• May 26, 2012
ETHICS OF CONVENIENCE

November 23, 2009

Fox News Bosses Suddenly Want To Fire Everyone For Constant Idiot Errors & Lies

by Ken Layne  

librulzHow does Fox News trim the work force during a terrible recession without mentioning layoffs at all? Just put out an “internal memo” announcing a sudden & comical “zero tolerance” for the constant fuckups and intentional lies that make Fox News so funny. (The memo went out Friday, so it didn’t mention today’s hilarious idiocy.) Expect about 45% of the Fox News staff to be jobless by New Year’s. [TPM]

{ 91 comments }

AnnieGetYourFun November 23, 2009 at 4:29 pm

Well, shit. I was kind of hoping I could get a job with Fox, so that my lack of attention to detail and piddling “facts” wouldn’t be considered a drawback.

ManchuCandidate November 23, 2009 at 4:29 pm

I’m guessing this applies to the support staff and not the on air talent otherwise Faux Newz will have no more employees ever.

Come here a minute November 23, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Two hundred seventy-six percent of FOX viewers approve of keeping incompetent and/or malicious perpetrators of FOX fuckups employed at FOX.

AJW November 23, 2009 at 4:31 pm

This email is only because Palinites got mad that they used the wrong book cover. Not the other stuff.
If they stop using the (D) to describe scandal-ridden Republicans, I will be very disappointed. I so look forward to it.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 4:32 pm

SERIOUS QUESTION YOU GUYS: Has anyone heard from Jim lately?

Come here a minute November 23, 2009 at 4:37 pm

[re=465183]Extemporanus[/re]: Since when is one NOT expected to kick gingers?

bureaucrap November 23, 2009 at 4:38 pm

So let me get this straight — If Rupert calls up the editorial desk on the phone from Sydney, or Capri, or wherever he’s hiding these days, and says, “I want you to announce that Sarah Palin is already president and that the troops are marching on the white house to drive out the “interloper”", Does the fox news desk fire Rupert Murdoch?

SayItWithWookies November 23, 2009 at 4:38 pm

Someone at FOX crunched the numbers and realized that if they have to post retractions and corrections, they wouldn’t have any time for actual programming.

Terry November 23, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Well, in their defense, it’s easy to mistake Sanford for a Democrat. His secret affair was with a full grown woman.

danceswithcougars November 23, 2009 at 4:40 pm

From Fox “News” Management: As of today all fabricated stories that do not begin with “Some say…” or end with “?” (e.g Mark Foley (Democrat?)) will constitute grounds for immediate dismissal. Stay fair and balanced. Love ya, Rupert.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 4:40 pm

[re=465178]AJW[/re]: This email is only because Palinites got mad that they used the wrong book cover.

Actual and factual.

The use of the wrong title and description in a FOX.com article about the book probably didn’t help, either.

satan November 23, 2009 at 4:41 pm

“We may then build up again slowly as deadlines and workloads allow so that we can be sure we can quality check everything before it makes air, and we never having to explain, retract, qualify or apologize again.”

off to a good start, already.

TGY November 23, 2009 at 4:44 pm

This Practice Must Cease Forthwith!

el donaldo November 23, 2009 at 4:44 pm

60% of the problem is the constant fuckups, 73% is the intentional lies, and 63% of the problem is just the general climate of dumb.

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Kwality, FNC’s middle name.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 4:49 pm

[re=465188]Come here a minute[/re]: February is “Don’t Kick a Ginger OR Be a Racist Month”.

[re=465196]Extemporanus[/re]: Sorry for being so slant-eyed. I blame the tucking fags.

[re=465204]S.Luggo[/re]: Ironically, it’s former NAACP chairman Kweisi Mfume’s middle name as well.

magic titty November 23, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Those weren’t fuckups, that was fan fiction.

madtowngooner November 23, 2009 at 4:54 pm

It is more important to get it right, than it is to get it on. From Marvin Gaye’s lips to G-d’s ear. Also, “given the large amount of elements and editorial we run through our broadcasts” That silly subject-verb agreement thing keeps tripping them up, also. Ultra maroons.

sati demise November 23, 2009 at 4:56 pm

Its a feature, not a bug, damnit!

progressiveinga November 23, 2009 at 4:57 pm

From the memo “It is more important to get it right, than it is to get it on.”
There’s the problem right there! Nothing is more important than getting it on. Nothing.

shortsshortsshorts November 23, 2009 at 4:57 pm

[re=465206]Extemporanus[/re]: THAT’S NOT RACIAL TRANSCENDENCE!!!!

