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 launched Parke’s career in journalism. He paid me back in spades, launching my career in public relations. It was really nice to start making decent money
Send Lawyers, Guns & Money…
God smiled upon me, and I was able to cap off my much-ballyhooed, mini vacation in the best way possible last night, spending time with my good friend Parke Burmeister.
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Parke and I have known each other since 2003, and he reminded me last night about how we met.
Parke had graduated from Colby College but was killing time, working in construction with dreams of someday being a reporter.
He had tons of enthusiasm but zero experience.
He went to the Press Herald. No dice.
He drove up to the Lewiston Sun Journal. Another rejection.
He was living in OOB, and –undeterred, still chock full of naive enthusiasm — stopped by the offices of the weekly Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier on a Tuesday afternoon.
At that time, I was the managing editor of the Courier and three other weekly publications owned by Mainely Newspapers, Inc., then owned by David and Carolyn Flood .
What Parke did not know — and what most people did not know — is that Tuesdays were the Courier’s weekly deadline day.
That said, what most people — within 100-mile radius of Biddeford — especially our editorial staff — did know and accept was this:
You don’t fuck around with Randy Seaver on Tuesdays.
Laura and our kids embraced that reality.
I already had a reputation for being grumpy, short-tempered, impatient, brash, arrogant and opinionated.
Just your run-of-the-mill news editor, stressed to the max under a looming deadline and fueled by 36 gallons of coffee and at least two packs of Camel non-filters (I have since quit smoking).
The news staff called me “Chief.” I was a demanding, overbearing perfectionist prick (as it should be in a newsroom)
I made novice reporters cry and more experienced staffers angry and resentful.
I expected everyone around me to also work no less than 140 hours per week.
The news staff called me “Chief.” I was a demanding, overbearing perfectionist prick (as it should be in a newsroom)
So when I was called from my office to the lobby, I was predisposed to being a self-righteous asshole, full of sound and fury.
But I saw something in Parke. Something that intrigued me.
I also thought of all the editors who made me cry when I was a rookie; men like Bob Melville and Harry Foote, both of whom gave me a shot and just a sliver of encouragement.
I don’t remember all the details, but Parke does.
Here’s what I allegedly said in a terse and unforgiving manner:
“Okay,” I huffed. “Here’s the deal. There is a school board meeting in Old Orchard Beach tonight.
“Go there and write a 450-word summary. I’ll publish it and give you a byline as Staff Intern.
“That way, the next time you bother an editor on deadline, at least you’ll have something to show them.”
According to Parke, I then turned away with a huff and retreated to my office.
And that was how it started with me and Parke.
I launched his career in journalism. A few short years later, he played a huge role in launching my career as a political/policy consultant at Barton & Gingold.
Parke fixed my toilet. Laura and I traveled to Cape Cod for his wedding.
RIDING THE MERRY-GO-ROUND | Parke with my wife, Laura, in Old Orchard Beach, Summer, 2005
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I have had the distinct honor and privilege of watching Parke’s growth and success for nearly 25 years.
Today, Parke owns and operates a boutique law firm in Portland. He is raising two funny, beautiful and smart daughters.
These are the kind of friends you want.
These are the kind of friends you need.
When friends like this call, you drop everything.
LAST MEN STANDING from Barton & Gingold, a highly regarded public policy consulting firm that was sold and dismantled in 2016. (Left to Right) Tobey Williamson, Parke Burmeister and me after breaking my arm at Moosehead.
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I am so fucking lucky because I have a small handful of other people in this same category.
We had so much fun last night. So many laughs. These are the moments that matter
An aging news editor still enjoys writing about the young punks who are now taking over his hometown of Biddeford
It’s really very cool being the editor of a community newspaper in a small town like Amity, Mass. – – oops . . . strike that . . . Amity (which means friendship) was a fictional town in the 1975 blockbuster Jaws.
I am not Harry Meadows, the fictional editor of the fictional newspaper — the Amity Gazette — in the fictional town of Amity, Mass.
I am Randy Seaver, the editor of the Biddeford Gazette, the community news organization that covers the city of Biddeford, a city that just feels fictional sometimes.
I must admit, I often channel the overweight, impatient and ass kissing Harry Meadows, a journalist who often blurred the lines between news and opinion and had his head permanently stuck up Mayor Larry Vaughan’s ass.
“Come on guys, I need a picture for the paper . . . stand together. Come on, I need a picture for the paper.”
Newspaper Editor Harry Meadows (far right) listens as Mayor Larry Vaughn (center) schools Amity Police Chief Martin Brody about the inherent perils of these “local waters.” Photo | Jaws Wiki Fan page
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a Jaws superfreak fan, and yes – that is why I named my own media outlet the Biddeford Gazette, inspired by the Amity Gazette.
But I digress, like I often do – especially when I forget to take my meds.
I first met Ryan more than a decade ago, when he was nothing more than a snot-nosed, young punk looking for votes and name recognition.
Today, not much has changed.
20162026
Fecteau is still a snot-nosed young punk looking for votes and name recognition, and I am still an overweight, grumpy news editor.
(Relax. This is satire)
On a more serious note, I have been impressed by Fecteau’s meteoric rise in Biddeford’s political circles.
Although Fecteau and I sometimes disagree on specific policy issues and initiatives, there are a few reasons I really and honestly like him.
He’s smart. He’s funny. He is passionate and hardworking.
