Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly "violated the
unwritten rule that says journalists don't do commercials" by
appearing in a commercial for Miller Lite, according to Ed
Sherman of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, who writes that a "serious
reporter" should never "give the impression that he or she
can be bought." Sherman writes that Reilly "didn't need the
exposure," but has "gone out and compromised his credibility
by shilling for a beer." But SI VP/Communications Art Berke
says that the ad was more "a statement about sports magazines
than endorsement of beer." Reilly, after Sherman questioned
if "a writer who endorses a beer" can "come down on" an
athlete who faces alcohol-abuse problems: "Just because you
endorse Miller Lite, doesn't mean you endorse DWI" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 3/15). In N.Y., Bob Raissman criticized Reilly for
his ad appearance and noted his March 1 column in SI which
called for Mark McGwire to become a "role model" and not use
a testosterone-producing supplement: "If Reilly can take
McGwire to task, then turn around and do a beer commercial,
we must wonder if the message he sent to the Cardinals
slugger was truly a sincere one" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/14).
