Counterfeit Communiqué

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud-loudly-when I was writing this post sitting in my favorite little java spot. Writing, people watching, drinking cup after cup of coffee, I noticed this little plastic, obviously an ID badge of some sort, hanging off of someone’s purse. I was distracted by this because the plastic coating on the badge was reflecting this God-awful light on my computer screen as it swung around in the café’s light. Craning my neck like a fool trying to read it from my chair as it spun around, the woman in ownership of this purse/badge turned around before I could actually read it. Who cared at that point; I immediately knew who she was and for whom she worked. It was Esme Murphy from WCCO. In my coffee shop? Okay it’s not mine, but the ass print in this chair from numerous sittings certainly is. Regardless…my first “celebrity” sighting?? Ha. Actually before I noticed Esme (we’re now on a first name basis although perhaps she doesn’t know), I saw Pam Borton, the coach for the U of M women’s basketball team, and her significant other. Clearly my local coffee shop is where all the important people hang. Obviously why go..right? No. And yes, Esme does look just as "extreme" in person. Startling actually. No offense Ms. Murphy..I get it..it's a news thing.

Anyhow, back on topic (riiight), I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony at seeing this woman, whose job is to relate the local and worldly news to the rest of us less informed-living under rocks people, while I’m thinking about how I hate the news and news people alike and much prefer “fake” news. I was half tempted to ask her what her thoughts were on news vs. fake news but alas, I didn’t really care enough to hear her p.o.v., and inevitably be force fed the notion that real news is honest and reliable and The Onion is an annihilation of such. Although she probably wouldn’t even go there and merely smile her Ch. 4 smile, being a bit of a nihilist-you could imagine my thoughts on this. I like onions-eating, cooking, newsworthy and the alike. Besides, talking to people before they’ve had their coffee is mean.

Whether or not TDS or TCR are recognized as legitimate..let me ask you…what the hell is legitimate anyhow? Isn’t this a personal preference? People are going to believe what they want to believe whether or not it is “truth.” Truth is subjective; it’s what you believe and after all, poorly lit. At least what someone has deemed as “fake” news offers another perspective. This should be what we’re after anyhow: perspective. The ability to think critically is the ability to take on or at least see another perspective. Are these shows funny? Yes, ridiculously so. Are they informative (as should “normal” news-whatever that is), yes they are. Plenty of people out there don’t watch the other news because it’s terrible and you have to watch what other people deem as newsworthy. It’s like the morning and evening version of daytime television with just as much hairspray, stupid names, makeup and drama- God help us all. However, I believe it’s still important to be informed, so at the very least, the “fake” news is still offering the same kind of news as WCCO but with more of what is missing: humor, wit, honesty, criticism and cynicism. Not to mention that THEY mention all of the things that “normal” news would never. People…read between the lines..read the things that aren’t written…they are left out simply because they are important! Shouldn’t we all be critical of news anyhow?



TDS and TCR aren’t necessarily “reporting” false news, they’re still discussing the same news goings-on, and still providing a medium for which young adults and adults alike can be informed-whether or not it’s “legit.” Imagine if we didn’t have such shows, either we’d have to rely on local news or none at all. Gross. I find it hard to believe that local news is any more informative, nonetheless in the “real” sense. “Fake” news may simply inspire a viewer or listener to further investigate what’s happening. Ta da! Mission accomplished. I have only ever searched for the remote to turn off WCCO (whatever, I prefer Kare 11 anyhow), and have never been inclined to further scrutinize an event.

We’re all news consumers whether or not we recognize or admit it. What’s more important to consider is whether or not the public can adequately make an informed decision. Are we smart enough to decipher what is true, what is false, what is worthwhile and what is bullshit? At least “fake” news offers an alternative to the norm, another platform on which to stand, and actually forces one to think about the previous. How nice. No single source of information should be the only source a person should have to work with. A satirical source of news is simply a subsequent source, and it doesn’t make me yell repugnant comments at the television-weather jokes or not. “Fake” news has the balls to question, analyze, and excoriate. I didn’t even have the balls to question Ms. Esme, even after she had sipped her coffee. What if we all believed what we were told? We'd all have blonde hair and blue eyes, have bangs and be wearing hot pants living underground in Montana still afraid of Y2K, and we'd all think George W. Bush is smart and well spoken. Or we could just watch TCR occasionally. I vote for the latter.