2008 Woodie Awards
Site spoofs 'Wonderland' blog, lacrosse case
By: Shreya Rao
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: News
Last update: 10/17/07 at 6:40 AM EST
Last update: 10/17/07 at 6:40 AM EST
- Page 1 of 1
KC Johnson may have competition in the blogosphere.
"Bull City-in-Wonderland" went live in September with a series of spoof articles mimicking the style and content of "Durham-in-Wonderland," the blog written by Johnson, who gained renown for his coverage of the lacrosse case on the blog and in the recently released book "Until Proven Innocent."
"There were lots of times that it was so ridiculous that you just had to laugh, otherwise it was so infuriating," said Johnson, who is also a history professor at Brooklyn College.
Positing under the name "Mel and Al," the authors of "Bull City-In-Wonderland" replicated the style and type-face of Johnson's site, inserting titles such as "Duke Group of 69 say no apologies needed."
"If Lewis Carroll had written ALICE IN WONDERLAND in 2006, he'd have no better setting than Durham, N.C. There was a gigantic rabbit hole located in the courthouse," an Oct. 1 post reads. "Through no fault of your own, you can be tripped on the sixth floor-the District Attorney's Office-and end up convicted without any evidence, before a trial occurs, all to the applause of the crowd thirsting for blood."
The blog spares no one, however, calling the exonerated students, "three brilliant young men, student-athletes, Rhodes scholars all, graduates of Catholic boarding schools, former altar boys, the children of upstanding, well-heeled Republican parents."
Authors could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
"Bull City-in-Wonderland" went live in September with a series of spoof articles mimicking the style and content of "Durham-in-Wonderland," the blog written by Johnson, who gained renown for his coverage of the lacrosse case on the blog and in the recently released book "Until Proven Innocent."
"There were lots of times that it was so ridiculous that you just had to laugh, otherwise it was so infuriating," said Johnson, who is also a history professor at Brooklyn College.
Positing under the name "Mel and Al," the authors of "Bull City-In-Wonderland" replicated the style and type-face of Johnson's site, inserting titles such as "Duke Group of 69 say no apologies needed."
"If Lewis Carroll had written ALICE IN WONDERLAND in 2006, he'd have no better setting than Durham, N.C. There was a gigantic rabbit hole located in the courthouse," an Oct. 1 post reads. "Through no fault of your own, you can be tripped on the sixth floor-the District Attorney's Office-and end up convicted without any evidence, before a trial occurs, all to the applause of the crowd thirsting for blood."
The blog spares no one, however, calling the exonerated students, "three brilliant young men, student-athletes, Rhodes scholars all, graduates of Catholic boarding schools, former altar boys, the children of upstanding, well-heeled Republican parents."
Authors could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 11
roper
posted 10/17/07 @ 9:49 AM EST
KC Johnson has made a remarkable contribution to the revelation of the truth of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the mismanagement of the crisis by the Duke administration and extreme elements of the Duke faculty. (Continued…)
Duke alum
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:04 AM EST
Why provide free publicity to a spoof website? If Mel and Al want attention, they should purchase an ad on the Chronicle just like everyone else and pay the $1000 Duke is asking for such ads? How did this essay come to be? What is its objective?
Professor of ethics and Duke grad
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:27 AM EST
K C Johnson is a hero of the lax hoax.He has blogged over 800,000 words in a meticulous and brilliant manner. He has stood up for the due process rights of Duke students and exposed the Duke admins and Gang of 88 for the craven frauds and angry ,prejudiced people they are. (Continued…)
Gore Vidal Truthbull a.k.a. Mel & Al
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:59 AM EST
Wow. Fiction can be so misunderstood. We considered (at least one of us did because we don't always agree) Bull City in Wonderland a tribute to KC's detective work and digging for the truth and hanging it out there for all to see, but I suppose I see how it looks from the blogosphere. (Continued…)
Mike Lee
posted 10/17/07 @ 4:01 PM EST
The fact that this article is in the Chronicle is puzzling to me. According to Professor Charles Piot, no Duke students are aware of the presence of KC Johnson's Durham in Wonderland blog. (Continued…)
mike in houston
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:17 PM EST
This was posted in the comments section of Bull City-in-Wonderland
Hi I'm a reporter for the Duke Chronicle and we're writing a story about your blog--if you wouldn't mind speaking to us please call us at 919-684-2663. (Continued…)
mike in houston
posted 10/17/07 @ 10:27 PM EST
Authors reply:
Hi Shreya - Why don't you shoot us some questions here?
-TruthBull46
October 17, 2007 7:27 AM
dude
posted 10/18/07 @ 12:12 PM EST
I like this web site better:
http://carbolicsmokeblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/duke.html
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