The Yang Slinger: Vol. XLII
A veteran reporter heard Donald Trump tell a lie, and he decided to investigate. The result won't win anyone a Pulitzer, but it symbolizes the way we (as an industry) should approach the gig.
I read the article, and I couldn’t believe the words crossing my optical path.
So I read it again.
Then once more, to make certain I fully understood.
It appeared on April 12, 2023, via a site—Yahoo News—that I rarely frequent. I believe it was a link, either via Twitter or Facebook, that guided me there, and the headline … well, the headline was all I needed.
TRUMP’S TALE OF CRYING MANHATTAN COURT EMPLOYEES WAS ‘ABSOLUTE BS,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCE SAYS
The piece, written by Michael Isikoff, Yahoo’s chief investigative correspondent, ran a mere 1,431 words. In a lengthy journalism career that spans five decades, it is certainly not one of Isikoff’s more memorable nuggets of work. This is a scribe, after all, who has written three books, including, “Russian Roulette: The Inside Story of Putin's War on America and the Election of Donald Trump.” This is a scribe whose byline has appeared in countless newspapers and magazines. This is a scribe who said, way back when, that Linda Tripp offered to steal a Bill Clinton cum-stained dress from Monica Lewinsky’s closet and present it to him.
Michael Isikoff has traveled the world. He’s won multiple awards. Fuckity fuck, he even created a short film that people liked.
In other words, he’s done some shit.
And yet, as soon as I saw TRUMP’S TALE OF CRYING MANHATTAN COURT EMPLOYEES WAS ‘ABSOLUTE BS,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCE SAYS, I knew I needed to chat with Michael Isikoff.
I knew he was my new hero.
For me, it all began—like, really began—on Jan. 11, 2017, when our new president, Donald Trump, held a press conference to (in part) detail his plans to disentangle himself from his myriad business holdings. The event took place inside Trump Tower, and The Donald stood behind a podium and alongside a table topped by stacks upon stacks of manila folders.
The papers, Trump explained to the 250 or so reporters in attendance, were (according to the Associated Press’ Jonathan Lemire), “documentation of his new business arrangement.” He called a woman named Sheri Dillon to the front of the room, failed to identify her (she was his tax attorney), then pointed to the ocean of folders and said, “These papers are just some of the many documents I have signed, turning over complete and total control.”
Dillon proceeded to step to the mic and break off a series of J Dilla classics, where she blathered on for a bunch of minutes, before concluding with, “The American people were well aware of President-elect Trump’s business empire and financial interests when they voted. Many people voted for him precisely because of his business success. President-elect Trump wants to bring this success to all Americans. Thank you.”
And with that, a single reporter asked whether anyone with the press would be allowed to look through the folders.
The answer: No.
And that was that.
[Pfft]
Literally, that was that. The question was never repeated. The point was never re-emphasized. Reporters raised their hands and cleared their throats and barked out, “Mr. President-elect! Mr. President-elect!” And when they were called upon, members of the media failed to carry on about the folders. “Mr President-elect, how do we know those folders contain actual papers?” Nah. It was Russia. It was inauguration. It was transition to the White House. It was never, “About those manilas …”
And, in hindsight, it was the most dispiriting shit ever. Having recently published a book about the USFL, and therefore knowing Trump was a profound slinger of garbage, I was 100-percent convinced those folders were either:
A. Empty.
B. Stuffed with blank pages.
C. Filled with the crushed souls of the helicopter crash victims Trump lied about.
I’m being serious and sincere: I was not 99 percent convinced. I was 100-percent, bet-my-life-on-it aware that it was all a show. A sham. A mirage, orchestrated by a Grade-A bullshitter who the vast majority of New Yorkers (myself included) knew to be a street corner con artist. Hell, this was the same man who—as the owner of the USFL’s New Jersey Generals—lied to TV network executives about the league’s plans, then lied to his fellow team owners about the TV network executives’ reactions to his lies (it’s a vicious cycle). This is the same man who created a phony “university.” And—again—this is a man who had three supposed friends die in a horrific helicopter crash, then used the tragedy to score Q points. It’s nonstop nonsense.
