Comments

1
Did you lose a bet?
2
We will miss you so much, Bethany! You have always been among my favorite food writers, not just at the stranger, period. I look forward to following your career!
3
NOOO! I mean, we will miss you and thanks.
4
Jesus Christ, another one. What is going on over there at the Stranger?
5
I guess this means seven times the Bartender Crush we are getting now! Oh, goodie!
6
I'll miss reading your posts, Bethany! Bon voyage over there at the non-news paper of Seattle.
7
Good luck in the shrinking field of dying media! No really, good luck, I'm sorry to see you go.
8
Will the last staffer at the Stranger please turn out the lights?
9
Congrats/big sad.
10
A stream of good writers leave and Mudede remains. Truly, there is no justice.
11
That's horrible news!

(congratulations though & good luck!)
12
What are you going to be covering at the Times? I subscribe so I'll be looking for your byline. Good luck!
13
Good luck to you! Glad you'll still be a part of our local media!
14
Congratulations? Congratulations!

Will miss seeing you in the paper, on the blog, and making so much magic happen behind the scenes at the Stranger.
15
Wow. That sucks.

They are really ARE cleaning shop over there.

I guess they got to get rid of the old timers before they start to getting too expensive or unable to relate to the 20-something advertising demographic. (Charles is probably getting nervous. He's positively a dinosaur compared to Bethany.)
16
I've always loved your writing, you're one of the smart ones. I wish you well on your next gig.
17
@8 agreed! Best of luck to you Bethany Jean!
18
Well, this might explain the flushed look on your face when you walked past me outside of Poquito's last night. Congratulations on the career move and please do try to bite Frank Blethen's hand just once, for old times sake.
19
The second woman to leave high-profile Seattle blogging this week !

Here's to new, greener pastures BJC. It's possible that the Blethens might have found the magic pixie who will cause me to read the Seattle Times regularly.
20
@b^2: Mudede is unemployable anywhere else.
21
Big win for the Times, stealing away one of the Stranger's most talented writers.

Too bad they can't get Eli back.
22
I've disliked every one of your food reviews (yes, vegetarians exist, thank you, move on), but your exposes and arts stuff were always pretty good. Also you've always been nice to me when I drunkenly email you things, which you certainly didn't need to be. I hope you have more of an influence on them than they have on you, best of luck.
23
Also with #8.

When one or maybe two more actual reporters leaves, this site will have lost all excuse for existing. Clement is what, the third or fourth long-time ink-stained wretch to leave or be fired in the last six months? The only hire since then who's make any pretense at reporting is Herz, and his cocksure inexperience bleeds through every paragraph he writes.
24
I predict you'll be back.

The Seattle Times is a newspaper in decline. Unless they dramatically change their business model, it is only a matter of time before they go under.

Still, good luck, and enjoy it while it lasts.
25
Good luck! And does this mean more Sara Dickerman in the Stranger?
26
@25

I want more Rachel Kessler at the Stranger.
27
@24, true, but they're unionized and have (had?) a pension plan.
28
Well, that's too bad. Another writer I'll miss.
29
Oh I will miss you!
Best of luck to you my dear.
30
@10 for the win
31
Cool, I hope they can get their shit together and deliver us the paper WHICH WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION FOR
32
Abandon ship!
33
@30 - that is word for word what I was going to say, so kudos to @10.
34
@24: Better to work at a newspaper in decline than a pretend newspaper in decline.

Wise decision Bethany. Best wishes!
35
@10, @30, @33... Why all the Charles Mudede hate? Don't you read The Stranger for an alternative take? Mudede is probably the most alternative voice in The Stranger. People are a bewildered herd; Mudede sheds some light on the history of the how and why of the economic and social forces that keep us bewildered. For all that and more, I thank The Stranger for keeping Mudede on staff.
36
Best of luck Bethany. May you continue to find success wherever you go.

(I have a sad. We'll miss you.)
37
@35: I agree. Charles Mudede is good because he is so irritating and contorted in some of this thinking, but that is what challenges the reader to think, I hate to say it, "out-of-the-box". The same goes for Paul Constant.
38
Every review will be of 13 Coins from here on out.
39
I have never, ever understood what your thing with meat is. Seriously, what the hell?
40
@37

I like Mudede partly because he is black. When he writes of Beacon Hill, Hip Hop, Africa, i feel like I'm hearing it from someone in the know, a "brother." Ansel, Paul, dave Segal - whenever they do their championing of other races, it's political posturing foremost.



Speaking of posture, with Bethany's exquisite and refined taste, I bet she has good posture, or not. Either way, sweetness has exuded from her posts. Fare thee well!
41
Shit.

Good luck!
42
Dude. What's happening at the Stranger? It seems like quite the exodus lately. Please keep Paul Constant!

Wishing you very best of luck in your move, BJC. I've enjoyed your writing & hope you keep on, keepin' on.

Stranger - if you guys need a DC-area correspondent..keep me in mind. ;)
43
Bethany, thanks for still writing about food in the area! I trust your opinion, mostly.

