Newspaper editor loses job over using Caddyshack quotes in golf story

ESPN/AP ^ | 07/07/03 | AP

[Pikamax]

Monday, July 7

Editor loses job over 'Caddyshack' embellishment

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press

ROSWELL, N.M. -- The sports editor of the Roswell Daily Record has been fired for fabricating part of a news story about a golf tournament in which he quoted a fictional character from the movie "Caddyshack."

Gregory M. Jones was dismissed by the Daily Record on June 17, the day after his article about a Father's Day golf tournament at the Roswell Country Club appeared on the sports page, editor Mike Bush said.

"He got a bunch of scores and wanted to make it more interesting," Bush said Thursday. He said he did not know if Jones attended the tournament.

He said the newspaper insists on accuracy and objectivity and "we don't tolerate anything less than that."

Jones, 24, said he was shocked by his firing and did not intend to deceive his editors or readers.

"It was tongue-in-cheek. It was sports. I was trying to be light and breezy. I was trying to put out a story that people might like to read," he said in a telephone interview.

Jones was hired in July 2002 as a reporter, was promoted to state-business editor in November and became sports editor in April.

Bush said the story contained three fictitious paragraphs referring to a Carl Spangler who claimed to work at the course. In "Caddyshack," Bill Murray played a golf course worker named Carl Spackler.

Jones quoted Spangler as saying he invented a new kind of grass for the tournament. The quotation in Jones' story is taken directly from "Caddyshack."

"'This is a hybrid ... of bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, featherbed bent and northern California sensemilia (sic),' Spangler said. 'The amazing stuff about this, is that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on the stuff."'

Bush said the Daily Record received "a couple of complaints" about the story. The newspaper ran a correction.

[BigMacGOP]

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Oh baby, you musta been something gbefore electric lights.

[Constitution Day]

I have to agree with Blazing Saddles.
It's my all-time favorite movie, much to the chagrin of Mrs. CD.

To that list I would substitute Airplane and Young Frankenstein for Porky's and The Producers, but to each their own!

[RMDupree]

I'd put Airplane somewhere in the Top Ten!

[colorado tanker]

Jack Meoff

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz apple jack 1/2 oz melon liqueur 3 oz ginger ale

Directions: Shake apple jack and melon liqueur gently. Add ginger ale. Serve straight up.

[RMDupree]

GMTA!!

[BJungNan]

Be the ball, Danny, be the ball.

[habs4ever]

Nah, can't include Porky's...It's Canadian.It belongs to US!

[Labyrinthos]

Porky's I and II or just the original? Also, I'm glad that you restricted the list to Amercian classics otherwise we would have to include just about every Monty Python movie.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The list really needs to go out to 20 or so - all those are fine choices.

And yes, I too have an uncut version of Blazing Saddles that pisses off my wife.

[wimpycat]

You forgot Dr. Strangelove.

[ctlpdad]

I would swap Airplane for Porky's, and Top Gun (becuase i can watch it with Mrs. ctlpdad lots of times)for The Producers

[MattinNJ]

I saw the funniest English movie this weekend called "Snatch". Make sure you put on the english subtitles though because the british accents are very thick.

[Constitution Day]

I had an old VHS copy for a while that somehow 'disappeared' (hmmm) so I bought the DVD.
I keep it on my bookshelf and she's never discovered it... heh heh.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Porky's is really made by one scene - the one that always gets me rolling on the floor.

Heres a hint - principal's office, a meeting, "Have you seen this prick...

The Kim Cattrall scene gets me, too.

[finnman69]

"Pool or the pond? Pond is good for you."

[habs4ever]

Chancey, where do you place Meatballs and Stripes in your ouevre? and that neglected classic...Bachelor Party?

[onedoug]

"Varmint Cong."

[FeliciaCat]

You will get nothing and like it!

You must have been something before electricity

Oh you monkey woman, you...


I love Caddyshack!

[Calvin Locke]

Heard Boston Herald columnist and radio talk show host Howie Carr say that some cub reporter, (Jason Blair while at the
Boston Globe?) quoted "long time South End resident Heywood Jablome".