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James O’Keefe Attempts To Punk CNN Correspondent With “Palace Of Pleasure” Boat

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» 56 comments

Any shred of a doubt you may have had left over whether James O’Keefe (is a total dirtbag) has intentions that are less than admirable can pretty much be tossed. CNN is reporting that O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props and then record the session.” To what end? Well, this is where it gets really nasty. From CNN:

According to the document, O’Keefe was to record a video of the following script before Boudreau arrived: “My name is James. I work in video activism and journalism. I’ve been approached by CNN for an interview where I know what their angle is: they want to portray me and my friends as crazies, as non-journalists, as unprofessional and likely as homophobes, racists or bigots of some sort….

“Instead, I’ve decided to have a little fun. Instead of giving her a serious interview, I’m going to punk CNN. Abbie has been trying to seduce me to use me, in order to spin a lie about me. So, I’m going to seduce her, on camera, to use her for a video. This bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who comes on at five will get a taste of her own medicine, she’ll get seduced on camera and you’ll get to see the awkwardness and the aftermath.

I think total douchebag is the appropriate term here. Fortunately when she arrived Boudreau was tipped off to the plan by O’Keefe’s co-conspirator Izzy Santa who thought the idea was “incredibly bad” and who also provided CNN a series of e-mails “she says shows O’Keefe intended to try to embarrass both the network and Boudreau through an elaborate plan.” Perhaps needless to say now that they’ve been outed neither O’Keefe nor the people who helped him set it up are willing to comment on the plan, or the documents, beyond O’Keefe denying the documents are his.

Boudreau, an award-winning journalist, has this to say on her own blog:

All of this is so disappointing. I never wanted to become a part of the story – especially under such strange circumstances. I have worked so hard to have people pay attention to my work, and to be a respected journalist. I don’t want to be judged based on anything other than my work. But apparently, I represent all of the things this group hates about the mainstream media. They feel because of the way I look that I do not matter, and that my reporting is a joke. They don’t know anything about my work ethic – my history – my dedication and commitment – and my love for reporting. They just saw my blonde hair. And the ironic thing is that I’m really a brunette.

It will be interesting to see how (if?) Fox decides to cover this…O’Keefe was a favored guest back in the ACORN ‘scandal’ days. Meanwhile, O’Keefe mentor Andrew Breitbart has been notably silent on Twitter on the matter. Video report below.

Related: Fake pimp from ACORN videos tries to ‘punk’ CNN correspondent [CNN]

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  • paulmdoro

    What a degenerate scumbag. He’s a puerile moron starved for attention. No one actually believes this dope is some kind of journalist do they?

  • Jackie_Treehorn

    And yet he’s a hero to the Tea Baggers. Surprise surprise….

  • dunt

    I’m willing to admit this guy’s either gone off the rails or was always a little off.

    There are nuts on both sides of the political aisle.

  • jooce81

    wow.. someone should just lay this douchebag out

  • Jim R

    Yet another example of the “conservative movement” in this country making it up as they go along, as per usual. They can’t win on the facts so they just continually make crap up.

    And no, “both sides” don’t do it, conservatives are immoral liars and they prove it almost daily.

  • The Real Royal King

    Is anyone really surprised? This youn man is one rotten egg. I wonder if this is a probation violation?

  • Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers

    Certainly the network of Dick Morris and Bill O’Reilly has a place for this young man on its staff.

  • The Real Royal King

    Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers said:
    Certainly the network of Dick Morris and Bill O’Reilly has a place for this young man on its staff.

    A fill-in for Il Douchey, maybe?

  • http://www.youtube.com/cmdrgmh cmdrgmh

    Where are his defenders Now? Lol

  • shootfromthehip

    Sick and sad.

  • Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers

    If O’Keefe fails to make the grade as a dishonest reporter for Fox News, he should consider consider running for office as a tea party candidate.

  • notsofast

    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.

  • ImJustThatDamnGood

    How low will you conservatives go?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Kelly/720731075 Chris Kelly

    The reason why there are things like this is probably due to some sort of “act out gene”. For instance, RPaul supporters feel the need to play dress-up games and conduct period parades playing fifes. Teapartiers like dressing up like TomPaine and throwing tantrums at public meetings.

    They do that rather than doing real work and trying to make CNN look bad. I greatly dislike CNN, but those like O’Keefe or ‘partier types who shout nonsense through a bullhorn in front of the CNN building aren’t helping me discredit them.

    A few of the things those like O’Keefe could have helped me with but did not are listed here:

    http://24ahead.com/n/10229

  • paulmdoro

    notsofast said:
    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.

