Most recent public comments by Lynette Grodskiy https://nowcomment.com/users/18756 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508265 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508265 I agree with your comment, after finding out so much personal information, the journalist and the subject develop a unique relationship. People wouldn't let just anybody sleep in their bed, but ironically the journalist and reporter are not friends first, but yet there is still an aspect of comfort and trust. Fri, 08 Apr 2016 23:41:17 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508263 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508263 You bring up an interesting point, often journalism requires risk taking, and dealing with the consequences later on. If a journalist is afraid of taking that leap then they will not uncover anything, only reiterate what the public already knows about that individual. Fri, 08 Apr 2016 23:34:51 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508262 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508262 I agree with your views on what society wants and doesn't want to hear. Often the small things go unnoticed, when realistically every story is nothing without the most minor of details; take them out and all you have left is a grocery list. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:54:46 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508261 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508261 I agree with your point. From a subject's perspective, the recorder is a symbol of future evidence that is a lot harder to dispute then a reporter's notes. Notes are taken by another person, and there is always a chance of human error, because the spoken words can be written as the journalist's own interpretation rather then what the subject actually meant. That is easier to argue against then a recording. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:53:37 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508260 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=508260 I agree with your comment, Michael is not going to dwell on what people who do not know him very well, say about him. If public figures would read and pay attention to every little negative thing the media and society said about them, they probably wouldn’t want to leave the house. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:50:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501459 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501459 The tape recorder adds tension because it depicts that there is a lack of trust in their relationship. The recorder is an evidence keeper, and without it there is no actual proof that Michael said something and that the biographer didn’t just make it up. Sat, 09 Apr 2016 10:01:48 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501458 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501458 The details are what make every story more interesting and often they highlight and/or support the truth. People are more interested in what happens behind the scenes of a public figure’s life, rather than in the spotlight. Just how a secret romance is always juicer than a known one. Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:03:11 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501457 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501457 Someone is bound to take offense when the truth is involved; secrets might be revealed and a lot of names might get brought up. It’s difficult to please everyone when there are multiple participants in the biographer’s scope. Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:02:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501456 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501456 Benn’s actions are hypocritical, and a bit egotistical in the sense that he feels he’s allowed to expose public figures in his writings but biographers are not allowed to represent the truth. It’s also disrespectful to start gossip and talk ill about the recently deceased. Michael does not want his words to incriminate him. Thu, 19 May 2016 07:21:54 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501454 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46240?scroll_to=501454 Sharing the same bed implies that they are friends and there are no professional boundaries between them. The subject’s and biographer’s relationship is not one that can be affected by feelings or guilt because the biographer’s main job is to tell a truthful story. Guilt and feeling that the biographer owes something to their subject, if they were to become friends would only interfere with that objective. Thu, 19 May 2016 07:20:26 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499507 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499507 A biography is a written form of art, just like a painting is art. It needs to be thought out and all the colors, or in this case chapters need to blend together to create a cohesive piece which tells a story. A biography is the biographer’s painting, just like his/her pen is the brush. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:14:33 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499504 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499504 I agree, Michael is cautious about who he lets into his life and even more careful with the people he allows to get close Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:12:23 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499500 It means one’s own views on themselves, and letting others define their self esteem. Journalists write about their subject’s from their points of views and not their subject’s, which often means not tip toeing around words in order to protect feelings Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:08:40 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499497 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499497 By taking a risk in being so open about Michael’s life, the journalist was expecting to grab people’s attention and knew there would be mixed reviews and opinions. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:05:41 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499490 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499490 It defines the difference between friendship and business. Jill and Michael are not necessarily the journalist’s friends, but his subjects. His stay at the house is not for leisure purposes, but merely for work. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:04:01 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499485 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46239?scroll_to=499485 Michael is used to the company and the attention. He has a very hospitable nature and sees the journalist as a guest in his house rather than a disturbance. Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:00:49 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=495379 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=495379 Yes, they have a right to protect their reputation and good name. Sun, 13 Mar 2016 08:26:00 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=495378 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=495378 I would assume fellow journalists and many readers. Sun, 13 Mar 2016 08:24:56 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494918 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494918 As a journalist I find it difficult to take Michael’s words seriously, without at least some doubt that he may change his opinion depending on the situation. It’s easier to talk about something when it relates to another individual and then completely retract everything when you are put in that same scenario. It’s difficult to believe someone whose actions do not match their words. Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:19:25 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494917 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494917 Earlier Michael expressed that he does not approve of authorized biographies, clearly stating “We don’t believe in authorized biographies.” But now he is committing hypocrisy by refusing to talk to an unauthorized biographer because he wants to remain on a friend’s good side. He will only sit with an authorized biographer, who will only ask questions Barbara approves of. Sat, 12 Mar 2016 07:41:35 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494916 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494916 A biography is a romance, in the sense that the biographer wants to get close to their subject so that they get accepted into their lives. If the subject, or like in a relationship the family, disapproves of the writer/partner then everything starts falling apart. The biographer will have to deal with their subject constantly interfering and disapproving of their work, similar to what the family might do to the lovers. The idea relates to the literary imagination because it uses the issues a couple deals with regarding families as a metaphor for the writer and subject’s relationship. Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:17:07 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494915 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494915 The phrase refers to all the nitty gritty information, that subjects might not want the public to know. It’s necessary because biographies are about representing a person’s life honestly, and by leaving out all the mistakes they’ve made the biographer only captures half of the story. Biographies aren’t supposed to be fairy tales, because evidently life isn’t simply once upon a time…..they lived happily ever after. Sun, 13 Mar 2016 08:26:00 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494914 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46238?scroll_to=494914 Salacious refers to something that is vulgar, dirty and sometimes unnecessarily sexual. A salacious biography is one that contains indecent information, perhaps something extremely inappropriate. Sun, 13 Mar 2016 08:24:56 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494913 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494913 The reporter is not supposed to build relationships with his subjects like he would with colleagues. He is reminded of the line that exists between the journalist and the story. Sun, 15 May 2016 08:23:57 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494912 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494912 I agree with your comment, her love life was no secret to the people around her. Everyone knew she had multiple partners in her life. Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:28:21 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494910 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44058?scroll_to=494910 It’s interesting how the third man said “Do you suppose it’s a fact,” just before the first says “That’s not news.” News are supposed to be based on facts, rather than gossip, but the group here is indeed badmouthing a subject’s love life. Her affairs have spread through the community through hearsay and gossiping, acts which contradict a reporter’s job. Fri, 11 Mar 2016 08:35:02 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486449 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486449 When writing a biography, you want to remain as close to the truth as possible. Gossip often is just a bunch of he said, she said mixed with biased slander. It’s difficult to know which parts are true and which are opinions. A biography is not a gossip column in a magazine; on the contrary it has substance and is based on facts, rather than hearsay. Sat, 21 May 2016 05:48:26 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486448 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486448 I think that friendship can create a lot of passionate feelings which are based simply on the fact that they have more faith in their friend’s word then the journalist’s. They don’t want to believe that their friend, someone they are close to could do something that negative. Friendship automatically creates bias, even more so if you are the journalist. Some may choose to leave things out to protect their friend’s reputation and their friendship. It wouldn’t be a good idea for a journalist to write about someone they are particularly close to. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:38:08 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486445 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46237?scroll_to=486445 Hero worshiping is another form of extreme bias, where the individual sees someone as a role model. When a journalist has such high reverence, it is difficult to write or believe something about their role model that proves otherwise. It wouldn’t be fair to the biography to treat someone differently because of personal opinions. Fri, 20 May 2016 20:00:37 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=482119 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=482119 He is telling the reporter to be ethically correct by remaining unbiased, and refraining from crossing the personal boundaries between subject and friend. There are certain ethical principles he expects the reporter to stay true to, just as a lawyer is expected to do their job of defending his client without personal beliefs getting in the way, as is a journalist. It’s all about getting the story, but still remaining professional. Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:40:43 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=482118 https://nowcomment.com/documents/44057?scroll_to=482118 The reporter should remain unbiased, and deliver a new story based on facts and events that everyone at the airshow witnesses. The editor wants him to deliver a piece written to target the masses, who are all interested in the stunts and unbelievable races rather than the life of Laverene and her children. The editor doesn’t want an account that is too personal; he believes that reporters should maintain a certain distance. Their eyes are like cameras, capturing visuals and then turning them into words, as they actually are and not as the reporters interpret them to be. Mon, 29 Feb 2016 23:46:04 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479880 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479880 An apostate is someone who later on abandons or goes against their own beliefs. In this passage Michael says “All authorized biographies are hereby condemned,” but he will later take back those words and argue over what he wants and doesn’t want the writer to include in the biography. Fri, 26 Feb 2016 00:39:11 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479850 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479850 Authorized biographies are written with the subject’s full consent, and involvement. This gives the subject more leverage in deciding what details are used, and which are purposely left out. The journalist will have a tougher time writing a truthful biography, because of the subject’s own preferences. Sat, 21 May 2016 07:43:03 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479841 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46236?scroll_to=479841 Someone who thinks and acts like a journalist. They are honest, want to acquire as much of the truth as they can and aren’t afraid to investigate. Sat, 27 Feb 2016 14:59:05 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479804 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479804 The editor admires the reporter’s skill set, and his dedication towards bringing some literary element to the dry, almost mechanized form of writing many papers were built around. But even though he has a soft spot for what the reporter is attempting to do, his main priority is pleasing the newspaper owners and keeping his job. No matter the editor’s personal feelings, he knows that getting overly involved is never a good thing especially when he is only in the second tier of the journalistic food chain. Fri, 26 Feb 2016 00:02:07 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479781 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479781 The editors want to trump their competition by providing the biggest and best news stories in the business. In their perspective great reporters are needed to achieve such an effect, not great novelists. They don’t care for any small details that do not directly relate to the news story and won’t interest their readers. Thu, 25 Feb 2016 23:50:47 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479773 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43909?scroll_to=479773 A newspaper is known for being the destination for quick, enticing, and straight to the point, recent news. There is only so much room in the paper to accompany all the news stories that happen every day or every week, so no paper would give a few pages to one writer so they could produce literature. The editor is implying that if people wanted to read literature they would buy a fictional book, not a newspaper. Thu, 25 Feb 2016 23:38:45 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=475126 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=475126 I see him as someone who is starving for his big break. It is evident that this is not his first rodeo, so to speak, and based on the editor’s description of the reporter; he has a unique and necessary skill level, but has yet to see any worthy success. His soul is hungry for change, which is transparent on his corpse like face. Sat, 20 Feb 2016 15:46:40 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=475124 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=475124 The light being “downfunneled” is a metaphor for journalism, in the sense that it shines light on certain topics, but can’t cover everything. Journalism is limited, however it’s better to focus on one particular topic in order to get the full story, rather than everything and overlook vital details. Fri, 20 May 2016 22:57:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46235?scroll_to=474625 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46235?scroll_to=474625 Autobiographers write about themselves, and they believe that there is too much at stake: friends, family, and a reputation. They fall victims to fear’s trap by writing only the details that make them look better to the reader. It is difficult to remain unbiased, when discussing one’s own life. Fri, 19 Feb 2016 10:35:41 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46235?scroll_to=474624 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46235?scroll_to=474624 A biography is meant to center around the life of one specific individual. That individual has to be portrayed truthfully, whether they will come across as being good or bad. But the truth can be jeopardized if other people, Foot’s friends in this situation, do not want certain aspects of his life which also involve them, to fall into the hands of the public. Sat, 21 May 2016 03:15:56 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474623 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474623 Based on adjectives such as “dusty” and “gloomy” it seems like journalism in the 1930’s was dirty, in the sense that reporters went against ethics to get the story. They also suggest that the offices were not well taken care of, similarly to the reporter himself, because the occupation paid very little. Fri, 19 Feb 2016 08:33:14 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474622 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474622 The reporter is a starving artist, someone who is more devoted to their work then to their appearance and their health. It can also imply that he is stressed and possibly past his prime. He is not very successful, and lives on a small salary, hence his messy wardrobe choices. There