Randy Seaver — journalist and former PR pro — blogs about politics, media and his struggles with mental illness.
Author: Randy Seaver
Randy Seaver is a veteran journalist who has been covering news and politics in the city of Biddeford, Maine for nearly three decades. He may be contacted at randy@randyseaver.com
I did not know Curtis Robinson. He was only a few years older than me, but he was a notable, old-school journalist who got to hang around with my idol Hunter S. Thompson.
According to a recent feature story in the Aspen Daily News, Robinson was a journalist’s journalist: “dogged and irreverent kind of journalist — the type who wouldn’t take BS if it was served on a silver platter and knew a government meeting was good material if you could write about it with verve.”
Robinson’s sister lives in South Portland. Our condolences to his family and friends.
From the March 7 issue of the Biddeford Gazette | Reader levels charge of news bias, editor disagrees
By RANDY SEAVER, Editor
A former Biddeford resident who now lives in Ada, Mich., recently sent an email to the Biddeford Gazette complaining that we have been “unfair and biased” toward the University of New England.
In his March 6 email, Bernard Roy – a 1971 Biddeford High School graduate – expressed disappointment regarding the Gazette’s coverage of issues connected to UNE.
Roy also expressed outrage that the Gazette “ignored” a letter-to-the-editor he sent to us on Feb. 28, somehow missing the fact that his letter was actually published by the Biddeford Gazette three days later, on March 2, 2026. LETTER | City is Treating UNE Unfairly
The Gazette regularly and frequently publishes a high volume of news focused on the city of Biddeford. Thus, it is understandable how Roy could have missed seeing his letter published on our site.
The Gazette strongly encourages and promotes transparency and reader feedback regarding our coverage. Go here to submit your own letter
In the interests of transparency and full disclosure, the Gazette is sharing its unedited emailed response to Mr. Roy today, March 7.
“I would advise you to tread carefully before you accuse me and/or the Biddeford Gazette of any negative “bias” toward the University of New England.
1.) We did, in fact, publish your letter to the editor on Monday, March 2, which coincidentally was my birthday and a very busy news day. Here is the link to your piece in the Gazette: LETTER: City is treating UNE unfairly – BIDDEFORD GAZETTE
2.) I did feel compelled to attach an “editor’s note” to your submission. I know that you grew up in Biddeford and graduated from Biddeford High School (Class of 1971) so I was quite surprised that you would complain about how poorly your sister was treated by parking enforcement at Goose Rocks Beach. Most Biddeford folks know that Goose Rocks Beach is located in the town of Kennebunkport, not in the city of Biddeford. I also was left scratching my head, trying to figure how that particular incident has any bearing on the issue at hand . . .
There was a time when I had tremendous respect for former Portland Press Herald Reporter Ted Cohen.
But given some of his recent screeds as a contributing columnist for the Maine Wire, I am now forced to reevaluate my prior opinion of the veteran journalist who earned an enviable reputation as a hard-working, tenacious, boots-on-the-ground reporter.
In fact, I think I should be retroactively tested for rampant drug abuse that distorted both my judgment and world view.
As is common knowledge in Maine’s rather incestuous community of former and current journalists, the Press Herald gave Cohen the boot several years ago, following an internal argument regarding a scoop he uncovered about George W. Bush’s youthful indiscretions near the Bush family’s summer compound in Kennebunkport.
Ted Cohen’s Facebook profile. where he has a whopping 123 followers
Cohen wrote a book about it, and then promptly earned his CDL license — gave up typing and covering tedious town council meetings — all for the better working hours of being a commercial truck driver.
Now — nearly 30 years later — Cohen has seemingly rebounded and is today penning an occasional column for the Maine Wire, a digital publication that matches Cohen’s unapologetic style for making government officials and the beautiful people squeamish.
But Cohen — with every opportunity he gets — routinely floods Facebook and other social media outlets with rampant complaints about his former employer, the Press Herald, Maine’s largest daily newspaper.
Tainted Love | When journalistic envy raises its ugly head
Cohen – despite his vicious critiques — is not just somewhat obsessed with his former employer. It seems that he is also a bit fixated on yours truly.
Cohen and I were colleagues and competitors back in the mid-1990s, when I was then working for the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier.
