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Arianna Hates Dick
I think Arianna Huffington is the bomb diggity. The girl has it all going on and her accomplishments are endless. For me personally, I worship the Arianna alter at The Huffington Post, a news and blog site she co-founded in 2005 and remains its editor-in-chief. As of 11.25.08, Technorati ranked huffingtonpost.com the #1 blog on the planet. Can a sister get a table dance? Chicka chicka yea!
The amazing thing about Arianna is she brings an edginess to her content by pushing the envelope, but yet she never loses credibility. A great example of this edginess was her decision to title a recent post ”Clint and Cheney: a Tale of Two Dicks.” There are few people on earth who don’t think Dick Cheney is a dick. However, there are even fewer credible journalists/bloggers who would call him one for all the world to hear/read. How does she get away with this edgy approach yet still remain one of the most respected and influential people in media? It’s Arianna’s intelligence and poise that allow her content to always remain rooted in credibility and not fall into the abyss of something that looks or sounds like a rant.
Arianna would have been entitled to lose her cool and take a high dive into the abyss of rant when FOX’s Bill O’Reilly attacked her on his show, but she didn’t. Instead she let him swim solo while she stayed on message allowing her content to be heard. Quite the opposite, O’Reilly’s message was completely overshadowed by his theatrics. While Arianna always delivers her point in a graceful soothing tone, O’Reilly always looks like he is one second away from taking a bowl of porridge from an orphan while kicking a dog.
Now I’m sure many of the peeps reading this post are calling me a bleeding heart liberal and turning this into something political. I accept your label and promise to wear it for a lifetime. However, the point here is that “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” Calling Cheney a dick and then grounding the point in fact-based content right from the dick’s mouth (see paragraph 8) is completely different than calling someone a dick and then attempting to back it up with points driven by emotional opinion not fact.
What are your thoughts on Arianna’s approach?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
You’re oh-so-right about Arianna’s approach, Kel. It’s all about supporting one’s opinions with proof points and doing so while behaving well.
I have the utmost respect for all the scouts on the prairie, the deep sea divers, the spelunkers, and the mountain climbers of knowledge. They go the distance to help inform the rest of us about what’s happening out on the front lines, on high, and hidden down below. They are the ones who call a spade a spade, a dick a dick, and a naked emperor a dangerous fool. And they can back up their claims.
I’m an anti-government, beyond Libertarian, going-off-the grid American woman, so I don’t follow the filth of politics. But I applaud everyone in that game–and in business–who steps up to voice the truth and does it rationally and with poise.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
abbie, i love the passion in your post! i also love the way you describe yourself. honesty goes a long way these days. thanks for taking the time to share your perspective.
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
People like to hear the truth. That’s why the Huffington Post is so effective.
People also like the tabboo of saying, or reading, or referring to Cheney (or anyone on his level) as a “dick” because you’re not supposed to say that, and Huffington gives people permission to, without totally losing credibility.
It’s also a bit satisfing to have someone on the blue team fire away at the red pundits for a while, just to even up the score.
And while we’re at it, let’s throw Rachel Maddow in there as the uber-credible, can think circles around all these guys liberal pundit worth tuning in to. She’s terrific!
December 24th, 2008 at 8:16 am
karen, i agree with your perspective. it’s refreshing to hear the truth and having it wrapped in a fun word like “dick” makes it all the more entertaining. i also think rachel maddow rocks. she has emerged as a credible iconic figure in a world dominated by men. moreover, she is the bomb diggity for putting her sexuality front and center for all the world to see. thanks for taking the time to respond. happy holidays!
December 24th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I’ve been a fan of Maddow’s for a long while–back when she got her start at WRNX in Holyoke, MA and yes, enormous respect for being out from the get-go. The bonus is that she is just *so* smart too–really great to have her out there.
Have a great Holiday!