If only they would take his message to heart.

He said journalists sometimes tell him, " 'Hey, man, we're just doing what the audience wants to see.' Well, I think my audience would like to see a naked woman smoke crack. But we have to draw a line somewhere. Now's the time to draw the line. We're getting our asses kicked here."

Heh.

A journalist's job is most definately not to give his/her audience what they want. Jeezus!

I just read a really bad-customer-service story about United Airlines bumping a family from a long-planned flight to Hawaii. It'll give me nightmares.

Actually, according to my LJ calender, we're two days early.

Heh. Yeeah, me and JenK are on Friday!! Sadly, along with John McCain. And the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

But, um, also with...uh...Meeshell Ndege Ocello, or however the hell she's spelling it these days? And...um...Michael Jackson?

We were just talking about birthdays at lunch! I don't think I have anyone famous on mine, or at least, not so I remember it. Oh, maybe Chairman Mao or someone?

In work news, I have to create a 1-page CV for an academic. I'm starting from 12 pages! I have gotten down to 3.5, which I think is pretty darn good, if I say so myself.

Who isn't born on my birthday?

In addition to the lovely Cashmere and Matt the Bruins Fan, there's Margaret Thatcher, Yves Montand, Marie Osmond, Nancy Kerrigan, Sacha Baron Cohen, and, of course, Chris Carter.

A journalist's job is most definitely not to give his/her audience what they want.

As Mr. Dooley said, the job of a journalist is to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

I love my birthday-- Leonard Bernstein, Elvis Costello, Marti Noxon, Tim Burton, Mel Ferrer (tickles me no end), Geoff Downes, Rollie Fingers, and Sean Connery, among many other cool folks.

Makes up for the fact that I also share the day with George Wallace, Rachel Ray, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Elvis Costello

You win.

You win.

I share a birthday with the board, so I think maybe I do.