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Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation
It began as rumours. Whispers at dinner parties. Warnings about bad dates with a Canadian celebrity. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, superstar CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi revealed his interest in “rough sex” in a long Facebook post, and a scandal of unprecedented scale descended on the radio host.
What the public did not know was that months before Ghomeshi’s emotional post, Canadaland podcaster Jesse Brown and Toronto Star journalist Kevin Donovan were quietly pursuing serious allegations against him. In Secret Life, Donovan takes us inside the Star’s investigation. Step by step, he explores the story as only he can: the media frenzy, his own personal and professional doubts, the women who came forward with stories about an alleged dark side of a national idol, and Ghomeshi’s ignominious firing and dramatic criminal trial. Taking us behind the scenes, Donovan sheds light on the journalistic process and the complexity of gathering information about a highly sensitive matter from named and confidential sources, including those women who feared it was their word against a beloved public figure’s.
Secret Life is a thought-provoking account of the landmark Ghomeshi exposé that sparked a nation-wide discussion on sexual assault, the cult of celebrity, and the politics of power and gender in the workplace.
What the public did not know was that months before Ghomeshi’s emotional post, Canadaland podcaster Jesse Brown and Toronto Star journalist Kevin Donovan were quietly pursuing serious allegations against him. In Secret Life, Donovan takes us inside the Star’s investigation. Step by step, he explores the story as only he can: the media frenzy, his own personal and professional doubts, the women who came forward with stories about an alleged dark side of a national idol, and Ghomeshi’s ignominious firing and dramatic criminal trial. Taking us behind the scenes, Donovan sheds light on the journalistic process and the complexity of gathering information about a highly sensitive matter from named and confidential sources, including those women who feared it was their word against a beloved public figure’s.
Secret Life is a thought-provoking account of the landmark Ghomeshi exposé that sparked a nation-wide discussion on sexual assault, the cult of celebrity, and the politics of power and gender in the workplace.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2016
10 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Donovan
2 books5 followersKevin Donovan is an investigative reporter and editor at the Toronto Star. A thirty-year veteran of the paper, he has won two Governor General’s Awards (Michener) for public service journalism, three National Newspaper Awards, and three Canadian Association of Journalists Awards. He is also the author of ORNGE: The Star Investigation that Broke the Story and Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
November 9, 2016
Kevin Donovan is right about one thing - this book is a "muddled mess." There are obvious problems that should have been fixed in editing, like typos and omissions. Page 57 - "I would come to learn that those these lines..." is a prime example. The book is rife with such errors.
Far worse is that Donovan, who constantly preaches the need for a time line while investigating a story, absolutely butchers the narrative here. He jumps from topic to topic without segue or touchstone. The stories of Lucy and Reva Seth and the male York student who claims to have been groped by Ghomeshi appear out of nowhere, inappropriately placed well before they arrive in the actual narrative. When they finally do appear naturally in the story, Donovan has no choice but to repeat much of his prior accounts, bogging down a book that is already overloaded with repetition. On page 61, he begins writing about an ice storm that hit Toronto before Christmas in the same tense he used to describe his recent action. It turns out the ice storm was a prior point of reference for one of the women reporting abuse, leading to a highly confusing and misleading paragraph that had me reading and rereading, trying to decipher what the hell was going on. How can a journalist have no sense of flow? The narrative is strangled by his constant need to stop and explain something, veering off in endless tangents. The story structure is convoluted and haphazard, another issue that should have been fixed in the editing process.
Donovan's ham-fisted attempts at colour and scene-setting stick out like the preverbal sore-thumb. What does repeatedly telling us that traffic was bad while driving to an interview add to the narrative? Does writing "I shifted on the coach, which was a little too soft for my liking" (pg 50) really help anchor this story?
Donovan does a lot of preaching in this book, which often reads as a slightly pompous textbook on journalism. The biggest ego on display is not Ghomeshi's, but Donovan's. He constantly reminds the reader of his past triumphs, shoehorning in multiple references to the Rob Ford story and the time he "spent three months in the desert of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait covering the Gulf War in 1991." Ever since Watergate, writers like Donovan (or Robin Doolittle and her "Crazytown" retelling of the Rob Ford debacle) seek to make themselves the story.
Donovan also never passes up an opportunity to disparage Jesse Brown, the "crowd-funded podcaster" who actually broke the story. It is clear from page one that Donovan looks down on Brown as a lesser form of journalist. On page 46, Donovan refers to Brown as "a relatively unknown commodity...and certainly not someone who would be able to investigate and make such damning allegations stick." According to Donovan, "It takes about ten years to become a Star man or a Star woman. Jesse Brown had spent less than a day in the building." Donovan writes: "The word 'journalist' covers a wide gamut, but as far as I could tell Brown did not yet have experience covering complex investigations."
There is little (actually, no) new information given in this book. The most shocking revelation is that Donovan, a reporter for Canada's best-selling newspaper, is both a poor storyteller and a mediocre wordsmith. The writing rarely rises above the level of a high-school book report: "Telling these stories, encouraging the national conversation on this issue, is very important." (pg 8). Donovan constantly alludes to the "conversation" but adds nothing to it. There is no analysis here, no deeper thought or revelations after the fact. I put down this book feeling as if Donovan simply wanted to re-write history, making himself the centre of the story.
If you followed the story as it happened, there is nothing new here. If you somehow managed to miss this story the first time around, go back and read Anne Kingston's coverage in McLean's. It has far more depth, nuance and social relevance than what is contained in this book.
Far worse is that Donovan, who constantly preaches the need for a time line while investigating a story, absolutely butchers the narrative here. He jumps from topic to topic without segue or touchstone. The stories of Lucy and Reva Seth and the male York student who claims to have been groped by Ghomeshi appear out of nowhere, inappropriately placed well before they arrive in the actual narrative. When they finally do appear naturally in the story, Donovan has no choice but to repeat much of his prior accounts, bogging down a book that is already overloaded with repetition. On page 61, he begins writing about an ice storm that hit Toronto before Christmas in the same tense he used to describe his recent action. It turns out the ice storm was a prior point of reference for one of the women reporting abuse, leading to a highly confusing and misleading paragraph that had me reading and rereading, trying to decipher what the hell was going on. How can a journalist have no sense of flow? The narrative is strangled by his constant need to stop and explain something, veering off in endless tangents. The story structure is convoluted and haphazard, another issue that should have been fixed in the editing process.
Donovan's ham-fisted attempts at colour and scene-setting stick out like the preverbal sore-thumb. What does repeatedly telling us that traffic was bad while driving to an interview add to the narrative? Does writing "I shifted on the coach, which was a little too soft for my liking" (pg 50) really help anchor this story?
