1 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,892 The New Republic Magazine was first published in 1914. 2 00:00:21,104 --> 00:00:25,336 it has been a fixture of American political commentary ever since. 3 00:00:26,776 --> 00:00:29,802 in May of 1998, its staff was comprised of 15 writer/editors. 4 00:00:30,013 --> 00:00:33,779 Their median age was 26. 5 00:00:33,984 --> 00:00:39,354 The youngest among them was Stephen Glass. 6 00:00:46,730 --> 00:00:48,960 There's so many show-offs in journalism... 7 00:00:49,165 --> 00:00:50,792 ...so many braggarts and jerks. 8 00:00:51,001 --> 00:00:53,469 They're always selling, always working the room... 9 00:00:53,670 --> 00:00:57,231 ...always trying to make themselves look hotter than they actually are. 10 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,843 The good news is, reporters like that make it easy to distinguish yourself. 11 00:01:02,045 --> 00:01:03,910 lf you're even a little bit humble... 12 00:01:04,114 --> 00:01:07,208 ...a little self-effacing or solicitous, you stand out. 13 00:01:07,417 --> 00:01:10,147 So you bring a co-worker lunch if he's under deadline. 14 00:01:10,353 --> 00:01:11,843 You remember birthdays. 15 00:01:12,055 --> 00:01:15,183 it's true, journalism is hard work. Everybody's under pressure. 16 00:01:15,392 --> 00:01:18,623 Everybody grinds to get the issue out. Nobody gets any sleep... 17 00:01:18,828 --> 00:01:22,093 ...but you are allowed to smile every once in a while. 18 00:01:22,299 --> 00:01:25,791 Even Woodward and Bernstein went out for a burger now and then... 19 00:01:26,002 --> 00:01:28,027 ...and they won a Pulitzer. 20 00:01:29,773 --> 00:01:33,539 Some reporters think political content makes a story memorable. 21 00:01:33,743 --> 00:01:37,543 l think it's the people you find, their quirks, their flaws... 22 00:01:37,747 --> 00:01:40,614 ...what makes them funny, what makes them human. 23 00:01:40,817 --> 00:01:43,786 Journalism is just the art of capturing behaviour. 24 00:01:43,987 --> 00:01:46,922 MONlCONDOMS 25 00:01:47,123 --> 00:01:48,681 To Wrap Around Your Slick Willy! 26 00:01:48,892 --> 00:01:51,122 You have to know who you're writing for. 27 00:01:51,328 --> 00:01:53,489 And you have to know what you're good at. 28 00:01:53,697 --> 00:01:55,358 l record what people do. 29 00:01:55,565 --> 00:01:58,500 l find out what moves them, what scares them... 30 00:01:58,702 --> 00:02:02,695 ...and l write that down. That way, they're the ones telling the story. 31 00:02:02,906 --> 00:02:04,271 And you know what? 32 00:02:04,474 --> 00:02:07,375 Those kind of pieces can win Pulitzers too. 33 00:02:13,516 --> 00:02:15,484 HlGHIAND PARK HlGH SCHOOL 34 00:02:51,988 --> 00:02:54,957 HARPER'S - Rolling Stone THE NEW REPUBLlC 35 00:03:02,799 --> 00:03:06,360 Contributing writer for Harper's Magazine... 36 00:03:07,470 --> 00:03:10,803 ...contributing writer for George Magazine... 37 00:03:11,408 --> 00:03:15,538 ...contributing writer for Rolling Stone... 38 00:03:15,745 --> 00:03:17,076 ...and, of course... 39 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,148 ...associate editor of The New Republic Magazine... 40 00:03:21,351 --> 00:03:23,512 ...in Washington D.C. 41 00:03:25,321 --> 00:03:29,724 Sorry if I'm beaming, but l was his journalistic muse. 42 00:03:29,926 --> 00:03:31,450 it's true. 43 00:03:32,862 --> 00:03:37,322 -Just seven years ago, he was sitting-- -Right there. 44 00:03:37,934 --> 00:03:39,492 I'm sorry. 45 00:03:40,170 --> 00:03:41,364 Right there. 46 00:03:41,571 --> 00:03:44,768 And l was doing the exact same thing you guys are doing: 47 00:03:44,974 --> 00:03:46,737 Grinding out pieces and then... 48 00:03:46,943 --> 00:03:51,312 ...having horrid nightmares of Mrs. Duke and her infamous red pen. 49 00:03:54,617 --> 00:03:58,815 And see what happens when greatness is demanded of you? 50 00:03:59,355 --> 00:04:01,687 Now he's at The New Republic. 51 00:04:03,026 --> 00:04:05,494 And now I'm at The New Republic. 52 00:04:24,380 --> 00:04:27,543 in May, the editors of The New Republic Magazine.... 53 00:04:27,750 --> 00:04:30,378 The Washington Post, The New Republic, The Boston Globe-- 54 00:04:30,587 --> 00:04:33,317 But the bill was blasted in The New Republic this week. 55 00:04:40,997 --> 00:04:42,191 PEDDLING POPPY 56 00:04:42,398 --> 00:04:43,592 BY STEPHEN GLASS 57 00:04:44,734 --> 00:04:47,862 MAIN TITLE 58 00:05:24,807 --> 00:05:27,742 HACK HEAVEN By Stephen Glass 59 00:05:44,627 --> 00:05:48,358 So l said, ''Network news, network news.... 60 00:05:48,565 --> 00:05:52,331 That's that show that's on between those Fixodent commerciais, right?'' 61 00:05:52,535 --> 00:05:53,968 Shut him up. 62 00:05:56,372 --> 00:05:57,896 -Hey, Steve. -Hey, Steve. 63 00:05:58,107 --> 00:05:59,369 Hey, guys. 64 00:06:00,410 --> 00:06:03,311 -Gloria, that necklace is you. -Thanks, doll. 65 00:06:03,513 --> 00:06:05,981 l got some new merchandise for your girlfriend. 66 00:06:06,182 --> 00:06:07,672 When l get this piece done. 67 00:06:07,884 --> 00:06:09,647 -How's it coming? -Horrible. 68 00:06:11,321 --> 00:06:13,755 it's the fundamental nature of the magazine, Lew. 69 00:06:13,957 --> 00:06:16,357 MeIanie, can l get some copies, please? 70 00:06:16,559 --> 00:06:19,027 People want photographs, they can buy Newsweek. 71 00:06:19,228 --> 00:06:22,561 They do buy Newsweek, and Time and U.S. News & World Report... 72 00:06:22,765 --> 00:06:24,665 ...and our losses are a joke. 73 00:06:24,867 --> 00:06:27,961 Let me guess, he's on you again about a redesign. 74 00:06:28,171 --> 00:06:31,004 -Cover page and graphics. -And photographs. 75 00:06:31,207 --> 00:06:32,538 Let me remind you, Steve... 76 00:06:32,742 --> 00:06:35,802 ...this magazine hasn't changed its look since the '80s. 77 00:06:37,380 --> 00:06:39,746 -How is it? -it's good. 78 00:06:42,318 --> 00:06:45,048 -You hate it. -No, it's good. it's just a little rough. 79 00:06:45,254 --> 00:06:48,382 No, it's the worst thing l ever wrote. That's horrible. 80 00:06:48,591 --> 00:06:50,684 lf you don't help me, l won't send it in. 81 00:06:50,893 --> 00:06:52,087 When's it due? 82 00:06:52,562 --> 00:06:53,927 Tomorrow. 83 00:06:55,531 --> 00:06:57,761 l may have to kill myself. 84 00:06:58,267 --> 00:07:00,667 l mean, The New York Times Magazine. 85 00:07:01,604 --> 00:07:04,038 Will you guys help me with it? Please? 86 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,174 -Of course. -Of course. 87 00:07:06,376 --> 00:07:07,604 Thank you. 88 00:07:08,077 --> 00:07:11,171 Call for you on three, sweetie. Someone from Policy Review. 89 00:07:11,381 --> 00:07:13,542 When did you start talking to Policy Review? 90 00:07:13,750 --> 00:07:16,719 I'm not. it's probably nothing. Send it to my voice mail. 91 00:07:16,919 --> 00:07:18,181 And, sweetie... 92 00:07:18,388 --> 00:07:22,222 ...Caitlin just told me that she needs gifts for two showers next week. 93 00:07:22,425 --> 00:07:26,054 -Think you have something for her? -I'll get my box. 94 00:07:28,164 --> 00:07:30,792 -l couldn't resist. -So you want to do this now? 95 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,026 Yeah, in a second. l just have to return a quick phone call. 96 00:07:35,738 --> 00:07:37,603 l got you some gum. 97 00:07:41,544 --> 00:07:43,011 lf l were to throw a party... 98 00:07:43,212 --> 00:07:45,874 ...where all we did was play Monopoly, would you guys come? 99 00:07:46,082 --> 00:07:49,313 -Could l be the little shoe? -Of course. 100 00:07:49,619 --> 00:07:52,611 The lawyers have asked us to tone down the cover on Serbia. 101 00:07:52,822 --> 00:07:54,585 Yeah, they fear charges of libel. 102 00:07:54,791 --> 00:07:57,658 l know a little bit of libel law. 103 00:07:57,860 --> 00:08:01,125 it's only relevant if said person has been out of the public eye. 104 00:08:01,330 --> 00:08:05,357 Well, yeah, so there's Serbia, hidden, unknown to the world at large... 105 00:08:05,568 --> 00:08:08,628 ...until it appeared on the cover of The New Republic. 106 00:08:08,838 --> 00:08:12,399 -With our weekly circulation of 80,000. -Eighty-one five. 107 00:08:12,608 --> 00:08:14,599 -You done with it, Rob? -Two days, tops. 108 00:08:14,811 --> 00:08:16,472 Yes, two days from Hanukkah. 109 00:08:16,679 --> 00:08:19,170 Hey, it's basically finished, for the most part. 110 00:08:19,382 --> 00:08:21,577 Next up. Amy? 111 00:08:23,019 --> 00:08:25,419 Just finished the piece on ethanol subsidies. 112 00:08:26,189 --> 00:08:29,590 There are 16,800 magazines in this country... 113 00:08:29,792 --> 00:08:33,853 ...but only one calls itself the in-flight magazine of Air Force One. 114 00:08:34,430 --> 00:08:37,160 And that's the thrill of working at The New Republic. 115 00:08:37,366 --> 00:08:39,834 You're underpaid, the hours are brutal... 116 00:08:40,036 --> 00:08:42,869 ...but what you write gets read by people who matter. 117 00:08:43,072 --> 00:08:44,733 Presidents, lawmakers-- 118 00:08:44,941 --> 00:08:48,308 Your work can actually influence public policy. 119 00:08:48,511 --> 00:08:53,141 That's an amazing privilege and a huge responsibility. 120 00:08:54,217 --> 00:08:58,654 I'm sorry, they don't want the whole journalistic-responsibility speech. 121 00:08:58,988 --> 00:09:00,455 Do you? 122 00:09:01,491 --> 00:09:04,358 You just wanna know how to get your name in print, right? 123 00:09:06,462 --> 00:09:08,054 Sounds familiar. 124 00:09:08,264 --> 00:09:12,826 Okay. Let me take you through the life of your typical piece... 125 00:09:13,035 --> 00:09:15,026 ...so you can see where the hurdles are. 126 00:09:15,238 --> 00:09:17,297 We'll use one l wrote last year... 127 00:09:17,507 --> 00:09:20,965 ...about a bunch of young Republicans at a conservatives convention. 128 00:09:21,177 --> 00:09:23,202 Journalism is about pursuing the truth... 129 00:09:23,412 --> 00:09:24,379 Spring Breakdown 130 00:09:24,580 --> 00:09:28,175 ...and l would never encourage you to do anything sneaky or dishonest... 131 00:09:28,384 --> 00:09:32,684 ...in pursuit of a story, such as assuming a phoney identity. 132 00:09:32,889 --> 00:09:36,052 1997 CPAC Conference, Washington's Omni Shoreham Hotel 133 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,321 l don't know, man, it seemed like a pretty good turnout to me. 134 00:09:41,531 --> 00:09:44,898 No, man, conservatism's dead. 135 00:09:45,101 --> 00:09:47,035 -Dead? -We're lost. 136 00:09:47,236 --> 00:09:48,760 Damn straight! 137 00:09:49,739 --> 00:09:52,105 On a story like that, your notes are crucial. 138 00:09:52,308 --> 00:09:54,742 You have to record everything you see and hear... 139 00:09:54,944 --> 00:09:56,878 ...every quote, every detail... 140 00:09:57,079 --> 00:09:59,877 ...all the way down to the mini-bottles in the fridge. 141 00:10:00,082 --> 00:10:02,550 We're like this guy who has to pee: 142 00:10:02,819 --> 00:10:05,879 Lost in the desert looking for a tree. 143 00:10:06,088 --> 00:10:08,556 -it's true. -Completely true. 144 00:10:13,196 --> 00:10:15,528 You guys know what you're shopping for, right? 145 00:10:15,731 --> 00:10:16,993 Totally. 146 00:10:17,433 --> 00:10:19,458 Get us a real heifer. 147 00:10:19,936 --> 00:10:23,633 The fatter the better. Bad acne would be a bonus. 148 00:10:24,807 --> 00:10:26,104 Let's do it! 149 00:10:31,747 --> 00:10:33,612 Let's get the harpoon ! 150 00:10:42,358 --> 00:10:44,053 TITLE: Young Conservatives Project 151 00:10:46,429 --> 00:10:47,623 Spring Breakdown 152 00:10:51,067 --> 00:10:53,297 -Hey, Steve. -Hey, Chuck. 153 00:11:00,910 --> 00:11:02,605 What are you working on? 154 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,280 The piece Gabriel Garc�a M�rquez wrote about the FalkIands war. 155 00:11:08,751 --> 00:11:10,309 How about you? 156 00:11:13,155 --> 00:11:16,283 Young Republicans at the CPAC conference. 