This Week’s Pulitzer Prize Nominations: Our Intrepid Newsforce Takes on Our Intolerant Alphabet, Tatershots, and Gammy’s Gams

Recognizing the levels of meritorious excellence in journalism.

This week, we once again recognize the exalted performances seen in our journalism industry and compile a list of worthy submissions to the Pulitzer Prize board in numerous categories.

Distinguished Investigative Reporting

— Chris Hayes, MSNBC

One thing you always love to see from those in the newsmaking realm is a driven nature and the desire to seek out the facts. It is a hallmark of the profession, and a rampant curiosity makes for the best journalist. Someone might want to introduce Chris Hayes to just such a journalist, so he might learn from them and pick up some of these skills. Hayes appears to be completely befuddled by the Hunter Biden story, and he is not ashamed to say so in a public forum. Hayes is bold enough to admit he does not have the wherewithal for penetrating journalism, but he is not completely without skill either; he, at the least, has the intuition to attempt to crowd-source some details to learn more about this ongoing story.

So, like, did we ever find out the actual deal with the Hunter laptop? I mean, maybe the wildly improbably story about it was …true? or maybe it was a cover story for a hack, but do we know?

— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 9, 2021

Distinguished Public Service

Brian Stelter, CNN

On his show Reliable Sources, Stelter looked into a pressing pandemic matter. The superfan of FoxNews has been diligently watching that network over the past few weeks and he picked up on a disturbing trend that creates a dangerous situation for viewers. He brought on Matt Gertz, from Media Matters to discuss a troubling approach to the vaccines seen at Fox. The two newsmen broke open the big story — Fox personalities have not recorded themselves getting vaccinated! Says Stelter; “We’ve seen a lot of vaccine selfies. It’s been real inspiring to see.” Gertz, for his part, went even further: “Steve Doocy should get vaccinated live, on Fox and Friends. It would save the lives of his viewers. I don’t understand why they won’t do that!“

Just the shot in the arm I needed. The latest studies show the Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective. Please do your part to end this pandemic. Get your shot! pic.twitter.com/QUYCt3sZ74

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 30, 2021

Distinguished Local Reporting

Megan Mitchell, WLWT

During the predawn hours in Cincinnati, reporter Megan Mitchell was on the case of reports that wild monkeys had been spotted roaming an area in town.

Y’all I just saw the video of these huge monkeys swinging in the trees in Price Hill and it’s insane. I’ll have everything we know all morning long on @WLWT.

— Megan Mitchell (@megan1mitchell) April 8, 2021

Nearly 30 minutes later she tracked down a source and details emerged, this time with gripping footage.

People are saying there’s monkeys swinging from the trees in Price Hill. This is one of the videos taken early this morning. What do you think? @WLWT pic.twitter.com/xnYBuOeL8M

— Megan Mitchell (@megan1mitchell) April 8, 2021

So sure, maybe later it turned out to be far less dramatic, but give credit for boldly racing out before sunrise to confirm a “Planet of the Apes” overthrow was not in progress.

OK, now maybe it was just turkeys and not monkeys?? https://t.co/AR9brD5px3

— Enquirer (@Enquirer) April 8, 2021

Distinguished Cultural Criticism

— Doree Lewak, New York Post

One thing that is undeniable — Jill Biden is bringing high fashion back to the White House! This is such a refreshing change from the previous First Lady, who was…a legitimate supermodel who appeared on covers from fashion magazines. But this is different. Jill wears a scrunchie! But there is an even more influential trend emerging from the White House.

Recently, Jill Biden was seen emerging from a plane wearing fishnet stockings, and this has ignited a new trend among the tony septuagenarian set. “The patterned tights are still the talk of the town in New York — especially with women of a certain age, who feel empowered in their power hose. ‘I’ve never felt sexy like this,’ writer Sheryll Bellman, 76, told The Post while trying out a pair of Biden-esque black tights with her black pencil skirt and pearls.”

Having the skill and ability to write the phrase “Jill Biden power hose” is not something all writers possess.

Distinguished Explanatory Reporting

–Anne Quito, CNN

Yes, we are in a racially charged age right now and yes, there is all sorts of hype surrounding anti-Asian intolerance. But at CNN, they have tracked down one of the leading culprits behind this intolerance — the ‘Chop Suey’ style of lettering. As Quito explains for us, “These ‘chop suey fonts,’ as American historian Paul Shaw calls them, have been a typographical shortcut for ‘Asianness’ for decades.”

Not helping her cause was the fact the story details how this is a common lettering seen on Chinese takeout menus and packaging, and relies on photos of eating establishments using the hateful font — which are largely owned by those of Asian descent. But Quito persisted.

In the piece, she challenged corporations seen employing these intolerant letters. “Online grocer Fresh Direct, clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch and the game developers behind ‘Cyberpunk 2077,’ CD Projekt, are among the many companies criticized for using culturally appropriative fonts in the last two decades.”

So prepare yourselves, corporate America, you have been put on notice if, over the span of the last 20 years, you used this font that has been declared hateful — this week. Of course, this is a message somewhat mitigated by the fact that Quito’s own news outlet does not help her Asian sympathy. CNN recently posted a story of PGA pro, Sim Woo Kim — with a picture of the wrong Asian-American golfer.