Gawker Gay-Escort-Hired-by-Married-Executive Story Scandal: Same Reaction for Republican Target?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone even think of an example of the news media reporting on an extramarital relationship of the non-famous sibling of somebody famous? Or maybe an affair involving a child or parent of a celebrity? While I'm sure plenty of celebrity relatives have had affairs, I cannot remember the news media reporting on any of them. I think that's part of why this is somewhat controversial, because it seems like Gawker is basically exposing a purely private citizen's dirty laundry.

[Anonymous]

PP again. I guess all the Kennedy cousins got reported on, but they arguably are all considered celebrities even if they've never done anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here:
PP's seem focused on why the outrage (because he's a private citizen). The outrage is a given and the real question is what if this was the brother of a high profile republican politician who was the CEO of big corporation.

But instead of it being a NYC liberal media congolomerate, he was the CEO of an OK based oil and gas company???

Would the outrage still be there?????

11:33 here, my outrage would be the same because my reasons for the outrage have nothing to do with politics. Believe it or not, plenty of us are able to view events other than through a partisan lens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here:
PP's seem focused on why the outrage (because he's a private citizen). The outrage is a given and the real question is what if this was the brother of a high profile republican politician who was the CEO of big corporation.

But instead of it being a NYC liberal media congolomerate, he was the CEO of an OK based oil and gas company???

Would the outrage still be there?????

can you cite a real life example, or are we working on hypotheticals?

[Anonymous]

14:23 gain. I can think of examples of politicians' kids making the news -- like when Jeb Bush's daughter got caught repeatedly with crack -- but that's arguably different and an adult affair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP again. I guess all the Kennedy cousins got reported on, but they arguably are all considered celebrities even if they've never done anything.

If you get arrested, it's public information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gawker-conde-nast-cfo-escort-809519

The high-ranking executive named in the story is the brother of Tim Geithner. Would the same amount of outrage over the publication of the post be there if the target was a republican or brother or a republican???

I thought Tim Geithner was a Republican. When it comes to Wall St and the big banks, he's always acted like a Republican.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:14:23 gain. I can think of examples of politicians' kids making the news -- like when Jeb Bush's daughter got caught repeatedly with crack -- but that's arguably different and an adult affair.

That's true. Al Gore's kid was busted for DUI and reckless many times and it was reported on. And of course the Roger Clinton...

[Anonymous]

There's also an element of media rivalry here. Conde Nast owns a lot of marquee print titles and also Reddit - a major Gawker competitor.

The fact that they could shame Conde Nast's CFO was a feather in Nick Denton's cap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's also an element of media rivalry here. Conde Nast owns a lot of marquee print titles and also Reddit - a major Gawker competitor.

The fact that they could shame Conde Nast's CFO was a feather in Nick Denton's cap.

The fact that Denton made immediate moves to remove the story indicates he did not see it as a "feather in his cap" but instead a huge liability. They are already dealing with the Hulk Hogan lawsuit. They don't need another one right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:23 gain. I can think of examples of politicians' kids making the news -- like when Jeb Bush's daughter got caught repeatedly with crack -- but that's arguably different and an adult affair.

That's true. Al Gore's kid was busted for DUI and reckless many times and it was reported on. And of course the Roger Clinton...

And bidets son. There is no outcry. But these are crimes, and crimes are public information. Being gay is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14:23 gain. I can think of examples of politicians' kids making the news -- like when Jeb Bush's daughter got caught repeatedly with crack -- but that's arguably different and an adult affair.

That's true. Al Gore's kid was busted for DUI and reckless many times and it was reported on. And of course the Roger Clinton...

And bidets son. There is no outcry. But these are crimes, and crimes are public information. Being gay is not.

It's still a crime on the books of a number of states, but seldom enforced unless a minor is involved

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The amount of outrage is because he is married, looking for a gay escort, and half of the media is now gay. Don't think it's about republican or democrat.

No, the outrage is because he is a completely private individual who is of interest only because he has personal connections with someone famous that have nothing to do with the substance of the article, the source is of questionable reliability, and Gawker was basically abetting a blackmail scheme.

I agree with this. I was shocked when I saw the original article on Gawker.

+1.

It would be newsworthy if the subject of the article was a legislator who was pushing an anti-gay agenda, while practicing something entirely different in his private life. Instead, he was a private person and though he was acting immorally and planning to engage in an illegal act, the escort was trying to blackmail him into helping him with a HUD dispute. Gawker jumped in and helped the blackmailer. Just a nasty situation all around and no newsworthiness at all unless writing about how wretched Gawker is. I will never read the site again.

[Anonymous]

Life would be so much better if guys could just keep their dicks in their pants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Life would be so much better if guys could just keep their dicks in their pants.

Life would really be better if gays didn't feel the need to hide who they are.