Stop the electronic presses: There’s a truly interesting presidential campaign headline today, from the Tampa Bay Times of St. Petersburg, Fla.
Wow. John Edwards, for one, would most certainly approve.
I understand what Ann Romney means when she says her job is to “unzip” her husband (those are, in fact, her own words). But an editor also has to know what kind of snickers a headline like that can get from readers.
But hey, perhaps that’s intentional. A headline like this can certainly help a story go viral.
Thanks to my speedy anonymous tipster for zipping me a message this morning.
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Previous howlers for that sixth-grader in us all…
July 5: Associated Press – Keep your headline away from my junk, please
May 31: Unknown newspaper – A headline too dirty even for Charles Apple? Not possible.
May 18: Coon Rapids, Iowa, Enterprise – We never had cheerleaders like this when I was in school.
May 11: Seattle Times – How on Earth could anyone write a headline like this unintentionally?
May 4: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – Someone probably did, once they realized the word they had accidentally hidden in the headline.
April 20: Tampa Tribune – That’s one naughty-looking sandwich.
April 6: NBA.com – Yet another word to stay away from in a headline.
April 5: Mouse Works books – Nothing but natural ingredients for this bear cook.
April 2: MSN Now - Is this headline for real? I’m afraid it is. And it’s intentional.
March 20: Canada’s Wildrose Party - The wheels on the campaign bus go ’round and ’round…
Feb. 27: Weld for Birmingham – There’s no way this headline wasn’t intentional.—
2011
Dec. 7: Waitrose Weekend – “The most accidentally pornographic pile of newspapers ever seen.”
Dec. 3: Washington Examiner – Stop using this word as a verb!
Nov. 15: The Manila Mail – Double word score!
Nov. 13: MSNBC – Regardless, it still sounds painful.
Sept. 19: CBS Local Media – What goes on in Minneapolis stays in Minneapolis.
Sept. 9: Cincinnati.com – Does the president know about this?
Sept. 7: D.C. Express – Way too much information, guys.
Aug. 26: Portland Oregonian – This headline should have been avoided.
July 6: USA Today – No wonder the sun’s so hot!
Feb. 3: Gloucestershire (U.K.) Echo – What’s special about girls’ schools?—
2010
Aug. 30: Skyway Drive-In – Vampires suck who?
Aug. 10: New York Times – The late, great trouser snake.
