In the least shocking news story of the year, the hilariously-outrageous food blogger, Eric Eats Out, was tossed from the set of News Channel 12′s fancy new studio in Downtown Phoenix late last week. So what outrageous on-air f-bomb did he drop to get himself escorted off the property?

He joked that he was going to earn the station an FCC fine, in a Tweet, the day before his appearance, and added the hashtag #wardrobemalfunction. Which was enough, apparently, to draw the ire of the corporate suits up on the ninth floor, who sent a producer down to personally yank him out of the pre-show green room (pictured), and have security hustle him out of the building.

Way to not overreact, News Channel 12 producers. That’s the sort of forward thinking that led your parent company to mothball your longtime HQ, cram you into the bottom floor of the AZ Republic building, and try to spin it as ‘creating corporate synergy.’

But why would we try to tell this surreal tale, when we can just let Eric get on his soapbox? And be warned, we did not edit one filthy-funny word.

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Call it the house that classified ads (and Sheriff Joe bashing) built. Yes, sources tell us that the owner of this sleek-yet-woodsy abode featuring million dollar views of the Phoenix skyline is none other than Michael Lacey, the famously hard-nosed editor/co-owner of the Phoenix New Times.

Perched on a rocky rise straddling the Paradise Valley-Phoenix border, this custom manse appears to be at least a $1-2M project. Which, crazy as it sounds, is just a drop in the bucket compared to the approximately $22M in fines Lacey and his Village Voice Media just paid out following a bitter court battle with a rival paper in San Francisco, in what media pundits are calling the Last Great Newspaper War.

After the jump, take in a full slideshow of what 40 years of sticking it to the man will buy you. Plus, learn a little more about how Lacey, an ASU dropout and self-described ‘foul-mouthed son of a sailor,‘ transformed a single newspaper into the nation’s largest chain of ‘alt-weeklies’ once valued at $400M. All while giving away his products away for free.

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Earlier this year, Phoenix’s 12 News began broadcasting live from its brand new home in the heart of Downtown. Even cooler, the station now features a ‘state of the art’ street-front studio, so you and your friends can embarrass yourselves appear on live TV, a la the Today Show‘s studio in Times Square. Personally, we can’t wait to watch the 24/7 excitement that is Downtown Phoenix, including the occasional businessperson hustling by, and maybe a lost tourist or a hungover ASU student. We kid, (we hope.)

But real story here is the TV station’s new location, wedged into the 10-story tower originally built as the HQ of the Arizona Republic newspaper. In other words, these former local media titans have shrunk so much that they both fit inside the same building.

But hey, it’s a party right? Click here to get details on today’s all-day street festival, culminating with a fireworks show and concert by the Valley’s-own Gin Blossoms. [Update: A scheduled appearance by the Today Show's Al Roker has been canceled, and the event will now double as a blood-drive/fundraiser in the wake of the terrible tragedy in Tucson.]

Meanwhile, to learn more about this corporate spin job, click read more.

Image via AZ Central

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So we put in a call to Arizona Foothills Magazine owner, Michael Dee, to respond to our Rumorist piece that they have ceased publishing and will move to an all-online format, but he’s not responded so far. However, we did see this Tweet from Mr. Dee, so we’re going to go out on a limb and say he strongly denies our speculation.

Even better, they’ve gone and posted a pic of the issue in question (hostage being held for ransom-style). So it looks like the rumors of AFM‘s print demise have been greatly exaggerated. Which, as fellow journalists, is great news. We don’t need any more unemployed media folks out there. We’re really not good at much beside writing/marketing/design (and eating free food at media events).

Got more info? We’d love to hear from you (and always protect our sources).

Well folks, it looks like another sad day for local journalists, as the word on the street is that Arizona Foothills Magazine‘s March issue was their last. In traditional glossy print format, that is.

Yes, sources have confirmed to us that AFM‘s printer is reportedly refusing to print any more issues until this Scottsdale-based publication settles up its outstanding debt. Meanwhile, we’ve also heard from multiple people that they never received their copy of the March “Best of” issue, including some who were actually featured in the issue.

This is a breaking news story, and we don’t proclaim to have all of the facts here. However, if it’s true it would be a yet another significant loss for the local publishing scene that’s been hammered by the one-two punch of the economic downturn and  the long-term flight of ad dollars from traditional print to online and social media marketing. (Click here to see our ongoing coverage of the death of traditional TV and print media)

We’re reaching out to the powers-that-be at AFM to confirm or deny. But one thing’s for sure, we look forward to reading clicking through the April issue!

Some of you may find this shocking, but there was a time when people looked to actual professional writers to figure out which new restaurants to try. We’re talking as far back as three or four years ago. And now that there’s officially one old-school food critic still standing in a town of 4.5 million people, we thought we’d dig up this Q&A with longtime local food critic, Nikki Buchanan.

