Washington, D.C.’s Newseum, an interactive museum devoted to journalism and mass media, sounds like a fascinating and highly educational place. The seven-story, 250,000 square foot facility on Pennsylvania Avenue attracts over 2 million visitors each year with such attractions as a gallery of front pages from 80 international newspapers and exhibits devoted to such topics as free speech and the history of radio. Fortunately or unfortunately, some wiseacres aren’t giving this place the respect it deserves and, through their ridiculous actions, are making a mockery of everything for which the Newseum stands. It seems that certain visitors are taking advantage of an exhibit entitled “Be A Reporter,” which offers tourists and students the opportunity to stand in front of a green screen and pretend to deliver a TV news report. A prompter with prepared text is offered but often ignored in favor of childish rambling, hyperactive nonsense, and crude profanity. Like so:
Very immature, Mr. Myfinkle. Newseum visitors have the option of uploading their videos to YouTube, and far too many have said “hell yes” to this opportunity. A channel called Newseum Archive has been collecting and sharing the best of the worst. A typical example is this clip in which a reporter identified as “Buttface” talks with extreme disrespect about the Supreme Court. What adds greatly to the comedy in these videos are the straight-faced intros and outros provided by actual broadcast professionals. “Thanks for that report,” says Frank Bond with a smile after Buttface’s anti-SCOTUS rant.