The fake truth
September 21, 2009 8:06 AM Subscribe
NY Post Special Global Warming Edition (courtesy of The Yes Men). Thousands of hard copies hit the streets of New York at the crack of dawn.
Cool idea, but damn, the execution is dull.
"The Obama administration is spending $2.4 billion on “clean coal” carbon capture and storage projects. But the Post has learned that the coal industry’s claims about “clean coal” technology are misleading."
What a grabber.
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:11 AM on September 21, 2009
"The Obama administration is spending $2.4 billion on “clean coal” carbon capture and storage projects. But the Post has learned that the coal industry’s claims about “clean coal” technology are misleading."
What a grabber.
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:11 AM on September 21, 2009
Kind of cool. It'd be really cool if they decided to do this to Fox News, if they could somehow weave in a cogent message. Backstory.
I get the feeling this is one of those things that will be more entertaining once we see the right wingers freak out and overreact, like with the Glenn Beck 1990 rumor. Maybe we'll have to deal with that smug kid who did the ACORN sting replacing copies of the Washington Post with a "The Environment's Fine" edition.
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:26 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I get the feeling this is one of those things that will be more entertaining once we see the right wingers freak out and overreact, like with the Glenn Beck 1990 rumor. Maybe we'll have to deal with that smug kid who did the ACORN sting replacing copies of the Washington Post with a "The Environment's Fine" edition.
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:26 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Ah, Its a fake paper, but with 100% factual information. Their people said so!
posted by tomas316 at 8:26 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by tomas316 at 8:26 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Finally, something to shake those paleoconservative New Yorkers from their stone-age worldviews.
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Eideteker at 8:38 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Brodiggity -- you know it's by the same guys, right?
posted by suedehead at 8:39 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by suedehead at 8:39 AM on September 21, 2009
so now everybody who regularly reads The New York Post will know what it's like for the rest of us to see the real paper's issues on the street.
posted by shmegegge at 8:43 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by shmegegge at 8:43 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Was handed one as I left the subway this morning. I glanced at it, thought it was real, then tucked it away in my bag along with my AM NY and Metro NY papers. It's buried somewhere in the daily stack of newspapers on my desk. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
It's not unusual for local papers to give away free copies at subway stations. The NYTimes does it as part of a subscription promotion at least 2 or 3 times a year.
Considering where The Yes Men volunteers were handing them out, the "...is threatening the health, livelihood, and security of New Yorkers—especially those who take the subway to work" bit is a very nice touch.
posted by zarq at 8:44 AM on September 21, 2009
It's not unusual for local papers to give away free copies at subway stations. The NYTimes does it as part of a subscription promotion at least 2 or 3 times a year.
Considering where The Yes Men volunteers were handing them out, the "...is threatening the health, livelihood, and security of New Yorkers—especially those who take the subway to work" bit is a very nice touch.
posted by zarq at 8:44 AM on September 21, 2009
That crank from the Post is great.
posted by cmonkey at 8:48 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by cmonkey at 8:48 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
"No one would ever believe we would go in for this kind of sensationalism."
The question is whether spokespeople for the right have their sense of irony removed when they take the job or whether people with a grasp of irony do not seek the job in the first place.
As someone with a healthy sense of irony, I did enjoy the accusatory "Environmentalist!" bellowed at a random passerby on a bike.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:49 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
The question is whether spokespeople for the right have their sense of irony removed when they take the job or whether people with a grasp of irony do not seek the job in the first place.
As someone with a healthy sense of irony, I did enjoy the accusatory "Environmentalist!" bellowed at a random passerby on a bike.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:49 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
you know it's by the same guys, right?
What, and read the links?
posted by joe lisboa at 8:50 AM on September 21, 2009
What, and read the links?
posted by joe lisboa at 8:50 AM on September 21, 2009
Finally, something to shake those paleoconservative New Yorkers from their stone-age worldviews.
I read this as sarcasm, (not sure if that's what you intended) but it's really quite accurate. The NYPost is a very Republican paper. (See their readership demographics -- check out the "Audience Also Likes" links in the sidebar.) Fake copies of the paper are most likely to be picked up by the paper's regular readers.
posted by zarq at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
I read this as sarcasm, (not sure if that's what you intended) but it's really quite accurate. The NYPost is a very Republican paper. (See their readership demographics -- check out the "Audience Also Likes" links in the sidebar.) Fake copies of the paper are most likely to be picked up by the paper's regular readers.
posted by zarq at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
Huh. Actual news in the NY Post.
/keeps a lookout for Marshmallow Men and Gozer the Gozarian.
posted by electroboy at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
/keeps a lookout for Marshmallow Men and Gozer the Gozarian.
posted by electroboy at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
Cool idea, but damn, the execution is dull.
"The Obama administration is spending $2.4 billion on “clean coal” carbon capture and storage projects. But the Post has learned that the coal industry’s claims about “clean coal” technology are misleading."
What a grabber.
How could it be more lively? Something like So-called "Clean Coal" is only 10% cleaner than traditional coal power, and requires the blood of unborn babies to function? "Misleading" is a weak word, perhaps "is a lie" would be more of a kick in the pants?