Yet we, as a profession, allowed Donald Trump to make something up without a single consequence. So, as he continued to lie and lie and lie and lie, we largely just shrugged our shoulders and absorbed his insults. Sure, we’d turn to CNN’s Daniel Dale to fact check White House talking points. And, sure, we had a gay ol’ time with Sean Spicer’s claims of inaugural magnificence. But, by and large, we chalked shit up to Trump being Trump. In his world, everything was the biggest, the greatest, the most amazing. In the retelling of every story, someone referred to him as “Sir” or “Mr. President.” A guy was always thanking him, a woman was always praising him, a solider was always saluting him. There are, according to Trump, approximately 127 billion people who have credited him with smelling of orchid and leaping through midair to save babies.
And we sorta stopped wondering whether any of it was true.
We just … nodded.
But then, on April 11, Donald Trump sat down with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson—and told him about the crying.
Here, take a quick second to behold …
And, I mean—it’s such preposterous bullshit, one might be inclined to dismiss it as we almost always dismiss this stuff. Nonsense. Silliness. Harmless exaggeration. Ho-hum.
But something about the lie caught Isikoff’s attention. First, it was Carlson’s neutered dog acceptance of Trump’s words, sans even the slightest hint of disbelief or skepticism. I mean, watch Carlson. He’s not a dumb man. He’s been around the block a few times. He surely knows Trump isn’t telling the truth. And yet—nary a follow-up. “This was on the eve of the Fox-Dominion trial, and Tucker was looking like he’d wind up a key witness because he privately expressed disgust and contempt for Trump,” Isikoff explained. “Yet publicly he never shared any of that with this viewers. He sat there listening to Trump in that interview with absolutely no pushback, or challenging, or questioning of anything he was saying. And it just …”
It what?
“It got to me,” Isikoff said.
So the veteran scribe did what veteran scribes are supposed to do: He picked up his phone and called sources who were inside the Manhattan criminal court. And he asked, plainly and bluntly, “Was anyone crying when Trump was arraigned? Did anyone see people cry? Hear people cry?”
Answer: Nah, bro.
Nary a tear had been shed.
“It’s not rocket science,” Isikoff said. “That’s the thing, right? Reporting usually is just doing your job. Checking in on people. Asking questions. It’s what we’re paid to do. We watched the arraignment. Many of us did. We watched him go in. We watched him come out of the elevator and we saw the guy not even hold the door for him. I’m sure there was very limited interaction with the court employees. So, again, the idea people were crying … it just didn’t make sense.”
And as we enter yet another fucking presidential election cycle, and it becomes increasingly clear Trump will once again be the Republican nominee, I beg my (political) journalism colleagues to not merely follow the lead of Isikoff, but heed his advice going forward and demand pure truth and question—loudly—why it’s kosher for a man running for president to lie his ass off, without regard for decency or truthfulness? Why is it OK?
“I’m a believer in accountability,” Isikoff said. “I also believe in being dispassionate about it. Meaning, I’m not an advocate, I’m a reporter. But when someone is running for president, or someone is president, and that person says things that are simply untrue, you can’t ignore it.
“The way this works has changed. Not that long ago, when someone was caught lying, it’d be an embarrassment for that person, and they’d either make a correction or apologize. But with Trump, the lies don’t raise an eyebrow. And they should. If you’re in the spotlight, and you say something demonstratively false, it’s our job to point it out. That’s why we entered this business in many cases. To be honest and open.”
I asked Isikoff whether he was proud of TRUMP’S TALE OF CRYING MANHATTAN COURT EMPLOYEES WAS ‘ABSOLUTE BS,’ LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCE SAYS.
“Proud?” he said. “I dunno. It’s not winning me a Pulitzer or anything. But I feel like it’s me doing my job.
“And I like my job.”
The Quaz Five with … Adam Burnett
Adam Burnett is a features writer and editor for cricket.com.au. One can follow him on Twitter here.
