Hell Freezes Over, LA Times-Style (UPDATED)

As many of you know, there has been a huge outcry over the graceless firing of much beloved LA Times columnist, Al Martinez. “You’ll be taking the buyout,” is how his boss put it to the Pulitzer winner with 35 years at the paper.

When word of Al’s dismissal became public, emails and letters poured in. Calls were made. Subscriptions were canceled. LA Observed posted updates (here and here and here. and here.)

The Topanga community, where Al lives (as do I), had a concerted email campaign coordinated by the Topanga Democratic Club—(complete with frequent emailed progress reports by local organizing whizes, Gary and Michelle Johnson.)

But, it looked for a while as if all that the flood of What-Are-You-Fools-Thinking?? calls, emails and letters had accomplished is to get Al a nice See Ya, Chump! lunch with editor Jim O’Shea—like lunches matter a damn to anybody.

Al’s good-by column ran Friday. It hinted that he might be an occasional contributor, but we know how that goes. Most ankled Times folks contribute again…never. Take Robert Sheer, the last ouster that created a loud and extended public outcry. His extremely popular column never got near a Tribune-owned publication again. (Trying saying “Bad Blood” fast ten times in row, and you’ll have a good picture as to how the situation was left between Sheer and the paper.)

One could only assume that the same would be true for the wonderful, Pulitzer-winning Al.

And then the email came today.

IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!

First there was this hopeful report in yesterday’s business section.

And this morning the email from Al himself.

You guys have achieved something rare, which is the
reversal of a decision by a major newspaper. They
have asked for the return of my column once a week,
possibly in op ed. If they come up with the right
deal in the right place, I shall return, to quote a
guy once kicked off an island. Thanks for letting
the Times know that we’re all tired of their bad
decisions. We’ll see what happens now.

P.S.: They have received thousands of emails, not 300. I have
received 1,500 so far. The email boxes of
readers.rep, publisher david hiller and jim o’shea
are so full they won’t accept anymore emails. but
keep up the pressure. it’s good for them to know.
And you have my gratitude.

P.S.: Note that my email address is now almtz13@aol.com.

Al

By the way, my favorite of all the flood of pro-Al letters and emails was this one by prize-winning LA novelist, former LA Times book reviewer and ex-but-long-time Topangan, Carolyn See, a woman able to raise chatty crankiness to a high art.

So I hear you guys forced out Al Martinez. Good going! Too bad Jack Smith, Matt Weinstock and Art Seidenbaum aren’t alive so you can fire them too.

Why don’t you just cut to the chase, close down the paper and go back to
Chicago where you can get back to slaughtering hogs and drinking bad scotch
or whatever it is you do there?

Carolyn See

Sometimes the good guys win. Let’s savor it while we’ve got it.

UPDATE – Kevin Roderick over at LA Observed has a good analysis of what the Times is doing wrong in its hysterical scramble for younger readers—the offing of Al Martinez being an emblematic example of the lousy, short-term thinking that seems to be carrying the day at our local newspaper with, frankly, disastrous effects.