Ladies and gentlemen of the jury of public opinion:
I present to you a careful, articulate, and darkly humorous rip of our own Jay Mariotti by one of his former colleauges. Though I don't read a lot of his movie criticism, I'm a bit impressed by Ebert's capable pen. I think he correctly calls Jay out for his childish antics, and comes off the bigger for it. It's not a long article, but I think it clearly explains some of the self-promoting, infantile and generally reprehensible aspects of Jay Mariotti - characteristics which are not just part of his personality, but which infect any of his professional activities.
Journalism has surely become quite the putrid cesspool, but if some kind of honest self-policing can take place, I have some hope that the profession and the news industry as a whole can re-make itself into an honest and worthwhile institution.
I didn't want to put this in my serious-sounding post, but if you click on that link, you see a ridiculous picture of Jay.
ReplyDeleteGood lord, he has an OUTRAGEOUS mullet-curl.
I am a loser who reads all of Roger Ebert's movie reviews for a movie I would like to see. This critical analysis of Jay Mariotti was unexpected and incredibly well thought through. Though I am not as confident as he is of the future of the paper industry, I think he made great points.
ReplyDeleteMy single favorite part is the fact he is completely unrelated to sports and is a movie critic and he decides to write a scathing article towards Jay. Roger Ebert is not the type of person who goes looking for fights, so I think his words carry much more weight when he speaks them. He is speaking down to Jay Mariotti like he is a 5 year old. Does it get better than that?
When I said "the paper industry" I am not talking about Dunder Mifflin-like paper, though I laughed because it sounded like I was talking about it.
ReplyDeleteThen I laughed because I was laughing at my own writing, then I realized Roger Ebert's review had caused me to temporarily lose my sanity through a tunnel of joyful enthusiasm.
I like Ebert, I read him periodically - especially on movies i'm going to see.
ReplyDeleteHe once did an awesome review tearing down Rob Schneider - I think it was the second Duece Bigalow movie.
Here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050811/REVIEWS/50725001/1023
I'm disappointed. I thought Mariotti was stepping down to be McCain's running mate. He could have brought such class and eloquence to the ticket.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thank God we FINALLY have a "roger ebert" tag.
ReplyDeletebtw dan-bob....even Larry's gone capital letters in his handle now. Fuck the establishment man, lower case for life!
ReplyDeleteholler!
ReplyDeleteThat Ebert review was hilarious Jeff. Thanks for the link.
ReplyDelete"But Schneider is correct, and Patrick Goldstein has not yet won a Pulitzer Prize. Therefore, Goldstein is not qualified to complain that Columbia financed "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" while passing on the opportunity to participate in "Million Dollar Baby," "Ray," "The Aviator," "Sideways" and "Finding Neverland." As chance would have it, I have won the Pulitzer Prize, and so I am qualified. Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks."
ReplyDeleteBeast.