Our offices were located about 75-feet apart on Main Street in Biddeford, until the Press Herald opted to shutter their regional Biddeford bureau several years ago.
Ted and I got along nicely. I looked up to him as a more experienced and wiser competitor. He sort-of took me under his wing and offered me lots of sage advice.
But that all came to a screeching halt about two years ago.
Examples of Cohen trolling my social media accounts are almost too numerous to count. (I suck at math as much as I suck at writing).
“You should just shut-the-fuck up on social media and go back to being a full-time journalist covering the city of Biddeford,” Cohen wrote. “Nobody really cares about that crap.”
He also described me last year as “a Facebook blogger,” revealing that he has a rather loose grasp on the subtle differences between posting on Facebook and blogging.
Somehow, Cohen missed the fact that I had launched the Biddeford Gazette — a non-profit, digital media outlet — several weeks prior to his latest rant about me and my lack of journalistic ethics.
But here’s something really strange.
Despite my lack of journalistic ethics and the amateur nature of my latest endeavor – Cohen saw fit to submit a guest column about the city of Biddeford . . . in the Biddeford Gazette — just a few months ago.
Cohen, apparently, is a regular reader and subscriber of the Gazette.
Cohen’s reporting about this so-called war lacked both cohesion and common sense, leaving several glaring omissions of fact and nearly zero context.
Any editors on duty? (A favorite Cohen quip about the Press Herald).
For all of his wailing and gnashing of teeth about journalistic integrity, Ted let his emotions trump his reporting. It’s okay. It happens to the best of us sometimes.
For example, Ted only mentions one side in this alleged “newspaper war.” Kinda the equivalent of saying, “Someone bombed Iran, but fuck the details.”
Apparently, Ted is too insecure to mention my name or the name of my publication.
A newspaper war in Biddeford? Oh my!
Cohen describes the Biddeford Buzz, a relatively new media upstart as “wildly popular” in the Maine Wire’s headline. In reading the unapologetic hit piece, it becomes clear that Cohen justifies “wildly popular” by the number of people who “follow” the Buzz on Facebook.
Disclosure: The Biddeford Buzz – only seven months old – has more than double the number of followers of the Biddeford Gazette (2.1k).
I cannot accurately reveal the number of people who follow the Biddeford Buzz. They have me blocked from seeing their Facebook page.
Using Cohen’s logic, does that mean that I am more than 16 times as friendly as Ted Cohen because I have nearly 2,200 Facebook friends compared to the 123 people who follow Cohen on Facebook, where he describes himself as a “digital creator?”
In his hit piece, Cohen makes no bones about the fact that he was unable to determine (or reveal) who exactly is behind the Biddeford Buzz — even though it is rather common knowledge in Biddeford.
If you visit the Biddeford Buzz website, you will note that they are trying really hard to be a lot like the Biddeford Gazette, though the bulk of their “content’ is reserved for their Facebook feed.
There are, however, a few key — perhaps nuanced — differences between the two digital publications.
The Gazette uses bylines and attribution in all of our stories;
The Gazette tries to steer clear of ‘cutting and pasting” press releases, and then passing them off as “news;”
I opined that the Biddeford Buzz serves a valuable role in my hometown, providing Biddeford people a viable alternative to the status quo of local journalism.
Apparently, I have enough reporter curiosity to ferret out who is actually behind the Buzz, another individual who really does not like me and trolls my social media accounts.
If Cohen bothered to actually visit Biddeford again, he could find Wolfe sitting in the front row at almost every city council meeting.
This could be fun
Both Cohen and Wolfe may be interested to know that I will soon — once again — be teaching my Introduction to Journalism class via the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Adult Education program. They be interested in a refresher course?
I still like Ted. I just don’t trust him.
Hey, Maine Wire – any editors on duty?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is a nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford, Maine. He is a veteran journalist and a jazz aficionado. He is also the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital media outlet that focuses on the city of Biddeford. Send your praise, angry comments or inquiries about journalistic ethics to randy@randyseaver.com
I got spanked hard today by a spokesperson in U.S. Senator Susan Collins’ Washinton, D.C. office.
