Dr. V's magical putter

Quick take: That's pretty fucking strong from Simmons.

I'm not sure if I agree with his characterization of Dr. V as a public figure and I suspect that's the lawyers who put that in there but still, wowsers.

 

Tony, you lost your credibility on page 1.

 

I'm stuck after reading this thinking of how I would have dealt with a subject who proposed such an agreement up front as "only about the science and not the scientist," because they come hand in hand, a scientist is only as good as their credentials, experience, education and discoveries.

Now, "outing" someone is a different issue. It shouldn't have happened. It was not Caleb's place to say anything to an investor.

On that note, after the story ran and all the apologies came down, I am wondering how so many mistakes could have been made with a profile of Against! Me singer Laura Jane Grace running one day before the story on Dr. V. ran. http://grantland.com/features/a-true-trans-soul-rebel/

Was the GLAAD Style Guide used for one story and not another? How could that happen?

And finally, just because I have been thinking about this a lot for a story I am working on:

"Every journalist who is not too stupid of too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying people's vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse." - Janet Malcolm, "The Journalist and the Murderer"

 

I assume you're going for irony in your avatar quote?

 

They took five days to respond.

They basked in the early praise for the article. Everyone at ESPN re-tweeted it.

And, then, when the criticism started to come in, they went into radio silence.

Not sure why we're giving them a ton of credit for only owning up to a mistake when the whole world had pointed it out, and they had no other choice.

 

Is there an obit for Dr. V?

 

And, here's the other thing, depending on your age, where you live, who you associate with, and your level of sophistication -- like how well traveled or educated you are -- you may not have much association with, or familiarity with issues surrounding gay and lesbian folks.

Yet, when someone who is not well versed in these issues says something ignorant, they are jumped on and condemned for their views.

Here, we have young, metropolitan guys, working in the media, who apparently have no knowledge of the transgendered community, the issues they face, or their own responsibilities to report on the community with respect.

And, even the folks who are criticizing the author and/or Grantland are couching that criticism. They are getting a pass for "not knowing". The story may be criticized, but most think their intentions were good.

Well, if that's the case, and if that's the criteria for big city media folks when dealing with the transgendered community, then maybe we'll all pause and consider where the next person who steps in it regarding gay and lesbian issues. Maybe their intentions won't be criticized. Maybe they'll get the benefit of the doubt.

Otherwise, it's a huge double standard.

 

Or it be could that old adage about wrestling with pigs.

On-line feuds between nobodies and pros seldom end well for the pros. Silence is a safe bet.

 

AND obtw ...

http://thebiglead.com/2014/01/20/bill-simmons-apologizes-for-heavily-criticized-grantland-story/

 

And put me in the camp who missed the whole "outing issue" when I read it.
It never crossed me until it was raised here. I overlooked it.

 

One obit: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/eastvalleytribune/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=167706899

 

What's it like to never be satisfied? Do you want someone fired? Put to death?