Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Worst Lede Ever? "Everything Is New In New York Save For That Which Is Old..."

"Everything is new in New York save for that which is old, and when something goes from one to the other, the transition can be sudden and surprising: a wet foal that’s suddenly distinguished and large, a horse that rides with the weight of history on its back."

--from "A Steakhouse Mellowed By Age," by Sam Sifton, page D8, March 10, 2010

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you're going to be the next Exec Editor, the copy desk leaves you all alone. What a stinker.

Anonymous said...

He's been a so-so food critic so far, why expect anything better.

Anonymous said...

There's a lot of competition over there nowadays.

Anonymous said...

So, he's trying to say this steakhouse serves horse meat?

Anonymous said...

Might be snubbing the new rich who shun aged steak.

Anonymous said...

Lede is making a suggestion on how to order steak if expecting to recook bagged leftovers.

Christopher Gray said...

From January 4th: "I've always taught my children that ganging up on people is despicable - especially when the gang is anonymous. If bloggers had written the Declaration of Independence, there would have been enough room at the bottom for the Treaty of Paris."

Christopher Gray

Anonymous said...

Sifton's writing veers wildly between poetry and bullshit. He's trying way too hard.

Anonymous said...

It's okay with me.

Alex said...

How many times are people going to bother commenting on this blog purely to whine about the fact that the authors are anonymous?

Guess what guys: it's a anonymous blog. If that concept really bothers you so profoundly and really seems like something "despicable" and unheard of, stop reading the blog and go take a xanax.

The interwebz are not going to hurt you. Everything will be okay.

Anonymous said...

I think Sifton is an excellent writer. I admire his goal to experiment with a new style of writing in the food columns. Kudos to him.

Christopher Gray said...

"Alex" says ... "How many times are people going to bother commenting on this blog purely to whine about the fact that the authors are anonymous? ...if that concept really bothers you so profoundly and really seems like something 'despicable' and unheard of, stop reading the blog and go take a xanax."

Well, Alex, now that I think of it, if all the signers of the Declaration of Independence had put down "anonymous" there wouldn't have been a Treaty of Paris at all!

If posters here are going to smear someone's professional reputation, stand up and do it without hiding. That's for people who are getting shot at.

The editors of this blog have some faint claim on the privilege of anonymity, although it's fair to say their level of courage would make you think they are risking their lives covering Mexican drug lords. But, "Alex," as for electronic lynch mobbers who get their snarky, destructive kicks by trying to destroy someone's reputation and livelihood - they sound like the whiners to me. If the fearful anonymous find it painful when someone points that out, it is they who should indeed try to "get used to it" and, maybe, stock up on some Xanax.

Christopher Gray

Sarah said...

Egads that's a terrible lede. I agree with the "veering between poetry and bullshit" analogy with one modification: It is both at once. 'Tis shitty poetry!