    O’Keefe seems like the kind of guy who needs no help obtaining sexually explicit “props.”

  • right-is-wrong

    notsofast said:
    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.

    That was BILLO.
    He settled out of court.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

    I’m an O’Keefe fan, but this is just bizarre. Why not pick an ugly reporter to make a fool out of?

  • mathenjp

    ahh yet another teabagger douche w a fondness for dildos..

  • right-is-wrong

    Chris Jones said:
    I’m an O’Keefe fan, but this is just bizarre.

    I picked my nose and am surprised to find a booger!

    Chris Jones said:
    Why not pick an ugly reporter to make a fool out of?

    TeaBagger

  • LotusMan

    dunt said:
    There are nuts on both sides of the political aisle.

    Is that supposed to be a defense? First, there are no crazies like this on the other “political side”. That’s just a canard put forth to make it seem more OK. Second, even if someone else does it, it does NOT make it OK.

    O’Keefe is nothing nothing more than an extreme right-wing hatchet man — willing to distort, misinterpret and lie to discredit honest, reputable people in order to promote his fanatical agenda.

    An important question I would like answered is who is funding O’Keefe so he can keep doing this crap? Who is paying his bills? Is this just another clandestine effort from the Koch Brothers? Perhaps some good ‘ol, honest investigative journalism is warranted.

  • jesse cornish is an impotent weirdo

    The grandest absurdity in a bastion of pathos is that Boudreau would have done anything other than laugh or RUN at the awkward attentions of the painfully homely O’Keefe. Sadly, his history of narcissistic wounds–personal, professional, academic–are at the root the these “revenge” stunts, designed solely to compensate for a lifetime of social and relational pain.

  • CosmosDan

    I thought the little twerp was in jail for attempting to pant bugs?

    In another thread someone was defending Fox by talking about how they were the only ones to break the important ACORN story. I hope they’re paying attention.

  • Orion Antares

    Jim R said:
    Yet another example of the “conservative movement” in this country making it up as they go along, as per usual. They can’t win on the facts so they just continually make crap up.

    And no, “both sides” don’t do it, conservatives are immoral liars and they prove it almost daily.

    That’s not entirely accurate. There are actually nuts on the Left side as well, there are just more on the Right and a lot of the ones on the Right are accepted in the mainstream view of Conservatism.

  • The_Reasonable_Lib

    bubble headed beach blonde? does he not WATCH Fox news AT ALL?!

  • The_Reasonable_Lib

    notsofast said:
    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.

    Dude, do you not even try anymore?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Wesley-Smith/725105211 Wesley Smith

    Just the fact that he still uses terms like “punked” prove what a schmuck this schmuck is.

  • Big_F-ing_Deal

    It’s almost like O’Keefe and Breitbart are battling for the title “Biggest Scumbag In The World”.

    May the best scumbag win.

  • The Real Royal King

    notsofast said:
    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.

    More likely Bill-o’s battery powered devices or sandwiches.

  • jk76

    ironic is that i’m naturally a brunette…..SO when he says bleach-blonde, he doesn’t know you bleach?

    NOW THAT IS IRONY!!!

    this guy just gets worse as time goes on, however Glynnis, your question whether Fox will cover it is about as good as his attempt was. This isn’t a terrorist plot that was stopped before it happened, it was a psuedo-prank. Why would this make actual news? WE ALL GET IT, you are liberal and hate Fox as much as the others and the President.

  • http://www.uselessbeauty.com Vidiot

    Interesting that O’Keefe’s usual defenders here are staying silent.

  • http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

    This man is an AMERICAN HERO and the Future of Journalism in our Once Proud Republic!!!1 We will NOT listen to the usual smears against him by the LAMESTREAM media!!!1 Stay STRONG, James!!!1

  • bealzebubba

    I’m really very curious to know what the hell O’Keefe was trying to accomplish with this angle. Obviously, the girl that worked with him on this wasn’t all that comfortable with the plan, thus she forewarned the correspondent.

    I just can’t help but think that there’s more to this…a houdini-esque redirection.

  • bealzebubba

    Karl Spensen said:
    This man is an AMERICAN HERO and the Future of Journalism in our Once Proud Republic!!!

    He may be the future of journalism of the right wing media machine but not journalism as a whole. This approach has been used for several years on Current TV, MTV and various interactive media outlets. Hell, even NBC has used this “entrapment” approach with it’s “to catch a predator” series. I’d even go as far as including ABC’s “what would you do”. The only difference is that Breitbart uses youtube to broadcast the videos, while traditional media outlets use the airwaves.

