On or off the record

There are a few interesting media points in today's theater column by Michael Riedel in the Post.

Earlier, he wrote some unflattering things about Mary-Louise Parker's supposed diva-like behavior during her current Broadway run of "Hedda Gabler." In response, she called him up and asked him out for coffee -- a meeting she recently mentioned to a Broadway.com reporter.

I wasn't sure if our meeting, at City Bakery, was on or off the record, but since Mary-Louise has now spoken of it, I will, too.

There is no suggestion that he called up to confirm his new understanding that they were indeed on the record, but he proceeds to treat the conversation as if they were. Though I suppose you could argue that if you're talking to a gossip columnist for the Post, one should assume it's all on the record.

Further on, as she notes the errors in his column bit says there were "kernels of truth," he defends his profession this way:

I replied that the nature of gossip-column writing was such that if you get hold of a wisp of something, you turn it into a tornado. Or, to use her metaphor, if you find a few kernels, you sow a cornfield.

Labels: media

- posted by Amy @ 3/06/2009 07:10:00 AM