One of my odder writing gigs was a freelance job I had from 2007 to 2013, writing for the conservative news site, Newsbusters.
I have to say, that even though the series was seriously bias (because, you know, everyone else was too bias the other way) Newsbusted did do a couple of things right. They often ended the set with a general pop culture or neutral current events story, so that gave me some wiggle room on submissions. They were open to more absurdist punchlines that came from a less stringent angle. And they let me do some self-referencing jokes about doing the show itself and how little everyone was making. Sometimes just making a joke about the item, inside of being against it, was enough for them.
I was going to to their site every day to check the "news stories" that were making them angry. Then I started following some other sites they linked to find out what was annoying them as well and turn it into a joke. There are some scary rabbit holes out there. I wrote about the fine folks over at Gateway Pundit about it once...
I was going to to their site every day to check the "news stories" that were making them angry. Then I started following some other sites they linked to find out what was annoying them as well and turn it into a joke. There are some scary rabbit holes out there. I wrote about the fine folks over at Gateway Pundit about it once...
Even by September I was doubting my ability to keep working for them. I wrote "Saw the bit on "Newsbusted" The guy's delivery is okay. Material is weak. Even my NBC news/illegal immigrant line was stupid. Plus--I'm still kicking myself for not including the topper--"Not only should it increase ratings, they work a lot cheaper!"
In October I write that I got the latest check. "I feel dirty, but" it's a check!
In October I write that I got the latest check. "I feel dirty, but" it's a check!
Then came specific requests for jokes, when the GOP or Rush Limbaugh was getting raked over the coals for some stupid remark or other. It just drove them crazy when their stupidity got reported on (these days it's just called "fake news"). I started submitting material to PHC to offset the karma. My conscious was really bothering me about the gig. I wrote: "On one hand the site is really snotty and smug. On the other hand, it's only politics. It's not like it's a Nazi Party site [ed. note ?!?!?]. And they're only preaching to the converted. And, damn it, The Brian Williams/Illegal alien joke was subversive (even without the tag line). I mean, big corps are the one's hiring illegal immigrants and who runs the big corps? Exactly!"
I continued to submit and critique their choices. I had a habit of submitting a set-up with a couple of different punchlines. They often took my least favorite. And I began playing around with the video software, downloading the NB videos and creating my own "best of" videos on Youtube.
I continued to submit and critique their choices. I had a habit of submitting a set-up with a couple of different punchlines. They often took my least favorite. And I began playing around with the video software, downloading the NB videos and creating my own "best of" videos on Youtube.
I was grateful for the checks. When you're living check-to-check, the extra income came in very handy. Until one day it still didn't help...