Let’s just say that Phoebe Keller is no longer a big fan of Randy Seaver or his rag-a-muffin digital publication, the Biddeford Gazette.
Within less than five minutes after posting my exclusive story regarding Collins and the $3.5 million in federal funding that she helped secure for the University of New England, Keller picked up the phone and gave me a piece of her mind.
Specifically, Keller was clearly bullshit that I included the following sentence in my story:
Phoebe Keller, a spokesperson for Senator Collins, told the Gazette today that the senator’s office would be unable to provide any “on-the-record” comments regarding this story.
Keller thought my specific use of her words “on the record” were inflammatory and intended to paint a negative connotation of Maine’s senior senator.
Two things, in my defense:
Firstly, Keller’s off-the-cuff, poorly-thought-out comment only underscores the main point of the story: Collins’ office has been much less than cooperative in providing public information about the above-referenced federal grant.
Secondly, (and here’s a valuable tip for all PR folks) when talking to a reporter – especially via email – you should be very, very careful about the words you use.
This is the exact language from the email I received from Keller today at 12:02 p.m. | “We won’t be able to get you an on-record comment but on background would just note that Sen. King also submitted the CDS request and UNE is supportive, would encourage you to contact their president if you haven’t yet. Please let me know if we can be helpful on this moving forward.”
When talking to a reporter – especially via email – you should be very, very careful about the words you use.
I get why Keller is bullshit angry with me.
It’s quite likely that she is going to get her ass chapped later today by a senior staff member in Collin’s office, if not Collins herself.
It’s really not a good look for a U.S. Senator – even the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee — to repeatedly decline comment about a publicly funded grant.
Ms. Keller’s rage continued.
“I have been doing this for a decade,” she reminded me, saying she has never been treated so poorly by a reporter, especially a small-fry hack like yours truly.
Since Ms. Keller felt it necessary to compare dick sizes, I responded:
“Well, I have been doing this for three decades,” noting that her frothy rebuke was one of the more notable exchanges in my 30-year career as a reporter.
Keller left me with this rather dire warning: “It will be difficult for me to provide you with any background information in the future.”
What a blow! How will the Gazette move forward?
Do I look scared?
The late Neil Sedaka once sang that “breaking up is hard to do.”
Well now I know that it’s true.
Don’t expect to read any more juicy details from Collins in the Biddeford Gazette, a publication that is hyper-focused on the city of Biddeford.
I invited Ms. Keller to share her concerns in a letter to the editor. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that email.
UPDATE: Within 15 minutes of posting this story, I was again contacted by Phoebe Keller, politely asking if she could provide an update to the news story I published earlier today.
“Sen. Collins and Sen. King secured $3.5 million for the University of New England to construct a coastal research deployment facility to be located somewhere in Biddeford,’ Keller wrote. ”The senators do not determine the specific location of the project, which is set by the grantee in coordination with all relevant local and state authorities.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is a nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford, Maine. He is a veteran journalist and a jazz aficionado. He is also the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital media outlet that focuses on the city of Biddeford. Send your praise, angry comments or veiled threats to randy@randyseaver.com
Apparently, a lot of people have absolutely no clue
about the First Amendment or ‘free speech’
__________
It would appear that a lot of people did not pay attention during their seventh-grade Social Studies classes.
That’s okay, I slept through my English and math classes and look where I landed.
For more than three decades, I have made my living as professional writer, reporter, columnist, communications consultant and newspaper editor.
For better or worse, I am also one of four administrators on a community Facebook page — a volunteer gig that is the equivalent of poking at your eyes with the sharp end of a hot pencil.
If I had a nickel for every time someone threatened to sue me for libel, defamation or just really bad grammar, I would be living comfortably and sipping banana daiquiris in Boca Raton rather than shoveling tons of snow and walking my dogs in sub-freezing temperatures.
I am also – with increasing frequency — roundly criticized and accused of “censorship” by about a half-dozen or so malcontents – most of whom were banned from participating in the above-mentioned community Facebook group by yours truly.
Somehow, these rather insipid mental giants don’t understand the very basic role of being a community Facebook administrator or moderator.
The Facebook admins and moderators exist only to moderate and control whatever page we operate. That’s really it. We make sure that group members adhere to eight basic group rules and follow principles of basic human decency and community standards — all of which are clearly spelled out by the Facebook big wigs.