Best known for her nearly two decades at Phoenix Magazine, Buchanan’s recent career is a perfect snapshot of the demise of this once prestigious profession. After dabbling in food blogging, and a brief stint at the AZ Republic, she jumped ship to co-found a PR/Marketing agency.

(Click here to learn why the Phoenix New Times‘ longtime critic just walked away. Hint: If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.)

When we broke bread with Buchanan, she spoke candidly about her messy exit from Phoenix Magazine, which places in town she’d actually pay to eat at, and the drawbacks of eating out for a living. Hint: she calls her fridge (pictured) the International House of Leftovers.

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As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories OF ALL TIME (aka last week). Just in case you missed it.

Whoa! Big shakeup in the local food scene as Michele Laudig, longtime food critic at the Phoenix New Times has quit/resigned/been fired. We’ve put in a call Tweet to her and will update you as soon as possible.

Jess Harter, a fellow former food critic (he was laid off when the East Valley Tribune nearly-imploded), broke the story on his Mouth By Mouthwest blog, writing:

“It looks like the Valley is down to one fulltime restaurant critic – at least temporarily. Michele Laudig, restaurant critic and blogger for Phoenix New Times, has resigned after a decade at the paper, according to a memo that just went out to staffers.”

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Calling all gossip girls and dirty laundry-loving dudes, it’s DLT’s column dedicated to the Valley’s juiciest rumors, spottings and innuendos. Check in regularly for the latest (unconfirmable), but too-good-to-not-be-true tidbits.

Hey hey, everybody. Long time no chat, but we’re back with a tasty scoop on the media shakeup du jour. In case you missed it, local foodies are still in shock over the sudden departure of one of the Valley’s two remaining full-time food critics. Yes, Michele Laudig, the Phoenix New Times‘ longtime Chow Bellista up and left the table on Tuesday, writing only that, “It’s been a blast, but I’ve decided to embrace the future – just wait until you see what I’ve got in the works.”

Well, we’ve also seen the future and think we have a pretty good handle on where Laudig is planting her flag fork next.

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Whoa! Big shakeup in the local food scene as Michele Laudig, longtime food critic at the Phoenix New Times has quit/resigned/been fired. We’ve put in a call Tweet to her and will update you as soon as possible.

Jess Harter, a fellow former food critic (he was laid off when the East Valley Tribune nearly-imploded), broke the story on his Mouth By Mouthwest blog, writing:

“It looks like the Valley is down to one fulltime restaurant critic – at least temporarily. Michele Laudig, restaurant critic and blogger for Phoenix New Times, has resigned after a decade at the paper, according to a memo that just went out to staffers.”

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Lots of weird local media news lately, if you care. Starting with good news. Good news, everybody. Not only is the Valley’s economic crash over, but print is back, baby! So says Arizona Foothills Magazine, in a rare piece of self promotion.

Meanwhile, the AZ Republic just bought themselves an s-ton of smoked meat, as in they signed on as the title sponsor of the Arizona BBQ Fest. Which was announced by the event’s founders in one of the most hilariously-obnoxious press releases ever!

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Here’s a cute fable news story for Valentine’s Day. The East Valley Tribune is expanding its Sunday circulation from 100,000 to 150,000 copies, reports the East Valley Tribune. Which is great news for this struggling longtime local publication, which was bought out of bankruptcy back in March mere months before it was shuttered completely. Now the Trib‘s new president and publisher, Randy Miller, is crowing that “‘We’ll have over 100,000 new people reading the Tribune every week,’ said Miller, noting that the number of readers is typically twice that of a newspaper’s circulation.”

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Yes, as you read, DLT‘s Dawson Fearnow is attempting to perform the impossible; entertain a bunch of high school students. Believe it or not, but he’s teaching a workshop for aspiring writers. And look, he’s already busted out a picture of his high school ‘Jesus’ look. How embarrassing. What do you think are the odds that he’s already resorted to blurting out dated jokes. “Bueller, Bueller?” Well, good luck Dawson. Let’s just hope they don’t ask you to lead a copy-editing class.

Did you catch the Phx New Times‘ in-depth report on AZ’s budding Medical Marijuana industry “Pot of Gold”? (Great headline BTW.) We did, all 5,464 words of it, although we may have started skimming at one point. It’s a solid breakdown of all the people and organizations scrambling to get a slice of this potential financial juggernaut, including allegations of shady shenanigans between wannabe dispensary owners and the bureaucrats in charge of regulating pot dispensaries. And like all local controversies involving politics and name-calling, there’s even a Jason Rose sighting.

That said, the only thing missing from this long, detailed (and long) story was any mention of the New Times‘ own massive financial stake in medical marijuana.

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Lately, we couldn’t help but notice all the press about the Wigwam resort splashed across the Arizona Republic. Literally, could not help but notice. (In case you missed it, former Phoenix Suns and AZ Diamondbacks owner, Jerry Colangelo, recently acquired this struggling property, and has partnered with famed chef, Chris Bianco, to restore this 81-year-old gem.)

