Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Holes, Part Three: Climax
Larry “Old Glory” Blunt finished off his three-part sweeps smackdown on Thursday night in fine fashion, returning to a couple of seedy X-rated Ashvegas video shops to show us all the results of is three months of hard work.
The story? That there were holes in the partition walls separating booths where patrons could go, sit in a plastic chair and pleasure themselves with a little porn. The “glory holes” allowed patrons in adjoining booths to pleasure one another. But this is all reprehensible behavior and a threat to people’s health. Even though all this was happening indoors, between consenting adults.
So Larry went back to Bedtyme Stories and the owner showed him that the booths had been shut down, boarded up. And he went to Fantasyland and showed us that metal plates had been placed over the suck holes there, although the plates could be moved aside. Larry also went to Ashvegas City Hall, where he talked to Police Chief Bill Hogan, assistant City Attorney Curt Euler and Ashvegas City Councilman Carl Mumpower.
What to make of all this? In typical fashion, WLOSers overhyped the whole thing. The story’s not all that – just a couple of businesses operating without a license, with a little lurid sex thrown in. The story certainly was not worth a three-day series – it could have been told in one newscast.
Still, Larry got out from behind the desk and did some work (unlike one diva we know). And he got results. So all in all, roses to Larry for the report.
A dangerous Waffle House
WLOSer Mary Jugliquor went down to Ellenboro to tell us how it had become downright dangerous to eat at the local Waffle House. The greasy spoon is apparently mobbed once the nightclubs close.
Mary told us about a couple of shooting incidents. She interviewed a police officer who told us about a shoving incident and a car getting busted up. Then Mary went on to totally blame a nearby “hip-hop” club (that’s a code word for “black”) for all the violence. Careful there, Mary.
The soapbox
The soapbox got a workout at a flu clinic held at the Asheville Mall. People talked about their flu shots. Fine. Except for the crazy county health department nurse running the show. Nurse Billie hogged the box, screamed into the microphone and totally spazzed out.
AMS hairstyle report
On Thursday, WLOS followed up its report about an Asheville Middle School student suspended from school for adding red highlights to her hair. The suspension was ridiculous – the highlights were fine. And after all the news attention, the school system agreed to let the poor girl return.
So on Thursday, she came back to school with her hair in a bun. Which wasn’t good enough for the principal, who said the hair should have been put up in a net or something. Luckily the superintendent stepped in and let the girl return.
Glad you caught the climax.