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The Internets is weird

Posted in:

* Sigh…


Hey @capitolfax, when did you go so in the tank for @RepShimkus? Is it personal or do you kiss up to all incumbents? #IL15

— Dump Shimkus (@DumpShimkus) February 29, 2016

Reminds me of a funny story.

For as long as I can remember, Shimkus has mistaken the Chicago Tribune’s Rick Pearson for me. We both have beards and are about the same height, but he’s much skinnier than me now because he’s a big TV star.

Years ago, Shimkus was in the Tribune Tower riding the elevator up to an editorial board meeting and Pearson was in the same compartment. Shimkus once again thought Pearson was me and started talking to him about what he’d read in that day’s Capitol Fax. Pearson, the story goes, got off the elevator and said something like: “Congressman, this is the Tribune. Why would Rich Miller be in this building?”

Two years ago, Shimkus once again mistook Pearson for me at the Illinois State Fair.

I feel bad for Rick. Really, I do, particularly since he trimmed himself up. One day, we’re going to have to approach Shimkus together to see if he can figure out who we are.

But, knowing Shimkus, I’m betting he’ll think we’re Zach Galifianakis and his twin brother… or something.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:34 pm

Comments

  1. =I feel bad for Rick. Really, I do, particularly since he trimmed himself up.= Maybe, but you can do serious yoga.

    Comment by Qui Tam Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:41 pm

  2. I’ve been reading Capitol Fax for years, but this is the first time I recall seeing Shimkus’s name mentioned on the Fax.

    Comment by Mama Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:42 pm

  3. I dunno if can call misidentifying someone trolling, but if this was even in the ball park of understanding the mistake, it would be some first rate trolling.

    Keep up the mediocre work, @DumpShimkus

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:43 pm

  4. @FakeDumpShimkus - great, next thing you’ll tell us there’s two Darin Stevens or Becky Connors or worse, the Patty Duke Show wasn’t about cousins! #MistakenMistakes #HomeworkHelps

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:47 pm

  5. Meanwhile, Cong Shimkus has been confused for years why ==you== said that to him as you were exiting the elevator. /s

    ==Was Miller talking about existentialism? Philosophy? Zen? We are here but we are not here? Why would he say that while he is looking right at me? What does he mean?== lol

    Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:48 pm

  6. Yeah Rich- please stop Shilling for all these politicians! They love being mentioned by you in the Cap Fax.

    /snark

    Comment by Boone's is Back Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:50 pm

  7. Rich - hilarious post. Thanks for the afternoon laughs.

    Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:51 pm

  8. @FakeDumpShimkus - hey @CapitolFax, when you gonna have an Oscar segment on TV? #BarkingUpTheWrongTree

    Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:51 pm

  9. Why won’t you ANSWER THE QUESTION, MILLER?!

    :-)

    Comment by jerry 101 Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:52 pm

  10. I’ve seen you two in the same building, but never the same room. Just sayin’, Rick…I mean Rich.

    Comment by Anonymous Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:53 pm

  11. ====I feel bad for Rick. Really, I do, particularly since he trimmed himself up.====
    We all get mixed up with other people. One time at the Globe when it was crowded Andy Shaw kept yelling across the bar at me “Joe, Joe, come over here”. Except I’m not Joe. He did it 3-4 times and it was getting on into the night. Ended up the Joe he was looking for was right next to him. It was Alderman Joe Moore. I felt bad for myself.

    Comment by Been There Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:54 pm

  12. About 20 years ago, I made that mistake with you. You politely told me that I was lucky you weren’t Pearson because he takes it very personally and you just thought it was funny. But that was 20 years ago. Man’s been in politics in Illinois for more than 20 years? Really John??????

    Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:54 pm

  13. If you two had red hair and freckles you could be farkels.

    Comment by Keyser Soze Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:54 pm

  14. Important question. Did Oscar get an Oscar party last night? All the hors d’oeuvres he can eat?

    Comment by illini97 Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:57 pm

  15. ===I’ve seen you two in the same building, but never the same room===

    You’re not looking hard enough…

    https://capitolfax.com/wp-content/IMG_2509.JPG

    Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:57 pm

  16. Next time you see him in Chicago, say Coach Fox its great to see you. Go Bears!

    Comment by ClumsyTuna Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 3:59 pm

  17. No, no; you’ve got it all wrong! We’ve never seen Rich in the same room at the same time as OW!

    Comment by Gantt Chart Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:00 pm

  18. Once Sam Cahnman thought I was Benjamin Yount.

    I was okay with that, I assure you.

    Comment by Dave Dahl Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:01 pm

  19. I understand the problem, Rich. I’ve got the same problem with Harrison Ford-people are always mixing us up. Fortunately, we’re seldom in the same town.

    Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:02 pm

  20. You are on Illinois Lawmakers. That makes you a TV star too. And TV adds 10 pounds, so you are also much slimmer than you look on TV.

    Comment by Filmmaker Professor Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:19 pm

  21. My congressman has never been accused of being the brightest light in a chandelier.

    Comment by illini Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:51 pm

  22. == …but he’s much skinnier than me now because he’s a big TV star. ==

    Uh oh. Jealous of ‘a big TV star’?

    /s

    Comment by sal-says Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 4:58 pm

  23. Here Rich whose lived most everywhere from Kankakee to Temple Square
    But Rick has only seen the sights of City Hall and Tribune fights
    What a crazy pair!

    Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Feb 29, 16 @ 9:07 pm

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