1. You're a writer and editor for cricket.com.au. What is the beauty of cricket that eludes most Americans?: Well it's a cultural thing, right? I mean on the flipside, I've done the tourist thing, sat in the stands at Yankee Stadium with a hotdog and a Budweiser for however many hours wondering when the game was going to end. I think that lack of appreciation goes both ways, partly because what we do love about our sports (or what I love, at least) ties in with their history and tradition. And then there are the elements that non-fans simply haven't wrapped our heads around. Eg: a five-day game (a 'Test match') will is endlessly fascinating to me for the way the game changes at different stages, due to the deterioration of the pitch, the condition of the ball, the waning patience / sheer determination of a batter or bowler … and then there's the majesty of a Ricky Ponting pull shot, or a perfectly spun Shane Warne leg break. I could go on…
2. I'm sure you hate these questions, but if we send, oh, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper to your turf, signed them to contracts with the Kolkata Knight Riders, could they figure it out and ultimately star? Or are baseball and cricket completely unrelated?: Short(ish) answer is no – the game is too highly specialised these days for a baseballer to come in completely new to the sport and hope to make it (I can only imagine what Trout might make of a sharp-turning Doosra on a fifth-day Delhi wicket). Long(er) answer is, similarities do exist (elite hand-eye coordination is helpful in both) and there's a history between the two sports, certainly in Australia; a handful of our best batters from generations past also excelled domestically in baseball (which, obviously, is nowhere close to MLB level), including our oldest living Test cricketer, 95-year-old Ken Archer. I spoke to Ken only the other week (a remarkably sharp guy, still) and revisited the time a US scout wanted to sign him for the St Louis Browns. Additional fun, slightly relevant, fact: I shared an elevator with Derek Jeter at the 2015 World Cup final in Melbourne.
3. Curious how you, over there, view the politics of America these days? Have you lost faith in this place?: Yes, particularly on three fronts. Healthcare – we look at the system over there and thank our lucky stars. Trump – from the fact he got elected, to so many of Obama's hard-won changes that were subsequently peeled back under his watch, to the current shitshow surrounding his indictment … I don't even know where to start, and I'm not sure I could add more to the many more insightful words that have already been written. Guns/school shootings – so incredibly tragic, so infuriatingly needless. I will never understand how the regular murders of children continues to be a source of debate, nor, I'm sure, can I begin to understand the frustrations of many Americans on this topic.
4. Baseball recently took major steps to shorten games. What's it like covering a cricket game that goes on and on and on?: It's magic. You settle in to the press box (three two-hour sessions) hoping for a day of twists and turns, memorable moments, and record-breaking performances. Generally you'll get at least something from the above, and talking points always emerge. Then you repeat that routine for the next four days! Around 20 years ago, 'Twenty20 cricket' was introduced. So that's a three-and-a-half-hour match. Traditionalists will tell you it bears little resemblance to Test cricket (which is probably true) but it has become a phenomenon, particularly in India, which is nowadays the sport's epicentre (particularly financially). Last year, the Indian Premier League (a two-month Twenty20 tournament, which attracts just about all the world's best players) signed a US$6.2bn five-year deal, making it the second-most lucrative sports competition in the world on a per-match basis, behind only the NFL.
5. The world needs to know: What's Ollie Pope like?: Ha! Can't say I've crossed paths with the Pontiff – he was a pretty lowkey presence on his one tour of Australia so far, likely due to a lack of runs. But there's an Aussie cricketing Pope as well – a red-headed leg-spinner named Lloyd Pope, and he's quite the character.
[Bonus] Rank in order (favorite to least): Fried chicken, Paul Hogan, Ja Morant, your knuckles, Matt Renshaw, dress slacks, a long hike, the number 6, Halle Berry: Halle Berry, a long hike, Matt Renshaw (good guy, good cricketer), the number 6 (the most runs you can hit off one ball in cricket), my (rarely used) knuckles, fried chicken, (what's a) Ja Morant (? Ha, I kid!) Paul Hogan (long time, no see!), dress slacks (I avoid dressing formally at all costs).
