MSNBC Rips Thompson Over NIU Claims, But He's Busy Arguing with Fake Actor
MSNBC Rips Thompson Over NIU Claims, But He's Busy Arguing with Fake Actor
February 19, 2008
Writing for MSNBC, contributor Winda Benedetti casts a critical eye toward Miami attorney Jack Thompson's claims that the NIU rampage was sparked by a grown man's video game play. From Benedetti's piece:The attorney-turned-anti-video-game crusader has what can only be described as a breathtaking genius for transforming ghastly national tragedies into shining moments of self promotion.
On Friday, police were still struggling to figure out why... But Thompson had it all figured out. Faster than you can say wild speculation and reckless sensationalism, he leapt in front of Fox News cameras and suggested that video games were to blame.
Meanwhile, Thompson obsequiously responded to a parody article, posted in style of Samuel L. Jackson, apparently believing it to be the real thing:
Mr. Jackson, I enjoyed your post about NIU and about me. Unfortunately, you could fit what you know about school shootings and their causes in a sleeve of Titleist golf balls. I’m a six handicap, and would love to play you a match anywhere anytime.
More importantly, Mr. Jackson, I saw you and the Jack Thompson spoof at the Spike TV Video Game Awards Show. Very funny, really.
Here’s a proposal: Why don’t you debate me on this issue... Saw you in Black Snake Moan this weekend. I thought you deserved an Oscar for your performance. Brilliant.
Thompson later posted a follow-up indicating that he understood the Samuel L. Jackson post was a fake, but not before he circulated his original response to GamePolitics and Kotaku.
UPDATE: Thompson claims that he has been libeled by the MSNBC article and plans to sue.
Comments
Jack's not Catholic mate. He's much, much worse.
lol the irony of JT sueing for the fact he feels information represented about him isnt true...
i mean come on seriously? how comes he is allowed to reel off whatever crap he likes?
I would like for him to continue with this libel suit however, just to see him get defeated in court once again, adding to the flawless scoreline of common sense and reality vs Jack Thompson.
I'm hoping I'm not the only one who thought of 'A few good men' there. :P
@WCC:
I'm surprised he hasn't choked to death on it by this point...
@VenomandCarnage:
Well when the 'opinion' doesn't coincide with what JT perceives as the 'truth', then yeah.
@NovaBlack:
I think he's 0 and... well however many he's attempted, I forget.
@Tyler Baumbarger:
Well, Sonic *can* get pretty frustrating, but driving someone to go on a rampage? Even *I* thought that sounded ridiculous.
@Oni:
Still, 'the enemy of our enemy' and all that.
@Quad9Damage:
Because Jack says so? What do you *mean* 'that's not good enough'?
@Pandralisk
I was for a time a Catholic but was excommicated for believing that the law of the state is above church law and I am also partial to Adoptionism.
Some of us are fine living our without a supreme being.
Oh and if I was a hedonist why would I be returning to NIU before the shitstorm has cleared in its entirety?
Well, that'll make about a dozen cases that he'll never get to pursue when he gets disbarred in the coming months.
This man is truly living in his own fantasy world.
Unless something has changed drastically recently, Pandralisk was parodying a church figure. Last I knew, he was a devout athiest who saw religion's influence in EVERYTHING.
Is that Bob Loblaw's Law Blog?
http://jweb.flcourts.org/pls/docket/ds_docket?p_caseyear=1960&p_casenumb...
I mean, naturally more accurate then the already accurate ones about him being a prat. I wonder if JT will even bother to read it. Maybe if we're lucky, we'll have another lawsuit announcement befor the day is out.
So if he's founf guilty does that mean he'll no longer be able to file lawsuits unless he gets approval from the Bar first (highly unlikely considering how frivilous all his cases are)?
I LOVE the MSNBC article though.
Jack should be more worried about Charles Barkley(Barkley called people like Jacky Boy "fake Christians" on CNN a few days ago).
"PWND!"
Ok back to my normal, if not sometimes incorrect, proper grammar.
Great article glad someone has decided to check out Jack more and respond with logic.
All I can say is he'd better not start with the harassment threats. What did he think would happen?
Also, I did not participate in any prank calling.
Where's the Charles Barkley comment? Is it on YouTube? I would love to see that.
I have been all across this world, but very rarely have I encountered stupidity on such a level.
