Fun With Similes: A Tutorial for ESPN Writer Jemele Hill in lieu of her Hitler-Sympathizer Comparison
June 16, 2008 by Jodie Lynn Boduch
Filed under Basketball, Sports Rumors
Even if you read this now-edited article by ESPN writer Jemele Hill, you still get a pretty good sense of how she feels about the Boston Celtics.
One paragraph begins, “Rooting for the Celtics is like supporting inflation, unemployment and locusts.” (No comment from the Locust Union yet, but the edit is still fresh).
But the jawdropper is the pre-edited line that originally appeared: “Rooting for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim.”
Ouch, yikes, and tsk-tsk on so very many levels, Ms. Hill. (Quite apart from our Celtics fan status).
We get the rivalry/still-hurting-about-the-Spurs-losing bit. But the choice of eek-inducing words is a curiosity indeed. Was Ms. Hill was only half awake the day they taught similes in English class?
Just in case, we’re offering a brief tutorial on a literary device that should meet the criteria of funny or insightful—not highly inappropriate and unprofessional.
Here are some examples of good similes:
Rooting for the Celtics is like . . .
. . . invoking the memory of a murderous dictator who altered the course of 20th-century history for the sake of comparing a mostly one-sided NBA rivalry.
. . . a certain writer at ESPN confusing “humorous” with “completely lame and not at all funny, even in a Mel Brooks-purposely-politically-incorrect” kind of way.
. . . trying to make nice about a controversial piece even though the edited version is a joke because everyone already knows what was in the initial version.
So there you have it, Similes 101.
yeah, that’s just a poor article all the way around
Exactly, Ryan–not the best one for her portfolio.
Wow … does she hate the Celtics with a passion or what???
If you wade through all the subtlety and nuance, yes, I believe that’s the conclusion she wants us to derive . . . and she isn’t even witty.
jemele hills comments about Celtic fans. You know something has to be done! Make it public though, so many fans are relying on their source of sports news to come thru for them. I for one have been a very longtime watcher, reader, listener of all that is ESPN. My concern is that she will be allowed to get away with it. I think this is worse than a certain “Knappy Headed Hoes” comment. Prove to America that race isn’t an issue here! She is a discusting human being and should not be allowed to spread her venom!
Joseph—It should be interesting to see whether or not ESPN does anything about this besides issue an edited version of the piece (which they have already done). The article, even after the edit, wasn’t especially clever anyway; it’s surprising that they didn’t pull it altogether in anticipation of the fallout.
Similes, metaphors … Jemele needs to call the whole thing off. She also needs to put you on her Fave Five. Now.