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
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.