Imagine for a moment that a Fox News reporter was arrested in Central Park early in the morning with a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals. Do you think this little nuance would be included in press coverage of this bizarre event?
Probably in the headline and the opening paragraph, right?
Well, for some reason, though news outlets did report the odd happenings in NYC Friday morning when CNN's Richard Quest was officially arrested for loitering and drug possession, from what I can tell, only the New York Post included the "kinky" elements in its article Saturday (emphasis added, h/t NBer Gat New York, picture courtesy CNN):
CNN personality Richard Quest was busted in Central Park early yesterday with some drugs in his pocket, a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot, law-enforcement sources said. [...]
Quest was initially busted for loitering, the source said. Aside from the oddly configured rope, the search also turned up a sex toy inside of his boot, and a small bag of methamphetamine in his left jacket pocket. [...]
He was charged with loitering and criminal possession of a controlled substance. His unusual get-up didn't lead to a lewdness charge because he wasn't exposing himself, the police source said.
Yikes!
Now, take a look at reports by the New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, the New York Daily News, and the Seattle Times. See if you can find any reference to the rope or the sex toy.
None there, correct?
And this despite the following claims by CNN in his official bio:
Richard Quest is one of the most instantly recognizable members of the CNN team; covering an extensive range of breaking news and business stories, as well as feature programming, he has become one of the network’s highest profile presenters.
In fact, this month CNN is featuring Quest traveling the globe to meet some of the world's most honored women:
Join CNN's Richard Quest this month as he meets the most famous dames of them all in his "Quest for an Honour."
Let's hope he leaves the rope home.
That said, why did news agencies other than the Post boycott the rope and the sex toy? And, will this be covered by television news agencies in the coming days?
Stay tuned.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Imagine for a moment that
April 19, 2008 - 13:30 ET by Jack BauerGosh -- do I have to?
Though I wouldn't put it past Geraldo. He looks like a creepy perv. I think it's the Village People moustache.
No news here
April 19, 2008 - 13:32 ET by RESTLESS 1Don't all liberals walk around like that?
restless1
April 19, 2008 - 14:53 ET by shawn228I actually prefer a silk tie, the rope makes me chaffe
Shawn
April 19, 2008 - 19:03 ET by RESTLESS 1I knew you were the sesitive type. :)
Wow. Now THAT's weird!
April 19, 2008 - 13:35 ET by sarcasmoI saw a TV blurb on this, that had mentioned him telling an officer that he had illegal drugs in his pocket, which had sounded kinda odd, but in this context, maybe not...Wow.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
Richard Quest....A.K.A.....
April 19, 2008 - 13:48 ET by Ted Clarke...."Dick" Quest. A name that doubles as a mission statement!
lol. hysterical, never
April 19, 2008 - 16:08 ET by mjglol. hysterical, never thought of it that way. Great play on words..
Well, during economic
April 19, 2008 - 13:49 ET by SMGalbraithWell, during economic difficulties some people cling to traditions and cultural ways.
Although, to be honest, I'm not really sure what tradition practiced some of this...
Maybe, but...
April 19, 2008 - 13:55 ET by Matthew VadumYou may be right, but this seems more like a case of professional courtesy, a closing of ranks. Has a high-profile journalist on the right be found in a compromising situation lately? Would we really want to know all the lurid details? I have a feeling the media would go into attack mode if the journalist were close to things that really mattered to them (e.g. Bob Novak in the Valerie Plame/White House saga, which was used to try to bring down the Bush administration) but would it go after a journalist just because he worked for Fox or the Washington Times? I sure hope we haven't gotten to the point where DailyKos people and Media Matters types have taken over the ranks of the media.
—Matthew Vadum is Editor of Organization Trends and Foundation Watch, two monthly newsletters published by Capital Research Center.
Matt
April 19, 2008 - 14:10 ET by Noel SheppardMatt,
Do you think reporters at FNC would be accorded such professional courtesy? I don't. ns
I agree with you Noel
April 19, 2008 - 15:01 ET by shawn228Although lots of times I do not agree it is as bad as you say, the more time I spend on NB, I do notice that people do not emphasize the R as much as the D.
shawn “i am the
April 19, 2008 - 15:34 ET by botgshawn
“i am the quixotic botg and i approved this message”
calls for speculation, your honor
April 19, 2008 - 19:16 ET by mom_roxTo answer Noel's question, "no", but I can't see a liberal bias in this story.
Since the police source reported that Mr. Quest did not expose himself, the details of his, ahem, "wardrobe accessories" are not relevant to the drug and loitering charges, per se. Of course, if those details tie into why he was loitering in the park, or if a drug transaction was part of some type of trade, then it would be relevant.
But hey, did he really think that these details would not be leaked and reported? Especially in the internet age, you bet they would. Very careless on Mr. Quest's part.
