The Chronicle covers Laurence Simon -- the San Francisco Chronicle
blogHOUSTON favorite Laurence Simon is featured in a San Francisco Chronicle story about dead pools:
For hundreds of millions of religious followers around the world, last week's passing of Pope John Paul II was a time of intense mourning, prayer and introspection.
For a much smaller congregation playing Laurence Simon's online dead pool, it was worth 41 points. Plus there was a raffle for a Jesus-themed action figure.
"I'm not even going to try to link every player who scored on this one," Simon wrote on his deadpool.isfullofcrap.com blog, a few hours after the pope's death on April 2. "The official standings will be updated later today."
[snip]
While the pope's death was a watershed moment in the world of dead pools, 2005 may be remembered for the sum of its celebrity deaths, which have come faster than any year in recent memory. Prince Rainier and Saul Bellow died within four days of the pope, and perennial picks Arthur Miller, Hunter S. Thompson, Max Schmeling and Johnny Carson also passed earlier this year.
"It's been a pretty hectic year compared to other years," Simon said. "In 2003, people were calling it the live forever pool, because the ice didn't get broken on that one until David Brinkley died. It took all the way until June for the first score."
[snip]
"I don't get that many hate mails. I think people figure it's a waste of typing," Simon added. "What's it going to accomplish? It takes me one click of a key, and then it's gone, and I don't even think about it."
Dead Pool operators also say that most willing to play don't pull their punches when it comes to choosing benevolent, holy or otherwise beloved figures. Simon points out that the readership for his blog, based in Houston, leans heavily toward the right -- and there's still no shortage of people picking Rehnquist and heart attack-prone Vice President Dick Cheney.
[snip]
Simon points out that he didn't personally wish the pope dead, but has no apologies for his musings, which included the raffle of a "Buddy Christ" figure from the movie "Dogma." The winner was chosen by Simon's cat, with each participant's name written on a piece of paper and covered with a kitty treat.
"We live, we die," Simon said. "Might as well score points along the way."
(Full disclosure: I am a Dead Pool participant and I picked the pope. I also picked Prince Rainier.)
So, let's check the tally of media outlets that have covered Laurence: New York Times -- check; Time Magazine -- check, San Francisco Chronicle -- check; Houston Chronicle -- nothing. A big goose egg.
But Houston's Daily Information Source did manage to scrounge up a reporter to cover the Toby-the-Bunny-faux-crisis today. Those of us who read Laurence's site already knew about Toby the Bunny, since he posted on it weeks ago.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/13/05 10:29 AM | Print |
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