157 00:11:16,492 --> 00:11:18,221 Pretty standard stuff. 158 00:11:18,427 --> 00:11:22,363 Hotel ballrooms, boring speeches, chicken dinners. 159 00:11:26,903 --> 00:11:30,270 Which is why everybody spends their time in the suites upstairs... 160 00:11:30,473 --> 00:11:32,168 ...committing felonies. 161 00:11:33,109 --> 00:11:34,303 Oh, yeah? 162 00:11:35,177 --> 00:11:37,805 Yeah, l went to one. The ballroom is empty. 163 00:11:38,014 --> 00:11:39,845 Every delegate under the age of 25... 164 00:11:40,049 --> 00:11:42,244 ...was up on the fifth floor getting loaded. 165 00:11:42,451 --> 00:11:46,046 Drugs, binge drinking, hookers.... Gets pretty ugly. 166 00:11:48,291 --> 00:11:51,351 -Sounds great, Steve. -So does yours. 167 00:11:53,596 --> 00:11:56,030 Okay, well.... l gotta get back to work. 168 00:11:56,232 --> 00:11:58,962 -Have a good lunch. -Thanks. 169 00:11:59,502 --> 00:12:03,871 Hold it. l have to give myself a demerit for poor scene-setting. 170 00:12:04,073 --> 00:12:06,837 Let me explain. A year ago, Chuck Iane and l were peers. 171 00:12:07,043 --> 00:12:08,442 He hadn't become editor yet. 172 00:12:08,644 --> 00:12:11,010 Michael Kelly was editing the magazine then. 173 00:12:11,213 --> 00:12:14,376 Sorry, Mrs. Duke. l know how you feel about clarity. 174 00:12:21,190 --> 00:12:23,522 We've gotta start calling some other places. 175 00:12:23,726 --> 00:12:26,559 l don't think l can eat this stuff every day. 176 00:12:27,363 --> 00:12:30,821 it was the Cannon Building. You had it as Russell. l fixed it. 177 00:12:31,033 --> 00:12:32,227 Thank you. 178 00:12:32,435 --> 00:12:35,233 -l really liked it, Ames. -But boring, right? 179 00:12:38,174 --> 00:12:40,665 No, l really, really liked it. 180 00:12:42,545 --> 00:12:45,378 -Yes, dear? -Somebody for you on three. 181 00:12:45,581 --> 00:12:46,946 Someone from Harper's. 182 00:12:47,249 --> 00:12:51,083 -When did you start talking to them? -I'm not. it's probably nothing. 183 00:12:51,287 --> 00:12:53,118 -Send it to my voice mail. -Very good. 184 00:12:53,322 --> 00:12:56,723 By the way, Glo, that lipstick is the bomb. 185 00:12:57,660 --> 00:12:58,854 Thanks, doll. 186 00:12:59,061 --> 00:13:00,995 What is it, Midnight Mist? 187 00:13:04,133 --> 00:13:06,567 -l really got to stop doing that. -What? 188 00:13:06,769 --> 00:13:09,738 All l do is give people more reasons to assume I'm gay. 189 00:13:10,306 --> 00:13:12,206 l mean, lately, it's everyone. 190 00:13:12,408 --> 00:13:15,468 The other night, l went to dinner with this guy from The Post. 191 00:13:15,678 --> 00:13:18,545 -Who? -l can't tell you. He made me promise. 192 00:13:18,748 --> 00:13:20,443 We're walking around afterwards... 193 00:13:20,649 --> 00:13:23,277 ...talking about Medicare for God's sakes. 194 00:13:23,486 --> 00:13:28,253 Then, the next thing l know, we're standing on the corner of 18th and T... 195 00:13:29,191 --> 00:13:33,389 ...and he somehow managed to slip his tongue down my throat. 196 00:13:35,297 --> 00:13:38,528 And I'm like, ''Wait a minute, how'd this happen?'' 197 00:13:40,036 --> 00:13:43,005 -l don't understand. -Yeah, neither did l. 198 00:13:44,173 --> 00:13:46,107 -Hey. -Michael. 199 00:13:46,308 --> 00:13:47,536 -Got a minute? -Of course. 200 00:13:47,743 --> 00:13:50,303 We have a problem with the ''Spring Breakdown'' piece. 201 00:13:50,513 --> 00:13:53,641 Just got a letter from David Keene. He ran the CPAC conference. 202 00:13:53,849 --> 00:13:56,010 -He's made some-- -Are you mad at me? 203 00:13:57,119 --> 00:14:00,646 He's made some pretty serious charges. We need to answer them. 204 00:14:00,856 --> 00:14:04,986 Okay. My notes are at home. l can be back in 20 minutes. is that too long? 205 00:14:05,194 --> 00:14:08,789 Do your notes have anything about the minibars? That would help. 206 00:14:08,998 --> 00:14:11,796 l think so. No, I'm sure. Why? 207 00:14:12,034 --> 00:14:15,629 He claims the Omni Shoreham doesn't even have minibars. 208 00:14:16,138 --> 00:14:20,302 l saw them. No, there were little bottles of booze all over the room. 209 00:14:20,743 --> 00:14:25,874 Okay. I'll get Aaron and Rob into it and start the fact-check again. 210 00:14:26,082 --> 00:14:28,380 -I'll get my notes. -Thank you. 211 00:14:29,151 --> 00:14:31,312 I'm sorry, we'll have to finish this later. 212 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,216 No, no, l understand. Thank you. 213 00:14:48,537 --> 00:14:49,799 What's wrong? 214 00:14:53,275 --> 00:14:54,469 Just tell me. 215 00:14:56,278 --> 00:14:57,802 Keene was right, Michael. 216 00:15:02,751 --> 00:15:06,847 l messed up. l made a huge error. 217 00:15:16,332 --> 00:15:19,665 l don't know what to say. lf you want me to resign, l will. 218 00:15:19,869 --> 00:15:22,269 l want you to tell me what happened. 219 00:15:26,275 --> 00:15:28,937 They don't have minibars at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. 220 00:15:30,779 --> 00:15:34,579 l guess l just saw all those little bottles and l made an assumption... 221 00:15:34,783 --> 00:15:38,048 ...which l know we're never supposed to do. 222 00:15:38,621 --> 00:15:39,918 I'm really sorry. 223 00:15:43,425 --> 00:15:48,920 Those guys were drinking out of a rented refrigerator, a mini-fridge. 224 00:15:49,598 --> 00:15:52,089 -That's it? -Yeah. 225 00:15:52,334 --> 00:15:55,667 -The rest of the piece is solid? -Well, yeah, of course. 226 00:15:56,305 --> 00:15:59,206 Go home, Steve. Your resignation will not be required. 227 00:15:59,642 --> 00:16:03,078 -Really? You're not mad? -Of course not. 228 00:16:05,014 --> 00:16:08,381 -Do you want my notes? -Have a good night. 229 00:16:13,756 --> 00:16:15,553 Thanks, Michael. 230 00:16:16,192 --> 00:16:17,386 Thanks for backing me. 231 00:16:18,294 --> 00:16:19,921 it's what editors do. 232 00:16:23,832 --> 00:16:25,060 Good night. 233 00:16:47,223 --> 00:16:49,418 Hi. Front desk, please. 234 00:16:51,927 --> 00:16:53,554 Hi, l need some information. 235 00:16:53,762 --> 00:16:56,856 Do the suites at your hotels have minibars? 236 00:16:57,933 --> 00:17:00,197 Well, can a guest rent something like that... 237 00:17:00,402 --> 00:17:02,700 ...like a mini-refrigerator or something? 238 00:17:03,138 --> 00:17:04,435 They can. 239 00:17:04,673 --> 00:17:06,766 Okay, thank you very much. 240 00:17:08,577 --> 00:17:11,546 She says, ''l didn't invite Vernon Jordan that evening... 241 00:17:11,747 --> 00:17:14,739 ...because my guests of honor were girls from Smith College. 242 00:17:14,950 --> 00:17:18,943 Some of them were virgins, and l wanted to keep it that way.'' 243 00:17:19,221 --> 00:17:21,553 You're gonna put that in the article, right? 244 00:17:21,757 --> 00:17:23,281 Gosh, Alec, l don't know. 245 00:17:23,492 --> 00:17:26,325 l mean, you know, George is such a dignified publication. 246 00:17:26,528 --> 00:17:28,621 You wouldn't want something that gossipy? 247 00:17:28,831 --> 00:17:30,799 No. Absolutely not. 248 00:17:31,066 --> 00:17:33,125 Of course I'm putting it in. 249 00:17:33,335 --> 00:17:37,533 Thank you, Stephen. You're going to make me look very, very smart. 250 00:17:38,474 --> 00:17:42,501 The Fritos are running dangerously low. I'll be right back. 251 00:17:44,413 --> 00:17:47,109 You can't hide in here all night, Ames. 252 00:17:47,583 --> 00:17:48,914 Can l ask you something? 253 00:17:52,921 --> 00:17:55,913 What is this? l found it in the freezer. 254 00:17:56,659 --> 00:17:59,127 You said you hated how the Diet Coke at parties... 255 00:17:59,328 --> 00:18:01,023 ...was always at room temperature. 256 00:18:01,230 --> 00:18:03,960 How if you wanted it cold, you'd have to put it on ice. 257 00:18:04,166 --> 00:18:06,566 Then it would get too watery. Don't you remember? 258 00:18:06,769 --> 00:18:11,035 Yeah, l do, but l said that a couple of years ago. 259 00:18:12,007 --> 00:18:16,376 Steve, I'm gonna call it a night, but thanks for having me. 260 00:18:16,578 --> 00:18:19,945 -Thanks for coming. -Alphabetized beer. That's perfect. 261 00:18:20,749 --> 00:18:22,649 Drive safe, Alec. 262 00:18:22,851 --> 00:18:26,287 -Who's he? -Associate editor of George. 263 00:18:26,588 --> 00:18:28,920 When did you start talking to George? 264 00:18:29,124 --> 00:18:30,955 I'm really not. 265 00:18:32,561 --> 00:18:34,461 it's probably nothing. 266 00:18:34,930 --> 00:18:36,363 lf they stoop any lower... 267 00:18:36,565 --> 00:18:39,557 ...soon there won't be a difference between Time and People. 268 00:18:39,768 --> 00:18:42,931 You say that like there is a difference between Time and People. 269 00:18:43,138 --> 00:18:45,800 -Exactly. -Thank you, Steve. 270 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:52,411 What? 271 00:18:52,614 --> 00:18:54,013 GEORGETOWN UNlVERSITY LAW CENTER 272 00:18:55,517 --> 00:18:56,984 Are you mad at me? 273 00:18:57,186 --> 00:18:59,814 l told you, l do not respond to, ''Are you mad at me?'' 274 00:19:00,022 --> 00:19:01,717 I'm not your kindergarten teacher. 275 00:19:01,924 --> 00:19:04,392 We've been over this a thousand times already. 276 00:19:04,593 --> 00:19:06,458 You can't go to law school. 277 00:19:06,662 --> 00:19:09,153 You don't wanna go to law school, remember? 278 00:19:09,365 --> 00:19:13,233 l know. it's only nights. l wouldn't have to stop working or anything. 279 00:19:13,435 --> 00:19:17,531 -I'll just put these down. I'll be back. -No! l wanna talk about this. 280 00:19:18,574 --> 00:19:22,510 l told you, it's my parents, okay? They never shut up about it. 281 00:19:22,711 --> 00:19:25,179 lf l don't go, they won't let me be a journalist. 282 00:19:25,381 --> 00:19:28,077 ''Let you''? You're 24 years old, Stephen. 283 00:19:28,283 --> 00:19:32,617 You don't know how things go where l grew up, Caitlin. There are rules there. 284 00:19:32,921 --> 00:19:35,355 lf your son's not a doctor or lawyer, you're nothing. 285 00:19:35,557 --> 00:19:39,254 You're writing for The New fucking Republic. isn't that good enough? 286 00:19:39,762 --> 00:19:41,753 Not in Highland Park. 287 00:19:43,732 --> 00:19:46,758 -I'm sorry, l-- -Stop apologizing for everything. 288 00:19:46,969 --> 00:19:50,200 l was looking through your mail. You should be pissed at me. 289 00:19:51,507 --> 00:19:54,271 -I'm not. -You're gonna throw this out, right? 290 00:19:55,778 --> 00:19:57,473 l can't. I'm sorry. 291 00:20:01,617 --> 00:20:04,552 Every station on the radio is talking about it: 292 00:20:04,753 --> 00:20:06,618 Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield. 293 00:20:07,322 --> 00:20:10,120 And these are supposed to be news stations. 294 00:20:10,325 --> 00:20:14,284 So on Tuesday l started calling a few, and finally l got through to one... 295 00:20:14,496 --> 00:20:17,863 ...a Bible talk station in Kentucky. 296 00:20:18,066 --> 00:20:22,230 l managed to convince the screener that l was a behavioral psychologist... 297 00:20:22,438 --> 00:20:26,704 ...who specializes in human-on-human biting. 298 00:20:29,077 --> 00:20:31,807 l told the guy I'd done all this extensive research... 299 00:20:32,014 --> 00:20:35,177 ...on people who chomp flesh under extreme stress. 300 00:20:35,384 --> 00:20:36,976 What did they say? 301 00:20:37,186 --> 00:20:39,950 They put me on the air. l took calls for 45 minutes. 302 00:20:40,155 --> 00:20:41,520 Oh, my God. 303 00:20:42,524 --> 00:20:44,754 Where does he find these people? 304 00:20:46,161 --> 00:20:50,359 it's kind of stupid, l know. it's silly. I'll probably just kill it. 305 00:20:58,740 --> 00:21:02,267 -That mean you'll help me with it? -Why, do you have finals this week? 306 00:21:02,478 --> 00:21:07,074 Okay, moving right along. Chuck. What do you have for us? 307 00:21:10,352 --> 00:21:12,912 That's a bit of a hard act to follow. 