The state of conservative media 

See our second and third story choices… continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

(A Sprinkling of Things we Think you Ought to Know…)

Will on the Hill – Monday night was the annual “Will on the Hill” event for the Shakespeare Theatre Company. It’s an annual event that gathers politicians, journalists and other D.C. insiders to put on a performance that pairs elements of Williams Shakespeare with modern-day references.

According to their website, “proceeds from the event support STC’s many education, artistic and community outreach programs including in-school workshops and online learning resources that inspire new and diverse audiences and deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages.” One of the members of the cast was The Hill’s Managing Editor, Bob Cusack. Cusack tweeted this startling photo of himself moments before taking the stage. Turns out, acting is in Cusack’s blood. He tells FBDC, “It was my first time performing in Will on the Hill and brought back memories of when my parents had an off, off, off Broadway theater company in New York City. Last night I did Shakespeare, but back then it was Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and Agatha Christie plays.” Aside from Jack, Cusack was an extra “Clear and Present Danger” and “Game Change.”

The Tea Party says farewell to a longtime supporter. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

While I’m SURE it’s prestigious award and not to take anything away from Ms. Malkin’s accolade, it does seems there are a hell of a lot of awards out there these days. And it gives me an idea.  continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Yes, another CPAC post…

The Breitbart Embassy along with NewsMax on Friday hosted a fiesta with a real life mariachi band after the second day of CPAC. The party also featured a full buffet of tacos and two separate bars with beer, sangria and margaritas.

Matt Boyle of Breitbart News, and a perpetual point of FBDC fascination, was seen eating two tacos with nothing but meat on them. This, despite tables laid out with elaborate salsas, sour cream, rice and beans.

At around midnight, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist took over one of the bars and started serving shots.

Notables: Breitbart News‘s Larry Solov, Kerry Picket and Michael Patrick Leahy; CQ Roll Call‘s Jonathan Strong; National Review‘s John Fund and Betsy Woodruff; BuzzFeed‘s John Stanton; Brian Darling, counsel to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.); and GOProud’s Jimmy LaSalvia (yes, they let him in, despite his group not being allowed at CPAC).

Quotable: “The most diversity here is the mariachi band.”– a partygoer, noting the mostly male, mostly white crowd.

More photos… continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Travel Bitches

“If an airplane itself could have influenza, I’m on it.” — Politico‘s Dave Levinthal.

“Guy behind me on plane whacks me w/ suitcase as putting it in overhead. ‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you.’ Cuz I’m REALLY tiny #HappyNewYear.” — Joanne Bamberger, mommy blogger, former news anchor and author of “Mothers of Intention.”

And a travel apology…“Off to Paris for a bit. Nice to see you again, turkish air. Please carry me safely to my destination and sorry for any anxiety exhibited.” — Seyward Darby, freelancer, former online editor at TNR.

Press aide tells everyone to calm down

“Folks out there w/ crazy theories about what’s going on in House. All ridiculous. Just figuring out best path forward. Stay calm, carry on.” — House Maj. Leader Eric Cantor aide Rory Cooper during fiscal cliff negotiations.

For a gay old time…

“Two tickets for @GayPimp‘s #GayestWeekendOfAllTime this March in Florida? Yes, please.” — Syndicated columnist and Bullfight Strategies’ Karl Frisch.

Loesch takes a breather from laptop

“I’ve not opened my laptop since December 21st. Rare. Christmas vacation was lovely, but am ready to roll up the sleeves again.” — Ex-Breitbart.com’s Dana Loesch, who is now suing her former employer. Considering the backlash she received after the Sandy Hook shootings, in which she accused President Obama of playing politics with the deaths of children, this may have been a welcome relief.

Breitbart newbie on first-name basis with U.S. leaders

“In case anyone didn’t notice, we have now officially jumped off the fiscal cliff. Thanks John , Barry and Harry!” — Breitbart.com‘s Matthew Boyle, who hopes to one day fill the shoes of the late Andrew Breitbart.

