After 16 years on the air, Ed the Sock has been hung out to dry. I've been a fan of Ed's raunchy, blunt style and antics, and even once had the opportunity to meet the man behind the sock. But these days, it seems like nothing is being spared from the chopping block, after recent decisions not to bring back Speaker's Corner to the departures new media specialst Amber MacArthur and consumer advocate Peter Silverman.

Ed the Sock becomes another casualty of Rogers' management trying to create a new image for Citytv by distancing the network from many of the Citytv staples. Don't worry; it's going to be quick and painless (or at least that's what they would like us to think). But at the same time, Rogers is doing a poor job of taking control of their $375 million dollar investment by cutting classic Canadian content (that over the years helped to define the City of Toronto).

Shouldn't they be at all concerned about alienating old viewers? Or should we be more concerned that shows are suddenly getting the axe in order for the network to seem slightly more female-friendly?

According to Jamie Haggarty, the vice-president and general manager of Citytv Toronto as well as the executive VP of television operations for the Citytv chain, they "have a lot of programming that skews both male and female with [their newly] acquired U.S. schedule."

Ed's and Red's Night Party, in its 11th season, has become Canada's longest running weekly comedy show next to Royal Canadian Air Farce and competes with the hugely popular American late-night shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman. Ed's hard-hitting humor and feisty commentary in addition to his scowl, his cigar and gravelly voice quickly made him a fan favourite.

What will replace these shows at the moment is uncertain, but Steven Kerzner, the man behind the cigar-chomping, womanizing puppet says that, "Ed the Sock is far from dead." There are currently rumors that a spinoff TV show or even the starring role in a film is in the works.

Photo by jrjenks_agiletek.