When Ben Edelman, a Harvard Business School professor, wrote a Chinese restaurant an angry letter over a $4 overcharge, he A) had no idea it would go viral, and B) didn't know it might cost the reporter who broke the story her job. Hilary Sargent of Boston.com first posted the story last week. Today, Talking Points Memo writes that Sargent is on her way to a demotion.
Though Boston.com and parent company The Boston Globe aren't commenting on the rumored personnel change, sources say Sargent is due to be replaced because she went too far. After her story went viral, she made T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase, "Didn't go to HBS. Also didn't lose my shit over FOUR dollars." She promoted the shirts on her personal Twitter account before the Globe caught wind of the ploy and shut it down.
In a follow-up article on Edelman, in which Sargent reported that the Harvard professor had used a racial slur towards staff at a sushi bar, she apparently failed to check a source. When Edelman denied the account, Boston.com removed Sargent's post. Sources say this mishap didn't result in Sargent's demotion. It was likely the reporter's desire to make a buck off of a ridiculous story that got her into trouble.
Edelman has since apologized for his absurd attitude towards the Chinese restaurant, but it's fair to say people probably still think he's crazy.