tabloid hijinks

I just got off the phone with a former NYC reporter from the early ’70s, who was telling me a few racy tales from his days in the news business:

• While a group of students was getting a tour of the newsroom, an inebriated star columnist jumped up from where he was huddled at a desk. His blanket fell off, revealing his nakedness…
• A rival tabloid reporter would listen in on his phone conversations and steal his stories without doing any research. Finally he filed a totally fictional story, which made it into his rival’s paper…
• While working at one of the major TV networks, the newsroom staff hired a “black hooker” to hide under the anchor’s desk and give him a bj live on the air. The deal was, she had to get him off before the nightcast ended …

I can’t really vouch for any of this, but most of it is in line with other stories I’ve heard. Obviously, things are tamer now….