A rare nod to CNN

“CNN is the only big cable news network doing fiscal cliff coverage right now. (I mean, if you’re a geek.)” — The Daily Caller and The Week‘s Matt Lewis on New Year’s Day.

And now, a New Year’s Eve observation on facial hair: “Back on CNN with the bearded ones–Wolf Blitzer and Robert Reich–at 8:30. All agree. No taxation of facial hair.” — Americans for Tax Reform Prez Grover Norquist.

The Self-Appointed Media Critic…

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We know you have one more year-end list in you. Or maybe you don’t. But wake up anyhow because here’s ours — the 12 things that never, ever make us want to take an afternoon snooze.

12. NBC Luke Russert‘s loud and fratboyish ways. Even House Speaker John Boehner has noted his decibel level and called him “loudmouth.” Though he’ll never get White House Soup of the Day quite right when he subs for Chuck Todd on “The Daily Rundown,” among our favorite moments with Luke this year was when he had a stop and smell the roses moment at a Nats game and took a picture of a spellbinding dragonfly, which he later posted on Twitter. Perhaps more poignantly though was when he covered a Capitol Hill presser and asked House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi if she was too old to remain in the Democratic leadership. The crowd of female lawmakers openly booed him. Pelosi told him he was offensive, even if he didn’t quite get it. Among the most entertaining comments sprang from CNN’s Hilary Rosen, who wrote on Twitter, “Note to Luke Russert: Mitch McConnell is 70, Harry Reid is 73. Oh and Bob Schieffer is 75. Think they should step aside? #NewGuysRule?” The question wasn’t an inappropriate one to raise, as lawmakers themselves had been discussing it out of earshot of Pelosi. Perhaps, as some noted, the time and setting and brash way in which Russert executed his questions were troublesome. Still, we especially enjoyed the commenters on Politico. There was the irate Wendy: “Luke Russert got his ass handed back to him. Any more questions, punk?” And the more sensible Chance: “Reporters should be asking tough, offensive and even stupid questions.”

11. Video journalist Michelle Fields flashing her breasts on national TV to get a job for Fox News. Her large male online contingency didn’t mind it much, either. In the meantime The Daily Caller gave her the axe for being lazy. Somehow Executive Editor David Martosko‘s lectures didn’t work? Favorite 2012 memory: There was the January manifesto from a convicted rapist that Michelle showed off on Facebook. But we’re torn between that and the more recent BuzzFeed party, where she unashamedly performed dramatic hair flips as our own Eddie Scarry snapped pictures.

10. Most things Matthew Boyle. The 20-something dogged journo never ceases to amaze. There was the time he insisted that the President of the Free World should allow him over for an interview. The more recent jaw-dropping moment from Boyle came when he fled The Daily Caller for Breitbart.com because he wants to be the next Andrew Breitbart. He started this adventure by taking his own photograph for the site, giving himself the unfortunate look of a triple-chinned Michelin Man. In his opening story out of the gate, he wrote an atrociously unedited right-wing rant about “magic vaginas.” We’re still not sure what those our, except we think they don’t involve Sandra Fluke. It was perfect. And terrible. And because we love Boyle in our own special way, we’d like to kidnap and deprogram him before it’s too late and the goose is boiled. Stick to breaking news Boyle and it’ll be just fine. And whatever you do, don’t stay there long.

9. Inside stories from The Washington Times. Always weird, unexpected, mind-boggling happenings at the ominous building off New York Avenue. Who can forget when former writer Julia Duin publicly accused then-editor Sam Dealey of verbally abusing her by canning her on the very day she decided to bring her daughter to work? She was also reportedly on crutches that day. And then there’s the more recent spate of stories concerning the impending layoffs coming in early 2013. The newsroom has dubbed their CEO Larry Beasley “Evil Santa” for a number of reasons, including recently moving a new sofa into his office while deciding whom to lay off. He also recently displayed a Santa doll holding a Christmas tree with the word “joy” on it. As the journalists await possible pink slips, they’re anything but joyful.

See the remaining eight entries of things that never bore us… continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

And we’re here to help you, Matthew.

