What, you surely ask, the hell is this? Funny: when Gawker Media darklord Nick Denton sent us this picture yesterday, we asked the same thing. Silly us — this was something he actually wanted to share with you! Far be it from us to stand in the way. A self-referential explanation after the jump.

GawkEd: jesus, what the hell? CONTEXT, please?
Denton: hunh?
GawkEd: what did you just send us?
Denton: oh, Gramercy Park Hotel unveiling. Aug 8. red velvet case. brochure and a key.
GawkEd: it looks like an x-ray of someone with a key lodged in them, placed atop a copy machine.
Denton: says FOR GUESTS ONLY
GawkEd: you should bring that to the office and have someone take a nice picture of it. you use your sidekick for that?
Denton: (SEE THE CONCIERGE FOR A KEY TO GRAMERCY PARK)
Denton: I think there's one for you too
Denton: not sure whether that's a key to the park, itself
Denton: or some VIP club
Denton: all very obscure
Denton: and mildly intriguing
Denton: yeah, a Sidekick shot
Denton: we're all guerrilla here
GawkEd: ha. i'll be in tomorrow with a real camera. we need something identifiable.
Denton: oh, come on, that's good enough!
Denton: it's not like we're Vanity Fair or something
GawkEd: no, we certainly aren't — but all three of us said "wtf" simultaneously. not a good sign.
GawkEd: honestly nick, that's the most awful pic i've ever seen.
Denton: when did Gawker get so prissy?
Denton: all [staff photog] Nikola's fault
GawkEd: if i could IDENTIFY what that is without lots of explanation, i'd gladly slap it up on the site.
GawkEd: but did you take that on a lab table? is that a pair of tongs in the corner?
Denton: sent you another one

This image was lost some time after publication.


GawkEd: yeah, i've seen line-art that looked more photogenic. what is this supposed to be again?

24 hours later, the issue is resolved:

This image was lost some time after publication.


So worth the wait.