308 00:21:17,226 --> 00:21:19,922 Very hard act to follow. Okay.... 309 00:21:21,730 --> 00:21:23,960 I'm starting the piece on Haiti... 310 00:21:25,067 --> 00:21:26,432 ...and I'll be going to.... 311 00:21:28,403 --> 00:21:29,768 Don't let me interrupt. 312 00:21:33,108 --> 00:21:35,372 -Hey, Marty. -Michael. 313 00:21:38,981 --> 00:21:41,882 I'm gonna be going down to Port-au-Prince for a few days. 314 00:21:42,251 --> 00:21:45,084 Marty Peretz. Our boss. 315 00:21:45,621 --> 00:21:46,815 He's a little scary. 316 00:22:02,604 --> 00:22:05,937 How about the commas in dates? Are we supposed to circle those too? 317 00:22:06,141 --> 00:22:08,336 Let's just get this done, okay? 318 00:22:12,748 --> 00:22:14,272 What the hell is this? 319 00:22:15,684 --> 00:22:19,085 Marty told us to circle all the commas in the last issue... 320 00:22:19,288 --> 00:22:21,347 ...to show us how we used them improperly. 321 00:22:21,857 --> 00:22:24,519 -What? -He said they should appear in pairs. 322 00:22:24,726 --> 00:22:26,921 Apparently, the issue is rife with errors. 323 00:22:27,129 --> 00:22:29,029 -Rife. -That's what he said. 324 00:22:29,398 --> 00:22:30,865 l see. 325 00:22:33,502 --> 00:22:35,766 I'm not angry, Marty, I'm embarrassed for you. 326 00:22:35,971 --> 00:22:38,337 These people work gruelling hours for meager pay. 327 00:22:38,540 --> 00:22:39,837 They deserve a thank you... 328 00:22:40,042 --> 00:22:43,170 ...not another one of your world-famous tantrums. 329 00:22:44,112 --> 00:22:47,741 I'd resign before I'd let you bully them like that again, and l will. 330 00:22:47,950 --> 00:22:49,645 Do you understand that? 331 00:22:51,587 --> 00:22:53,612 Okay. Thank you. 332 00:23:02,331 --> 00:23:04,196 The great comma debate is history... 333 00:23:04,399 --> 00:23:07,391 ...so we can all go back to work. 334 00:23:12,174 --> 00:23:16,406 There are good editors, there are bad editors. You'll have both. 335 00:23:16,878 --> 00:23:20,109 My hope for you, though, is that once... 336 00:23:20,315 --> 00:23:23,307 ...at least once, you get a truly great one. 337 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,045 A great editor defends his writers... 338 00:23:28,256 --> 00:23:31,783 ...against anyone. He stands up and fights for you. 339 00:23:32,728 --> 00:23:37,791 Michael Kelly was that kind of editor. He had that kind of courage. 340 00:23:39,835 --> 00:23:41,666 And that's what hung him. 341 00:23:53,749 --> 00:23:55,546 -Hello? -Chuck, it's Marty Peretz. 342 00:23:55,751 --> 00:23:57,651 -Got a minute? -Of course, how are you? 343 00:23:57,853 --> 00:24:00,151 I'm in a bit of an uncomfortable situation... 344 00:24:00,355 --> 00:24:02,823 ...and l thought you might be able to help me out. 345 00:24:03,025 --> 00:24:05,459 -Sure. -it's about Mike. 346 00:24:06,795 --> 00:24:10,925 He and l-- it hasn't been working out for some time now, as you know. 347 00:24:11,133 --> 00:24:15,001 The tone of the magazine, l think it's gotten too nasty. 348 00:24:15,203 --> 00:24:17,865 it's strayed from the traditions that make it great... 349 00:24:18,073 --> 00:24:20,837 ...and I'm gonna be making a change. 350 00:24:21,043 --> 00:24:22,237 l see. 351 00:24:22,444 --> 00:24:26,710 I'd like you to step in for him, Chuck. I'd like you to become editor. 352 00:24:27,082 --> 00:24:28,276 Editor? 353 00:24:28,483 --> 00:24:31,543 There's a catch, of course. Mike doesn't know any of this yet. 354 00:24:31,753 --> 00:24:33,983 it'll be two or three days before l tell him. 355 00:24:34,189 --> 00:24:37,556 it'll have to remain between us till then. Would that be a problem? 356 00:24:37,759 --> 00:24:39,920 -Mike's a friend. -l appreciate that, Chuck. 357 00:24:40,128 --> 00:24:43,495 But l can't remove him until l know who will be his replacement... 358 00:24:43,699 --> 00:24:47,499 ...for continuity's sake. So this is how it has to be. 359 00:24:47,803 --> 00:24:51,068 I'm gonna have to think about this and discuss it with Catarina. 360 00:24:51,273 --> 00:24:53,002 Of course, of course. Listen-- 361 00:24:53,208 --> 00:24:57,542 Marty, have you thought about the impact this might have on the staff? 362 00:24:59,014 --> 00:25:02,279 -He's earned a lot of loyalty there. -Mostly by fighting with me. 363 00:25:02,484 --> 00:25:05,112 The point is, l haven't earned that kind of loyalty-- 364 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,585 I'll be in New York tomorrow. We'll go over all this in detail. 365 00:25:08,790 --> 00:25:11,088 -Will you call me at the hotel? -Yeah. 366 00:25:11,293 --> 00:25:15,229 l really appreciate this, Chuck, your discretion. 367 00:25:15,430 --> 00:25:18,399 -Night. -Night, Marty. 368 00:25:23,872 --> 00:25:25,965 So l just got off the phone with Marty... 369 00:25:26,174 --> 00:25:29,371 ...and I've been fired, effective immediately. 370 00:25:30,746 --> 00:25:33,613 I'm to be out of the building by 5 p.m. 371 00:25:36,251 --> 00:25:38,481 Chuck Iane has been chosen to replace me. 372 00:25:54,603 --> 00:25:58,437 Chuck is not an editor. He's barely even a writer. 373 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:00,801 There's no way I'll be able to work for him. 374 00:26:01,009 --> 00:26:02,874 We should have seen this coming. 375 00:26:03,078 --> 00:26:06,275 The way he laughs whenever Marty tells a joke in the meetings. 376 00:26:06,481 --> 00:26:09,473 They're never funny, but there's Chuck, completely howling. 377 00:26:10,018 --> 00:26:13,454 -He's so political. -And stiff. And humorless. 378 00:26:13,655 --> 00:26:18,217 And how pissy does he get when you try to fact-check one of his pieces? 379 00:26:18,426 --> 00:26:21,554 I'm sorry, but we have an obligation to get our facts straight. 380 00:26:21,763 --> 00:26:23,526 Okay, let's not overdo it. 381 00:26:23,732 --> 00:26:27,793 This is still a great magazine. it's still an important magazine, and... 382 00:26:28,003 --> 00:26:30,938 -...Monday morning he'll be running it. -I'm gonna barf. 383 00:26:31,907 --> 00:26:34,341 All right, let me get out of here, okay? 384 00:27:03,738 --> 00:27:07,174 Well, l just want to thank you all again. Truly. 385 00:27:13,682 --> 00:27:15,741 I've loved every second of this. 386 00:27:23,725 --> 00:27:26,353 -Good luck, Mike. -You too, Chuck. 387 00:28:18,780 --> 00:28:19,974 Hi. 388 00:28:20,749 --> 00:28:22,080 Hi. 389 00:28:48,009 --> 00:28:50,307 -Hey. -Hi. 390 00:28:54,282 --> 00:28:56,750 I'm sorry about what happened when he left. 391 00:28:56,952 --> 00:28:59,819 l just didn't know what to do. 392 00:29:00,622 --> 00:29:01,953 Thanks. 393 00:29:03,491 --> 00:29:06,221 You need a hand with the boxes, I'll be in my office. 394 00:29:07,896 --> 00:29:09,761 So Chuck took over. 395 00:29:10,198 --> 00:29:14,897 And the job, for the first time ever, began to feel like a job. 396 00:29:15,103 --> 00:29:16,934 But I'm being unfair. 397 00:29:17,138 --> 00:29:20,767 The truth is l wrote 14 pieces while Chuck was editing the magazine. 398 00:29:20,976 --> 00:29:24,104 And the last of them was the biggest story l ever wrote. 399 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,540 is anyone interested in hackers? 400 00:29:28,750 --> 00:29:31,275 Because l met this kid named Ian Restil. 401 00:29:31,486 --> 00:29:33,477 Biggest computer geek of all time. 402 00:29:33,688 --> 00:29:37,385 He hacked his way into the database of a company called Jukt Micronics... 403 00:29:37,592 --> 00:29:41,688 ...and posted naked pictures of women and the salary of all Jukt employees... 404 00:29:41,896 --> 00:29:43,921 ...on Jukt's website with a note saying: 405 00:29:44,132 --> 00:29:48,091 ''The Big Bad Bionic Boy has been here, baby!'' 406 00:29:48,303 --> 00:29:49,292 Outstanding! 407 00:29:49,504 --> 00:29:51,597 Jukt decided it'd be cheaper to hire him... 408 00:29:51,806 --> 00:29:54,741 ...as a security consultant than to try to stop him. 409 00:29:54,943 --> 00:29:59,141 They met with him at the hotel where the National Hackers Conference was. 410 00:29:59,581 --> 00:30:04,143 it was the chairman from Jukt, Restil, Restil's mother and Restil's agent. 411 00:30:04,519 --> 00:30:07,716 -No. -Yes. Hackers have agents too. 412 00:30:07,922 --> 00:30:09,890 l was at the table with these guys. 413 00:30:10,425 --> 00:30:13,189 Restil's just laying out all of his demands. 414 00:30:13,395 --> 00:30:14,453 l want a Miata. 415 00:30:14,662 --> 00:30:17,893 -l want a trip to Disney World. -l want X-Men comic book #1. 416 00:30:18,099 --> 00:30:20,158 l want a lifetime subscription to Playboy. 417 00:30:20,368 --> 00:30:21,960 And throw in Penthouse. 418 00:30:22,170 --> 00:30:24,001 They're complying with every word. 419 00:30:24,205 --> 00:30:26,400 Excuse me, sir. Pardon me for interrupting. 420 00:30:26,608 --> 00:30:29,441 We can arrange more money so you can buy the comic book. 421 00:30:29,644 --> 00:30:32,636 And when you're of a more appropriate age... 422 00:30:32,847 --> 00:30:37,341 ...you can buy the car and pornographic magazines on your own. 423 00:30:43,725 --> 00:30:44,919 Cool. 424 00:30:47,128 --> 00:30:48,993 After they have the meeting... 425 00:30:49,197 --> 00:30:53,031 ...he goes back into the conference, where all the hackers have gathered. 426 00:30:53,234 --> 00:30:56,465 And they're treating him like he's a rock star. 427 00:31:06,214 --> 00:31:09,047 Then Restil jumps up on a table, and he's like: 428 00:31:09,250 --> 00:31:11,115 l want a Miata! 429 00:31:12,153 --> 00:31:15,054 And he's gyrating his hips like this: ''l want a Miata! 430 00:31:15,256 --> 00:31:18,953 l want my Playboys! l want a trip to Disney World! 431 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:20,787 Show me the money! 432 00:31:21,729 --> 00:31:23,321 Show me the money!'' 433 00:31:29,737 --> 00:31:33,867 Turns out there are now 21 states considering versions of a law called... 434 00:31:34,075 --> 00:31:37,238 ...the Uniform Computer Security Act, which would criminalize... 435 00:31:37,445 --> 00:31:41,142 ...immunity deals between hackers and the companies they've torched. 436 00:31:41,349 --> 00:31:45,217 Meanwhile, Restil's agent claims a client list of over 300... 437 00:31:45,420 --> 00:31:49,550 ...one of whom was once paid a million dollars and a monster truck. 438 00:31:51,192 --> 00:31:53,217 That's unbelievable. 439 00:31:56,531 --> 00:31:59,364 it's really silly, l know. 440 00:32:01,970 --> 00:32:04,495 I'm not even sure if I'm gonna finish it. 441 00:32:05,173 --> 00:32:07,403 HACK HEAVEN By Stephen Glass 442 00:32:08,543 --> 00:32:12,172 The offices of Forbes Digital (New York City) 443 00:32:13,314 --> 00:32:16,613 Wednesday, May 6, 1998 444 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,520 Shit. 445 00:32:33,334 --> 00:32:36,394 -You rang? -Yes, l rang. 446 00:32:37,972 --> 00:32:39,803 Why didn't you get this? 447 00:32:50,685 --> 00:32:53,153 Yeah... 448 00:32:53,354 --> 00:32:55,117 ...that.... 449 00:32:55,323 --> 00:32:57,223 l don't know. 450 00:32:57,425 --> 00:33:00,053 Ian Restil - Jim Ghort ''Big Bad Bionic Boy'' 451 00:33:00,261 --> 00:33:03,958 Nevada law-enforcement officials big-time software firm - called Jukt 452 00:33:05,466 --> 00:33:07,991 Jukt Micronics - Search 453 00:33:11,873 --> 00:33:14,603 There were no matches for ''Jukt Micronics'' 454 00:33:28,556 --> 00:33:30,080 Hey? 455 00:33:30,625 --> 00:33:32,058 Hey. 456 00:33:34,062 --> 00:33:36,121 is it pronounced ''juked'' or ''jukked''? 457 00:33:36,731 --> 00:33:40,223 it's pronounced ''give me back my article.'' 458 00:33:40,802 --> 00:33:42,292 Dang. 459 00:33:46,207 --> 00:33:49,301 Adam, can you give a man a minute? 460 00:33:49,510 --> 00:33:52,445 Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. 461 00:33:55,683 --> 00:34:00,950 it's just that this New Republic piece is a fucking sieve. 