Newswire New York tabloid critic hits Roger Ebert

by Keith Phipps September 11, 2008
The New York Daily News has a fairly horrifying item on a bit of violence at the Toronto International Film Festival. It seems The New York Post's Lou Lumenick didn't like someone tapping him on the shoulder during a screening Slumdog Millionaire. So much, in fact, that he turned around and hit the guy with a "a big festival binder" after screaming, "I said don't touch me!"

Here's the problem: Lumenick's victim was Roger Ebert, attempting to signal that he could not see the screen.

So, in short, the tough guy who didn't want to be touched decided the best response would be to respond with violence, in the process assaulting the most beloved film critic working today.

If I can get personal for a second, like all Chicago-based critics, I share a screening room with Ebert. It's been inspiring over the past few years watching Ebert struggle back from the health problems he's had to resume writing regularly. The man loves movies and he loves his job and he's working as hard as he ever has when lesser men would have given up. I hope he's still working at 100.

If anyone ever finds themselves blocking Lou Lumenick's view, do me a favor: Stay put. If you've got a heavy binder, feel free to share it with him.

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