from Jian Ghomeshi's former neighbour

Lots to tell you, but first - people have been contacting me because they know Jian Ghomeshi lived next door for years, and I'd met him a bunch of times. And now - for those of you in Borneo, who might not know - he is suddenly fired from his job as co-creator and host and superlative radio interviewer of Q, the most popular CBC radio show ever - I have that statistic from him - for alleged sexual violence - non-consensual violent sex alleged by several different women, and workplace sexual harassment. All over Facebook yesterday and the front page of the Star today. The nation is abuzz, and several people have written to ask me, as his former neighbour, what I think about it. (Can you imagine if allegations of sexual impropriety had emerged about Peter Gzowski? Oh please, I don't even want to think about it.)

I had a crush on Jian. Handsome, extremely bright, curious, talented, those liquid eyes, that velvet voice - he was only ever charming and friendly during our encounters, though I was as fluttery as a schoolgirl.  I knew the sound of his little red Mini, knew when he left every morning for the CBC, came back to change and set off again to his endlessly fascinating life, host of this event, seen at that party.

I'd heard years ago that he had weird sexual proclivities, that a woman who'd gone out with him had reported afterwards with disgust about what she was asked to do. That there was something unsavoury. So be it - that's his business.

But now it's everyone's business. His Facebook supporters are up in arms, quoting Trudeau - the nation has no rights in the bedrooms of the nation. And no question, some men have had their lives destroyed by vengeful ex-girlfriends - the bunny boilers, the "Gone Girls".

However, there's not one but several women here who've been interviewed at length, and another accusation of workplace harassment. The CBC must have known the shit storm (in the words of Mr. Lehey from Trailerpark Boys) that would arise from firing such a popular, central and highly visible figure. They must surely have an arsenal of solid facts. His $50 million dollar law suit against them otherwise would bankrupt them - or it's the desperate gesture of an Oscar Wilde, rushing to show his followers that the allegations are lies without thinking that through.

So as Jian's former neighbour, I have nothing but nice things to say about him. As a faithful listener of Q, likewise. As a citizen of this country, I can only assume that the CBC and the Star were very careful to be sure of their facts before acting. That the man's sex life, involving consensual or non-consensual violent acts with young women, finally became too much of a liability for him to continue in the public eye as a media superstar.

And finally, I can only say, as we've all said when these stories reach the press - Dominique Strauss Kahn or Anthony Weiner texting pictures of the bulge in his underpants come to mind - WHAT WAS HE THINKING? Even if the extreme violence alleged is not true, how could he not know, he of all people, the king of Twitter, that word of his kinky habits would leak out and damage, even destroy him?