As always, our humble thanks to all who joined in our latest TRMS Infoxication Headline Writing Challenge. Our topic was Rep. Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" saga, which our friends at Fox Nation seemed to be intentionally avoiding. We wondered: how could Fox Nation deal with a story so un-spinnably awful for conservatives ? How could they Infoxify a headline like this one?
"Senate Candidate's Comments on Rape Stir Outcry"
And so you showed us: we got a ton of inspired offerings but here are a few that stood out:
- Nation's Gaze Turns to Dynamic Senate Candidate -- liberalvixen
- Todd Akin? Here's A Dancing Panda --Christopher Kent Dierks
- Senate Candidate Dominates The Newsday -- liberalvixen
- Liberals Upset With Comments Made By Rep. Todd Akin (D) -- Lar2339483
- Area Man Speaks on Issue --S omeGuy 3249169
Again, thanks to all!
Leave a Comment:
Hmmm. How about a real one from HuffPo:
GOP Platform: Anti-Abortion Amendment, No Rape Exemption!
(Mr. Akin is actually the poster boy for GOP. Mitt's so, so yesterday.) The war is ON!
The Minnesota legislator, Representative Kerry Gauthier (D-District 7B), is being investigated for engaging in a sexual act with a 17 year old boy at a busy rest stop south of Duluth on the night of July 22, 2012. According to the Duluth News Tribune:
Uh, Kent,
How about letting us vote for the best headlines the next time? Not that your choices weren't good, they were and the people you chose deserved to win, but I get the feeling you don't go to FoxNation and look at the headlines very often!
I have to say, I am a little flabbergasted that you just told someone who has repeatedly reported on Fox News headlines, that he doesn't look at the headlines of Fox News very often.
I am NOT criticizing Kent's choices, they are creative, intellectual and clever (and far better than what a totally non-creative person like me could come up with) and would be great headlines for most blogs (even rightwing blogs) but they would never headline a FoxNation story. FoxNation headlines are wild and wooley and yes, even sometimes mean! I just think Kent is too "nice" to understand the "flavor" of FoxNation.
For instance, here are some FoxNation headlines: "Obama Slaughtered in Latest Gallup Poll", "Biden Calls Republicans "Squealing Pigs", Muslims Gangrape Colorado Woman", "Trump: Republicans, Romney Shouldn't be 'Politically Correct' in Campaign Against 'Vicious' Obama".
I didn't say you were criticizing his choices, I said I was shocked that you just told a news person who reads Fox news headlines on a daily basis, that you doubt he reads Fox news headlines very often.
While I do understand what you are saying, I think you missed the real concept of what is meant by the "Foxification" of something. It isn't exactly meant to be "Write what you think Fox news would use as a actual headline", but more of a "How twisted, outlandish, asinine, sarcastic, and far from factual can you make this sound" sort of thing. Because that is how most of the Fox headlines translate to people who are not drinking the Fox Kool-aid.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but that is what I consider Foxification to mean, and that is how the entries I see winning come across to me.
I think you are probably right - I did miss what "Foxification" was supposed to be. I thought it was to make it sound like something you would actually READ as a headline on FoxNation! I go to FoxNation all the time (ala Sun Tzu) and I just couldn't understand why anyone would choose nice comments since what I usually see on FoxNation isn't nice!!
Actually, the winners DO make more sense now!!!! Thank you!
Glad I could help make it make sense.
I have to admit, I think my entries usually don't win because I lean towards making them more like actual Fox News Headlines then Foxificated News Headlines.
It isn't an easy task for most Liberals to think like Fox News people. ;)
Thanks for these Infoxication pieces; they are always good for a laugh. Fox Nation is really a thing of wonder and mystery. I never go there without having my mind completely blown.
I have to say, the writing challenges are always fun to participate in and (even more) fun to read. Thanks for continuing to have them.
Asking Dems. to think in backwards is a tough sell, Repubs. specialize in backwards thinking and are therefore more adept in backwards headlines. Gobama!
True!!!
My Dearest Kent,
My heart aches tonight, dear Kent. I've wronged thee in some wrongfully wrong way. Was it something I said? Something I've done? Oh, dearest Kent! I have fallen out of thine favor.
I will make it up to you, my strawberry head. I will be in your good graces again. You'll see. It was meant to be, dearest Kent. Beautiful witted bliss. I've failed to woo the wit of you. Have I driven you into the arms of liberal vixens?
Goodnight, dear Kent. I have a beer waiting to catch my tears. My only refuge, now that I know your eye twinkles for another.
Adieu. Adieu.
MG
We have lost Afghanistan and transfered the battle to our home turf. The Taliban is alive and well in the Republican party. The Democratic super PACs should be painting the pro-rape, pro-incest, anti-woman party for what it is, the New Taliban.
Well, at least he's not a witch!
Minnesota House DFL minority leader Paul Thissen is calling for Duluth Rep. Kerry Gauthier to end his campaign for reelection to the Minnesota legislature after his sexual encounter last month at an interstate rest stop.
Gauthier, a Democrat, was questioned by police on the evening of July 22 at the Thompson Hill rest area off Interstate 35, where he met a 17-year-old boy for sex.
The two arranged the meeting on Craigslist, and the teen admitted he had told Gauthier he was 18 when responding to the post from the 56-year-old state lawmaker
Ladies, this is the new reality of the Republican Party. If you think Republicans have not waged a war on women..think again. All of you women out there...voting Republican will be the biggest mistake and regret of your lives. They are cavemen...and guess what...if you get hit in the head and dragged away and raped...too bad..you'd better enjoy it and you will keep the baby or go to jail, you will not have any access to healthcare during your pregnancy, so if there are complications...you are probably going to die.
Is voting Republican going to be more important than your own body? No female in her right mind would vote for these heathens. Think about it...would you vote to put anyone in charge of your body, let alone some of these Republican men who clearly have no understanding of the female body? Would you vote for any candidate who blatantly hates women and degrades them? If you vote Republican, that is exactly what you are doing. Your vote counts, despite the voter suppression that Republicans are trying to enforce. Are you not a woman, a wife, a mother, a sister, a grandmother, an aunt, and a best friend first and a Republican later? This election..choose which one you are first before you vote Republican. When you cast your vote, ask yourself..."How will this affect my life and the lives of the other women and girls in my family?" Think before you vote!
Charlie Rogers - See if TRMS covers this tonight.