If you’re looking for work in the media, make sure you do your research first.
Because journalist Victor Epstein made something of a boob in his missive to Sunday Times Washington bureau chief Toby Harnden.
Epstein emailed Harnden on Monday, querying work opportunities at the Sunday Times, whilst simultaneously declaring he was “not gonna bow to the Murdoch lie machine".
Rupert Murdoch of course owns The Sunday Times, which Harnden duly pointed out to Epstein.
Epstein’s response? “Ugh. How embarrassing. How can you work for that motherfucker?”
Harnden posted the exchange on Twitter, writing: “Not quite sure who Victor Epstein is but it seems he’s as charming as he is thorough with his job research.”
Harnden’s tweet saw self-described “journalism lifer” Epstein hit back furiously, branding him a “sonderkommando” [the term given to Jewish prisoners forced to work in Holocaust death camps], a “hooker” and “Toejam”.
Epstein has also alleged Harnden’s initial reply was “fuck you, you loser”, demanding to know “Why did you delete that Toejam?”
The exchange in full:
Hi Toby,
I’m running out of decent places to work here in the US and am not gonna bow to the Murdoch lie machine.
There’s nothing I can’t do well in journalism, except play the lackey or sell the truth to the highest bidder. If you have something on your team for a standup reporter/ editor with a solid grounding in economics and politics please think of me.
Victor.
Harnden's reply:
Dear Victor,
Rupert Murdoch owns The Sunday Times so I don’t think I can help you.
Best of luck,
Toby
Epstein:
Ugh. How embarrassing. How can u work for that motherfucker?