As I read this article while standing up at my kitchen, I had to sit down; the level of stupidity was so blinding that for a minute, I forgot how to stand.
Meanwhile big bad Jack missed this. http://www.newsgroper.com/i/logo/newsgroper_logo_sidebar.gif
Very, very funny.
Heh, yeah good luck with that. Its not libel if its true.
Oh please please please let me be named in the suit! I did, after all, post comments in the discussion.
I can't wait to be sworn to tell The Truth, The WHOLE Truth, And Nothing But The Truth. Moreover, I can't wait to have the transcript publicized worldwide, ending John Bruce bid for the creation of a Theocratic Dictatorship built on lies and deceit.
OOOooooo... I'm all aquiver.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I wanna hear Olberman rip him a new one. After what he did with Bush and Telcom Immunity, this'll be 10x better.
Name me as well! Then I can counter-sue for intent to defame!
P.S. It's public domain GP and all mods!
isn't the law fun!
Suing for libel? He doesn't seem to understand what libel is.
What a complete idiot.
Jack's keeping me amused on what has thus far been a rather rubbish day. Go Jack!
It's like back in high school. In almost every class I was in there was at least one other Dan.
I am tired of these muthafuckin' attorneys hatin' on my muthfuckin' games!
Anyone? No? Bueller?
*cries*
This guy is my hero for finally having the stuff to say the truth instead of calling him an 'expert' in the industry.
oh of course he plans to sue. pointless lawsuites are his thing, and without them he would not be so obviously mental.
msnbc just became my favorite news show.
Yah know his lawsuite might have something behind it if, you know, we didnt have freedom of the press...hell msnbc could call him a drugdealingpedofilenazi and walk away fresh as daisys
This is actually a fantastic turn of events for those who have been insulted by him in the past and who know the truth about him.
This might actually be the first time a really mainstream source of news has highlighted this boob and shown him up for the attention-seeking, exploitative liar that he is. It certainly seems to have rattled him, judging by his jump to sue in response. I imagine that he thought that there would always be willing listeners in the media who would take his BS as gospel truth and use it for extra drama whenever a tragedy like this occurs. Now it seems as though these media organisations are figuring out that the Wizard is just a sad old man behind a curtain...
Positive though it is, it would be nothing compared to the ultimate media expose on Jack Thompson: a FOX News special on his lies :) Surely with FOX's reporting habits regarding video games and Thompson's constant lies, wouldn't they cancel each other out and come up with the truth?
That is a fantastic description of him, really.
I believe he set it up so that everyone and their freaking mother asks the question about his damn phone number on a daily basis. Seriously. Stopped being funny after the first 20 times.
Back on the main topic, though...wow...there are no words that describe the idiocy that I'm seeing here. The man not only thinks that a spoof article is really being made by Samuel L. Jackson, but has the stones to challenge him to a debate. Then on top of that, turns around and threatens to sue one of the few actual journalists out there with the brains to call him out on his bull.
Jack, I knew you were a few fries short of a Happy Meal, but damn...
Now you are suing for libel?
Whats the matter, big man, can't take what you dish out? What kind of pansy are you?
actually seriously, like we all know he hasnt done too well, but is it like win 5 lose 5, or is it like Lose 10 win 0?
As it is, the most objectionable thing the article says is that JT's more interested in shameless self-promotion than actually protecting anyone. I'm pretty sure that'll still count as fair commentary on a public figure. So, yeah, I'd like to see what basis JT finds for libel, because nothing jumps out to me. So JT is either incredibly astute in finding libel where none of us can... or incredibly dense in finding libel where there is none at all.
I hope this means Jack's really sweating bullets about the bar's decision, trying to get in some last thrashing motions to try salvaging his career after years of failure.
Ummmm...Jack, did you even PASS law school? You remember this whole string of case law about public figures being pretty much...well...unable to do that?
God I hope this guy gets thrown in jail for contempt for doing this, please, please, please.
There has got to be more news worthy items to blog about.
Boris: "How many U's in 'moose'?"
Natasha: "Let's see, moose... two."
But even that misfires when the letter is delivered to the wrong "Moose", specifically a muscle-bound weightlifter. Seconds later we see Boris in bandages and casts, talking to his employers.
Boris: "Boys, I have a proposition. I pay you, you kill moose."
Employer 1: "Dash it all, I thought you said you were an expert."
Boris: "I am! At not killing moose!"
