It was the story that the mainstream refused to report on, even though it took the internet by storm after I posted it on this blog.
The story of an Amtrak photo contestant named Duane Kerzic arrested by Amtrak police after photographing Amtrak trains at Penn Station in New York City.
It eventually gained the attention of Stephen Colbert, who thrives on the ironic blunders of bureaucratic bullshit.
I first came across Kerzic’s story because he had posted it on his website shortly after his arrest last December. I have Google Alerts set up to inform me of these stories.
I contacted Kerzic and interviewed him twice by phone with some follow-up questions via email. I published the story the following day on December 27th.
By the first week of January, the story was being discussed on a multitude of photography, First Amendment, gun rights, railroad, tech, republican and democrat forums.
Even though I was the first to interview Kerzic, he confirms that nobody else attempted to interview him until the Colbert Report came along.
The hilarious segment ran last night. Check it out above. Thanks Andrew!
amtrakcobert
Screenshot from segment via theory.isthereason.