The story of the apparent thief in the CNN-New York mailroom has caused a bit of a ruckus. The author of In the Event of My Untimely Demise, an autographed copy of which was apparently stolen from the CNN mailroom and then re-sold on Amazon, emailed TVNewser this afternoon. Brian Sack sent a signed copy of his book to a CNN producer named Evan. Sack wanted to set the record straight after a CNN insider emailed us with their own theory of what happened to the book, that theory included this:
“…a poorly paid production assistant or graphic artist or custodian or mailroom delivery person picks up the shiny the new book, takes it home, and sells it on eBay or Amazon. This happens 10 times a day in this building. Sorry Mr. Author. “Evan” really didn’t care about your book or that you inscribed it to him, but now that he’s been busted for giving it away — he’s blaming it all on a mysterious “mailroom thief.””
Well, Brian Sack would like you to know, Evan really wanted that book. Sack writes to us that Evan “called to berate the Strand bookstore for selling it (via Amazon).”
“Evan is innocent and until we have justice, no non-fiction humor/inspirational book will be safe,” Sack writes.
Sack’s email to TVNewser (including John Stossel bit), after the jump…
Hi —
My book’s theft and the email I sent to my announce list was what started this ruckus. I am thrilled to have had a part in unveiling the vast criminal networks in America’s mailrooms. I feel like John Stossel without the unnerving mustache.
However, I do want to address what your “CNN Insider” alleged (with trademark netizen cynicism) with regard to Evan. Evan actually requested the book (we worked together on a show) and when I ran into him not long ago he’d mentioned the fact he’d not yet received it. When I notified him that it apparently had been stolen he immediately contacted the mailroom — which denied having ever received it — and called to berate the Strand bookstore for selling it (via Amazon). Evan is innocent and until we have justice, no non-fiction humor/inspirational book will be safe.
— Brian Sack