Facebook group admins are, in fact, supposed to censor comments that violate the community rules or Facebook standards.
I violated your First Amendment rights? Sue me.
For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth, I have yet to receive a single complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union for my egregious violations of the U.S. Constitution, most notably its First Amendment provision that discusses the concept of “free speech.”
And despite repeated threats of civil (and criminal) action, I have yet to receive a subpoena or a call from any of the big law firms like Joe Borenstein’s office.
My own attorney is bored and growing restless.
Free speech isn’t free
Before we proceed, let’s all pull out our copies of the U. S. Constitution and turn to the Bill of Rights, specifically the First Amendment, which reads as follows:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The First Amendment does not allow you to say or write whatever batshit idea that pops into your head in public places or on public forums — and it most certainly does not mean that you can force a privately operated media outlet to publish your non-sensical thoughts and opinions.
You’ll see that our founding fathers (some of them quite experienced in journalism) took great pains to specifically protect the press, giving it wide latitude to criticize the government and operate its publications – on its own terms and as it sees fit.
Now, let’s talk about what the First Amendment does do for every day Americans.
In a nutshell, the First Amendment limits what the government cannot do to you when it comes to free speech. It does NOT allow you to publicly demonstrate how big of a moron you are and how few active brain cells you possess.
Facebook can determine its own standards of community commentary. You cannot sue them for enforcing their own standards and or for removing speech that they determine as offensive.
Also, the New York Times, the Washington Post or the Biddeford Gazette are NOT legally required to print or publish your crazy-ass rants that were written at 2 a.m. while you were chugging gin & tonics and watching reruns of Celebrity Apprentice on cable television.
In fact, there can be serious consequences for certain types of speech, even here in the United States where we all have the freedom to put mayonnaise on our French Fries if we want to.
For example, you cannot yell “Fire” in a crowded movie theater. You cannot publicly threaten to harm the president or anyone else.
Even threatening to harm yourself comes with certain consequences. Just trust me on this one. I’ve been there. Done that. Got the tee-shirt.
Am I full of shit?
If you still don’t believe me or think I’m full of shit, try this as an experiment: Log onto Facebook and make some rude comments about your boss and your place of employment, specifically mentioning their names.
Later — when you get called into their office — simply tell them they must respect your First Amendment rights. Threaten to sue them when they fire your ass. That will leave them trembling in their shoes.
Maybe you don’t have a job, so here’s another experiment: Walk into your local Applebee’s restaurant and start telling other customers that the restaurant is likely serving rat poison and that your waitress is a cocaine-addicted prostitute and the bartender is certainly a pedophile, and probably named in the Epstein Files.
I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that the management team will not let you finish that platter or riblets – and that’s if you’re lucky.
You do not have the “right” to use Facebook or any of its pages. They can bounce you like a hot tamale whenever they choose.
You don’t pay for Facebook. You don’t control Facebook. In fact, you are the Facebook product, not the consumer.
Facebook gets its money from advertisers. Advertisers give Facebook money to get you and grab your attention.
I hope this is helpful. And if you want to sue me, my attorney is standing by and waiting to hear from you 24/7.
I hate to break it to you, but we all have to follow rules.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Randy Seaver is a nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford, Maine. He is a veteran journalist, a Constitutional scholar and jazz aficionado. He is also the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital media outlet that focuses on the city of Biddeford. Send your praise, angry comments or questions about French Fries or the First Amendment to randy@randyseaver.com
Exhibit 101: Why I regularly blog about my own mental illness and stigma
You may remember him from his classic role as Lewis Skolnik in the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. But what you probably didn’t know was that actor Robert Carradine battled with bipolar disease for nearly two decades.
Photo: Wiki Fandom
This week, Carradine, 71, died from suicide. It’s important to talk about this stuff. It’s important to break-down barriers.
It’s important to end stigma.
If you’re struggling, reach out. Get help. There are resources. You can learn more by visiting my blog and checking out some local resources.
