Journalism for Drunks

I began my last week of classes ever today (depending on whether I pass Jewish Studies) without knowing how to feel about the whole thing. College is the shit, but it keeps me from doing important things - like writing for a blog that no one reads.

A journalism post for those with a common interest. The AP reports that the Kalamazoo Gazette recently fired a reporter and photographer for getting too close to their subject:

The Kalamazoo Gazette has fired a reporter and a photographer after they told editors that they consumed alcohol while working on a story for a recent series about problem drinking among college-age adults, the newspaper said.

It has only been a few weeks since HST died and newspapers are already becoming prude. I remember reading when Hunter went to the Kentucky Derby with Steadman for that Scanlan/Rolling Stone article. He was drunk off mint juleps by 10 in the morning and had to take care of a his passed out illustrator. The reporters in Kalamazoo were fired and subsequently apologized for playing "beer pong" for their article about the game in question. If Hunter were the reporter he would have drank both sides beers before removing the students' adrenal glands and sucking them dry. I regard Gonzo Journalism and New Journalism with mixed opinions. Yes, it gives the writer too much room to lie and exaggerate, but it also gives this voyeuristic satisfaction to the reader who puts themself in the shoes of the witness.

I am about to leave school and push for a profession in journalism. I was previously under the impression that drinking on the job was OK. It is not. Especially for taxi drivers.