What’s the Scoop?

But the story has already taken some pretty strange twists. January 24 on Channel 13, former Bee columnist, now local CBS (and Sacramento Magazine, and KHTK) commentator R.E. Graswich promised a major “scoop” about another possible mayoral candidate.

The promo worked wonderfully, because Upfront was excited enough to set the TiVo to record R.E.'s segment (titled, of course, “The Scoop") when it aired Friday—and then avidly tuned in at home that night. There was Bobby Bahama tricked out in dark shades—and was that a trench coat?—in front of City Hall announcing that the latest power player to contemplate jumping into the Sacramento mayoral game was none other than, ta, da, da, da—Willie Brown.

Really? Willie Brown? Was this some sort of performance-art thing? You know, a comment on all the hype and silliness of the local news business? Because that would be mind-blowing.

So far, Upfront hasn’t noticed the Bee or other media following up on the Willie Brown scoop. That doesn’t mean there’s not something to it. Graswich for a while now has been saying on his blog that Assemblyman Dave Jones was “likely” to enter the mayor’s race, though Jones has denied it repeatedly. The man is either a brilliant and incredibly dialed-in reporter, or he is totally high. Time will tell. And yes, given all of the above, you might be thinking, “pot, meet kettle.” And you’d be right to do so.