Patterico's Pontifications

4/19/2015

A Good Piece on McHenry

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 10:46 am



Peggy Drexler at CNN captures much of what I am thinking about the Britt McHenry flap:

Certainly McHenry should have known better than to have used such words, even if that’s what she was thinking, least of all because in our YouTube age, such missteps always come to light. But while McHenry’s reaction could very well have been a result of an overblown sense of entitlement, evidence of a mean girl who never left high school, what’s also troubling is how quickly and gleefully the rest of us issued blame on McHenry without fully knowing — or, it seems, caring about — the other side of the story.

The video that was released — by the tow company — was heavily edited and included only McHenry’s responses, not the comments of the employee who may have provoked her and contributed to an argument that clearly escalates as the video goes on. McHenry knew she was being taped; at one point, she looks directly at the camera. The employee even threatens to make the video public.

Did McHenry keep going because she has that much of a self-destructive streak? Or because she truly could not help herself? Or was she confident that any video evidence would show that there were two people playing this particular game?

These days, there’s nothing we love more than an example of a celebrity fall from grace, whether it’s Lindsay Lohan or Brian Williams or Britt McHenry, who was judged not on the facts but on what we take particular joy in believing: that the over-privileged and semi-famous do not necessarily deserve a fair trial.

. . . .

The problem with social media, and our dependence on it, is that it allows people to present and receive whatever angle they want, biased or not, fair or not. It’s the “power of the press” without the objectivity or accountability demanded of the actual press. And it has enabled a dangerous vigilantism that makes those who use that power no different from the ones they are supposedly rallying against. Think about it.

Who was worse: McHenry or the people who made that video public, and who did so without owning up to their part in the conversation?

I don’t know that we have to decide who was worse. But I want some more outrage directed towards this towing company.

74 Responses to “A Good Piece on McHenry”

  1. Ding.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  2. ben affleck was worse

    happyfeet (831175)

  3. i’m not sure which disgusts me more, that:
    this incident gained such fame
    some fellow ESPN employees wanted her fired over this
    pundits calling out ESPN for leniency, even after it became apparent video was edited

    seeRpea (d1cf05)

  4. Was the tirade directed to the CEO?

    AZ Bob (7d2a2c)

  5. But while McHenry’s reaction could very well have been a result of an overblown sense of entitlement, evidence of a mean girl who never left high school, what’s also troubling is how quickly and gleefully the rest of us issued blame on McHenry without fully knowing — or, it seems, caring about — the other side of the story.

    This is true. And if you look on the other thread I said so. And I think one of the factors is that physically she has no flaws. None that I can see. So there MUST BE FLAWS.

    Even if we must invent them.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  6. This seems not to be an either or situation. McHenry needs to polish her act AND the towing company peeps were being royal pricks.

    Learning experience, folks.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  7. If this towing company is as bad as it sounds, you would like to think that a group of citizens might get together and picket it. Prevent the towing trucks from bringing in new arrivals to the impound lot and otherwise disrupt their business. If they are really as bad as we are led to believe, it shouldn’t be that hard to get 100 people organized and motivated.

    JVW (a1146f)

  8. so it seems advanced towing, released the video, to cover up for their own malfeasance, but some perspective is in order:

    http://redstatements.co/bombshell-michelle-obama-connected-firm-gets-third-federal-contract-despite-total-failure/

    narciso (ee1f88)

  9. as I mentioned in a previous thread, sometimes certain companies are ‘wired’ to local authorities,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  10. I am ready to picket. What town is this in again?

    AZ Bob (7d2a2c)

  11. arlington, the home of the pentagon, not mclean the home of the company,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  12. You know what this blog needs, for important journalistic purposes, is some bathing suit pictures of this person Britt McHenry, who I had never heard of before this kerfuffle.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  13. You know what this blog needs, for important journalistic purposes, is some bathing suit pictures of this person Britt McHenry, who I had never heard of before this kerfuffle.
    daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 4/19/2015 @ 12:03 pm

    Without the bathing suit pics, can I really know she has no physical flaws? I think not. I spoke hastily.