    Originated: no. Popularizing: definitely. But, NewLeftMedia is heavy competition for them.

  • murf

    Karl Spensen said:
    This man is an AMERICAN HERO and the Future of Journalism in our Once Proud Republic!!!1 We will NOT listen to the usual smears against him by the LAMESTREAM media!!!1 Stay STRONG, James!!!1

    Holy Shit James O’Keefe could be your twin !!

  • http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

    He may not be my twin, but he is most certainly my BROTHER!!!1

  • stoogedudes

    This guy is becoming more and more famous…evenutally he’s not going to be able to try to pull these idiotic stunts anymore.

    Could this be the end of O’Queef?

  • bealzebubba

    There might be a spot for him as part of the Jackass crew

  • Call_Me_Ishmael

    “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.”

  • Fox News: We proudly pander to Teabaggers

    Ugly dishonest Filthy

    Those are Brent Bozell’s words for O’Keefe.

    ROLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    It takes one to know one in this case.

  • MoDans

    notsofast said:
    O’Keefe attempted to punk CNN correspondent Abbie Boudreau by getting her on a boat “filled with sexually explicit props …. which he obtained from Keith Olbermann’s apartment.</blockqu

    Well, you shouldn't have sent them to Olbermann. You have to let this pitiful man crush go.

  • MoDans

    Chris Jones said:
    I’m an O’Keefe fan, but this is just bizarre. Why not pick an ugly reporter to make a fool out of?

    All the FOX Republican News ‘reporters’ must have been in their remedial politics class that day.

  • MoDans

    jk76 said:
    ironic is that i’m naturally a brunette…..SO when he says bleach-blonde, he doesn’t know you bleach? NOW THAT IS IRONY!!! this guy just gets worse as time goes on, however Glynnis, your question whether Fox will cover it is about as good as his attempt was. This isn’t a terrorist plot that was stopped before it happened, it was a psuedo-prank. Why would this make actual news? WE ALL GET IT, you are liberal and hate Fox as much as the others and the President.

    And you are a FOX Republican News apologist. There is NO news on FRN, it’s a Republican promotional station.

  • MoDans

    Karl Spensen said:
    This man is an AMERICAN HERO and the Future of Journalism in our Once Proud Republic!!!1 We will NOT listen to the usual smears against him by the LAMESTREAM media!!!1 Stay STRONG, James!!!1

    Stick a fork in his dumb ass, he’s DONE!!!

  • MoDans

    Karl Spensen said:
    He may not be my twin, but he is most certainly my BROTHER!!!1

    How’s that insesty thing workin’ for ya?

  • SpineCrusher

    murf said:
    Holy Shit James O’Keefe could be your twin !!

    HAHA! You just got punked by Karl, dummy!

    America <3 Karl Spensen!!

  • SpineCrusher

    stoogedudes said:
    This guy is becoming more and more famous…evenutally he’s not going to be able to try to pull these idiotic stunts anymore. Could this be the end of O’Queef?

    eventually? Did you read the article?

  • stoogedudes

    I said eventually he’s not going to be able to TRY; we thought the end of O’Keefe was with the Landrieu incident, but O’Keefe tried again and failed miserably. He’ll probably try again…and fail.

  • Magic Dog

    Orion Antares said:
    That’s not entirely accurate. There are actually nuts on the Left side as well, there are just more on the Right and a lot of the ones on the Right are accepted in the mainstream view of Conservatism.

    Tell us about the left-wing pervs trying to “punk” Fox News.

  • dcmediasux

    “They just saw my blonde hair. And the ironic thing is that I’m really a brunette.”

    oh my lord….

  • Magic Dog

    bealzebubba said:
    He may be the future of journalism of the right wing media machine but not journalism as a whole. This approach has been used for several years on Current TV, MTV and various interactive media outlets. Hell, even NBC has used this “entrapment” approach with it’s “to catch a predator” series. I’d even go as far as including ABC’s “what would you do”. The only difference is that Breitbart uses youtube to broadcast the videos, while traditional media outlets use the airwaves.

    Originated: no. Popularizing: definitely. But, NewLeftMedia is heavy competition for them.

    Gotta love it. Wingnut pervert is caught, and what do his fellow wingnuts do? Blame it on the “NewLeftMedia.” You people are sick liars.

  • murf

    SpineCrusher said:
    HAHA! You just got punked by Karl, dummy!

    America <3 Karl Spensen!!

    Uh.. actually I know full well ” Karl ” aka Christian is a Liberal troll , I was commenting on his strikingly similar physical sppearance.

