Star Tribune's Vita.mn: 'Can terrorism be funny?'

Star Tribune's Vita.mn: "Can terrorism be funny?"

By Kevin Hoffman Wed., Jan. 12 2011 at 7:04 AM

Casual passersby this week might have been startled by the cover of Vita.Mn, the weekly entertainment freebie from the Star Tribune.

The cover on newsstands across the Twin Cities today features a grenade and asks the provocative question: "Can terrorism be funny?"

In the wake of Jared Lee Loughner's shooting rampage in Arizona, the answer to that question is feeling like a profound, "No."

Perhaps this wasn't the best week to go with the grenade and the terrorism joke.

Keep in mind, this issue of Vita.Mn was published last Thursday, long before Loughner's sick crime was enacted.

It's just an unfortunate coincidence that the events of the day have given the cover a disturbing new resonance--sort of like how 9/11 made plots involving the World Trade Center suddenly and utterly irrelevant.

As an editor that stills puts out a weekly print edition, I can sympathize with how the frenetic events of the day can play havoc with the best laid plans.

Still, even before the weekend, the phrase "Can terrorism be funny?" was probably not the brightest of ideas.

Did anybody run this one by Nancy Barnes?

Luckily, a new issue hits the streets Thursday, and we're betting it won't feature a grenade or any jokes about terrorism.

What do you think about this unfortunate coincidence? Let us know in the comments.

Tags:

Can Terrorism Be Funny?, Jared Lee Loughner, Star Tribune, the perils of a weekly publishing schedule, Vita.Mn

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Matt

City Pages, you are on the verge of becoming as gossipy as 'Us Weekly'. You may as well start reporting on pregnant celebrities.

Ty Also

So is City Pages advocating for censorship here? The very reason I read so-called "alt-weeklys" is to find articles that don't promoto self-censorship and blind flag-waving patriotism. Sad

justacoolcat

As a reader of both publications I hearby challenge you both to face one another in a dance off.

pro non-biased writting

Citypages never tries to rip apart their competition. And the four articles about thrifty hipster last week and this article totally proves it.

Troy Eaves

This is really embarrassing for City Pages. Where is your journalistic integrity? #smh

Your Mom

http://www.vita.mn/tag_detail....

DudeBro

I know CP has gone off a cliff as of late, but really? Trying to capitalize on a tragedy like this? Disgusting. How do you sleep at night Mr. Hoffman? There certainly has to be more to life than getting page views, right?

I really hope someone at CP has enough sense to delete this post. It's easily as offensive as anything that anyone has said about the tragic events in Tucson.

Reggie

I hope this irresponsible swipe at your competition yielded a couple of those page views you so ravenously go after. Did you read the article? Do you know it's about a movie? Does City Pages have an ethical leg on which to stand (Re: Your article on "The Twin Cities Biggest Criminals (Mocking Homeless Drug Addicts by CP!)" That's not even getting into your using the AZ tragedy as a means to lash out at a competitor via making something out of nothing. Just gross.

Complete agreement. CP's only worth at this point is the events calendar, and they're just one of many players in that game, so I think this may be the final straw for me. Peace out, CP!

Did you even read the article? As an editor I would expect you to provide some context or attempt to give the whole picture. And I still believe the worst cover ever was one CP did incolving a puppy and a handgun.

Vita.MN is one of City Pages' main competitors, which makes this article just as tasteless as Vita.MN's cover.

DudeBro

I would venture to say this piece is far more tasteless than Vita.mn's. I read the cover story and it was a very thoughtful piece about a well-received if not somewhat controversial movie.

Shame on you City Pages. I know you don't have a soul any more since Hoffman took over, but this is still a low blow, even by your incredibly low standards.