Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
new neighbors?
David Ferrara: FAIRHOPE They were here for the film festival.
Everyone knows someone who saw them.
The story goes like this: Brad worked with an actor who lives in Fairhope. The actor invited the megastar to see this adorable little town, and told him about the festival. He and Angelina and the kids would love it. Everyone loves Fairhope. Brangelina would love it, too. Besides, the festival featured a movie called "Forgotten Coast," and Brad donated loads of time and money to Hurricane Katrina relief.
The Page & Palette Bookstore was packed.
Ladies across the street at Aubergine, the antiques shop, freshened the rouge on their lips and rushed down Delamare Avenue, searching. Grown women stood on the sidewalk with curlers in their hair, hoping.
Councilman Bob Gentle's wife called him from the beauty salon.
"They're here in town, right now," she told him.
It was April 4, a Friday.
They were here or they weren't.
This story is true or it isn't.
Posted by
ben on 05/05/08 at
10:45
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Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
One of the the best stories in the Press-Register this year. My favorite line: "... if you like to dream that the famous want a life just like yours, and if you want to believe in that dream for a month or so, maybe more, this is where you come."
Posted by:
Susan Daker
at May 05,2008 14:35
Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
This story is so frustratingly funny! ...Stacy would know, here's the thing, Stacy wasn't downtown. Later, Stacy's mother in law would know.
All because people are searching for vindication on their choice of home. And because rumors are just so fun.
Posted by:
Andrea J
at May 05,2008 14:47
Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
Really well done, David. Just the right touch for a story like this. I couldn't help but read to the end.
Posted by:
Tom Lake
at May 05,2008 15:25
Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
Loved this story's tone. Here's something funny: My wife has family all over the Fairhope area, and so has been aware of the rumors. I read the story and concluded they were just that -- rumors. Some in my wife's family read the story and concluded that, indeed, Brangelina was in Fairhope, and here is the proof. Good job navigating that one.
Posted by:
rlake
at May 05,2008 15:35
Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
Brilliant, Dave. I loved what it said about people in this community through the description of how the reacted, what they said and what they did. This was not a story about Brangelina, but no one who isn't celebrity obsessed would notice that, and that's why it works so well.
Posted by:
Andy Netzel
at May 05,2008 16:28
Re: Chasing Rumors In Fairhope
Thank you all for the kind words.
Now a few choice words from the guy who writes a column about local media in the alt-publication:
Front-page rumor?
More than a few people around town told me they were taken aback by the Press-Register running a front-page story about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the Sunday, May 4 edition. The story, which ran through the entire center of the front page and featured a sidebar, purported to get to the bottom of rumors that “Brangelina” have purchased a home on the ESho.
Mostly what it did was just reprint those rumors with little to confirm or dispel them. It seemed like a good light feature for the Style section, but hardly something for the front page. The next Monday morning, Sean Sullivan could be heard discussing the story on 106.5 The Pirate. Callers to the station blasted the story as a journalistic low for the P-R.
Maybe it was just a slow news week.
Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor.
Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.
Posted by:
David
at May 07,2008 14:27
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