Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes' right hand man, Chester Collier, looked at Dan Cooper, the author of "Naked Launch", and Collier pointed at a TV tuned to the Fox News Channel. "You made that" said Collier to Cooper. That's what you accomplished. Without you, there would be nothing there. That's what Roger Ailes owes you, and that's what Roger Ailes is grateful to you for. You should be very proud." "Thank you," Cooper replied. "I am very proud. It's the greatest accomplishment of my career." "And now", Collier continued, "I must tell you that we have reorganized the executive team, and unfortunately your position has been eliminated." Cooper and Collier looked deep into each other's eyes. Cooper stood up. He spoke to Collier. "I'll have my agent call you". "That will be fine" said Collier. Cooper reached out his hand to shake Colliers, but Collier kept his hand at his side. Cooper reached across Collier's desk, took Collier's hand, which hung like a dead fish on a line, and gave it a vigorous shake.
This is what the New York Times had to say about Gabriel Sherman's book about Roger Ailes and Fox News, "The Loudest Voice In The Room": "Mr. Ailes's story warranted a more thoughtful telling than he has given it, or it is likely to get again anytime soon. Consider this a great wasted opportunity." The reason the Fox News story won't be told in a 500 page book anytime soon is that there is only one person who had the access and day-to-day active participation in the creation of the Fox News Channel who has the journalistic credentials to write a credible memoir: Dan Cooper. And Roger Ailes has seen to it that Cooper's memoir proposal has not been acquired and published. "Naked Launch: Creating Fox News" is Cooper's adaptation of his memoir proposal. Where writers Gabriel Sherman, Zev Chafets, Michael Wolff, David Folkenflick and others write pages filled with factual errors, Cooper reports objective facts and writes in a dark comedic style. Working for Roger Ailes is very serious, punishing business, but it's also highly entertaining. Ailes could have been a standup comic in another life. "100% true" said an MBA member of the Fox News Channel launch team. "Naked Launch" is a laugh-out-loud visit into the magic kingdom of Roger Ailes, Fox News and News Corporation in the mid-1990s, and the life of a key architect of the Fox News Channel.
