Using your column to browbeat media into charity donations

[TigerVols]

TJ Simers, never one for strict journalistic rules-keeping, crosses the line yet again in today's LAT...He picks up on an innocent comment by LA Radio/LA Lakers personality John Ireland and turns it into an excuse to browbeat Ireland and other media celebs into raising money for a random charity...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-simers-20110301,0,2613487.column

Funny how he never seems to ask his own bosses to donate!

 

[LongTimeListener]

I think you're missing the sarcasm here. It sounds like the whole thing is a bit of a setup and it's his T.J.-way of publicizing something by being a grouch. He does it all the time with the children's hospital, baiting people into making a public bet or guarantee that will show some "conflict" with the columnist and end with a check for the charity. For one thing, you'd have to think he wouldn't just bring Jim Hill's name into it without Jim Hill knowing.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

That definitely was not what I got from that column.

 

[fishwrapper]

TigerVols, I'm pretty sure you misread this one.

 

[SF_Express]

My feeling about T.J. is known here, but I have no problem with any of this. Not many columnists have this niche, but he does ...

 

[Billy Monday]

It always amazes me how many people totally misread Simers. The joke is on all the people who misread him and take him (and themselves) so seriously.

 

[HanSenSE]

Most people who complain about Simers don't get him. I love his column, but I love a good crumugdeon. And on the days he writes about some of the patients at the children's hospital and their families, it drives me to the verge of tears. And the show he did with Vin Scully and John Wooden, a hospital fundraiser, a couple of years ago may have been the most fascinating study of both subjects I've ever seen.

 

[fishwrapper]

You guys should see him at Children's one time.
Your opinion, whatever it is, would forever change.

 

[buckweaver]

For one thing, you'd have to think he wouldn't just bring Jim Hill's name into it without Jim Hill knowing.

I would bet $2,344 that every name dropped in that column — John Ireland, most of all — has no problem with a single word Simers wrote.

Classic T.J., and effective as always.

 

[Alma]

So many of Simers' column are needlessly irritating. This one included.

 

[The Big Ragu]

I am really missing something, too.

Even tongue in cheek, the premise was that Ireland didn't literally walk from Cleveland to Los Angeles, so let's donate to autism?

 

[MileHigh]

Love T.J.'s stuff. I too get amused when others don't get it.

Here's an update from today's column:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers-20110302,0,2303871.column?page=2

JAMIE McCOURT said she will donate $2,344 to the Walk Now for Autism Speaks campaign in the name of Lakers honk John Ireland.

Last month Ireland had said he would walk the 2,344 miles between Cleveland and L.A. if the Lakers lost to the Cavaliers. The Lakers lost and Ireland hopped on the team plane for the return flight to L.A.

Broadcaster Jim Hill not only said he would donate $2,344 to Autism Speaks, as you might expect the best-known broadcaster in L.A. to say, but he said he would call Frank McCourt and suggest he do the same.

But so far — no donation from Frank. As you well know, it takes time for loan approval.

Radio personalities, and that's being generous, Max Kellerman, Marcellus Wiley and Steve Mason also said they would contribute. Ireland said they didn't specify an amount, but I would think it would go without saying they will each contribute $2,344 or come across as lightweights.

No word from Stephen A. Smith, but it's not like I'm complaining.

Mason said he would contribute $2,344 on Monday, but as of Tuesday evening he still had not done so. Maybe he and Frank have the same loan officer.

Management at 710 ESPN apparently would like to distance itself from Ireland because it has made no effort to support the worthy cause. Maybe 570 will do so on 710's behalf.

It was e-mailer Dottie Weiler's suggestion to have "all the Lakers players and personnel, including fearless leader Phil Jackson" donate $2,344 since they are the ones who lost to Cleveland.

"This could turn that loss into something positive," she wrote.

I knew right away when Dottie suggested "all the Lakers personnel" donate that PR guy John Black might faint. So when I contacted him in Minnesota, I only mentioned Jackson's name, knowing he makes like $12 million and maybe he could donate on behalf of the whole team.

The PR guy's text response: "LOL." I don't know if that means lots of love, or lots of luck.

As for those who e-mailed wanting to know if Page 2 will be donating $2,344 to Autism Speaks, it's already been done. It was the wife's idea because we had been saving for the daughter's marriage, but it's not like that's going to happen.

 

[Screwball]

I am really missing something, too.

Even tongue in cheek, the premise was that Ireland didn't literally walk from Cleveland to Los Angeles, so let's donate to autism?

No, the premise was that Ireland donated to autism after he found out the distance from Cleveland to L.A. was 2,344 miles -- except that he announced he would donate $1,000 and hoped that others would donate enough to get the total to $2,344. Simers tweaked Ireland, who has a TV gig as the Lakers' sideline reporter and an L.A. drive-time radio show, for not donating $2,344.