WadISay November 23, 2009 at 4:58 pm

O/T, but as a gesture of respect to, and support for, Wonkette’s advertisers, I would totally do Nessa Feddis, hard.

Darkness November 23, 2009 at 4:58 pm

Wait, with rules like this, what is Fox going to do for the news? It is going to be test screens 4/5 of the day from now on?

slappypaddy November 23, 2009 at 4:59 pm

if it’s zero tolerance for constant fuckups and intentional lies, then it’s time to shut down because there’s nothing else left.

Joshua Norton November 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm

Does that count for things like using film clips from the Million Man March to depict a teabagger bash in downtown Cupcake Falls?

Darkness November 23, 2009 at 5:03 pm

[re=465196]Extemporanus[/re]: I missed that. I’m sure for them it’s as bad as insulting the Bible.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 5:08 pm

[re=465222]shortsshortsshorts[/re]: Shit! Is it February already?

Obama’s “War on Christmas” was apparently waged under a scorched month policy.

trondant November 23, 2009 at 5:08 pm

[re=465177]Come here a minute[/re]: [re=465203]el donaldo[/re]: From the memo: I encourage everyone to invest themselves one hundred and ten percent in this effort.

They really, really do have serious math issues, don’t they?

chauncey November 23, 2009 at 5:10 pm

This one’s still my favorite all time Fox fuckup. The dude is making fun of himself for asking an intern to bring him video of the Lincoln Douglas debate. To help explain to slow viewers why there’s no video, we’re helpfully offered Old-Timey Pichures of Lincoln and FREDRICK FUCKING DOUGLAS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjw2Qccc1hE

Humpback November 23, 2009 at 5:13 pm

[re=465223]WadISay[/re]: That’s not the Hayden-Harnett model is it? Because I am getting rather alarmed at her skin-covered skeleton.

bitchincamaro November 23, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Zero tolerance=Don’t get caught.

[re=465183]Extemporanus[/re]: If you’re a brunette and you’re named Aaron Mischkin, you should expect to be kicked.

Aflac Shrugged November 23, 2009 at 5:16 pm

This sounds like hard work.

Why not just have the news staff present each piece as a hypothetical with a preceding statement like, “I weep for this country, if this turns out to be true,” or “Would it scare you to death *if*,” or “The Framers would never have believed that this could happen in *their* America”?

It seems to do a good enough job of whitewashing arrant bullshit on the “opinion” side of the house, anyway.

mumblyjoe November 23, 2009 at 5:20 pm

I’m confused. If 45% of the staff is fired by New Years, then how will Fox News get along with only 145% of their staff left?

Flanders November 23, 2009 at 5:25 pm

[re=465238]Humpback[/re]: Ken, would you please feed that poor girl! She is thinner by the day!

comicbookguy November 23, 2009 at 5:29 pm

That’s what happens when you hire Fox News viewers to do your fact-checking.

WadISay November 23, 2009 at 5:31 pm

[re=465177]Come here a minute[/re]: [re=465203]el donaldo[/re]: [re=465246]mumblyjoe[/re]: Here, for your mean amusement, but for realz, is the last sentence of the “no more mistakes” memo:

This experience should make us stronger editorially, and I encourage everyone to invest themselves one hundred and ten percent in this effort.

You can’t make this stuff up.

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 5:32 pm
One Yield Regular November 23, 2009 at 5:36 pm

[re=465198]satan[/re]: If I were a smart member of the FOX Newsroom show team [sic], I’d find a way to get that entire memorandum “on air.” This would, of course – according to the memorandum itself – result in immediate disciplinary action against its own author. Afterwards, I could continue making careless and intentional mistakes like before without further fear of being interrupted.