Donovan does a lot of preaching in this book, which often reads as a slightly pompous textbook on journalism. The biggest ego on display is not Ghomeshi's, but Donovan's. He constantly reminds the reader of his past triumphs, shoehorning in multiple references to the Rob Ford story and the time he "spent three months in the desert of Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait covering the Gulf War in 1991." Ever since Watergate, writers like Donovan (or Robin Doolittle and her "Crazytown" retelling of the Rob Ford debacle) seek to make themselves the story.
Donovan also never passes up an opportunity to disparage Jesse Brown, the "crowd-funded podcaster" who actually broke the story. It is clear from page one that Donovan looks down on Brown as a lesser form of journalist. On page 46, Donovan refers to Brown as "a relatively unknown commodity...and certainly not someone who would be able to investigate and make such damning allegations stick." According to Donovan, "It takes about ten years to become a Star man or a Star woman. Jesse Brown had spent less than a day in the building." Donovan writes: "The word 'journalist' covers a wide gamut, but as far as I could tell Brown did not yet have experience covering complex investigations."
There is little (actually, no) new information given in this book. The most shocking revelation is that Donovan, a reporter for Canada's best-selling newspaper, is both a poor storyteller and a mediocre wordsmith. The writing rarely rises above the level of a high-school book report: "Telling these stories, encouraging the national conversation on this issue, is very important." (pg 8). Donovan constantly alludes to the "conversation" but adds nothing to it. There is no analysis here, no deeper thought or revelations after the fact. I put down this book feeling as if Donovan simply wanted to re-write history, making himself the centre of the story.
If you followed the story as it happened, there is nothing new here. If you somehow managed to miss this story the first time around, go back and read Anne Kingston's coverage in McLean's. It has far more depth, nuance and social relevance than what is contained in this book.
October 24, 2016
Let's get the shallow part out of the way. Basically a celebrity tell all and zero pictures? Come on now!!
This was a difficult read & not because of the subject matter. Writing articles is a far cry from writing a book & oh was this painful. The narrative alternated between snoozing & speeding. It was disjointed and bogged down with journalistic squabbles and protocol.
The concluding chapters were hopeful, acknowledging the power of a public platform to confront violence against women, particularly sexualized violence.
It's still difficult to remember Ghomeshi has largely escaped consequences for his criminal behaviour.
This was a difficult read & not because of the subject matter. Writing articles is a far cry from writing a book & oh was this painful. The narrative alternated between snoozing & speeding. It was disjointed and bogged down with journalistic squabbles and protocol.
The concluding chapters were hopeful, acknowledging the power of a public platform to confront violence against women, particularly sexualized violence.
It's still difficult to remember Ghomeshi has largely escaped consequences for his criminal behaviour.
November 27, 2016
Journalists discuss ethics. A lot. We notice when someone's lost their integrity and we constantly ask ourselves if we're maintaining our own. And with the advent of Twitter as a leading news source and the proliferation of "fake news" that gets shared and discussed on social media, we worry that checks and balances, confirming sources and ethical standards are all going extinct. This book gives me hope that they're not.
Secret Life isn't meant to reveal new evidence about the Jian Ghomeshi sexual assault saga, except perhaps that the former darling of CBC radio had two full-time writers whose sole jobs were to create those poignant essays Ghomeshi read on Q every day. They even told him when to pause and sigh! As a broadcaster in the private system, I bristle when people believe the only authentic radio voices are on CBC. This is evidence that it's not always the case. However, don't get me wrong, I'm also a big fan of some of their on-air talents.
But I digress.
This book is a fascinating post-mortem of a journalist's investigation. The number of times Donovan checked his growing story with lawyers, editors and other reporters is staggering. Sober second thoughts? How about third, fourth, fifth and sixth thoughts. There was no rush to judgment and as any ethical reporter would be, Donovan was concerned about the inconsistencies in some of the womens' stories, even while most of them lined up, independently, to describe the same type of predatory behavior with similar allegations of assault. Donovan explains The Toronto Star's own code of standards for proceeding with a story that could destroy someone's life and career. As an investigative journalist, he holds every story up against those standards and if it doesn't meet the criteria, it doesn't run. You might be amazed by how many months went into the Ghomeshi story before anything about it was published.
This isn't Donovan's first dance. He broke the ORNGE air ambulance spending scandal wide open and was one of two people to see the Rob Ford crack video years before it went public. He's the real deal and as I watch so-called journalists declare beloved icons dead without bothering to make a phone call and confirm it, and share obviously bogus reports without checking the source, Secret Life gives me hope that real journalism is still alive and well in Canada.
Secret Life isn't meant to reveal new evidence about the Jian Ghomeshi sexual assault saga, except perhaps that the former darling of CBC radio had two full-time writers whose sole jobs were to create those poignant essays Ghomeshi read on Q every day. They even told him when to pause and sigh! As a broadcaster in the private system, I bristle when people believe the only authentic radio voices are on CBC. This is evidence that it's not always the case. However, don't get me wrong, I'm also a big fan of some of their on-air talents.
But I digress.
This book is a fascinating post-mortem of a journalist's investigation. The number of times Donovan checked his growing story with lawyers, editors and other reporters is staggering. Sober second thoughts? How about third, fourth, fifth and sixth thoughts. There was no rush to judgment and as any ethical reporter would be, Donovan was concerned about the inconsistencies in some of the womens' stories, even while most of them lined up, independently, to describe the same type of predatory behavior with similar allegations of assault. Donovan explains The Toronto Star's own code of standards for proceeding with a story that could destroy someone's life and career. As an investigative journalist, he holds every story up against those standards and if it doesn't meet the criteria, it doesn't run. You might be amazed by how many months went into the Ghomeshi story before anything about it was published.
This isn't Donovan's first dance. He broke the ORNGE air ambulance spending scandal wide open and was one of two people to see the Rob Ford crack video years before it went public. He's the real deal and as I watch so-called journalists declare beloved icons dead without bothering to make a phone call and confirm it, and share obviously bogus reports without checking the source, Secret Life gives me hope that real journalism is still alive and well in Canada.
November 2, 2021
This is a mess of a book. I checked once to see if an editor was credited. There was; perhaps the manuscript was even more of a mess before the editor got involved. One example "the ruling Conservative government of Stephen Harper". I might have shortened that to "Stephen Harper's Conservative government". My quibble here is the word "ruling". I know what a Conservative government is, but what is a "ruling government"? How is a ruling government different than just a government? This book was obviously rushed into print without any sort of close editing.
This book needed to be cut by about 50%. Too much information about Kevin Donovan and previous stories he has investigated and reported. At times he mentions women who have come forward and said they do not want their names used in the book, and then he uses their names! The thing about this story is that there are so many complainants (sadly, too many complainants), and so it is only necessary to focus on a few of them. There is no need to name those who do not want to be named.
The absolute worst thing about the book is that it is boring. As it is, the book is still a rough draft of the much better book it might have been.
