Despite Controversy, Hoya Publishes Annual “News Issue”

CAMPUS — The Hoya, Georgetown’s oldest humor publication, published its annual “News Issue” last week, inciting protests from student minority groups and journalists. The fake newspaper, which ordinarily holds itself to no journalistic standards, claims that the “News Issue” is fun because it allows them to pretend to be real journalists, even if only for a few days, but its critics felt the reporting went too far.

“It’s nice, because most of the time we just sit on our asses and wait for the e-mails to come in from the administration. From there on in it’s mostly a copy and paste job,” said managing editor Pete Johnson. “For the ‘News Issue’ we get to play journalist. It’s cool.”

The kooky “News Issue” requires students to venture beyond the The Hoya’s office in Leavey 421.

Unlike the ordinary issues published throughout the year, the “News Issue” traditionally invokes journalistic responsibility and real investigatory practices in its writers. During the three-day news binge, editors are blocked from using their university e-mail accounts and are not allowed to read university broadcast e-mails.

“It’s weird because normally an issue can be put together in as little as 26 minutes and rarely requires any thought whatsoever,” said news editor Jake O’Connell.

This year’s issue was published despite heavy protests from both student minority groups and journalists after last year’s news issue featured a profile of an interracial couple under the heading “Black Guy Nails White Chick.” Though factually accurate, the Black Student Association and NCAAP felt that the profile was heavily laden with racism, including one question from the interviewer that read: “When you act out the slavemaster fantasy, does it ever go too far?” The response in the paper: “Subjects displayed outright aggression and offensive, crude language before storming away. Frankly, I’m not surprised. You know how they get.”

Georgetown’s journalism department, headed by Marty Belafsky, who played Crutchy in the 1992 musical “Newsies,” expressed other concerns with the issue’s production. “Every morning we goes where we wishes. We’s as free as fishes. Sure beats washing dishes. What a fine life, carrying the banner home-free all!” Belfasky sang at a press conference Thursday.

So far, there has been little reaction to The Hoya’s “News Issue,” although several students were noticed reading with a perplexed look on their face. “I don’t get it. Is this a joke?” said junior Sam Haskins. “These articles seem different from the broadcast e-mail. It doesn’t match up.”

The Hoya has promised to return to its satirical function with an issue later this week themed “The Hoya: Jungle Style!,” featuring a giant picture of a middle finger and Brian Kesten’s face.