Friday link dump: Million-dollar bash

A dirty joke costs the Village Voice $1 million, RNC turmoil, Bob Bennett's future, and Ron Paul celebrates hemp

Blogger Foster Kamer cost Village Voice Media $1 million in revenue when he made one bad dick joke about James Dolan, publisher of New York Newsday and the owner of Cablevision, MSG Entertainment (including Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the MSG network, the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers) and Rainbow Media (AMC, IFC, WEtv, Sundance Channel). Dolan, a notorious prick who does not take criticism well, pulled all Madison Square Garden Entertainment advertising from the Voice, then convinced LiveNation and Ticketmaster -- America's event promotion and sales monopoly-to-be -- to do the same. So, yes, it's a funny story about a blogger making a million-dollar dick joke, and also a wonderful example of just how effectively our antitrust laws are being enforced.
"Are you interested in Ron Paul? Are you interested in hemp? Then this statement is for you."
The Republican National Committee has fired its finance head.
And 2008 Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr has been sued by his ghostwriter.
Bob Bennett's political career could end this weekend. Josh Loftin will be covering the Utah GOP convention (previewed here) for us tomorrow. Follow it live, beginning at around 2 p.m. EDT, on his Twitter, and come back here for a write-up when the dust settles.

A dirty joke costs the Village Voice $1 million, RNC turmoil, Bob Bennett's future, and Ron Paul celebrates hemp