This book needed to be cut by about 50%. Too much information about Kevin Donovan and previous stories he has investigated and reported. At times he mentions women who have come forward and said they do not want their names used in the book, and then he uses their names! The thing about this story is that there are so many complainants (sadly, too many complainants), and so it is only necessary to focus on a few of them. There is no need to name those who do not want to be named.
The absolute worst thing about the book is that it is boring. As it is, the book is still a rough draft of the much better book it might have been.
October 7, 2016
Very interesting perspective on a case we in Canada watched so closely. I remember vividly so many things, Jian's last essay on air, the plea on Facebook, the people who staunchly supported him until the news stories were published. Donovan's recounting of the working on this story provides insight into the journalistic process but also Ghomeshi himself.
April 9, 2017
Interesting overall. It was trashy, felt like reading a tabloid or something. The writing was bad, skimming over pieces that deserved more attention (like how he obtained certain information when he was not in the room -- what sources provided that?), and dwelling on many pieces that did not require such specific explanation. I felt he was disrespectful of Jesse Brown, without whom the Star probably wouldn't have had a story. Jesse was portrayed as a dummy most times. And the editing was bad. I counted at least five glaring errors, including one misspelling of Ghomeshi's name (Ghomshi). Not to mention the dozen or more sentences that could've been improved or given more clarity with a bit of a tweak. This isn't a newspaper article, where you could forgive such mistakes because deadlines are tough. This is a book. And yet, I flew through it, because it's that kind of junk food book that makes you reluctant to put it down until you've turned the last page. I guess because it was such a big story. It was interesting to see how the investigation played out.
October 19, 2016
A well written interesting summary of a case which many Canadians followed. From the first rumors of sexual misconduct, harassment, inflicting pain on women he dated, we learn of how the investigative process was conducted. The turmoil in the CBC over alleged bad behavior of its brightest star, and reasons the victims were unwilling to file complaints with the law are reviewed, as well as the reasons the case finally fell apart in trial. Very few new facts in the book, but an essential description of the timeline for those interested in the newspaper's lengthy investigation, and the resulting legal process and what happened within the CBC boardroom.
November 7, 2017
This is an account of the downfall of Jian Ghomeshi, the popular radio host of “Q” on the CBC, who was accused of engaging in abusive behavior during intimate encounters with woman without obtaining their consent. When the story broke, most of the public could simply not believe the allegations were true, but as more and more information was released, things changed and many were forced to confront their beliefs about this very popular media star.
Donovan’s book provides many of the details Canadians already know about the scandal that was splashed across media headlines. But this account also details how the story came to public attention through the work of Jesse Brown a Canadaland podcaster, Kevin Donovan a Toronto Star investigative reporter and the women who had suffered at Ghomeshi’s hands. The book explains the allegations against Ghomeshi over a twenty year period, the efforts of women to bring the story forward and the intense behind the scenes efforts to protect Ghomeshi’s secret life. It also includes information that never became public, including telling details from meetings Ghomeshi had with his defense team of lawyers, publicists and crisis managers and the stories of the many women who did not want to come forward publicly. Most of the allegations raised in the book were never heard in court with only four dealt with in the legal system. Ghomeshi was acquitted in three cases and issued an apology in the fourth case.
During the period when this work was done, Jesse Brown and Kevin Donovan had widely differing views about how to handle the revelations. Brown was the initial one with the story, anxious to release information to the public and make a name for himself. Brown was confident of the truth in the stories because he had worked at the CBC in the past and had heard accounts over the years of Ghomeshi’s caustic and harassing behavior. He also knew the show had a revolving door of producers and one of them was his friend Kathryn Borel.
Donovan took an entirely different point of view, mindful of his ethical and legal responsibilities as a reporter to verify allegations before they were released for public consumption. Basic journalistic practice required stories be verified and for Donovan, the lack of documentary evidence posed a significant problem. Initially he was skeptical about the stories he heard, even more so when those stories, which initially seemed substantive, did not appear as strong when he dug deeper. Donovan had a clear understanding of the concept of libel and the harm that could affect individuals and families from information that might simply be wrong. He wanted to research thoroughly, not rush to judgment just to be the first to get the story. He knew it was more important to be right than first, more important to take one’s time to publish than be wrong. He wanted to put out a story that was in the public interest, not just a story that interested the public. The issue of Ghomeshi’s bizarre sex life including BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism) was interesting but not necessarily important for the public to know. But the public did have a right to know about allegations of violent physical assault committed against men or women without their consent. Complicating the investigative work Donovan set out to do was the issue of confronting a high placed and popular celebrity, a man treated almost as a God at the CBC. He was a man who could afford expensive lawyers and an excellent defense team. Donovan had to be careful.
Although Brown and Donovan initially worked together, their different styles led to friction, with each having very different ideas about how the story should be handled. Certainly Brown played a key role in breaking the story, bringing the allegations to the Toronto Star and eventually creating a scenario that caused Ghomeshi to panic and for his defense team to take drastic action, sharing Ghomeshi’s private videos with the CBC. Their intent was to convince the executives Ghomeshi was simply engaged in consensual rough sex, but their action proved to be a massive misstep. When the CBC executives saw the videos, they were shocked and stunned. Ghomeshi was called to a meeting that same afternoon and was fired. On that same day Ghomeshi posted a long winded and rambling message on FACEBOOK, sharing with his fans his enjoyment of rough sex and BDSM activities among consenting parties. He also insisted that any complaints against him were the work of a former girlfriend who had started a smear campaign against him. He insisted he had done nothing wrong.
This book answers some important questions for readers, including why the women affected went to the media instead of the police, why Ghomeshi was eventually acquitted of the charges and what constitutes consent in a world where sexual behavior is beginning to push formerly long held boundaries. It also paints a picture of Ghomeshi entirely hidden from his adoring public, a charming narcissist who could be cruel, a man often depressed, anxious and full of self-pity. He was an accomplished manipulator who targeted vulnerable younger women and knew his status as a star was key in keeping them silent. It is telling to note that Ghomeshi was almost twice the age of the woman with whom he had the longest relationship.
The women involved had two important questions to explain that served Ghomeshi’s defense team well during his criminal trial. First, if as they claim, they had been punched, slapped and choked during sex, why did they not report these incidents to the police? Their replies echo the responses of thousands of women who have been sexually assaulted. They did not feel they would be believed and in the absence of proof, allegations would be reduced to a “she said, he said” scenario. Any complaint brought to the police could potentially have the women on the witness stand in a trial and none were prepared to undergo the often caustic, demeaning and rigorous questioning of a sharp, well paid criminal defense lawyer. Their behavior which they knew would be embarrassing to family and friends, would be aired in a public forum and they would be exposed to criticism. They simply did not want to be linked publically with embarrassing details of their conduct. Many were also concerned Ghomeshi would sue them, entangling them in a costly legal battle which would drain their savings, while a wealthy man like Ghomeshi with deep pockets could battle on for years. Talking to the police led them down that path, while talking to the media allowed them to remain a “confidential source”. Their main goal was to stop his behavior and to warn other women of the danger of dating him.