Sounds cool, right? Heck, we even gushed about it here and here. But why has the Republic devoted at least 16 articles (7,195 words plus three photo galleries to be exact) to this project, in the last year alone? Seems a bit excessive.

Image via Charlie Leight/AZ Republic

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In light of today’s post on the festive funeral being held for a couple of local media heavyweights, we’ve dug this one out of the archives. Surely, this new amazing technology will save print publishing.

[Buzz Feed]

It’s over. After 15 years, the (last) great print newspaper war has ended and the winner is, the internet? In case you missed our earlier coverage, the Phoenix New Times‘ parent company, Village Voice Media, has finally settled a crazy-ugly lawsuit in San Francisco that ended with this Phoenix-based media company being slapped with a $21 million fine!

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It was a nice run while it lasted, but the Internet has officially been killed off by the cutting-edge technology known as traditional print publishing. Or not, but either way it’s been a rare banner week for this once-dying industry. First came word that local newspapers such as the Phx New Times will be rolling up in the dough thanks to the budding medical marijuana industry. Now we just received the (frankly shocking) news that someone is launching a new local magazine. A real honest-to-goodness glossy bi-monthly (supposedly). Deets ahead.

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Wow, that was fast. Mere days after AZ voters legalized medical marijuana, a local pro-pot publication has sprouted up. Named The Green Leaf, this resource guide will be given away for free at smoke shops, stores and doctor’s offices starting as early as January 1, 2011. (On a side note: If your doc stocks issues of TGL in his/her waiting room, you’re probably going to be able to score secure a medical marijuana prescription.)

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Wow, that was fast. Mere days after AZ voters legalized medical marijuana, a local pro-pot publication has sprouted up. Named The Green Leaf, this resource guide will be given away for free at smoke shops, stores and doctor’s offices. (On a side note: If your doc stocks issues of TGL in his/her waiting room, you’re probably going to be able to score secure a medical marijuana prescription.)

So, will this new publication single-handedly save print publishing? Well, they are looking for writers and editors to contribute to the magazine. Which can’t hurt considering we just heard about yet another round of layoffs at the AZ Republic. Plus we hear the Phx New Times is absolutely salivating at the potential ad $, which is the real untold story on the effects of Prop 203.

Unroll more tasty nuggets after the jump.

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Two Men and a Newsstand: Rupert Murdoch vs. the NY Times [Vanity Fair]

Phoenix Landmark Tom’s Tavern Could Possibly Close [AZ Central]

World’s Oldest Man Marks 114th Birthday in Montana [Yahoo]

Calling all gossip girls and dirty laundry-loving dudes, it’s DLT’s column dedicated to the Valley’s juiciest rumors, spottings and innuendos. Check in regularly for the latest (unconfirmable), but too-good-to-not-be true tidbits.

Last week we reported on the tough times at a couple of local print pubs, including Phoenix Woman Magazine. And while we never actually heard back from anyone there, we did get this press release posted to our comments board. So good news, it seems. (Provided this isn’t the same message board prankster who tried to get us to reveal Eric Eats Out‘s real name.) See PWM‘s new plan after the jump.

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Calling all gossip girls and dirty laundry-loving dudes, it’s DLT’s column dedicated to the Valley’s juiciest rumors, spottings and innuendos. Check in regularly for the latest (unconfirmable), but too-good-to-not-be true tidbits.

Sad news as another print dinosaur is taken out by the giant meteor that is the Internet. Yes, we’ve heard from multiple sources that Phoenix Woman Magazine has bit the dust. Meanwhile, another local glossy is rumored to be next in line, but the publisher says he’s not going anywhere.

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OK, this one hit a little close to home. Someone dug up a 60s-era textbook named, “Your Career In Journalism,” filled with nuggets such as, “The day may not be far off when a city editor will say to a reporter, ‘Check your space gear. You’re going to the moon.’” While we’re still waiting for that assignment, we did appreciate the author’s enlightened views on women in the newsroom …

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Two weeks ago we reported on the New Times‘ $22 million death feud with a rival publication. (Long story short, the NT‘s parent company was found guilty of using “predatory pricing” to try to bury a competitor to its SF Weekly, and now owes more than $22M and counting in fines and legal fees.)

It’s a surreal story about two print dinosaurs battling it out for the domination of the same city that’s worked tirelessly (and successfully) to make them completely irrelevant, thanks to this little thing called the Internets. And now the original print dinosaur, the NY Times is weighing in.

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Burrito Thief/Suspect in Utah Cop Murder Busted Just North of AZ Border [Phx New Times]

Gourmet Returns to Print With Fancy New Special Editions (and Old Recipes) [NY Times]

Snooki’s Boyfriend Proposes in Creepiest, Greasiest Way Possible [Radar]