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
- George Bernard Shaw, 1944
Hey, Noel
April 20, 2008 - 20:58 ET by Matthew VadumHey, Noel.
I wrote you may be right, and you may. It's just that I can't think of another time when a journalist was exposed (bad pun) as such a perv, so I have nothing to compare this coverage to. Alas, maybe I am not thinking clearly and am still in shock after reading the report detailing the unfortunate condition the police found this chap in.
—Matthew Vadum is Editor of Organization Trends and Foundation Watch, two monthly newsletters published by Capital Research Center
Quest's quest
April 19, 2008 - 14:58 ET by nkviking75Join CNN's Richard Quest this month as he meets the most famous dames of them all in his "Quest for an Honour."
Sounds like Richard should start a quest for his own honour.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Oh goodie, another leftist
April 19, 2008 - 15:20 ET by bigtimerOh goodie, another leftist Culture of Corruption example silenced.....
I'm still laughing about all of this, if anybody followed Quest just accidentally over the years, it wouldn't be surprising at all.
As for the hypocrisy...of course, if this was Sheppard Smith say, it would be all over the msm because it is Fox ...the so-called right wing vital enemy of the left...and it would be out there in all the details down to a tee.
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
I can’t quite see anybody
April 19, 2008 - 15:40 ET by JustaPatriotI can’t quite see anybody dressed as the New York Post has described walking around anywhere in public, but I don’t live in New York. What is surprising is according to Noel Sheppards report only one out of five news sources had the sex stuff in it. Is the New York Post the only one that got it right? The truth will eventually come out…
Those who fail to learn from History, are destined to repeat it.......
Man, if only this had been
April 19, 2008 - 15:54 ET by SMGalbraithMan, if only this had been Olbermann.
Sigh.
SMG... ROFLMAO! If only
April 19, 2008 - 16:02 ET by bigtimerSMG...
ROFLMAO!
If only we could get that lucky, probably who he was meeting in the park too.....
Shhh...rival networks and all....
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
SMG
April 19, 2008 - 16:08 ET by Noel SheppardSMG,
If this had been Olbermann, we wouldn't have heard about it. The event would have been completely hushed by the NYPD. ns
Is this that creepy English
April 19, 2008 - 16:10 ET by fitzfongIs this that creepy English guy who shows up at rainy candlelight vigils to interview mourners every time some Royal kicks? He reminds me of Matthew Lesko, the weird dude with the question marks all over his suit. His state of disrepair upon arrest...totally unsurprising.
"[W]hy did news agencies
April 19, 2008 - 16:29 ET by TE"[W]hy did news agencies other than the Post boycott the rope and the sex toy?"
Easy answer: This would have revealed for all to see that this kook is a homosexual. Big Leftist Media will do anything to avoid identifying an exposed criminal/freak as a homosexual in the same way that Big Leftist Media avoids identifying members of the Democrat party as Democrats when they are convicted or accused of crimes.
I hate to say it but
April 19, 2008 - 16:36 ET by DelsaI took one look at this guy and new there was a sex angle to the story.
But why should they report it? He wasn't tapping his foot under the bathroom stall or anything.
just sayin
Looking
April 19, 2008 - 17:35 ET by JoelCTLet's see, If I lived in New York, would I wander Central Park at 3:40 AM? No I wouldn't, and neither would about 99.9% of the world.
Hmmm... Sex toy, sex ropes, very hard drugs, 3:40 AM in Central Park. People this man wasn't looking for a good time, he was looking for Mr. Goodbar!
He is obviously very sick. I hope his counseling works for him.
As far as the rope getting reported? No way. Maybe if it was Shepard Smith, as someone noted, but otherwise, no way. The MSM only report sick, twisted behaviour if it is a Conservative, a cop, a soldier, or a religious person.
Prerequisite for CNN employment
April 19, 2008 - 22:15 ET by jefflebowskiHe probably thought this would be a resume builder in moving up the CNN ladder.
Has anyone been able to find
April 19, 2008 - 23:35 ET by JustaPatriotHas anyone been able to find any other report about the rope around his genitals and neck part of this story other than sourced to the New York Post? I can’t seem to find a one, not even Fox News is telling it like the Post.
Those who fail to learn from History, are destined to repeat it.......
To quote an often heard
April 20, 2008 - 06:54 ET by old crophase at another of my favorite sites, V the K's, Caption This http://kurlander.blo... ,
I have that outfit!
You Left out The Best Line In The Story
April 20, 2008 - 11:57 ET by Rhymes With RightYeah, I know it is background information, but it still strikes me as among the funniest bits in the whole article.
He was reportedly once offered a position for the English-language
version of the controversial Al Jazeera network, but said he turned it
down because being gay and Jewish, he didn't think it would be a good
fit.
Blogging at rhymeswithright.mu.nu