Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen's candor and humor has been a staple of The Miami Herald for more than two decades. Known for his biting commentary on Florida's rapacious development, scandalous business practices and corrupt politicians, Hiaasen's award-winning weekly column is syndicated nationally.
Hiaasen began his journalism career at Cocoa Today (now the Melbourne-based Florida Today). In 1976, he joined the Herald and worked as a general assignment reporter and magazine writer before joining the investigative team. In 1986, Hiaasen began writing a regular column for the Herald's metropolitan section, eventually moving to the Opinion-Editorial page. Two collections of his columns have been published as books, "Kick Ass" and "Paradise Screwed," both edited by Diane Stevenson.
The author of many best-selling novels, Hiaasen has developed an international following for his fiction. His first novel, "Tourist Season," was published in 1986. Those that followed include: "Double Whammy," "Skin Tight," "Native Tongue," "Strip Tease," "Stormy Weather," "Lucky You," "Sick Puppy," "Skinny Dip" and "Nature Girl." "Strip Tease" was released as a feature film in 1997, starring Demi Moore and Burt Reynolds.
Hiaasen is also the author of popular novels for young readers, including "Flush" and "Hoot," which won a Newbery Honor and in 2006 was made into a motion picture starring Luke Wilson. In addition to his books, Hiaasen co-wrote three songs with the late Warren Zevon, including "Seminole Bingo" and "Rottweiller Blues."
The long list of journalism awards to Hiaasen's credit include the Green Eyeshade Award for investigative reporting in 1980 and humorous commentary in 1986, 1987 and 1997 and the first and second place Florida Society of Newspaper Editors Awards in 1989 and 1997, respectively. For his columns he received the Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club for 2003-2004.
Carl Hiaasen Samples
The Bad Boy of Pseudo-Journalism Exposes Himself
If a house is burned to the ground, you can whine about the firemen or criticize the building material -- but first you blame the guy who started the fire, right?
Medicare Corruption Gusher Worsens
Among South Florida's fearless Medicare rip-offs -- and there are thousands -- is the story of Guillermo Denis Gonzalez.
Bill and Rick Are Their Own Worst Problems
In the Republican race for governor of Florida, Attorney General Bill McCollum finds himself trailing a candidate who has more baggage than J-Lo on a camel safari.
Oil Spill: The Nightmare Becomes Reality
A friend walked out on Pensacola Beach, Fla., and took a photograph of the oil -- miles of oil -- on the morning that the gunk first washed ashore. He e-mailed the picture to me with a note that said it all: "Sickening."
Big Oil, 'Small People'
Let's hear it for the small people. Something got lost in translation when BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, a Swede, referred to victims of his company's Gulf of Mexico oil disaster as "the small people."
Now You Don't Trust BP, But It's Too Late
Every time a BP executive appears on television, I think of the garage scene from the movie "Animal House."
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