462 00:34:02,757 --> 00:34:04,247 l checked on Jukt Micronics... 463 00:34:04,459 --> 00:34:07,087 ...which is supposedly a major company in California. 464 00:34:07,295 --> 00:34:10,458 l went through every search engine on the web. No matches found. 465 00:34:10,665 --> 00:34:12,963 So l called 411, every area code in the state. 466 00:34:13,167 --> 00:34:15,931 There's no listing for a company called Jukt Micronics. 467 00:34:16,137 --> 00:34:18,537 Tried the California Tax Franchise Board. 468 00:34:18,740 --> 00:34:22,369 There's no record of taxes ever being paid by a company called Jukt. 469 00:34:22,577 --> 00:34:25,910 Tried the state comptroller's office. No license was applied for... 470 00:34:26,114 --> 00:34:27,945 ...by a company using that name. 471 00:34:28,149 --> 00:34:29,844 l called all the hackers l know... 472 00:34:30,051 --> 00:34:33,179 ...asking if any had heard of a National Assembly of Hackers... 473 00:34:33,388 --> 00:34:35,515 ...or of a hacker named Big Bad Bionic Boy. 474 00:34:35,723 --> 00:34:37,850 Nothing. l even tried Ian Restil himself. 475 00:34:38,059 --> 00:34:41,256 There's no listing for the kid in D.C., Virginia, Maryland.... 476 00:34:41,462 --> 00:34:44,625 There's no record of him ever attending a public school before. 477 00:34:44,832 --> 00:34:46,265 -More? -Please. 478 00:34:47,001 --> 00:34:50,664 This guy, Joe Hiert, was described by Glass as a former basketball agent. 479 00:34:50,872 --> 00:34:53,602 No one by that name was ever registered with the NBA. 480 00:34:53,808 --> 00:34:55,605 And none of my hackers knew of him. 481 00:34:55,810 --> 00:34:58,973 Look, l even checked the names of every government-- 482 00:34:59,747 --> 00:35:02,011 l was just getting some coffee. 483 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:07,449 l checked names of every government employee quoted... 484 00:35:07,655 --> 00:35:11,989 ...against a book listing the names of all government employees in the U.S. 485 00:35:12,193 --> 00:35:14,923 None of the Glass sources were listed. 486 00:35:15,930 --> 00:35:19,195 -But there is one thing that checks out. -What's that? 487 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:23,700 There does appear to be a state in the Union named Nevada. 488 00:35:23,905 --> 00:35:26,237 Stephen Glass 489 00:35:26,441 --> 00:35:28,568 David, for Chrissakes. 490 00:35:28,776 --> 00:35:30,607 Oh, God, I'm sorry, Stephen. 491 00:35:30,812 --> 00:35:35,010 l just wanted to see if you'd read it yet, and it was sitting right here. 492 00:35:36,317 --> 00:35:38,945 -Don't hate me, okay? -Stephen, you shredded it. 493 00:35:41,856 --> 00:35:44,484 I'm trying to spare you a spanking, David. 494 00:35:44,692 --> 00:35:47,490 You've got blind quotes all over the place. 495 00:35:47,695 --> 00:35:49,663 Your facts are shaky. l mean... 496 00:35:49,864 --> 00:35:53,630 ...the line about the turnover at DOT was low by 4.5 percent. l checked. 497 00:35:54,102 --> 00:35:55,865 Of course you did. 498 00:35:56,237 --> 00:35:59,172 Rob and Aaron would kill you over that kind of stuff. 499 00:35:59,540 --> 00:36:02,475 This is The New Republic, remember? Nothing slides here. 500 00:36:02,677 --> 00:36:05,339 lf you don't have it cold, you don't turn it in, ever. 501 00:36:05,546 --> 00:36:07,104 -Okay. -Look... 502 00:36:07,315 --> 00:36:09,783 ...bring me your notes later. We'll go through it. 503 00:36:09,984 --> 00:36:12,214 There's a lot about it that l liked. 504 00:36:12,420 --> 00:36:14,354 -Really? -Really. 505 00:36:14,922 --> 00:36:18,153 And get back to work, okay? The mailroom floor needs scrubbing. 506 00:36:18,359 --> 00:36:21,089 Okay. Hey, thanks, Stephen. 507 00:36:30,204 --> 00:36:33,935 You have one unheard message. First message. 508 00:36:34,142 --> 00:36:37,168 Hi, Stephen, this is Adam Penenberg from Forbes Digital Tool. 509 00:36:37,378 --> 00:36:40,541 l just got done reading your hacker article. 510 00:36:40,748 --> 00:36:45,344 First of all, congratulations. l mean, everybody here just loved it. 511 00:36:45,553 --> 00:36:49,455 But we wanted to do a companion piece to it, sort of a day-two story... 512 00:36:49,657 --> 00:36:53,991 ...and I'm having some trouble tracking down Ian Restil. 513 00:36:54,362 --> 00:36:57,024 You think l could get a phone number on him from you? 514 00:36:57,865 --> 00:37:00,459 Look, l think it's good that you tried this. 515 00:37:01,335 --> 00:37:02,700 it's good to stretch. 516 00:37:02,904 --> 00:37:04,462 l just.... 517 00:37:05,039 --> 00:37:07,337 l don't think you're writing to your strengths. 518 00:37:07,742 --> 00:37:09,835 -Can l...? -l mean.... 519 00:37:15,750 --> 00:37:18,844 l wonder why you'd wanna stray from the things you do so well. 520 00:37:25,326 --> 00:37:29,592 Have you noticed the way Steve's phone has been ringing lately? 521 00:37:29,797 --> 00:37:32,925 Did you see all those editors at the correspondents dinner? 522 00:37:33,134 --> 00:37:36,365 -The way they were circling him? -is that what you want, Amy? 523 00:37:36,904 --> 00:37:40,203 To get a bunch of smoke blown up your ass by a pack of editors? 524 00:37:40,408 --> 00:37:43,605 Yes. Yes, it is. 525 00:37:45,580 --> 00:37:47,104 Caitlin... 526 00:37:47,315 --> 00:37:51,251 ...he's going to double his salary freelancing like that. 527 00:37:51,452 --> 00:37:53,613 These guys don't want policy pieces anymore. 528 00:37:53,821 --> 00:37:57,552 They want color. They want nuance, humor. 529 00:37:57,758 --> 00:37:59,385 Amy... 530 00:37:59,794 --> 00:38:01,193 ...you don't write funny. 531 00:38:06,167 --> 00:38:08,499 it's a little funny. 532 00:38:10,238 --> 00:38:11,466 isn't it? 533 00:38:13,274 --> 00:38:15,936 -l was just looking for Stephen. -He's in his office. 534 00:38:24,619 --> 00:38:27,281 -You got a minute, Steve? -Yeah. 535 00:38:27,488 --> 00:38:29,979 You have numbers for your sources on ''Hack Heaven''? 536 00:38:30,191 --> 00:38:31,385 But they're at home. 537 00:38:31,592 --> 00:38:33,253 -Can l get them? -Of course. 538 00:38:33,461 --> 00:38:36,055 Did l do something wrong? Are you mad at me? 539 00:38:36,264 --> 00:38:38,858 No, l just need the phone numbers. 540 00:38:41,168 --> 00:38:42,635 Okay. 541 00:38:43,971 --> 00:38:46,462 Okay. Okay, I'm trying to keep cool about all this. 542 00:38:46,674 --> 00:38:50,940 But you know the Uniform Computer Security Act in the Glass piece? 543 00:38:51,145 --> 00:38:54,342 Supposed to be under debate in 21 state legislatures? 544 00:38:54,549 --> 00:38:57,143 l just checked all 50. No such act. 545 00:38:57,785 --> 00:38:59,753 -Beautiful. -And Julie Farthwork... 546 00:38:59,954 --> 00:39:03,583 ...from the Computer Security Center? Not too sure she exists either. 547 00:39:04,692 --> 00:39:08,321 Same with Jim Ghort of the Center for interstate Online investigations. 548 00:39:08,529 --> 00:39:13,626 And I've got nothing on the National Assembly of Hackers or Frank Juliet. 549 00:39:14,435 --> 00:39:16,460 -Man. -Do you know why this is so great? 550 00:39:16,704 --> 00:39:17,898 Do you see the irony? 551 00:39:18,105 --> 00:39:21,768 The snobbiest rag in the business, in-flight magazine of Air Force One... 552 00:39:21,976 --> 00:39:24,536 ...and their star goes and gets completely snowed... 553 00:39:24,745 --> 00:39:26,474 ...by a bunch of hackers. 554 00:39:26,681 --> 00:39:28,945 God couldn't have written this any better. 555 00:39:36,157 --> 00:39:38,284 -Adam? -Yeah? 556 00:39:40,861 --> 00:39:45,264 Long as I'm grinding away on this, any chance you'd share your byline? 557 00:39:49,503 --> 00:39:51,198 Forget it. 558 00:39:54,175 --> 00:39:56,541 We are in uncharted territory here, Adam. 559 00:39:56,744 --> 00:39:59,542 An online magazine going after a giant. 560 00:40:00,615 --> 00:40:04,642 You should have someone beside you to take some flak in case it blows up. 561 00:40:04,852 --> 00:40:08,879 -Gosh, that's touching. -You're completely swamped. 562 00:40:09,090 --> 00:40:12,548 -You're behind on the Polese piece. -I'll get to it. 563 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:15,558 Look, everything that I'm working on is so... 564 00:40:16,163 --> 00:40:17,790 ...dull. 565 00:40:18,032 --> 00:40:21,763 -And this is spectacular. -Andy, no. 566 00:40:22,036 --> 00:40:24,231 it's not like you found this story yourself. 567 00:40:24,438 --> 00:40:25,905 Kambiz just handed it to you. 568 00:40:26,173 --> 00:40:29,370 lf l hadn't been at the dentist, it'd be me about to get famous. 569 00:40:29,577 --> 00:40:32,569 Why don't you just share the wealth, okay? Shit. 570 00:40:37,118 --> 00:40:40,576 That came out a lot uglier than l meant it. Sorry. 571 00:40:46,627 --> 00:40:48,822 -Hey. -Hey. 572 00:40:49,196 --> 00:40:51,596 Well, Ian Restil e-mailed me right back. 573 00:40:51,799 --> 00:40:54,199 it might be tough to put you in touch directly... 574 00:40:54,402 --> 00:40:58,031 ...or at least until next week. This is his email: 575 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:02,369 ''Your story screwed up my deal. l don't to talk to you.'' 576 00:41:02,576 --> 00:41:04,806 l think he meant ''don't want to talk to you.'' 577 00:41:05,012 --> 00:41:08,778 ''I'm on vacation with my parents, so leave me alone.'' 578 00:41:09,483 --> 00:41:13,283 What kind of parent goes on vacation with their kid in early May? 579 00:41:14,155 --> 00:41:17,750 That's a good question. l guess you have to know his mom. 580 00:41:17,958 --> 00:41:19,983 She's a little quirky. 581 00:41:20,695 --> 00:41:24,961 That's his email address if you want to write him yourself. 582 00:41:26,300 --> 00:41:28,632 These are all my notes. 583 00:41:29,336 --> 00:41:31,736 That's for the National Assembly of Hackers. 584 00:41:31,939 --> 00:41:36,308 Don't be thrown if all you hear is like a dark, deep, heavy breathing. it's-- 585 00:41:36,510 --> 00:41:39,138 l don't know, their outgoing voice-mail message. 586 00:41:39,346 --> 00:41:40,904 Don't ask me why. 587 00:41:41,148 --> 00:41:43,810 And then that's the number for Jukt Micronics. 588 00:41:44,018 --> 00:41:45,849 The chairman's name is George Sims. 589 00:41:46,053 --> 00:41:50,149 l can't figure why this Penenberg guy would have such a hard time finding it. 590 00:41:50,357 --> 00:41:51,688 But you know, whatever. 591 00:41:52,460 --> 00:41:54,325 That's the URL to their website. 592 00:41:54,628 --> 00:41:57,062 And then l can't seem to find Joe Hiert's number. 593 00:41:57,264 --> 00:41:58,788 l was looking all over at home. 594 00:41:58,999 --> 00:42:01,365 it's somewhere, l know. I'll get that tomorrow. 595 00:42:01,569 --> 00:42:03,503 -lf that's okay. -Sure. 596 00:42:04,171 --> 00:42:06,230 He's Restil's agent. 597 00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:08,431 Should l...? I'll give you some privacy. 598 00:42:08,642 --> 00:42:11,042 No, have a seat. 650, is that Palo Aito? 599 00:42:12,246 --> 00:42:14,180 No, Silicon Valley. 600 00:42:14,381 --> 00:42:16,849 You'll probably get a voice mail. l usually do. 601 00:42:17,051 --> 00:42:19,281 You've reached the offices of Jukt Micronics. 602 00:42:19,487 --> 00:42:21,318 Please leave a message. 603 00:42:21,522 --> 00:42:24,685 it's Charles Lane from The New Republic in Washington D.C. 604 00:42:24,892 --> 00:42:27,360 I'd like to speak to George Sims, if l could. 605 00:42:27,561 --> 00:42:29,495 They already have our number. 606 00:42:30,464 --> 00:42:33,956 l guess you already have our number. Thank you. 607 00:42:34,168 --> 00:42:36,796 I'm sorry. We've just spoken a million times now. 608 00:42:37,004 --> 00:42:39,404 it's actually his voice on the answering machine. 609 00:42:39,607 --> 00:42:40,801 Sims is so hands-on... 610 00:42:41,008 --> 00:42:44,444 ...that he won't even let his secretary do an outgoing message. 