Rushin out at SI

[leon_hollhandle]

Reliable word from inside TimeInc. is that Steve Rushin's column this week is his last piece for SI.

What are they thinking?

[dooley_womack1]

Will this end well? Neigh Nay.

[Riddick]

I know a lot of people like his stuff, but I'm not really a fan. Though it's always sad to see someone lose their gig in this job climate.

[Franklin]

say what you will about his columns--the guy is one of the best feature writers out there. how do you let a guy like that get away?

[Inky_Wretch]

say what you will about his columns--the guy is one of the best feature writers out there. how do you let a guy like that get away?

I thought he was mainly focusing on his column these days.

[Clever username]

Reliable word from inside TimeInc. is that Steve Rushin's column this week is his last piece for SI.

What are they thinking?

Stupid question, but are they letting him go or is he quitting? From your post, I'm guessing he got peaced out, but I just wanted to clarify.

[leon_hollhandle]

Reliable word from inside TimeInc. is that Steve Rushin's column this week is his last piece for SI.

What are they thinking?

Stupid question, but are they letting him go or is he quitting? From your post, I'm guessing he got peaced out, but I just wanted to clarify.

Not a stupid question at all. It's not 100 percent clear, even to SIers.

[Boobie Miles]

I know a lot of people like his stuff, but I'm not really a fan. Though it's always sad to see someone lose their gig in this job climate.

He's in a slightly different place in the job climate than your copy editor at a 30,000 circ. daily though. It's not like he'll be without opportunities if indeed he was let go, and it's not like SI isn't going to fill that spot with someone else. If he left on his own, then obviously it's moot because then he didn't "lose" his job.

I know it's against sj.com to like any writer who is considered popular by the idiot readers, but I actually like(d) Rushin a lot. And say what you will about his style it's gotta be damn tough to always weave and tie things in the way he does and constantly be playing with the language.

[MileHigh]

Maybe he took a buyout?

[Write-brained]

I grew up reading Rushin ... he's always had a very distinct way with words.

[Piotr Rasputin]

say what you will about his columns--the guy is one of the best feature writers out there. how do you let a guy like that get away?

I will and have said what I will about his columns. They have mined Peter King territory with his shameless drivel about Rebecca Lobo, and the one a few weeks ago telling Tiger Woods what being a dad will be like. He's not a newspaper man who has a couple throwaways here and there as far as topics. He has one column a week, and he has often wasted it on this personal "Look at ME! I'm in LOVE!" stuff.

But as a features guy . . . he is great. SI shouldn't let a guy like that go. And yes, even his columns whose topics I disdain are good reads.

But then, I'm someone who thinks Karl Taro Greenfeld's stuff for SI is so much worshipful hooey, so what do I know?  

[RokSki]

I'm not a huge fan of his work, either, but what he does, he does  very well. 

He shouldn't have any trouble landing on his feet, thankfully.

Good luck, Steve.

[blondebomber]

I'll preface this by stating I think he's the most talented and clever writer out there, but as a columnist he got old years ago. Every column was an exhibition of how to turn a phrase and nothing more. He never provided insight. I never came away feeling more informed or enlightened.

Each of his pieces was: Phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn, phrase I'd give my left nut to turn. The end.

I would get done and feel I was no better off than if I hadn't read the thing aside from being reminded how inadequate I am as a writer.

[Write-brained]

You're right, he's not much of a columnist ... I'd flip right by him and go to Reilly ... but the truth is I respect Rushin a lot more.

[Billy Pritchard]

Why does he have to be educational? Not every columnist has to fit in the same box. Some can just entertain. I find Rushin entertaining -- and I don't care that I haven't learned anything.

[fishwrapper]

I grew up reading Rushin ... he's always had a very distinct way with words.

What are you, 6?

[WSKY]

I'm not a huge fan of his work, either, but what he does, he does  very well. 

He shouldn't have any trouble landing on his feet, thankfully.

Good luck, Steve.

that's sweet

[blondebomber]

Why does he have to be educational? Not every columnist has to fit in the same box. Some can just entertain. I find Rushin entertaining -- and I don't care that I haven't learned anything.

After years of weekly columns, once would have been nice. How about a couple tear-jerkers? How about something deeper than his baseball card collection? How about something more than a rundown of anagrams? He couldn't mix it up. It was cleverness over substance.

[Kaylee]

 This has me sorta curious about Rushin's feature work. I was only familiar with him as a columnist. Anyone reading his column can't deny that he's gifted, but after a while, they all started reading like thinly veiled excuses to exercise his abilities with words. Ganted, not all columns need to have the gravitas of a Greek play, but they should at least be saying something. I never felt his did.

 But that's just my opinion. I'm sure there's plenty who love his stuff.

[Write-brained]

I grew up reading Rushin ... he's always had a very distinct way with words.

What are you, 6?

Oops. Honest mistake. Somehow in my mind I combined Steve Wulf the old guy with Steve Rushin the word guy ... they had one or two great stories together (side by side on same topic) a number of years ago when I took the magazine on a regular basis and now I seem to always connect the two. Don't ask me why.

[clutchcargo]

Write-brained---Why?

[IGotQuestions]

Thing I always said about Rushin is this: He wrote for himself more often then for the reader. Llike Blondebomber said. As a features writer, he's fabulous. But when he's being that writer getting off on his own word play in his column every other week - I skip right over it.

Quick. Who am I?

Which is to say. ...
Which is to say. ...
Which is to say. ...

[Moderator1]

So is this indeed fact?

[Lugnuts]

His column seemed to peak circa 2000.  I remember sitting in an airport around that time, by myself, reading his column and laughing out loud so hard I had tears running down my face.  People must have thought I was nuts.  But that's how talented he is.

Then he started writing about the family on a regular basis, and that's when I quit reading him.

He's probably going to make millions writing screenplays or something... he's capable of doing anything...

[slappy4428]

Will this end well? Neigh Nay.

Nice...


I'd still rather read Rushin than Reilly, but yeah, his column has turned into "I can turn a phrase"... and yes. Yes he can.