“Irresponsible Advice from a Man with No Credibility” is what podcaster Joe Rogan said would be the title of his next book, and was the slug on a story about the Spotify controversy in this week’s issue:
Celebrities
The Streisand Effect
Two recent This is True stories demonstrate the “Streisand effect,” and this page brings those two stories together (plus a third from 5 years ago), and then leads to more commentary on the “effect.”
Let’s start with the first of the two recent stories, from True’s 8 December 2019 issue:
071: Taking It To the Extreme
In This Episode: Humans mostly pay attention to the short term. If we can lift our eyes and look much farther out, not only does that benefit us personally, but business leaders that truly have Uncommon Sense sometimes take it to the extreme, and their results, actual and still in the works, can be absolutely mind-blowing.
026: What a Talking Ape Can Teach Humans
In This Episode: It’s easier for young children to learn basic sign language than to speak, and what a head start they can get on learning! Proof of concept: a gorilla, which in part shows that thinking is not limited to humans.
Luke Perry and Strokes
Actor Luke Perry Died today after suffering a “massive stroke” on February 27. I was alerted by Megan, my 39-year-old niece. She enjoys reading her local Crime Blotter (and posting funny entries she sees), and she, her dad, and I have a text group where we try to scoop each other on reporting about someone interesting who died. Now and then, I even get a good Honorary Unsubscribe out of it.
Erasing the Past
There’s an interesting update on two stories from last week’s issue (just Premium: the stories weren’t in the free edition), which brings up a huge question: when celebrities/star athletes are convicted of a heinous crime, what should become of their past accomplishments?
Michelle Wolf and Other Famous Names
It Has Been Weird to see all the news coverage for comedian Michelle Wolf, who was thrust into the limelight after a searing routine at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where comics commonly roast the president — although the famously thin-skinned Mr. Trump refuses to go to the dinner, unlike his predecessors. Why “weird” for me? Because Michele Wolf was my first wife.
Randolph Mantooth: Still Active in EMS
The NBC television show Emergency!, which ran 123 episodes on NBC from 1972 to 1977, plus six made-for-TV movies that aired in 1978 and 1979, did a lot to make the public aware of professional Medics, playing a significant role in elevating the profession from mere “ambulance drivers.”
The Worship of Joe Paterno
I posted this on Facebook on Sunday (22 January). The response was amazing:
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
It was Labor Day in the U.S. on Monday, and I was laboring. Not just to get the Premium edition out, but I put it together sitting at the Labor Day rodeo here in Ridgway, Colorado.
A Steve Wozniak Joke
This story was originally published on my Jumbo Joke site, which is no longer online, so I’m transferring it here for posterity.
On Stage with Penn & Teller
This is the sordid tale of my having been exposed to Teller’s bodily fluids.
Another Independent Content Site: RIP?
When I talk about how independent sites like True need your direct and ongoing support, I’ll often emphasize that all independent sites need such support; if you like “them” (whoever “they” might be), you need to support them so they can continue. And indeed one of the oldest, most venerable content sites has stopped publishing and is in very real danger of failing completely.
The Power of Collective Outrage
I had reserved this space tonight for a major rant. What makes one of my rants “major”? I was actually going to call for a boycott and a letter-writing campaign — I don’t recall ever doing that before. I wanted to show how collective outrage can make a difference. But you know what happened? Collective outrage grew on its own, quickly rising to a spontaneous chorus of “NO!” And the perpetrator listened.
Canada: Outpruding the U.S.
See Update Below!
The U.S. has its Janet Jackson scandal; Canada has a scandal over a completely clothed woman with a modest neckline. And naturally, I have the photos to illustrate this earth-shattering story, from True’s 21 August 2005 issue:
Saaya Irie Photos
Saaya Melts Hearts — But May Break Yours
A photo is “worth a thousand words,” so yes, I’ve got the photos (below). But usually you need some words to put the photos in context.
The Dumb Leading the Blind
Last week I ran a story about how hundreds of celebrities were on the defense witness list for the Michael Jackson trial. The tag: “…Stevie Wonder is particularly upset at being named. ‘Yeah I was there,’ he admits. ‘But I didn’t see anything!'”
Mike the Headless Chicken
Update! See below.
Sometimes you come across a story that really, really seems too weird to be true. Sure we’ve all heard about chickens who run around the barnyard after getting their heads chopped off. But for over a year?
Another Year, Another Dollar
Clearly, the “commercial activity online” taboo is a bit slow to die off, but my first paid ad is a good one. I wasn’t depending on ad income to survive …which is an awfully good thing! That’s what enabled True to survive in the long run.