The Cult of Celebrity hits a new low.

Deluge Of Sound · #1 01-07-2009, 12:46 PM

TOLEDO, Ohio — Joe The Plumber is putting down his wrenches and picking up a reporter's notebook.

The Ohio man who became a household name during the presidential campaign says he is heading to Israel as a war correspondent for the conservative Web site pjtv.com.

Samuel J. Wurzelbacher (WUR'-zuhl-bah-kur) says he'll spend 10 days covering the fighting.

He tells WNWO-TV in Toledo that he wants to let Israel's "'Average Joes' share their story."

Wurzelbacher gained attention during the final weeks of the campaign when he asked Barack Obama about his tax plan.

He later joined Republican John McCain on the campaign trail. At one stop, he agreed with a McCain supporter who asked if he believed a vote for Obama was a vote for the death of Israel.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...he-Plumber.php

**john turner** · #2 01-07-2009, 12:52 PM

how is this lower than paris hilton thinking she has a relevant comment to make on any topic whatsoever? at least this guy has some modicum of intelligence - he did work for a living.

4bpauly · #3 01-07-2009, 12:54 PM

man, if you think this is low.... tune in to MTV

it actually turns my stomach.

bmc · #4 01-07-2009, 12:55 PM

Joke the plumber.

What a ten minute sugar high he was.

Tony G · #5 01-07-2009, 12:55 PM

Why is he called "Joe the plumber", and not "Sam the plumber"?

Deluge Of Sound · #6 01-07-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john turner

how is this lower than paris hilton thinking she has a relevant comment to make on any topic whatsoever? at least this guy has some modicum of intelligence - he did work for a living.

Because Paris Hilton isn't trying to pass herself off as a journalist. I mean, the First Amendment aside, this guy has no place taking up the space that an actual journalist should be occupying.

Jared Lash · #7 01-07-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Because Paris Hilton isn't trying to pass herself off as a journalist. I mean, the First Amendment aside, this guy has no place taking up the space that an actual journalist should be occupying.

Except that he isn't taking up the space of an "actual journalist".

TV news is a business and it is now run that way. I get a little annoyed when people talk about how things were so much better in the past, but in the case of TV news it is true. The networks used to lose money on their news broadcasts, but there was a commitment to keeping them on air and doing the job right.

In this case, he's going because the people backing him (pjtv.com) think he'll get ratings and make money. I think it's stupid, but I'm not in charge of their marketing department. I'd never even heard of them before, but I'm now committed to NOT finding out.

And I can't really blame the guy himself I'd rather he just disappear, but I think a large percentage of people would have trouble turning down an offer of a (I imagine) sizeable paycheck and few more minutes in the spotlight.

HollowBassman · #8 01-07-2009, 01:18 PM

I imagine it would be pretty hard for him to go back to plumbing after having his face plastered across the television like it was. He might be a great plumber but he would always have to be conscious that at any moment someone could whip out their camera /phone and put his bare butt-crack on the cover of supermarket tabloids.

FL Knifemaker · #9 01-07-2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4bpauly

man, if you think this is low.... tune in to MTV

it actually turns my stomach.

+1 Total CRAP, 24/7/365

Good for JTP!!! I hope he does well in his new venture.

hover · #10 01-07-2009, 01:50 PM

"Average Joe" quip aside, I at least think it's commendable that he is chronicling the thoughts of the people caught in the middle trying to have a semblance of normalcy in this 2000 year old conflict..., and he has bigger balls than I to get knee deep in that hell.

The notion of being famous for nothing still turns my stomach, and I never subscribed to the hullabaloo around this dude, but commend his efforts, sensationalisms aside. We all want our 15 minutes, don't kid yourself. At least he's doing something potentially worthwhile during his.

4bpauly · #11 01-07-2009, 02:17 PM

also, Paris Hilton takes up record label space and airplay space... which could be occupied by real musicians... please stop defending Paris Hilton, it's hard to take you seriously after that.

