Village Voice Media Editor Michael Lacey Says N-Word, Journos' Lids Flip

Michael Lacey--co-owner of Village Voice Media, the nation's largest alternative newspaper company--upset dozens of Arizona journalists last Friday after using the racial slur during a speech at the Society of Professional Journalists Awards gala banquet. According to the East Valley Tribune, while speaking to the audience, Lacey jokingly referred to his buddy, the late Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Tom Fitzpatrick, as "my (n-word)."

Oops.

We cannot accurately report whether Lacey used the "-ga" or "-ger" suffix. As far as we know, no one will dare print the word--that word--in its entirety regarding this story.

He later semiapologized, saying "[m]y words, meant to honor a friend, were inappropriate ... [i]t is regrettable that any phrase of mine offended those attending a First Amendment awards banquet." Potty-mouth Mike Lacey, if you recall, recently saw his company (owner of SF Weekly) lose a lawsuit to local alt weekly SF Bay Guardian for predatory pricing practices.