Batting Cleanup

Pig shit, literally, on the front page of the Post-Intelligencer. Here's the opening to Monday's page one story:

Chihuly victimized by his own success? Despite depression, legal woes, renowned artist still turns out the work
By REGINA HACKETT
P-I ART CRITIC

Dale Chihuly is the most inventive glass sculptor in the history of the medium, but a massive career and many honors have not insulated him from personal and professional troubles that trail him lately like a bad smell.

A few weeks ago, the bad smell metaphor took material form.

Standing in an ornate garden surrounding a mansion in Medina, this son of a Tacoma meatpacker and union organizer frowned and checked his shoes.

"Did I step in something?" he asked. The garden was lovely, but the stink of fertilizer was overwhelming.

"Pig shit," he said. "Sometimes you can't get away from it."

Pig shit! On the front page! Straight to the keyboard, we fire off an email to the editor:

"It would be a shame if the shit-storm over the front-page use of "pig-shit" overshadowed Regina Hackett's admirable report on Dale Chihuly. Kudos to her for accuracy; kudos to the copy editors who left it in. Honesty trumps euphemism!"

First, an automatic email acknowledgement, Then, an hour later, someone called to verify our name and phone number. "It'll be in the paper tomorrow," we were told. But what they printed wasn't what we sent:

Hackett and editor not afraid to be honest It would be a shame if the storm over the front-page use of a four-letter word overshadowed Regina Hackett's admirable report on Dale Chihuly. Kudos to her for accuracy and kudos to the copy editors who left it in. Honesty trumps euphemism.
Ronald Holden
Belltown

Harrumph! The editors can forget those kudos. Sanitizing a letter, that's just, well, bullshit.

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

By Ronald in News on April 18, 2006 10:56 AM

Comments [rss]

Seth

Does anyone other than me remember the Almost Live sketch where a criminal extorted people out of their jewels, money, etc by threatening to destroy "a priceless Dale Chihuly art object" in front of them? He'd hold the thing out in precarious positions if they resisted. One of the bright moments in the generally forgettable late 90s Almost Live oeuvre.

Michael

I think we can be reasonably certain that Regina is not in charge of editing letters to the editor. She's a good art critic. I don't get the Chihuly thing, but it's one article.

Jack

This tells me that it's more important to accurately quote Dale Chiwhatty when he says "shit," than when a regular peasant of society says it.

Shit on that.

Shit on Regina.

Mark

Regina Hackett is a crime to the Seattle Art Scene. She has sold out to the Greg Kucera school of intimidation. It's a shame she still works in this town.