America’s Best Columnist Strikes Again

A press release came over the transom Friday afternoon from Bulletin columnist Chris Freind.

You might remember Freind from his column about what a great columnist he is last month. You might also be asking: Why did you get a press release from a columnist for a local paper? (Well, technically, a few people sent it to me, but still.)

Why, sort of the same idea as with Freind’s column: He’s the only American columnist who isn’t a spineless wimp or permanently attached to either George Bush’s or Barack Obama’s jock.

From: Chris Freind

Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:04:08 -0400
To: [redacted emails of 99.999... percent of East Coast media outlets]
Subject: Philadelphia’s “Freindly Fire”takes aim at hypocrisy of Bruce Gordon, Sharpton and Jackson

Dear Editor:

I author a twice-weekly commentary column for the Philadelphia Bulletin, branded “Freindly Fire” (a play on my last name). My national reader response rate is extremely high because of my “take no prisoners” style and the fact that I tackle issues with rare candor and a unique critical eye.

Accordingly, attached please find my latest column, scheduled to appear in The Bulletin’s Weekend print and online editions. It chastises the outright racial hypocrisy of CBS Director (and former NAACP head) Bruce Gordon, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson, especially poignant given that all charges were dropped against the Duke University lacrosse players.

Please feel free to run the column or contact me for further comment or an interview. I am available around the clock.

I will also be issuing an explosive challenge to all three men early next week.

A headshot is available.

Best Regards,
Christopher W. Freind

Wow! I didn’t know of any other person who pointed out Al Shapton et al might not exactly be saints themselves!

This column must be a masterpiece. Let’s go check it out the first sentence on the Bulletin’s website!

America may well be closer to an all-out race war than it has been in 40 years.

Well, that’s it for me, folks. Full email — featuring a Chris Freind bio (!) — after the jump.

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Punch-Connecting Columnist Offers Strong Words

I really couldn’t do justice if I introduced Evening Bulletin columnist Chris Freind, who pens the “Freindly FIre” (ho ho) column for the paper. So let’s have him do it himself:

After sifting through hundreds of readers’ e-mails offering wide-ranging comments on several of my recent columns, it occurred to me that most readers don’t have the foggiest notion about the columnists themselves, just a set of his opinions. Accordingly, in order for there to be a truly symbiotic relationship between columnist and reader, I thought it would behoove said columnist to elaborate on his background and, ultimately, how he arrives at his opinions and commentary.

Given my outspoken nature and the fact that I pull no punches, there are many sentiments which I receive, some complimentary, some disagreeable, others vitriolic and some absolutely unprintable.

Yes, he’s the Bulletin columnist who’s just so popular he needs to introduce himself well after his column began running! (Introduction columns are usually pretty horrid to begin with, but usually columnists have the common courtesy to get it out of the way first.)

More comments of an outspoken nature after the jump.

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