    This will require careful judgement on my part. In the future.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  14. I still think she hired a bunch of worthless s***heels as image consultants and after her mouth ran away with her career.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  15. and after

    I swear to gawd the word “lawyers” was in there between “and” and “after.”

    Optical mouse strikes again.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  16. No matter how angry I may be with some company. I cancelled all my American Express cards last fall when they failed me on a scam. No matter how angry at the company, when I talk to an employee I always say, “I know this is not your fault.” I would think this woman who is in the TV business would know that.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  17. As keeps being pointed out – and keeps being ignored – we do not know what the towing company employee said. Without that information, no judgement can be made on McHenry’s actions. PERIOD! People really need to stop telling us how they would have acted in that situation, since none of us know what the situation was!

    Mike Giles (ea55d1)

  18. The more I see this show up in my social media timelines, the more sympathy I have for her. Funny how “heavily edited” is only leveled as a criticism depending on the target.

    JD (3f3bfe)

  19. Not literally, of course.

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  20. Have at it Daley.

    I searched too, and for what it’s worth I don’t think that three-shot set with the blond in sunglasses and then two rear shots is her. Those images come up in the results when you search for her, but a site I saw said it’s some different gal. But the rest of the pictures are clearly her.

    JVW (a1146f)

  21. I’m just really glad that we’re all back on the side of the hot chick.

    JVW (a1146f)

  22. Don’t believe I even looked at the face, come to think of it.

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  23. From the previous thread.

    There is a news story out that says that the front door of the place that this women was at had a warning notice saying that if you left the your car in the lot after the 2 AM closing time, then it would be towed. This reporter left the restaurant with someone else leaving her vehicle in the parking lot. When she returned the next morning, it was gone.

    If I owned a restaraunt that served alcohol, I would not want my customer’s car to be towed if they left it overnight and picked it up in the morning. I would rather the customer be safe and ride with someone who is a designated driver.

    This towing company has been charged with trying to tow a car with two children in it while the father picked up medicine at a CVS for one of the children who was sick.

    They also towed a car from a designated parking spot at a condominium when the car had a parking sticker on it that allowed the car to park in that parking space.

    Tanny O'Haley (76288e)

  24. I’ve learned wait to see how a story pans out before making a decision. I’m still waiting to see how the story pans out. I haven’t seen an unedited video to make a decision. However, I can say one thing and that is I wouldn’t speak that way to matter how bad it was.

    Tanny O'Haley (76288e)

  25. broadcasting the video certainly was vindictive not redemptive
    and doesn’t show the company in a good light either
    but one can hear a bit of the attendant in the background,
    and I don’t know how “heavily edited” this was or not, and whether or not the attendant’s behavior was particularly provoking

    so, yes, selective editing of clips can give a poor impression
    but I’m not sure anything would ameliorate this

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  26. They are both equally deplorable, end of story.

    mgrlno (a2ddfa)

  27. britt let her emotions get the best of her is all

    it happens

    and honestly when ugly fat girls are rude to hot pretty girls are they really all that super-shocked when the hot girl plays the well you’re fat and ugly card?

    honestly?

    i bet the fat ugly girl was all like “ok yup there it is she’s going there yup yup there she goes she’s playing the fat and ugly card so this is where i say about how i’m rubber and you’re glue”

    which Britt was probably totally unprepared for and was momentarily disarmed until she realized that the fat ugly girl probably hadn’t gone to college, so bam she nailed the fat ugly AND stupid trifecta

    advantage: TeamBritt

    happyfeet (831175)

  28. Funny how “heavily edited” is only leveled as a criticism depending on the target.

    O’Keefe releases his full footage, to his credit. I have disagreed with some of his edits in the past and have opined that one or two were misleading, but I was able to make that judgment because he provided all the footage, which is the honest way to do it.

    Regardless, few look at the unedited video, just like many people don’t read the link or the supporting documentation. I have been on the wrong side of a few “look, Patterico said x, look at this lengthy supporting documentation!!!1!” claims, where the supporting documentation shows I said “not x.” People on the Internet are for the most part too lazy to check the facts, and will believe whatever characterization is placed in front of their noses. So I can’t excuse editing tricks entirely even when all the underlying documentation is all there.