Rotundo November 23, 2009 at 5:37 pm

[re=465209]magic titty[/re]: For The Win!1!1!!11!

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 5:40 pm

At FNC, mistakes continue to have a habit of being made.
http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/images/item/beltwayboys-chafee-d-1.jpg

And damn those mistakes for screwing up FNC’s production people:
http://lindseymastis.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/FoxNewsPostAd-800.jpg
(Makes the Nuremberg Rallies look like a church bake sale)

Tundra Grifter November 23, 2009 at 5:43 pm

[re=465238]Humpback[/re]: This morning she had her head down and turned, apparently wondering why her right breast had vanished.

Tundra Grifter November 23, 2009 at 5:44 pm

That memo is serious as a substitute teacher. “I mean it! This time, I really mean it! Really!”

trondant November 23, 2009 at 5:47 pm

[re=465254]WadISay[/re]: You owe me a Coke.

Boojum November 23, 2009 at 5:53 pm

[re=465198]satan[/re]: Is that not classic? “and we never having to…”

I think Fox has been taken over by the Chinese government, which from now on will translate all news from Mandarin to English using most hopeful and best word changer people who having to be working long time just like on firecracker label paper cover outside.

Cheney Guevara November 23, 2009 at 6:12 pm

[re=465278]Boojum[/re]:

“I think Fox has been taken over by the Chinese government…”

Maybe cause of Wendi? Sorry; racist.

El Pinche November 23, 2009 at 6:17 pm

Does that mean TPM and mediamatters can officially be FNC’s quality assurance team? They have years of test data.

JoeMac November 23, 2009 at 6:36 pm

And silly me thought Fox wanted to continue on their path of being the Herman Goring Information source for America. It would be good if the all the Fox on air “talent” would don a uniform ala Glenn Beck on the cover his “book” Maybe the off air producers, directors and interns could get nice matching brown shirts.

SayItWithWookies November 23, 2009 at 6:43 pm

[re=465299]JoeMac[/re]: Or gray pajamas, since Beck said yesterday that we should be “like the Chinese.” Of course, he was criticizing someone in the Obama administration for jokingly quoting Mao earlier. But now Glenn suddenly wants to murder 35 million of his own people and have a cultural revolution? He’s certainly come a long way since raping and murdering a young girl in 1990.

x111e7thst November 23, 2009 at 6:46 pm

So if they work for /worked for FOX is it ok to kick them even if they are not ginger?

memzilla November 23, 2009 at 7:05 pm

Despite the memo, I believe that Faux News will still keep using the same amount of fact bleach, if not more.

DickRod November 23, 2009 at 7:10 pm

[re=465264]Tundra Grifter[/re]: Had a sub in high school who was plagued with a lisp. When we were bad, she would yell, “You have wost yow pwivwiges!” Have FOX propogandists wost their pwivwiges?

Jim89048 November 23, 2009 at 7:23 pm

WTF is with SC’s flag, anyway? Palm tree and a crescent moon? Looks kinda Muslin-y to me.

rocktonsammy November 23, 2009 at 7:26 pm

Did they fire the Fox Pie Graph Department too?

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 7:35 pm

[re=465304]x111e7thst[/re]: Only if one does so gingerly.

When it comes to crotch punching, however, all gloves are off. (Except those recommended by Planned Parenthood and the CDC, that is.)

AnnieGetYourFun November 23, 2009 at 7:37 pm

[re=465302]SayItWithWookies[/re]: Why hasn’t he denied that? I’d deny it, if it were me.

Oldskool November 23, 2009 at 8:15 pm

What are the odds the memo is more manufactured outrage. There probably was no meeting. No doubt next week they’ll have the usual suspects on the air gushing over how accurate they’ve become.

Buttery1000 November 23, 2009 at 8:20 pm

45 percent is not a conservative estimate.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 8:23 pm

[re=465321]Jim89048[/re]: Sorry, I had no idea when I linked to [re=465183]this[/re] two year-old story earlier this thread, that you had done the same thing earlier this morning, and what’s more, your story was current.(?!)