A random old article worth revisiting …
On March 5 1963, a plane carrying country singers Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawins (as well as the pilot, Randy Hughes) crashed in Camden, Tenn., killing all on board. The flight took off after the artists performed at a benefit in Kansas City. One singer, Billy Walker, didn’t fly. The Nashville Banner told his story on the front page of the following afternoon’s paper (Walker died in a car accident 43 years later) …
This week’s college writer you should follow on Twitter …
Zach Gunter, staff writer for Roo News—University of Missouri-Kansas City student paper.
So I disagree—strongly—with Gunter’s recent column, headlined MISSOURI NEEDS SPORTS BETTING. I think sports betting is addictive, ruinous, gross and nasty. Truly, I do. Buuuuuuut … Zach wrote the hell out of this column. He brought passion and oomph to a complicated issue, which—as a journalist—I very much appreciate.
Wrote Zach: “Missouri needs sports betting, and there’s one really good reason why: money. The Missouri government needs the funds to be brought in through taxes imposed on bets. The initial bill, Senate Bill 30, would have implemented a 10% tax rate on sports bets. However, Senator Lauren Arthur, a Democrat from Kansas City, petitioned to raise the tax to 15%. The best part? The generated revenue would go to the state’s education fund.”
Again, I disagree. But I dig the effort.
One can follow Zach on Twitter here.
Bravo, kid …
Jim Murray speaks with …
A new feature to the Pearlman Journalism Substack—thanks to the warped geniuses at Chat GPT, we can sorta kinda see what would happen if Jim Murray, the late/legendary Los Angeles Times columnist, sat down with three random celebrities. This week, here’s what GPT offers from Jim’s meeting with former Kiss drummer Eric Carr, Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.—accused witch dating back to the Salem witch trials, and Ping Bodie, the former Yankee first baseman who once had a spaghetti-eating contest against an ostrich …
Jim Murray: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining me today. I'm here with Eric Carr, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., and Ping Bodie. Eric, let's start with you. You were the drummer for the legendary band Kiss. What was it like being a part of such a successful group?
Eric Carr: Thanks for having me, Jim. It was an incredible experience being in Kiss. The fans were amazing, and the shows were always so much fun.
Jim Murray: Elizabeth, you have quite a different story. You were convicted of witchcraft in Salem in 1692. Can you tell us what happened?
Elizabeth Johnson Jr.: Thank you for having me, Jim. It was a dark time in Salem. I was accused of practicing witchcraft, and despite my protests of innocence, I was convicted and sentenced to death. It was a terrible injustice.
Ping Bodie: Wow, that's really something. I can't imagine what that must have been like.
Jim Murray: Ping, you're known for your time with the New York Yankees, but you also had a unique talent for eating spaghetti. Can you tell us about your famous spaghetti-eating contest against an ostrich?
Ping Bodie: Yeah, that was a crazy event. It was a charity fundraiser, and I was up against this ostrich named Percy in a spaghetti-eating contest. I thought I had it in the bag, but that bird could really put away some noodles. In the end, we tied, and we both ate about 8 pounds of spaghetti each.
Eric Carr: (laughs) That's incredible. I've never heard of anything like that before.
Elizabeth Johnson Jr.: It's certainly a unique talent.
Jim Murray: Eric, Kiss was known for its elaborate stage shows and costumes. Can you tell us about your experience with that?
Eric Carr: Absolutely. The costumes and makeup were a big part of the show, and it was always exciting to see what new designs we would come up with. It was like being in a fantasy world.
Ping Bodie: I can relate to that. When I was playing ball, it was like I was living in a dream world too. The thrill of the game and the cheers of the crowd were all so surreal.
Elizabeth Johnson Jr.: It's interesting to hear about the different ways that people experience success and fame.
Jim Murray: Yes, absolutely. Well, unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today. Thank you so much to Eric Carr, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., and Ping Bodie for joining me. It's been a pleasure talking with all of you.
