L.A. Times Profile on Breitbart: Shocking
Shocking, that is, because it seems mostly fair.
Breitbart, who has emerged as a star of the “tea party” movement, loves telling his apostate’s tale in the italicized, frequently profane manner that is his trademark. Three epiphanies stand out:
1. The Black Dorm Moment. In 1986, Breitbart was a freshman at Tulane University when his friend Larry Solov, a sophomore at Stanford, happened to mention his school’s African-American-themed residence hall.
“He just matter-of-factly said there was a black dorm and I was like, ‘What the friggin’ hell? Are you kidding me?'” said Breitbart, who is now business partners with Solov, a former corporate litigator. “And then, when I found out that it was not segregation in the sense of white people doing it, I was like, ‘What are you talking about? Why aren’t we working toward the colorblind ideal?'”
2. The Clarence Thomas Moment. In 1991, he was riveted by Supreme Court hearings in which the future associate justice was grilled by hostile Democrats.
“I remember the mainstream media telling me, ‘Bad man! Really bad man! Sexual harassment bad man! Worst-bad-man-in-the-history-of-the-world bad man!” he told a Philadelphia tea party rally in July. “By the end of the week, I said, ‘What did this man do? This man is an American hero!’ … It was a cavalcade of Caucasians asking this man about his very private video rentals!”
3. The Kurt Cobain Moment, around 1994. “In essence, the media was saying, ‘Hey, see that guy, that’s your generation’s spokesman,'” said Breitbart, not a fan of grunge music’s suicidal prince. “I was like, ‘This guy seems like a world class [screw-up].’ And I just started to have the awkwardly pedestrian revelation that my parents were right.”
Does the piece seek out quotes from a tool like Eric Boehlert, allowing him to smear Breitbart as dishonest without pointing out Boehlert’s penchant for dishonesty? Of course.
Does there seem to be a touch of elitist sneering in the piece? Sure. What did you expect?
But it’s really just a touch.
I spoke to Breitbart about the piece today, and he had little but praise for the reporter and her article. “Robin Abcarian did as fair a job as humanly possible,” he told me. “I hope she doesn’t lose her job over it.”
Look for the words “puff piece” to start appearing on left-leaning blogs right . . . about . . . now.
Icy Texan (7a1ea1) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:28 pmConsidering the rapidly shrinking audience of the LAT, they should consider this effort as a plus for reaching more disenchanted former subscribers. Not that it will work, of course.
Dmac (d61c0d) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:29 pmIt is a good thing to give credit where credit is do. Good job in giving the LAT a complement when deserved.
But I do find Breitbart’s last comment very entertaining.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:37 pmoh great now he’s dissing Kurt Cobain what is wrong with this man
happyfeet (19c1da) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:38 pmMostly fair is about right, but mostly shallow works just as well. Abcarian barely delved beneath the surface. I came away a bit disappointed, like when the bartender turns out a watery drink and you know you’ve been short pored.
ropelight (4f92d0) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:48 pmBreitbart said he was even toying with reaching out to the Huffington Post or to the even more liberal Daily Kos for a joint investigation.
“I promise them,” Breitbart said, “there will be Republican carcasses too.”
EricPWJohnson (e83e82) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:49 pm2. The Clarence Thomas Moment. In 1991, he was riveted by Supreme Court hearings in which the future associate justice was grilled by hostile Democrats.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I know a guy at my workplace who is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal/Democrat. The name of Clarence Thomas came up one day and the liberal started spouting off how horrible Thomas was to women. The kicker in all this, and the essence of irony, is that this same guy who sneers at Thomas — for no more than a bit of bawdiness, at worse — is a big fan of (drum roll, please!) Bill Clinton (TA-DA!).
Mark (3e3a7c) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:51 pmQuoting myself, from a comment on this blog made in April:
In the jacket artwork for one of Nirvana’s albums there is a photo of an arson-damaged Republican Party headquarters — presumably taken in Seattle, their original base of operations. The photo is displayed without caption or comment; one presumes it’s there to indicate their approval, and implies agreement with the arsonist’s “political statement”.
— Don’t get me wrong. Cobain, musically speaking, is one of the most talented and important figures in the history of rock & roll. However, just as the mantle of “the spokesman for his generation” was NEVER sought by Bob Dylan or John Lennon (nor even, to a large degree, by Bruce Springsteen), neither was it sought out — nor should it be applied — to Kurt Cobain.
Icy Texan (7a1ea1) — 9/4/2010 @ 1:53 pmCobain had songs full of power chords. He sang like his mouth was full of pills.
I admit, I like some of his stuff. but compared with Dylan, Springsteen, of Lennon, he really comes up short.
Maybe that says something about the 1990s compared with the 1960s or 70s. It feels like a culturally lost decade to me. Unfair?
Dustin (b54cdc) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:02 pmIs it me, or does this thread smell like teen spirit?
“Robin Abcarian did as fair a job as humanly possible,” he told me. “I hope she doesn’t lose her job over it.” – Classic Breitbart, made me lol.