Feel free to gingerly kick me at your leisure. You too, Riley.

(In my defense, the story to which I linked did feature a photo of an injured, downcast, basketball headed, Jim.)

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 8:37 pm

[re=465241]Aflac Shrugged[/re]:
As a CYA move, every Fox News story should incorporate the word hypothetically or hypothetical in multiplicity.
Because zero percent of Fox’s viewers would know what either word means, no harm, no foul. E.g.,

“Hypothetical author of Going Rogue, Sarah Palin, noted the hypothetical attempt by the Fort Hood hypothetical Arab jihadi terrorist, hypothetically Nancy Pelosi, to create an STD outbreak among the citizens of Wasilla. Fox News hypothetical political analyst Michele Bachmann hypothetically commented, “Hypothetically, this terrible contagion of hypothetically locked loins could come about only with the hypothetically socialist Public Option as promoted by Barrack Obama, who was hypothetically born in Islamo East Africastan, or that Asian place, Hawaii.”

“Palin later added, ’Dang. STD already donst spread in Wasilla. It’s all them hippie free-love, EPA-protected forest lynx and our poor men folks tempted in the cold winters and lonely nights. ‘Ceptin my manly, cut-away chaps wearin’ Todd, o‘course.’ [Co-written with Lynn Stewart]“

Jim89048 November 23, 2009 at 8:39 pm

[re=465343]Extemporanus[/re]: Yeah, well I suck too. When I see a book with tits on the cover, I expect it to be about Meg. when I see Mark Sanford at the top of a blog post, I expect it to be about Argentina, or maybe South Carolina. It’s Monday, not that that matters to an unemployed bum such as myself.

Bearbloke November 23, 2009 at 8:59 pm

[re=465188]Come here a minute[/re]: Good Morning Wonketteers! I’m glad to see that the Yanks amongst you have abandoned your delusional, inconsequential ‘Thanksgiving Day’ tawdriness of gluttony and turkey-worship, to join the civilised world in a hearty and fulfilling embrace of Kick A Ginger Day! Down here at the arse-end of the world, we also received the Revelation just about one year ago, but we initially participated only with Canadian immigrants, as we were informed that the Holiday is a cherished part of their cultural heritage…

Bearbloke November 23, 2009 at 8:59 pm

[re=465350]Jim89048[/re]: You suck.

Servo November 23, 2009 at 9:01 pm

…and we never having to explain, retract, qualify or apologize again.
Wanna bet?
So, with a zero tolerance on bullshit, will Faux viewers have nothing but Shepard staring back at them all day?

Scandalabra November 23, 2009 at 9:02 pm

Off topic, but I was really disappointed in Levi Johnston’s booty. Just sayin’.

Bearbloke November 23, 2009 at 9:04 pm

[re=465357]Bearbloke[/re]: Your HTML sucks, too, Also.

Bearbloke November 23, 2009 at 9:06 pm

[re=465359]Scandalabra[/re]: But he still gives good head, right?

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 9:08 pm

[re=465343]Extemporanus[/re]: [re=465350]Jim89048[/re]:
Expressions of guilt on Wonkette? You both sound like Irish Catholics. If so, ten Our Fathers and root for the Saints next week.

In nomani patrus, i filia, i spiritus sancti, amen.

the problem child November 23, 2009 at 9:13 pm

[re=465364]S.Luggo[/re]: They just don’t want to get banned for ginger bashing out of context.

Aquannissiwamissoo November 23, 2009 at 9:20 pm

If this were truly a post-racial world, I could say darkie.

[haz a sad]

Can O Whoopass November 23, 2009 at 9:22 pm

I found the ‘D’ on my typewriter, then got my mullet trimmed but the Fox guy turned me down for reporter because I had a Michael Jackson glove and a Mark Foley with an ‘R’ t-shirt on.

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 9:23 pm

[re=465366]the problem child[/re]: There’s a context?

Jim89048 November 23, 2009 at 9:24 pm

[re=465366]the problem child[/re]: Off-topic maybe, but still in season!

Aquannissiwamissoo November 23, 2009 at 9:27 pm

So now do they have to spell Steve Doocy’s name correctly?

