Synopses & Reviews
Have you ever been in line at the grocery store, spotted a ridiculous headline on a tabloid, and thought, “This can’t possibly be true!” But you pick up the paper anyway, just to make sure.
Truth or Tabloid? takes the public’s fascination with the news and turns it into a game. Nigel Puddingporne, tabloid reporter extraordinaire, challenges readers to guess whether hilarious headlines are based on real events or whether they’re just the bogus creations of his twisted imagination.
“Clients Depress Her—So Massage Therapist Sues”: Truth!
In Sydney, Australia, a massage therapist claimed she suffered from depression after
listening to her clients talk about their personal problems.
“Polygamist Divorces 2 Wives, Marries 3, for Net Gain of 1”: Tabloid!
Polygamists don’t keep score.
“Militant Nude Sunbathers Threaten Woman”: Truth!
So claims a resident of Portland, Oregon. In a courtroom appearance, the resident said that the nudists destroyed signs, demolished gates, and threatened to burn her beachfront house to the ground. They also warned that they were “organized and militant.”
“Policewomen Talk Dirty the Best”—Truth or Tabloid?
Of course, it can’t be real . . . but then again, sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.
Synopsis
In the tradition of books like The Darwin Awards and Jay Leno's Headlines, and the game show You Don't Know Jack, Peter Fenton's Truth or Tabloid? takes the public's fascination with news and turns it into an entertaining test of media-savvy.
Here's how it works: The reader is faced with six unlikely headlines. For instance:
-- Too Many Vegetables Can Make You Blind
-- Chinese Create Army of Deadly, Disciplined Ducks
-- Girl Dies in Fall from Platform Shoes
The true ones have been documented in legit media sources and the "tabloid" ones come from the unscrupulous fictional reporter Nigel Puddingporne. Nigel takes us through each headline, both true and false, revealing the story behind the story and weaving his own hilarious commentary along the way. It all goes to prove that truth may or may not be stranger than fiction, but it's getting increasingly harder to tell the difference.
Synopsis
A former "National Enquirer" reporter challenges readers to guess whether outrageous headlines are based on actual material found in mainstream media, or whether they are the bonus creations of a tabloid reporter's imagination.
About the Author
Peter Fenton was a reporter for the National Enquirer for fifteen years. He is the coauthor of the book I Forgot to Wear Underwear on a Glass-Bottom Boat. He lives in Oregon.