A new twist on an old theme

I feel for the woman in this instance, and I definitely don't blame her for wanting her own copy.

I once wrote what I felt was this great column about these upper-class high school kids who started their own metal band. Only problem was I misspelled the drummer's name - I couldn't hear anything in the bar we were in so I had him write his name down. Unfortunately, I misread it.

I felt bad enough about it but even worse when I talked to the guy's father. I told him I fixed it in the online version as soon as I found out about it but his answer, in sort of a depressed tone, was, "But it's still wrong in the paper."

That was some five years ago and it still bugs the shit out of me.

 

One problem with this biz is that if you do make a mistake, it's done.

If you sell someone a bad ipod, you can replace it. Overcook the steak and you can throw another on.

If you put the wrong photo or name in the paper, it's done. You can run a correction, but it doesn't really fix the original mistake.

Just something we live with.

 

Most of the time, I will do a page element on copy paper for someone if I happen to make a mistake. It doesn't help the product, but it takes five minutes and it usually satisfies whomever wants them.

 

Could be worse. The incident I was referring to earlier in this thread involved a female athlete who missed an entire season with a bulging disc in her back. Except our writer mistyped the word "disc," if you get my drift.

That, my friends, is what's called fucking it up badly.

 

We know where his mind was.

 

Best part of the story is that her father was, like full-blooded German. So he calls our desk the next day, and in the thickest accent you've ever heard tells the poor desk guy who answered: "My daughter ... she no have dick."

The whole incident was highly embarrassing for the paper, but that didn't mean I couldn't laugh my ass off.

 

Solid gold, Some Guy.

Anway, what was the Media News guy in the other thread saying about not needing copy editors?