More on Smethurst

Sue Smethurst, the Aussie journalist strip-searched, handcuffed and deported at LAX last month when she showed up to interview Olivia Newton-John, adds some details for Steven Mikulan in the LA Weekly. She says the immigration agents questioned her about the content of her women's magazine (New Idea) and asked if it printed political sensitive articles.

“I laughed,” Smethurst recalls, “because we’re a cross between Good Housekeeping and People magazine. The most political thing we’d likely print was Laura Bush’s horoscope.”

A government spokesman says she became unruly while in custody. Again, it's worth noting she would have sailed through with no need of a visa if she had claimed to be here on just about any business other than reporting, or had lied and simply said she was a tourist (I guess terrorist would have worked too).

Previous posts: Nov. 18 and Dec. 6.