A CNN story about rumors that police might re-open the case into the death of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain opens this way:
Ugh. RT @BuzzFeedAndrew: pic.twitter.com/nSGSz1EWx7
— Dina Fraioli (@DinaFraioli) March 21, 2014
Oh dear lord. That’s bad. RT @lachlan: Yep, that's the worst Kurt Cobain lede ever written http://t.co/zQ3e0cIYU7
— Dina Fraioli (@DinaFraioli) March 21, 2014
This. Is CNN.
CNN’s intro to the story is now taking a pretty good mocking on Twitter:
The pummeling this CNN lede on that Kurt Cobain story is getting is fantastic. pic.twitter.com/s4MgWyRe7y
— Neil Hickey (@neilofDC) March 21, 2014
GREAT LEDE GUYS, YOUR PULITZER IS ON THE WAY!http://t.co/HmnondyHTn
— Chris Weingarten (@1000TimesYes) March 21, 2014
Young journalists, this is how you don't write a lede —> http://t.co/udM9htbLhJ
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) March 21, 2014
Behold: The most comically inept lede you will ever read, courtesy of http://t.co/NUVOJaaXM0: http://t.co/8QlXFaZ3dD
— Anthony Crupi (@crupicrupicrupi) March 21, 2014
The article has inspiring some to create their own CNN-style ledes:
"You hang me out to dry," sang Kurt Cobain, who actually did not hang himself, but instead committed suicide by shotgun." #CNNLedes @CNN
— Doxy, Interrupted (@DarlaDarko) March 21, 2014
"Jesus Doesn't Want me for a Sunbeam" Cobain once sang, but 20 years ago Jesus changed his mind after Kurt shot himself. #CNNledes @CNN
— Doxy, Interrupted (@DarlaDarko) March 21, 2014
(CNN) – "Something in the way, yeah," must have been wishful thinking. Because nothing was in the way of that shotgun, except Kurt Cobain.
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 21, 2014
"Cousins, kissin' cousins," Elvis once sang. It isn't related to this article on Kurt Cobain, but weird, right? #cnnledes
— Mick (@swasko) March 21, 2014
In hindsight, CNN should have stuck with talking about the missing jet.