Boston Globe buys Boston Journal, so each could be ‘Le Pits’

If anybody even seen the latest small information tales that Boston Journal had modified arms, their first thought probably was:

“Boston Journal? Is it actually nonetheless in enterprise? You gotta be kidding me, proper?”

The “journal,” or what little remained of it, was acquired by The Boston Globe, a “newspaper,” or what little stays of it.

Within the press launch, the trophy-wife proprietor of the Globe introduced that, “We really feel an immense duty to honor and protect Boston Journal’s legacy.”

Such somber pronouncements are often adopted with: “Visiting hours from 3-5 and 7-9.”

The proprietor of the failed journal, one David Lipson, was quoted as saying:

“The timing was good for us to make the sale.”

Absolutely he meant to say, the timing was good for us to drag the plug.

I’m going again a good distance with Boston Journal, to the times when it was an actual factor. The proprietor then was Herb Lipson, David’s father, who knew methods to run profitable magazines, even when he was a bit tough across the edges.

Herb had just one requirement for all his publications — hot-looking babes on the duvet each month, it doesn’t matter what the topic. Lipson instinctively understood that cheesecake moved product off the newsstands, again when there have been newsstands.

One of many early editors informed me how he as soon as introduced Herb a mock-up of the following month’s cowl, that includes the standard scantily-clad cupcake with a balcony you may do Shakespeare on.

The editor was very happy with his entrance web page. However Herb simply scowled and eventually threw the galley down on his desk.

“Don’t you perceive?” he yelled on the editor. “I don’t need intercourse on the duvet. I would like WET SEX on the duvet!”

These have been the times. The December problem ran near 400 pages. I wrote the month-to-month politics column. I used to be employed by an alumnus of the Nationwide Lampoon. My droll items would get talked about by George V. Higgins’ in his Lit’ry Life journal column within the Globe.

I believed I’d hit the large time, for $250 a month.

I even received a Nationwide Journal Award, again when media awards meant one thing apart from fealty to the Ministry of Fact.

The publishers’ affiliation handled us to an enormous luncheon on the Waldorf-Astoria. The precise award was a beyond-hideous trendy sculpture referred to as an “Ellie.”

For years, the grotesque trophy was prominently displayed within the foyer. It puzzled guests, and frightened youngsters.

If BoMag is remembered for something now, it’s for the “Better of Boston” awards. At first, they have been the “Finest and Worst of Boston.” For sure, it was the “worst” that made them such an entertaining learn each August.

We used to have a boozy dinner within the spring to settle scores and plot who would get what. I used to be there primarily for the “Worsts.” I bear in mind one suburban steakhouse, I feel it was referred to as “Le Bifteque” or one thing. As The Worst, it was dubbed “Le Pits.”

We had enjoyable with these awards. For instance, it appeared that half the outdated guys in Boston have been amassing shady pensions from Metropolis Corridor. Of their dotage, loads of these hacks have been writing foolish columns for crappy neighborhood newspapers.

So one yr I got here up with, “Finest and Worst Columnists Beneath Investigation by the Boston Retirement Board.”

You discovered quite a bit about human nature, engaged on these Finest and Worst Awards. Very first thing I discovered was, in case you ever prepare it for any person to get a “Finest” — or another good factor — don’t count on any thanks or gratitude.

The recipient invariably figures that it was God’s will that he must be acknowledged and get to hold that august honor within the entrance window of his awful advert company or greasy spoon.

The opposite factor I discovered is that when any person acquired a “Worst” award, they might go to the ends of the earth to establish who within the room had been chargeable for the hit, after which vow everlasting revenge.

The large downside for Herb, in fact, was that no recipients of a “worst” would ever purchase an advert within the journal. So the “Worst” half of “Finest and Worst” was eradicated. Nothing was by no means the identical. Even a Globe commenter talked about it final week on the message board.

On the finish, BoMag would run countless lists of varied “bests” and “tops” in each conceivable class. By a wierd coincidence, an enormous share of the winners had additionally purchased show adverts within the journal.

Did you learn final week concerning the lawyer in Windfall whose downtown workplace was raided by the FBI? He was slobberingly described within the Globe as the primary homosexual, former unlawful alien decide in Rhode Island. He wears loud bow ties and proudly shows a backstage picture taken in Vegas of himself with Jennifer Lopez. He lives together with his husband in a complicated suburb.

After the raid, I checked out his regulation agency’s website. This was the primary award he listed:

“Boston Journal Prime Legal professionals 2021 Immigration.”

Yeah, it figures. Completely.

Again within the day, I’d have nominated that man for considered one of our awards — Worst Homosexual Unlawful Alien Lawyer in Rhode Island in a Photograph End with a Grand Jury…

I suppose there’s some synergy, as they are saying, between BoMag — or ought to I name it “NoMag?” — and its new proprietor, the Globe.

To quote only one instance, each failing tracts worship Monica Cannon-Grant, the overweight racial arsonist who briefly — allegedly — labored her native BLM franchise into a multi-million-dollar grift, preying on trust-funded, menopausal suburban hausfraus.

The Globe named her a Bostonian of the Yr.