A lot of the Las Vegas print journalists who shied away from covering the very important Danny Gans story have little to show for their obedience, now finding themselves suddenly out of work. Greenspun Media, which runs the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Weekly, laid off many reporters, editors and columnists this week, the latest nail in the closing coffin of the print news business.
One person who's kept his job is Las Vegas blogger, New York Times stringer, Gay Vegas author and comp queen Steve Friess, who used his Las Vegas Weekly column this year to explain why the still-developing Danny Gans story (the sudden, unexplained death in his prime of the top star of the Vegas Strip) and later his blatant conflict-of-interest in producing a "birthday tribute" to Michael Jackson while covering the Vegas angle of the police death investigation for The new York Times. Friess' crush and partner in the project, a star of the Vegas production of Jersey Boys, lost his job over the spectacle. Friess did not.
Friess, as readers of this site are aware, is the Las Vegas media figure who not only attacked us in the most obscene terms, but made an active effort to have TabloidBaby.com shut down after we emailed him privately days after Gans' death to ask for his take on why the Las vegas media was not investigating the mysterious tragedy.
In the months to come, we learned more about Friess' various conflicts, including his relationship with Gans' boss Steve Wynn, that seemed to explain his extreme position.
With his many freelance gigs, including that of music reviewer (despite a hearing impairment),, and the probability that the Weekly columnist gig doesn't pay much if anything, Friess is able to pose as a tough guy on his blogsite, listing the names of the newly jobless, criticizing his bosses for the way they were let go, and bragging, "I write all this knowing full well I may offend the powers... But I have been fired before and I feel a great kinship for the folks who have lost their jobs..."
The crusading journo has not yet announced that he'll produce a benefit concert for the group. It's an idea, though
I am so relieved by this. Steve's column is one of the only things I read in the Weekly. I just hope that he doesn't lose it because he's writing about the firings, but that just shows what a brave journalist and good person he is. Thanks for letting me know this.
ReplyDeleteOh. Wait. I didn't actually read this crap when I commented. I just saw the headline. Wow. I don't see why Steve Friess can't review music with a hearing impairment if Steve Wynn can build the most fabulous buildings with diminishing eyesight and if you can write a blog without any common sense or regard for the truth.
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