On Aug. 11, 2011, Jason Holleman appeared on the cover of the Scene, standing defiantly in front of the Metro Courthouse behind the headline “Bulletproof.” Despite Mayor Karl Dean’s efforts to oust a thorn in his side, the first-term Metro councilman had won re-election. Since then? He entered, then unceremoniously dropped out, of a state Senate race and finished last in September’s council at-large runoff. But he wasn’t the only victim claimed by the Scene Cover Curse. In May, Lonnell Matthews Jr. appeared on our cover with the headline, “The Next Next Mayor?” and a story based around insider buzzing about his political future. The buzz was real — but last month, Matthews too landed outside of the top five in his bid for an at-large seat. Much as we hate to say it, if you open your door to find a Scene reporter looking to highlight you as an ascendant political figure, draw the blinds.
