Did Times Get Duped By Dating a Banker Anonymous?

Eric Struass

The Internets lit up with Schadenfreude Wednesday when the Times published an article about a group of some 30 unabashedly materialistic ladies who gather regularly to vent about how their financial industry boyfriends are no longer keeping them in Manolo Blahniks and Megu. But some observers immediately smelled something fishy, and when the two women who started the Dating A Banker Anonymous group and blog swiftly scored a (rumored) book deal, the needle on the bullshit meter jumped. Media Bistro points us to one NPR blogger's thorough debunking, which asserts there most likely is no support group of 30 women, just a couple of media-savvy satirists who cleverly exploited the nation's eagerness to play tiny violins for bankrupt banking tools and the disillusioned gold diggers who "love" them. True or not, it's still a fun show, but the paper of record is going to have some serious 'splaining to do if this is indeed just an elaborate hoax. (Blogs, naturally, are unaccountable.)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on January 30, 2009 10:36 AM

Comments [rss]

Wza

Suckerrrrs.

handsomedevil

Times bashers are still idiots, though.

jaycjay

"Ummm, I think Gothamist was kind of had, too, no?"

As is acknowledged in that final parenthetical statement.

tch

I thought they were talking about the blog itself, as in "DABA is unaccountable for destroying the Times' reputation", but you're probably right.

matty

i'm hoping that the n**ger face cookies was all a joke too

amandabee

Ummm, I think Gothamist was kind of had, too, no?

The photo in the Times is absurd enough (such sad faces!) that I almost think the Times knew it was a joke.

Dirk

Oops. Looks like the Times was had.

thefacts

This is why I abandoned the Times for Gothamist.

TooTallJeff

And when did you abandon the facts?

Chico B

I wonder what the book'll be about. "How We Screwed Over The Times" doesn't sound like much of a best-seller.

Felix Hoenikker

Video of young tarts at work servicing bankers or it didn't happen.

Rocknrope

I'm even more disgusted by this group now.

books

ugh...the fact that they provided a ready for reproduction image with the founder in it changed it from news to marketing publicity ploy

yg

Anyone who didn't realized that this was a satire - including the reporter - should go back to reading the Post.

ides_of_march

The Times has been a bad joke for ages, from Walter Duranty to Jayson Blair. Valley girl spinster Maureen Dowd is what passes for intellect and wit there. Case closed.