In your absurd Thursday media column: the oil spill drives reporters to attempt insane feats, Peter Shankman makes an insane pile of money, and a WaPo reporter's insane book party. Insanity!

  • Intrepid AP reporter Rich Matthews dove into the nasty midst of the Gulf Oil Spill with a video camera, and came out with oil covering him like "cake batter." Next up in first-person reporting by Rich Matthews: What it's like to have cancer. Kidding! (Hopefully).
  • And on top of that, a Fox TV reporter was arrested in Pensacola for "allegedly shoving and grabbing a member of a Pensacola, Fla., beach clean-up crew." The oil, it's-a makin' everybody go craaaazyy!
  • Congratulations are in order for Peter Shankman, the way too god damn energetic flack who started a little website called "Help a Reporter Out" and now, guess what, he's selling it to Vocus for, we're estimating, millions and millions of fucking dollars. Just goes to show once again that getting tased on camera is America's only sure path to success.
  • Washington Post reporter Ceci Connolly had to cancel an appearance at her own book party, apparently after discovering that it was being "sponsored by a public relations firm with strong ties to the Democratic Party." WaPo reporters are only allowed to have their book parties sponsored by Republican PR firms. What is this, cheap joke day around here, huh?

[Pic: AP]