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"Syria's Kim Kardashian" And Barbara Walters Pal *Did* Get Into Columbia Grad School
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 7, 2012
Modified Jun 7, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 7, 2012
Modified Jun 7, 2012
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Okay, is it time for Barbara Walters to walk back her claim that the former aide to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad didn't get into Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs? Because the school has confirmed that "Syria's Kim Kardashian"—a.k.a. Sheherazad Jaafari—has been accepted into its program. FYI, SIPA doesn't have classes in genocide!
Hackers released emails from Jaafari's account, which showed a very friendly relationship the 22-year-old had with Walters where Jaafari, the daughter of Syria's ambassador to the U.N., asked her for help in landing a job at CNN. Also, Walters asks if Jaafari is still planning on attending Columbia graduate school and offers to help her—of course Jaafari said yes to that.
Thinking that Jaafari was intending on applying to the Journalism School, Walters ended up contacted Columbia J School Professor Richard Wald (Wald is a former ABC News executive about Jaafari—"She is brilliant, beautiful, speaks five languages. Anything you can do to help?"—and Wald wrote back, "Through the Admissions Office network, I will get them to give her special attention. I am sure they will take her."
On Tuesday, Walters apologized, "I did offer to mention her to contacts at another media organization and in academia, though she didn’t get a job or into school. In retrospect, I realize that this created a conflict and I regret that," but a Columbia spokesperson says, "Ms. Jaafari was admitted based solely on the submitted application materials. We cannot comment on an individual applicant’s materials, which are confidential."
Sheherazad Jaafari, who helped set up the ABC News exclusive with Assad, was fired because Assad felt blindsided by Walters' questions.
Tagged
barbara walters
Bashar Assad
columbia sipa
nepotism
Sheherazad Jaafari
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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