The unreal McCoy?
-- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/1/2000
The stories about recently departed WPTV(TV) West Palm Beach broadcast engineer Brian Rutledge might play better on NBC's prime time schedule than backstage at one of its affiliates, possibly on an episode of The Pretender.
Within days of Rutledge's exit from the station, the Palm Beach Post published a story that painted him as a scam artist of unusual ability and imagination. He reportedly has left a trail of bad debts and alleged professional pretensions-including police officer, doctor and CNN reporter-across the country. He has-for real-a history as a broadcast engineer and was instrumental in building wptv's new studio.
The station said officially that Rutledge left voluntarily, but someone from station security-not General Manager Bob Jordan, as has been reported-asked police to be present for Rutledge's final conversation with management last month. There was no incident, however, and Rutledge left peacefully, sources said.
