Name this This American Life story

January 12, 2009 8:29 PM

NPR Filter: What is the story from This American Life about two newspaper journalists who compete to get a certain phrase in the newspaper?

A friend remembers this story but hasn't been able to find it in the archive; he doesn't remember what the phrase was.

posted by NoraReed to media & arts (15 comments total)

As If An Occult Hand?
posted by Kirklander at 8:32 PM on January 12

Malcolm Gladwell and William Booth. Slate article, with links, here.

He flexes his newly acquired power by challenging Post colleague William Booth, also a science and health reporter, to a journalistic duel. The object is to determine who can insert the phrase "raises new and troubling questions" in his stories the most often over a month. Gladwell strikes first in the "contest," but it's then "back and forth" like "a horse race" until he leads 10-9. On the last day, Booth wins the game with a "twofer," as the phrase appears in both his piece and its headline.

Apparently this story is not actually true, or something like that.
posted by acidic at 8:35 PM on January 12

It's the story "Tough News Room" by Malcolm Gladwell from the "Tough Room" episode.
posted by phoenixy at 8:37 PM on January 12

That's it! Thanks, hivemind!
posted by NoraReed at 8:46 PM on January 12

True story: This thread reminds me of when I did the morning news and public affairs programming at a public radio station in Utah. The evening news and I were competing to see who could use "engorged" and "swath of destruction" the most.
posted by hellboundforcheddar at 9:11 PM on January 12

The evening news and I were competing to see who could use "engorged" and "swath of destruction" the most.

Double points for in the same story, I hope.
posted by rokusan at 10:03 PM on January 12

A related topic you might want to know about: As if by an occult hand.
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 10:13 PM on January 12 [1 favorite]

Also related, at the France '98 World Cup the England team had a bet on which player could get the most song titles into their interviews without being discovered. Short YT summary.
posted by Jakey at 3:30 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

I read about a newsroom where a bet originated to get the phrase "tender white thighs" or "succulent white thighs" or something similar into the paper. The bet was ultimately won by the restaurant critic when commenting on a chicken dish...
posted by NekulturnY at 3:51 AM on January 13

The story was originally told at The Moth, and is available in full (without editing) from The Moth Podcast, too.
posted by JakeWalker at 6:10 AM on January 13

I am really dissapointed by the fact that his story was not true
posted by Large Marge at 7:56 AM on January 13

A buddy of mine competed with another local producer to see who could get ninjas in a commercial first. (He lost.)
posted by LordSludge at 9:56 AM on January 13

Gladwell's perverse and often baffling distortions of the truth, as detailed in that Slate article, raise new and troubling questions about the overall trustworthiness of his reporting. Engorged with his own sense of self-importance, Gladwell, as if moved by an occult hand, has torn a swath of destruction through his own journalistic legacy. After the Jayson Blair debacle, many people thought, "the times, they are a'changin." But think again.
posted by rusty at 11:08 AM on January 13 [3 favorites]

I'm disappointed to find out it's not true (because thinking it was true was most of its appeal), after hearing it on both TAL and the Moth Podcast and referring friends to it, but I'm also feeling nice and vindicated in reading answered AskMes where I already know the answers.

Also, Jakey's link is awesome. I guess doing the interviews is as boring as listening to them.
posted by carbide at 11:57 AM on January 13

FYI, This American Life is produced by Public Radio International, not National Public Radio.
posted by odinsdream at 12:32 PM on January 13