A reader asks:
“I’ve just read this article by Wayne Barrett (11/14/06) in the Village Voice, and can’t help but notice that its points almost exactly echo those you made (11/10/06), here (11/8/06) and here (in the section on races for the State Senate) (11/6/06).
In addition, I can’t help noticing that both you and Barrett became writers because it was less difficult than giving up masturbation (Barrett is actually on record about this) and both of you have been accused of having difficulty restraining yourself from writing stories favorable to your personal friends.”
Aren't you and Barrett the same person?
Gatemouth responds:
I won’t hold it against you for asking the question because the resemblance between his article and mine is uncanny. One would have thought I’d at least get credit as a research assistant.
But, in my defense, I must point out that I’ve never been forced to write two books tearing down the media’s sycophantic hagiography of Rudy Giuliani as penance for creating the “Rudy bestrides New York like a colossus” image in the first place. Moreover, I think that if I were working for a rag that fired Robert Christgau, I’d walk out, the same way Azi did when the NY de-Press-ed refused to print those Danish (or was it Dutch?) cartoons.
Also my jokes are better, I will never be invited to dinner by any member of the Owens family and I refuse to speak to anyone who owns less than two shirts.