  • Magic Dog

    What Fox News and its wingnut friends have said about Wingnut Perv Wonder Boy James O’Keefe:

    Breitbart: O’Keefe “is already well on his way to being one of the great journalists” and deserves a Pulitzer. On the September 10, 2009, edition of Fox News’ Hannity, BigGovernment.com founder Andrew Breitbart said of the ACORN videos, “It was two intrepid — a 25-year-old by the name of James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles. She wants to be a journalist and I think James is already well on his way to being one of the great journalists.” Breitbart added that “I’m just here to tell you that James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles are heroes for doing this because we all knew that this is what happens at ACORN, to a degree.” Breitbart further stated of O’Keefe and Giles on the September 14 edition of Hannity, “[L]et me tell you. I’ve never been more proud of two people in my entire life.” In a September 21 Washington Times column, Breitbart further wrote, “At the very least, filmmaker James O’Keefe and actress Hannah Giles deserve a Pulitzer Prize for their expose of deep corruption and unspeakable immorality at the ACORN housing division. But more important, I won’t rest until they receive a grant to continue their partisan artistry from the National Endowment for the Arts.”

    Beck: Giles’ “partner in crime” O’Keefe is “courageous.” Glenn Beck hosted Hannah Giles, who helped produce the videos, during the September 10, 2009, edition of his Fox News program and stated, “I talked to you on the radio program earlier today. I encouraged you not to expose yourself anymore. I think that you are a very courageous person. I think your partner in crime here, or exposing crime is also courageous.” (All television transcripts were accessed via the Nexis database.)

    Hannity: O’Keefe is a “pioneer in journalism.” Sean Hannity stated during the September 14, 2009, edition of his Fox News program, while hosting Breitbart and Giles, “Hannah, you are — you have taught the media a lesson. You should be very proud. Andrew, you’ve always been a brave, you know, pioneer in journalism and same with James O’Keefe.”

    O’Reilly: “Frank and Conyers should be giving Ms. Giles and Mr. O’Keefe congressional medals.” Bill O’Reilly stated on the September 23, 2009, edition of his Fox News program, “Congressman Frank of Massachusetts and Congressman Conyers of Michigan want Congressional investigators to see if the undercover duo broke any federal laws. In addition, they want to find out exactly what ACORN is guilty of and they want to examine the group’s housing opportunities agenda.” O’Reilly added, “In my opinion, Frank and Conyers should be giving Ms. Giles and Mr. O’Keefe congressional medals for exposing corruption that apparently the Feds were not able to expose.”

    Michael Flynn agrees O’Keefe is a hero, says O’Keefe is owed “an apology and also a thank you for rooting out these employees.” BigGovernment.com editor in chief Michael Flynn stated during the September 10, 2009, edition of Hannity, “You know, it really — and I really think, I mean, to bill [sic] on what Andrew said about them being heroes, I mean, I really think ACORN owes a big apology to the Mr. O’Keefe. This morning they put out a statement, you know, charging him with gotcha journalism and said he was committing defamation.” Flynn added, “And then a few hours later, apparently, doing their own investigation, realizing there was truth to what Mr. O’Keefe reported they fired these employees. So they definitely owe Mr. O’Keefe an apology and also a thank you for rooting out these employees.”

    Coulter: O’Keefe and Giles are “so magnificent.” Appearing on the September 11, 2009, edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Ann Coulter said of O’Keefe and Giles, “Those were the two most unbelievable pimps and prostitutes I’ve ever seen. She has perfect skin, gorgeous hair. Oh, and I really liked the fur coat. I love that.” She added, “These young right-winners [sic], they are so magnificent. Why can’t they — they be the Republicans in Washington?”

    Lowry: O’Keefe deserves “award for impactful guerilla journalism.” In a September 15, 2009, post titled “ACORN” on the blog The Corner, National Review editor Rich Lowry wrote: “If there’s an award for impactful guerilla journalism, O’Keefe, Giles, and Breitbart should win it.”

    Examiner.com’s Dupray: “Looks like a Pulitzer might be in order.” In a September 15, 2009, Examiner.com post, “DC Republican Examiner” Bill Dupray stated, “The big takeaway here is not even that ACORN is a bunch of criminals, it is that it took two conservative investigative journalists to do the job of the entire main stream media. Looks like a Pulitzer might be in order.”

    Wallace featured “fascinating character” O’Keefe as “Power Player of the Week.” During the September 27, 2009, edition of Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace named O’Keefe the “Power Player of the Week,” and stated, “Rarely does a piece of investigative reporting get such a big and quick response, and rarely is the undercover reporter such a fascinating character.”

