You Lie!

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | September 18, 2009

Posted by Cliff Tuttle (c) 2009

Summary: Rude, insulting publicity hounds deserve to be treated in kind.

Why should anyone be civil in public when the payoff is so great for being a jerk?

Who even heard of Rep. Joe Wilson (outside of South Carolina, of course) before this week? Not me. So, he gets to apologize and receive forgiveness all over the news, is censured by his colleagues, is widely interviewed for several days running — all free publicity. He doesn’t deserve it.

I still don’t know who Conye West is. I don’t care, either. But I know the name. So do millions of others who didn’t care. The tape of his stupid unsolicited comment, destroying someone else’s moment in the sun, gets him wall-to-wall publicity. He gets to go on Leno and compound the offense with off-color jokes. He doesn’t deserve it.

Tennis doesn’t get much press compared to football, baseball and even hockey. But Serena Williams grabbed the sports headlines for several days running for bad behavior. Tennis hasn’t had this much coverage since Bobby Riggs challenged Billy Jean King. Serena doesn’t deserve it either.

So what do you say to a Joe Wilson, a Conye West or a Serena Williams when they wrongfully grab the spotlight and turn it into a personal publicity campaign?

Try this: “You lie!”

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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