Uhm, Stranger... Maybe value your talent more financially? I mean, you've still got Eli, who's great, and Charles, who has moments of brilliance and moments of incoherence, and Brendan, who has probably written the best pieces you've published...
And Ansel, who's actually a good new addition. But it feels like the bench is getting kinda weak...
44
Good luck BJC, I always enjoyed your writing. You will be missed.
45
Congrats! You'll be sorely missed here on SLOG. Tell your new co-workers to treat you right, 'cause you're a writer with options.
46
Now you can review those pretentious, fancy restaurant for those who can actually afford them.
47
Best wishes, young lady.
48
I worked at the Times for 12 years. I made some great friends there, but it's a dysfunctional work environment. And the man who signs your paychecks is a Grade A asshole. Good luck.
49
@48: Whether or not you think Frank Blethen is an asshole is tangential to the conversation. The fact of the matter remains is that he's the publisher of sole remaining daily newspaper in Seattle. Although it's extrememley vogue for Seattle liberals to pontificate their ruffled feathers over his editorials; I find it hard pressed to even think that Index Newspapers LLC would even come close to achieving notoriety in Seattle's newspaper history as much as The Seattle Times has.

In addition, we cannot forget the extraordinary generosity of The Seattle Times, to agree to operate under a Joint Operating Agreement (to save the failing Seattle P.I.) at great expense to their printing presses and their circulation capabilities. Mr. Blethen's gallant gesture failed, however, it should be noted for those who take delight at singling out the little guy from the big evil corporate monster just doesn't add up - no matter how much they want it to suit the narrative.

50
Good heavens, raindrop, what a long pompous post.

Yes, please keep Paul. Or at least try to keep him.

I can't believe the Times actually hires people anymore.
51
Happy trails!
52
Best of luck Bethany, I always enjoyed your writing. Interested to see what you can do at the Times.
53
I'm confident you'll find there's very little difference.
54
Congrats on moving from one shitshow to a slightly better shitshow.
55
Oh dear, Bethany. You have given me a reason to look at the Times again. I don't know how I feel about that, but I am indeed happy for you.



And Raindrip dear, you really need a corsage, a longette, and an empire waist gown to pull a post like that off.
56
Welcome to life after Stranger, Bethany. And don't let Frank Blethen anywhere near your dog.
57
@55, and you my dear need to duck when walking under ceiling fans. Love your new pic!
58
MEAT!!!!!!!!! ALL MEAT ALL THE TIME!!!!! BETHANY EATS MEAT!!!!!!!!! LOTS OF MEAT!!!!!!!!!!! SHE'S GONNA EAT MEAT AT THE SEATTLE TIMES!!!!!!!!!! MORE MEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MMMMMEEEEAAAAAAATTTTTTT!!!!!
59
Lovely. While you're there, bu sure to work a pitch into your columns for cutting taxes for rich people. It's the one issue your new employer actually cares about.
60
Always a fan of yours, Bethany. Best of luck at the new gig darlin.
61
I am so glad that if you have to find yourself amog the Stranger-leavers you're at least not leaving Seattle, nor for somewhere trite, say, Brooklyn.

And I'm very glad you'll be at the Times. I've subscribed digitally for years because I LOVE having a lot of reporters paid for reporting. I so look forward to reading more from you!
62
Hey Bethany, thanks for all your writing and work, we'll miss you lots! And make sure lots of your columns get run on Sundays, then I can feel ok about my wife buying the sunday paper.
63
I thought The S Times was fully automated already, as predicted by PKD. Color me surprised.

Good luck BJC, don't let them crush your soul. And don't forget to take good notes on everything there, so you can write a book detailing the decline of newspapers from the inside.
64
@58: Stimpy, get our friend a glass of meat.
65
Congratulations.

Onward. When it is time to go it is time. Best of luck.
66
@63: Guess what? The Times pays a real salary with real benefits, unlike the Stranger. And hundreds of thousands of people actually buy the Times every day, unlike the Stranger. And a lot of people PAY to read the Times online, unlike the Stranger.

The Times has a newsroom 10 times the size of any other media outlet in the city and the revenue to support it. It wins Pulitzer prizes (among many other major journalism awards) and has some of the best reporters and photographers in the country. Not to mention a lot of top-notch editors.

THAT is why Bethany Jean is leaving the Stranger for the Times. And why you would never hear of anyone leaving a serious, daily newspaper for the Stranger.

If anything it's the alt weeklies that are an endangered species:

http://blogs.reuters.com/jackshafer/2013…

67
Sad, but not as sad as if you were leaving Seattle all together. Congrats on the Times gig! I look forward to seeing your influence over there.
68
can i have your old job?
69
Your elegant writing will be missed here.
70
Good luck! You you're one of the few stranger writers who didn't seem polarizing. Everyone seems to like you, I certainly did. Except for the grumpy vegetarians. No pleasing them.
71
good luck BC
72
You are a hero and an inspiration. Felicitations and best of luck!
73
You were and are, first and foremost, a writer; one of the best in town. Thank god that won't change just because you're changing employers. Good luck - you're wonderful!
74
Will miss you here -- will see you there.
75
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!

I hate change. Best of luck anyway! You did great work for this little paper.
76
Good!!!!! You truly are one of the worst "reporters" I've ever come across. From your bullshit substance free writing about Elysian sans Murray to your Slander of Storyville coffee, you truly have failed as a "journalist" if that is something you have strived to be.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.