Duquette to put his 'Duqs up' with new talk show


Jerold J. Duquette

By Natasha Clark

Assistant Managing Editor

LONGMEADOW Former School Committee member Jerold J. Duquette is making the transition to a new title after his three-year term: talk show host.

His new political show, "Put Up Your Duqs," is set to premiere on LCTV June 30. The outspoken political science professor chatted with Reminder Publications about the show, modern day politics and why being right or wrong has no place in an informed opinion.

Duquette moved to Longmeadow in 2004 with his wife Kara and their three children. A year later he was elected to the School Committee. In that four-year span Duquette has been very vocal on a number of issues and has not shied away from public debate.

In September 2005 he argued that three school committee members elected to participate in teacher contract negotiations were not qualified to do so because they had no professional education experience. Around that time he was accused of violating the open meeting law as a result of an e-mail he sent to fellow committee members about his desire to be on the teacher contract negotiations team. The District Attorney's office determined that he was not in violation.

Most recently he disputed whether or not campaign signs were allowed at the town's Long Meddowe Days.

From his online blog to local Internet forums, Duquette is always engaged in an exchange of views in one way or another.

An associate professor of political science at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn., he joked that he is "a frustrated wannabe talking head."

"I'm always throwing another opportunity to try to get my approach to politics out there," Duquette said. "As a political science professor I lecture on inadequacy of civil education and literacy all the time ... I am of the opinion that politics is a good thing, which makes me odd. I base that on the assumption that unless you live all alone in the woods, you are [dealing with] politics. We have to negotiate with people every day."

He said one of things that is constant in American politics is people talking about how "we are not choosing a president and we are choosing a candidate."

"It's not really about the candidate, it's about the philosophy and policy positions of the candidate," Duquette explained.

He said if you're voting you should be voting for your own policy and perspectives and the candidate that you think represents them.

"Put Up Your Duqs" will provide Duquette with a half-hour time slot to broach that topic along with many others in the political arena. His show is tentatively scheduled for every other Monday with a 6:30 p.m. time slot. As for the format, Duquette is still working on that. He plans to have interviews with local politicians and other special guests, provide commentary on local, state and national politics and, in his words, also "tell bad jokes."

"My hope is to attempt to lay out what the show will be [with the first episode]. I'm thinking of a segment where I will explain my methodology of how to think more systemically about politics," Duquette said.

He said the goal of politics should be to come up with a reasonable opinion.

"Even if it's wrong. The idea is not to be right. It's to be smart. Smart people are probably wrong more than they are right," he said, adding that any question of value can not be answered with a right or wrong response. "The point is to produce thoughtful dialogue not correct answers."

Reaching out to the community in this avenue is the hallmark of public access television. LCTV Director Dave Bartlett has met with some discord from members of the public about airing "Put Up Your Duqs."

"We've been accused of taking the community out of community television," Bartlett said. "What I want to make sure folks understand is that we are the vehicle for information, whether or not you agree [with the content]."

Bartlett explained that cable access is committed to citizenry and the goals Barry Goldwater helped outline in the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act which includes assuring "that cable communications provide and are encouraged to provide the widest possible diversity of information sources and services to the public."

"That's what access cable does," Bartlett said. "It gives people access to this great communication device called TV."

While LCTV is responsible for making sure no content purposely insults or discriminates any persons or groups, it has no editorial input whatsoever. Bartlett said his crew just provides the cameras, equipment and means of getting the show into viewers' homes. All content is shaped by Duquette.

"My hopes are people will look for it and participate with this access station in someway. That it will ignite interests or further extend interest," Bartlett added.

Duquette agreed. "I'm hoping that it will cause people to want to take advantage of the cable access station. In fact, it's a really undervalued medium. The mission is to get people involved in the community. If I can't make you join the conversation because you're happy, maybe I can [make you join in] because you're mad. It would be a nice thing if my show led to other shows."