Journalistic Real Estate Is At A Premium
The LA Times just killed their stand-alone California section for local news, and smushed it into the A section. Yet, on Saturday, just on the other side the front page, some really prime real estate, is an article by Sandy Banks on...drumroll...the new drawing to accompany her column:
Yes, that's the new me you're looking at. And no, I didn't get a nose job or a new hairstyle. My transformation was cheaper and far less painful. I was treated to a redraw.It wasn't my idea to add illustrated mugs to our columns last fall. A newspaper redesign led the bosses to order up new photos to be converted into line drawings.
I knew the photo we relied on wasn't my best. I'd skipped the salon and left home without makeup. The photographer said "smile" and I complied, unaware that a broad grin can make a nose look wide.
When I saw the drawing in the newspaper later, I cringed. My middle-aged vanity made me want to hide. It didn't take long for my personal crisis to become some readers' obsession.
"You look 20 years older, and you need a comb," e-mailed my neighbor. My daughters' former school principal was more tactful: "That drawing doesn't capture how attractive you are."
I braced myself at every public event for some version of "You don't look like your picture" from the audience. And my co-workers were, of course, brutally blunt. "What's with the schnoz?" asked Duke. "It's huge."
I can defend my writing, but my looks? There's no editor with an airbrush for facial flaws.
Fortunately, my bosses heard the snickers and asked artist Randy Glass for a do-over.
Have they fired all the editors over there?
Amy you probabbly didn't realize, but they are doing a series of articles on this subject.
Next there is gonna be one on how I had to re-take my drivers license photo cuz I didnt look anything like it.
Purplepen at March 8, 2009 6:21 AM
I don't understand why they published that, but I have an inkling about why she remains employed at the paper when so many good people have been given the ax.
Amy Alkon at March 8, 2009 9:05 AM
Amy, come on, now! They have to keep the "vapid" angle covered! She'll be the LAST to go.
Jay R at March 8, 2009 12:23 PM
> I don't understand why
> they published that
You wouldn't have been as offended if this woman had some celebrity juice... But nobody knows or cares who the columnists in the LA Times are. They have no community standing, so there's no reason put up with their vanity about photographs.
> I have an inkling about why she
> remains employed
Gossip! We want gossip!
Crid [cridcridatgmail] at March 8, 2009 1:04 PM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/03/journalistic-re.html#comment-1637622">comment from Crid [cridcridatgmail]I have an inkling about why she > remains employed Gossip! We want gossip!
Yes, we do...Page Six-style. And maybe if Rupert Murdoch buys the paper, we'll get it. I would love to see Luke Ford as a gossip columnist for the paper.
Amy Alkon
at March 8, 2009 1:52 PM
Amy,
Saw your letter about Sandy Banks in the LA Times. Good one!
You didn't say "Flame-Haired Advice Goddess" after your name, but I knew it was you .... ;)
Jay R at March 11, 2009 12:46 PM
Do you completely love superstar news? Can't stand it? Don't you take long lunches from work when you're conscious that your up-to-date issue of Playboy hits the newstands? I want to determine just how many people actually find famous person news exciting, and how many simply consider the passion for it plain stupid.
Silva Allis at September 21, 2010 9:33 AM
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