Anywho, I think Fox News will try to use the MSNBC article to attack MSNBC again.
I think all of the stress of constantly being wrong and having to deal with *gasp* the intellectual responses and organizational skills of gamers has finally caused him to suffer a meltdown of epic proportions. I would feel sorry for him. Yet I don't, as do a majority of people. He takes things into a completely warped perspective (VT, NIU), all for self-advertisement, and for this he can not be forgiven.
He'll be up against ex-law students trained to go in for the kill on counter-suit!
POW...right in da kisser
Game Over.
I think that listening to you talk will have just the same effect.
But seriously, folks. There needs to be a way that we can all pool $1 or 50 cents each and buy Winda Benedetti 24 long stem, red roses.
They needs to see that the gamer nation doesn't just lash out when we have been wronged, but can feel genuine affection when someone shows intelligence and can call a spade a spade.
rushing on to fox news? well he was on there like within 24 hours of the tragedy... so yes
Speculation and recklesssensationalism? well Jack had no proof games were involved, thus it was speculation, and he does HIGHLY over exagerate (read: LIE) about the dangers of video games, thus there was reckless sensationalism
Self Promotion? well, he did plug in his book and probobly mention his "success" in fighting video games aswell as sending the news of him being on fox news all over the internet, so ya, there was self promotion... hell just the act of appearing on TV is self-promotion in and of itself.
Not to mention he has not shown any geninune feelings towards what happened... only police officers or reporters are people that MUST find out information as soon as possible... everyone else can just sit back and take their time... y'know let those who suffer have their moment of silence. Instead Jack does everything possibel to get as much info out of the college not taking into account how people are feeling now... most people in Jack's position would have waited atleast a few days... not to mention ask politely for information instead threatening the school with a law suit.
Ya, the story is pretty spot on, not a word of Libel to be found anywhere
Apparrently, lying is only bad if someone other than Jack does it. Hell, they reference his interview on Fox that he still claims Cho was a gamer.
Should be:
"Hell, they reference his interview on Fox in which he still claims Cho was a gamer."
Would ask for edit button, but that'd require logins and such.
I think Norm Kent actually successfully sued JT for libel/slander before and was talking about doing so again after the gay porn incident.
Poor Jack, he's just upset that once he's discredited, he can no longer make money debating things he knows nothing about.
Nice to see the reporter giving Kotaku and GP a nice little plug as well, with pointing out some of the absurdity of JT.
As for the fact he wanted to make money off the debate... If he was really so high and uppity, he should have said he'd have donated it to helping the folks who were suffering and not just doing it for a paycheck.
While it was refreshing to read the reviews of somebody who honestly seems to think that John is as full of shit as every gamer on the planet knows he is, I'm left feeling a little bittersweet knowing that it could just be MS pulling the strings.
I can't help but think that this is a perfect opportunity for the other major news networks to point out what sensationalist crap Fox News is shoveling. A little bit of real journalism can go a long way towards discrediting them.
If he still has a license to practice law by the time this case comes to court, they're gonna destroy him. They have armies of lawyers.
Just waiting for the portly female to begin the finale.
Yeah, I was referring to Kent's more recent libel threat, which JT responded to by accusing him of extortion.
I just hope I'm not blowing his cover.
I've thought about that before, he's like the perfect villain (almost put "super" in front of villain...). And somehow he always comes back for the not-as-good
sequel...
i believe he did
Gone now. Check out Wiktionary, though.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Jack+Thompson&go=Go
Probably just a coincidence, but in my opinion it's funnier if it happens by chance than by venom. Divine irony of sorts, I guess.
Samuel L. Jackson: "I've had it with these motherfucking attorney's blaming the motherfucking videogames!"
Post the MSNBC ARTICLE everywhere that you can
This is the only way we can spread the truth about Jack Thompson
Let's show the world how big a spin-artist (scam-artist) that Jack Thompson really is!
JACK THOMPSON YOU CANNOT STOP THE FREE PRESS
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23204875
It would show him how he can do his job better.
You have to think about this. Why would someone risk their job and reputation for something that is not even a fact. Who is paying him to be a scapegoat is the question we should ask.
Ha! I like to see MSNBC slap him silly (legally speaking) for that one. This should be entertaining.
Sorry Jackie Boy, but opinion is 100% protected under the 1st Amendment. Calling you an ambulance chaser in an op-ed... is ... opinion... duh.