611 00:42:47,081 --> 00:42:50,016 -Who's next? -Penenberg. 612 00:42:53,587 --> 00:42:55,555 -This is Adam. -Hi, it's Chuck Lane. 613 00:42:56,590 --> 00:42:58,820 -Hi, Chuck. -I've got a phone number for you. 614 00:42:59,093 --> 00:43:02,460 -A phone number for what? -For George Sims at Jukt Micronics. 615 00:43:02,663 --> 00:43:05,655 -You got a pen? -Yeah, sure. 616 00:43:10,171 --> 00:43:12,002 Okay, thanks. 617 00:43:14,074 --> 00:43:16,668 it's a phone number for Jukt Micronics. 618 00:43:29,190 --> 00:43:31,420 You've reached the offices of Jukt Micronics. 619 00:43:31,625 --> 00:43:33,593 Please leave a message. 620 00:43:44,772 --> 00:43:46,535 Do me a favor. 621 00:43:47,775 --> 00:43:51,643 Call this number the same time l do, okay? 622 00:43:54,949 --> 00:43:57,281 Ready? Go. 623 00:44:02,189 --> 00:44:04,419 You've reached the offices of Jukt Micronics. 624 00:44:04,625 --> 00:44:05,887 Please leave a message. 625 00:44:06,193 --> 00:44:08,218 -What'd you get? -it's a voice mail. 626 00:44:08,829 --> 00:44:11,457 l get a busy signal. Hang up. 627 00:44:12,166 --> 00:44:15,431 Try again, okay? Redial. 628 00:44:18,138 --> 00:44:22,632 -Busy signal. -l got a voice mail. Hang up. 629 00:44:26,380 --> 00:44:30,316 A major software company with one phone line? 630 00:44:34,255 --> 00:44:37,486 -How you doing? -Good. 631 00:44:37,725 --> 00:44:39,920 He's up to 103. 632 00:44:40,127 --> 00:44:41,924 Oh, shit. 633 00:44:42,563 --> 00:44:44,622 Come here, buddy. 634 00:44:46,533 --> 00:44:48,899 -Should l give him a bath? -That would be great. 635 00:44:49,103 --> 00:44:50,536 Yeah. 636 00:44:52,006 --> 00:44:53,439 How you doing? 637 00:44:55,276 --> 00:44:57,369 -Hello? -Hello, this is George Sims. 638 00:44:57,578 --> 00:45:01,674 -May l speak with Charles Lane? -One moment, please. 639 00:45:02,516 --> 00:45:05,542 Honey, it's George Sims. 640 00:45:08,055 --> 00:45:09,647 I'll take him. 641 00:45:09,857 --> 00:45:12,985 Come on, sweetheart. Yes, yes, yes. 642 00:45:13,193 --> 00:45:14,956 -Oh, you're such a good boy. -Hello? 643 00:45:15,496 --> 00:45:17,293 Yeah, this is George Sims from Jukt. 644 00:45:17,498 --> 00:45:19,363 Am l speaking with Charles Lane? 645 00:45:19,566 --> 00:45:22,194 Mr. Sims, thank you for calling me back-- 646 00:45:22,403 --> 00:45:26,567 l don't have time for this, actually. We're trying to have an office party. 647 00:45:27,441 --> 00:45:30,672 Look, if you were calling for a comment on your story... 648 00:45:30,878 --> 00:45:35,042 ...l don't have one other than to say l wish you never ran the stupid thing. 649 00:45:35,449 --> 00:45:39,886 That stuff was off the record, and your reporter knows it. That Glass guy. 650 00:45:40,087 --> 00:45:43,250 -I'm calling to verify information. -I'm not verifying anything. 651 00:45:43,457 --> 00:45:47,416 Bottom line is I'd like you guys to basically get lost, okay? 652 00:45:48,429 --> 00:45:49,987 Hello? 653 00:45:52,866 --> 00:45:54,766 -Hey. -David. 654 00:45:55,402 --> 00:45:57,199 -Oh, I'm sorry, Steve. -Shit. 655 00:45:57,404 --> 00:46:00,430 l didn't mean to startle you. Thought you'd like some coffee. 656 00:46:00,641 --> 00:46:03,769 -What are you doing here? -Working late. Working on my article. 657 00:46:03,978 --> 00:46:06,276 -So l don't get shredded again. -Thank you. 658 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:10,109 You're welcome. So l always forget to ask you : 659 00:46:10,317 --> 00:46:12,410 How are your studies coming? 660 00:46:13,153 --> 00:46:15,348 They're fine. I'm just buried. 661 00:46:15,556 --> 00:46:19,458 You're buried. Right. Okay, l should probably let you get back to it. 662 00:46:19,660 --> 00:46:23,118 -is there anything else you need? -No. Good night, David. 663 00:46:23,530 --> 00:46:25,430 All right. Night, Steve. 664 00:46:33,607 --> 00:46:35,097 l got it. 665 00:46:38,078 --> 00:46:40,137 -Hello? -Chuck, it's Steve. 666 00:46:41,348 --> 00:46:44,215 -Hi, Steve. -Hey, sorry to be calling so late. 667 00:46:44,418 --> 00:46:47,148 l was just wondering, did you get a call... 668 00:46:47,354 --> 00:46:51,085 -...from the Jukt guy, George Sims? -l did, yeah. 669 00:46:51,291 --> 00:46:54,351 Yeah, l was sitting here, and l realized that I'd given him... 670 00:46:54,561 --> 00:46:59,396 ...your home number without asking you first, and l wanted to apologize. 671 00:46:59,733 --> 00:47:01,223 it's fine. 672 00:47:01,602 --> 00:47:03,001 Sort of a prick, you think? 673 00:47:03,270 --> 00:47:05,761 l couldn't really tell, because he hung up so fast. 674 00:47:06,373 --> 00:47:08,068 Are you at home, Steve? 675 00:47:08,275 --> 00:47:11,244 -No, why? -l left a message on your machine. 676 00:47:11,445 --> 00:47:14,278 The Forbes guys want to talk to us again. 677 00:47:14,481 --> 00:47:16,449 There's a conference call at 9 a.m. 678 00:47:16,817 --> 00:47:18,409 Sure. Sounds like a party. 679 00:47:19,086 --> 00:47:20,610 Yeah. 680 00:47:21,922 --> 00:47:25,653 -Okay. Night, Chuck. -See you in the morning. 681 00:47:29,997 --> 00:47:32,090 That's weird. 682 00:47:58,158 --> 00:48:00,217 Friday, May 8, 1998 683 00:48:04,765 --> 00:48:08,360 THE NEW REPUBLlC 684 00:48:13,640 --> 00:48:16,837 -Morning. -Hey. 685 00:48:18,779 --> 00:48:21,714 -Want a laugh? -Sure. 686 00:48:21,915 --> 00:48:24,577 -The website for Jukt Micronics. -Oh, good. 687 00:48:24,785 --> 00:48:27,583 Yeah, you might not think so when you see what's on it. 688 00:48:30,491 --> 00:48:33,892 l don't think Mr. Sims liked our piece that much. 689 00:48:34,361 --> 00:48:37,387 it is with great frustration that we read the article ''Hack Heaven''.... 690 00:48:41,635 --> 00:48:44,468 And l found this, too, on my fridge for some reason. 691 00:48:44,671 --> 00:48:48,038 Ian Restil's agent, Joe Hiert. 692 00:48:57,384 --> 00:48:59,181 JOE HlERT Super-Agent to Super-Nerds 693 00:48:59,386 --> 00:49:02,219 I'd like to pause. You can't really go into journalism... 694 00:49:02,422 --> 00:49:06,449 ...without first understanding how a piece gets edited at a place like TNR. 695 00:49:06,660 --> 00:49:09,788 This is the system Michael Kelly brought from The New Yorker... 696 00:49:09,997 --> 00:49:11,726 ...a three-day torture test. 697 00:49:11,932 --> 00:49:14,298 lf your article's good, it'll make it better. 698 00:49:14,601 --> 00:49:18,332 lf your article's shaky, you're in for a long week. 699 00:49:18,705 --> 00:49:21,105 A story comes in, and it goes to a senior editor. 700 00:49:21,308 --> 00:49:23,469 He or she edits it on computer... 701 00:49:23,677 --> 00:49:25,941 ...then calls in the writer to make revisions. 702 00:49:26,146 --> 00:49:29,377 Then it goes to a second editor, and the writer revises it again. 703 00:49:29,583 --> 00:49:32,245 Then it goes through a fact-check, where every fact... 704 00:49:32,452 --> 00:49:37,048 ...every date, every title, every place or assertion is checked and verified. 705 00:49:37,257 --> 00:49:40,784 Then it goes to a copy editor, where it is scrutinized once again. 706 00:49:40,994 --> 00:49:43,895 Then it goes to lawyers who apply their burdens of proof. 707 00:49:44,097 --> 00:49:45,291 Marty looks at it too. 708 00:49:45,499 --> 00:49:48,024 He's concerned with any comment the magazine makes. 709 00:49:48,235 --> 00:49:50,999 Then production lays it out in column inches and type. 710 00:49:51,205 --> 00:49:54,971 Then it goes back on paper, back to the writer, back to the copy editor... 711 00:49:55,175 --> 00:49:57,370 ...back to editor one and editor two... 712 00:49:57,578 --> 00:50:01,981 ...back to the fact-checker, back to the writer and back to production again. 713 00:50:02,182 --> 00:50:04,275 Throughout, the lawyers read and re-read... 714 00:50:04,484 --> 00:50:07,647 ...looking for red flags, anything that feels uncorroborated. 715 00:50:07,854 --> 00:50:11,449 Once they're satisfied, the pages are reprinted, and it happens again. 716 00:50:11,992 --> 00:50:16,292 Every editor, the fact-checkers, they all go through it one last time. 717 00:50:17,130 --> 00:50:21,191 Now, most of you will start out as interns somewhere... 718 00:50:21,401 --> 00:50:25,667 ...and interns do a lot of fact-checking, so pay close attention. 719 00:50:26,707 --> 00:50:31,337 There's a hole in the fact-checking system, a big one. 720 00:50:32,312 --> 00:50:34,507 The facts of most pieces can be checked... 721 00:50:34,715 --> 00:50:36,910 ...against some type of source material. 722 00:50:37,117 --> 00:50:39,108 lf an article's on ethanol subsidies... 723 00:50:39,319 --> 00:50:41,981 ...you can check against the congressional record... 724 00:50:42,189 --> 00:50:47,286 ...trade publications, LexisNexis, footage from C-SPAN. 725 00:50:47,861 --> 00:50:49,988 But on other pieces... 726 00:50:51,365 --> 00:50:53,356 ...the only source material available... 727 00:50:53,567 --> 00:50:57,230 ...are the notes provided by the reporter himself. 728 00:50:58,071 --> 00:50:59,698 Steve. 729 00:51:01,074 --> 00:51:03,565 This doesn't look like a real business card to me. 730 00:51:04,511 --> 00:51:07,071 Yeah, l know. That's the kind of clown this guy is. 731 00:51:07,281 --> 00:51:09,408 He won't even pay to have real cards made. 732 00:51:10,684 --> 00:51:12,413 All right. 733 00:51:13,887 --> 00:51:16,947 -My office at 9, okay? -Yeah. 734 00:51:21,628 --> 00:51:23,255 Good morning. 735 00:51:24,531 --> 00:51:26,396 A few others we can't seem to locate: 736 00:51:26,767 --> 00:51:31,864 Julie Farthwork, Frank Juliet and Ian Restil's agent, Joe Hiert. 737 00:51:32,072 --> 00:51:34,870 We called the numbers you gave us and got voice mails. 738 00:51:35,075 --> 00:51:39,011 And the e-mails were sent back no address or account closed. 739 00:51:39,212 --> 00:51:42,477 Really? Because I've e-mailed them about a million times each. 740 00:51:42,683 --> 00:51:44,116 Hiert's online all day long. 741 00:51:44,318 --> 00:51:45,945 Did you ever get them directly? 742 00:51:46,153 --> 00:51:49,520 No. l always left messages and spoke to them when they called back. 743 00:51:49,723 --> 00:51:54,057 And the references in the article to Nevada law-enforcement officials.... 744 00:51:54,261 --> 00:51:55,888 You only spoke to Jim Ghort? 745 00:51:56,096 --> 00:51:57,791 -Yes. -You have a number for him? 746 00:51:57,998 --> 00:51:59,556 -Yeah, definitely. -By the way... 747 00:51:59,766 --> 00:52:04,794 ...what was your basis for writing that Jukt was a big time software company? 748 00:52:05,005 --> 00:52:07,337 l didn't. That was added by the copy desk. 749 00:52:07,541 --> 00:52:10,704 Was the hackers conference where you met the Jukt executives--? 750 00:52:10,911 --> 00:52:14,711 That part of the article is misleading. l was never in the Restils' home. 751 00:52:14,915 --> 00:52:17,008 You weren't there with the Jukt executives? 752 00:52:17,217 --> 00:52:19,310 No. l didn't mean to imply that l had been. 753 00:52:26,426 --> 00:52:29,054 Sorry about that. Did the fax come through okay? 754 00:52:29,463 --> 00:52:31,431 Yes, it did. 755 00:52:31,698 --> 00:52:34,667 l think the address was garbled. We can't find the site. 756 00:52:34,868 --> 00:52:36,733 -You wanna read it back to me? -Sure. 757 00:52:36,937 --> 00:52:41,431 You gave us, ''members.aol.juktn.html.'' 758 00:52:41,641 --> 00:52:43,939 -Wait. Was that an M? -I'm sorry? 759 00:52:44,144 --> 00:52:46,271 After ''Jukt,'' was that an M as in ''Micronics''? 760 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:51,110 No, it was an N, as in ''not working.'' 761 00:52:52,419 --> 00:52:54,683 -Try M. -Okay. 762 00:52:54,888 --> 00:52:58,654 -Sorry about that, l was just rushing. -Of course. 763 00:52:59,359 --> 00:53:01,589 But l do find myself wondering, Stephen... 