Saul Loeb Arizona Daily Wildcat editor in chief

Editor decides 'On the Spot' isn't 'funny,' too many 'obscure references,' fires 'Spot' interviewer

Wildcat: (sitting down in editor in chief's cubicle) So what's going on, Saul?

Loeb: Nate, "On the Spot" lately hasn't been as good as it was in the past.

Wildcat: What do you mean? I thought I was ...

Loeb: They're not funny. You're using too many obscure references. There's a lot of, I guess you could call, middle school humor. We're trying to develop the paper into an elitist publication where only the top understand what's going on on campus. And the "On the Spot" is just too dumbed down for our average reader. This isn't the middle school across the street, Nate. This is a public university.

Wildcat: What do you want me to do?

Loeb: I'm not sure there's anything you can do at this point, Nate. It's gotten to the point where nobody reads "On the Spot" anymore. Nobody likes them. I get so many letters a day saying that they want to get rid of them, and a lot of people don't want you to be doing them anymore. And I think I agree with them.

Wildcat: Oh my gosh. So what?

Loeb: I know you've been a member of the staff here for a while, Nate, and it pains me to do this, but ...

Wildcat: Oh my gosh. Don't say it. I have children.

Loeb: I don't think we have any choice anymore, but to fire you and so - you're fired.

Wildcat: Like what do you mean? Do I get like a ...

Loeb: There's no severance package or anything like that. You're just going to have to clean out your nonexistent desk, take your reporter's notebook with you and try not to let the door hit you on the way out.

Wildcat: I've put a lot of thought and work into this paper.

Loeb: I know, and we appreciate that, but the readers just don't like you. I don't know what it is. The readers don't like you. I don't like you.

- Interview by Nathan Tafoya