Reading between the lines, we will interpret what Boyle is really trying to say. By the way, if there are any cult deprogrammers out there, please make yourselves known. Also, we’re looking for an experienced bounty hunter to bring us Boyle in one piece so we can stage an intervention. This may get worse before it gets better.

See the letter, the clearly unedited story and our translation…

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Going back a few years, the left-wing media’s worst nightmare, Andrew Breitbart, had pushed and pushed for Matthew Boyle to come work for him. In late-night phone calls. Visits. Pitchers of beer. Mentoring. Now, some 10 months after Breitbart’s death, it’s happening. Boyle has left The Daily Caller for Breitbart.com. His desk was cleared out Friday. Even his Twitter bio has already shifted, but with no mention of either media outlet. Rather, just simply, “Investigative Journalist.”

The move has taken time, but it wasn’t unexpected. Like an unrequited lover, Boyle had turned down Breitbart’s many advances. Still, when he died in March from a sudden heart attack, the young reporter was devastated. Two sentences from his lengthy goodbye note published in The Daily Caller stand out. “Not only was Breitbart a warrior who fought against the degrading quality of journalism plaguing our country and against corrupt career politicians, but he was my close friend and mentor,” Boyle wrote. “…Andrew was always there, and he always cared. I’ll remember him forever and I’ll never forget what he taught me.”

We reached out to Boyle for comment. So far, he has declined. We hear he offered two weeks notice but was told that wasn’t necessarily. You’ll likely see his byline on Breitbart.com sometime this week.

Best of luck to him in his career move. Note to Boyle: Anytime you need a picture consultant or someone to offer TV tips, we’re always here for you.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

It’s worth pointing out that Breitbart has been at war with Buzzfeed for quite some time. Coppins makes sure we know their messy history… continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

“Do you know what the difference between an accordionist and an entertainer is?” Leonard asked FishbowlDC. “An entertainer can walk and play. Most accordionists have to sit and read the music.”

Leonard is a former breast implant specialist for the FDA. “I helped all kinds of people,” she said. “I helped men, women, transvestites… anybody.”

Also roaming around the zoo was former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.).

The Embassy was hosting a party for FNC The Five‘s Greg Gutfeld who has a book coming out next month. Gutfeld’s book, The Joy of Hate, is dedicated to the late Andrew Breitbart. It’s a commentary on the knee-jerk reaction people have to cry foul at anything and everything. Gutfeld said young and old people as well as “people that are not young or old” should read the book.

Party invitations inexplicably featured an old ’90s TV screenshot of Gutfeld from when he worked for Men’s Health. In the photograph, a buff Gutfeld is in a tank top and has a high-top haircut. “How dare you,” he said when we brought it up.

More Gutfeld and pictures…

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The movie makes you miss the good natured Andrew Breitbart, who died suddenly of a bad heart in March. Think what you will of his politics, and his countless enemies, Breitbart made politics fun when he engaged.

The mood at the after party was upbeat, with booze flowing and most of the conversations revolving around the late subject of the film. All mentioned how he was missed. Everyone had positive, funny stories to share.

In attendance were Marcus, the director, producers Maura Flynn and Evan Coyne Maloney, Larry Solov, Andrew’s life-long friend, business partner and now head-honcho, Breitbart.com’s “Minister of Culture” Jon Kahn, Breitbart.com editors Larry O’Connor and Mike Flynn, Slate’s Dave Weigel (because what’s a party without him?), WMAL’s morning show producer Heather Smith, New York Daily News and Townhall’s Derek Hunter, the Franklin Center’s Tabitha Hale, Washington Times reporter Kerry Picket, former TWT Editor Sam Dealey, Buckley Carlson and the ubiquitous David Bass of Raptor Strategies.

You can learn about the movie, watch the trailer and find it in a theater near you here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Martosko, who was introduced as a “great friend of freedom”, is known for enjoying his frosty bevs (at least in the past, see the rap sheet here) and smoking cigars for breakfast. Combine that with the fact that The Daily Caller is giving guns away to readers and you have the proverbial poster boy for the ATF. He even jokes that the publication is unveiling an LGBT section on their site. Don’t be alarmed. That’s “Lasagna, Guns, Beer and Tobacco.”