Secondly, thoroughly complicating matters, many of the women continued to have contact with Ghomeshi after the assaults. Some sent flirty e mails while others continued to date him despite the way they were treated. That and the fact some were ready to submit to some level of roughness muddied the issue of consent. The most logical question to ask was why, after they had been assaulted by Ghomeshi, they did not cut off the relationship and leave. But many were attracted by Ghomeshi’s celebrity, some thought his behavior was just a “one off” and others thought that they could change him.
Donovan’s book details the day to day slogging of an investigative reporter working with the help of legal advisors, witnesses and others, to put together a story which was accurate and credible. Despite many efforts Donovan could not get Ghomeshi’s side of the story; Ghomeshi just refused to meet with him.
One question that remains in the back of every reader’s mind was why Ghomeshi never feared his behavior would be discovered and his career ended. Why would he put his lucrative career in such danger? He remained convinced he was doing nothing wrong, that his behavior was normal and that he simply enjoyed rough sex. He also leaped to the conclusion that because the women dated him or continued to have a relationship with him, they had in some way consented to his behavior. This thinking kept him remarkably calm until the time Brown announced to his podcast listeners that he was about to release some shocking information about a well-known celebrity in town. It was then that events escalated.
Although Ghomeshi was acquitted in criminal court of the charges against him, the work done by Brown and Donovan helped to bring the information before a shocked public. It also brought big changes to the CBC where managers were blamed for ignoring the complaints brought before them about the untenable work environment Ghomeshi’s had created at “Q”. When employees found their complaints were ignored, they were reluctant to push the issue further, knowing their careers were linked to Ghomeshi’s. Besides, he was a popular host and no one wanted to risk hurting “Q” which was a massive success at a time when the CBC was reaching out to increase its listeners and viewers. It was also clear in the studio that although on paper the boss of “Q” was executive producer Arif Noorani, Ghomeshi called the shots and had the ability to catch the ear of those above him in the bureaucracy. Both men belonged to the same union and so Noorani had little power over Ghomeshi. The show was important. No one wanted to risk their jobs, so faced with his obnoxious behavior, people reacted differently; some stayed and some left.
The entire affair started a nation-wide conversation about sexual harassment in the workplace and the issue of what constitutes consent. Donovan says it was why he wrote the book. He wanted to expose Ghomeshi’s wrongdoing but he also wanted to explore the issue of what constitutes consent, to examine how sexual assault cases are handled and how women who come forward are treated. He also wanted to expose potential problems in a workplace where uneven power structures and the cult of celebrity create a powerful cover-up for a perpetrator.
Regretfully we learn nothing new about Jian Ghomeshi who never defended himself against the allegations, refusing to speak to Donovan and avoiding the opportunity to take the stand at his trial. His life is still very much a secret. We only know him through the observations of others, some quite telling. The women he dated described him as a master manipulator, a charming narcissist and a man desperate to be liked, who paid as much attention to the color of his car as the way he was dressed. His staff at “Q” say he frequently regaled them with his sexual escapades and his love of anal sex when the microphones and cameras were off. Ghomeshi’s advisors also observed that he seemed to get aroused when describing the ins and outs of “rough sex”, how his voice was raised and his voice changed and how he provided more detail than was necessary to make his points. The fact Ghomeshi had assaulted men earlier in his life was also information few knew about.
It is important to note that without the work of Donovan and Brown, Ghomeshi would still be behaving the way he had in the past. Reviewing the allegations over a period of several years, he appeared to have a voracious appetite for meeting new women, his behavior gradually becoming more aggressive and violent. Such serial activity suggests Ghomeshi had to increase the violence to ensure his needs were gratified. Some stories verified this suggestion, as women recounted how when the violence stopped during their intimate encounters, Ghomeshi’s ardor vanished and he lost interest. He was already choking women until they almost passed out. It is frightening to think what might have happened if he had not been stopped.
Although Ghomeshi was acquitted of the charges against him in court, it does not mean the events brought to light never occurred. In some ways, Ghomeshi has received some form of punishment. It brought an end to his lucrative career and to this day he is still struggling to get back on track, with little success. Many of his friends have distanced themselves from him and his high end life style came to an abrupt halt. One wonders how his mother and sister who stood by him through the entire legal ordeal, have reacted in private to all that they have heard. Ghomeshi is paying a price, perhaps not all he deserves, but a price.
Donovan has provided a good exploration of the issues of sexual assault, consent, the cult of celebrity and the politics of power and gender in the workplace. Although there is not a good deal of new information, this account does provide a linear report of the events as they occurred during the months of the scandal, released in bits and pieces to the public. And importantly, it details how reliable ethical journalists do their work.
Donovan’s book provides many of the details Canadians already know about the scandal that was splashed across media headlines. But this account also details how the story came to public attention through the work of Jesse Brown a Canadaland podcaster, Kevin Donovan a Toronto Star investigative reporter and the women who had suffered at Ghomeshi’s hands. The book explains the allegations against Ghomeshi over a twenty year period, the efforts of women to bring the story forward and the intense behind the scenes efforts to protect Ghomeshi’s secret life. It also includes information that never became public, including telling details from meetings Ghomeshi had with his defense team of lawyers, publicists and crisis managers and the stories of the many women who did not want to come forward publicly. Most of the allegations raised in the book were never heard in court with only four dealt with in the legal system. Ghomeshi was acquitted in three cases and issued an apology in the fourth case.
During the period when this work was done, Jesse Brown and Kevin Donovan had widely differing views about how to handle the revelations. Brown was the initial one with the story, anxious to release information to the public and make a name for himself. Brown was confident of the truth in the stories because he had worked at the CBC in the past and had heard accounts over the years of Ghomeshi’s caustic and harassing behavior. He also knew the show had a revolving door of producers and one of them was his friend Kathryn Borel.
Donovan took an entirely different point of view, mindful of his ethical and legal responsibilities as a reporter to verify allegations before they were released for public consumption. Basic journalistic practice required stories be verified and for Donovan, the lack of documentary evidence posed a significant problem. Initially he was skeptical about the stories he heard, even more so when those stories, which initially seemed substantive, did not appear as strong when he dug deeper. Donovan had a clear understanding of the concept of libel and the harm that could affect individuals and families from information that might simply be wrong. He wanted to research thoroughly, not rush to judgment just to be the first to get the story. He knew it was more important to be right than first, more important to take one’s time to publish than be wrong. He wanted to put out a story that was in the public interest, not just a story that interested the public. The issue of Ghomeshi’s bizarre sex life including BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism) was interesting but not necessarily important for the public to know. But the public did have a right to know about allegations of violent physical assault committed against men or women without their consent. Complicating the investigative work Donovan set out to do was the issue of confronting a high placed and popular celebrity, a man treated almost as a God at the CBC. He was a man who could afford expensive lawyers and an excellent defense team. Donovan had to be careful.
