Stephen Glass:
I don't know what you're talking about, okay. Those are all real people.
Chuck Lane:
They are?
Stephen Glass:
Yeah.
Chuck Lane:
Look at me... and say that again.
Stephen Glass:
(beat) Those are all real people.
Stephen Glass:
I didn't do anything wrong, Chuck.
Chuck Lane:
I really wish you'd stop saying that.
[
repeated line]
Stephen Glass:
Are you mad at me?
Stephen Glass:
If I were to throw a party where all we did was play "Monopoly," would you guys come?
Caitlin Avey:
Could I be the little shoe?
Stephen Glass:
Of course.
Adam Penenberg:
This guy is toast.
[
after completely debunking Stephen Glass's New Republic article]
Adam Penenberg:
But there is one thing in this story that checks out.
Kambiz Foroohar:
What's that?
Adam Penenberg:
There does appear to be a state in the union named Nevada.
[
repeated line]
Stephen Glass:
It's in my notes.
Amy Brand:
Have you noticed the way Steve's phone has been ringing lately? Did you see all those editors at the correspondence dinner? The way they were circling him?
Caitlin Avey:
Is that what you want, Amy? To get a bunch of smoke blown up your ass by a pack of editors?
Amy Brand:
Yes. Yes it is.
Andy Fox:
The New Republic, snobbiest rag in the business, the in-flight magazine of Air Force One... and their star goes out and gets completely snowed by a bunch of hackers. I mean, God couldn't have written this any better.
Chuck Lane:
He handed us fiction after fiction, and we printed them all as fact. Just because we found him entertaining.
Michael Kelly:
Steve, I have to ask you this: did you ever cook a piece when *I* was your boss? The story about the mini bottles, was that true?
[
silence]
Stephen Glass:
[
sweating and nervous] Chuck, will you come with me because I'm afraid I might do something.
Chuck Lane:
[
ignores him]
Stephen Glass:
Did you hear what I said?
Chuck Lane:
Yeah I did... It's a hell of a story.
Caitlin Avey:
What are you going to do, Chuck, pick us off, one by one? Everybody that was loyal to Mike, so you have a staff that belongs to you? Is that the kind of magazine you want to run?
Chuck Lane:
Caitlin, When this thing blows, there isn't going to be a magazine anymore. If you want to make this about Mike, make it about Mike. I don't give a shit. You can resent me, you can hate me, but come Monday morning, we're all going to have to answer for what we let happen here. We're all going to have an apology to make! Jesus Christ! Don't you have any idea how much shit we're about to eat? Every competitor we ever took a shot at, they're going to pounce. And they should. Because we blew it, Caitlin. He handed us fiction after fiction and we printed them all as fact. Just because... we found him "entertaining." It's indefensible. Don't you know that?
Chuck Lane:
You're fired, Steve.
Stephen Glass:
What?
Chuck Lane:
You're fired, Steve. You've lost your job.
Stephen Glass:
But you can't do that.
Related Links
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