You will be missed, Mr. Carradine. Rest In Peace.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is a nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford, Maine. He is a veteran journalist who has been annoying politicians, pundits and his peers since 1981, when he served as an unpaid student intern at the former Journal Tribune. He is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital media outlet that focuses on the city of Biddeford. Send your praise or angry comments to randy@randyseaver.com
Although I am no longer working as a political/PR consultant (Thank Christ), I still find the subject matter intriguing, especially when it’s literally taking place in my own back yard.
Today, I am pretty much consumed with running the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit media outlet hyper-focused on covering the city of Biddeford.
As part of our ongoing news coverage, the Gazette is beginning its coverage of this year’s various legislative and county races in the Biddeford area.
I am currently working on a preview piece about the race in State Senate District 32, which includes Biddeford and its surrounding communities of Arundel, Dayton, Hollis and Lyman.
The seat is currently held by Henry Ingwersen, a nice enough guy and a retired beekeeper from Arundel.
Ingwersen is today facing challenges from at least two lesser-known candidates, Jason Litalien, an unenrolled Biddeford attorney and political newcomer John Salamone, a Republican who recently moved to Hollis from Portland.
I personally know both Ingwersen and Litalien, and I will be writing much more as we continue the march toward the Nov. 2026 election, but today I’m focusing on the reportedly brash GOP candidate trying to make a splash in the sleepy hamlet of Hollis,
IngwersenLitalienSalamone
According to his social media accounts, Salamone is a “digital creator,” just like thousands of 16-year-olds on Tik-Tok.
His campaign website is fairly standard: it’s clean, easy to navigate and provides detailed information about the candidate’s policy concerns. But there is one rather glaring, missing piece of information: There is no contact information. Zip. Zero. Nada. Zilch.
Do digital creators just communicate via telepathy?
If you’re a candidate for public office, don’t you want the media — and voters — to be able to contact you?
Look, let’s get real. I’m an old-school hack born on the cusp between Boomer and Gen. X.
My own websites — this blog and the Biddeford Gazette’s landing page — are both rather perfunctory and pedestrian– not a lot of pizazz. Web site design is not my forte, but I do know enough to have a visible “Contact” link.
Call me old school, but most people still enjoy using email, telephones and text messaging.
Finally, on a somewhat unrelated note, who is advising this guy? His campaign photo shows him scowling and not looking at the camera (translated: not looking at potential supporters) He comes across as an angry millennial about to kill the neighbor’s dog.
Like I said at the top, my days as a campaign consultant (an 82.3% win ratio) are behind me. So, what do I know?
Good luck to Mr. Salamone, but maybe you should try cracking a smile and don’t make it so difficult for us pesky journalists to contact you.
_______________________
Randy Seaver is a nearly insufferable malcontent living in Biddeford, Maine. He is a veteran journalist who has been annoying politicians, pundits and his peers since 1981, when he served as an unpaid student intern at the former Journal Tribune. He is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital media outlet that focuses on the city of Biddeford. Send your praise or angry comments to randy@randyseaver.com
Dammit! Feeling devastated. I just learned (via social media) that my best friend in Oregon, Tim “Nooner” has died.
This one really hurts
It was the early 1990s. I lived alone in Portland, and often felt isolated, nearly 3,000 miles away from my family and friends.
Tim and I were co-workers, he was a semi-reformed hippie with a hearty laugh and a wide smile. He had an awesome sense of humor and was a skilled woodworker, originally from Eugene, Ore.
He was a few years older than me but took me under his wing and befriended me almost from the first moment I arrived as a transplant from Nashville, Tenn.
The first thing he said to me was, “you don’t talk like a southerner”
I told him I was originally from Maine. He lit up. “That’s fantastic!” and then gave me a bear hug.
He introduced me to The Acropolis, a local steakhouse that was also a . . . (If you’re from Portland, you know where I’m going with this.) I was blown away. It became a favorite haunt.
Tim and I would passionately argue about politics. He was pretty far left and struggled with my Libertarian perspectives, but man we had a good time.
_______________
“You can’t go through
life broke and bald.”
__________________
He accompanied me as I explored Oregon’s coast during long weekends. I fell in love with Cannon Beach and Lincoln City. It always felt so weird to see the sun set on the ocean. It took me a while to get used to that.
