However one death this week was indeed a surprise, not least to the person declared dead.
It was not the greatest day for Richard Wilkins, Australia's Channel 9 Entertainment commentator when he announced on the same day that both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson had passed away that Jeff Goldblum had fallen to his death from a cliff whilst filming in New Zealand.
Now our Richard is a television icon, I mean fuckwit on pretty much every day of the week but breaking unsubstantiated news of such a serious nature was surely the faux pas of entertainment history. It seems Richard needed something more to talk about in order to pad out the extra three hours of airtime Channel Nine gave him with their extended Today coverage of the Grim Reaper’s rampage through the world of showbiz.
Unsure how to fill the remaining entertainment time slot. Our Dick turned to twitter and heard it via the grape vine - yep, twitterworld was atweet with the demise of our Jurassic Park Hero, the Fly himself . . . Contrary to Dicky's claims, NZ Police new nothing, no reputable news agency new anything . . in fact it was jut the twitter twits tweeting twoddle and the fuckwit fell for it.
To add insult to stupidity, Jeff Goldblum and Stephen Colbert combined forces to mock Richard Wilkins on The Colbert Report. Those who spread rumours, get what they deserve. I for one am very pleased that Jeffy's alive and well, I have a soft spot for him! Sorry, I tried to post the video but Blogger is also a complete fuckwit thise week and it's not just me who thinks so but go here . . for the Colbert session.
35 comments:
The world is full of people looking for their minute of fame! This guy is obviously one of them - surely there was enough to talk about with the demise of the people he was sure about...but no ....some people have to go looking for another one to cram in!!!
It was on Media Watch, mainly because the Today presenters later criticised the 'sick' individual who started the rumour and lameted the demise of quality journalism, which is funny coming from some of the worst journos in the country who just proved themselves so by presenting an unverified internet hoax as fact.
Gah!
Hey Richard! The Queen just exploded! Stick that in your 9:30am report.
I remember way back.... a school teacher opened the Irish Times Newspaper in Dublin and found his own death notice printed there.
I had been inserted as a schoolboy prank by a pupil with a grudge. I think they are more careful about checking facts nowadays.
Baino, HA! It'd be a real hoot if Goldblum sued the blighter, wot? And "twitter twits tweeting twoodle"-LOL great tongue-twister :) AS I always say( and do ): check the facts. Jack Webb always did!
Kate, I'm sure there's a British equivalent of the quasi-handsome 70's has been red carpet commentator? Ours is Dicky Wilkins . .oh dear. One reason I've given up on tabloid TV but since my bro put in a digital arial I can't get reception on our multicultural news channel which defo had the best news.
Pub Man, I missed Media Watch . .I'm tucked up in bed these days due to very early starts. And you're so right 7, 9 and 10 wouldn't know quality if it bit them in the bum! I wonder what else they make up as they go along!
GM that's just cruel. Imagine his family! This wasn't a prank tho, just totally shoddy journalism to fill in a space allocated for more Michael Jackson wanking. I haven't seen news coverage like it since Princes Diana died frankly. Over ze top!
I take all TV news with a grain of salt actually Subby. Tend to get mine via the net from less commercial sources. Nah, I love Jeffy, he took it all in good humour bless his cotton sox.
The Internet makes people dumb by inducing them to be less analytical, less critical and taking advantage of the common man's need for instant information and immediate satisfaction. Why for example, so many educated people passing around urban myths and hoaxes emails boggles the mind. The first time someone forwards me one of those hoaxes, I immediately lose respect for them and they are forever downgraded in my "critical thinking" catgeory.
They are MAD!!!They scared me,I really like Jeff Goldblum,besides,there are already enough legends who passed away recently:Michael jackson,Farah Facett and let's not forget David carradine too!That was the video I think:
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/jeff-goldblum-reacts-to-reports-that-jeff-goldblum-has-died/
There probably is.... trouble is I don't watch the news!! I know its wrong but I never heard anything good when I did watch it.
I shall probably be an ostrich in my next life!!!
Richard wilkins is a total knob.
Ces, I feel the same way. Twitter is even worse because people impersonate celebrities. I'm a great lover of snopes.com. dispels many of those silly emails. But in this case, just a silly man filling in time and not checking his sources. Pure sensationalism at its worst.
Candie, that's true but if they can do it to celebrities, imagine hearing that someone you know has been in an accident and it's a completely unresearched story. You'd have a caniption fit!
Kate, I find out more about what's going on through Al Jazeera than any other western news frankly. German news is pretty good too but I tend to view it online and take much with a grain of salt. Tabloids are terrible on telly and on paper.
Now how did I know you'd tell it like it is Mel . .at least Nelson Aspen is funny! Shits me to tears that these guys get paid . .pay me! I can make shit up too!
Good grief ... I had that spoof email a couple of years ago, only it was Johnny Depp who'd fallen to his death from a cliff while filming in NZ. I admit, my heart skipped a beat, but a second glance revealed all the usual hallmarks of a prank email and I junked it. Since then I've seen it applied to several celebrities.
I can't believe a newscaster fell for it! LOL!
ROFL Loved it, because next time I'm embarassed I can remember this and tell myself "well at least I didn't do it on the evening news..." LOL
"television icon...fuckwit on pretty much every day of the week" haha! too true.