FL Knifemaker · #12 01-07-2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Because Paris Hilton isn't trying to pass herself off as a journalist. I mean, the First Amendment aside, this guy has no place taking up the space that an actual journalist should be occupying.

There are plenty of "actual" journalist I wouldn't mind seeing him replace. Maybe he will report without an agenda??

Relic · #13 01-07-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

There are plenty of "actual" journalist I wouldn't mind seeing him replace. Maybe he will report without an agenda??

+100,
although even if he didn't have an agenda, whatever network he's working for would issue him one..

bmc · #14 01-07-2009, 02:33 PM

Maybe next week, he can be the pilot of big jet airplane. And then maybe a surgeon.

Commreman · #15 01-07-2009, 02:35 PM

Joe the Plumber didn't ask for the spotlight. It was thrust upon him when our future leader randomly chose him, and then was floored by his question. Joe's life was then turned inside out by the media for the audacity of suggesting that the proposed tax plan would hinder new job creation. In the process, Joe became an "everyman" that all small entrepreneurs could relate to (I fall into this category). I hope that JTP does well. He deserves to.

Paris Hilton, OTOH, is a 24/7 media whore. MTV is completely worthless as well.

Relic · #16 01-07-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmc

Maybe next week, he can be the pilot of big jet airplane. And then maybe a surgeon.

If it would cause enough shock and outrage to sell network time, viagra, and rogaine, then they'd have him doing it. I have almost NO faith in media these days. It's a big business that's all about $ and agenda and has little to do with actual reporting.
That's a little harsh, not all hope is lost but everytime I turn on a news channel I see biased reporting one way or another.

Jared Lash · #17 01-07-2009, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmc

Maybe next week, he can be the pilot of big jet airplane. And then maybe a surgeon.

Well, it certainly doesn't reflect well on journalism as a whole when a guy with zero experience can do your job.

It's like when I was 22 and substitute teaching and I was assigned to be a guidance counselor for a day. I figured I'd just do paperwork, but no, they sent kids in to talk to me all day.

As for Joe Wurzelbacher (can we drop "The Plumber" as an appellation?) reporting "without an agenda" how would that be possible? He's already made his "positions" on Israel public.

bmc · #18 01-07-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Well, it certainly doesn't reflect well on journalism as a whole when a guy with zero experience can do your job.

It's like when I was 22 and substitute teaching and I was assigned to be a guidance counselor for a day. I figured I'd just do paperwork, but no, they sent kids in to talk to me all day.

As for Joe Wurzelbacher (can we drop "The Plumber" as an appellation?) reporting "without an agenda" how would that be possible? He's already made his "positions" on Israel public.

He's being hired because of an agenda and the market appeal he holds. My wife was a trained educated journalist many years ago. Bureau chief for a network at one time. Can't believe want passes for journalism today. He'll do well. He's very personable and connects with a lot of people.

Deluge Of Sound · #19 01-07-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4bpauly

also, Paris Hilton takes up record label space and airplay space... which could be occupied by real musicians... please stop defending Paris Hilton, it's hard to take you seriously after that.

I'm not defending Paris Hilton, just suggesting that she's really got no place in this discussion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

There are plenty of "actual" journalist I wouldn't mind seeing him replace. Maybe he will report without an agenda??

The agenda is chosen by the news agency, and, as said earlier, they'll give him one. I'd argue that picking him to do this is an example of an agenda.

My concern runs much closer to bmc's and TheBigO's, because all journalism is going to be biased (as Relic pointed out, information has turned into a product), you just have to read enough news sources from enough different interest points to piece together for yourself what's going on.

Commreman, can we keep the politics out of this? That'll get the thread closed, which is counter-productive. Your guy lost, get over it.

Commreman · #20 01-07-2009, 03:06 PM

I didn't introduce politics into this at all. You have no clue who I am or how I vote. I just repeated the facts of how this guy was thrust into the national spotlight, not of his own doing. I run a small business, and I thought that JTP's question and point that day was spot on.

I agree that there is no such thing as journalism that is not agenda driven, from either side of the spectrum.