It was during my time living in Oregon that I wrote my first novel (self-published). The Upper Deck Dreams. Tim read an early draft and said he found it fascinating and troubling.
“You need to lighten up,” he laughed. “We need to get you laid.”
A little more than a year after I arrived in Oregon, Tim was helping me pack. “You need to go home,” he said. “Keep writing and do your best to make more money at it.” You can’t spend the rest of your life broke and bald.”
Fuck. I miss you Tim a.k.a Nooner. Give the angels hell, my friend.
P.S. I’m still bald and broke, but having lots of fun
So, it should come as no surprise that I woke up at 3:30 a.m. yesterday with the idea that I should make a Top 12 list of my favorite journalists – people who have inspired me, people I have worked with and even people I have worked for.
It was originally going to be a Top 10 list, but I could think of no-one on this list who should be eliminated as a finalist.
______________________
12.) Marian McCue, The Forecaster
(Portland Press Herald photo)
Marian McCue was inducted into the Maine Press Association (MPA) Hall of Fame in 2019
According to a story published in the Portland Press Herald, McCue purchased the former Falmouth Forecaster in 1990 at a time when it was published every two weeks and mailed to residents.
The MPA reportedly described McCue’s tenacious commitment to journalism as “great foresight and a singular journalistic duty, into what would become arguably ‘the’ community newspaper of record for the greater Portland area.”
I have long admired Marian’s work ethic and her commitment to the very best principles of true community journalism.
____________________
11.) Liz Gotthelf, Saco Bay News
(Saco Bay News photo)
When it comes to community journalism, few do it better than my friend Liz Gotthelf, who launched Saco Bay News – a digital media outlet – in 2020, shortly after the daily Journal Tribune forever closed its doors.
A former Tribune reporter, Liz is dedicated to the community where she lives and works. She built Saco Bay News on nothing more than an idea and a desire to keep covering the communities of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach.
Liz is a scrappy journalist with a HUGE heart. Her care and commitment to journalism shines through in everything she writes. Liz was knocked to the ground in August 2024 when her husband died suddenly and unexpectedly. She took just a few days off, and then – despite near overwhelming grief – jumped back in the saddle, covering community news and events. How do you spell integrity?
I am lucky to call Liz a friend, and I was proud to work with her for a little more than two years as one of her contributing writers.
___________________
10.) Chris Busby, The Bollard
(Bangor Daily News photo)
The Portland-based weekly The Bollard is one of my favorite newspapers. Busby is one of those people who has likely forgotten more about journalism than I will ever learn.
More than 20 years ago, Busby began building the Bollard with his own blood, sweat and tears. The paper reeks with journalistic integrity and offers a no-holds-barred approach to covering local and state government. The Bollard is also where I get my regular fix of Al Diamon’s Politics and Other Mistakes column and Liz Peavey’s weekly column.
The really good news? The Bollard is available online and its print version is available for free throughout southern Maine. I pickup the Bollard at the Hannaford grocery store in Biddeford.
______________________
9.) Barbara Walters, ABC News
ABC News Photo
Barbara was a true journalism pioneer. She broke the proverbial glass ceiling that held back so many women in the news business, especially in the realm of televised newscasts.
Her legendary career, which started in 1951 at an NBC affiliate station in New York, earned her numerous accolades and awards, often described as one of the most trusted, and dogged reporters of the 20th Century.
Of course, Walters is best known today for her time as a producer and reporter of NBC’s Today Show and then later becoming the first female co-anchor of a network evening news show with Harry Reasoner on the ABC Evening News.
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8.) David Flood, Mainely Newspapers
BCHC Photo
David and Carolyn Flood launched the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier in 1989. They immersed themselves in the community and quickly became a fierce and reputable source of competition to their much larger, daily counterparts, the Journal Tribune and the Portland Press Herald.
Their hard work and commitment to community news paid off. The company expanded into a group of weekly newspapers that included the Scarborough Leader, South Portland Sentry and the Kennebunk Post among others.
David’s business model of not charging for subscriptions proved effective. But David cared more about Biddeford than just becoming the paper of record. He was the principal founder of the Heart of Biddeford.
He was always bullish about the city, especially its downtown area. After selling his publications, he was elected to the Biddeford City Council. Two years ago, he was inducted in the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center’s Hall of Fame. He also served briefly as president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce.