    Steven Clark: O’Keefe should be “immunize[d]” for his “heroic efforts” in producing ACORN videos. Attorney and frequent TV legal analyst Steven Clark stated on the October 2, 2009, edition of The O’Reilly Factor, “What I hope the attorney general will do is immunize these two filmmakers for their heroic efforts and put them on the witness stand so at least they can testify as to what’s going on out there. I doubt you will see them prosecuted. I hope they look carefully at what they were doing before they did it. They put themselves in harm’s way here because of the bigger problem that they saw with ACORN.”

    Bolling on ACORN videos: “I’m all for this, you know, dressing up and catching them.” Fox Business Network Happy Hour co-host Eric Bolling said to O’Keefe on November 20, 2009, “I’m all for this, you know dressing up and catching them doing things that are frankly illegal, immoral and unethical.” Bolling went on to characterize O’Keefe as an “investigative journalist, just like, remember, ‘To Catch a Predator.’ ”

    Fox Business’ Willard: “[E]verybody applauds” O’Keefe. Also on the November 20, 2009, edition of Happy Hour, co-host Cody Willard said to O’Keefe, “[O]ne of the things — I think everybody applauds you in going after people that are, I don’t know, helping prostitutes and pimps and child trafficking happen on the planet instead of, I don’t know reporting that type of stuff. But I got to ask you, you know the money that goes into ACORN, we’re talking about $100 million here and there, what not, why did you choose ACORN as the target when there are, I don’t know, much bigger targets, for example, say Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street bailouts, all kinds of other corruption out there?” Willard later added, “James, I tell you what, man, little brother is watching big brother. Orwell had it wrong. That’s the man right there” and told O’Keefe to “[r]ock on, man.”

  • gobarbara

    I think the most incredible part is for this dweeb to think that he could bag a babe like AB (16 Candles ref) lol AS IF
    This kid and Christine OD need to get laid and then chill out. How about together? Perfect match.
    Abby is so great, especially for CNN. Smart girls can be pretty you know.

  • bealzebubba

    Magic Dog said:
    Gotta love it. Wingnut pervert is caught, and what do his fellow wingnuts do? Blame it on the “NewLeftMedia.” You people are sick liars.

    Dude, you may want to re-read my comment..and the comment before that…and if you can read any other comment I’ve made…I’m clearly not a right-wingnut. If anything, I was responding to another comment about O’Keefe being an ‘american hero’ and the ‘future of journalism’ by deflating that idea.

    What he’s doing isn’t a fresh, new concept..it’s already been done…he’s no pioneer and he ain’t special…outside of his right-wing ideology club, that is. The fact that that he was slammed as not being a part of what Conservatism was all about seems to be a clear indication to me that his MTV-esque form of journalism (for lack of better term), is a new concept to the right wing media scheme.

    That form of media and the reactionary snarkisms of Palin, Colture, Ingram, etc. have both often been attributed to the left…you know, because we’re liberals an hippies and brats. So, for someone like this…like Brietbart and O’Keefe…to come along and play that way, but keeping the right wing bias filter on, it’s like a new toy for that media machine.

    So, Magic…no offense..but you got me all wrong.

  • Judge Mental

    bealzebubba said:
    What he’s doing isn’t a fresh, new concept..it’s already been done…he’s no pioneer and he ain’t special…outside of his right-wing ideology club, that is. The fact that that he was slammed as not being a part of what Conservatism was all about seems to be a clear indication to me that his MTV-esque form of journalism (for lack of better term), is a new concept to the right wing media scheme.

    That form of media and the reactionary snarkisms of Palin, Colture, Ingram, etc. have both often been attributed to the left…you know, because we’re liberals an hippies and brats. So, for someone like this…like Brietbart and O’Keefe…to come along and play that way, but keeping the right wing bias filter on, it’s like a new toy for that media machine.

    That’s an interesting take. The liberal media has been engaging in these same tactics for years, but it’s something new to the right. You know, those old-fashioned family values folks who prefer to take the high road. And now that they’re getting down in the dirt with the left, everyone’s up in arms. How dare they?

    Don’t get me wrong — I think this guy is an asshole and an idiot, and this is one of the stupidest stunts ever. Unfortunately, the liberal media is all too happy to present jackasses like this as representative of all conservatives. (And it doesn’t help that the Coulter crowd touts him as a hero.) The truth, however, is that there are a lot more moderate conservatives than there are extremists like this.

  • david r

    If she works real hard, she can become another Contessa Brewer. He’s a lost cause.

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