Eric Schwartzman | New Media and Social Media Communications

Los Angeles Times sports columnist T.J. Simers writes a scathing review of Distinction, a magazine on Southern California lifestyle he says someone left on his desk, which is published by Tribune.

He singles out a feature story on Frank and Jamie McCourt, written by Eric Lax, which he slams — based on the soft ball questions Lax asked McCourt — as a vapid excuse for sound journalism.

LA Times:

My first question might have been something like, “Why have you ruined the Dodger franchise?” but for the magazine, writer Eric Lax asked, “You bought the team, you come to your first game, you’re sitting in the sunshine, did you pinch yourself?”

I guess Lax didn’t get the chance to talk to the McCourts last year.

“No,” he had not pinched himself, but “[Jamie] pinched me,” Frank said, and you won’t have to remind me to never sit next to her.

The interview continued like that with Lax grilling the McCourts.

“Do you ever go up and get a Dodger Dog?” he wanted to know.

I might’ve asked, “When are you going to keep your promise and deliver a $100-million payroll?” or “Strapped for cash like you folks are, how come Frank bought a home for $20-some million and Jamie bought one next door for another $6 million or so?”

Instead, Lax asked: “Do you think that what you’re doing is going to be a model for other clubs?”

“In what way?” the Screaming Meanie wanted to know, and for the first time I can ever recall, we’re in agreement.