    Here, they have cut out the other side completely. That makes me very very suspicious.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  29. someday i’ll be livin in a big ole city hummed chubatha softly to herself

    she had never felt more determined than she did in this moment

    happyfeet (831175)

  30. “I want some more outrage directed towards this towing company”

    Why?

    If they were within the law with their actions then why should their employee be fair game for a trashy mouthed jerk?

    Mark Johnson (98db51)

  31. Pretty, blonde privajayjaylege?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  32. chubatha had heard that “hummus” was something thin pretty girls ate a lot of

    she eyed it suspiciously

    it looked kinda like french onion dip

    ok well here goes nothing thought chubs, digging deep into the hummus with a wavy lays potato chip

    she was on her way to a new life

    happyfeet (831175)

  33. Why direct wrath at a towing company? Because we cannot live in a society where keeping to the letter of the law is the only standard. Predatory towing companies are legion. They operate on the outside edge of the law, skirting it whenever they preceive an advantage, and taking refuge in the law whenever they can. Their behavior will cause a proliferation of petty law, because they make people so mad they are willing to pass any legislation that will hedge them in.

    So, spread the word. If SOCIAL pressure can be brought to bear we may, possibly, be able to avoid having to write a towing regulation so tight that it can’t be followed just to get rid of modern day Lincoln Park Pirates.

    C. S. P. Schofield (a196fd)

  34. “I want some more outrage directed towards this towing company”

    Why?

    If they were within the law with their actions then why should their employee be fair game for a trashy mouthed jerk?

    You packed a lot of inane analysis, illogic, and misreading of the post into one short comment.

    First, I didn’t say their employee should be “be fair game for a trashy mouthed jerk.”

    Second of all, really? Your only criterion for determining whether to criticize someone is whether they acted legally? No legal action can merit outrage?

    Patterico (9c670f)

  35. Yes, and we also live in a society where people illegally park in handicapped spots (cough, cough, Hillary!, cough). Where they park in lots provided by and for business A, and go to business N. And then business A customers go elsewhere because there’s no place to leave their car.

    The last brawl I was in was over parking. St. Paddy’s day, 2007, I think. Some guy who I think was already drugged up comes in my place and tells me he’s parking in my lot and going to the bar across the street. Don’t tow his car. I tell him that’s not how it works.

    He goes across the street to the bar. I have the tow truck company tow his car. He gets angry. We fight. I choke him into submission. I am later disappointed the fact he crapped himself didn’t make it into the police report.

    Although the cop did specifically ask. As I was describing the events of the evening, the officer asked, “And was it at this point he s*** himself?” Why, yes. You couldn’t miss it. It was laying in the middle of the lot like a burrito grande. It looked like one of the concrete parking stops got mislaid.

    But I digress. Point is, I’ve never worked with a towing company that was “predatory.” They didn’t want to PO my customers. I certainly didn’t want to PO my customers. They knew they were going to get enough legit business.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  36. Here’s someone who should never work for ESPN (caution: rancid language, which is pretty much the point — the Daily Caller quotes it all)

    http://dailycaller.com/2015/04/19/scott-walker-nyc-lunch-invite-elicits-profane-response/

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  37. Stipulate the tow company has a nice racket thanks to government corruption- But that woman has a severe personality disorder centering on narcissism.

    AZ Bob (a7e9b6)

  38. I can’t help but think this is one of those times when a just result would be both sides losing.
    Profane language about the towing company would be unexceptionable, but insulting the cashier over her personal appesrance has no justification. Especially since insulting her on the topic of knowingly working for a sleazy employer would be entirely appropriate.

    kishnevi (91d5c6)

  39. Steve@36
    You encountered one of the Fighting Irish?

    kishnevi (adea75)

  40. It seems to me that whether the tow company was being predatory in this case is what is more important to know than if they have “a reputation”. It gets more and more clear that it was a legit tow.