Either way, the Clean Coal: This is Reality PSAs/adverts already say it's a lie, and in a somewhat catchy way.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
"The Obama administration is spending $2.4 billion on “clean coal” carbon capture and storage projects. But the Post has learned that the coal industry’s claims about “clean coal” technology are misleading."
What a grabber.
How could it be more lively? Something like So-called "Clean Coal" is only 10% cleaner than traditional coal power, and requires the blood of unborn babies to function? "Misleading" is a weak word, perhaps "is a lie" would be more of a kick in the pants?
Either way, the Clean Coal: This is Reality PSAs/adverts already say it's a lie, and in a somewhat catchy way.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:53 AM on September 21, 2009
The paper is everything that those who badmouth it say here, but guess what? It has huge circulation in one of the most liberal cities in America. So lefties, pipe down. Put aside Mommy Jones, and The Nation, and American Prospect and get with the real America.
posted by Postroad at 8:58 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by Postroad at 8:58 AM on September 21, 2009
The physical Post is largely a second read for Times and WSJ readers, a guilty pleasure for the gossip and headlines and sports. I doubt a majority of its readers actually care about or agree with the editorial slant. (Different for web readers, I think)
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:03 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:03 AM on September 21, 2009
How could it be more lively?
How about: "The real dirt on 'clean coal:' a $2.4 billion rip off - from YOUR WALLET."
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:06 AM on September 21, 2009
How about: "The real dirt on 'clean coal:' a $2.4 billion rip off - from YOUR WALLET."
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:06 AM on September 21, 2009
I hope this doesn't become the new flash mob for corporate faux-viral marketing. I could just see it now - Unilever produces an entire "fake" New York Post that only features articles and ads purporting the benefits of their products. "It's got what plants crave! It's got electrolytes!" It's only a slightly further bastardization of news, but it breeches some line with me.
posted by msbutah at 9:22 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by msbutah at 9:22 AM on September 21, 2009
I picked up the paper this morning. While the cover looks exactly like the Post, the font on the inside is different than what the post uses. Doomsday headlines and apocalyptic pictures made it look like a Moony or Larouche publication.
Also, the two female volunteers I saw handing out the papers had the characteristic frumpiness of your typical 42nd Street and 5th Avenue Greenpeace advocate and not the loud black guy who would normally hand out free Posts.
posted by otto42 at 9:51 AM on September 21, 2009
Also, the two female volunteers I saw handing out the papers had the characteristic frumpiness of your typical 42nd Street and 5th Avenue Greenpeace advocate and not the loud black guy who would normally hand out free Posts.
posted by otto42 at 9:51 AM on September 21, 2009
"Doomsday headlines and apocalyptic pictures made it look like a Moony or Larouche publication."
So more like the Washington Times then?
posted by Smedleyman at 10:18 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
So more like the Washington Times then?
posted by Smedleyman at 10:18 AM on September 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
The physical Post is largely a second read for Times and WSJ readers, a guilty pleasure for the gossip and headlines and sports. I doubt a majority of its readers actually care about or agree with the editorial slant.
I'm guessing you don't spend much time in neighborhoods where the white working class lives.
posted by neroli at 10:48 AM on September 21, 2009
I'm guessing you don't spend much time in neighborhoods where the white working class lives.
posted by neroli at 10:48 AM on September 21, 2009
Doomsday headlines and apocalyptic pictures made it look like a Moony or Larouche publication
This crazed Jeremiad is actually the Chick cartoon comic of the global warming religion. Hell fire for YOU, unbeliever!
posted by Faze at 10:59 AM on September 21, 2009
This crazed Jeremiad is actually the Chick cartoon comic of the global warming religion. Hell fire for YOU, unbeliever!
posted by Faze at 10:59 AM on September 21, 2009
Yeah... NewsCorp is kinda an odd target for this kind of thing... (used to work there, don't anymore).
posted by Jahaza at 11:18 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by Jahaza at 11:18 AM on September 21, 2009
neroli: "The physical Post is largely a second read for Times and WSJ readers, a guilty pleasure for the gossip and headlines and sports. I doubt a majority of its readers actually care about or agree with the editorial slant.
I'm guessing you don't spend much time in neighborhoods where the white working class lives."
I'm guessing you don't know a whole lot about CunningLinguist. she knows what she's talking about.
only minorly related anecdote: one of my best friends is so liberal he actually enjoys Air America Radio, without irony. all of my friends are the kind of people who regularly read the latest expose published that reveals the bullshit behind this or that conservative mouthpiece or institution. this particular friend of mine, and a couple others as well, regularly reads the Post. when I've asked him why he says "three things. one: to be aware of what the hell these lunatics are reading these days. two: it costs a fucking quarter, and I'm broke. three: it's so bad it's funny."
posted by shmegegge at 11:34 AM on September 21, 2009
I'm guessing you don't spend much time in neighborhoods where the white working class lives."