Although Brown and Donovan initially worked together, their different styles led to friction, with each having very different ideas about how the story should be handled. Certainly Brown played a key role in breaking the story, bringing the allegations to the Toronto Star and eventually creating a scenario that caused Ghomeshi to panic and for his defense team to take drastic action, sharing Ghomeshi’s private videos with the CBC. Their intent was to convince the executives Ghomeshi was simply engaged in consensual rough sex, but their action proved to be a massive misstep. When the CBC executives saw the videos, they were shocked and stunned. Ghomeshi was called to a meeting that same afternoon and was fired. On that same day Ghomeshi posted a long winded and rambling message on FACEBOOK, sharing with his fans his enjoyment of rough sex and BDSM activities among consenting parties. He also insisted that any complaints against him were the work of a former girlfriend who had started a smear campaign against him. He insisted he had done nothing wrong.
This book answers some important questions for readers, including why the women affected went to the media instead of the police, why Ghomeshi was eventually acquitted of the charges and what constitutes consent in a world where sexual behavior is beginning to push formerly long held boundaries. It also paints a picture of Ghomeshi entirely hidden from his adoring public, a charming narcissist who could be cruel, a man often depressed, anxious and full of self-pity. He was an accomplished manipulator who targeted vulnerable younger women and knew his status as a star was key in keeping them silent. It is telling to note that Ghomeshi was almost twice the age of the woman with whom he had the longest relationship.
The women involved had two important questions to explain that served Ghomeshi’s defense team well during his criminal trial. First, if as they claim, they had been punched, slapped and choked during sex, why did they not report these incidents to the police? Their replies echo the responses of thousands of women who have been sexually assaulted. They did not feel they would be believed and in the absence of proof, allegations would be reduced to a “she said, he said” scenario. Any complaint brought to the police could potentially have the women on the witness stand in a trial and none were prepared to undergo the often caustic, demeaning and rigorous questioning of a sharp, well paid criminal defense lawyer. Their behavior which they knew would be embarrassing to family and friends, would be aired in a public forum and they would be exposed to criticism. They simply did not want to be linked publically with embarrassing details of their conduct. Many were also concerned Ghomeshi would sue them, entangling them in a costly legal battle which would drain their savings, while a wealthy man like Ghomeshi with deep pockets could battle on for years. Talking to the police led them down that path, while talking to the media allowed them to remain a “confidential source”. Their main goal was to stop his behavior and to warn other women of the danger of dating him.
Secondly, thoroughly complicating matters, many of the women continued to have contact with Ghomeshi after the assaults. Some sent flirty e mails while others continued to date him despite the way they were treated. That and the fact some were ready to submit to some level of roughness muddied the issue of consent. The most logical question to ask was why, after they had been assaulted by Ghomeshi, they did not cut off the relationship and leave. But many were attracted by Ghomeshi’s celebrity, some thought his behavior was just a “one off” and others thought that they could change him.
Donovan’s book details the day to day slogging of an investigative reporter working with the help of legal advisors, witnesses and others, to put together a story which was accurate and credible. Despite many efforts Donovan could not get Ghomeshi’s side of the story; Ghomeshi just refused to meet with him.
One question that remains in the back of every reader’s mind was why Ghomeshi never feared his behavior would be discovered and his career ended. Why would he put his lucrative career in such danger? He remained convinced he was doing nothing wrong, that his behavior was normal and that he simply enjoyed rough sex. He also leaped to the conclusion that because the women dated him or continued to have a relationship with him, they had in some way consented to his behavior. This thinking kept him remarkably calm until the time Brown announced to his podcast listeners that he was about to release some shocking information about a well-known celebrity in town. It was then that events escalated.
Although Ghomeshi was acquitted in criminal court of the charges against him, the work done by Brown and Donovan helped to bring the information before a shocked public. It also brought big changes to the CBC where managers were blamed for ignoring the complaints brought before them about the untenable work environment Ghomeshi’s had created at “Q”. When employees found their complaints were ignored, they were reluctant to push the issue further, knowing their careers were linked to Ghomeshi’s. Besides, he was a popular host and no one wanted to risk hurting “Q” which was a massive success at a time when the CBC was reaching out to increase its listeners and viewers. It was also clear in the studio that although on paper the boss of “Q” was executive producer Arif Noorani, Ghomeshi called the shots and had the ability to catch the ear of those above him in the bureaucracy. Both men belonged to the same union and so Noorani had little power over Ghomeshi. The show was important. No one wanted to risk their jobs, so faced with his obnoxious behavior, people reacted differently; some stayed and some left.
The entire affair started a nation-wide conversation about sexual harassment in the workplace and the issue of what constitutes consent. Donovan says it was why he wrote the book. He wanted to expose Ghomeshi’s wrongdoing but he also wanted to explore the issue of what constitutes consent, to examine how sexual assault cases are handled and how women who come forward are treated. He also wanted to expose potential problems in a workplace where uneven power structures and the cult of celebrity create a powerful cover-up for a perpetrator.
Regretfully we learn nothing new about Jian Ghomeshi who never defended himself against the allegations, refusing to speak to Donovan and avoiding the opportunity to take the stand at his trial. His life is still very much a secret. We only know him through the observations of others, some quite telling. The women he dated described him as a master manipulator, a charming narcissist and a man desperate to be liked, who paid as much attention to the color of his car as the way he was dressed. His staff at “Q” say he frequently regaled them with his sexual escapades and his love of anal sex when the microphones and cameras were off. Ghomeshi’s advisors also observed that he seemed to get aroused when describing the ins and outs of “rough sex”, how his voice was raised and his voice changed and how he provided more detail than was necessary to make his points. The fact Ghomeshi had assaulted men earlier in his life was also information few knew about.
It is important to note that without the work of Donovan and Brown, Ghomeshi would still be behaving the way he had in the past. Reviewing the allegations over a period of several years, he appeared to have a voracious appetite for meeting new women, his behavior gradually becoming more aggressive and violent. Such serial activity suggests Ghomeshi had to increase the violence to ensure his needs were gratified. Some stories verified this suggestion, as women recounted how when the violence stopped during their intimate encounters, Ghomeshi’s ardor vanished and he lost interest. He was already choking women until they almost passed out. It is frightening to think what might have happened if he had not been stopped.
Although Ghomeshi was acquitted of the charges against him in court, it does not mean the events brought to light never occurred. In some ways, Ghomeshi has received some form of punishment. It brought an end to his lucrative career and to this day he is still struggling to get back on track, with little success. Many of his friends have distanced themselves from him and his high end life style came to an abrupt halt. One wonders how his mother and sister who stood by him through the entire legal ordeal, have reacted in private to all that they have heard. Ghomeshi is paying a price, perhaps not all he deserves, but a price.
