Playing The Favourite Game: CBC Youth Special with Paddy Springate and Stuart Smith (1963)

A young Leonard Cohen talks about his first novel: The Favourite Game.
"It's a third novel disguised as a first novel."
Broadcast November 12, 1963

[@mikelipinski868]

I was lucky enough to have lived in Montreal when Leonard Cohen was just gaining in popularity, before he'd actually started singing in public. He was a poet first, good friend of Irving Layton, a Canadian poet whom most Canadians know nothing about - which is too bad. I attended at least one of Cohen's presentations, as seen in the documentary LADIED & GENTLEMEN, LEONARD COHEN. He would crack jokes on stage about society and people, in a way nobody had ever seen or heard before. His "lazy," laconic style in conversation and in his songs, always strikes a note of sadness mixed with happiness, I guess I can't quite find the right words. I'll always remember the time I spoke to Leonard Cohen, at the deli cafe that was open all night, in Montreal, the famous Ben's restaurant, where the prostitutes, poets, musicians and nobodies who just couldn't sleep, would go.

[@riffdigger2133]

He is on fire! The jabbing, almost sword fight of his answers- so passionate. The language, the vocabulary, the recall and intellect. He’s a very witty guy and not to be upstaged.

[@Samuel-sg2iv]

God damn i love Leonard Cohen so much. There will truly truly never be another Leonard Cohen. Never in a million years, will someone come along with such understanding and depth, understanding the absurdity of life, as well as its beauties.

[@MsAdesio]

very fascinating to see here the already disciplined perfectionist writer we would all get to know and love

[@mikewilson3581]

I've never heard Leonard speak so fast. And he was spot on about reviewers!

[@johnmccann8319]

I read the book when I was 20 or something.It was beautifully written,I loved it.I recommend reading it.I still have it!😂💚

[@simonlevett4776]

Any ideas what his second novel is about ? I tried reading it about 50 years ago, but had to give up after about two pages i think.

[@mynameisnotjerome1803]

I would like to know what old Leonard Cohen thought of young Leonard Cohen.

[@mya5980]

He'd probably laugh. And be pleased at his confidence! Age 29 at the time.

[@TheLenyon]

Leonard gave an interview for MTV, in which mid way through the transition comes, and he lets go of the need to sound smart, and starts becoming charitable. Its an incredible moment

[@heidimarchant6063]

It's a beautiful, beautiful book. Every line is poetry.

[@MSYNGWIE12]

I have always heard, including from Leonard, the book IS autobiographical- supposedly the only incident he made up was the death of the strange little boy, the kid at camp, Breavman took under his wing, the one who cleaned his nose...What have you read? I am a Cohenaholic, miss him SO MUCH, EVERYDAY- it is only recently I who listened to his music EVERYDAY, I had to stop, don't quite no why, I started listening - he never really leaves my thought, heart, soul; nobody especially a person one doesn't know should be an idol or guru, Leonard would hate that I think BUT for me he is...I am one of those "wrist slashers" - but I didn't come to his music out of mental illness and I get angry when his work is disparaged as "music to slit your wrists too" . I love ALL GENRES of music. I am not musical but am blessed to be able to go from Leonard to a medieval passion play, to Sufi and whirling dervishes, to Muddy Waters to Rassan Roland Kirk to Harry Partsch. Tom Waits' inspiration- I can't spell Harry's last name but check him out. MY FAVORITE NOVEL, MY DESERT ISLAND PICK, IS BEAUTIFUL LOSERS- an odd choice to be locked in with forseably for a very long time! Namaste, Z sorry for rambling on so long. One last comment, although she has been much vilified I wish Suzanne Elrod would speak about Leonard, her children- bless them, L and S for giving us Adam and Lorca and their kids- such a beautiful, sexy, captivating lady- barely out of her teens, leading such an exciting life, so different from youth now- being "kept" by a businessman in New York, working for her own recognition and then one fateful day, she meets, in an elevator ( one version) a handsome, older man ...the rest as the cliche goes, is history! To be a voyeuristic fly on that wall...Take care in covid times. Do you live in Montreal? I used to, I miss it, Canada's "coolest" city and I've lived in many.

[@styxcreek]

Brilliant Failures...good title.

[@jesse6468]

Yes, the old master of poem and song he became, alright.

[@kasperm.r.guldberg7354]

The subtitles "hear" Breavman as "bereavement" - which I thought interesting. Unintelligent artificial intelligence might have stumbled upon a very subtle but perhaps intended pun or phonemic allusion in the character's name.

[@moondancer3157]

Wow this is great!! I happen to believe that it IS autobiographical(because I know the things he said later in life). He sure socks it to his own country lol!... I would love love love to read that book....♥️♥️♥️

[@oesaki]

Hope you have read it by now

[@Esther_is_my_name]

we still need it "socked" to us...the arts are difficult to emerge from in this country. Especially poetry and poets (creative writers).

[@raygeorgebaker2852]

My first contact with Leonard Cohen was through this wonderful work. I remember how excited I was to have discovered a true genius!

[@guesswho9271]

He was so beautiful!😍💗

[@Esther_is_my_name]

people actually beat him up over his poetry? Wow! clearly those guys lack in more than just creativity. Leonard probably apologized, he's that kind of man. what a gem he was, straight and narrow with his answers/responses...truly not one to mince words, he mastered them. thank you for the inspiration!

[@joshuafriesen4436]

Way ahead of his time both as a Canadian and a human generally. Thanks for your light Leonard, Montreal and our nation are so much more empty without you. Such a loss that’s still felt

[@YG-kk4ey]

How different the world has become. He mentions being proud of being beaten up in a nightclub because of his poems. That made him feel he had something worthwhile to say today with safe spaces and equity. We are not told to write what we have to say in the face of all slogans and currents. To have bravery with our words. It's become all about saying the right thing so that we are accepted and on the right side of the argument. I fear art is dead

[@Esther_is_my_name]

here here.🙋🏻‍♀humanity is following suit.

[@elisa7881]

The arrogance of youth...but he was right. "The end of my youth" I am always amazed at how often Cohen uses Christian references. Poetry in Canada in 1963... "Writers can't be nice guys" , indeed, LC was many things, "nice" was not one of them. As a Montrealer, I had of course, heard of LC but I only started to appreciate his writing during my stay in Madrid, thanks to a beautiful university student who read LC to me with his lovely accent; in Spain, I fell in love with Leonard Cohen.

[@johnmccann8319]

Amazing.Speaking so precisely and intelligently.💚

[@davidbrown7213]

He was so far ahead of his time but he saw the regression of society at the time of his death.

[@aaronaaron5968]

this is his best i think. loveee

[@lortigosa]

What is this??? First time I see it :o

[@stevenmarkhansen]

it is about a canadiene dog gone on

[@bogglerful]

Wow!

[@styxcreek]

Brilliant Failures...good title.

[@freyc1]

Well, he wrote a book called Beautiful Losers.