764 00:53:01,795 --> 00:53:04,525 ...why would a major software company put their site... 765 00:53:04,731 --> 00:53:08,258 ...where only AOL members access it, as opposed to the entire web? 766 00:53:08,468 --> 00:53:10,060 l have no idea. 767 00:53:10,270 --> 00:53:12,500 l don't have a site. l don't know about them. 768 00:53:12,706 --> 00:53:15,004 l would trust you guys know better than me. 769 00:53:16,610 --> 00:53:17,838 Okay. 770 00:53:18,044 --> 00:53:22,447 Looks like we have the Jukt website up now. 771 00:53:24,151 --> 00:53:26,278 Jukt Micronics 772 00:53:33,026 --> 00:53:37,053 l have to say, Stephen, this looks very suspicious to me. 773 00:53:38,064 --> 00:53:42,000 -How so? -Quite frankly, it doesn't look real. 774 00:53:42,202 --> 00:53:45,865 it looks like a site that was created to fool someone. 775 00:53:46,807 --> 00:53:48,775 l don't know much. Could they do that? 776 00:53:48,975 --> 00:53:50,442 -Of course. -Very easily. 777 00:53:50,644 --> 00:53:52,509 So easy, in fact, it's incredible. 778 00:53:52,879 --> 00:53:55,143 Do you still want that number for Jim Ghort? 779 00:53:55,348 --> 00:53:57,441 Because l just found it in my notes. 780 00:53:57,651 --> 00:53:59,312 Yeah, sure. 781 00:54:00,020 --> 00:54:02,784 -All right. 605-84-- -Oh, wait. 782 00:54:02,989 --> 00:54:04,581 Sorry? 783 00:54:05,058 --> 00:54:07,151 605, that's not Nevada. 784 00:54:20,474 --> 00:54:23,602 l guess l got him mixed up with another source. 785 00:54:32,586 --> 00:54:33,814 Sorry about that one. 786 00:54:34,020 --> 00:54:35,248 Oh, you know what it was? 787 00:54:35,455 --> 00:54:40,154 Jim Ghort was the guy who told me about the law-enforcement officials. 788 00:54:42,095 --> 00:54:43,722 l don't know what l was thinking. 789 00:54:43,930 --> 00:54:46,364 -I'm gonna have to get you that-- -Steve. 790 00:54:47,300 --> 00:54:49,165 Give him the number. 791 00:54:55,942 --> 00:54:58,376 This guy is toast. 792 00:54:58,578 --> 00:55:01,479 All right, Stephen, in light of all this... 793 00:55:01,681 --> 00:55:04,047 ...how confident are you in this story of yours? 794 00:55:07,053 --> 00:55:08,247 Are we off the record? 795 00:55:08,889 --> 00:55:11,380 -lf you like. -Well... 796 00:55:13,293 --> 00:55:15,261 ...off the record... 797 00:55:16,396 --> 00:55:19,160 ...some of the things that you've brought up... 798 00:55:19,966 --> 00:55:21,558 ...the website... 799 00:55:21,768 --> 00:55:25,704 ...the idea that l was always speaking to these people through voice mail.... 800 00:55:27,040 --> 00:55:30,271 That is, that they were always calling me.... 801 00:55:31,444 --> 00:55:34,504 it didn't seem strange before, but clearly there are problems. 802 00:55:34,714 --> 00:55:35,908 You've pointed them out. 803 00:55:36,349 --> 00:55:39,182 One portion of it was structured in a way that.... 804 00:55:42,822 --> 00:55:46,656 l just, well, in light of all this.... 805 00:55:51,932 --> 00:55:57,063 it's just I'm increasingly beginning to believe that I've been duped. 806 00:56:04,277 --> 00:56:08,714 So we hang up after he's basically let these guys interrogate me for an hour. 807 00:56:09,115 --> 00:56:13,711 And l go, ''Chuck, what happened? l mean, why didn't you back me up?'' 808 00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:17,981 And he goes, ''I'm sorry, Steve. l gotta protect the magazine. I'm the editor.'' 809 00:56:18,391 --> 00:56:20,450 -Typical. -He's being such an asshole. 810 00:56:21,394 --> 00:56:23,225 So I'm dead, pretty much. 811 00:56:25,898 --> 00:56:27,422 Yes, this is Kambiz. 812 00:56:28,101 --> 00:56:30,831 Can we have a talk here, just editor to editor? 813 00:56:32,705 --> 00:56:34,400 Sure, go ahead. 814 00:56:34,607 --> 00:56:38,509 Completely off the record and really almost human being to human being? 815 00:56:38,845 --> 00:56:40,244 Of course. 816 00:56:40,446 --> 00:56:44,075 You guys have discovered something that a troubled kid has done... 817 00:56:44,684 --> 00:56:47,175 ...but l still don't know how you plan to play it. 818 00:56:47,387 --> 00:56:51,790 l have no interest in embarrassing you or The New Republic. 819 00:56:51,991 --> 00:56:54,653 I'm not worried about me or the magazine. That's fair. 820 00:56:55,295 --> 00:57:00,927 But there's a kid here who basically just plainly screwed up, big time. 821 00:57:01,134 --> 00:57:02,829 His reporting was sloppy, we know. 822 00:57:03,036 --> 00:57:05,937 But we're trying to handle it internally at this point. 823 00:57:06,139 --> 00:57:07,970 -Just as you would. -Listen. 824 00:57:08,207 --> 00:57:13,235 We're going to run something along the lines of a trick was pulled... 825 00:57:13,446 --> 00:57:15,539 ...and some hackers created an illusion. 826 00:57:15,748 --> 00:57:20,185 l can't tell you what to print or not to print. You guys are journalists. 827 00:57:20,386 --> 00:57:23,651 But he could be very hurt by what you guys publish. His career. 828 00:57:24,223 --> 00:57:26,953 Chuck, l understand. l do. 829 00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:29,958 l would hope if l made the mistakes he made... 830 00:57:30,163 --> 00:57:32,393 ...people would be generous with me. 831 00:57:32,598 --> 00:57:37,467 But this concerns the very field we cover. 832 00:57:37,670 --> 00:57:38,864 We have to run it. 833 00:57:39,439 --> 00:57:43,637 And when we do, we're gonna need a comment from you. 834 00:57:44,677 --> 00:57:46,702 So given everything that's happened... 835 00:57:46,913 --> 00:57:49,575 ...how strongly are you gonna stand behind this story? 836 00:57:54,921 --> 00:57:56,752 I'm looking into it. 837 00:57:57,323 --> 00:58:00,656 it's really not that big a deal. You got fooled by a source. 838 00:58:00,860 --> 00:58:04,819 it happens. They'll print a retraction, and that'll be that. 839 00:58:05,031 --> 00:58:06,999 Steve, it won't hurt your career. 840 00:58:07,200 --> 00:58:10,260 Of course, if you weren't so distracted by your classes.... 841 00:58:10,470 --> 00:58:13,030 Yeah, l know, l really gotta quit. You're right. 842 00:58:19,045 --> 00:58:22,037 -Can l speak to you for a minute? -What about? 843 00:58:23,282 --> 00:58:24,840 Let's do it in private. 844 00:58:33,893 --> 00:58:36,453 We need to take a drive to Bethesda. 845 00:58:38,297 --> 00:58:39,992 -What for? -l wanna meet Joe Hiert. 846 00:58:40,199 --> 00:58:42,133 l told you, nobody knows where he is. 847 00:58:42,335 --> 00:58:46,931 Well, maybe if we go to the hotel where he met with Restil and Sims... 848 00:58:47,140 --> 00:58:50,701 -...someone will remember him-- -There were hundreds of people there. 849 00:58:50,910 --> 00:58:52,969 These Forbes guys wanna come down on you. 850 00:58:53,179 --> 00:58:56,410 -This is ridiculous. -They're very suspicious of that article. 851 00:58:56,616 --> 00:58:57,810 -You know that. -Yeah. 852 00:58:58,017 --> 00:59:01,646 But they're gonna go online with their piece tomorrow. 853 00:59:01,854 --> 00:59:04,015 -Okay? -Yeah. 854 00:59:04,223 --> 00:59:06,817 -Yeah. -Now.... 855 00:59:07,026 --> 00:59:10,860 -Steve? Steve. -Yeah? 856 00:59:11,063 --> 00:59:14,760 lf we can find Hiert, l can back them off for a day or two. 857 00:59:14,967 --> 00:59:17,094 -Okay? -Okay, I'll get my notes. 858 00:59:28,147 --> 00:59:30,513 -Let's go. -All right. 859 00:59:40,593 --> 00:59:41,787 We were at this table. 860 00:59:42,462 --> 00:59:45,920 Restil sat here. His mother was on his left. Hiert-- 861 00:59:46,132 --> 00:59:48,726 Sorry, his mother was on his right. Hiert sat there. 862 00:59:48,935 --> 00:59:51,699 But Restil wanted him closer, so he slid his chair over. 863 00:59:52,104 --> 00:59:54,971 Sims sat here. He had a lawyer next to him. 864 00:59:55,174 --> 00:59:58,541 l forget his name. it's in my notes. Somebody smoked at this table. 865 00:59:58,744 --> 01:00:02,043 So then Restil's mother insisted that we move to one farther away. 866 01:00:02,248 --> 01:00:03,909 Over there. 867 01:00:04,584 --> 01:00:07,212 The hacker conference was near here, right? 868 01:00:08,988 --> 01:00:10,979 Yeah, the building next door. 869 01:00:11,190 --> 01:00:14,125 l don't remember, how many people did you say were at this? 870 01:00:14,327 --> 01:00:17,660 Looked like a hundred, might've been two. it's in my notes. 871 01:00:23,870 --> 01:00:27,135 Two hundred people. Here. 872 01:00:28,774 --> 01:00:32,335 Yeah, they moved in and out. l mean, most of them were kids. 873 01:00:49,795 --> 01:00:51,422 That doesn't seem credible to me. 874 01:00:52,098 --> 01:00:55,465 All l know is, l was here. All of us were right here. 875 01:00:55,668 --> 01:00:57,226 Excuse me, sir, can l help you? 876 01:00:57,637 --> 01:00:59,366 Yes, you can. 877 01:01:04,176 --> 01:01:07,339 We're looking into a conference held here a couple Sundays ago. 878 01:01:07,613 --> 01:01:10,514 Computer hackers. You remember anything like that? 879 01:01:10,716 --> 01:01:12,775 Are you sure you're in the right building? 880 01:01:12,985 --> 01:01:14,577 -Yes, we're sure. -Why is that? 881 01:01:14,787 --> 01:01:16,379 Building's closed on Sunday. 882 01:01:21,494 --> 01:01:26,090 All l know is l was here. The conference was right here. 883 01:01:28,935 --> 01:01:31,335 That's why the Restils only stayed a few minutes. 884 01:01:31,537 --> 01:01:34,665 Because it was such a dumb place to squeeze into. 885 01:01:34,874 --> 01:01:39,402 So they went to a restaurant for dinner with some of Ian's hacker friends. 886 01:01:40,646 --> 01:01:42,170 Thank you. 887 01:01:45,017 --> 01:01:46,780 How many? 888 01:01:49,522 --> 01:01:51,786 People at the dinner, how many? 889 01:01:52,291 --> 01:01:54,987 About 10, l think, including me. 890 01:01:55,595 --> 01:01:56,994 Ian even put on a jacket. 891 01:01:57,196 --> 01:01:59,289 -Hiert was there too? -Yeah. 892 01:01:59,498 --> 01:02:02,092 -is it near here? -Yeah, it's across the street. 893 01:02:02,301 --> 01:02:04,326 Good. Let's cross the street. 894 01:02:05,371 --> 01:02:09,273 l don't like the way you're treating me. it's like you won't even talk to me. 895 01:02:09,475 --> 01:02:11,375 -This is the place? -Yes. 896 01:02:11,577 --> 01:02:13,909 l didn't do anything wrong, okay? 897 01:02:14,113 --> 01:02:18,482 l didn't do anything wrong. You saw my notes. Everything was in there. 898 01:02:19,619 --> 01:02:24,818 l got tricked. l got fooled, I'm sorry. What are you being so mad for? 899 01:02:25,458 --> 01:02:27,392 -it was 10 people. -Yes. 900 01:02:27,593 --> 01:02:30,084 -For dinner. -Yes. 901 01:02:30,296 --> 01:02:32,764 They're closed at 3 on Sundays. 902 01:02:32,965 --> 01:02:36,162 Yeah, l know. l know. They almost didn't let us in. 903 01:02:36,369 --> 01:02:40,669 But it was a couple minutes before 3, Ian looked like he was ready to cry... 904 01:02:40,873 --> 01:02:43,000 -...and so they said okay. -But for dinner? 905 01:02:43,209 --> 01:02:44,972 Go in and ask them yourself, Chuck. 906 01:02:45,478 --> 01:02:49,039 Okay, go in and see if they would serve a party that came in at 2:58... 907 01:02:49,248 --> 01:02:50,875 ...and the answer would be yes. 908 01:02:51,283 --> 01:02:52,978 Forbes is gonna have all this too. 909 01:02:53,185 --> 01:02:55,653 They'll dig through the records of that building. 910 01:02:55,855 --> 01:02:58,688 I'm sure they have cameras, and they're gonna check them. 911 01:02:58,891 --> 01:03:03,191 -l didn't do anything wrong, Chuck. -l really wish you'd stop saying that! 912 01:03:08,300 --> 01:03:10,097 Steve.... 913 01:03:13,406 --> 01:03:17,467 -Anyone can make a mistake. -You know, this is not right, Chuck. 914 01:03:17,677 --> 01:03:20,202 Okay, l feel really attacked. 