A note to my friends in public relations: From time to time you e-mail me with pitches, wild pitches. But I try to read them all before I spike them, especially those that begin with a personal greeting and seem to have been written with me in mind. If they do begin with a 'Dear Daniel' or, even better, a 'Dear Dan,' since only my cousin Bobby called me Daniel and he passed this spring, I give them a shot, because I am kind-hearted, and because twice a week I go into a cold sweat in which I squint to imagine an empty newspaper column, headlined with the words: Rubin failed to come up with anything for today.
I should have known something was up when I responded to a pitch to interview the head of a local lunchmeat operation on the occasion of his family business's 70th birthday. I mentioned that I look for a certain sense of character and place when I fill my bi-weekly space, and that pitches like this only work when the subject or has done something extrordinary or speaks extrordinarily about ordinary things. Or when I'm totally out of fresh ideas. Like that day, for instance.
For 24 hours I heard nothing back.
Even though I mentioned my specifications and my deadline and my interest in further exploring a sit-down with his cold-cut man.
Meanwhile, mortadella slices danced in my head as I imagined what I'd be working on for my Monday column.
Then I got a note back. Seems the pr chap had blind-copied another reporter - pitching two balls at once - and had decided the other was a better placement for his interview. But I was welcome to come on out and tour the plant.
Here the kindly advice part: Do not do this, folks. I don't do it to you. It isn't right. Do it again, and I will be strike down upon thee with great vengeance.
Best,
Daniel
For Immediate Release: http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2009/08/31/090831sh_shouts_simms— hgoldman77- I am the guilty party and I should be flogged. I love the Inquirer and Mr. Rubin is one of the people that makes it great. I started promoting an event that is right around the corner and pitched Mr. Rubin along with a couple others at the Inquirer. Reporters and columnists, especially at big papers like the Inquirer, work hard and receive TONS of pitches - most of them really bad as Mr. Rubin mentioned. The CEO of the company I am promoting is an unbelievable human being and great friend to Philly, so I really want to do a great job. It is hard to get an Inquirer reporter interested in pursuing a story period. There's a lot going on all the time in Philly, so to have two reporters interested in my story is unusual. It was my bad also for not getting back to Mr. Rubin right away. I have an excuse, but I won't even bother giving it. I just want to say sorry Mr. Rubin.— Steve R
- Ok, now I feel bad. Call it a mulligan, Steveo— Blinq
- Who cares, I mean really...Who cares, no wonder the papers are bankrupt! Try writing something interesting or meaningful rather than posting this drivel because you haven't filled your daily entry quota. Its this type of self important egalitarian uselessness that drives content seeking readers away. You are smarter than this, aren't you?— mediatedviscera
- 'self-important egalitarian' - did you just hit 'shuffle?'— Blinq
- First, I hate the phrase "my bad." Stricken from the record. Second, it looked like Steve R's response went to someone else as well, since he referred to you as "Mr. Ruben" instead of "you." That is a tasty burger! Mind if I have some of your milk shake to wash it down?— apreziosi
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