There are live on-air gaffes that news anchors wish they could erase, like the common Obama/Osama mix-up.
But when Jesse Jackson whispered that he wanted to "cut [Obama's] nuts off" before a Fox & Friends interview on Sunday was set to begin, it was a reminder that public figures often have a hard time keeping their private conversations to themselves when they've got a hot mic pack clipped to their hip.
It should be a simple life lesson: When you have a media outlet's microphone attached to you , by default you should expect other people are listening to your conversation, and very likely recording it. Herewith, some famous examples of people who should know better, but obviously didn't. CONTINUED »
As Google Docs told me this morning, it's Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day isn't a big deal, but it is a reminder that when I go to sleep at 9:30pm on a Saturday night–which only happened once, after a long day at a Russian bathhouse–no one really notices.
Last time I visited my grandmother in Florida, she asked me what my type was. Rich and tall is trite, right? I kid, I kid. I don't even have a type. So I decided to be proactive and look through men's magazines to figure out what I'm looking for. What I learned? Men are idiots. After the jump, my brief flings with Details, Maxim, Men's Vogue, GQ and Esquire.
Anyway, happy Valentine's Day!- raronauer
Advice columns are crap. The questions are either made up, or answered too late to be of any service to anyone. But they’re still popular, mostly because people get some voyeuristic rush out of reading about the problems of fictional characters or strangers. And usually, the advice is too earnest to be of any use. As bloggers, we understand every nuance of human interaction. So here’s our advice.
From Dear Prudence:
I'm a 30-year-old male who suffered from extremely bad acne during my teenage years and into my 20s. As a result, I never had a girlfriend, and never experienced all the things that someone should during those years (first kiss, love, sex, etc.). Now that I'm older and the acne has cleared up, and I have enough confidence in my appearance to start dating, I've developed a new problem. I've become very self-conscious of the fact that I have no clue how to start a relationship, be intimate, all the things that I should have learned during my formative years. How do you propose I get over this? Do I just be upfront with a woman after two or three dates regarding my lack of experience and hope she doesn't laugh? Or do I just keep my mouth shut and hope I can figure things out on the fly?
—30-Year-Old Virgin
What You Should Do:
Don’t sweat it. Most girls would take a 30-YOV to HPV any time. Take your time, and if and when your inexperience comes up, discuss it honestly. The more comfortable you are with the situation, the less uncomfortable the situation will be. CONTINUED »
Advice columns are crap. The questions are either made up, or answered too late to be of any service to anyone. But they’re still popular, mostly because people get some voyeuristic rush out of reading about the problems of fictional characters or strangers. And usually, the advice is too earnest to be of any use. As bloggers, we understand every nuance of human interaction. So here’s our advice.
From Dear Prudence:
I met a great guy at a board-game party, and we really hit it off. There was a lot of one-on-one interaction, joking, and flirtation between the two of us. When he knew the answers, he'd whisper them to me, when I knew, I'd whisper them to him, our knees and arms were touching most of the night, and he even grasped my hand at one point. My two girlfriends even noticed, and after we'd left, they said that the flirtation was completely mutual. The guy came with us to the door when we left, and asked if I had any plans for the rest of the weekend. I said I didn't. I was sure he was going to ask for my number or suggest plans for later, but he didn't (granted, the window of time was not enormous as I headed out the door), and I'm really disappointed. I'm 26, so I've had my share of dating experiences, and I've concluded I generally like for the guy to take the initiative in the beginning. Is this misguided? I just think I've gotten better results when the guy takes the lead (or at least thinks he does!). Is there any way to still salvage this initial spark?
—Wishing for a "Closer"
What You Should Do:
Leave it alone. He'll call you if he's interested. CONTINUED »
Advice columns are crap. The questions are either made up, or answered too late to be of any service to anyone. But they’re still popular, mostly because people get some voyeuristic rush out of reading about the problems of fictional characters or strangers. And usually, the advice is too earnest to be of any use. As bloggers, we understand every nuance of human interaction. So here’s our advice.