915 01:03:20,413 --> 01:03:22,472 You're my editor. You should support me. 916 01:03:22,682 --> 01:03:25,378 And you're taking their word against mine? 917 01:03:26,118 --> 01:03:28,916 You're supposed to support me! 918 01:03:35,895 --> 01:03:38,261 Criticism of the president's program has been-- 919 01:03:38,464 --> 01:03:40,227 Leave it off. 920 01:03:47,139 --> 01:03:50,267 I'm sorry l yelled at you back there. 921 01:03:52,878 --> 01:03:54,470 Chuck? 922 01:04:04,123 --> 01:04:05,852 Steve! 923 01:04:10,062 --> 01:04:11,359 Pull the goddamn car over. 924 01:04:11,731 --> 01:04:13,426 Yeah. 925 01:04:20,339 --> 01:04:21,829 All right. 926 01:04:27,680 --> 01:04:30,444 There's been so much pressure. 927 01:04:31,784 --> 01:04:34,878 -l didn't mean to get anyone in trouble. -Okay. 928 01:04:35,821 --> 01:04:37,345 Okay. 929 01:04:39,091 --> 01:04:41,252 You weren't at the conference. 930 01:04:43,229 --> 01:04:44,662 No. 931 01:04:46,365 --> 01:04:51,667 l had a description of it from so many sources, l thought l had it solid. 932 01:04:52,638 --> 01:04:56,267 Okay? And l wanted the piece to have an eyewitness feel to it for color. 933 01:04:56,475 --> 01:04:59,308 So l said I'd been there myself. 934 01:05:00,479 --> 01:05:02,447 And everything we told the Forbes guys-- 935 01:05:02,648 --> 01:05:05,776 I'm so sorry, Chuck. 936 01:05:05,985 --> 01:05:07,919 l just panicked. 937 01:05:12,258 --> 01:05:15,386 lf you want me to say that l made it up, l will. 938 01:05:15,594 --> 01:05:17,653 lf that will help you, I'll say it. 939 01:05:19,899 --> 01:05:22,834 l just want you to tell me the truth, Steve. 940 01:05:23,969 --> 01:05:25,231 Can you do that? 941 01:05:26,639 --> 01:05:30,234 I'm suggesting that there might be facets that you're not considering. 942 01:05:30,442 --> 01:05:33,741 -Why are you defending him? -Nobody's defending him, Chuck. 943 01:05:34,413 --> 01:05:37,007 -Of course you're defending him. -He's a kid. 944 01:05:37,216 --> 01:05:40,208 He doctored his notes, Lew. Just consider that for a second. 945 01:05:40,419 --> 01:05:44,480 You know? He sat down and he hand-wrote a bunch of phoney quotes... 946 01:05:44,690 --> 01:05:47,818 ...and he handed them in as source material for the fact-check. 947 01:05:48,027 --> 01:05:50,325 - Doesn't that offend you? - Of course it does. 948 01:05:50,529 --> 01:05:53,396 He lied to his editor. That's supposed to offend you too. 949 01:05:53,599 --> 01:05:56,466 He's a confused, distraught kid, obviously, Chuck. 950 01:05:56,669 --> 01:05:59,695 So suspend him for a couple months, but let's not bury him. 951 01:05:59,905 --> 01:06:01,532 Suspend him. 952 01:06:02,141 --> 01:06:06,976 There are also political considerations to take into account here: 953 01:06:07,580 --> 01:06:10,140 The rest of the staff, the way they feel about him. 954 01:06:10,749 --> 01:06:12,216 l already know all that. 955 01:06:12,418 --> 01:06:17,515 What I'm saying is, if you fire him, some of these people will leave. 956 01:06:18,424 --> 01:06:21,689 l don't know if we'd still have a magazine at the end of the day. 957 01:06:24,864 --> 01:06:26,855 -Hey, Caitlin. -Not now, David. 958 01:06:31,403 --> 01:06:34,304 -How's he doing? -Well, he's a wreck, of course. 959 01:06:35,674 --> 01:06:38,871 -l want him in here, Caitlin. -He's too scared to come in here. 960 01:06:39,078 --> 01:06:42,673 He thinks you want to destroy him. He knows what he did was horrible. 961 01:06:43,249 --> 01:06:45,217 He knows how badly he messed up. 962 01:06:45,417 --> 01:06:48,079 The part he's most upset about is lying to you, Chuck. 963 01:06:48,287 --> 01:06:52,519 He knows you took it as a sign of disrespect instead of as a panic move. 964 01:06:52,725 --> 01:06:54,886 Think about the workload he's been carrying. 965 01:06:55,127 --> 01:06:56,526 All this and classes. 966 01:06:56,729 --> 01:06:59,289 He hasn't slept more than two hours in nine months. 967 01:06:59,732 --> 01:07:02,292 He got a little sloppy and lied to cover his tracks. 968 01:07:02,501 --> 01:07:04,526 -He's sick about it. -Caitlin... 969 01:07:04,737 --> 01:07:08,605 ...the building he described, it doesn't even exist. 970 01:07:09,108 --> 01:07:10,575 He just made it up. 971 01:07:13,112 --> 01:07:14,340 So.... 972 01:07:22,087 --> 01:07:23,748 Obviously, he needs some help. 973 01:07:26,258 --> 01:07:28,283 -He needs help. -Just get him in here. 974 01:07:28,494 --> 01:07:30,621 You can't fire him. 975 01:07:31,297 --> 01:07:35,097 l don't think he'll survive. You don't understand, we're all he has. 976 01:07:37,002 --> 01:07:38,936 You can't fire him, Chuck. 977 01:07:42,374 --> 01:07:43,671 Thanks, Lew. 978 01:08:07,666 --> 01:08:09,497 Would you guys excuse us for a minute? 979 01:08:17,643 --> 01:08:20,111 Chuck isn't firing Steve... 980 01:08:23,315 --> 01:08:27,012 He's just suspending him for two years. 981 01:08:34,994 --> 01:08:37,690 l think l have to quit. Caitlin 982 01:08:39,498 --> 01:08:41,466 SEND TO: 983 01:08:42,801 --> 01:08:44,769 michael.kelly@nationaljourn 984 01:08:48,040 --> 01:08:49,405 Sending... 985 01:08:55,948 --> 01:08:59,213 --watered-down stock and, you know, within.... 986 01:09:00,252 --> 01:09:01,617 Steve. 987 01:09:08,093 --> 01:09:09,424 What are you doing here? 988 01:09:10,729 --> 01:09:12,663 I'm so dead. 989 01:09:13,465 --> 01:09:15,228 l mean, I'm over. 990 01:09:16,935 --> 01:09:19,267 Nobody's ever gonna hire me again, are they? 991 01:09:20,873 --> 01:09:24,400 l was so sloppy, trusting my sources like that. 992 01:09:24,610 --> 01:09:28,307 And then lying about it. And to Chuck of all people. 993 01:09:28,514 --> 01:09:33,281 l mean, the one guy who's hated me all along. 994 01:09:34,153 --> 01:09:35,780 I'm sure that it's not personal. 995 01:09:35,988 --> 01:09:37,182 No? 996 01:09:38,023 --> 01:09:40,753 Chuck keeps a list in his head... 997 01:09:40,959 --> 01:09:44,190 ...of everybody who's a Michael Kelly person. 998 01:09:44,396 --> 01:09:46,626 A couple of times... 999 01:09:46,832 --> 01:09:50,324 ...l said some things l shouldn't have said about you. 1000 01:09:50,536 --> 01:09:52,003 So now I'm on it. 1001 01:09:53,172 --> 01:09:55,470 That's why he's so set on killing me now. 1002 01:09:55,674 --> 01:09:58,973 Well, l have to tell you, Steve, he's within his rights. 1003 01:09:59,178 --> 01:10:02,204 The things you did were fireable offenses. 1004 01:10:02,414 --> 01:10:05,281 l know. I'm not saying that they weren't. 1005 01:10:06,685 --> 01:10:10,712 l did some terrible, terrible things. 1006 01:10:14,193 --> 01:10:17,219 But believe me, Michael, Chuck doesn't care about any of it. 1007 01:10:17,763 --> 01:10:21,255 it's my loyalty to you that he's punishing me for. 1008 01:10:22,000 --> 01:10:23,968 I'm such an idiot. 1009 01:10:24,970 --> 01:10:27,131 Now who's gonna hire me? 1010 01:10:28,974 --> 01:10:31,534 Steve, l have to ask you something. 1011 01:10:35,280 --> 01:10:37,840 Did you ever cook a piece when l was your boss? 1012 01:10:40,018 --> 01:10:42,248 Did you ever lie to me? 1013 01:10:43,655 --> 01:10:47,216 The young-conservatives piece, the mini-bottles.... 1014 01:10:48,293 --> 01:10:49,590 Was that true? 1015 01:11:08,280 --> 01:11:10,441 -Hello? -Chuck, it's David Bach. 1016 01:11:10,649 --> 01:11:13,447 I'm really sorry to bother you, but it seemed important. 1017 01:11:14,620 --> 01:11:18,716 - it's fine. is there a problem? - Well, l don't know. 1018 01:11:18,924 --> 01:11:21,893 l just got off the phone with Stephen. He sounds horrible. 1019 01:11:22,094 --> 01:11:25,188 -Did you suspend him, Chuck? -David.... 1020 01:11:27,299 --> 01:11:28,789 What is the problem? 1021 01:11:29,001 --> 01:11:32,027 He asked me if l would drive him out to Dulles later tonight. 1022 01:11:32,237 --> 01:11:34,728 He wasn't sure he'd be safe driving by himself. 1023 01:11:34,940 --> 01:11:37,636 l just thought l should draw your attention to that. 1024 01:11:37,943 --> 01:11:39,535 Did he say where he was going? 1025 01:11:39,745 --> 01:11:42,475 Yeah, he said he'd be staying with family for a while. 1026 01:11:42,681 --> 01:11:46,208 -That can be only one of two places. -His parents live in Highland Park. 1027 01:11:46,418 --> 01:11:49,945 Yeah, or his brother out in Palo Aito. 1028 01:11:50,689 --> 01:11:53,157 -I'm sorry? -Yeah, his brother at Stanford. 1029 01:11:54,493 --> 01:11:55,824 Chuck? 1030 01:12:13,812 --> 01:12:16,474 You had your brother pose as George Sims. 1031 01:12:16,915 --> 01:12:19,179 -What? -The phoney recording... 1032 01:12:19,384 --> 01:12:22,410 ...from Jukt Micronics. it's a Palo Aito number... 1033 01:12:22,621 --> 01:12:25,215 ...and your brother's at Stanford. He posed as Sims. 1034 01:12:25,424 --> 01:12:28,757 No, Sims is a real guy. I've talked to him a million times. 1035 01:12:28,961 --> 01:12:32,453 -My brother and l aren't speaking now. -Stop it. You faked Sims. 1036 01:12:32,664 --> 01:12:35,724 -You faked the website, voice mails... -You don't know, Chuck. 1037 01:12:35,934 --> 01:12:38,368 -...Restil, Hiert, Ghort. -You got this backwards. 1038 01:12:38,570 --> 01:12:41,698 it's all crap. l can trace it. I'll find it all billed to you-- 1039 01:12:41,907 --> 01:12:44,899 What are you talking about? Those are all real people. 1040 01:12:45,110 --> 01:12:46,941 -They are? -Yeah. 1041 01:12:48,947 --> 01:12:50,744 Look at me... 1042 01:12:52,651 --> 01:12:53,879 ...and say that again. 1043 01:12:55,020 --> 01:12:57,181 Those are all real people. 1044 01:13:02,894 --> 01:13:04,088 Okay. 1045 01:13:06,098 --> 01:13:07,895 l want you out of here. 1046 01:13:08,700 --> 01:13:10,668 -What? -l want you out of here. 1047 01:13:11,937 --> 01:13:13,996 And you can't take anything with you. 1048 01:13:14,773 --> 01:13:17,333 There are some files. l have to put them on a disk. 1049 01:13:17,876 --> 01:13:20,140 -No. -No, they're mine. Personal stuff! 1050 01:13:20,345 --> 01:13:21,744 l don't care. 1051 01:13:25,684 --> 01:13:26,946 l know you don't. 1052 01:13:28,320 --> 01:13:29,844 -Can l shut down--? -Don't! 1053 01:13:30,055 --> 01:13:31,545 I'm in the middle of a file. 1054 01:13:31,757 --> 01:13:33,588 -Goddamn it. -Back away from the desk. 1055 01:13:33,859 --> 01:13:35,918 -Leave it, or I'll call security. -Christ. 1056 01:13:36,128 --> 01:13:37,425 Okay? 1057 01:13:42,100 --> 01:13:43,658 Can l take my Rolodex? 1058 01:13:45,604 --> 01:13:46,798 Steve.... 1059 01:13:49,608 --> 01:13:52,805 -Can l take my law books? -Sure. 1060 01:13:57,215 --> 01:13:59,877 Look, I'm gonna need to have your security key. 1061 01:14:03,221 --> 01:14:05,052 I'm not a criminal, Chuck. 1062 01:14:08,293 --> 01:14:09,692 Okay? 1063 01:14:12,564 --> 01:14:16,056 -I'm not a criminal. -Oh, l heard you. 1064 01:14:16,335 --> 01:14:17,666 Come on. 1065 01:14:39,691 --> 01:14:41,318 Chuck? 1066 01:14:52,471 --> 01:14:53,938 l said l was sorry. 1067 01:14:54,473 --> 01:14:55,838 l know. 1068 01:14:57,476 --> 01:14:59,068 But you have to go. 1069 01:16:01,706 --> 01:16:04,800 Bond traders, as a rule, do not have much time to loaf around. 1070 01:16:05,010 --> 01:16:07,535 And the Wall Street investment house RVL... 1071 01:16:07,746 --> 01:16:10,078 ...takes its work ethic to a particularly-- 1072 01:16:10,816 --> 01:16:13,182 One trader is now testing a hand-held urinal... 1073 01:16:13,385 --> 01:16:15,785 ...normally used by cops on stakeouts-- 1074 01:16:17,656 --> 01:16:19,453 After Mike Tyson was disqualified... 1075 01:16:19,658 --> 01:16:22,821 ...for biting Evander Holyfield, l offered several talk shows... 1076 01:16:23,028 --> 01:16:26,520 ...my services as a biting expert. I'm someone who knows-- 1077 01:16:27,132 --> 01:16:29,600 The minibar is open, and empty bottles of booze... 1078 01:16:29,801 --> 01:16:31,792 ...are scattered on the carpet-- 1079 01:16:32,003 --> 01:16:33,561 it was the monthly gathering... 