By Drew Grant 10/14/11 9:00am

Occupy Wall Street

Jesse and Irene discuss media

Jesse LaGreca and Irene McGee Discuss the Media on Occupy Wall Street [Video]

After you spend awhile down at Zuccotti Park, you think nothing can faze you. Kanye West showing up wearing gold bling and not talking? Sure. Rage Against the Machine playing Woody Guthrie? Why not. Cool cops? Been there, occupied that.

Though we have to say, watching OWS media hero Jesse LaGreca being questioned by Irene McGee, best known for being the woman who walked off Real World: Seattle was one of the odder moments of this long, strange trip we’ve been on. Read More

By Drew Grant 10/12/11 2:14pm

Occupy Wall Street

Occupiers on Wall Street

The Scruffy Slacker Hippies Who Could

(Note: Some of this article appeared in an earlier article, titled Organizing the Occupation: Wall Street, Post Megamarch.)

What a difference a week makes. The weather was unseasonably mild on Friday afternoon, and as The New York Observer strolled around Zuccotti Park, the atmosphere still had the feel of a Ren Faire that had wandered into the wrong neighborhood. But there was definitely something different in the vibe over at Occupy Wall Street H.Q. Since the unions called out the troops last Wednesday, marching in solidarity with the protesters, the demo has skewed older—for instance, a pair of women standing in the front of the park looked as though they’d qualify for discount movie tickets. They held signs that read “Pissed off Grey Hairs say ‘Jail the Wall Street Bastards.’” Read More

By Drew Grant 10/10/11 8:50am

Occupy Wall Street

George Will vs. Jesse LaGreca on ABC's "This Week"

Jesse LaGreca Continues to Destroy Media Bias of Occupy Wall Street on ABC’s This Week [Video]

Occupy Wall Street’s articulate champion of the Nu-New Left, Jesse LaGreca, finally made it to air this Sunday when he was invited on ABC’s This Week with Christiane Amanpour. Watch the Daily Kos writer made famous by his un-aired Fox News interview hold his own against the likes of George Will and Peggy Noonan. We’ve also transcribed Mr. LaGreca’s segment below for those of you at work without headphones. Read More

By Drew Grant 10/07/11 9:01am

Occupy Wall Street

Jon Stewart gives props to Jesse LaGreca

Jon Stewart Gives Props to Jesse LaGreca For His Fox News Slap-Down [Video]

We here at the New York Observer don’t like to pat ourselves on the back too often (it’s definitely uncouth, and we’re nothing if not couth), but we couldn’t help feeling a surge of pride when Jon Stewart used the video we uncovered of Daily Kos’ Jesse LaGreca telling off a Fox News producer during  his Wednesday night broadcast.

Of course, we’re only noticing this video now because unlike the “media-mocking-the-media-mocking-the-protesters” angle that Comedy Central took, we were actually down at the Megamarch on Wednesday and forgot to TiVo Mr. Stewart. Again, not patting ourselves on the back or anything. Read More

By Drew Grant 10/05/11 8:50am

Occupy Wall Street

Jesse LaGreca (Photo via the Daily Kos)

Jesse LaGreca: The Smartest Man on Wall Street?

When Fox News turned their cameras on the 31-year-old Daily Kos writer Jesse LaGreca last Wednesday, they didn’t know what they were in for. Not only did Fox producer Griff Jenkins get schooled all over the Internet —  forcing Greta Van Susteren to respond on why they didn’t air the footage of Mr. LaGreca’s statements  – but suddenly the somewhat haphazard movement was given a clear and distinct voice.

“Fox News wants to laugh at us,” Mr. LaGreca told us in a phone interview Tuesday evening. “To say that we’re unruly, that we’re to be laughed at….because that fits into their narrative, which is that only free markets can save us. Only unregulated capitalism can save us. And anyone in opposition to that needs to be attacked and marginalized.’” Read More