The Clarence Thomas/Bill Clinton conundrum. That’s a fun way to play “who’s the Nazi”, not that people who love WJC are Nazis. It’s just a different sort of outcome using the same sort of rules. I’m assuming people read that recently recycled article from 1941 and will understand.
Vivian Louise (c7cad6) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:09 pmKurt who?
daleyrocks (940075) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:09 pm“I hope she doesn’t lose her job over it.”
Beautiful sentiment. I hope Robin appreciates it.
daleyrocks (940075) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:10 pmCobain had songs full of power chords AND melody. As abrasive as the music could be, and as wild & unintelligible as he singing sometimes was, the saving grace was a strong melody that makes the songs resonate. After all of the sappy power ballads and fluff pop of the 80’s, it was time for the return of serious — “serious” in terms of tone and emotions — music. The was an initial spark of that return with the first Guns ‘N’ Roses album (along with Metallica on the extreme heavy end of the spectrum) but it was Nirvana that truly sparked the return to serious ROCKING.
Icy Texan (7a1ea1) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:18 pmBetween this “mostly fair” piece and the article grading the public school teachers, I suspect the reporters are tuning up their resumes in preparation for the next round of LAT layoffs.
MaaddMaaxx (206a3d) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:20 pmIcy Texan – He’s got nothing on the hair bands of the 1980s.
daleyrocks (940075) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:29 pmCobain? Meh. Just like the other grunge rockers from Seattle (Pearl Jam really sucked), the only group I actually could listen to for more than a hour was STP, and then only lately. I remember visiting Seattle in 1990, and everyone was going nuts about it all at the time – I asked a few natives if they thought any of it would still be popular 20 years later. Not much has lasted.
Oh yeah, and those awesome lyrics:
– I think I’m dumb
– I think I’m dumb
– I think I’m dumb
– Think I’m not happy
– Think I’m not happy
No sh-t, Kurt. Can’t imagine a guy like that would actually off himself.
Dmac (d61c0d) — 9/4/2010 @ 2:37 pmI’d rather Kurt be the voice of my generation than Taylor freaking Swift she’s a no talent cheesebucket with no rationale
happyfeet (19c1da) — 9/4/2010 @ 3:11 pmyeah I said it
happyfeet (19c1da) — 9/4/2010 @ 3:12 pmCheck out the article about the Obama speechwriter Adam Frankel – I love the conclusory statment about Obama’s speeches being noted for
“It was a vintage Obama speech. Well argued and comprehensive.” Yep – that was the reporter speaking – he reviewed the record and he declares Obama – correct. No matter what the content, can you even imagine such a reporter EVER making a statement about a Bush W speech? (again, no matter the content..).
Oh and Frankel’s Washington pedigree – hard to believe Team Obama lacks the common touch…..
Californio (5be43f) — 9/4/2010 @ 3:18 pmAs a former subscriber of the LA Times, I gave up long ago. However, they do seem to be making more of an effort at journalism these days. They recently invoked the ire of the teachers’ unions for posting the official ratings of individual teachers. The unions are now boycotting the LAT.
These are the kinds of efforts that could turn things around for them. I buy a copy every time they include an article that goes after the various government unions. After all, that is their job and there is no one else left to do it.
We have a Republican gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman, who is getting away with claiming that she will fix the state budget without specifying how except by “eliminating waste and corruption”. If she had a serious plan, the unions would be upset and contributing millions and millions to Jerry Brown. Why aren’t they? Because she has probably cut a deal to leave them alone.
The LAT should be going after both her and Jerry Brown to explain exactly how they will fix the state budget without tackling the sweetheart union deals. It would make them serious players in getting problems addressed instead of being the tools for the most corrupt Democrats that they have become.
Pasadena Phil (7bc659) — 9/4/2010 @ 3:31 pmBoehlert said reporters are “willing to ignore the falsehoods he litters all over the place, and the ugly attacks, and toast him as this new media guru.”
Boehlert comes off looking small, petty and bitterly envious.
He has essentially called Breitbart a liar, no small accusation, and I think one which deserves to be backed up with proof: What precisely are the falsehoods being littered all over the place?
If he can’t do that then he remains, small and petty.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 9/4/2010 @ 3:58 pmIt’s all a matter of perspective, McClatchy makes the LA Times seems like the Orange County register
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/4/2010 @ 4:02 pmBoehlert know that he
ColonelHaiku (619fc9) — 9/4/2010 @ 4:04 pman ant can’t move rubber tree
plant but have high hopes
Curt Cobain and Nirvana are perhaps the most overrated things EVER. They, like Pearl Jam always screamed about corporations and commercialism, all the while they were making millions being commercial. This annoying hypocrisy helped me convert from a liberal to a conservative in 1993/4.
East Coast Chris (ded5f2) — 9/4/2010 @ 4:30 pmI have cited articles in LAT on-line that were 15% rewritten the same day without notation of correction or Ed notes. Used to enjoy reading LAT.
“It’s hard to bargle nawdle zouse with all these marbles in my mouth…..” Dick Van Patten cameo?
Thanks, Weird AL!
