Tabloid Culture

Kevin Roderick tells KCRW:

As most everybody now knows, Antonio Villaraigosa has a girlfriend on the side. He’s had her for most of the two years he’s been in charge at City Hall.

We all learned about it because the little Daily News outhustled the Times and forced the mayor to cop to his secret life.

In this same spot three weeks ago, I admitted to not knowing if the mayor was having an affair. I had heard the rumors, like most of the journalists who observe Villaraigosa.

I knew that he came with a reputation as a womanizer.

But I never tried to prove he was cheating on his wife, Corina — I didn’t care that much…