Cursing in the newsroom

[zeke12]

Well, as civil as we get, but I take your point.

Now fork off, assclown.

 

[Clever username]

Well, as civil as we get, but I take your point.

Now fork off, assclown.

We've all -- men and women, republicans and democrats, young and old, respectable and degenerate -- found a common bond in the pressure-releasing joys of cursing loudly and proudly. Well, most of us, but those people can go fork themselves.

 

[wickedwritah]

In the words of Zagoshe, go fork yourselves.

 

[Clever username]

forkforkforkforkforkforkforkforkforkforkforkfork

 

[Breakyoself]

i don't see what the forking problem is with cursing every now and forking then in the newsroom. especially after five. I haven't told a customer to fork off yet, so that is a positive i can build off of. Now as soon as i hang up, that is a whole other forking story. Assholes.

carry on.

 

[Tom Petty]

back in my first month of full-time work in this biz, at a pretty damned small paper, i pick up the phone only to hear my first angry voice on the other end. middle of the day, full newsroom. i'm thinking i need to be polite, i'm new to the game remember, and this jackass is all pissed off because our tv sportswatch wasn't as in-depth as the bigforkingcity press'.

i listen to this guy and stroke him for 17 minutes -- no shirt -- and when minute 18 hit, the editor, not sports editor, but editor, comes stomping out of his office with his palm up. i say "my editor would like to speak to you" and i hand the phone to my editor.

editor says: "sir, what more can mr. petty give you? would a pound of his flesh suffice?"
editor goes on to say: "he's already told you why; we aren't the bigforking city press and we don't have their resources."
more editor: "well you know what, we don't want your god damned money. cancel your damned subscription and never call back here."
end of convo, editor: "oh yeah? well eat shirt and die you forking asshole."

TP's customer service skills began a horrific descent the following day.

 

[zeke12]

That's a classic tale, Tom.

 

[Tom Petty]

That's a classic tale, Tom.

i remember the length (17 minutes) of the phone call because i kept looking at the clock wondering how long the belligerent fork would keep dogging me. little did i know all i had to do was tell him to stick his subscription up his ass and call him a forking asshole to expedite the call.

i really miss that editor.

 

[Angola!]

That's a classic tale, Tom.

I wish I had an editor that would do that. Instead my editors have always been appalled if we dared to pish off one reader.
forkabunchofreadersthatcomplain.

 

[friend of a friend]

now that's my kind of editor

 

[wickedwritah]

I've only had one editor back me up when I was in a sticky situation, after a questionable judgment by me reporting-wise. I loved how he pretty much told the caller to go fork herself, without dropping the F bomb. One of my happier moments in the biz.

 

[KG]

I had an editor totally throw me under the bus once when I had all the proof I needed to show I was right about something I said in an article that caused a bit of a stir. Ok, maybe more than just a bit of a stir, more like a ruckus.

Anyway, I responded to him with quite a tirade of f-bombs as well as the rest. By the time I finally stopped snarling with my words, a fellow journalist had informed him that I indeed was correct.

I wouldn't talk like that to any editor though. I know this one on more of a friend basis and he finds it amusing that Ms. G even has the ability to utter those words outloud. It's that dang sweet card that usually keeps me behaving like a Southern belle.