    The ESPN reporter caught on camera berating a tow-yard employee reportedly abandoned her car overnight at a Chinese-restaurant parking lot before the vehicle was towed away.

    Britt McHenry, who unleashed a bratty tirade on the worker, had gone to happy hour at the beer-hall-style restaurant, Hunan Number One, and left the same night without her car, workers at the eatery told the Daily Mail.

    It is unclear where the TV star moved on to, but an employee, who asked not to be named, said her car was left behind.

    The following day, another restaurant employee received a call from the blonde sportscaster, seeking to have staff secure the release of her car from company, Advanced Towing, who impounded the vehicle from the adjacent parking lot the night before, soon after last call.

    Employees told Daily Mail Online that when the bar shuts at 2am, the private towing company, Advanced Towing, within minutes began removing cars in concurrence with a rule on the private lot.
    “Please don’t leave your car here overnight,” a sign posted on the front door of the restaurant proclaims. The news will come as a blow for McHenry, who attempted to claim she was in the right after she was caught out unleashing a verbal attack at the towing company employee.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3044736/Disgraced-ESPN-reporter-abandoned-car-Chinese-restaurant-parking-lot-happy-hour-launching-arrogant-tirade-single-mom-tow-company-clerk-removed.html#ixzz3XoNCyR4f

    I have zero sympathy for Britt if this is a true report. I have a strong hunch she was pulling the “don’t you know who I am” number with the tow yard employee.

    elissa (f55247)

  41. Thinking Britt might want to Google “Streisand Effect” at this point.

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  42. There’s definitely something to be said for the “both sides deserve to lose” attitude regarding this controversy–but even the most favorable interpretation of the events for Ms. McHenry has her playing the “do you know who I am?” card, and anyone who knowingly does that in front of a camera deserves any humiliation that results from it. That goes for politicians, athletes, and “sports journalists.”

    M. Scott Eiland (8d3966)

  43. I hope that whatever boozy hook-up she had that caused her to leave the bar with somebody else and leave her car behind was worth it!

    elissa (f55247)

  44. Boozy hookup seems to be quite a leap. It could just as easily have been her not driving after a few drinks, driving someone else home that had too much, or any number of scenarios that don’t involve her being in a booze driven hookup.

    JD (3b5483)

  45. The problem with social media, and our dependence on it, is that it allows people to present and receive whatever angle they want, biased or not, fair or not. It’s the “power of the press” without the objectivity or accountability demanded of the actual press.

    I just wanted to quote that laugh line.

    John Hitchcock (d32955)

  46. It’s nice of you to give her the benefit of the doubt, JD. Very chivalrous. :} And of course you may be right. My spidey sense is picking up that there’s some sort of embarrassment attached to the heat of her tirade.

    elissa (f55247)

  47. I assume the media must have already stealthily ascertained that Britt is neither a Tea Partier nor a Republican– or we would have heard about it and seen a headline by now.

    elissa (f55247)

  48. wait a sec, a eating establishment that serves booze has a policy of not leaving your car in the parking lot over night?!?!?!?!?
    Wonder how they split the ransom money with Advanced Towing? 60/40?

    seeRpea (d1cf05)

  49. Britt is neither a Tea Partier nor a Republican

    It would be interesting to know what type of politics (and politicians) she really favors or that most pings her sympathies. Of course, she could easily be an ideological chameleon, gravitating towards whichever direction guarantees her the most money, happiness and acclaim.

    Mark (6c31df)

  50. Employees told Daily Mail Online that when the bar shuts at 2am, the private towing company, Advanced Towing, within minutes began removing cars in concurrence with a rule on the private lot.

    “Please don’t leave your car here overnight,” a sign posted on the front door of the restaurant proclaims. The news will come as a blow for McHenry, who attempted to claim she was in the right after she was caught out unleashing a verbal attack at the towing company employee.

    We have never had such a problem. Mostly because we don’t overserve. But also the towing company asks. They make enough driving off the real bastards to keep them happy.

