Yodeling along in the key of "taking yourself far too seriously," SfGate columnist Mark Morford has participated in one of the dreaded Poynter Interviews. Conducted by the aptly named Steve Outing, Morford indulges himself in a self-preening seldom seen outside of his own online efforts. The excerpt below is usually referred to as "the money quote," but in view of the nature of the subject matter covered I think we can, in this case, call it "the money shot:"
Q: Chronicle feature columnist Jon Carroll has always been pretty off the wall. Is it fair to say that you're further off the wall, ergo not "printable?"It's comforting to know that Morford's gorgeous bejeweled buttplug is a mandatory inclusion. We're not exactly talking Pulitzer here, but it's a start.A: I absolutely love Jon Carroll and have nothing but the utmost respect for his enormous talent and consistency and Jesus with a gallon of White-Out, 20 years 5 days a week and he's still the most wonderfully readable columnist going. But he is "off the wall" in a "I think my cat is a Republican" sort of way. I'm off the wall in a "You should really try this gorgeous bejeweled butt plug" sort of way. So I suppose the answer is yes.
But "not printable" No. It's definitely printable. I work very hard to make every word, every line as deliciously readable as possible. I have zero desire to be just another polysyllabic ranter, a lefty Howard Stern, orally and intellectually diarrhetic.
I want joy and funky divinity and sex and humor. I want to ignite readers, fire them up, to encourage them to be more responsible with their lives and their viewpoints and their bodies. As such, my column is very intentionally juiced by two specific energies/perspectives I don't think you'll find in any other semi-mainstream columnist or newspaper, as far as I know: spiritual fierceness and sex. These are essential. Mandatory. They are not included for shock value
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Posted by Vanderleun at July 2, 2003 10:17 AM