Donovan has provided a good exploration of the issues of sexual assault, consent, the cult of celebrity and the politics of power and gender in the workplace. Although there is not a good deal of new information, this account does provide a linear report of the events as they occurred during the months of the scandal, released in bits and pieces to the public. And importantly, it details how reliable ethical journalists do their work.
March 29, 2017
I didn't follow coverage of the Ghomeshi case while it was happening, so this book was a convenient summary for me. It painted the portrait of a sad, sad, sex-obsessed man who abused women his entire adult life and got away with it because he was famous. Sound familiar? *cough*Trump*cough*
The book spotlighted the thorny issue of post-incident contact, which basically sunk the Crown prosecutor's criminal case. Most of the women exchanged chatty texts or even continued to see Ghomeshi after he hurt them.
Additionally, even though 20 women eventually came forward, not a single one reported Ghomeshi to the police at the time. Why?
Well, in a nutshell, this sort of sexual assault is complicated. Ghomeshi was charming... famous... in a position of power. In the later incidents, the ones with the highest degree violence, he was twice their age. Some women had a hard time putting a name to what had happened to them: not rape, but entwined with sex; not a beating, but violent and scary. Many were confused by the out-of-nowhere nature of his attacks, the complete discord with his friendly public persona. They made excuses, they were in denial. They were faking bravado.
Yeah, it's complicated.
Doesn't mean it didn't happen. Doesn't mean it wasn't wrong.
The book spotlighted the thorny issue of post-incident contact, which basically sunk the Crown prosecutor's criminal case. Most of the women exchanged chatty texts or even continued to see Ghomeshi after he hurt them.
Additionally, even though 20 women eventually came forward, not a single one reported Ghomeshi to the police at the time. Why?
Well, in a nutshell, this sort of sexual assault is complicated. Ghomeshi was charming... famous... in a position of power. In the later incidents, the ones with the highest degree violence, he was twice their age. Some women had a hard time putting a name to what had happened to them: not rape, but entwined with sex; not a beating, but violent and scary. Many were confused by the out-of-nowhere nature of his attacks, the complete discord with his friendly public persona. They made excuses, they were in denial. They were faking bravado.
Yeah, it's complicated.
Doesn't mean it didn't happen. Doesn't mean it wasn't wrong.
October 31, 2021
*tw* sexual assault, sexual abuse, violence
I’m going to tear this book apart, but I have good reasons for it.
I joked around that at first reading it at all was a “rage read” and it turned into a rage read for many other reasons.
If you have somehow avoided the discourse, here’s the briefest summary I can come up with.
There was a CBC employee named Jian Ghomeshi who was put on a pedestal for his work as the radio host of the show “Q”. Many young women and men accused him of violently sexually assaulting them and one of these women reached out to Jesse Brown, the host of a media critic radio show called Canadaland. Brown then reached out to different newsrooms to jointly report on this story and the newsroom who ended up working with him on it turned out to be the Toronto Star and specifically Kevin Donovan, the author of this book.
Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation was published in 2016 by Goose Lane Editions. I bought a copy at a special event Donovan was speaking at when I was still attending St. Thomas University for my journalism degree.
I don’t understand why it’s called Secret Life, however. That makes no sense to me. There was nothing secret about any of these allegations. Everyone at CBC talked about it and journalism programs declined to send interns to work at Q because of these rumours and reports.
The account of these events is on the gossipy side but the overall tale is riveting and the only times you’ll likely put down this book is in disgust or horror or to cry.
Donovan states many times throughout the book but especially in the preface that people withdrew their consent for sharing their personal and traumatic stories for this book. Donovan published the book and shared the stories anyway, directly profiting from other peoples’ misery. He ignored very clearly the rule of consent which is, unless the other person gives an enthusiastic yes, then the answer to your question is a no.
A quote near the end of the preface says journalists must be objective and not be in partnership with sources makes me grit my teeth. If you do not have a partnership with your sources and they do not trust you, then you do not have any sources. You are expected to be an advocate for your source to your editors and you share the story and explain why it’s important.
Because of the narrator’s unreliability, the mistakes in copy, (misspellings were rampant) the incorrectly portrayed events, the poorly explained facts, the ego on display and the clear disparagement of Jesse Brown (seriously, this is a good defamation case) I would rate this book one star out of five.
If you would like to see my whole sordid review of this book (all 2000 words of it yikes) you can check it out on my website at ablankpage.ca and leave a comment! http://www.ablankpage.ca/index.php/2021/10/29/secret-life-the-jian-ghomeshi-investigation/
I’m going to tear this book apart, but I have good reasons for it.
I joked around that at first reading it at all was a “rage read” and it turned into a rage read for many other reasons.
If you have somehow avoided the discourse, here’s the briefest summary I can come up with.
There was a CBC employee named Jian Ghomeshi who was put on a pedestal for his work as the radio host of the show “Q”. Many young women and men accused him of violently sexually assaulting them and one of these women reached out to Jesse Brown, the host of a media critic radio show called Canadaland. Brown then reached out to different newsrooms to jointly report on this story and the newsroom who ended up working with him on it turned out to be the Toronto Star and specifically Kevin Donovan, the author of this book.
Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation was published in 2016 by Goose Lane Editions. I bought a copy at a special event Donovan was speaking at when I was still attending St. Thomas University for my journalism degree.
I don’t understand why it’s called Secret Life, however. That makes no sense to me. There was nothing secret about any of these allegations. Everyone at CBC talked about it and journalism programs declined to send interns to work at Q because of these rumours and reports.
The account of these events is on the gossipy side but the overall tale is riveting and the only times you’ll likely put down this book is in disgust or horror or to cry.
Donovan states many times throughout the book but especially in the preface that people withdrew their consent for sharing their personal and traumatic stories for this book. Donovan published the book and shared the stories anyway, directly profiting from other peoples’ misery. He ignored very clearly the rule of consent which is, unless the other person gives an enthusiastic yes, then the answer to your question is a no.
A quote near the end of the preface says journalists must be objective and not be in partnership with sources makes me grit my teeth. If you do not have a partnership with your sources and they do not trust you, then you do not have any sources. You are expected to be an advocate for your source to your editors and you share the story and explain why it’s important.
Because of the narrator’s unreliability, the mistakes in copy, (misspellings were rampant) the incorrectly portrayed events, the poorly explained facts, the ego on display and the clear disparagement of Jesse Brown (seriously, this is a good defamation case) I would rate this book one star out of five.
