MONTREAL, QUE: JULY 25, 2013 - Montrealer Jay Baruchel opens the first Just for Laughs gala at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts in Montreal, on Thursday, July 25, 2013. (Peter McCabe / THE GAZETTE) ORG XMIT: 47406
MONTREAL, QUE: JULY 25, 2013 – Montrealer Jay Baruchel opens the first Just for Laughs gala at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts in Montreal, on Thursday, July 25, 2013. (Peter McCabe / THE GAZETTE) ORG XMIT: 47406

It was a simple Q&A as a sidebar to a Saturday feature about Montreal actor Jay Baruchel, but the recounting of Baruchel’s reasons for leaving Montreal for Toronto has prompted a lot of debate in Quebec, particularly among the francophone media. We’re barely back at work on Monday and already five francophone pundits have written to condemn Baruchel’s statements, at least one of whom is demanding apologies, and another is diagnosing a mental disorder.

Nevermind that his reasons for moving are clearly more about economics (English movies are made in Toronto, not Montreal) than about politics, or that he’s hardly the first person in history to find Quebec identity politics to be tiresome and annoying. Jay Baruchel has attacked Quebec, and his personal feelings about his life here are apparently incorrect.

It’s notable that none of these reaction pieces actually interviews Baruchel to expand on his 300 words of commentary about Quebec politics. And perhaps for that reason, a lot of the stories about his comments exaggerate his comments, make inferences about his thoughts that are not supported by evidence, or just plain shove so many words into his mouth I’m worried he’s going to choke.

Here’s the pundit count so far: