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    weebleswobbleJoanna Rothkopf
    7/01/16 10:09am

    How could someone who fancies themselves a journalist not do even the most basic of research required to vet a story. If someone’s entire story is predicated on owning and being in a specific place at a specific time, you don’t think to find out if it’s true?

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      Ginger Is A Constructweebleswobble
      7/01/16 10:19am

      Seriously. I mean, I know Google didn’t exist in the 1980s, but is it that hard to verify the facts of a murder that supposedly took place?

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      Takahashiweebleswobble
      7/01/16 10:20am

      But that would require doing work. Gay thinks he’s awesome no matter what!

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    Ginger Is A ConstructJoanna Rothkopf
    7/01/16 10:05am

    It’s infuriating to think that this controversy will just help Talese sell more copies. Disavowed or no, I reckon he’s still getting royalty checks.

    Off to work on the epilogue for a book that maybe 10 people (half related to me) will ever read.

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      Bokbunzajoo1Ginger Is A Construct
      7/01/16 10:07am

      Lol! Academic publishing!! I feel as academics, we are under so much pressure to produce and publish, but so few will read it!

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      all my friends are problematic (aka do the truffle-shuffle)Ginger Is A Construct
      7/01/16 11:10am

      I’m gonna have to disagree. I read the article in the New Yorker and loved it, and can’t wait for the book. Inconsistencies or not, it makes for a fascinating read and raises a lot of interesting questions, including how much of this was true and how much was all in Foos’ head, and the nature of the relationship between a journalist and his subject. As usual, Jez’ and its commentariat’s reaction was knee-jerky and short-sighted.

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    TakahashiJoanna Rothkopf
    7/01/16 10:19am

    Why is his article about Frank Sinatra having the flu such a hit? Because it reads like he was supposed to do a celebrity profile, forgot/didn’t want to do it, and turned in this half-assed essay that he wrote at the last minute.

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      MountainMommaTakahashi
      7/01/16 8:16pm

      Seems to me that this is all just ripe for a junior journalist to make a name for him/herself by writing a celebrity profile with the headline, “Gay Talese is Bad at His Job.”

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    JujyMonkey: Clever tagline goes hereJoanna Rothkopf
    7/01/16 10:27am

    Gay Talese comments on his journalistic abilities:

    GIF
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      catezeroJoanna Rothkopf
      7/01/16 1:52pm

      “When asked about these inconsistencies, Talese insisted that he knew about the sale to a “Korean family,” but that Foos still lived in the hotel during that time. The Ballards are not Korean, and they and Foos deny that he lived there.”

      I think he’s referring to Lefebre, first name Kyong which is a common Korean name

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        OcculaJoanna Rothkopf
        7/01/16 10:16am

        Gross.

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          Scranton's Banana ProblemJoanna Rothkopf
          7/01/16 10:08am

          I read the New Yorker piece when it came off, and it certainly didn’t seem right. Talese questioned the legitimacy of Foos’ story at every turn. Also, it seemed like there was enough material for an article (or something like a This American Life feature), but not a book.

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            PuddingandthemissusJoanna Rothkopf
            7/01/16 10:12am

            My hometown is all over Jez this week...for really depressing reasons

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              deerlady83Joanna Rothkopf
              7/01/16 10:24am

              Gay Talese is supposed to be a reporter who has known Foos for a number of decades. How did he not know about the sell of the hotel? That is pretty big.

              Either he is lying or he didn’t fact check his book. This calls into question how much of the book is factual. Even if he was stating in different places he doesn’t completely believe Foos, he should make damn sure that his research is solid for the things he could prove.

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