Internal Memo Bloated With Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance jokes are a crowd pleaser, unless you have it, right? (Then you're in a gaseous state with flatulence and abdominal pain, as we read on WebMD.) At Politico they are part of a series of inside jokes between Editor-in-Chief John Harris and Ryan Mannion, head of tech, who often jokes that he's lactose intolerant. References appeared in an internal memo that VandeHarris dispatched this morning to staff thanking everyone for the good time had at their four-year-old birthday party last night. But watch out for those delicious cupcakes, Harris warned. They were not soy-based or whole grain. Presumably, anyone with lactose intolerance is blowing up like a balloon right about now. So "hit the gym," Harris advised. Harris explained the inside joke to FishbowlDC: "We tend to have highly caloric stuff for parties around here, including last night," he wrote in an email. "A few years ago, I told people at a newsroom celebration not to worry about indulging because the cup cakes were soy-based and only a 100 calories each. Several people took me seriously and ate three or four (they were actually designer cupcakes from Buzz Bakery in Alexandria and probably more like a thousand calories each.)" As for Mannion, Harris explained, "Mannion, who runs our tech team, always reminds me that he is lactose-intolerant (he’s isn’t really or he would be in allergic shock by now) before eating one of the desserts and I always assure him we serve only healthy fare at POLITICO." See the memo... That was a fun birthday party last night. And the speeches were mercifully brief. Thanks to all for coming--and for those who could not make it to the Continental we felt you there in spirit.... We wanted to say a special thanks to the POLITICOs who made this event happen.....doing way more and working way harder on than I had realized until I showed up and saw all the neat touches--from the media highlights show to the POLITICO billiard balls. Beth Lester, Alexis Williams and Ashley Summers on the events team seem to hit a home run every time they come to bat. Sara Olson, who put together the slide show, is a rock star with everything she does. One word of caution....We learned only this morning from the lactose-intolerant Ryan Mannion that the cup cakes were NEITHER soy-based nor whole grain....Those of us who indulged should hit the gym today. John Jim

Fishbowl

Internal Memo Bloated With Lactose Intolerance

Betsy Rothstein

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Betsy Rothstein