steinn.jpgImagine for a moment, on some overlooked island chain in the heart of the South Pacific, an otherwise obscure tribe has lived quietly for hundreds of years. Suppose further that their culture happens to have 27 different words for the concept of “Irony,” each possessed of a fantastically unique and nuanced umbra of distinctive interpretation. Finally, assume that these words managed somehow to incorporate themselves into the English language gracefully. Even with this set of facts, we would still possess a woefully insufficient literary-ammunition dump to fully do justice to this story:
Ben Stein Fired From New York Times For Ethics Violation Related To Credit Report Bait And Switch Endorsement
Gawker has the Gray Lady’s response via Catherin Mathis:

Ben Stein’s fine work for us as a columnist for Sunday Business had to end, we told him, after we learned that he had become a commercial spokesman for FreeScore, a financial services company. Ben didn’t understand when he signed on with FreeScore that this might pose a potential conflict for him as a contributing columnist for the Times, because he hadn’t written about credit scores or this company. But, we decided that being a commercial spokesman for FreeScore while writing his column wouldn’t be appropriate.

Pitchman Ben Stein Gets Economist Ben Stein Fired at the New York Times [Gawker]

Comments (26)

  1. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:45 AM

    Bye bye Ben.

  2. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:46 AM

    First John Hughes, and now this.
    Bueller? Bueller?

  3. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM

    How is this guy an “economist”? If one’s job title stems from one’s B.A., then all those sluts at FMF would be noted psychologists and communicators.

  4. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:50 AM

    Really, really overstated the level of irony there… More like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.

  5. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:51 AM

    He should have struck up a deal with MHL.

  6. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 10:55 AM

    Felix Salmon must be feeling even more smug (if that is possible).

  7. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:01 AM

    Maybe Ben Stein saw the light? If the NYT’s internet age business model revolves around delivering a 3lb newspaper to everyone’s doorstep on the weekend, HR will be very busy over there.

  8. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:01 AM

    I’m still mad at Ben for the E-Online column comment he wrote about me while I was wearing a see-through top at Morton’s one night long ago.
    ~B. Spears
    Crotch, Louisiana

  9. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:05 AM

    LeeMarvinsPants comment FTW.

  10. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:07 AM

    LOBSTERCLOPS strikes again.
    snip snip

  11. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:08 AM

    What a whack job.

  12. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:12 AM

    I agree with @11….Rush Limbaugh is a whack job.

  13. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:17 AM

    Ben Stein is hot.
    -Peter Schiff

  14. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 11:20 AM

    Ben stein is a wack job.
    The NY Time is an aggregated collection of wack jobs.
    I don’t understand why they didn’t get along very well?

  15. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 12:31 PM

    Ben Stein is an economist like Diablo Cody is a stripper – Sadly, I think Mr. Stein may have better legs.

  16. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM

    @5 well said. a MHL always makes the economy go down easier

  17. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 1:26 PM

    No more bensteinery, yah!
    Anyone? …Bueller, anyone? Voodo economics.

  18. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 1:58 PM

    should we infer fromt hat that the NYT editorial board will be canned shortly for uh, how do i put this, “servicing” the DNC.

  19. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 3:15 PM

    i’m sure it had nothing to do with that scathing fusillade he published ragging on obambi the other day offending the delicate liberal sensibilities of the NYT…
    can you say, pretext…

  20. Posted by guest | August 7, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    Maybe somebody re-read all those columns he wrote saying “subprime is no big deal”.
    What a fool.

  21. Posted by guest | August 8, 2009 at 4:46 PM

    Does anybody actually take this guy seriously?
    This clown is the jack of all markets,
    and a mediocre one at that. What does he do to convince these people to let him write columns, write books, do shows ect… and hes always wrong!!
    C’mon now even jews have a conscience
    at some point we have to say, we can only stoop down so low.

  22. Posted by guest | August 9, 2009 at 12:06 AM

    Just like his Daddy Herb Stein (Nixon/ main man) lovable old Ben is a Keynensian asshat through and though. Love the personal stories but you suck on economics. Just like your old man.

  23. Posted by guest | August 9, 2009 at 12:07 AM

    Just like his Daddy Herb Stein (Nixon/ main man) lovable old Ben is a Keynensian asshat through and though. Love the personal stories but you suck on economics. Just like your old man.

  24. Posted by guest | August 9, 2009 at 12:08 AM

    Just like his Daddy Herb Stein (Nixon/ main man) lovable old Ben is a Keynensian asshat through and though. Love the personal stories but you suck on economics. Just like your old man.

  25. Posted by guest | August 9, 2009 at 12:10 AM

    Oops sorry for the multi post!

  26. Posted by guest | August 9, 2009 at 3:58 AM

    Looks like you are a bigger asshat than Ben.

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