WadISay November 23, 2009 at 9:32 pm

[re=465270]trondant[/re]: Do I ever [commits sepuku].

Aquannissiwamissoo November 23, 2009 at 9:35 pm

There’s a 193 percent chance this stern and vituperative edict will FAIL several hours ago.

S.Luggo November 23, 2009 at 9:50 pm

[re=465373]Jim89048[/re]:
Back on topic: The FNC memo should have started with a mandatory change of “Fair and Balanced” to “Murdoch’s Apparatchik” or “We Warp, You Stupid Dickwad Pawns. You Read, You Vote Against Your Owns Interests. You Make Rupert Smile.” A bit longish, but still could work.

Lionel Hutz Esq. November 23, 2009 at 10:30 pm

They are going to fire Sean Hannity?

RobPetrified November 23, 2009 at 10:41 pm

Good news: the War on Brains is nearly over.
Bad news: The idiots are winning.
And there is nothing that we can do.

Larry McAwful November 23, 2009 at 10:52 pm

Hey, it’s okay if you watch FoxNews, just to keep an eye on the fuckers. But listen—and I mean this seriously—if anyone out there is part of a Nielsen family, you have a moral obligation to not watch FoxNews ever. If you do, their recording equipment has no way to detect if you’re watching ironically, which means that all the product boycotts mean nothing, and their furshlugginer ratings go up.

SayItWithWookies November 23, 2009 at 10:55 pm

[re=465326]AnnieGetYourFun[/re]: Only reason I can think of is that it would open a huge can of worms that he just doesn’t want touched. As hard as it is for him to keep quiet about it, maybe he’s decided to just shut up and take the hit rather than get people thinking that, for instance, the one body is just the beginning of a long, gruesome trail.
I’d like to emphasize that that’s just speculation, though. Even though I can’t imagine a more reasonable explanation where all the pieces fit together better than that one. It’s kinda clear as day once you think about it — in a purely hypothetical way.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 11:03 pm

[re=465364]S.Luggo[/re]: I make it a point to avoid pedophiles with chronic gingervitus.

[re=465366]the problem child[/re]: I was just attempting to be stronger editorially, and to invest myself one hundred and ten percent in this effort.

Extemporanus November 23, 2009 at 11:09 pm

[re=465359]Scandalabra[/re]: Perhaps the dark chocolate dollops of his manager, Tank Jones, would be more to your liking.

Aquannissiwamissoo November 24, 2009 at 12:01 am

I for one pledge 110 percent effort to believing that FOX will actually not make any more colossal fuck ups, and if they do, I will blame myself. Like George Michael, it was my lack of faith.

comicbookguy November 24, 2009 at 12:42 am

If everyone at Fox gives 110 percent, how many thousands of percent is that? The resulting pie chart will literally warp space. You know how many factual errors they have then? Negative percent, that’s how!

desertwind November 24, 2009 at 4:44 am

You sure nailed this one, Ken.

Rupert didn’t get where he is by paying generous severance packages. ALWAYS FIRE for cause.

Tundra Grifter November 24, 2009 at 8:49 am

[re=465339]Oldskool[/re]: Boss BlunderRush says his opinions have been proven to be 99.97% (or some such silly number) accurate. By the company he hired to determine the number!

mumblyjoe November 24, 2009 at 11:17 am

[re=465178]AJW[/re]: No, no, no! You have it 148% wrong: it’s not that they’ll *stop* putting (D) next to the name of every politician who gets scandal on him; they just won’t do it by *mistake* any more.

Formerly Known as KevoTron November 24, 2009 at 11:42 am

And this news comes on the day that I begin a move to a home on Moran Avenue. No kidding.

HuddledMass November 24, 2009 at 1:25 pm

[re=465628]Formerly Known as KevoTron[/re]: KevoTron! Long time no see. Moran.

vida July 17, 2010 at 2:52 pm

Pitty, that G. Michael becomes ordinary trunkard… http://www.vida.tv/video/Wake_Me_When_Im_Sober

vida July 17, 2010 at 2:53 pm

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