But the main reason I like Ryan is because we are kindred spirits. We both care passionately – to our core – about the city of Biddeford and its people.
“ . . .Fecteau began what will probably be a long and notable political career by actually winning an election as one of five people elected to serve as a commissioner on the city’s charter review commission.
“The charter commission is not much more than a group of dorks who want to sit around and debate whether the city’s bylaws should include more semicolons.
“There were seven slots available and only five candidates on the ballot, so it’s not like Fecteau proved himself to be a tactical genius.
“But you still have to respect a kid who is willing to tinker with the city’s charter when most young men his age are doing more important things like getting laid or drinking beer.”
What I wrote about Fecteau almost a decade later (2024)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is still an overweight, grumpy and bald news editor living in the not-so fictional city of Biddeford, Maine. To this day, he is terrified of swimming in the ocean. Send him your news and dieting tips by email | randy@randyseaver.com
I just learned from a reading a story in Saco Bay News that Bill Johnson – a former mayor and city councilor — recently passed away at the age of 92.
This news leaves a hole. I regret losing touch will Bill.
He was such a kind and wise man, and he always offered sage and measured advice. I first met him almost 30 years ago after he had just been elected to transition from serving as a Ward One councilor to becoming the city’s mayor in 1997.
He was a new mayor, and I was a new reporter in Saco, despite having grown up in that city.
Bill Johnson | City of Saco photoBill and Mary Johnson | Sweetser photo
Bill took me under his wing and offered me advice with his warm grin and elder-statesmen sense of discipline. He was always quick to smile and had a deep laugh.
He said he was happy to be working with a reporter who had a long and personal connection to the city.
We reporters are trained to not become personally connected to the government officials they cover, but I could not help myself.
Bill was just so decent, kind and patient — a perfect grandfather of sorts. He leaves behind a legacy of public service, a love for his community and a reputation for hard work and dedication to his family.
Bill was one of a kind; a man equally comfortable in a suit and tie at some government function; or wearing a flannel shirt and wandering Saco’s northwestern rural and pastoral neighborhoods.
Bill was just so decent, kind and patient — a perfect grandfather of sorts
The late 1990s were not the best of times for Saco. There was plenty of political tension, and Bill’s job as mayor was anything but easy.
The city was still rebounding from serious and consequential financial difficulties, but Bill was the right leader at the right time. He was quiet, measured and thoughtful. He never spoke an unkind word about anyone.
Bill Johnson will be missed . . . by me and by everyone who ever had the good fortune to cross paths with him.
Godspeed, Mr. Mayor.
May you eternally rest in peace, Bill and may your memory never be forgotten, especially in the city you loved.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Randy Seaver is the editor of the Biddeford Gazette. He also was a reporter who covered the city of Saco from 1997 to 2006 for the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier and as a freelance reporter for Saco Bay News from 2023 to 2024.
NOTE: Some photos in this story were used without expressed permission. Those photos are attributed to their original source, but may be removed, if necessary.
DISCLOSUSURE | Randy Seaver’s stepsister, Jodi MacPhail, currently serves as mayor of Saco.
There is an old saying in journalism that you should never bury the Lede (lead). You should always say the most important stuff at the top.
I have broken that rule time and time again, most notably — and regretfully — when it comes to my communication with you. I hope someday that you will forgive me, but maybe I need to forgive myself first.
No matter what. No matter what happens in the future, No matter what you do, say or accomplish, there is just one universal truth: I LOVE YOU and I am so fucking proud of you.
That’s the lead, Marlee. That’s what it’s important. That’s what I most want you to know. That’s what I should have said so many times before today.
My youngest kid | Marlee Kidman
For reasons I cannot explain, I suddenly bolted wide awake in the pre-dawn hours of the new day. I had an epiphany, and it was all about you . . . and your brother.
Look, I don’t necessarily agree with every decision you have made, but I am so proud of your courage. I admire your strength and resolve to live your life as your true, authentic self.
You are one of the smartest people I have ever met. You are incredibly creative, and you have a knack for making me laugh with your jokes and your quick wit.
You are braver and more determined than I could ever imagine when I was your age.
Your work ethic is admirable, and the way you treat your friends demonstrates your true nature as a kind, loyal and generous person.
But none of that matters as much as this, Marlee | I love you. I will ALWAYS love you, and I am proud of you without any condition or expectation.
My love for you is a choice. A choice I make freely. I don’t need you to like me or forgive me. I just choose to love you. It’s just that simple.
I know that I have disappointed you. I know that I have hurt you — but I hope you know that it was never my intent. I wear those mistakes around my neck like chunks of Kryptonite. I desperately pray that God will forgive me
I am flawed, and I am working to be better. I believe that most people I know are in the same boat. But that fact does not excuse some of my reckless words and actions.
My love for you is a choice. A choice I make freely. I don’t need you to like me or forgive me. I just choose to love you. It’s just that simple.
As I begin my 62nd trek around the sun, I can assure you that the most satisfying and rewarding accomplishment in my life is the fact that there are two decent, kind, funny, hardworking people traveling the Earth — and they both call me Dad.
That is the most awesome title I have ever held, and I apologize for every one of my failures as a parent.
Let me say it again for the cheap seats: I love you, and I am proud of you.
Forgive me for burying the lead, and I pray that you can receive this note as I intended.
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 . . .
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.
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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.
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“You can’t go through
life broke and bald.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
LESSONS IN MEDIOCRITY | OUTLAW JOURNALIST 