A Calgarian with the same name as the interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada is finding humour in newfound fame.
Candace Bergen could be described as a regular Calgarian who just happens to share a name with multiple famous people.
“My dad named me after Candice Bergen the actress. I was born in 1987 and Murphy Brown aired in 1988. I was called Murphy Brown my entire childhood. I never expected my name to be attached to a political figure so I am just blown away,” said Bergen.
The Calgary fibre artist’s Twitter account exploded a few weeks ago when Candice Bergen, Member of Parliament, became interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
“It’s not something I expected but here we are,” Bergen said.
Bergen said the only thing they have in common with the politician is the name. They said the messages that were intended for the Conservative leader have been mixed but mostly negative — not like the messages intended for them.
“I have had overwhelming positive response. Lots of people are liking the wit that I put in my tweets,” Bergen said.
Bergen can be seen wearing a distinctive made-in-Calgary shirt in their Twitter profile picture. The bold print declaring “Be a Good Human” has also brought attention to the Inglewood shop where Candace bought the shirt and sells crocheted items.
“It’s great that (Bergen is) getting the attention because (the) work is gorgeous and it’s beautiful that people get to enjoy it now. It’s something good coming out of something that’s so wild and unpredictable,” said Gerri MacDougall, owner of Ninth and Brick in Inglewood.
A man living in Virginia meanwhile, is still getting plenty of messages because his name is Jason Kenney. This week, he got invitations to go canoeing in Jasper and was lured by offers of cinnamon buns and poutine to speak at the legislature in Edmonton.
The Virginia Jason Kenney says an Alberta visit is definitely on his list. The crocheting Candace Bergen can now add Premier Jason Kenney to their growing list of followers. Others say they like following political twins while other online commenters have posted that they like Candace’s humour.
“I am loving finding the humour and putting a local spin on it,” Bergen said.
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