Pulle-ing Up Stakes: Matt Pulle To Leave The Scene
Posted on August 15, 2008 at 2:51 pmAfter just over eight months on the job, Post Politics has learned that Nashville Scene Managing Editor Matt Pulle is departing the publication. Pulle, a six year veteran of the Scene from 1999 to 2005 returned to the Scene after a three-year stint at The Dallas Observer another Village Voice Media property in January.
Contacted by phone on a brief vacation, the respected investigative reporter and snarky blog poster told Post Politics that the move was not at all an abrupt one but something which had been considered for quite some time.
“I was very happy in Dallas,” explained Pulle, “The reason I came back to Nashville was the opportunity to work with [Former Editor] Liz [Garrigan]. Obviously that opportunity is no longer there.”
Pulle, however, bears no ill will towards the current regime led by Editor Pete Kotz whom he calls a “tremendously accomplished editor.”
Pulle explains the situation thusly, “When a football coach moves to a new team, he often brings on his own number two to implement the changes he wants to make. I think that Pete [Kotz] deserves that opportunity.”
As for what comes next for the career alt-weekly scribe, Pulle would only say he has a number of different and promising opportunities,”It’s not like I’m gonna be in the unemployment line.”
Indeed, Pulle confirms, there was no “leaving in a huff” as one Pith in the Wind commenter suggested earlier this afternoon. Pulle gave his notice this past Tuesday and will serve until mid-September to ease the transition until that aforementioned Kotz number two can be named.
UPDATE: Asked to comment, Liz Garrigan, former Nashville Scene Editor, remarked:
“Matt Pulle’s departure will be the Scene’s great loss — and the gain of whatever lucky soul snags this talent next. Habitues of fascinating, expertly crafted and well-reported journalism — except maybe James Weaver and Tony Giarratana, who will probably celebrate this news with exultation — no doubt will be anxiously hoping he doesn’t flee the industry altogether. I certainly count myself in that group. And while it’s probably not big enough to hold all of his admirers, I offer my house for the going-away bash.”
Comments
12 Responses to “Pulle-ing Up Stakes: Matt Pulle To Leave The Scene”
The very least Liz can do is throw the party. It was her public trashing of Pete Kotz–before he started on the job–and revelation she had endorsed Pulle for editor in chief that made sure Matt’s chances of staying under the new editor were slim and none. If a kegger will put all that straight, then so be it.
As for Matt’s “journalism,” he would do well to return to just that–being a journalist–as his blog postings made him the internet equivalent of Rudy Guiliani. Every sentence he wrote had a noun, a verb, and Waller Lansden. Ultimately, Matt was met with the same fate as Rudy. People just stopped paying attention.
I wouldn’t look for an announcement that Mike Stewart is hiring him for his communications director either.
Does anyone still read The Scene? I mean, since HuffPo got up and running, what’s the point?
Pulle isn’t a bad wordsmith at times, but, man, he misunderstands this town. Clearly his stuff of recent months was an bizarre obscession and, in the end, an embarrassment to the Scene and a squandering of his credibilty. Maybe Liz had kept him previously in check. Maybe his resentment at not getting the top job sent him over the edge. Sad, in any event. I’m tempted to say good riddance. I’ll keep it to good bye.
Liz,
Count me in for the going away bash.In a town sorely lacking in-depth investigative reporting and analysis, Matt will be missed.
Leo
That joke about Giuliani (a noun, a verb, and September 11) never gets old. Thanks, Albert, for the reminder.
A call from Matt could always bring a chill if you had something you didn’t want to discuss in The Scene, but also, a call from Matt assured you’d be quoted fairly even if you didn’t like the conclusinon. His reporting was missed when he went to Dallas, and it will be missed again.
I am proud to cite Pulle as a mentor and partner in crime; his Garrigan impression is second to none. On Matt’s watch, cops cleaned up their acts, politicians got less dishonest and Gannett continued to demoralize its employees, who in turn leaked him the memos. He will be a great editor of the Destin Rage or the Greater Seaside Chamber of Commerce e-Newsletter.
In all seriousness, Matt is the best journalist out there: thoughtful, genuine, witty, fair as hell and willing to scream when necessary. Our loss may well be Lorne Michaels’ gain.
He will be missed.
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its a great loss for scene. Matt has done lot of good for the scene.
Excellent post, keep it up