As anybody who has ever listened to an automotive “journalist” knows, automotive journalists are some of the toughest people in the business. We urinate vinegar and chew nails. When the brakes in our Boss 302 fail at the rip-roaring speed of 70mph, we don’t even bother to use that pansy-ass E-brake before promptly lunching the transmission in an effort to slow down “through the gears”. We’re that tough.
But what happens when the irresistible force meets the immovable object? When Godzilla meets Mecha-Godzilla? When two autojournos meet in mortal press-room combat?
As some of you know, I work with the guys from Left Lane News at the Detroit, Chicago, and New York auto shows to do a few short video segments on the new cars which debut at each event. We have a lot of fun doing the segments, they provide some useful information to people who would rather watch a video than read a story, and it provides an opportunity for balding, parental-basement-dwelling hipsters to bitch about my Kiton coat, curiously regionless accent, and/or luxurious coiffure. Plus it’s a bit of a challenge to say something coherent about a car with no written notes and a single take to get it right before the next video crew gets in front of the car.
My part’s easy; I just stand up, say my lines, and beat the traffic out of town. My video crew, on the other hand, has to spend a few hours in the “media room” putting the footage from two cameras together and syncing the audio. They happened to have their cameras out when two autojournos began fighting over a chair in said media room last week, and they captured the infamous line spoken by one of the contestants…
I’m from the streets. We can go outside and apologize.
.
Nobody know who this fellow is, but if he identifies himself to the world perhaps he and his opponent could have a little charity boxing match next year at one of the after-hours events. If the other guy doesn’t show, I might be willing to step in for three rounds, even though I’m just from the cul-de-sacs. See the video at LLN.
+1 use of an Easy E album cover!
I remember hearing about this and hoping it was a press-room fistfight between Jack Baruth and Ray Wert. I was very disappointed.
They happened to have their cameras out when two autojournos began fighting over a chair in said media room last week, and they captured the infamous line spoken by one of the contestants…
Jack, tell Nick and your cameraman (Chris? I’m terrible at remembering names) that when they post videos on YouTube they should put the LLN logo on the video and LeftLaneNews.com in the video title. That way LLN still gets the plug even if guys like Ray don’t bother giving a credit.
His name is Matt, not Chris.
I have to admit I love being present when crap like that breaks out. Where ever it may be, airport check-ins, rental car counters, bars, all good when up-tight type A’s come unglued.
Female journalist’s expression is priceless.
Then this journo stood up and he started to shout
So I threw a right cross and knocked his old ass out
‘Cuz the boys in the press room are always hard
Come talking that trash and we’ll pull your [press] card
LOL brilliant sir you made my day. Compton is most definitely in ‘da house.
Yes! That has got to be the whitest “When keeping it real goes wrong” moment I have ever seen!
I’m always in the mood for unintentional comedy.
Is LLN in Toronto?
London, Ontario
Ha! I love this! I first saw it on the TTAC FB page over the weekend.
The press room was ridiculously crowded, and the notion of parking your laptop and keeping that spot all day seems a little unfair. The guy with the New York accent who was doing the loud talking was funny, but perhaps my favorite part is the Ray Wert cameo.
Then I loved the other guy asking for the apology. I’ve never, ever in my life asked another man for an apology.
I can’t believe I spent time watching this. I want an apology.
I see the potential for a new late night TV reality series: Street Journalist (insert crazy electric guitar riffs here) smack down!
What if the guy was ‘from the streets’ but was a terrible fighter? And the ‘from the cul de sac’ guy used to go to an MMA gym? Talk about egg on your face!
+1 on the keeping it real moment. Jack you should post a Chappelle Show clip!
Agreed. Mr. Guy from Streets looks like he has about 1.5 minutes of fighting cardio.
Those guys on Spike make something very difficult look way too easy.
Otherwise, this vid was HARD. CORE.
(I was nearly peeing me little self waiting for Ray Wert to get a chair to the noggin, or 4. So disappointed.)
I think this is all a misunderstanding. That guy is a dead ringer for some of the people I’ve seen that live on the streets here in San Diego.
balding, parental-basement-dwelling hipsters to bitch about my Kiton coat, curiously regionless accent, and/or luxurious coiffure.
You have noticed how your cameraman dresses haven’t you? Not that he lives in his folks’ basement but he does look a bit like a hipster.
When I wear my Stetson fedora, because of my beard folks assume it’s Yeshivish, not hipster.
When I wear my Stetson fedora, because of my beard folks assume it’s Yeshivish, not hipster.
You can be both!
I have a limited taste for hip-hop so if I’m going to get into genre blending, I prefer King Django, who does a mash up of klezmer and ska/reggae. The rhythms of Yiddish somehow fit very well with the chunka chunka reggae beat.