Smells Like Nirvana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FklUAoZ6KxY
RIP Paul Conrad.
dudeabides (bc873a) — 9/4/2010 @ 4:54 pmROBIN ABCARIAN, of all LATards™, wrote the mostly-fair piece on Breitbart?!? OMGx1TB…
I still remember in the mid-90s when she was an occasional sit-in for absent hosts on KABC talk radio. A more smarmy liberal host, one could not find in 100 years. Compared to Abcarian, Gloria Allred was a paragon of humility and grace.
qdpsteve (5eb540) — 9/4/2010 @ 6:03 pmI think it is possible that the LA Times is trying to correct the gross and absurd leftist bias they have had the past 25 years. In the 1990s, I was in New Hampshire spending a year at Dartmouth. I got the Times and, at the time, they printed the e-mail address of writers at the end of op-ed pieces. I had some interesting exchanges with some of those writers, in one case for months with a woman who had gone back to teaching freshman pre-algebra in LAUSD after an absence of 20 years.
I even had some exchanges with Robert Scheer. That ended and so did my subscription. I can sympathize with the troll and spam problems that became far more of a problem in the years that followed, but I think they really should try to have a dialogue with critics. It shouldn’t be that tough to validate some e-mail addresses and have a dialogue with people like Patterico and even me. If they don’t do something soon. they are toast. Burnt toast
Mike K (d6b02c) — 9/4/2010 @ 6:27 pmsmells like teen spirit is the
pdbuttons (25ef24) — 9/4/2010 @ 7:08 pmsame song as bostons more than a feeling
chord/structure wise…
who ya gonna believe? me or your lying ears?
chuck berry could not be reached for comment
feets,
Perhaps you are acquainted with a broader range of T. Swift’s work than I, but what I’ve heard is sweet and about as avant guard as I want my daughter to hear-
“she wears high heels, I wear sneakers…”
sounds good to me.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 9/4/2010 @ 9:08 pmAll right, you mad mogwai, you’ve gone too far now
ian cormac (6709ab) — 9/4/2010 @ 9:26 pmThe reporter did mention that other mags gave him fair reviews too, so she probably felt that was the marching order of the day.
Patricia (358f54) — 9/4/2010 @ 9:47 pmI think the LA Times has lost its mind and will soon retract this uncritical literary “love-fest” with Breitbart. No wonder he had nothing but good things to say about the author. That should be your first clue right there that something is wrong. When was the last time Breitbart was so glowing about the author of an article about him? It was such a pathetically shallow “puff piece” (yes, I used it) that even he could not come up with a single complaint about the article, or the author. I wonder what kind of research this lady did on Breitbart before writing this turd. My guess is it consisted of calling him for an interview, and little else.
Chris Hooten (7fcd81) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:09 amBy the looks of the comments there, it looks like most people agree with me, too.
Chris Hooten (7fcd81) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:27 am^Notice how the legendary projector uses the term “turd” in his latest rant. Chrissy’s Hooters never fail to heed to his MO.
Dmac (d61c0d) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:28 amProjection is an interesting pathology, Dmac.
Eric Blair (58b0cf) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:45 amWhy you gotta hate on Nirvana? Cobain did not define a generation. He held a mirror up to a segment of that generation – the ones who flat out could not find their way through the morass of information overload. Don’t mistake the simplicity of grunge with clarity of message. If chaos theory had a band, it would have been Nirvana.
Oh. And Breitbart is still hot as all hell even though he hates Nirvana. 😉
BoR (ee2c3f) — 9/5/2010 @ 11:13 amenjoying Sunday
ColonelHaiku (3ec9fa) — 9/5/2010 @ 11:46 ambut you had to throw it all
away chris hooten
Abcarian is a legendary idiot. And the piece appeared about 2 months too late, in typical LATimes fashion.
Kevin Stafford (abdb87) — 9/5/2010 @ 6:45 pmI didn’t hate Nirvana. In fact, I love Nirvana on MTV’s Unplugged. Brilliant. (I do HATE Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains.) I simply rejected the media’s hype of a destructive artistic savant.
Andrew Breitbart (f5343f) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:04 pmBride of Rove is da bomb, if not a bit racist.
JD (8ded14) — 9/5/2010 @ 8:15 pmGlad to be of help
Chris Hooten (7fcd81) — 9/5/2010 @ 11:16 pmon this holiday Sunday
one two three four five 🙂
28.smells like teen spirit is the
same song as bostons more than a feeling
chord/structure wise…
who ya gonna believe? me or your lying ears?
chuck berry could not be reached for comment
Comment by pdbuttons — 9/4/2010 @ 7:08 pm
— “Louie Louie” and “Wild Thing” have the same chord structure (as dies “Born To Run”); so do “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Werewolves of London”. The riff in Steve Miller Band’s “Jet Airliner” is the same as the riff in Cream’s “Crossroads”. Your point, if you have one?
Icy Texan (1d82f6) — 9/6/2010 @ 4:36 amhey there, just wanted to let you know that your page wasn’t showing properly in web browser 8 but after few refreshesh it was eventually fine again. Keep the good work.
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