If you would like to see my whole sordid review of this book (all 2000 words of it yikes) you can check it out on my website at ablankpage.ca and leave a comment! http://www.ablankpage.ca/index.php/2021/10/29/secret-life-the-jian-ghomeshi-investigation/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2017
A study of a psychopath who scared and controlled people by charm and fear. This was a big deal when it all happened and shame on the CBC Corporation for supporting rape culture. This isn't a perfect book, but congrats to the journalist and the Toronto Star for not being afraid to stand up for justice.
September 5, 2018
There was always something about Jian Ghomeshi that I was vaguely put off by. I was never sure what it was. I thought he was good looking and that he had an amazing radio voice and was a friendly and thorough interviewer. But there was always something that seemed off . . .
Donovan's book is appropriately named. It is an inside look at Jian's secret life. It is a scary place.
Donovan's book is appropriately named. It is an inside look at Jian's secret life. It is a scary place.
October 16, 2016
A well documented expose on the truth about Jian Ghomeshi
and how the public really didn't know him.
It is too bad that he got off.
and how the public really didn't know him.
It is too bad that he got off.
October 18, 2016
A detailed description of the Jian Ghomeshi scandal, written by one of the journalists who revealed the story. I read the book in 24 hours due to its content. However, it was interesting that the author dedicated the book to his editor "who took what was at times a muddled mess and made it so much better", since the book was full of errors and poorly worded phrases. Some examples include page 223: " at the downtown watering hole dbar". On page 69: " he offered to drive her a drive to her car". Yikes!
May 19, 2017
A very thorough overview of one of Canada's most notorious celebrity scandals. Creepy as hell and an absolute must-read. Couldn't put it down.
Quotes....
Quotes....
February 11, 2018
Kevin Donovan's book outlines the story of Jian Ghomeshi and how Donovan first came to know about the rumours and whispers with regard to sexual assault as perpetrated by Ghomeshi. Donovan is a journalist at The Star and Ghomeshi was a powerhouse at the CBC. Ghomeshi was the host of the program Q which was very successful.
As the rumours and allegations against Ghomeshi were becoming more prominent, Ghomeshi and the CBC had a meeting where he tried to explain that he had a taste for rough sex with his partners and it was always consensual. After this meeting the CBC decided to fire him.
Donovan's book details the assaults by Jian Ghomeshi as described by the women who brought the allegations to him. He gives us insight why it was so difficult for the judge in the criminal case to find Ghomeshi guilty of the charges that were brought against him. One of the charges that was tried after the "not guilty" verdict, led to an apology to his victim.
A thought-provoking account of sexual assault and consent, celebrity and the place of gender and harrassment in the workplace.
As the rumours and allegations against Ghomeshi were becoming more prominent, Ghomeshi and the CBC had a meeting where he tried to explain that he had a taste for rough sex with his partners and it was always consensual. After this meeting the CBC decided to fire him.
Donovan's book details the assaults by Jian Ghomeshi as described by the women who brought the allegations to him. He gives us insight why it was so difficult for the judge in the criminal case to find Ghomeshi guilty of the charges that were brought against him. One of the charges that was tried after the "not guilty" verdict, led to an apology to his victim.
A thought-provoking account of sexual assault and consent, celebrity and the place of gender and harrassment in the workplace.
March 30, 2018
While there were some typo issues in this book, overall I found it a great read. While I knew quite a bit about the Ghomeshi stuff, being Canadian, there were many things I missed, not living in the TO area and being able to follow the story in the Toronto Star daily. I thought, in particular, this was a really interesting read about how a journalist does his job, and how a story comes together - or doesn't. In terms of the long-term impact the Ghomeshi story has on a woman's safety coming forward to tell her story...we'll see. I do find it interesting that the big discussion was about how a woman is "supposed" to behave after an assault being an issue in the trial. It finally made clearer to me how the justice system can handle these cases better - there should be no assumption that any victim will act a certain way after her (his) assault.
Anyway, definitely worth the read.
Anyway, definitely worth the read.
November 5, 2016
This was more of an journalistic exploration of Jian Ghomeshi's fall from grace rather than a tell-all.However the saddest aspect of the whole business is how a man of power and celebrity was in reality a pathetic insecure creep and how some women want love or dazzle so much they will tak crap off men
REALLY what I still dont understand is why some of the victims went back for more poor treatment--all I can say is :parents,teach your daughters to stand up for themselves and not to be dazzled by cool guys who misuse you cause the courts ain't going to protect you.
REALLY what I still dont understand is why some of the victims went back for more poor treatment--all I can say is :parents,teach your daughters to stand up for themselves and not to be dazzled by cool guys who misuse you cause the courts ain't going to protect you.
May 20, 2017
More salacious than substantial.
It's telling that the writer of the book, Kevin Donovan (a Toronto Star reporter), admits in the liner notes that the book is at times a "muddled mess". Editing isn't the only thing Donovan should have worried about - Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation is a confusing, tabloid-esque summary of the associated court case. For those who followed the case from its inception, there's very little new information of note.
The biggest problem to me doesn't concern the subject material of the investigation itself, but rather Donovan's explanations of the newspaper industry. When I first started reading this, I was impressed by his descriptions of life working at the Star. There's a Canadian All The President's Men vibe going on throughout the book. Instead of meetings in darkened garages and clandestine meetings, the events play out in a vacated floor of the Toronto Star building and celebrity galas where chance encounters occur. Yet, for all of Donovan's spiel about how it takes a decade to be a "Star man" and the adherence to fact-checking and proper journalism, the book is shockingly amateurish.
Perhaps that explains why the original publisher (ECW Press) dropped the book, leading Donovan to scramble to find a new partner in the form of Goose Lane Books. Make no mistake - this is not on the same level as fellow Star reporter Robyn Doolittle's Crazy Town (which dealt with the Rob Ford crack case).
There are significant problems with the book. Perhaps the "Jean Ghomeshi" typo in a chapter dealing with the eponymous host's university antics was an honest mistake, but the formatting and layout of the book is all over the place. There are situations and anecdotes brought up that never lead to anything. The book is extremely front-loaded, bringing up significant revelations in the first few chapters than slowing down to a near-crawl for many pages. There's also a sense that Donovan has tried to shove in as much information as possible, even if it seems dubious (the chapters dealing with meetings Jian had with crisis communications firm Navigatr have a lot of dialogue that sounds highly suspect at best and fabricated at worst) or the material isn't that interesting.
There's also this weird bragging tone that runs throughout the book. As someone who came through journalism school and was well aware of the Star's stringent standards for interns (basically, you couldn't get a spot there unless you were either an established reporter at a community paper or were 30+). Donovan characterizes the place as one where you aren't even regarded as a true employee unless you've spent more than a decade there, and he scoffs at fellow blogger/writer Jesse Brown's attempts to get leads (sometimes vague) for the case. Yet Donovan is hypocritical, because Secret Life is all over the place tonally, filled with asides and anecdotes that never would have survived past the first draft of an article or a book.
