Apparently, even a drama about newspaper reporting is afforded creative license. NBC's Deadline, starring Oliver Platt as columnist Wallace ''Never take a note'' Benton, has as many inaccuracies about the ink-stained-wretch profession as the Weekly World News has Elvis sightings.
ON DEADLINE
Cops allow Platt to grill murder suspect alone in the
interrogation room.
IN REALITY
Cops allow 43 journalists to simultaneously shout questions at
murder suspect with jacket pulled over his head during
10.3-second perp walk.
ON DEADLINE
Gossip columnist Lili Taylor refuses to print that a movie
actress has bulimia.
IN REALITY
Gossip columnist steals movie actress' lunch napkin to scour for
vomit traces.
ON DEADLINE
Platt deputizes his journalism students to do legwork for his
investigative articles.
IN REALITY
Writer deputizes his journalism students to do legwork for his
articles — then passive-aggressively gives them Cs so they'll never
get his job.
ON DEADLINE
Computer-illiterate Platt is stymied by the mouse and can barely
send e-mail.
IN REALITY
Computer-literate journalist can simultaneously surf six windows
of Web porn for the smut expose he's ''researching'' on his
downtime.
ON DEADLINE
Platt makes $300,000 a year, lives in a cavernous duplex, and
dresses in tailored pinstripe suits.
IN REALITY
This underpaid journalist bitterly scoffs that Platt's TV salary
is exaggerated; returns to lunching on reheated mac-'n'-cheese.
Add your comment
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.