I'm guessing you don't know a whole lot about CunningLinguist. she knows what she's talking about.
only minorly related anecdote: one of my best friends is so liberal he actually enjoys Air America Radio, without irony. all of my friends are the kind of people who regularly read the latest expose published that reveals the bullshit behind this or that conservative mouthpiece or institution. this particular friend of mine, and a couple others as well, regularly reads the Post. when I've asked him why he says "three things. one: to be aware of what the hell these lunatics are reading these days. two: it costs a fucking quarter, and I'm broke. three: it's so bad it's funny."
posted by shmegegge at 11:34 AM on September 21, 2009
I was handed a free copy of a magazine about cheese as I went for lunch today. Perhaps it's related?
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on September 21, 2009
posted by blue_beetle at 11:54 AM on September 21, 2009
I'm guessing you don't know a whole lot about CunningLinguist.
No, I don't. And I apologize that my comment came out all snarky-like. It just seems to me that her claim is wrong--like saying the the majority of Glenn Beck's audience is humanities grad students who watch for the kitsch value.
Plenty of non-right-leaning people read the Post for all the reasons you and she mentioned--and also for local coverage, which the Times sucks at (actually, everyone I know who works at the Times reads the Post religiously). But "most"? Go to Maspeth or Bay Ridge or Staten Island and you'll find huge swaths of Post readers. I don't know their hearts, of course, but I doubt they're reading it ironically. For a lot of NYers, it's the paper of record.
posted by neroli at 11:57 AM on September 21, 2009
No, I don't. And I apologize that my comment came out all snarky-like. It just seems to me that her claim is wrong--like saying the the majority of Glenn Beck's audience is humanities grad students who watch for the kitsch value.
Plenty of non-right-leaning people read the Post for all the reasons you and she mentioned--and also for local coverage, which the Times sucks at (actually, everyone I know who works at the Times reads the Post religiously). But "most"? Go to Maspeth or Bay Ridge or Staten Island and you'll find huge swaths of Post readers. I don't know their hearts, of course, but I doubt they're reading it ironically. For a lot of NYers, it's the paper of record.
posted by neroli at 11:57 AM on September 21, 2009
Huh, there's a big stack of these in this cafe and I walked past them twice assuming they were real, till I saw this fpp. It's a shame it's so boring on the inside- the best thing is a fake ad for "the farmer's market: food from the GROUND". Which for some reason made me snigger for about ten solid seconds.
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 12:12 PM on September 21, 2009
posted by Dormant Gorilla at 12:12 PM on September 21, 2009
"I was handed a free copy of a magazine about cheese as I went for lunch today. Perhaps it's related?"
Culture?
I love the idea... but I've never been motivated to buy a copy at Murrays or even to visit their web site before now to provide this link.
posted by Jahaza at 4:36 PM on September 21, 2009
Culture?
I love the idea... but I've never been motivated to buy a copy at Murrays or even to visit their web site before now to provide this link.
posted by Jahaza at 4:36 PM on September 21, 2009
This is neat street theater and a good way to poke the Post in the eye...but I work on energy/climate issues for an environmental organization and can't for the life of me figure out what the people who put this together actually want.
In one breath they call cap and trade "crap and trade" and then two items down they excoriate Congress for not taking action on global warming before Coppenhagen. Well, there's a gigantic bill in Congress right now that does take action on global warming, and could pass with enough public pressure. A big part of that bill is a cap and trade program. You may not like that as much as some other ideas (I actually think it's good because it gives polluters an incentive to clean up and invest in renewable energy) but it's just not strategic to complain that there's no action to address global warming and then try to wreck the plan that there is. This bill is totally imperfect but it's the best shot we have at making a decent showing at Copenhagen.
posted by lunasol at 11:14 PM on September 21, 2009
In one breath they call cap and trade "crap and trade" and then two items down they excoriate Congress for not taking action on global warming before Coppenhagen. Well, there's a gigantic bill in Congress right now that does take action on global warming, and could pass with enough public pressure. A big part of that bill is a cap and trade program. You may not like that as much as some other ideas (I actually think it's good because it gives polluters an incentive to clean up and invest in renewable energy) but it's just not strategic to complain that there's no action to address global warming and then try to wreck the plan that there is. This bill is totally imperfect but it's the best shot we have at making a decent showing at Copenhagen.
posted by lunasol at 11:14 PM on September 21, 2009
Was out there bright and early for my 4:00 a.m. call at the Empire State Building yesterday morning. I worked the streets until 2:00 in the afternoon and had a great time being a part of this, and emerged uncuffed and otherwise unscathed.
It's unfortunate that this morning one of The Yes Men who I interacted with yesterday was arrested during a fake East River press conference/ demonstration of the Survivaballs.
posted by stagewhisper at 7:17 PM on September 22, 2009
It's unfortunate that this morning one of The Yes Men who I interacted with yesterday was arrested during a fake East River press conference/ demonstration of the Survivaballs.
posted by stagewhisper at 7:17 PM on September 22, 2009
Yes Men Pull Off Chamber Of Commerce Hoax On Climate Change
posted by homunculus at 8:19 AM on October 20, 2009
posted by homunculus at 8:19 AM on October 20, 2009
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