Pigeon In A Crosswalk

Pigeon in a Crosswalk: Tales of Anxiety and Accidental Glamour by Jack Gray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jack Gray is my favorite kind of crazy. Harmless (well, to others - mostly). Funny. In need of a good glass of wine.

While that combination turns up in just about every newsroom I've worked in, none of my friendly coworkers are Jack Gray. And that's not just because they don't have Anderson Cooper's number in their phones.

Jack's book is a nice combination of family tales and office happenings - the kind that make people think the news business is SO glamorous and exciting even though it's rarely one of those and almost never both.

If you've never worked in a newsroom, this book will make you think one of two things: I wish I had that job OR so that's where all the crazy people go when they're not sent to a nice, padded room. If you've worked in a newsroom (or know someone who has), you won't be surprised by the stories about some of the really big names Jack drops. You will not be surprised by the loose security at CNN. I mean, I'm sure it's not THAT easy to get into the building, but once you're in, what's stopping you from wandering into a studio to see Wolf Blitzer's beard up close (I think it holds some kind of magical powers).

Jack is an excellent storyteller. It's no wonder Anderson has kept him around. Unless Jack is like that guy from Office Space who was fired and keeps showing up for work and no one tells him he's been fired. And Jack, if you're reading this, please tell Anderson I love him. I know he doesn't get that enough.



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And here's the part where I embarrass myself by posting a recent text exchange with a photographer.

 

See? Harmless adoration. Apparently my photographer disagreed. He didn't pass on my message. :(