As seen in Fort Worth-Star Telegram – April 18, 1998 Hero teaches lesson, but not about writing By Dave Lieber, Columnist, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnists across America this weekend are writing about National Columnists Day, a fun quasi holiday in which they honor Ernie Pyle, the great columnist who was killed 53 years ago yesterday…
COLUMNIST ENJOYS A CELESTIAL STOGIE By Mike Argento, NSNC President (This first appeared in the York Daily Record January 22, 2007) Jan 22, 2007 – Art Buchwald appears at the Pearly Gates and is told by St. Peter to take a seat. “Mr. Buchwald, it’s about time you got here.” “Call me Art, please.”…
By Mike Argento, NSNC President I was reading a New York Times story about a $7 million libel verdict in a case filed by a judge and former Chicago Bear kicker against a newspaper columnist in Illinois when I stumbled upon a stunning passage. The story said, “The newspaper’s lawyers said they were handicapped because…
By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist Secretary, National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation The master returned. Jimmy Breslin, who has written two or three newspaper columns this year following his surprise retirement last year, was stirred to pen a brief memoir about the shooting death of Robert F. Kennedy. After he viewed the…
Ethical Conflicts and Credibility By Mike Argento So it’s happened again. News breaks that, once again, journalists are accepting money from the government. One is a nationally syndicated columnist, paid a C-note every time she appeared on a Voice of America radio show. And as I sit here, nobody has offered me cash for anything.…
By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist During the summer, I celebrated an epiphany in regards to my column-writing life. I say celebrated because an epiphany – a sudden insight that changes the way you view the world – is something every columnist needs at least once a decade. If we are the same columnist…
Latest roundup of columnists’ foibles, triumphs, embarrassments and other weirdness By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist Special to www.columnists.com I apologize. When was the last time you started a column with those words? Actually, I’m not apologizing for anything. I just want to get your attention. But the first part of this month’s Really…
By DAVE LIEBER Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist NSNC Education Foundation Secretary Here are the Really Bad Column Rules to be a Great Columnist. If you don’t like any of them, write and tell me why so I can argue with you in the next installment. If I don’t hear back from anyone, I’ll take that…
Who the hell do I think I am? By Mike Argento President, NSNC If you’re anything like me, and God help you if you are, you’re probably wondering, “Who the hell is this guy and how the hell did he get to be president of such an august body as the National Society of Newspaper…
By Suzette Martinez Standring, NSNC Past President Spring Greetings! Later this month, our 2006 Boston conference (June 30-July 2, 2006) will convene in Red Sox Nation, and the response has been record-breaking. Our room block at the Omni Parker House is full. If you have Boston-based friends or family, now’s the time to show up…
By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist Secretary, National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation Talking to Hartford Courant columnist George Gombossy on the phone the other day was really weird. It was like having a conversation with myself. He does what I do. He thinks like I do. Just weird, man. I told…
By Suzette Martinez Standring Renowned columnist Art Buchwald has refused dialysis, and it’s only a matter of time, maybe a short time, before he dies. For a man awaiting The Reaper, he’s in unusually fine fettle. I spent two days by his side to find Buchwald doesn’t see himself as courageous, nor does he feel…
By Suzette Martinez Standring, NSNC Past President “Please come to Boston,” as sung by David Allan Coe has a plaintive tone, but we don’t have to beg. For our 30th anniversary annual meeting, we’ll have it all. Our meeting on June 30-July 2, 2006 will place us in the center of Fourth of July celebrations…
The next plagiarizing columnist who comes along? We’ll take it outside! By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist After hosting the NSNC’s 2005 annual conference, I took a short break. A four-day conference that felt like a month took two months to get over. Then it was back to school – literally. After 10 years…
