Watch for an article in the Tennessean

**HeathBar** · 21st July 09, 05:43 AM

Back in May, a reporter from the Tennessean newspaper was looking for people to discuss Utilikilts. I don't own one, but as a member of this forum I felt I knew enough about them and modern kilts in general to discuss it with her. After a phone interview a few weeks ago and a photo shoot yesterday, look for an article in Thursday's paper. She said she spoke to a few others and I think one might be our own KiltedSurveyor in Dickson. Did anyone else speak with her? I posted the info here. Anyways, I wore my self-made digi-camo kilt and Xmarks t-shirt. I'm curious as to what direction she will take the information I and others gave her. I gave her this website so I'm wondering if she will include it in her article. We just might get an influx of new members from middle Tennessee. We shall see. Its supposed to come out Thursday, July 23rd.

**TNKiltedWolf** · 23rd July 09, 02:15 PM

Hey all,
It did appear in Today's Tennesseean. Here's the link for you.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20...+s+a+Utilikilt

Enjoy!

Aaron

**Zardoz** · 23rd July 09, 02:32 PM

Well, that article and the comments didn't come out as well as one might have hoped.

**HeathBar** · 23rd July 09, 05:57 PM

To be be honest, I have to agree with one of the folks who commented. What was the point of the article? I meant to ask the author at the time of the interview what her interest in kilts was, but I never got around to it. The article really left me scratching my head. The photo they used for the article also left me wandering. I don't recognize the man as a member of this forum, but when they chose him as the cover photo of the story, it probably lead everyone to think that this is what all moder kilt wearers look like. It was as if they wanted to bring out the extreme responses.

I want to question the reporter, but she has moved on to her next assignment.

**Zardoz** · 23rd July 09, 08:14 PM

What was the point of the article? You answered it , Show off some wacky man-skirt guy and bring out extreme responses. Unfortunatly the folks that do these kind of pieces often have a predetermined angle, and will fit the facts to it. I bet she looked at a ton of folks till she found one "interesting" enough to make a example of in print.

I was at a anti helmet law rally at our state capital once, and the Austin media was not on our side on the helmet law deal. A TV reporter was there talking to folks, I was pretty up to speed on the issues and when she talked to me I made a concise soundbyte sized statement, people in the crowd gave me a thumbs up! The guy after me was yelling "helmet laws suck", sporting a mohawk, and bouncing an old helmet on the ground. Who do you think was the news? Maybe it's the mohawk?

If you are ever interviewed by the print media again you should print up a info sheet to press in their hand, but don't expect it to be printed.

**KiltedSurveyor** · 24th July 09, 02:42 AM

Well, as the Russell Faulk of the article, I must say I'm disappointed by the way it turned out. I wish there had been a differentiation between utilikilts and other types of modern casual kilts. Of course, a few more pictures might have helped the readers realize that not all of us are the "mohawk" type. If you read the comments, the people who replied are the same type of people you will meet in the bar with their friends trying to "put you in your place". I particularly loved the comment where someone said "What Faulk won't have to worry about is any job with the title president or chief". I am the chief officer of my (admitted small) land surveying firm. It just shows that often the people who reply to these type of things don't really have any tolerance for anything that they themselves don't participate in. They remind me of the teenage mindset: "i want to be different, just like everybody else".