Event photographer needed

My buddy emailed me yesterday with the following message:

"i am not sure if you had received my email regarding our event tomorrow night at Royal/t and not sure if you can attend. i am actually needing a favor, of course if you are attending. There will be a good number of media people there and we will need a photographer for pictures used for press material as follow ups. i wonder if you have time to attend and if you could do us a favor to take pictures at this event if your time permits."

Here's the thing... sometimes people don't seem to understand that not all photographers are event photographers. Sure, I make exceptions. For friends, I will shoot events but not pro bono. People seem to forget that I do this for a living. That kind of implies that I ought to be paid for services rendered. Oh and those "media people" aren't in the right industry to further my career along so I'm really no benefitting from the "coverage". Also, if you need a photographer you don't ask the night before. It's just rude. Unless you don't care much for the pictures. Truth be told, a Canon Powershot will suffice for that kind of photography/coverage anyway.

On another note, my wife's aunt asked me to take a picture of her front door the other day so she could frame it on her wall.

Really?

Really.

My favorite analogy thus far is this: You don't go to the gynecologist for a root canal.

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Am I crazy?