The mocking was excellent.
scary stuff. imagine the frantic phone calls by his family. from what i understand something similar happened with George Clooney as well. Evidently there is a website generating these false reports. twitter maybe? bet he will check his sourse next time!?
pretty sad state of affairs if journalists are using twitter as their source
i would hope and expect this guy would be put on probation or given a warning for not doing due diligence. i hope you and others communicate that to the station.
ps weekend's coming! have a good one
xo
All those Farrahs and others are utter nobodies compared to Michael Jackson. One thing he did get right was his superiority over the inferior flyridden rubbishdump of the rest of celebritydom ~ haha!
As for that eejut man, what kinda professional believes ANYTHING he reads on twitter?
And why on earth would the death of Jeff Goldblum register anywhere at all in the Aussie media, let alone the American, when the greatest superstar junkie of them all has just popped his generally anaesthetized clogs..??!???!!
lol... i heard about dumb dick up here, too
Thats the way rumors get started! Jeff Goldblum does have a likeable quality to him!
Just proves the point that "stupid" is universal.
I too heard that George Clooney had to make an appearance to prove he wasn't dead, as well as a couple of other chosen-at-random Hollywood types.
Anchor people should remember Actor Karl Malden [who also died this week at age 97!], who became best known at the end of his career as the voice of American Express card,"Don't leave home without it" ads.
Perhaps for the media that should read, "BRAIN..don't leave home without it!"
I have a soft spot for Jeff, too! And the Colbert thing was hilarious.
This is a perfect fuckwit. Perfect!
Oh my freaking lord! You just about killed me! Jeff Goldblum dead?! OMFL!
Twitter twots. Fucking fuckwits.
Glad he's alive though. And thanks for the shake up.
Loved this post taking the micky out of tricky Dickie.
I bet he felt a right muppet when he discovered the truth :)
Wishing you a great weekend Bainster x
Baino, I created a new special award and you are one of its first recipients. Will you please do me the honor of accepting it? Thanks.
I can't believe he was able to keep a straigt face when he used to word "reports" because he knew well it was only on Twitter. If Twitter is a source of reliable information for journalism then all I have to say is RIP journalism.
But why am I even surprised, Wilkins is a himbo. Big time, and even in every photo he is in he looks like a dumb, solarium tanned, love-myself type idiot, with no expression whatsoever on his face but a blank look. That's what I really think about him of course.
Jay now that commenters have mentioned it, I remember the George Clooney thing.
Yep Suze, gotta be careful when the camera's in your face.
Leah this guy is a constant foot in mouther!
that's what I was thinking Brian. Hopefully 'real' journos would be a little more thorough.
Conor, so many people on twitter aren't who they say they are just cant trust it.
kj the weekends' here, the sun is shining and there's vacuuming to be done and a rather dessicated mouse to be removed from under my couch! Pongo!
Whoa steady there Gleds! Didn't realise you were such a fan. Trust me, the superstar junkie got all the attention . . Been quite a sad week for actors popping their clogs.
Wuffa such a shame we're famous for gaffs and Steve Irwin
Otin I have a massive crush on Jeff Goldblum . .seriously! Such a shame that he always plays Jeff Goldblum.
Haha . . Hope, so true. Foot in Mouth disease, put brain in gear before activating mouth!
As usual Megan there are no shortage of them, this was in preference to one about a Northern Territorian who mistook a crocodile for a cow . .don't ask!
Welcome back Jo, hope you're rested and ready to rumble!
It's not hard work Pam is it? Really? Actually I don't watch morning TV just read about this one on the news but Clare's way into Nelson Aspen and his holywood reporting on Sunrise!
Ces thank you, it's a lovely award and I'm sure Bella will appreciate the gesture, it's already posted. Bless you.
Gaye I couldn't agree with you more. Himbo to the max . . he really needs to ditch the 70's hairdoo as well. How are you sweets?
oh and also, phew! glad about jeff goldblum that would have been sad and shocking
Gaaargh, videos are downloading at the speed of a snail on valium today...
So, now we see the danger of twits and social media players being the new news reporters. Hmm, well, yes. Loved the comments over at the Corbett show!
Surely one of the first things any journalist learns is that a report of someone's death should be double checked, triple checked, quadruple checked until you're 100% positive it's true. As for repeating something he only heard on Twitter.... He obviously left his brain at the dry cleaner.
once upon a time it was called chinese whispers and now it's called journalism
x Ribbon
ps: I was just thinking... I don't think you're gonna ever run out of things to post on Fridays..!!!
Baino, housework!? What the heck is that? :)
Ah yes, you actually used the word "sweet" I think for the first time ever?
Hmn, you are slacking in your officiousness.
Yes, if anyone understands and know the pain, you would and look at you. You are so cool!
Fuckwit indeed! So glad Goldblum didn't really bite the dust, too. And media people wonder why nobody trusts them????
Thanks for your visit and the glasses were not so cheap they did not leave a bit of a dent, but at least I've more than one pair.
Glad you got a job!
Twittering should be left to the feathered ones.
Everyone wants to be first to break news and in as few words as possible. It's a bigger worry now that politicians are twittering twits ... something we already knew.
Laughed my head off this morning when hubby told me about the dumb Lady (yes titled) in the UK whose husband Sir Spy, has become head of MI6 ... stupid woman has been telling all on her facebook photos and all.
I'm not sure that people are getting dumber but it's easier for the dumb dumbs to prove just how dumb they are to a much bigger audience *!*
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