UPDATE: Now with a possible, if x-rated explanation, after the jump. You have been warned.
UPDATE: The New York Times report -- CNN Reporter Faces Drug Charge - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog -- omits the sex equipment and partner details. Commenters are clueless as a result.
"CNN personality Richard Quest was busted in Central Park early yesterday with some drugs in his pocket, a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot, law-enforcement sources said. Quest, 46, was arrested at around 3:40 a.m. after a cop spotted him and another man inside the park near 64th Street...."Mr. Quest didn't realize that the park had a curfew," lawyer Alan Abramson said. He was simply "returning to his hotel with friends." -- KINKY NEWS NETWORK - New York Post
Meanwhile, back at the hotel:
Ann Althouse and Glenn Reynolds are a bit befuddled about what was going on here. What follows is what I left in Althouse's comments section about what was probably going on:
Allow me to draw on my many decades looking at kinky sex as an editor of Penthouse magazine.I should add that the police are well aware of the uses of Central Park before and after dark. It gets worse as the night deepens.Ropes tied around the neck and genitals are there for autoerotic and performance enhancing purposes.
Constricting the bloodflow to the penis enables the erection to be sustained longer and even after orgasm which allows the act to keep going.
Methamphetamine has some of the same properties and is often found in tandem with such rudimentary c__k rings.
A rope around the neck can be manipulated by a partner or the person wearing it to restrict oxygen and thereby enhance the intensity and duration of the orgasm.
A dildo to hand can be used to stimulate the person possessing the dildo in some less busy zone or can be used on the partner.
The combination of meth, park, dildo, rope around neck and penis and partner suggests a moment for some rough semi-public sex.
Happens all the time in Central Park, particularly in the area called the rambles, a haunt for gay men in search of anonymous sex. The various stands of bushes and other areas near the edge of the park are also used frequently at night.
This is not from personal experience, mind you, but I did have many sources over many years.
The novels of John Rechy also outline this behavior.
As to Ann's statement, "I find it hard to believe Quest is stupid enough to have said "I have meth in my pocket" unless he knew they were about to find it on him."....Well, as was noted in the famous photo-essay on meth-heads, Tulsa, "Once the needle goes in it never comes out."
Crank is a very, very bad drug. One of the very first things it does is make you very paranoid. The next thing it does is make you stupid.
Why didn't Quest toss the meth in his pocket when he was busted? Given the circumstances he was likely caught with his pants down. Literally.
Why did he cop to it?
Well, as you know, before you have your pockets searched you are asked, "Do you have anything in your pockets that might injure me? Needles? Knives?" This is done to reduce the chances of an officer sticking themselves with an infected needle -- which has happened and is not a pretty thing.
As to spilling it, well, not only does meth make you paranoid and stupid, it also compels you to talk and talk and talk.....
Regarding the rope, would you say that he wanted to be "hanged" or "hung"?
Better ask Andrew Sullivan.
Posted by: Gagdad Bob at April 19, 2008 11:54 AM"Mr. Quest didn't realize that the park had a curfew," any other time of day, walking around Central Park with drugs in your pocket, a rope around your neck tied to your genitals and a sex toy in your boot, just makes good sense.
Posted by: Pribek at April 19, 2008 12:22 PMWait on!!!!
This guy's name is Dick Quest????
Rilly???
Gino,
I liked that observation so much I altered the title!
Quest should have claimed to be one of Pia Lindman's students.
Posted by: Connecticut Yankee at April 20, 2008 12:42 AMI'm a middle aged, heterosexual female living in suburban Canada and I knew he wasn't caught "loitering". I guess I watch too much "Law and Order" because rope, drugs, sex toy, Central Park, late at night, and some unnamed other guy spelled out kinky, anonymous sex encounter loud and clear. Either I need to take a good look at my reading and TV watching habits or Glenn & Ann are living in a bubble.
Posted by: Boudica at April 20, 2008 6:01 AMJust another example of the toll that the pressure of working in modern media is taking on staff, I suggest formation of a blue (or pink) ribbon comission to examine the root causes of this phenomenon. These media guys are like ticking time bombs. We never know when one of them will explode, and God knows what they are capable of.
Posted by: glenn at April 20, 2008 7:24 AMDon't you see? 'Tis all very evident: it's Bush's fault.
No doubt Karl Rove, "The Neo-Con Whore of Dubya-Sauron," is even now deep within his secret underground lair, underneath Mount Doom, idly stroking his "Preciousssssssssss....." and muttering,
"Fools, fools CNN! We hates it! We hates it! We hates it forever!"
Posted by: MarkJ at April 20, 2008 9:29 AMI know quite a few tweakers here in this little town, and yes they do tend to go on and on and on and on..........
Posted by: Maggie45 at April 20, 2008 10:36 AMMaybe he's just a member of Opus Dei out for a stroll with his spiritual advisor while mortifying his flesh for God.
Maybe he's just a member of Opus Dei out for a stroll with his spiritual advisor while mortifying his flesh for God.
Perhaps he was just working on his magic show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aevIOF4UKKg
Posted by: Mary B. at April 20, 2008 8:56 PMThis "Dick" Quest is a Brit, isn't he? Aren't all Limey journalists poofters until proven otherwise?
Posted by: Roderick Reilly at April 21, 2008 9:57 AMI always knew Quest was an "ass", I guess I didn't realize in what way exactly.
Just thought he was a typical, run-of-the-mill obnoxious journalist (sorry for the redundancy).
Well, he ought to have fun in the lockup down at the precinct house.
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