Some of you might have noticed the re-appearance of a venerable little byline here at DealBreaker—my own. (Yes, this is Carney and I'm breaking out of our "royal we" house voice for a moment. There's just no elegant way to write "we got out of the hospital.") I'm back at DealBreaker, gathering gossip, making fun of business news, protecting sources, writing and having Bess bring me my mail once again.
So here's what I did on my winter "vacation." In the wee hours of January 14th, a car mowed me down while I crossed a Lower East Side street. For the past three weeks I've been in and out of the hospital. Last week I had surgery to reconstruct my right leg. And thanks to the addition of several metal plates to my skeletal structure, I'll probably never get through an airport security screening again. Fortunately, thanks to some very large prescriptions for very potent opioid painkillers, I probably won't mind too much.
I was discharged from the hospital late last week, and yesterday my surgeon reviewed his work and delivered the good news that my body was taking well to all the grafts, implants, plates and screws. So this morning I decided it was time to fire up the DealBreaker machinery once again and get to work.
This won't quite be the great "surge" into DealBreaker I'd been hoping it would be. Because my pain levels are still unreliable, I'm going to phase back into posting. Think of it as a soft relaunch of my involvement with DealBreaker. That means you'll still be seeing a lot around here by those two stalwarts who have kept DealBreaker thriving in my absence—Keith Hahn and Bess Levin. I've been amazingly impressed by the work they've done while I've been out. Intimidated, even. I am grateful to them, as well as our founder and leader Elizabeth Spiers, our general manager David Minkin and our dawn patrol guardian Joe Weisenthal, for everything they've done while I was out of commission. DealBreaker has always been the product of an amazing team effort, and nothing proves this better than their performance, understanding and patience these last few weeks.
Even more important, I want to thank our readers, who have stuck with us during this time and who sent so many nice notes my way while I was being tortured treated in some of our city's finest hospitals. You guys and gals have been great.
I can't believe so much happened while I was gone. To start with, how dare the Money Honey-Slutty Citi scandal break while I was on the DL?
I won't exactly be regularly reporting from DealBreaker HQ for several more weeks. My right leg still doesn't bear weight and stairs are impassable obstacles for now. So we're opening a temporary branch office down here on Wall Street, and I'll be writing from here. If you work nearby, feel free to drop me a line at tips@dealbreaker.com. Perhaps we can have drinks at Harry's while I pry non-public information and gossip from you.
This is the first and last lengthy "personal statement" I plan to make on DealBreaker. How much do you really want to hear about me getting run over by a car, anyway? From now on it's back to our usual fare. And, of course, back to the royal we.






Posted by the guys in the house behind your office , Feb 07, 2007 1:35PM
I'm looking at your desk, and you're not there, you phony. "Back at DealBreaker" a bit of an exaggeration, huh? Also, is that a kilt?
Posted by Ken Griffey Jr. , Feb 07, 2007 1:36PM
The L in DL stands for list. Did you hit your head?
Posted by AJ , Feb 07, 2007 1:41PM
Wooo hooo! Carney's back!
Posted by John Carney , Feb 07, 2007 1:43PM
Ha!
Hey guys. Yes. It is a kilt. I have a very large and awkward bionic leg brace that doesn't fit well under any of my pants. So it's either the kilt or a robe. Generally, I've decided to go Scots style rather than Hugh Hefner.
And Ken, yes. I broke my fall with my head. It's what kept my from suffering any serious injuries.
Posted by Ken Griffey Jr. , Feb 07, 2007 1:48PM
AJ, did you hit your head?
Posted by Texas Energy , Feb 07, 2007 1:52PM
Is that "Models & Bottles" AJ?
Posted by jake , Feb 07, 2007 2:09PM
what kinda car was it? a bentley or a rolls?
Posted by Shomari Hines , Feb 07, 2007 2:10PM
Welcome back John....KINDA. Bess has been doing a great job. But Deal Breaker aint Deal Breaker with out the CARNSTER! Take it easy on the leg and have Liz come to you for meetings.
Posted by eustacia vye , Feb 07, 2007 4:49PM
My vote is a Bentley.
Posted by Lindsay Campbell , Feb 07, 2007 6:18PM
john, so glad to hear you're on the mend. everyone at Wallstrip is grateful to know that you're back in action. take care!!
Posted by Last Man Standing , Feb 07, 2007 11:02PM
Where can we send you a case of jamesons?
Posted by anon , Feb 08, 2007 1:29AM
Thank sweet jesus Carney has returned! I will bet the readership surges at least 20% on the news..... er... I mean Keith and Bess did a great job in your absence !