Comments on: Jack Kelley, p.o.s. http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/ one writer's daily download Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:25:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jennifer http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1035 Jennifer Sat, 14 Aug 2004 18:46:10 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1035 I interned at USA Today during the summer of 1996. All the interns were rounded up to go listen to Jack Kelley give a speech...even then at the tender age of 19 I sensed that this guy was a huge egomaniac...in a way that was different from other newsroom hot shots. He had a very righteous sensibility about him, like he felt he was saving the planet with his reporting... I have to say it's kind of funny watching him get his comeuppance all these years later. I interned at USA Today during the summer of 1996. All the interns were rounded up to go listen to Jack Kelley give a speech…even then at the tender age of 19 I sensed that this guy was a huge egomaniac…in a way that was different from other newsroom hot shots.

He had a very righteous sensibility about him, like he felt he was saving the planet with his reporting…

I have to say it’s kind of funny watching him get his comeuppance all these years later.

]]> By: deb http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1034 deb Tue, 23 Mar 2004 14:19:36 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1034 my husband had a good point about JK's vanishing-apartment story: an apartment in moscow would NEVER stand empty for a year. d'oh! my husband had a good point about JK’s vanishing-apartment story: an apartment in moscow would NEVER stand empty for a year. d’oh!

]]> By: Mary http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1033 Mary Mon, 22 Mar 2004 23:46:04 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1033 I bet he's praying his ass off for some vanishing apartment to duck into now. I can't believe USA today hasn't checked out this guy earlier. Maybe he'll write a Jayson Blair style book for us all to not buy. I bet he’s praying his ass off for some vanishing apartment to duck into now. I can’t believe USA today hasn’t checked out this guy earlier.

Maybe he’ll write a Jayson Blair style book for us all to not buy.

]]> By: Ann http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1032 Ann Mon, 22 Mar 2004 22:19:42 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1032 My favorite was the one where he told the vanishing hitchhiker story and no one apparently even batted an eyelash: from http://www.connectionmagazine.org/archives_old/2001_05/reportfromhell.htm "{H}e was being pursued by four men in two cars. As he ran down foreign streets, he prayed for God's help. "I got this vision of an apartment building with the number 925 on it and an elderly man next to the door up one flight of stairs. Next thing I knew, I came upon building number 925. Walking in, I found an elderly man on the right who told me to come in until my pursuers passed," Jack recalls. "I can remember the apartment vividly. It was decorated with a blue sofa and chairs, and the refrigerator was well stocked. I stayed there for a while until the men looking for me had passed. When I sent my interpreter to that apartment the next day to thank the man, she couldn't find him. The manager said the apartment had been empty for more than a year. This was just one of the many times God has spared me."" I just can't get over how little publicity this is getting. My favorite was the one where he told the vanishing hitchhiker story and no one apparently even batted an eyelash:

from http://www.connectionmagazine.org/archives_old/2001_05/reportfromhell.htm

“{H}e was being pursued by four men in two cars. As he ran down foreign streets, he prayed for God’s help.

“I got this vision of an apartment building with the number 925 on it and an elderly man next to the door up one flight of stairs. Next thing I knew, I came upon building number 925. Walking in, I found an elderly man on the right who told me to come in until my pursuers passed,” Jack recalls.

“I can remember the apartment vividly. It was decorated with a blue sofa and chairs, and the refrigerator was well stocked. I stayed there for a while until the men looking for me had passed. When I sent my interpreter to that apartment the next day to thank the man, she couldn’t find him. The manager said the apartment had been empty for more than a year. This was just one of the many times God has spared me.”"

I just can’t get over how little publicity this is getting.

]]> By: Nance http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1031 Nance Mon, 22 Mar 2004 22:17:27 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1031 Well, to be sure, that entry from was when the investigation started, and I expect the slant was suggested by JK's many buddies in the evangelical community. At the time, there was no shortage of people leaping to his defense, calling him the most decent honest man they'd ever met, blah blah blah, and there's no way he could ever do anything like this and blah blah blah. I suspect, now that the evidence has been assembled, CT will quietly drop JK from its Christmas-card list. But I haven't checked recently. I should. Well, to be sure, that entry from was when the investigation started, and I expect the slant was suggested by JK’s many buddies in the evangelical community. At the time, there was no shortage of people leaping to his defense, calling him the most decent honest man they’d ever met, blah blah blah, and there’s no way he could ever do anything like this and blah blah blah.

I suspect, now that the evidence has been assembled, CT will quietly drop JK from its Christmas-card list. But I haven’t checked recently. I should.

]]> By: deb, practicing catholic. http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1030 deb, practicing catholic. Mon, 22 Mar 2004 21:30:25 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1030 you know what chaps my ass? that "christianity today" is floating the notion that this guy is being harassed because he's a christian. give me a freaking break. i have worked in newsrooms with a more than a few over-the-top religious types, and not ONE of them ever came under fire because of their religious beliefs. when a reporter like jack kelley gets crosswise of his editors, it's because he's screwed up, not because he's devout. CT seems to find it ominous that news stories about this dustup mention jack's faith, hinting broadly that the writers may be sending us some sort of coded message. CT misses the point entirely. kelley's christianity is an interesting part of the story because one would assume that christian values would preclude him from, you know, MAKING SHIT UP. christian acts like complete jerk = man bites dog. also, kelley's comments about god dropping stories in his lap made me spit my coffee. what a tool. you know what chaps my ass? that “christianity today” is floating the notion that this guy is being harassed because he’s a christian. give me a freaking break. i have worked in newsrooms with a more than a few over-the-top religious types, and not ONE of them ever came under fire because of their religious beliefs. when a reporter like jack kelley gets crosswise of his editors, it’s because he’s screwed up, not because he’s devout.

CT seems to find it ominous that news stories about this dustup mention jack’s faith, hinting broadly that the writers may be sending us some sort of coded message. CT misses the point entirely. kelley’s christianity is an interesting part of the story because one would assume that christian values would preclude him from, you know, MAKING SHIT UP. christian acts like complete jerk = man bites dog.

also, kelley’s comments about god dropping stories in his lap made me spit my coffee. what a tool.

]]> By: ashley http://nancynall.com/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/comment-page-1/#comment-1029 ashley Mon, 22 Mar 2004 19:03:25 +0000 http://70.88.31.129/nancy/2004/03/21/jack-kelley-pos/#comment-1029 It's USA Today, that bastion of journalistic integrity, the "Dick and Jane" of newspapers. What did he do, forge a pie chart? Actually, after reading the USA Today article, what I found most amazing was that "Kelley spent his entire 21 year career at USA Today". Where did this clown pay his dues, the Bumfuck High Tattler? Jeez. It’s USA Today, that bastion of journalistic integrity, the “Dick and Jane” of newspapers.

What did he do, forge a pie chart?

Actually, after reading the USA Today article, what I found most amazing was that “Kelley spent his entire 21 year career at USA Today”. Where did this clown pay his dues, the Bumfuck High Tattler? Jeez.

]]>