I'm 24, and I've been with my boyfriend for about 18 months. We were friends in high school, then met again after college, and started living together almost immediately. We have been talking about marriage lately, which I am beyond excited about; however, my boyfriend has informed me that I need to lose 20 pounds before he will propose. He claims that's the only reason he hasn't asked me yet. In his words, he wants "a hot wife." Am I crazy to think that unconditional and true love still exists? Everything else in our relationship is great. I don't want to walk away from something so wonderful, but this just seems a little ridiculous. Help!
—In Love With Mr. Vain
What You Should Do:
Leave him.
What You Will Do: CONTINUED »
Correspondent Wendy said the pickings were slim this week, but we disagree. Marvin Kitman called Bill O'Reily a Thanksgiving float and Anderson Cooper spoke to the harsh reality of the expiration dates of cute polar bears. CONTINUED »
We at Jossip don't really care about sports, but we do think ESPN is doing awesome things for sports journalists. We talked to Rob King, the editor-in-chief of ESPN.com to talk about investing in writing, fan expectation and how his son wants an elevator for his birthday.
ESPN seems to be aggressive in pursuing top-notch journalists over the past few months. So what's up with that?
It's something that has been going on for a long time. If you look at some of the people who make decisions here, they come from newspapers, magazines like Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated. Vince Doria, who oversees our news coverage, is a longtime newspaper man. … It seems to be happening a condensed burst. Rick Reilly is a big enough name that it has generated more attention to what we're doing. But the truth of the matter is that we've long been involved with trying to find the best sports journalists we can. I'm happy recipient of that kind of attention myself. I was in newspapers for more than 20 years. I was working at the Philadelphia Inquirer when ESPN came and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. CONTINUED »
Advice columns are crap. The questions are either made up, or answered too late to be of any service to anyone. But they’re still popular, mostly because people get some voyeuristic rush out of reading about the problems of fictional characters or strangers. And usually, the advice is too earnest to be of any use. As bloggers, we understand every nuance of human interaction. So here’s our advice.
"Wilbur" and I have been together for 25 years, married for nine. During that time we have been through almost everything.
Abby, I am disappointed in the man Wilbur has turned out to be. He does nothing around the house. He does hold a job, but that's the beginning and the end of it. On top of that, Wilbur shows me no affection. He doesn't hug or kiss me, and he sleeps with a pillow between us. I realize he was never very lovey-dovey, but now there is no affection at all.
I dream about being close to a man, having a companion with whom to enjoy things in life — simple things like going for coffee together after walking through a flea market holding hands.Our lives have been intertwined for a quarter of a century. I feel there's nowhere for me to go. How does someone in my situation find happiness?
What You Should:
Either leave him or get a vibrator. We hear good things about the silver bullet. CONTINUED »
With the disappointing verbal range demonstrated on Facebook status updates, we decided it was time to introduce Word of the Day, our daily attempt to help you seem smart, even if you're not. We receive word of the days from Merriam-Webster; each auto-generated email feels like a small guerdon for waking up to our alarm clock and has improved our pasquinades immensely. We hope you'll cotton to this new feature.
Folderol \FAHL-duh-rahl\ noun
1 : a useless ornament or accessory : trifle; 2 : nonsense
All the talk of Paris Hilton visiting Rwanda was folderol; she ended up spending her vacation in Berlin, getting drunk with wealthy Germans.
[Photo Credit: WireImage]
After the Iowa caucus, many candidates will have to admit their adolescent aspirations for president are both absurd and financially unfeasible. But before they go back to political obscurity, we’re taking a quick look at a few of the wackos who want to rule the free world this week.
Who: Joe Biden
Current Job: Democratic Senator from Delaware.
Currently Polling: 4% [CNN]
CONTINUED »
After the Iowa caucus, many candidates will have to admit their adolescent aspirations for president are both absurd and financially unfeasible. But before they go back to political obscurity, we’re taking a quick look at a few of the wackos who want to rule the free world this week.
Who: Mike Gravel
Current Job: Currently retired, former Senator and House Speaker from Alaska.
Currently Polling: 1% [CNN]
CONTINUED »
Editorial Director
