Bob Kerr

Latest Articles

Conflict or what?

The Journal takes out an ad; siding with Keith; mad about Phoebe
With Passover just around the corner, I detected a decidedly non-kosher element in the Other Paper on Monday.
By RUDY CHEEKS | April 13, 2011

United wussies of America

Summing up '10; life in the biggest little; communication breakdowns
"We're becoming a nation of wussies." Well, that's a hell of a way to wrap up a year.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | December 29, 2010

Post-primary punditry; war games; holy howlers; words worth reading

Fallen chips
OK, boys and girls, the primaries are over. Let’s see what hit the floor when the chips fell on Tuesday.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | September 16, 2010

The most wonderful (not) time of year: P+J's endorsements

Plus, pushing for a free press at CCRI; remembering Nathan
Yes, it's election time and, sad to say, all those ridiculous television ads that are designed to capture the "moron vote" (by far, the largest sector of the voting public) are in heavy rotation.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | September 08, 2010

Governor Ghoul

Sinking to new lows
Phillipe and Jorge are coming late to this fight, as last week’s column was already filed when the announcement was made that Governor Donald Carcieri — Governor Ghoul to you — had vetoed a bill giving domestic partners the right to claim the bodies of and make funeral arrangements for the people with whom they shared their lives.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | November 18, 2009

Going Mobil

Kennedy hires an idea-marketing man
Washington – If ideology wasn't already dead in presidential politics, the plug was pulled on its support system last Monday, when the Kennedy campaign announced that its advertising and polling would be organized by Mobil Oil's vice-president of public affair, Herbert Schmertz.
By MARCO TRBOVICH | August 26, 2009

Reconfiguring the Other Paper

The 'New' Urinal. Plus, Richard Walton on Frank Mccourt
Last Friday P&J noticed an article on the Providence Business News Web site concerning a major design change being planned by the Urinal. According to the source for the story, veteran BeloJo scribe and Providence Newspaper Guild president John G. Hill, the paper "is scheduled to announce a redesign of the newspaper in its print edition this Sunday."
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | July 22, 2009

Cheap jokes R us

Plus, the Times discovers Jamestown, the Globe in peril, and casino hypocrisy
Phillipe and Jorge's esteemed columnist friends from the Urinal, Bob Kerr and Edward Fitzpatrick, both picked up last week on the new bright orange "P" that is now meant to be the symbol of Providence to the outside world
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | April 08, 2009

One of a kind

Rest in peace, Claiborne Pell, former senator and all-around class act
Phillipe + Jorge took time to attend the funeral of Claiborne Pell, in deference to all that he did for both Rhode Island and civility everywhere he went.
By PHILLIPE + JORGE | January 07, 2009

Men for all seasons

Op-ed gems discovered in the incredible shrinking Other Paper
It looks like the Urinal may not have spell-check or editors anymore, judging from the scant review it appears recent headlines and copy have been given by those writing letters to the editor.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | December 03, 2008

Bakst hits the road

M. Charles, a bright light amongst columnists, will be missed at the Other Paper
We echo the words of BeloJo columnist Bob Kerr when he wrote last week that local readers will miss M. Charles Bakst when he retires after more than 40 years.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | September 10, 2008

Who’ll stop the pain?

Another round of cuts looms at the ProJo
Will the last reporter to leave the Providence Journal please turn out the lights?
By IAN DONNIS | July 30, 2008

The end of an era at the ProJo

Rawson bridges two distinctly different eras in journalism
“They’re too contrary, too independent, and too fiercely competitive,” he told me at the time.
By IAN DONNIS | March 19, 2008

And the beat goes on

Hillary Clinton proves the Rasputin of primary politics
All Phillipe + Jorge can say after Tuesday’s presidential primary is that we are overjoyed the Patriots resigned Randy Moss.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | March 05, 2008

Local color

Another reminder of why daily newspapers still matter
Local readers and nature lovers were saddened to hear of the passing of Ken Weber last week.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | August 08, 2007

Buddymania!

A Rhode Island icon sails back into the limelight
Buddy Cianci was already making the media wait.
By IAN DONNIS | August 02, 2007

Little Papeet can't jump

Octogenarian rap enthusiast roils Roger Williams University
L’affaire Papitto is one of those stories so stupid and ridiculous that no one could have made it up.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | July 18, 2007

Fading memory

The Projo ’s institutional knowledge is on the wane
When former Dodgers pitcher Clem Labine died at age 80 on March 2, his death barely got a mention in the next day’s Providence Journal .
By IAN DONNIS | March 29, 2007

Talk show titan

WPRO’S Dan Yorke is making waves in Rhode Island — and Cianci may be his new buddy
The topic of the day is President George W. Bush’s nationally televised speech about increasing the number of troops in Iraq — and Dan Yorke isn’t particularly pleased.
By IAN DONNIS | January 17, 2007

R.I.P., Godfather of Soul

James Brown stood his ground against Cianci
Regular readers of the Cool, Cool World obviously recognize the musical genius of James Brown.
By PHILLIPE & JORGE | December 27, 2006

A curious editorial switch on the Harrah’s casino

As the ProJo turns
Reporters at the Providence Journal were among those taken by surprise when the paper, in an abrupt and unacknowledged reversal of its long-held position, editorialized on Sunday, October 22, in favor of the proposed Harrah’s Entertainment-Narragansett Indian casino.
By IAN DONNIS | November 01, 2006