1 of 1- Mark Elliot
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Max Keeping was Ottawa's 'close and comfortable' news anchor
It is all too easy to say of someone who’s died that we won’t see their like again. But sometimes, in rare and wonderful cases, we know that to say anything less is to shortchange the truth.It is certainly true that we will not see the like of Max Keeping again.The retired broadcaster, who died on Oct. 1 at the age of 73, came to Ottawa from the Maritimes 50 years ago in search of a Central Canadian media career. Still in his early 20s, the Newfoundland native had already cut his teeth in radio in Halifax. He had energy and ambition, a silver tongue, a way with people, and every reason to assume a fine career lay ahead of him.However, the sheer scale of what he was to achieve could never have occurred to him.To be sure, Keeping became a very successful broadcaster. As anchor of the suppertime news on CJOH-TV, which later became CTV Ottawa, he became the most watched broadcaster in Eastern Ontario. His show drew up to five times the audience of the CBC news. His domination of the local market was unassailable.
- Mark Elliot
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Re: Max Keeping was Ottawa's 'close and comfortable' news anchor
A public memorial for Max Keeping is being held in Ottawa on Tuesday October 13, 2015 and I plan to be there to say goodbye to a good friend.
Max tried to tell me to stop my craziness in 1984 and many times after that.
There was one night at a bar called "Tabasco" in Hull. He came to the second floor of the club where I was holding court with a crowd of hangers-on and sat down with me. Next the bouncers and bodyguards cleared the floor leaving just Max and me alone.
It was freaky because I was drunk and high and Max wanted a serious conversation.
He knew he had a scandalous reputation for drinking and carousing, but he had news that shocked him: My own reputation was now more scandalous than his!
I had earned a big black mark next to my name with "Cocaine" and although I never worked directly for him, he felt he needed to talk to me about what I was doing to my reputation as a professional.
I wish I could say I listened to him, but that didn't happen. Still he never gave up, and he welcomed me back heartily when I saw him again after recovery.
We stayed in contact until recently by mostly by email. Last week I called his former bodyguard Gary and heard he was in desperate shape. I wrote to him praying that he'd get my letter in time but it was not to be.
Max told me privately when we talked about love and marriage (3 marriages down, 5 children, and I'm marrying my gay partner of 16 years, Jarrett) the only woman he ever came close to marrying was Newfoundland singer Mary Lou Collins 
Luck had him wed to his audience on CTV Ottawa. Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and the Ottawa Valley loved Max! He knew how to run like a politician and win popularity and he LOVED doing it!
He lived life to the max like the article says: And I will miss my friend!
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Thread Starter- maybo
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Re: Max Keeping was Ottawa's 'close and comfortable' news anchor
A legend and a class act. I didn't know Max well but I'm glad you stayed in touch, Mark. He will be missed...