Comments on: A stripper’s story — on the front page?

by: Ben Breier

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:25:55 +0000

To set the record straight: the city editor at the Dispatch, last I checked, was a woman. This wasn’t a bunch of males running around, squirting testosterone everywhere, as you claim.

by: Charles

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:24:55 +0000

OK, here’s my rewrite of the intro at least.

Lisa Dunn is a stripper. Lately she’s got involved in politics. While that on its own isn’t unusual - a stripper made mayor in Georgetown, Colorado in 2001 - what is different is that Dunn is getting involved in politics so that politicians will stop interfering with her work. The politicians, she says, want to stop people interfering with her.

Hmm, think I wrote it away to an inside page..

by: Charles

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:09:02 +0000

What I find strange is the remarkably pompous way it’s written, as though the writer had discovered a race of pygmies on a distant island in the British Victorian era and was reporting the news back to the amazed populace at home.

And yes, it is short on those gristy details of how many clubs, how much money. As for “she opened her door - at the Dispatch’s request - ..” WTHI that supposed to convey? Plus, is that her real name? Because for someone who doesn’t want the neighbours to know, she’s sure going to have a lot of identifiable detail out in the public domain now. Including, umm, her photo.

I have to say, as a British journalist, I *really* don’t get American papers.

by: Jaclyn

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:23:34 +0000

Or maybe it did its job. It got people talking about it. People hear about the details, then rush to read all the dirty details. Sounds like something most reporters strive for in their work: sparking discussion and making people seek out their work.

by: maria

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:43:18 +0000

Yikes! One wonders what exactly that detail is supposed to contribute other than (sorry) titillation. It’s funny, I was going to say that this would be a hallmark example of why we need more diversity in the newsroom—but it looks like the reporter is a woman herself, so I’m just scratching my head on this one.

by: Mindy McAdams

Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:58:17 +0000

It would be great to poll the Dispatch newsroom about this — I would bet that all reporters and editors who worked on the story were men. The reason I think so: If I had been the copy editor, I would have stripped out most of those adjectives. They’re not only unnecessary; they are also poor writing. But maybe if you regularly read Hustler magazine, you are just used to that writing style …

by: Lola Sanchez

Sat, 09 Jun 2007 22:49:43 +0000

In a certain city in Texas, the strip clubs are being attacked by the city’s vice, courts,etc. I was a dancer for four years until I decided to hang up my heels. Yes, I agree with you. This article should have been more informative esp. in how it deals with the average citizen. In the newspaper in my city, there is a writeup everyday about the strip clubs and the new restrictions that the business may be slapped with. As a former stripper, I know what disadvantages the restrictions can cause. Maybe the paper ran out of useful ideas.