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Sportscaster Jim Rome faced a firestorm on social media and media in general when he did a tweet calling marching band musicians “dorks.” And — yes, you guessed it — he later apologized.
On my Facebook page, I didn’t mince words — and I’m offering it here:
May I be VERY BLUNT? What an absolute JERK.
Jim Rome calls young people who play in marching bands “dorks.” And, naturally, he takes back the tweet that said what he feels and to some all is well.
Well, Mr. Rome: a)I am a proud dork having played in marching bands at Amity High School in Woodbridge, CT and at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. b)most teams, staff and audiences like the marching bands because it’s part of the atmosphere c)marching bands give young people who want to study music and help perpetuate the musical arts a venue where they can play before a live audience.
What an utter cretin. I’m sure the initial Tweet reflected his thoughts and the apology was most likely for business purposes.
What a disservice to all the young people who show such support for their teams and what an insult to the older adults who spend so many hours teaching and rehearsing them.
But, actually, in 21st century America it doesn’t matter if you’re an idiot: if you say something that gets you noticed you make money by increasing readership or audience share.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.