I’m the guy who taught Jeff Gannon everything he knows about journalism. Okay maybe not everything.  I’m still not clear on (sorry all hyperlinks on this one freak me out) his evident self-description of “Position: Top.” Except that I now gather that it has endangered the nuptial bonds of Julia and Brad.  But I suppose I bear some responsibility for having lectured at the two-day journalism seminar Gannon attended.

            Just when it seemed like the Gannon/Guckert story was about to fade away for lack of interest (something slightly less than the interest in “Topic A with Tina Brown”), along comes the new Vanity Fair to re-energize the matter when Gannon himself couldn’t even pull an invite to the White House Correspondents Association dinner.

            This is what I get for trying to teach a simple little seminar on media career strategies?  Jeff Gannon as my star student? I had more modest goals. Most kids trying to dive into media careers fail miserably. So maybe I can nudge them with a few helpful ideas. Hoped for result: entry level job in, say, a small market television station. Not so hoped for: center square of odd journalism scandal.

The Vanity Fair article calls it a seminar for “aspiring right-wing journalists.” My mantra to the students involves getting rid of the “right-wing” and esteeming the value of solid day-to-day journalism. Good old-fashioned storytelling.

            TV commercials for weight loss programs often have tiny disclaimers about the thin person in the ad. “Results not typical.” I’m kind of hoping this is like that. But with my luck Corey Clark will soon be claiming I’m the guru of his love life.

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