I know you don't like the 1st Amendment when it protects OTHER people, but tough cookies...
exactly.
Just posted this and the MSNBC story to MMORPG.com. I asked that folks share it with other gaming sites. Also, we as gamers need to send in a word of thanks to MSNBC and Winda Benedetti for finally exposing this massacre profiteer to the rest of the nation.
Time to use our gaming voices! We have done it recently with the Mass Effect fiasco story, time to let folks know that we are tired of games taking the rap and folks like Thompson making a profit off of misinformation and other peoples misery.
Spread the word!
Who are you and what have you done with GP's favorite bigot? (either way, funny joke)
That part just made my day :D
Now you can train like a pro in your own home without facing the wrath of people who are not stupid!
Rated J for you-know-who
ECA getting face time like this is always a good thing!
'EY! GP! Who let the Troll back in?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
as for jack... i think of him like a forum troll i just read his posts and marvel at how someone can be so demented.
If what he says is true i can probably do a coup de tat (sp?) singlehandedly considering i started playing videogames with the atari 2600 when i was 3.
dont judge me it was a stick and a button, all i cared was pretty colors moving.
I see no libel in that article.
1) It's an opinion piece. You are allowed to have opinions, even if they run contrary to Jack Thompson and his ego.
2) Jack is a public figure.
It will be fun to see Jack try to get a lawyer in New York to take this case, seeing as how he doesn't have a license to practice there.
What Jack really needs is an enema.
If Pandralisk was allowed to comment again, he most likely is just using parody, as Mnementh2230 suggested. It will become clear enough who that Pandralisk is in time, I'm sure.
@The article
I love that MSNBC article. And I'm not too concerned about Thompson's libel threats, I don't see anything in that article that could really be considered libel. Thompson's a public figure and therefore opens himself up to criticism from various places.
I find the Samuel jackson post funny though.
What Jack wanted was a nice high profile debate with someone famous about his favourite money-making scheme, it's yet more proof of how obviously Thompson is far more about profit than protection.
I used to think that he was just misguided, but he isn't, he's a leech, he knows as well as we do that Video Games are not the problem, I'm certain of that, but he's desperately trying to make money by exploiting the situation, gamers and children in general.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
test… "
B-
:P
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I had trouble accessing this site around noon (central time).
i told him to send me his worst
i cant wait till tomorrow
what a MOROM i thought he couldnt get any more stupid
Why do you think he posts it in the first place? He WANTS to be attacked. He wants the death threats and harassment so he can jail as many gamers as he can.
THIS ISSS OPINIONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!
Hey Jack, a wrote a piece calling you a blackhearted massacre chaser, and compared the amount of sensationalism you and faux emit to the nipplegate incident...
Spread some love this way... i mean its no different to the MSNBC article.
Oh wait, he was shot for 'being gay', what are the odds we don't hear a word from Thompson about [it]that[/i] shooting...
Microsoft has more lawyers than you. I hope you're hiding a law firm in your back pocket that spans a large, multi-story office building.
But hey, don't take my word on what happens when you poke the 800 lbs gorilla with a stick... Just ask Netscape.
LOL OH WOW.
Someone get rid of this guy already
I personally would love to, but funny headlined are NOT my forte! :(
Don't tell me Pandralisk is back. We need Pandralisk (and Thompson) as we need a diarrhea. By the way, what he said this time (his comments doesn't appear) ?
In a strange way, I hope Thompson will sue. Because this time, he won't be able to play martyr. In other words, let him strike the first blow and he will not be able to pass for a victim.
And we already know how dense Thompson is. He's such an opportunist.
Here's the link to the Charles Barkley comments on Christian conservatives:
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/election08/77246
Well, Jackson did voice-act a Grand Theft Auto character. (To be exact, Officer Frank Tenpenny, the main antagonist in GTA: San Andreas)
It would be *REALLY* hilarious if JT challenged Jackson just because of that.
And that officer was a crooked cop who had it coming.
Jack, Jack, Jack you are such a moron I love you being around just because you are pure comedy value.
The guy spoke the truth, both here AND Virgina Tech you go onto Fox (the only people that will take you seriously) and blame video games before any investigation really begins. You jump the gun and you make these tragedys all about you and your crucade.
Not only are you a moron, but your a self-centered, egotistical, immoral, no good, evil c**t. Your actions speak for themselves. Deal with it