David hired me as a reporter in 1998. He then later promoted me to become the Courier’s editor and then later I became managing editor of all his publications.
I drove David nuts. I gave him plenty of reasons to fire me, but he didn’t. In fact, he gave me a rather long leash, and I think he valued my intense work ethic and my fierce sense of newspaper competition.
I often joke that the Biddeford Gazette is my baby. If that’s true then David and Carolyn Flood are the Gazette’s grandparents.
It is well-written, often long-winded (a man after my own heart) but always informative, balanced and not afraid of controversy. As an opinion columnist, Jacoby admittedly leans a bit to the political right, which must make him wildly popular with the men and women who work in the Globe’s newsroom.
Don’t get me wrong. Jacoby may lean just a bit to the right, but his analysis is often scorching and always thought-provoking, but always fair and balanced.
I love Jacoby’s column, and that’s reason enough for him to be on this list.
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6.) Jack Beaudoin, Journal Tribune
JackBeaudoi.com photo
If you ask people who have lived in Biddeford a long time about who they think was the city’s best reporter, Beaudoin’s name invariably rises to the top.
Jack, a Biddeford native, earned his reputation as an outstanding reporter. He was usually the smartest guy in the room but never acted like it. In fact, he is one of the most self-effacing people I have ever met.
Jack is also the former publisher of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. Today, he lives in Stonington and describes himself as an “ink-stained wretch.”
I think it was 2001 when Kelley and I first met. She had been assigned to cover Biddeford back when the Press Herald had a bureau office on Main Street in Biddeford.
I am lucky to know Kelley as a friend, despite the fact that we were fierce competitors back in the day, when MERC was still burning garbage downtown and dinosaurs could be seen stumbling down Lincoln Street.
Kelley was tough as nails. She never accepted the proverbial talking point memos. She asked hard questions, but she was fair and thorough. Today, she still holds my feet to the fire, often questioning the motives of some of my political posts on social media. I really miss working alongside Kelley. Those days are some of my favorite memories.
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4.) Harry Foote, American Journal
Press Herald photo
If you’re a journalist over the age of 40 in Maine, it is more than likely that you once worked for Harry Foote, the late founder and publisher of the weekly American Journal, then based in Westbrook.
Harry — always grinning but unrelenting in his push for perfection and “real news,” — probably taught more journalists than the Columbia School of Journalism.
I learned so much from Harry. He was a legend and a force to be reckoned with, just ask former mayors and city councilors from Westbrook.
Harry died in 2012 at the age of 96. In 1990, he received the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year award. In 1999, he was inducted into the Maine Press Association’s Hall of Fame.
I really miss Harry, the chaos of his newsroom, his collection of pencils and the apron he would wear around his waist. I’m one of the lucky ones. I got to work for Harry Foote.
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3.) Mike Wallace, CBS News/ 60 Minutes
Wikipedia photo
It is a well-known fact that journalists in the United States are required by law to pay silent homage and tribute to Mike Wallace before writing or producing every news story.
Wallace is considered a deity by so many of his peers in the world of journalism. He was one of the original four members of the magazine-style television news program, 60 Minutes. He was the definition of investigative journalism. He was loathed by President Richard Nixon.
Why is he on this list? Because he is Mike Wallace, and I am legally required to describe him as one of the greatest journalists of all time.
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2.) Carl Bernstein, Washington Post
Wikipedia photo
Although never as well-known or revered as his Watergate counterpart — Bob Woodward – Carl is a man after my own heart.
He never graduated from college, but he was a brilliant and remarkable reporter. It is rumored that he lied in order to get hired by the Washington Post when he was still in high school. His peers often described him as a manic and tenacious workaholic.
Many people believe that without Bernstein’s rabid and aggressive style of reporting, the Watergate scandal may have never been brought to light. I was 10 years old when Nixon became the first president to resign from office in August 1974. I was glued to the television coverage. It was then that I knew I wanted to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein.
Quite simply, the late Hunter S. Thompson is my hero, my idol and all sorts of other things. He is the founder and creator of Gonzo-style journalism.
