Kindness of America Author Shot Himself for PR

The Wooster

King Snap
Jul 15, 2008
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Kindness of America Author Shot Himself for PR


Hitchhiking photographer, Ray Dolin, shot himself, apparently in order to drum up publicity for his new book.

It was a beautiful story, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117881-Author-Researching-The-Kindness-of-America-Shot-By-Stranger] it really was. Professional photographer, Ray Dolin, was hitchhiking through Montana, when a random stranger in a pickup truck shot him in the arm. The best part? Dolin was hitchhiking as research for his memoir, entitled The Kindness of America. 52-year-old, Lloyd Danielson, was arrested and charged with felony assault, while Dolin got to sit back in a local hospital, enjoying the free publicity and public sympathy his brush with ironic mortality brought him.

Now it turns out that the story wasn't so ironic after all. On Friday, Dolin admitted that he'd shot himself in the arm and made the rest of the tale up. He didn't give a reason for the whole sorry mess, but locals officials believe it was a "desperate act of self-promotion."

The charges against Danielson have been dropped, though he's still potentially on the hook for driving under the influence. The authorities are considering whether or not to charge Dolin over the incident.

"I had the worst feeling he was telling me the absolute truth," said Sheriff, Glen Meier, describing his interview with Danielson. "I kept telling him that we are seekers of the truth and we are going to work very hard to find out the truth of this incident.

"It was a great moment when I sent someone up to the jail to tell him he had nothing to do with it."

I feel used.

Source: Toronto Sun [http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/18/hitchhiker-writing-about-kindness-shot-himself-for-pr-cops]

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The Rookie Gamer

New member
Mar 15, 2010
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Yeah, that must be a kick in the gut for people who believed this guy. Glad the man who was unfairly jailed is now free to go.
 

LJJ1991

New member
May 6, 2011
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This guy was willing to send an innocent man to jail, perhaps even for years, in order to promote his own book?

This guy is evil.
 

Jamash

Top Todger
Jun 25, 2008
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So, it appears he really should add a 'C' to his website's name [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/7.378514.14800816] now... and probably a 'U' and an 'N' and a 'T'.
 

RaikuFA

New member
Jun 12, 2009
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Yeah this guy is scum. He really needs to be locked up.

Same with the other guy for his drunk driving.
 

Yopaz

Sarcastic overlord
Jun 3, 2009
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So the guy who writes about the kindness of America is a fraud who exploits kindness and framed someone for assault with a firearm.

I still think this story is quite ironic.
 

Scars Unseen

^ ^ v v < > < > B A
May 7, 2009
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[Smart]Ah, the old shoot yourself in the arm and frame a nearby drunk guy trick![/Smart]

Whoever said there's no such thing as bad publicity clearly wasn't thinking hard enough.
 

srpilha

New member
Dec 24, 2008
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LJJ1991 said:
This guy was willing to send an innocent man to jail, perhaps even for years, in order to promote his own book?

This guy is evil.
my thoughts exactly, actually gave me the chills.
 

Kapol

Watch the spinning tails...
May 2, 2010
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There is not enough facepalm in the world... reminds me of the feed dump story about the man who cut off his own foot in order to avoid working.
 

XandNobody

Oh for...
Aug 4, 2010
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Has he ever heard of the story of the boy who cried wolf?

He is so screwed if he is ever actually in a real emergency now.

He needs to go back home.
 

sir.rutthed

Stormfather take you!
Nov 10, 2009
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Damnit. If you can't count on Americans shooting random strangers, what can you count on these days?!
 

Uratoh

New member
Jun 10, 2011
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The sad thing is that this has gotten a *LOT* more people to have heard of his book/project. It will do better just from sheer name recognition >_>.
 

Bob_F_It

It stands for several things
May 7, 2008
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Uratoh said:
The sad thing is that this has gotten a *LOT* more people to have heard of his book/project. It will do better just from sheer name recognition >_>.
This incident makes me inclined to throw his book in a fire. I'm pretty sure if his publisher gets wind of this, they won't want to be associated with such a lying bastard.