I Love it When Newspapers Record History

UPDATE: I've now been told this is a fake. Which is a shame. But it was still fun to read.

Found this on Facebook today, and it's a treasure.

It's the movie prop that keeps on giving. A lot of work went into it -- for something that was onscreen for about a second (okay about five seconds), in an era where very few people had the option to stop, rewind, and freeze frame.

If you look closely, the copy along with the headline "Ghost Fever Grips New York" is extracted from some dull article on the economy.

Looking at the second headline, "EPA Try to Shut Down Local Ghost Disposal Business," you get treated to an actual article featuring quotes from Walter Peck and others in the film.

The first few paragraphs:

Citing unsafe practices and potential toxic accumulation, the Environmental Protection Agency shut down a small ghost-entrapment operation in downtown Manhattan today, and had four of the business spectral entertainment specialists arrested in the process.

According to EPA agent Walter Peck, employees of the company – located in an old fire station in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York – had repeatedly refused to grant him access to their storage facility, which posed a health hazard to the surrounding community.

“The facility in question unlawfully used public utilities for the purpose of non-sanctioned waste-handling and was in direct violation of the Environmental Protection Act,” Peck said.

“Additionally, the company powered several unlicensed portable nuclear accelerators that were flagrantly discharged within mere feet of citizens.”

It goes on to quote Consolidated Edison technician Brian Holmes, so this guy has a name:

There's also this little gem, which has a guess that isn't far off from their actual box office of $282 million.

This really is the gift that keeps on giving.

And lest you think they left anything out, behold the story's final paragraph:

At press time, representatives from the firm were meeting with New York Mayor Lenny Cloch to discuss the growing spectral plague, despite fierce protests from Agent Peck. The talks have reportedly not proceeded beyond an animated debate over whether or not Peck has a p****.