This is shockingly amateurish work for a writer who's actually turned in amazing material, like the book dealing with his efforts investigating the ORNGE air ambulance controversy. Donovan looks down on people like Brown for being a "lesser journalist", but there's a lot of flab and rambling in this book that is beneath him.
Secret Life does have a few interesting moments - the crisis meetings (dubious as they are) do have some compelling information, and the charged meeting between Donovan and Ghomeshi at a Toronto Film Festival gala dinner does have a sense of tension and weight that the rest of the book never reaches again.
There needs to be an expose and thorough retelling of the Ghomeshi case, but Secret Life is not the definitive work covering the case. Unbalanced, preachy and muddled at many points, this is a book you can safely skip if you've already followed the case.
It's telling that the writer of the book, Kevin Donovan (a Toronto Star reporter), admits in the liner notes that the book is at times a "muddled mess". Editing isn't the only thing Donovan should have worried about - Secret Life: The Jian Ghomeshi Investigation is a confusing, tabloid-esque summary of the associated court case. For those who followed the case from its inception, there's very little new information of note.
The biggest problem to me doesn't concern the subject material of the investigation itself, but rather Donovan's explanations of the newspaper industry. When I first started reading this, I was impressed by his descriptions of life working at the Star. There's a Canadian All The President's Men vibe going on throughout the book. Instead of meetings in darkened garages and clandestine meetings, the events play out in a vacated floor of the Toronto Star building and celebrity galas where chance encounters occur. Yet, for all of Donovan's spiel about how it takes a decade to be a "Star man" and the adherence to fact-checking and proper journalism, the book is shockingly amateurish.
Perhaps that explains why the original publisher (ECW Press) dropped the book, leading Donovan to scramble to find a new partner in the form of Goose Lane Books. Make no mistake - this is not on the same level as fellow Star reporter Robyn Doolittle's Crazy Town (which dealt with the Rob Ford crack case).
There are significant problems with the book. Perhaps the "Jean Ghomeshi" typo in a chapter dealing with the eponymous host's university antics was an honest mistake, but the formatting and layout of the book is all over the place. There are situations and anecdotes brought up that never lead to anything. The book is extremely front-loaded, bringing up significant revelations in the first few chapters than slowing down to a near-crawl for many pages. There's also a sense that Donovan has tried to shove in as much information as possible, even if it seems dubious (the chapters dealing with meetings Jian had with crisis communications firm Navigatr have a lot of dialogue that sounds highly suspect at best and fabricated at worst) or the material isn't that interesting.
There's also this weird bragging tone that runs throughout the book. As someone who came through journalism school and was well aware of the Star's stringent standards for interns (basically, you couldn't get a spot there unless you were either an established reporter at a community paper or were 30+). Donovan characterizes the place as one where you aren't even regarded as a true employee unless you've spent more than a decade there, and he scoffs at fellow blogger/writer Jesse Brown's attempts to get leads (sometimes vague) for the case. Yet Donovan is hypocritical, because Secret Life is all over the place tonally, filled with asides and anecdotes that never would have survived past the first draft of an article or a book.
This is shockingly amateurish work for a writer who's actually turned in amazing material, like the book dealing with his efforts investigating the ORNGE air ambulance controversy. Donovan looks down on people like Brown for being a "lesser journalist", but there's a lot of flab and rambling in this book that is beneath him.
Secret Life does have a few interesting moments - the crisis meetings (dubious as they are) do have some compelling information, and the charged meeting between Donovan and Ghomeshi at a Toronto Film Festival gala dinner does have a sense of tension and weight that the rest of the book never reaches again.
There needs to be an expose and thorough retelling of the Ghomeshi case, but Secret Life is not the definitive work covering the case. Unbalanced, preachy and muddled at many points, this is a book you can safely skip if you've already followed the case.
August 11, 2017
Easy to read account of how Jian Ghomeshi's exploits came to light and how he was astonishingly allowed to get away with it for so long. This charming powerful guy had us all fooled! Unbelievable how some of his victims kept relationship going. Understanding why no one said anything--just wanted to move on and try to forget it happened. Interesting that Ghomeshi and his advisors panicked when they thought an expose was imminent and they were actually the ones to reveal his "secret life" because they wanted to get ahead of the story. Others have commented on poor editing and writing and confusing time lines, but not really a big impediment.
May 21, 2021
The writing style was self congratulatory and could have benefitted by some better editing. It seemed to be many newspaper articles strung together, likely because the author is a reporter. Although he writes that he is just stating the facts as presented, there is an undercurrent of victim blaming. As for the odious Jian Ghomeshi; he got lucky. Just walked away from numerous aasaults with a lame apology. Sad day for Canadian justice. I wouldn't bother with this tangled account.
January 2, 2019
This book was definitely a page turner. It was eye opening to see how many people dismissed the behaviour of Ghomeshi for one reason or another. While the content was interesting, at times I felt it was jumbled together and hard to keep the actors straight. There were also a few typos that were distracting.
November 8, 2016
This is an important story and a useful reminder that many more people than the four whose cases resulted in criminal charges (and acquittals in three cases and an apology in the fourth) came forward with similar allegations about how Jian Ghomeshi treated them.
March 20, 2017
Couldn't put it down. As an avid CBC radio 1 listener and huge fan of both Jian and his show Q I was fascinated to read the back story of how this scandal/crime was investigated by The Toronto Star and ultimately the failed criminal trial.
December 27, 2017
By a great book necessarily — lots of errors (additional/undeleted words, usage errors), some confusing shifts in timeline, and a lot of repetition. But the story behind the stories is pretty fascinating.
March 18, 2017
While hoping for more of an understanding of Jian Ghomeshi's psychological makeup, the greater portion of the book is dedicated to telling how the house of cards fell in on Jian and CBC. Like so many Canadians, I chimed in on Twitter in support of Jian following his posting of his firing and criticized CBC. It is difficult to see someone whose skills you admire fall from grace, but when the book was finished, I did have a better understanding of his psyche. I also found myself reverting to feeling pity for him once again, not to belittle or feel less sympathy for the countless women and men that he physically and mentally abused. While the court case was an abject failure in finding Jian guilty of his actions, it together with the second case of assault charges against former co-worker Kathryn Borel and her public statement following receipt of Jian's apology/admission of guilt, sparked a watershed moment and greater understanding in most Canadians of reason's why victims so seldom report inhuman incidents.
May 7, 2017
Messy, slanted, tabloidy. I read it in one day and kind of enjoyed it. Learned a few things about Canadian law, culture, and celebrity.
January 15, 2018
I hate the reporter that wrote this book, but what a story! It will be great as a book club discussion.
June 8, 2020
Not much more information than what was published in newspapers, but well done. Young women need to be better prepared to deal with predators like Ghomeshi.
February 6, 2022
Absolutely could not put this book down
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