He broke all the rules of traditional journalism. A heavy drinker and smoker, he also experimented with drugs, including hallucinogens. He was a prominent leader of the counter-cultural movement that swept across America during the late 1960s and the early 1970s.
His landmark book — Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas — was well received and required reading for rebellious teenagers who wanted nothing more than to piss off their parents.
Hunter’s career started back in the days when people like Jack Kerouac and Alan Ginsberg were gaining traction in literary circles, creating what became the Beat Generation and a legion of self-described “beatniks” who desperately wanted to follow in their footsteps.
Thompson was simultaneously brilliant and self-destructive. He didn’t take criticism well, unless it was from someone he respected and also loathed like Truman Capote.
I really believe that I was born 30 years too late, I like to think that maybe Hunter and I would be friends. We both served in the U.S. Air Force.
Perhaps no writer influenced me more than Thompson. I tried to use a Gonzo-style approach when writing my weekly All Along the Watchtower column for the Courier.
My sincere apologies to all my friends who I could not fit on this list. I really do respect your work, and I do – unlike Chris Busby – care about how other journalists perceive my work.
I had a lot of fun writing this. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
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Randy Seaver is a hack journalist living in Biddeford. He is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette, a non-profit digital news publication that focuses on the city of Biddeford.
Randy has been annoying other journalists and editors since 1981 when he did a brief stint as an unpaid student intern at the former Journal Tribune, a daily newspaper based in Biddeford.
To say that I was less than impressed with many of the ads featured during Sunday’s Superbowl matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots would be a gross understatement.
But there was one ad that stuck out as especially insipid, defying common sense and serving only to bolster one of our nation’s biggest challenges.
No, I’m not talking about polar bears discovering that they actually prefer Pepsi over Coke.
I’m talking about a rambling 30-second public service announcement that was brought to us by none other than the NFL.
The You Are Special ad was unapologetically lifted right from the lips of the Mr. Rogers’ television show and featured Michael Strahan and Christian McCaffrey singing the silly song and deluding the minds of millions of American children.
Let’s stick with the good Superbowl commercials (Photo: Washington Times)
Although intended to be a warm and fuzzy reminder that we should always promote “unity and community,” the ad supports the feel-good notion from the NFL’s Inspire Change Program that “everyone is special.”
The irony of people — who make millions and millions of dollars by throwing and catching a leather ball — telling the rest of us that “we’re all special” is almost too much for my diseased brain to handle. I honestly thought I was going to have a stroke.
According to my leather-bound dictionary from Brown University, the word “special” is defined as follows: “distinguished by some unusual quality.”
Unusual quality. Think about that for a moment.
If we’re all special – as the NFL tells us – then none of us are special. You simply cannot be special if there is nothing unusual about you, nothing that sets you apart from the masses.
And that’s okay. Pull the shotgun out of your mouth. The world needs average, ordinary people like you and me.
We have a whole generation of entitled brats each believing that they are special simply because they have mastered the art of inhaling and exhaling.
Let me put this another way.
I made a point of mentioning that my dictionary is from Brown University. No, I didn’t attend or graduate from Brown. In fact, I dropped out of both the University of Southern Maine and Boston University in less than 90 days.
I doubled-down on my academic accomplishments by then enrolling in and also quickly dropping out of the Sacred Heart School of Theology in Wisconsin.
Bown University is special, especially when compared to a school like USM. People are willing to pay a lot more to attend Brown than USM. Both schools are not equal.
In fact, I’m almost positive that the University of Southern Maine doesn’t publish its own leather-bound dictionary with gold-leaf pages. Maybe they have something available online. I don’t know.
Let me be perfectly clear. There is nothing wrong with the University of Southern Maine. I wish I had graduated from USM. I really regret never getting an undergraduate degree.
A lot of very good and smart people graduated from USM. But I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts that most of those students would have gladly accepted a transfer to Brown, Bowdoin, Dartmouth or Harvard.
There is special. And there is ordinary. We should all learn the difference.
As I said, the world needs ordinary people; people who aspire to do special things. Doing something special requires hard work, commitment and practice.
Ordinary people can – and often – do special, extraordinary things. But we’re not all special. Special is not a birthright. It’s something you have to work for.
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LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY | OUTLAW JOURNALIST 