Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Challenge Journalism 101: Things *NOT* to ask the professor

Okay. But you asked for it...I have the feeling that you're gonna regret it in a minute. Well:


If I go to a costume party in Gotham City, dressed as Superman. And one of the guests is colour-blind. D'you think he'll mistake me for Robin?'

Do you have a smoked-doors-phonebooth in this class? Why? Er...just in case...

I took the liberty to install a leaded safe in my dorm, I hope you don't mind?

When you say 'watch the King Live', do you mean Larry's or is the King really alive?

How do you spell 'Tifanny'?

Can I be considered a source, if I channel with ancient gods in order to help a famous reporter tandem solving a mystery and eventually saving the world from another Biblical flood? Hum? Of course they're both alive and sane...well...

Can you define 'guys'?

If journalism is war and I'm sent on battlefield by my magazine as war correspondant. Can we consider that the opposite is also true? That war is journalism? <-- I know. I Shouldn't have. But I couldn't help it. I can't.

Carole

Now that you mention...

- Can you define 'babe'?

See ya,
AnnaBtG. (who's having a great time reading all these replies!)

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say I was a reporter, and, hypothetically, I decided to get involved with something on the side to supplement my income -- a car theft ring, say. This is hypothetical, you understand. If the police were to catch me at my hypothetical illegal activities, I'd be able to show them my press badge, tell them I was working undercover, and get away with it, right? Hypothetically.

Okay, maybe those weren't *that* funny, but they were a great source of amusment for me. As is the fact that "niche" seems to be one of her favorite words.

Fine, I'm done babbling, I'll get on to the real reason I'm posting. Paul asked, "If we're part of the 4th estate, who lives next door?"

I personally wasn't sure what he was talking about, but he explained it the best he could. Well, tonight in class we went over chapter 15. Lines from the introductory paragraph:

I just thought I'd share.

Sara (who is admittedly easily amused )

Glad to help, Sara.

about not quoting yourself or writing about yourself in the 3rd person.

But, hey! Now we have an answer to one of our questions!

Q: If we're part of the 4th estate, who lives next door?

A: The king.

Wait a sec...

Reporters are the fourth estate. The ones working for what the general populace now calls tabloids are probably on the outer edges of that estate. Kind of camping out in the back yard of the estate, one could say. Next door is the king, right? So... Is that why they're always writing about Elvis?

Paul, desperately in need of sleep

So, I know this thread is long dead, but I just had to revive it. Why? Well, our journalism class went on a field trip to the Arizona Daily Star. I was giggling like a dork on the way there because I was so excited (yeah... I was driving by myself, don't worry ). And when we got there, I had to bite my tongue because there were a few questions I wanted to ask.

• Can I take a quick peek inside the EIC's office? Why? Uh... Want to see if there's any Elvis pictures in there.
• Can I press the big red button? Please? Just for fun?
• So... Where's Jimmy?
• So do you just call this the "newsroom"? Or do you sometimes call it the bullpen? (Yeah, not that bad, but I was still embarrassed to ask. )

Sara

- Do you have a storage room with at least a window?

- Is it really necessary to have a driving license to be part of your editorial staff?

- WOW! Nice newsroom. Can I say ‘stop the presses’ or ‘freeze’ maybe?

- Are there any barber, library, book store, MD, video rental shop, dry cleaners, Chinese restaurant, French bakery, 24 hours-a-day and 365-days-a-year opened FedEx or postal service that are exclusively specialized in delivering anything “cheese of the month” related, nearby? Just checking.

- Can I source the says of an old irish lady as newsworthy? Even if she believes in dwarfs, elves, has an invisible leprechaun for a pet friend and practically lives in Tir Nan Og?

- So where’s Clark Kent? I could really need a super-typinp-help on this sto…oops!

- Do you accept loaded food containers as excess luggage on domestic flights?

- How long can you hold your breath?

- If my fiancée ends up gagged and chained to a bed. And I accidentally triggered a time bomb by trying to set her free. And we just have a few seconds left before explosion and she starts playing ‘mime-the-mystery-phrase’ in order to save the world’s peace and future…d’you think I should tell her to hold that mood or indulge her and play along?

- How many times does it take to switch from ‘rookie’ to ‘senior’ reporter? And from ‘rookie’ to ‘top banana’?

- Let’s say I have to investigate some fire-obsessed gang called the Toasters. And I end up dancing in a club in a really feathery chicken outfit. Should I ignore my colleagues’ jokes about chicken ‘Mad’ nuggets?

- Do you think Elvis somehow related to Superman and the House of El?

- Let’s say I’m a superhero with a secret identity who can put anything into orbit if he feels like it. Got the picture? OK. Now, considering my partner’s favorite lines is “when pigs fly”. Do you think she’d give me a break if I discretely throw a pig in the air to prove her right?

- I’ve got a scoop! Superman really exists!! He’s part of the national witness protection program and goes by the name of Bob Parr. And Lois Lane, she’s really Elastigirl. What d’you mean by ‘you watch too many Disney’s’ and ‘true, verified facts’?

Lousy, I know, but I needed a break.

Carole


PS: well, if you were at the Astar, ever tried asking Jimmy himself? He seems to rate good in the weather department. And you can even email him <jk>.

Very funny, Carole!! These are the ones that really made me laugh!

ROTFL!!!

Sara

Eats all the time? He's been dead for 7 years.

Not this Jimmy Stewart, Rivka:

"Jimmy Stewart is KVOA's Chief Meteorologist and forecasts the weather for the Eyewitness News Five, Six and Ten o'clock newscasts..."

KVOA Channel 4 News

Sara

Glad you liked those, Sara!

ROTFL!! I just had that vision I couldn't get rid of : Clark tossing a pig in the air and it gets me ROTFL. Especially when I imagine the poor animal's reaction: flap, flap, flap...Groiiiink?!!!

And there's also the reaction from people down there:

'look! It's a bird, a plane'
'No, it's just a pig who jump off plane without a parachute. Impact in 29, 28, 27...'

It could make a terrific gag, indeed. Well, after you, Sara!

Carole (who might think of putting it in a no-riming and completely insane poetry)

Rivka, I think the Astar's one is a kind of Alt-Jimmy Stewart that gives online weathercasts. I mean, can you picture Scaramouche in Arizona? or Stewart Granger as a mild-mannered reporter?

Oh! Huh, I should have realized . . . we have a (white) radio host named Michael Jackson around here.

Just because I couldn’t let it die :

- Do you have a Fortune cookies vending machine ?

- Are you pro or con partnership ?

- Do you work better solo ?

- Note : it’s a tricky one but, If I say ‘Frankenstein’, you instantly think : cyborgs, fiancée, doctor, fiction, movie, living-dead or Sam Lane ?

- Do you like sports ?

- Despite flags and primary colors, what does the colours blue, red and yellow inspire you ?

- D’you think I should tell our EC that now photographs do it digital ?

- Do I really have to cover whatever-ville Corn Festival, dog shows and swimsuit contests ? I mean what are rookies for ?

- Do you think you can handle this : a cloudy day in Metropolis ? <----- sorry, I couldn’t resist.

- Do you know last Elvis story ?

- Can you say MXZPLT backwards? Sir...where have you gone ? Okay, pals. Today’s class is over <eg>.

Not very funny. Yeah! you can tell, I needed a break.

Carole