Back to web version
When is a story not just a story? When it's a talker
One story that’s been making the rounds in Kansas City political circles is a Christmas newsletter from Mayor Mark Funkhouser and his wife, Gloria Squitiro, which they sent to about 100 people. Reporter DeAnn Smith covered it in a post on the Prime Buzz blog, but the subject hadn’t been mentioned in the paper until today’s Page A-1 centerpiece (and this column).
The letter, addressed to “Dear Friends and Family” and clearly written from Squitiro’s point of view, has raised some eyebrows because it contains humor that some people find strange or perhaps in bad taste. She writes that being a campaign manager is “woman’s work,” and calls Funkhouser “sexy when taking the podium at those town hall meetings.”
However, her vivid and gleeful description of watching Funkhouser endure his first prostate exam (“the biggest joy” of her year, she writes) is the touch that surprised the readers contacting me the most. I’ll spare you the details here, but the full letter is posted at www.kansascity.com/ images/funk_letter_redacted.pdf if you’d like to read it for yourself.
Is the mayor’s private holiday letter, which wasn’t produced or mailed on city time, “a big, clear-cut, Page One topic if I ever saw one,” as one caller said? “Don’t you think this has an effect on how the Mayor and his wife are perceived by the city staff, the media and the even the few citizens who read about the Mayor’s prostate exam?” wrote another reader.
I’m on the fence here. Did it belong on A1? No, I think that would be serious overkill — and would lend credence to the charges of readers who think Funkhouser’s political opponents and The Star have been too hard on the mayor for a host of other issues recently.
But the story has gained traction even outside Kansas City, showing up in The Washington Post last Wednesday. I don’t think it’s really big news, but it’s unusual and obviously has people talking.
Frowns upside down
Jeff Forker e-mailed me a question that I’ve heard many times since The Star’s redesign in 2006. Referring to the Business columnists’ “mugshots,” he asked: “Why do most of the writers grimace and scowl?”
He guesses that they want to look serious to reflect the gravity of the topics they cover, but “seriousness is not what each of them conveys.” With a few exceptions, such as Dan Margolies, who “doesn’t look silly or undignified,” or Jennifer Mann’s “beautiful smile,” Forker thinks columnists should opt for “compassionate stoicism” instead of a frown — but a smile is most welcoming.
Looks don’t factor into the job requirements for print journalists, but I understand the point. Nobody — columnists included — wants to appear off-putting. And as one who’s often been accused of looking too dour in his own photos, Forker’s friendly suggestions certainly made me smile.