is a similarity between the journalist, and his subjects. The reporter is writing about a group of people who can be classified as artists themselves;they travel the world competing in races and performing stunts, don’t care about the money, and as the reporter described “ …not even thinking about the hotel bill over in town or where we are going to eat if we don’t win and how we are going to get to the next meet if the engine meltd and runs backward out of the exhaust pipe.” Sat, 20 Feb 2016 15:46:40 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474621 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43908?scroll_to=474621 The “downfunnelled light” is used to help the reader imagine the reporter’s appearance as well as set a certain tone for the next few pages. The light made the reporter look spooky, bigger then he really is, like a zombie or a monster. Fri, 20 May 2016 22:57:19 -0400 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=466626 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=466626 The reporter may be down on his luck, or not doing enough to achieve the story his editor is looking for. He definitely has the right skill set, as illustrated in the passage, but maybe he hasn’t found that one story that gets his heart racing and mind spinning. In a news world plastered with identical information, he has learned to conform rather than stand out. Tue, 09 Feb 2016 08:05:55 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=466613 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=466613 The “living breath of the news” is more than just a list of dull facts, it is a story with life and a personality. It is unique enough to capture one’s attention and get people talking. The editor is expecting the journalist to meet his expectations and deliver a story that is both worthy of the journalist’s skills, and the innovative time period. Tue, 09 Feb 2016 08:01:14 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=465266 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43907?scroll_to=465266 The reporter will do anything to get a story and get it as quickly as possible. He is so ruthless he will use whatever means necessary, even buy the gun himself if he needs to. His tactic is selfish and depicts no care or remorse towards his subjects, but it does highlight his commitment and passion for his own job. Tue, 23 Feb 2016 07:38:41 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=465264 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=465264 Michael Foot expects the biography to be a lighthearted portrayal of his life; basically a book which highlights and reminds the public about all his good efforts and accomplishments. The biographer on the other hand, wants to dig deeper to get the full story, and uncover aspects of Foot’s life that are unknown to the public. The biographer does not want to sugar coat, or spare any details, which will impede Foot’s original perception. Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:14:42 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=465260 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46232?scroll_to=465260 I think “buffering” implies that Michael was trying to shield certain aspects of his life, in hopes they would not be used or asked about for in the biography. He was attempting to display a positive side of his personality and life, so that only his pleasant qualities would be used in the book. Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:13:22 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457284 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457284 The driver is a very vital part to the vehicle, without him the car won’t move. Similarly, the dogwatch might be something important, which like the driver will put the story in motion. The paper is about aviation and features Colonel Feinman, who made the airport which will be a big setting in the story. The driver’s seat might also symbolize control, and power. Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:29:21 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457201 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457201 Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:26:07 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457192 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=457192 Some of the content may be seen as improper by conservative people during the time period. Similarly, to the example you used in class about not being able to use words such as pregnant on television; some of the content may be unappealing to those that want censorship. Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:20:02 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=453132 https://nowcomment.com/documents/43903?scroll_to=453132 A dogwatch seems like a daily rendition of the most exciting and shocking news. Perhaps it contains some gossip and pictures that are considered improper. Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:20:39 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=453131 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=453131 A book about process is not just built around facts but rather stories regarding how the information was originally received. For example, finding old photos in the secret part of an attic. The biographer also wants to let the reader in on his entire journey with Michael Foot. The result will not be a cleaned up version, but a raw telling of both the good and bad aspects throughout the overall journey and process. Many writers might pick only the nice moments by smoothing things over; consequently losing a lot of the truth. Wed, 03 Feb 2016 07:25:00 -0500 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=453125 https://nowcomment.com/documents/46229?scroll_to=453125 Based on the sentence, I would assume that biographers are often told exactly what information they are allowed to make public, and what to keep secret. Some, in order to stay in the safe zone might oblige, but those that don’t are more interested in seeing where the risk will take them. In this case, the author wants to add their own personal taste into the biography, and more importantly deliver Foot’s true character in a way that has not been done before. It’s an interesting way to mesh the subject as well as the biographer within the text. The confrontation is another risk the author is willing to take, one that will lead to an interesting discovery about Foot’s persona. Whatever his response, it will probably be used later in the book. If anything this confrontation is be a big benefit for the biographer. Wed, 03 Feb 2016 07:27:56 -0500