Tucson Weekly editorial designer Arek Sarkissian II has left the building. Arek is off to the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg to sharpen his journalism skills so he can follow his bliss and get back to being a reporter.

Arek and I spent his last night in town wolfing down heavy-duty burgers at Kingfisher before heading over to the Loft Cinema for the late-night showing of The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, one of his favorite flicks. The movie is a lot like Arek–a non-stop barrage of comedy. It’s often low-brow and idiotic, but it comes at you so fast that you can’t help but laugh, at least most of the time. I’m going to miss his outrageous jokes, his impersonations, his odd little songs and his general mistrust of authority. Best of luck, you little lunatic!

P.S. Naked Gun is showing again tonight at 10. Go see it!

This article appears in May 17-23, 2007.

Getting hassled by The Man Mild-mannered reporter

7 replies on “Adios, Arek!”

  1. Congratulations on landing the gig at Poynter, Arek! Interning at the Weekly in ’05 wouldn’t have been quite the same experience without you.

  2. Arek,
    I hope you like humidity. I visited St. Pete’s Beach this year and if you want some culture, you’re across the street from the Dali Museum and a stone’s throw from the water and very near a really good Cuban restaurant (end of pier/top floor).
    Best of luck, the Tucson Weekly’s loss is Poynter’s gain.

  3. Abort, Arek, abort!

    Journalism is dead. The business model needs a mass audience, and there isn’t one anymore.

    Study mai tais in Florida. Go to Cuban restaurants. Track hurricanes. Move to a mobile home and go native.

  4. John: Where’d you get that idea? We at the Weekly have what most would consider a mass audience both online and in print, with a nice-sized blog audience.

  5. Arek: Drop by the St. Pete Times and say hi to my old pal Colette Bancroft. You can probably learn more from her than from the whole Poynter staff. I’m sure she’ll appreciate your M.F. Munday impersonation, too. Oh, and when you pack, let me know if you find any of those photos for the Arts section that I’ve sent you over the years only to have you ask for them again the day before deadline. They’ve gotta be around somewhere…

  7. Nintzel, I had a blast. I’ll be back in Tucson to get my stuff, at least. What say we head down and blow $40 on some…homeless people who need meals. I sure wish your friend and his girlfriend could have joined us.

    Oh and James, I can hear another telethon just around the corner!

    KIDDING!

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