Adam Smith AKA Steve Zacharanda Resigns: Proper British Jounalist in Man On the Sidewalk Interview

First, Mr. Smith, best wishes for success: whether it's back with "the Birmingham Mail, the Birmingham Post and the Birmingham Sunday Mercury;" or setting up your own magazine; or whatever you'll be doing now.

---

(Caution: There's one bit of rather rude language on the first video.)

"Birmingham mail, afterparty Obama (part 1)"

YouTube (November 5, 2008)
video (3:47)

The video opens with "Here I am, Obama is elected, and I see this guy working. What are you doing?"

That's the start of three minutes and forty seven seconds of questions and sozzled but quite articulate responses from a "proper news journalist," on holiday in the States. "Steve Zacharanda, also known as Adam Smith" had been helping Barack Obama get elected.

Mr. Smith was eager to share his views on Barack Obama, Miami, the Dutch, and his career plans. For starters, it seems he wanted to start his own magazine.

Here's one Q & A:

"So, tomorrow you will be online?"
"Online?! It's not going to be online!! It's going to be printed in papers: I'm a proper news journalist."

Mr. Smith, or Zacharanda, concluded this portion of the interview with:

"My name is Adam Smith, also known as Steve Zacharanda, who has just resigned from the Birmingham Mail, the Birmingham Post and the Birmingham Sunday Mercury, to set up my own magazine, the [Bargarlai? Barcarli?]. F**k you, I'm doing what I want to."

By the time I got to it, 125,489 people had visited the YouTube video. Including, it seems, his boss.

There's more, where Mr Smith / Mr. Zacharanda makes some very interesting observations about America:

"Birmingham mail crying (part 2)"

YouTube (November 5, 2008)
video (2:10)

Adam Smith, the Morning After

Where was I?

Oh, yes. His boss saw the video.

The next morning, "Adam Smith, also known as Steve Zacharanda," woke up and discovered that he was a sensation on the Web. Also, that his boss wanted him to call the office.

Here's the comment the now-sober journalist left on the first YouTube video:

"stevezacharanda

"Right, the thing is, right I've just woke up.
And seen this video, which I don't really remember. I've been told to phone the Birmingham Mail because I am in trouble.

"I was off duty, I am on official holiday working at the South Beach Miami Barack Obama campaign where I had just done a 18 hour shift trying to make the world a better place."

"Please check every BBC News Outlet and see if I have cut and pasted anything. I have not, it was a joke and should be taken in the spirit it was said."

The first reply to Mr. Smith's comment was:

"twist3dh4ck

"Hey, they've taken your story off the Birmingham Mail website..." [ellipsis is in original text]

With friends like this: you know the rest.

---

In the news:

• "British journalist covering Barack Obama caught on camera in drunk, plagiarism rant"
  Adam Smith, of Birmingham Mail, is YouTube sensation after drunken 'F*ck you' resignation and admitting to copying BBC
  TimesOnline (November 7, 2008)