Jake Tapper on 'Force of Nature' David Carr

TVNewser's Steve Krakauer just posted his recent interview with ABC News' White House correspondent Jake Tapper. Lots of good stuff in it (he was the first and second "most used" reporter in 2007 and 2008) but here's what especially caught our attention.In your first newspaper job, your editor was New York Times media guru David Carr. Can you close us out with a good Carr story from that era? If you've ever met David Carr you know he's not just a columnist and reporter, he is a force of nature. Even calling him a force of nature does a disservice to him, because there are some very minor hurricanes that are forces of nature and Carr is certainly beyond that. You become enveloped in his dialogue, his world view, his enthusiasm for journalism. I'd never met anyone like him. It was our first meeting after I had written a few stories for the Washington City Paper on a freelance basis, he basically convinced me to do what I wanted to do but hadn't had the guts to do -- to take a substantial pay cut and become a journalist. And then for that year-plus I worked for him, he was a one man J-school. I often tell young people seeking to break into the business, 'Before you go to journalism school, I recommend you start at a small local newspaper.' That probably overestimates editors in general out there, but I was really lucky that I had this guy who was in the process of becoming a legend as my first editor. I remember the triumphs we shared and I remember the times he yelled at me. I remember what he yelled at me about. It's all there. And I'm a lucky guy that I fell into his world when I did, because he wasn't really at City Paper all that long, and neither was I. But I invited him to my wedding. He's a very important figure in my life.

Fishbowl

Jake Tapper on 'Force of Nature' David Carr

Glynnis

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Glynnis