John McIlwraith (commentator)


John McIlwraith was a Scottish-Canadian humorist, radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist, and commentator.

Early life and career

McIlwraith was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, as a young adult. His jobs included working as a coal-stoker on a ferry operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
McIlwraith hosted a morning radio program in Seattle and wrote columns for newspapers and magazines. From 1990 to 2001, he recorded commentaries for National Public Radio's All Things Considered.
After Carnegie Mellon University announced that it would begin offering a degree in the playing of bagpipes, McIlwraith commented that the bagpipe was created as an instrument of war, and should not be treated as a musical instrument. McIlwraith said:
After each commentary, the "All Things Considered" host noted that McIlwraith lived on a houseboat in San Diego, California.
Other commentaries by McIlwraith included:
McIlwraith's death resulted from complications arising from Lewy dementia. He was married twice. He and his first wife, Bridie, and his second wife, Dixie, had four children altogether.
Years after McIlwraith's death, his brother-in-law wrote a column for the Chicago Reader questioning whether McIlwraith's stories were strictly factual.