1080 01:16:33,772 --> 01:16:36,798 ...of the Commission to Restore the Presidency to Greatness-- 1081 01:16:37,008 --> 01:16:39,067 Patriotic profits will have a hard time... 1082 01:16:39,277 --> 01:16:41,438 ...holding back this merchandising bonanza-- 1083 01:16:41,646 --> 01:16:44,479 Western Union now has a stop the Cassini hotline... 1084 01:16:44,683 --> 01:16:48,517 ...which forwards anti-Cassini telegrams to the White House. 1085 01:16:48,720 --> 01:16:52,884 --called ''Loving Lewinsky'' that looks and works like a child's doll.... 1086 01:17:01,333 --> 01:17:04,427 -Thanks, George. Sorry for the trouble. -No problem, Steve. 1087 01:17:19,518 --> 01:17:20,883 Chuck? 1088 01:17:27,325 --> 01:17:30,488 The thing with George Sims... 1089 01:17:31,496 --> 01:17:33,361 ...that was.... 1090 01:17:33,565 --> 01:17:36,363 The voice you heard on the telephone... 1091 01:17:37,636 --> 01:17:39,900 ...that was my brother. I'm sorry. 1092 01:17:44,276 --> 01:17:49,043 There really is a George Sims. I've spoken to him a million times. 1093 01:17:49,247 --> 01:17:51,181 He just stopped talking to me. 1094 01:17:52,183 --> 01:17:56,085 You know, because of the article. He was so mad about it. 1095 01:17:56,288 --> 01:17:57,880 l didn't know what to do. 1096 01:17:58,089 --> 01:18:00,614 The guys from Forbes were putting pressure on me. 1097 01:18:00,825 --> 01:18:03,316 You know? And you were so mad. 1098 01:18:03,528 --> 01:18:06,520 l just thought that if l could get everybody off my back... 1099 01:18:06,731 --> 01:18:08,198 ...okay, for just a day.... 1100 01:18:09,034 --> 01:18:11,798 Just a day would give me enough time to go and find him. 1101 01:18:12,003 --> 01:18:14,267 You can understand that, can't you? 1102 01:18:15,707 --> 01:18:17,299 You're fired, Steve. 1103 01:18:18,610 --> 01:18:19,941 What? 1104 01:18:21,212 --> 01:18:24,579 You're fired. You've lost your job. 1105 01:18:28,086 --> 01:18:29,883 But you can't-- 1106 01:18:56,281 --> 01:18:57,839 Chuck... 1107 01:18:59,117 --> 01:19:01,642 ...will you please take me to the airport? 1108 01:19:03,054 --> 01:19:04,282 Jesus. 1109 01:19:04,522 --> 01:19:06,114 Please, okay? 1110 01:19:07,459 --> 01:19:11,486 You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to. it's fine. 1111 01:19:13,298 --> 01:19:15,630 But l can't be by myself right now. 1112 01:19:17,102 --> 01:19:18,626 Okay? I'm.... 1113 01:19:21,106 --> 01:19:22,971 I'm afraid of what I'm gonna do. 1114 01:19:23,441 --> 01:19:27,434 And you know, l can't get there by myself. 1115 01:19:30,448 --> 01:19:32,678 I'm not going anywhere with you. 1116 01:19:32,884 --> 01:19:35,876 lf you feel you're a danger to yourself, you can sit down... 1117 01:19:36,087 --> 01:19:37,884 ...until you feel calm enough to go. 1118 01:19:38,089 --> 01:19:39,886 But I'm not going anywhere with you. 1119 01:19:40,091 --> 01:19:45,154 But I'm afraid that I'm gonna do something, okay? 1120 01:19:47,866 --> 01:19:51,666 -Did you hear what l said? -Yeah. 1121 01:19:53,938 --> 01:19:55,530 it's a hell of a story. 1122 01:19:59,778 --> 01:20:01,245 Chuck, please? 1123 01:20:02,681 --> 01:20:06,310 Stop pitching, Steve. it's over. 1124 01:20:12,123 --> 01:20:13,317 Okay. 1125 01:20:40,118 --> 01:20:43,849 ''Spring Breakdown,'' ''The Jungle''... 1126 01:20:44,055 --> 01:20:50,483 ...''A Fine Mess,'' ''After the Fall,'' ''Peddling Poppy''... 1127 01:20:50,929 --> 01:20:56,492 ...''CheapSuits,'' ''Kicked Out,'' ''No Free Launch''... 1128 01:20:56,701 --> 01:21:00,364 ...''Ratted Out,'' ''State of Nature,'' ''Clutch Situation''... 1129 01:21:00,572 --> 01:21:05,066 ...''All Wet,'' ''Plotters,'' ''Praised be Greenspan''... 1130 01:21:05,276 --> 01:21:09,372 ...''Monica Selis,'' ''Hack Heaven.'' 1131 01:21:18,022 --> 01:21:21,822 What the hell did you do to Steve? He just called from his car, hysterical. 1132 01:21:22,060 --> 01:21:25,393 -l asked what was wrong. He said-- -l fired him, okay? 1133 01:21:31,302 --> 01:21:33,827 Not suspended, fired. 1134 01:21:35,140 --> 01:21:37,301 This wasn't an isolated incident, Caitlin. 1135 01:21:37,509 --> 01:21:39,340 He cooked a dozen of them, maybe more. 1136 01:21:39,944 --> 01:21:42,344 We're gonna have to go through them. All of them. 1137 01:21:42,647 --> 01:21:45,241 The only one was ''Hack Heaven.'' He told me that. 1138 01:21:45,450 --> 01:21:48,442 lf he were a stranger, a guy you were doing a piece about... 1139 01:21:48,653 --> 01:21:50,951 ...pretend that guy told you he'd done it once. 1140 01:21:51,156 --> 01:21:52,680 Would you take his word for it? 1141 01:21:52,891 --> 01:21:55,052 Of course not. You'd dig, and you'd bury him! 1142 01:21:55,260 --> 01:21:57,421 You'd be offended if anyone told you not to. 1143 01:21:57,629 --> 01:22:01,656 -All those pieces were fact-checked-- -So was ''Hack Heaven''! 1144 01:22:06,004 --> 01:22:07,699 You're a good reporter. 1145 01:22:07,906 --> 01:22:10,204 You've always been a smart, thorough reporter. 1146 01:22:10,408 --> 01:22:12,103 Why can't you be one now? 1147 01:22:12,310 --> 01:22:15,074 Because what you're telling me is impossible, Chuck. 1148 01:22:15,480 --> 01:22:17,641 Go upstairs. 1149 01:22:17,849 --> 01:22:20,477 -Read them again. -This is bullshit! 1150 01:22:20,685 --> 01:22:24,280 Go all the way back, because half of them ran when Mike was still here. 1151 01:22:26,724 --> 01:22:29,249 That's what this is. Of course. 1152 01:22:29,460 --> 01:22:30,950 What are you gonna do, Chuck? 1153 01:22:31,529 --> 01:22:32,757 Pick us off one by one... 1154 01:22:32,964 --> 01:22:36,161 ...everybody loyal to Mike, till you have a staff belonging to you? 1155 01:22:36,367 --> 01:22:38,267 is that the kind of magazine you'd run? 1156 01:22:38,469 --> 01:22:40,960 When this thing blows, there won't be a magazine. 1157 01:22:41,539 --> 01:22:44,269 lf you wanna make this about Mike, l don't give a shit. 1158 01:22:44,475 --> 01:22:47,137 You can resent me, hate me, but come Monday morning... 1159 01:22:47,345 --> 01:22:50,109 ...we'll all have to answer for what we let happen here. 1160 01:22:50,315 --> 01:22:52,715 We're all gonna have an apology to make. 1161 01:22:52,917 --> 01:22:56,318 Jesus Christ! Do you have any idea how much shit we're about to eat? 1162 01:22:56,521 --> 01:23:00,048 Every competitor.... They're gonna pounce, and they should. 1163 01:23:00,258 --> 01:23:02,158 Because we blew it, Caitlin. 1164 01:23:03,328 --> 01:23:07,856 He handed us fiction after fiction, and we printed them all as fact. 1165 01:23:09,033 --> 01:23:10,660 Just because... 1166 01:23:11,069 --> 01:23:13,162 ...we found him entertaining. 1167 01:23:15,940 --> 01:23:18,033 it's indefensible. 1168 01:23:18,977 --> 01:23:20,877 Don't you know that? 1169 01:23:36,861 --> 01:23:40,297 Monday, May 11, 1998 1170 01:23:59,584 --> 01:24:02,052 is everyone in the conference room? 1171 01:24:05,356 --> 01:24:07,415 You know what could've prevented all this? 1172 01:24:08,059 --> 01:24:09,390 No, what? 1173 01:24:10,929 --> 01:24:12,794 Pictures. 1174 01:24:13,631 --> 01:24:15,360 How could you make up characters... 1175 01:24:15,566 --> 01:24:18,467 ...if everyone you wrote about had to be photographed? 1176 01:24:26,544 --> 01:24:31,277 You know, Stephen, if you wanted to, you could do these kids a giant favor. 1177 01:24:31,482 --> 01:24:33,746 -Yeah? -Yeah. 1178 01:24:37,288 --> 01:24:40,121 You could write something boring one of these days. 1179 01:24:41,392 --> 01:24:44,225 Give them a little less to live up to. 1180 01:24:44,929 --> 01:24:46,590 l suppose l could. 1181 01:24:47,565 --> 01:24:51,262 l mean, we don't want a bunch of teenagers getting ulcers, do we? 1182 01:24:54,372 --> 01:24:55,862 Morning. 1183 01:25:06,484 --> 01:25:09,044 THE NEW REPUBLlC AN APOLOG Y TO OUR READERS 1184 01:25:17,128 --> 01:25:18,891 it's funny. 1185 01:25:26,304 --> 01:25:29,068 l thought l was gonna have to explain all this to you. 1186 01:25:32,744 --> 01:25:34,439 Well.... 1187 01:25:34,645 --> 01:25:36,579 What do you think of this guy? 1188 01:25:50,862 --> 01:25:52,454 Thank you. 1189 01:25:58,036 --> 01:25:59,298 Thank you. 1190 01:26:08,246 --> 01:26:11,147 Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. 1191 01:26:36,040 --> 01:26:37,439 Steve? 1192 01:26:38,543 --> 01:26:40,067 Stephen? 1193 01:26:43,281 --> 01:26:47,513 We've read through all the pieces now, the entire staff. 1194 01:26:47,718 --> 01:26:50,482 And we've come up with a list whose facts and sources... 1195 01:26:50,688 --> 01:26:52,485 ...we couldn't verify independently. 1196 01:26:53,424 --> 01:26:56,484 l know you can't admit guilt of any kind... 1197 01:26:56,861 --> 01:26:59,261 ...but l want you to confirm a few titles for me. 1198 01:26:59,697 --> 01:27:01,665 We won't confirm or deny anything now-- 1199 01:27:01,866 --> 01:27:03,424 What I'm gonna do is this: 1200 01:27:04,235 --> 01:27:08,604 I'm going to read to you a list of suspicious titles, one by one. 1201 01:27:09,140 --> 01:27:11,734 lf you raise an objection to a particular title... 1202 01:27:11,943 --> 01:27:16,039 ...we'll fact-check it again in the hope of removing it from the list. 1203 01:27:16,514 --> 01:27:19,711 lf you remain silent, we'll assume that piece is fabricated... 1204 01:27:19,917 --> 01:27:24,911 ...either partially or entirely, and it will stay on. 1205 01:27:26,090 --> 01:27:27,785 is that clear to everyone? 1206 01:27:30,728 --> 01:27:32,127 Okay. 1207 01:27:33,764 --> 01:27:35,823 ''Hazardous to Your Mental Health.'' 1208 01:27:40,605 --> 01:27:43,233 That means it stays on the list of suspicious pieces. 1209 01:27:43,441 --> 01:27:45,375 Fabricated pieces. 1210 01:27:46,010 --> 01:27:48,444 We understand. Can we move along? 1211 01:27:51,582 --> 01:27:53,049 ''Holy Trinity.'' 1212 01:28:01,325 --> 01:28:03,384 ''Probable Claus''? 1213 01:28:10,368 --> 01:28:12,029 ''Don't You D.A.R.E.'' 1214 01:28:15,506 --> 01:28:16,996 ''Spring Breakdown.'' 1215 01:28:20,378 --> 01:28:21,811 ''State of Nature'' 1216 01:28:27,084 --> 01:28:28,676 ''Rock the Morons.'' 1217 01:28:32,290 --> 01:28:33,484 ''After the Fall.'' 1218 01:28:33,691 --> 01:28:35,989 You have to know who you're writing for. 1219 01:28:36,194 --> 01:28:38,287 And you have to know what you're good at. 1220 01:28:38,496 --> 01:28:40,191 l record what people do. 1221 01:28:40,398 --> 01:28:43,162 l find out what moves them, what scares them... 1222 01:28:43,367 --> 01:28:47,360 ...and l write that down. That way, they're the ones telling the story. 1223 01:28:47,572 --> 01:28:49,199 And you know what? 1224 01:28:49,407 --> 01:28:52,535 Those kind of pieces can win Pulitzers too. 1225 01:28:53,678 --> 01:28:55,236 Steve? 1226 01:29:06,090 --> 01:29:09,787 Adam Penenberg's article appeared on-line on May 10, 1998. 1227 01:29:10,161 --> 01:29:14,757 it was hailed as a breakthrough for internet journalism. 1228 01:29:16,734 --> 01:29:19,202 That June, The New Republic printed an apology to its readers... 1229 01:29:19,403 --> 01:29:22,304 ...admitting that 27 of the 41 pieces that Stephen Glass had written... 1230 01:29:22,506 --> 01:29:25,202 ...for the magazine had been either partially or entirely invented. 1231 01:29:27,078 --> 01:29:31,174 Michael Kelly went on to become editor of The Atlantic Monthly. 1232 01:29:31,382 --> 01:29:36,183 in April of 2003, he was killed while covering Operation Iraqi Freedom. 1233 01:29:37,888 --> 01:29:40,516 Stephen Glass graduated from Georgetown Law School... 1234 01:29:40,725 --> 01:29:43,660 ...and is now living in New York. 1235 01:29:45,396 --> 01:29:48,456 in May of 2003, he published his first novel, ''The Fabulist''... 1236 01:29:48,666 --> 01:29:52,033 ...about an ambitious journalist who invents stories and characters... 1237 01:29:52,236 --> 01:29:53,897 ...in order to further his career. 1238 01:29:55,606 --> 01:30:01,238 Chuck Lane now writes for the Washington Post.