, bump into in the street. I probably wouldn't be that keen to provide dinner for the author, Mark Towhey, either, though he is a far more rational creature than Ford, and certainly one purpose of this book (if not the main purpose) is to create sympathy for himself. However, he has that same bumptious neocon attitude to life as the people he surrounded himself with, and it makes me shudder a little that someone so genuinely intelligent should have spent so much time and effort protecting that which should never have been protected - namely Ford's mayorship. The most interesting part of the book by far is the inside account of the measures he and the rest of the Mayor's Office team took to contain the damage of Ford's addictions (though not, alas, his ruinous policies, which they forwarded). His account of these proceedings while in the full spotlight of the media is also interesting. He also gives a rather unvarnished picture of the Ford family in general, with his profound dislike of Doug Ford coming through on every page.

Twohey was fired, and insists on that rather as a point of pride. But, had he been the man of principle he believes himself to be, he would have resigned long before, and let the Fords crumble as they deserved.

[John FitzGerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this quickly. Most of what's revealed about Rob Ford is unsurprising -- he's a boorish narcissist and bully, who knew? Towhey also glosses over how Ford's first big public defeat over transit policy came about. He was defeated because he didn't have a transit policy, even though Towhey was his director of policy at the time. I'm not saying Towhey was incompetent (I suspect there's very little chance of that), but more detail about how this policy didn't get developed would have been interesting. What I found valuable about this book was the detail about the machinations of Toronto municipal politicians, about how Ford's staff persuaded themselves to continue supporting someone who was acting that erratically, and about how his staff kept council and the press at bay. It ain't a pretty story, but it's worth reading.

[Patrick Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty amazing. I would say this should be required reading for anyone who picks up Robyn Doolittle's "Crazy Town," and vice versa. This is good counterpoint, in that it gives some very important context on the size, scope, and stress of a mayoral campaign and holding political office in Toronto. It also talks about Ford's accomplishments in the job, and the extensive role of his political staff. There's also more insight into the concept of "Ford Nation" and why his supporters were so fervent. All of which makes Ford seem somehow even more flawed, but infinitely more sympathetic, than "Crazy Town."

[Justine Teplycky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review here: http://www.newstalk1010.com/blog/just...

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars. I found it really interesting to get insight to the behind the scenes of all the news stories, but also how the campaigning for Toronto mayor, and the mayor's office works. It seems Rob Ford did care a lot about the people of Toronto but he also had a very skilled and dedicated team that may have gone underappreciated. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is sometimes the timeline can be a bit confusing despite it being sorted into sections that typically include a date range; there would be references to events mentioned in previous chapters, or allusions to future chapter events and I couldn't tell at what state of addiction, or what part of his mayoral tenure Rob Ford was in at the time.

[Moona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mayor Rob Ford: Uncontrollable – How I Tried to Help the World's Most Notorious Mayor by Mark Towhey, with Johanna Schneller, provides an insider account of Rob Ford's tumultuous tenure as Toronto's mayor. Mark Towhey, Ford's former chief of staff, recounts his experiences managing Ford through various scandals, including drug and alcohol issues, public misbehavior, and controversial media incidents. Towhey offers a detailed and personal perspective on Ford's life and administration, aiming to shed light on the man behind the headlines.

[Al · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt I had to labour to try to finish this book. The font was way too small on the print that I got would’ve appreciated more photos or maybe less content. I’ve read books about the ford family by Doug Ford and now from this author it’s always good to have different views of opinion, but somehow everyone’s got a story to tell and a book to sell. I still don’t know how I feel about this book overall but I give it two out of five stars.

[Gil Segev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I was too young to be aware of Rob Ford when he was in office, but this book tells me all I needed to know. It paints a picture of a highly unqualified, unstable and unsympathetic man and his manipulative brother, tasked with running Toronto. The book is well organized and reads more like a thriller than a real-life account of city politics.

[Amanda (Mandy) Gavigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting look back at a very pivotal moment in Toronto's history and where it connects to things going on today.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insider's account of how Mayor Rob Ford transitioned from councillor to Mayor, with addiction and family pressures leading to his downfall.Former Chief of Staff Mark Towhey writes a detailed account of how events were staged, his handling of the Mayor at various functions, the inner workings of Council.

[Anna Samulak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Towhey's insider view of the Rob Ford crazy train...er..mayoralty...was an enjoyable head-shaking read. I can't believe I forgot about Rob's admission to using crack while "in one of my drunken stupors". This book will make you happy those years are in the past.

[Chris Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author was part of Ford’s campaign team and eventual chief of staff. He details Ford’s spiral down into crack cocaine use and alcoholism in excruciating detail. Every. Single. Detail. I would have felt sorry for Towhey except he was instrumental in getting that train-wreck elected.

[Angela Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite shocking and highly entertaining

[Kathy Mcdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful now with some time having passed, to get some perspective from the insider about how things went down during Ford's time as mayor.

[Lawrence Lam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, cathartic.

[Ebonique Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel bad for giving this such a high rating, but Mayor Rob Ford is a great case study on the new breed of modern blue collar conservative politicians. It's incredible what the public is willing to accept when you're both humble and affable.