Preacher Martosko begins with the obligatory grief porn eulogy to the late Andrew Breitbart. He speaks of an ATF event a few years ago where he and Breitbart were cruising the streets in a van while Breitbart was “howling at the moon.” He says Breitbart had a history of fighting “nameless, faceless bureaucratic nightmares who try and control what we do from behind dark curtains.” I’m sure there is some Illuminati who is always conspiring to keep Martosko and his drunk friends from raising their voices in a car. Way to stick it to the man you rebels!

Martosko spends most of the bloody red meat speech railing against the goddamn nanny state of America. He riles the audience by moving from banning foie gras to eradicating big gulps and salt. While he makes several valid points, he loses me when he starts preaching about health and how being a fat ass is actually a good thing. He asks, “Why worry about being overweight? One hundred years ago, corpulent bodies were the ideal.” He goes on to say that “being fat indicated that you weren’t part of the peasant class.” Two hundred years ago, we thought a lot of things, David. Luckily, we aren’t still burning witches and women and blacks are allowed to vote. Fortunately, many of us have evolved a little beyond the gorilla stage. (You do believe in evolution, don’t you?) Not to mention, is ANYONE looking to Martosko for tips on healthy living? Just imagine, even you could have a Body by Martosko. Of course, we’re still glad the tumor you recently had removed was benign and are sure your surgeon will be happy to hear you’re smoking up a storm for your twice a week cigar column. Because what pub doesn’t need two cigar columns in a week?

He concludes his speech by imploring everyone to go visit The Daily Caller (which he announces is better read than Rolling Stone) and download the iPad app. The rowdy, whooping crowd seems genuinely pleased with the anti-authority lecture they were just given. The entire video is posted below if you think you have the stomach for it. If nothing else, you should watch just to see Martosko’s impression of Homer and Lisa Simpson. We’re a little disappointed that Martosko, a former Glee Club Director, didn’t sing, but his renditions of Homer and Lisa might make up for not belting out an Ethel Merman song this time. By the way, he’s never cared much for Lisa. To him she represents the evil nanny state. The crowd went wild.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

We recently featured conservative commentator and bestselling author Michelle Malkin on the site. We regularly highlight how she handles her hate mail. We also recently covered her thoughts on Fox & Friends regarding lefty radio host Bill Press declaring his dislike of the Star-Spangled Banner.

AnonymASS writes in:

Betsy,

Are you serious, or are you talking out of your butt here?  Have you ever actually LISTENED to Michelle Malkin?  Yes, she’s perky, attractive (why would anyone attack her looks??), and articulate, but she’s also in desperate need of  20 additional IQ points.  Malkin is on the same plane as Sarah Palin and Adam West.  If it’s an intelligent conservative woman you seek, try Bay Buchanan.

Dear AnonymASS: I try as much as possible to not talk out of my butt. Thanks for writing and for your indefatigable eloquence.

See a previous letter written to FBDC by this same author back in March after Andrew Breitbart died and I wrote a farewell piece on him. And to answer the author’s question, yes, I took exactly one philosophy class in college.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

A description from the site where you can buy this masterpiece says:

“Andrew would happily fight people, organizations and governments with tooth, fang and claw if he sensed any anti-American BS. David Bugnon’s piece captures Breitbart’s essence as a contrarian: confident and geared-up.”

I’m not sure that Breitbart ever “geared-up” to look like a stand-in for the community theater production of “Spamalot.” The fact is, this isn’t my kind of artwork, but some maniac might want to hang this on the wall of their trailer next to their “Velvet-Elvis” painting. However, I may have some bad news. To buy one of these, will set you back $3,999.95! You can buy smaller versions of the print, but the cheapest you can purchase is a pack of five postcards for $9.95.

Hanging on to any shred of good taste: priceless.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.