Perdido 03

Perdido 03

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Quality Journalism

Tell me what's wrong with this opening paragraph to this Post article:

The obese former president of a Port Authority union — who admitted yesterday in court to embezzling nearly $300,000 in member dues to pay for a host of personal expenses — used the cash for tawdry hookers and casino trips, sources told The Post.

OK, I get it - the guy is, if the allegations are true, a sleazeball. Stealing money for gambling and hookers is pretty bad stuff.

But why describe him as "obese"?

Seriously, what does that have to do with anything?

I bring this up because the Post got all hot and bothered over a couple of union members joking about the death of another "obese" fellow - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie - a while back.

Can you imagine the Post leading an article about Christie by saying "The obese New Jersey Governor - who could have a stroke or heart attack at any moment given what a fat piece of shit he is - was incensed when members of local teachers union joked about his death"?

No, me either.

So why add "obese" to the article about the Port Authority union guy?

Do only obese guys steal to "feed their carnal and gastronomic appetites," as the Post article put it?

I think not.

The Bloomberg aide who just got indicted for stealing $1.1 million from Mayor Moneybags was an average weight (photo here - story here.)

Apparently weight and thievery do NOT necessarily correlate.

So this is just more hypocrisy from the kings of hypocrisy at the Murdoch Post.

3 comments:

  1. Or how about, "Obese drug addict and homophobe Rush Limbaugh was married last week..."

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  2. Michael, I think we should add eating disorder to the Limbaugh diagnosis - sometimes he's fat, sometimes he's thin - and the change happens in weeks, not months.

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  3. Love the proposed paragraphs from both you and Michael. When you guys start a paper, I'll subscribe.

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