    But if you leave your car on Saturday you need to pick it up by Monday as some businesses in the strip mall open at 7. Can’t help you with that.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  51. It’s the “power of the press” without the objectivity or accountability demanded of the actual press.

    LOL yeah right. Because we get a lot of both from CNN.

    Mattsky (ac7196)

  52. Steve57, the last fight I got into the guy was terrified…

    …he thought he’d killed me!

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  53. Two points:

    1. Her car was towed from the restaurant parking lot while she was inside eating. Killing everyone at the tow yard would have been overreacting. Insulting the clerk – who we do not know was some low-level employee, may have been the owner’s wife – is small potatoes.

    How polite would you be to the people who stole your car to ransom it back for $300?

    2. She’s a news babe, she looks good and reads a teleprompter well in front of the camera. There is no particular level of education, intelligence, or civility in that job description. Expecting her to behave like Emily Freakin’ Post is rather ridiculous.

    Estragon (ada867)

  54. Even TFG could do it. And he’d prolly like to.

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  55. So, don’t drive drunk. Let us call you a cab. But don’t leave your car here or we’ll tow it. A bit of a mixed message. I know they’ll say they don’t overserve, but it isn’t them who really has to know when not to drive — their opinion doesn’t mean two hoots in hell against a Breathalyzer.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  56. Back in the day in Manhattan there was a guy who had his oil changed every day. It was cheaper than paying for a parking garage while he was at work.

    Gazzer (8d02a8)

  57. wait a sec, a eating establishment that serves booze has a policy of not leaving your car in the parking lot over night?!?!?!?!?
    Wonder how they split the ransom money with Advanced Towing? 60/40?

    seeRpea (d1cf05) — 4/19/2015 @ 8:05 pm

    Not only that, but it was when they had happy hour, which most likely means that they serve lots of cheap booze.

    Employees told Daily Mail Online that when the bar shuts at 2am, the private towing company, Advanced Towing, within minutes began removing cars in concurrence with a rule on the private lot.

    It may be within the law, it may even be in the spirit of the law which is to make people pay, pay, pay, but there should be a grace period. I understand how the owner needs spaces for his customers, but if they serve booze and have a happy hour, they should let their customers pick up their car the next day.

    I’ve met the enemy, and the enemy is the government we vote in for office. They don’t care about the little people (citizens), they just want your money and to punish you.

    It doesn’t matter how much a jerk the person behind the counter may of gotten, personal attacks are out of line.

    Tanny O'Haley (c674c7)

  58. i misread it, the bar shuts at 2am NOT the establishment.
    Bar stops serving at 2am, customer inside finishing drink (& snack), tow truck tows away.
    So I’m thinking split is 70/30 for the restaurant.

    seeRpea (d1cf05)

  59. It seems simple enough to me: the lovely Miss McHenry said that she’d “f(ornicating) sue (that) place.” If her vehicle was improperly towed, she should sue the towing company, and a jury of New Yorkers, who all despise such businesses anyway, will support her if she has a case. Let her try to sue them into penury, to sue them completely out of business. Then she not only gets the owners, but she boots the employees who took her car right out of a job. Let her sue the owners personally as well; even if the tow was legitimate, the owners are scum.

    The Dana who isn't an attorney (f6a568)

  60. No matter what the other side is, McHenry stooped to belittling the person because of looks and financial status. A way more offensive version of the “Do you know who I am?” card frequently played by arrogant but not too bright media types. If she had been equally hostile but kept her comments to the business or their practices, then no problem. The personal nature revealed who McHenry is deep down and it isn’t pretty.

    John Casteel (2e9f34)

  61. this is just one facet of Britt but she is a very complex person

    she has depths none of us have explored

    especially me cause of i don’t even have cable

    happyfeet (a037ad)

  62. ==1. Her car was towed from the restaurant parking lot while she was inside eating. (Estragon)==
    ==i misread it, the bar shuts at 2am NOT the establishment. Bar stops serving at 2am, customer inside finishing drink (& snack), tow truck tows away.(seeRpea)==

    I think the reason so many people have so many diverging opinions on this is that they are dealing with divergent assumptions which they then treat as facts. Has she not admitted to leaving her car there? I’m sure there is security tape of that, too.

