Call me The Grinch if you must, but after watching the news last night I'm compelled to spread some Christmas jeer.
Surely most of you remember my story about the wife of a Dallas Cowboys assistant coach who found a rat in her McDonald's salad. It was our Thanksgiving cover story -- one of the Dallas Observer's most-viewed online stories of 2006. Ring a bell? Thought so.
But, somehow -- either maliciously or moronically -- KTVT-Channel 11 seems to have forgotten.
On Thursday's 10 p.m. newscast, anchor Karen Borta introduced her station's version of the McRat story with the compelling tease that Chrissy Haley is "speaking out for the first time." Really? Really?
Surely she must have meant "speaking out to us for the first time," because in my story -- published a month ago -- Haley spoke at length and in detail about her ordeal. Surely someone at Channel 11 saw my story, even read it.
Alas, under a screaming "CBS Exclusive" banner, reporter Raquel Eatmon purports to be giving you unprecedented, breaking information. See for yourself.
Now, I like me some Channel 11 news. Babe Laufenberg and Gina Miller are old friends, and Kristine Kahanek is as trustworthy as any weatherperson. But the slimy mainstream media trick the station pulled Thursday night is just flat-out wrong. It's devious, it's unethical, it's disgusting. It's a lie. Worse, it comes from Belo 101: If you get beat on a story, simply wait a month and re-break it as your own, hoping no one will remember.
Unfortunately for Channel 11, we won't forget. --Richie Whitt