We Also Read the Weeklies: PDX Edition

Seattlest has praised the Seattle Weekly's features section in this space in the past. They had a good string going! Seattlest was in Portland a few weeks ago, though, and being the alt-weekly whores that we are we picked up a copy of the rag down there, Willamette Week. Not a bad paper. The cover story of the issue that was out when we were there was "Good Cop, Bad Cop" about a Portland cop who had a great record despite being somewhat of a hothead and beating the crap out of a few perps (pff, so what).

Fast forward a month to Wednesday when Seattlest picked up the new Weekly here in Seattle. The called it "Bipolar Cop" on the cover and "Good Cop, Sad Cop" on the inside. It's not exactly the same article. The sad cop never cracked any perp skulls. Pretty close, though. So how does this happen? Is a month enough time for the Weekly to get a copy of WW and think, "Hm. Not a bad idea. Dawdy, you're on it." Or do they have an intern planted in Portland sending encrypted, four-word messages from out in the cold, "GOOD COP BAD COP." An intern gave his life for this information... Maybe the Weekly and Willamette Week just tapped into the same cultural meme? Maybe there's a nationwide alt-weekly network? Maybe they're all taking editorial direction from the White House? Maybe they all meet at the Rainier Club and sip cognac and brainstorm cover stories? Weird, in any case.

Seattlest's fragile hopes for decent books coverage were dashed again in the Weekly. Not dashed. Not entirely fullfilled, either. The Weekly has a big books section this week, but all of the articles in it focus on Hollywood. Whose idea was that? Man, is there ever an opportunity for someone to step in and provide this city with some coverage of all things literary (looking at you, Mary).

The line on the trolley is bought, Paul Allen's gift is not and an actual sports article makes an appearance. Knute wonders where the kids is at in Mossback and we wonder along with him. Seriously, we're starting to think there's Nonoxynol-9 in the drinking water here.

Some small cities don't have a Stranger. Some do, but most, probably, do not. You may not have know that, but it's true. Who knows what they do for journalism in places without a Stranger. They may have to rely on sites like this, god help them, because the last time we checked Eli Sanders wasn't anywhere to be found on our staff page. Don't get us wrong, there are some fine folks listed on that page, just no Eli Sanders. You'll have to go over to The Stranger to find him and read the article we hailed yesterday. We hope you come back when you're finished.

Stranger ~~newbie~~ vet Erica Barnett questions the hype surrounding the waterfront trolley. Despite everyone's best intentions, Seattlest is starting to see the writing on the sea wall: the trolley is not long for this world. In the theatre section Annie Wagner actually liked plays! Nightstand continues to confuse, regardless of our weekly hopes for it and someone pans an entire music genre in the music section. All in a day's work.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@seattlest.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dan in News on April 1, 2005 9:10 AM

Comments [rss]

Annie Wagner

Hey Dan. My byline reads "Annie Wagner," my Social Security card reads "Ann Wagner," and never the twain shall meet. No e, merci.

Dan

I never said "ripping off" and I did read the article. It's a shame about the officer and I'm interested in seeing what kind of response the call for opinion at the article's conclusion gets.

And actually I found that the piece was more informed by a Salon.com article on mental illness in the military (that I'm failing to find right now). Yes, the similarities with the WW piece don't go much deeper than the cover portrayal, but if I acknowledged that then it's just not as funny. So you can see my dilema.

Philip Dawdy

um whomever wrote the original post didn't bother to read the weekly's article past the first few sentences. the cop in portland (article written by a buddy of mine at ww, where i used to work) was a badass/excess use of force cop who turned into an adult. the sw story was about a kcso deputy fired for having a light touch of mental illness. how someone thinks i am ripping someone off when the two story's are totally different--and the authors good friends--is the funniest thing i've read all week. thanks for the chuckle!

Editor DFPS

I must have missed the part where George McGovern, Ralph Nader, Norm Chomsky or Howard Dean had a weekly piece in The Stranger.

You can't claim the mythical liberal media bias myth unless you actually have real liberals in the media.

Dan

The Weekly finally responds to a charge! Thanks for setting it straight.

I think Sharkansky is already the response to someone else's demand for equal time!

Editor DFPS

The Stefan Sharkansky is still in The Stranger but readers are writing in and voicing their displeasure.

http://www.thestranger.com/2005-03-31/letters.html

I should demand equal time.