Results tagged “thesecret”

Who knew the CBC was so popular in western Africa? Granted, Test the Nation was an unmitigated success (well, for the bloggers anyhow), but the fact that fashion from half-way around the world could be inspired by our venerable national broadcaster still seems quite remarkable.

Every Sunday, Frank Warren takes some of the anonymous secrets he receives by the hundreds and posts them to his website, PostSecret. Warren receives them as postcards, each one artistically suited to the secret it contains; what was originally conceived as a one-time art project has not only given way a website with over a million hits per week, but three books compiling PostSecret's submissions into different themes: PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, My Secret (secrets from teenagers and college students), and The Secret Lives of Men and Women.

Three years ago, Frank Warren printed 3000 postcards inviting people to share a secret with him. Long since he stopped handing these first postcards out at subway stations and art galleries, he continues to receive secrets from around the world. Each week, Warren posts some of these on PostSecret, the largest advertisement-free blog on the internet. He has also published three books compiling some of these secrets: PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, My Secret (secrets from teenagers and college students), and The Secret Lives of Men and Women.

It was only inevitable; indeed, they would say we asked for it. The Secret, the latest in a long line of mega-selling self-help phenomena, is on its way to Toronto. Several "teachers" featured in the original film and the subsequent book will be holding forth on April 14th and 15th at the Westin Harbour Castle. The promotional literature is distinguished by its modest proposal: "The Secret to everything—the secret to life filled with joy, good health, financial freedom, loving relationships, abundant energy, youth: everything you ever wanted." Profundity and provocation are sure to be the order of the day.

It could be one of two things the sound of CBC TV's ratings plummeting or it could be the sound of the the IQs of Canadian TV watchers reaching new lows. The CBC announced its fall lineup and it's a strange mixture of mainstream trends that the CBC resists (more reality tv, quiz shows) and giant national projects meant to unify Canadians in front of their TVs (Hockey: A People's History).

Despite a mild fear of further linguistic excesses, TOist will aim to check out the event, which will also feature Steven Hayward reading from . The event takes place at 6:30pm at 142 John Street, and if you're one of the first twenty-five to arrive you'll receive a New Face of Fiction gift. A new face perhaps?

. The exhibit will show various Potter movie secrets like how they made the smoke swirl in the crystal ball and the various techniques used to make Radcliffe look more like a wiener. The exhibit runs until Jan. 2, 2005.