Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Devils' Advocacy in Advance

Before Jeffrey posts one of his semi-annual complaints about Gambit's "stupid yuppie readership" and the results of Gambit's Best of new Orleans poll, I'll point out that Gambit only counts ballots that contain responses in at least half of the categories. With over 200 categories, that's insane. Last year, I tried to follow Jeffrey's advice about voting for Oyster and my own advice about best political lie, but couldn't begin to come up with that many answers at the last minute. It's really tough if you don't drink and can rarely afford to eat out. Of course people are going to write down the first thing that pops into their heads. You can't blame the readers for the yearly stupidity.

That said, make the effort to fill out this year's poll. For best political lie, write in "Nagin brought transparency and accountability to city government." If enough people write in, we could use an utterly frivolous forum to convey a serious message. I'm also writing in Meffertgate for best scandal, even though we all know what will win in that category.

Is Brothers 3 still a dive?

BTW: I got a strange feeling of dejavu when I read this week's Gambit:
State Sen. Cleo Fields knew he had almost no chance of winning when he ran for governor in 1995, but he still made the runoff. Fields' campaign made him the most important black political voice in Louisiana for almost a decade. His star faded when the FBI caught him on video taking $20,000 from Edwin Edwards and stuffing it down his trousers, but even today Fields is a force to be reckoned with
...
It may also involve him filling the huge leadership void that currently exists in black political circles statewide.

Oh yeah,
he could run a losing campaign and still gain in stature by filling a statewide African-American leadership void...
remember what a failed gubernatorial bid did for Cleo Fields. Or would have done, had Fields not been videotaped stuffing his pockets with money that Edwin Edwards handed him.

Maybe Clancy reads Jeffrey, or maybe it's a just an obvious point to consider if you're going to engage in idle speculation. Bloggers often make too much of the fact that the internet's a faster medium than print.

Comments:
"Is Brothers 3 still a dive?"

Yes.
 
When I found out that the Rendezvous no longer qualified in the "best dive" category, I started to wonder how many of the bars that I remembered still did. I don't count the Club, too popular since it merged with Miss Mae's to be considered a real dive and I've heard strange rumors about the RC Bridge Lounge.
 
Yessir, you have definitely been covering the Walking Id and the myriad possibilities in his future more than I have...

Any way we can knock Dubos' byline off this week's Gambit editorial?

As for the Best of New Orleans votes, there were apparently enough votes one year to get the living room of family friends Pam and Jimmy in as a runner-up for best place to dance. There simply needs to be a blitz of votes on things that truly matter in this town from folks who care about this sort of thing...oh, THERE's the problem!
 
Sharon's bar, btw, is either no more or it's undergoing a massive remodel.

Another one bites the dust.
 
I heard something about that. If I were still drinking, I'd have do a post about the gentrification of New Orleans bars.
 
"There simply needs to be a blitz of votes on things that truly matter in this town from folks who care about this sort of thing."

I suggested the political lie category. I think transparency is better than corruption because Gambit has gone back to being a cautious "alternative" weekly.
 
Yeah.. the Rendezvous is now basically an extension of the Bulldog down the street. At least they aren't yet offering gourmet-carved ice cubes for 12 bucks per cocktail.
 
It'll be a depressing day when the 801 Club stops smelling like moth balls.

BTW Jeffrey, I'm sure that Gambit readers would come up with stupid poll results on their own -- I'm sure I remember Vitter showing up as best politician or legislator several times in the past -- so do dig at you was intended. But I meant to take a much stronger swipe at the idiots who expect decent poll results when they ask people to come up with answers in over 100 categories.
 
Oh I agree with the format problem wholeheartedly. Who the hell really has an informed opinion in that many different categories?
 
Rob Couhig
 
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