Eric Carr: Thank you, Jim. It's been great.
Elizabeth Johnson Jr.: Thank you for having me.
Ping Bodie: Thanks for having us. This has been a lot of fun.
Journalism musings for the week …
Musing 1: If you read one story this week—seriously, just one story—make it this remarkable piece from the Philadelphia Inquirer headlined, THE DAY THE BOOK BANNERS LOST IN PENNSYLVANIA’S CULTURE WARS by Will Bunch. It’s just a remarkable saga of a community fed up with the crazies, and fighting back to have Alan Gratz’s lauded “Two Degrees.” read. Trust me.
Musing 2: Heather Mullinix of the Crossville (Tenn.) Chronicle was taken to task via social media for the piece, SEXTON DEFENDS RESIDENCY, PER DIEM. And, to be honest, I expected to read it and get pissed. But … I dunno. The controversy involves Cameron Sexton, Tennessee’s (revolting) speaker of the house, and whether he’s lying about living in his home district of Crossville. And, again, I think the piece is fine. Now, should the paper run an advertisement for Sexton alongside the banner? Fucking no way in hell. But that’s not Mullinix’s fault.
Musing 3: So my daughter Casey is a sophomore at UC San Diego, and she and her best pal, Anna Norris, are hosts of the Saturday afternoon (4 pm Eastern) show, “We’re So Crazy!” on the campus radio station—KSDT. And I’m just … really jazzed over this. As the former co-host of the Blue Hen Sports Cage (WVUD), I dig the entire college radio experience. So, hey, support my kid and listen.
Musing 4: The shooting of a Kansas City teen named Ralph Yarl is, of course, horrifying and disturbing and stomach-burning. But it’s also something young Black men face in America all the time—the perception of being a threat/danger from whites, and the inevitable looming of violent retaliation. That 84-year-old Andrew Lester shot Yarl is shocking, but (sadly) unsurprising. And this Washington Post piece via Rachel Hatzipanagos and Timothy Bella, headlined A WHITE MAN WAS ‘SCARED TO DEATH’ OF RALPH YARL. FOR BLAACK BOYS, THIS ISN’T NEW, explains it very well. This shit ain’t new.
Musing 5: Lord, Justin Kanew is doing some absolutely essential work with his Tennessee Holler website and social media feed. If you don’t know—now you know.
Musing 6: So probably, oh, seven years ago I was waiting on line at a local Starbucks, talking hip-hop with the barista. I told the guy I was a big Tribe Called Quest fan and he said, “Do you know People Under the Stairs?”
Um, no.
Well, thanks to the barista, the Los Angeles-based hip-hop duo became one of my all-time favorite acts. This song, in particular, is pure bliss. Anyhow, People Under The Stairs disbanded a few years ago, and then Double K (the lead rapper) died at age 43 in 2021. Well, recently his ex-partner, Thes One, released a tribute album, “Farewell, my friend.” And it’s all heart and love and goodness.
Musing 7: Stephen King is not here for Twitter’s new Elon Musk bullshit …
Musing 8: The new Two writers Slinging Yang stars Jonathan Eig, New York Times best-selling author whose latest book, “King: A Life,” drops in a few weeks.
Quote of the week …
“If you're not doing what everyone else is doing then you're going to be misunderstood. People are going to wonder why you're trying to be different; it's just a natural instinct.”
— Kid Cudi
Regarding the piece on Michael Isikoff- it reminds me of the old journalism truth: “If you mom tells you she loves you, check it out.” Unfortunately we have too much of the opposite- the reporter who goes to the City Council meeting and comes back to the newsroom saying “there’s no story. City Hall burned down.”
That community fed up with the crazies is my hometown. Although I moved away almost 30 years ago, my parents and brother still live there so I've followed this story from afar. It made me embarrassed when the school board initially caved, but now I'm filled with hope. Not because of the opposition gearing up for a May vote (call me pessimistic given the demographics of the area being pretty similar to Mahopec I would guess), but because kids like Joslyn Diffenbaugh are the ones really leading this charge.