For every click on this article, I will take a bite out of my hat!

Yes, this may read as if it is a click-bait article, and if you thought that, you are correct.

As former Editor-in-Chief Zane Zinkl’s “Top 10 cigarettes I smoked in Europe” hits over 93,000 views, The Oak Leaf is left with a bad taste in its mouth. After being published in September of 2019, the infamous article has swept the charts on The Oak Leaf’s click-count, leaving many editors shocked and confused.

“I’m baffled that this secondhand-smoke-laced article is still the No. 1 hit!” Editor Nick Vides said. “If anyone (on the staff) can write an article that topples this record, I’ll eat my hat.”

Editor Lauren Spates said, “I don’t even understand how this is possible. He must have written a bot that auto-clicks at a certain rate per day. There’s just no way.”

The article has been first place on the monthly hits list for a consecutive 18 months, with few articles challenging it for sheer click-count.

“I’d like to be able to say I’m proud of every article my students publish. But in this case, I can’t say that,” said Adviser Anne Belden.

“Please, everybody, smoke for yourselves and find out which cigarette is best for you instead of bothering with this outdated article the author wrote only to justify a vacation,” Assistant Editor Michael Combs said, whose Measure P article was a couple hundred views short late last year of reaching the No. 1 spot for the month.

“I wasn’t even a part of The Oak Leaf when that article was published, yet it still haunts me whenever I write my own,” said Tucker Lang, Oak Leaf social media editor.

“Five free online games to play on Zoom with friends,” an article written by Co-Editor-in-Chief Alex Fuller, is in a distant second place as its lifetime click count stands at 23,000.

“My article hasn’t even come close to that stupid cigarette one. I wasn’t even trying to surpass it, but come on,” she said.

Not all are disappointed in the article’s performance. “I actually think the article is pretty funny,” Co-Editor-in-Chief James Domizio said.

For now, Nick’s hat will remain squarely on his head and not in his stomach. So please, help us make Nick eat his hat. Click on this article, click on it again, send it around your COVID-19 bubble and help defeat the smoky article.

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About the Contributors

Nick Vides, Photo-Editor

Nicholas “Nick” Vides (he/him) Is a seasoned breaking news reporter dedicated to making sure every shutter click of his camera captures a moment worth sharing. Nick's itch for chasing fires has kept him busy over the past seven years, covering every major fire event in Northern California from the Paradise Fire to the Caldor Fire. Nick currently splits his time as a photojournalist with The Oak Leaf and as a Contract Photographer with The Press Democrat. He has more than nine years of experience with photography, has been director of photography for multiple short films with the SRJC Media Arts Center, directed numerous student-led broadcasts with his Media 19 class, and interned for The Sarah and Vinnie Show on Alice 97.3. In the little free time left, he works for Highway 12 Winery in Sonoma, California as a Cellar Hand.

Tucker Lang, Social Media Manager

Tucker Lang is in his second semester with The Oak Leaf, but has been at the JC for three years. His biggest passions in life are music and the future of the music industry. For two years, Tucker has successfully put out semi-casual music reviews on his Instagram blog @tuck.reviews. Music has been a big part of his life, and Tucker hopes to bring his passion and skill for writing together with his knowledge of music and culture.