    As Kevin M has suggested we can have a spirited discussion about whether it is good business practice for any bar owner to authorize tow of cars from his own lot, especially in seeming opposition to everyone’s good advice not to let people drive drunk at the end of an evening. However, any entity which allows cars to be parked unsecured on their private property overnight also runs the risk that those patrons’ cars might be vandalized, stolen or had parts removed by neighborhood criminals. That is not good for business, either. Additionally, this particular lot is apparently adjacent to the bar and the lot is actually managed by the County of Arlington.

    Here is a recent snippet from NJCom:

    Advanced Towing removed the car from the lot shortly after the restaurant closed, leading to McHenry’s belittling tirade — caught on video — against the single-mom attendant at the impound lot the next day.

    It is not known whether McHenry patronized the restaurant, famous for drink specials that include 32-ounce drafts for $5.50, or dumped her car in the lot and hustled to another restaurant or bar in the area.
    Sign in Hunan’s window: “Attention Customers: Please don’t leave your car here overnight!Hunan Number One is not responsible if your car is towed from the parking lot. It is complimentary parking for customers and employees of the entire building and is managed by the County of Arlington….”

    elissa (bb6680)

  63. “It seems simple enough to me: the lovely Miss McHenry said that she’d “f(ornicating) sue (that) place.”

    I have seen where the MFM reports that she said that, but I don’t recall her actually saying that.

    JD (3b5483)

  64. “It is not known whether McHenry patronized the restaurant, famous for drink specials that include 32-ounce drafts for $5.50, or dumped her car in the lot and hustled to another restaurant or bar in the area.”

    That media’s version is a false choice of Obama proportions.

    JD (3b5483)

  65. Even a legal tow doesn’t necessarily let the towing company off the hook. I had my car legally towed, which was fine. I accidentally screwed up, so I suffered the consequences. What wasn’t fine was when I arrived to pick it up the next day early Saturday afternoon, and learned that they’d closed for the weekend at noon.

    They picked up an extra couple of days worth of “storage fees” with that stunt.

    So as far as I’m concerned, if the impound lot people are going to hide part of the video to make themselves look good, then I don’t particularly care what Miss McHenry did just so long as she didn’t physically assault anyone. There are plenty of underhanded and unethical things that they can do to their “clients” that aren’t technically illegal.

    junior (79e744)

  66. John Stewart would be shocked.

    ThOR (a52560)

  67. elissa if this is the normal type of doing business then I now fully understand the holding responsible of establishments serving alcohol to people who then get in crashes.

    seeRpea (d1cf05)

  68. Did you think, SeeRpea, that I was defending anyone or anything? That was not my intention. My point was that it is increasingly clear from all the conflicting media reports and the assumptions drawn from them over the past few days, that none of us know enough about what the heck actually happened in this Virginia case to opine with any assurance that we know what we are talking about. I include myself in this. I will say that if the NJcom report is true that the lot is managed by the County of Arlington –not the bar owner–then I think that somewhat changes the thrust of the discussion, don’t you?

    elissa (c3934e)

  69. this is just one facet of Britt but she is a very complex person

    she has depths none of us have explored

    especially me cause of i don’t even have cable

    happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/20/2015 @ 6:48 am

    I’m announcing an exploratory chubwa…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  70. people is trying to use this story to make Britt look bad I think

    happyfeet (a037ad)

  71. More #WarOnWomen.

    askeptic (efcf22)

  72. 40. Steve@36
    You encountered one of the Fighting Irish?
    kishnevi (adea75) — 4/19/2015 @ 7:12 pm

    Yes, and it sucked. There I am, rolling around in a parking lot with a drunk in March, all because he didn’t want to pay for parking.

    If he had his shillelagh I might have been in trouble.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)

  73. 71. people is trying to use this story to make Britt look bad I think
    happyfeet (a037ad) — 4/20/2015 @ 11:48 am

    She can counterattack by posting more pictures of her in a bikini, I think.

    Steve57 (cd6f9a)


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