MEET JOSEPH GERTH

What’s your role at the Courier Journal?

Metro Columnist

Give us a brief history of your journalism career?

I started off as an assistant editor of a newspaper for the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, a community of Roman Catholic nuns near Bardstown. (Sister Maureen Daugherty, known as “Reenie,” was my first editor and she scared me.) In the fall of 1987, I was taking public affairs reporting class at the University of Louisville — Dick Kaukus, a Courier Journal reporter, was teaching it. Before class one day, he took four of us into the hall and told us that the Neighborhood section needed freelance reporters and that we should do it. I did and about three months later, in early 1988, I went to work at The Courier Journal as a clerk in the old Neighborhoods section where I wrote events listings and covered some news stories. I’ve been at the CJ ever since. I parlayed that clerk’s job into a reporting gig in Neighborhoods and then, in 1994, I moved to the CJ’s regional desk and worked out of our office in Somerset first and then Lexington after that. In late 2002, I moved to the CJ’s city desk to cover the newly merged Metro Government, which I did for four years. In 2007, I became the newspaper’s chief political writer. I thought that was my dream job, but in late 2016, an editor had the bright idea of turning me into a columnist. After having been a political writer for just under 10 years, I felt it was time to do something else. And here I am.

“In 2007, I became the newspaper’s chief political writer. I thought that was my dream job, but in late 2016, an editor had the bright idea of turning me into a columnist. After having been a political writer for just under 10 years, I felt it was time to do something else. And here I am.”

Tell us about your day-to-day?

It’s really rather boring. Sometimes, I’ll go and talk to people, which is what I like most of all. Other days, I’ll work the phone or report on things by reading and by sending emails to people who can shed light on whatever I’m pursuing. On days that I’m trying to file columns, I’ll get up at 6 a.m., fix a pot of coffee, and sitting in my recliner, I’ll write. I don’t like writing, but I like to have written.

What’s your biggest accomplishment or something you are most proud of while working at the CJ?

Probably my role in winning the paper’s 2020 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of former Gov. Matt Bevin’s pardons. I didn’t write any of the pieces in the newspaper’s main entry for the award, but some of my work was included in supplemental material that was provided to the Pulitzer committee. I also played a role in brainstorming what our next moves should be, and I suggested a reporter call former state Medical

Examiner George Nichols, who gave us the best quote of the series: ”Nichols added that he worked for six consecutive governors as chief medical examiner, ‘and fortunately I didn’t have to report to that a--hole.’” Pure gold.

What’s cool or fun that you want people to know about you?

For two years, I and a couple of friends represented U of L in ESPN’s Boardwalk and Baseball Super Bowl of Sports Trivia. The first year, which aired in 1988, we lost in the semi-final round to the eventual champions, which I think means we won three games. The next year, we didn’t fair as well, losing in the second round.

What kind or interesting thing can readers expect from you in the next month?

Wait and see.

PROVIDED BY MARY ANN GERTH Columnist Joe Gerth is visited while working at his “desk” in his home office by his now-deceased golden retriever, Elvis.