I didn’t think the Fairfax Press could get this small

I am pissed at the pathetic, envious little worms who tricked a journo into writing this, and even more pissed at a deceptive headline which, in any other country, would be laughed at.
   But hey, it’s like the Mohammed cartoons all over again. Newspaper circulation falling. Journalist wanting to get editor’s attention.
   The added ingredient is a 20-year-old girl who has been thrust into the limelight and cannot defend herself.
   Well, whether she can or not, I am outraged. And I have already issued my response. All this has done is piss off The Press’s own advertisers, if the response I am hearing from Christchurch businesses is anything to go by.
   It illustrates the danger of foreign ownership of our media and how out of touch The Press is.
   To the Miss Universe people: this is not a story. This is just what we New Zealanders call the tall poppy syndrome. People dragging down other people because of their success. It is a cultural thing, but the bottom line is, nothing happened.
   And since Mr Trump and I have plenty of mutual friends within and outside the Organization, I think you can take my word as gospel.
   Just a domestic equivalent of the whole Rosie O’Donnell thing, Donald, but done at a much more pathetic scale.
   Of course, I have to make a statement since Val is in Blenheim and I am the only ready media commentator from the pageant.

Judge defends Miss Universe New Zealand Laural Barrett

Wellington, April 5 (JY&A Media) Lucire publisher Jack Yan, who was a judge at last Saturday's Miss Universe New Zealand pageant, says that certain parties in Christchurch have acted ‘despicably’ in trying to smear the winner, Laural Barrett.
   Miss Barrett was reported in The Press today as having been sacked from a shoe store, Wild Pair, in a 2005 incident.
   ‘I wonder if this does Laural more damage, or Wild Pair's brand,’ he says.
   ‘It sounds to me like The Press is indulging a few insecure Cantabrians in a case of guilty till proved innocent. They are trying to drag down Laural and Wild Pair.’
   Mr Yan says, ‘The simple fact is that no wrongdoing occurred if neither Miss Barrett nor her sister were charged. Any right-minded New Zealander would see that that was obvious.’
   Mr Yan says he agrees with pageant director Val Lott that the story was an example of ‘tall poppy syndrome’ but added that he was disappointed that the matter even emerged.
   ‘I am surprised it still happens. It's 2007, for crying out loud. People are not interested in non-events,’ he says.
   ‘Miss Barrett is up to 100,000 Google references, which is the fastest rise I have seen of any New Zealander. Inevitably, there will be backlashes from some quarters.
   ‘The judges fully support her. The pageant fully supports her. And from what I can tell from the night, and from the reactions I have had publicly, the majority of New Zealand supports her.
   ‘We are talking about a tiny, fringe element bullying a 20-year-old for something she is innocent of doing.’
   Mr Yan believes that Miss Barrett will be a ‘fabulous’ ambassador for New Zealand. ‘I have already made bets with one other pageant owner on how well Laural will place,’ he says.
   He says that there are Christchurch businesses who have who have been similarly disturbed by the story and have reached out positively to Miss Barrett.