Here’s a common scenario: A newspaper reporter dutifully attends and writes up a Donald Trump rally in his employer’s area of coverage. Here’s what’s less common: Some jerk-off 19-year-old (probably — also see what I did there?) trolls him with the name he gives.
The 19-year-old (if that’s even his real age!) seemed pretty media savvy. His quote of Trump as a “hardworking, smart individual that wants the best for all people in this country that are allowed to be here,” appears in this Baltimore Sun article’s third paragraph.
His name? Jack… Jack Mehoff. Yep, that’s what it sounds like.
Because everybody on the internet is 12 years old, Twitter quickly picked up on the probably-not-so-real name.
I think @baltimoresun has lost a step. Jack Mehoff? Were Mike Hunt and Ben Dover not able to comment? pic.twitter.com/lpLGYGGNAA
— Ed Norris (@ednorris) April 21, 2016
"Always ask for I.D. proof when someone tells you their name is JACK MEHOFF" lololol https://t.co/Dr9UGAjk7F pic.twitter.com/wn6lfuqo2S
— erin 🐻 is on strike (@erinaybear) April 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/SonnyBunch/status/723182044403122176
As Mediaite points out, the copy editors are now on it!
@nickconfessore My commenters point out that there are at least three Maryland residents named Jack Mehoff. https://t.co/90GMbg1CKz
— Romenesko (@romenesko) April 21, 2016
@melissagerr Editors are looking into this. Thanks for pointing it out.
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) April 21, 2016
Mediaite also notes that the writer also quoted Cassie Hibble and Gabby Franks, which are apparently absurd names as well.
Here’s a mea culpa from the article’s writer, Ian Duncan, anyway:
At this point I have no way to prove I didn't meet a real life Jack Mehoff who is a Trump supporter. But erm… Yeah.
— Ian Duncan (@iduncan) April 21, 2016
He didn’t get the supporter’s phone number? I don’t blame him. Reporting at a Trump rally is already stressful enough.
But here’s the deputy social-media editor at the Daily Beast, here to ruin our fun:
if Jack Mehoff turns out to be his real name & he's just some nice, politically misguided kid who we're all cyberbullying you gonna feel bad
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) April 21, 2016
Trump fans, don’t send Jack Mehoff any death threats, okay?
(Via Baltimore Sun and Mediaite)