September 1, 2008
IN HIS FIRST SOLO EFFORT, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR VITEK (IDOL ROCK HUDSON) INTRODUCES THE ORIGINAL TABLOID BOSS: GENEROSO POPE JR., CREATOR OF THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, MOTHER OF THE UBIQUITOUS SUPERMARKET TABLOID (AND, ARGUABLY, UPPER-CLASS ITERATIONS US WEEKLY AND PEOPLE). VITEK'S MATERIAL LARGELY FOCUSES ON THE FIERY MANAGEMENT, HARSH OPPOSITION TO, AND HEAVY INFLUENCE OF THE ENQUIRER SINCE 1952, WHEN POPE PURCHASED IT (THEN THE NEW YORK ENQUIRER) WITH HELP FROM THE MAFIA. THE ENDEAVOR'S STUNTED BEGINNING WAS RIFE WITH GORY PHOTOS AND ABSURD STORIES DEEMED UNSUITABLE FOR GROCERY STORE CHECKOUTS\x81\ONE EARLY ISSUE INCLUDED PHOTOS OF LEE HARVEY OSWALD'S AUTOPSY\x81\AND A POLICY OF LITERALLY PUTTING WORDS IN SUBJECTS' MOUTH. POPE JR.'S RICHES-TO-RAGS-TO-RICHES STORY\x81\BORN INTO A FAMILY OF SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRES (WITH ASSUMED MAFIA CONNECTIONS), DEVASTATED BY HIS FATHER'S UNTIMELY DEATH, SHUNNED BY HIS FAMILY AND LEFT PENNILESS, REDEEMED AS A SUCCESSFUL MEDIA MOGUL\x81\FASCINATES WITH THE INS AND OUTS OF BOTTOM-BASEMENT JOURNALISM AND THE FEROCITY WITH WHICH POPE JR. RULED AND DEFENDED HIS MEDIA FOXHOLE (BECOMING A MODEL FOR NONE OTHER THAN RUPERT MURDOCH). VITEK LAYS ON THE MAFIA LINGO A BIT TOO THICK\x81\OVERUSING LANGUAGE LIKE \x81GWHACKED,\x81H WITH A MOB MOVIE REFERENCE ALWAYS AT THE READY\x81\BUT OFFERS AN ORIGINAL AMERICAN STORY OF A TOUGH, EMBATTLED MEDIA PLAYER WITH UNCANNY GIFTS FOR GIVING THE PUBLIC WHAT THEY WANT. PHOTOS.