Copy Edit Guffaws

Posted: 3/21/04 at 6:11pm

A former colleague sent this to me from New Zealand. Goes to show that even copy editors in their zeal for a punchy headline can unwittingly punch themselves in the face. J.
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The Year's Best (Actual) Headlines of 2003

Crack Found on Governor's Daughter

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers

Iraqi Head Seeks Arms

Prostitutes Appeal to Pope

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over

Teacher Strikes Idle Kids

Miners Refuse to Work after Death

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant

War Dims Hope for Peace

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

Enfield (London) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges

Man Struck By Lightning Faces Battery Charge

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks

Chef Throws His Heart into Helping Feed Needy

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors

And the winner is....

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery;Hundreds Dead
Updated On: 3/22/04 at 06:11 PM

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:21pm

My favorite awful cover line (from British GQ):

"CHILI CON CARNAGE: On the Front-lines of Mexico's Peasant Revolt"

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:55pm

lol, thanks for posting that Jose'... very funny!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/04 at 12:41am

Not for nothing, Jose, but after slogging through your latest cd review on this site the other day, I was tempted to tell you that, because we're such good friends, I was prepared to knock 50% off my usual editing fees to help make your very earnest and clearly well intentioned reviews more readable. Take, for instance, this sentence, which I read and re-read and eventually just threw up my hands:

"At her engagement at the Hotel Americana, captured by this recording demonstrates, that although her voice was small she commanded her way around a song to smoothly seduce an audience."

It was more exasperating than what you term a "copy edits guffaw," but you have to admit that there is a big level of irony in your starting a thread with that title.

Yours for coherent columns and caring about good writing -- Namo'

Updated On: 3/22/04 at 12:41 AM