cybercore
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When a dog bites a man, it's not news. When a man bites a dog, it's a front-page story. But what happens when a newsman takes a bite of dog food?
For Gersh Kuntzman, editor of The Brooklyn Paper, the answer is obvious ... and surprisingly delicious.
The New York City journalist (full disclosure: my former employer) has built a reputation for never shying away from an outrageous stunt. He's posed naked for an art class, defecated on camera to test the integrity of an eco-friendly toilet and inserted a caffeine suppository where the sun don't shine -- all, he says, in the name of news.
So it comes as no surprise that after The Brooklyn Paper featured a story about high-end dog food manufacturers who promised to eat their own product, Kuntzman took on the challenge himself.
"It's meaty and a bit grainy, yes, but the only discernable scent comes from the kale," Kuntzman wrote in a column about his meal of Evermore Pet Food. "It's a bit like pate -- but more bland, the kind of pate that a French poodle would sniff at and then walk away."
Add some hot sauce, and Kuntzman says the pet food could become a hungry man's best friend.
But why would a newspaper editor decide to eat dog food in the first place?
"I have been asked if eating dog food is the future of journalism, but I would argue that eating dog food -- or its equivalent -- has been the stuff of journalism for centuries," Kuntzman wrote in an e-mail.
"Indeed, is eating dog food any different from, say, breaking the Watergate burglary or publishing the Pentagon Papers? Well, yes, of course -- but there is a vast similarity, too: We are all striving, day in and day out, to provide the public with essential information about the goings-on in the community.
"In the case of my wanton consumption of dog food, of course, my readers now know that if they are ever trapped at home in a massive blizzard, and the only thing left on the shelf are two cans of Alpo and Saltines, dinner is served."
Forgive us for our lack of investigative reporting, but we're willing to take his word for it.
More Eating Dog Food: The Future of Journalism?
For Gersh Kuntzman, editor of The Brooklyn Paper, the answer is obvious ... and surprisingly delicious.
The New York City journalist (full disclosure: my former employer) has built a reputation for never shying away from an outrageous stunt. He's posed naked for an art class, defecated on camera to test the integrity of an eco-friendly toilet and inserted a caffeine suppository where the sun don't shine -- all, he says, in the name of news.
So it comes as no surprise that after The Brooklyn Paper featured a story about high-end dog food manufacturers who promised to eat their own product, Kuntzman took on the challenge himself.
"It's meaty and a bit grainy, yes, but the only discernable scent comes from the kale," Kuntzman wrote in a column about his meal of Evermore Pet Food. "It's a bit like pate -- but more bland, the kind of pate that a French poodle would sniff at and then walk away."
Add some hot sauce, and Kuntzman says the pet food could become a hungry man's best friend.
But why would a newspaper editor decide to eat dog food in the first place?
"I have been asked if eating dog food is the future of journalism, but I would argue that eating dog food -- or its equivalent -- has been the stuff of journalism for centuries," Kuntzman wrote in an e-mail.
"Indeed, is eating dog food any different from, say, breaking the Watergate burglary or publishing the Pentagon Papers? Well, yes, of course -- but there is a vast similarity, too: We are all striving, day in and day out, to provide the public with essential information about the goings-on in the community.
"In the case of my wanton consumption of dog food, of course, my readers now know that if they are ever trapped at home in a massive blizzard, and the only thing left on the shelf are two cans of Alpo and Saltines, dinner is served."
Forgive us for our lack of investigative reporting, but we're willing to take his word for it.
More Eating Dog Food: The Future of Journalism?
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2023
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When a newsman bites into dog food, what does that say about journalism?
In a rather eccentric stunt that raises eyebrows and questions, Gersh Kuntzman, the editor of The Brooklyn Paper, decided to take a literal bite out of the dog food bowl. Why? Completion of the story about luxury dog food brands that claimed they would eat their own product seemed to beckon for a first-hand experience. Kuntzman's adventurous spirit isn't new; he's previously engaged in outlandish experiments, including rather graphic demonstrations of product effectiveness.
In his article, Kuntzman describes Evermore Pet Food, saying it was "meaty and a bit grainy," with a scent reminiscent of kale, and notes that while it's akin to pâté, it lacks the exciting flavors. A dash of hot sauce, however, transforms it into something more palatable, earning it a nod as a possible last-resort meal if stranded during a snowstorm.
Kuntzman articulately connects this curious consumption to journalism’s deeper purpose. He argues that journalism involves taking risks, much like Watergate reporting or any major revelations. In the case of eating dog food, it serves as a quirky reminder that valuable information often comes from unexpected places, with an underlying serious tone about community welfare.
Is eating dog food a new frontier for journalism? While this instance might not redefine the field, it certainly provokes thought about the lengths to which professionals go to gain unique insights.
What do you think? Is this a clever leap into experiential reporting, or simply a bizarre stunt? Share your thoughts below or let us know if you would ever consider trying something similar!
In a rather eccentric stunt that raises eyebrows and questions, Gersh Kuntzman, the editor of The Brooklyn Paper, decided to take a literal bite out of the dog food bowl. Why? Completion of the story about luxury dog food brands that claimed they would eat their own product seemed to beckon for a first-hand experience. Kuntzman's adventurous spirit isn't new; he's previously engaged in outlandish experiments, including rather graphic demonstrations of product effectiveness.
In his article, Kuntzman describes Evermore Pet Food, saying it was "meaty and a bit grainy," with a scent reminiscent of kale, and notes that while it's akin to pâté, it lacks the exciting flavors. A dash of hot sauce, however, transforms it into something more palatable, earning it a nod as a possible last-resort meal if stranded during a snowstorm.
Kuntzman articulately connects this curious consumption to journalism’s deeper purpose. He argues that journalism involves taking risks, much like Watergate reporting or any major revelations. In the case of eating dog food, it serves as a quirky reminder that valuable information often comes from unexpected places, with an underlying serious tone about community welfare.
Is eating dog food a new frontier for journalism? While this instance might not redefine the field, it certainly provokes thought about the lengths to which professionals go to gain unique insights.
What do you think? Is this a clever leap into experiential reporting, or simply a bizarre stunt? Share your thoughts below or let us know if you would ever consider trying something similar!