Reading Response #4

Kelsey Hyde
Lapoe
MC4095
11 May 2012
                         Rex Reed- LSU Journalism School Alumni Entertainment Critic and Author

Not only is he a witty, world-renowned entertainment critic and author, but Rex Reed is an alum of the Journalism school at Louisiana State University. His speech to the students and professors of the Manship school of Mass Communication on Friday, April 20 had a reoccurring theme of “Being true to yourself.” Reed encourages the audience to bring our own personality to our writing. A Hall of Famer at the Manship school, former editor of the Daily Reveille (where type writers were prevalent) and an ex-boyfriend of the Homecoming queen Elizabeth Ashley, Reed credits much of his success to LSU. Reed currently writes for the New York Observer. His journey to get to this dream career to write anything and not have it be critiqued or edited is a long one with wild experiences along the way. What is even crazier is how Reed got his foot in the door in New York to establish the start of his career.

It started with a trip to Europe where Reed toured the Alps in a red Volkswagen with a few friends. After running out of money and questioning how to get home, Reed spotted a sign for the Venice Film Festival. He blames it on the Southern pride and guts, but for some reason Reed had it in him to walk right up to Buster Keaton and his wife to ask them for an interview. One hour later, Reed found a broken Italian typewriter and typed out a story about Keaton on a few sheets of stolen stationery from the Festival. On a whim, he mailed it to two top newspapers in New York guessing their addresses. A check was sent to Reed in Venice with payment from the New York Times and the New York Magazine of Herald Tribune for his stories. Reed admitted that his stories may have been a little fabricated through the translation of a thick Italian accent, broken English and a broken Italian typewriter. He laughs about it now, “It is okay to be true to yourself because telling a little white lie never hurt anybody.”

I am not sure how serious professors at LSU want their students to take Reed’s advice, “Forget your AP Style Writing book. You will never get a job doing that!” However, how can an audience full of eager and naïve college students ignore Reed when he has sung with Judy Garland, has been painted by Andy Warhol, has gotten drunk with Betty Davis and has been insulted on stage by Frank Sinatra? The other half of the audience doubts these experiences because Reed started his career by stretching the truth, thus losing credibility. Over the course of history, many different mediums of the press have been criticized for not being objective in their writing. Alongside with truthfulness, objectivity is the most important characteristic that journalists have to stick to. I do not think that Sloan, the author of our textbook, would be very pleased with Reed for bragging about his professional start with ethical errors. From the Colonial Press when colonists tried to get others to join their colony to the Black Press today when African Americans will choose mainstream press over Black Press, objectivity has been compromised throughout history. Sloane did not once condone this journalistic behavior. No matter how Reed got his start, no one can deny that he is still to this day the only critic to have his movie review read aloud in both Houses of Congress. The piece was about the Vietnam War called “Hearts and Minds.” Reed has even been told that the movie received an Academy Award based on the review that he had written about it. Other major accomplishments for Reed include publishing nine books, writing a best seller and having the honor of being a guest on the Johnny Carson show. “I had ambitions,” said Reed.

The mood in the room changed when Reed continued on to compare the art of cinema and writing back then to now in today’s society. It is ironic that Reed admitted his great fear of what is going to happen to journalism in the future because he preached the entire time about “being fearless.” Reed shrugged off the question asking if he still conducts celebrity interviews today. After shaking his head, Reed said “Celebrity interviews are not the same. People are not interesting anymore and movies today are just lousy.” Even iconic artists like Lady Gaga do not appeal to Reed. The speech really took a turn when Reed chastised the students’ future workforce saying, “The art of conversation is gone already.”

As Reed finished his speech on this note, the audience had lots of questions for him. Students walked away with an array of emotions from inspired to disturbed. At least Rex Reed had only good things to say about LSU and the Manship school. Reed still credits LSU and Baton Rouge for his education, his ambitions and his fond memories throughout college.