Sunday, June 01, 2008

Keybored

Former Gawker editor Emily Gould writes 6,000 somewhat self-indulgent words in the New York Times magazine, and gets a flaming even beyond the nightmares of Max Gogarty.

Journalist Philip Weiss does something not dissimilar in the same publication, and gets a rather more sympathetic reaction.

Rebecca Seal, in The Observer, spots the discrepancy and cries sexism.

I've only glanced at the two pieces, but my instinct is that the difference in responses is more due to the fact that Weiss's, a bit whiny as it may be, is actually about something of general interest (the male urge to infidelity), whereas Gould's is about, uh, Emily Gould. And blogging, sort of, but mainly about Emily Gould. However, I'm not going to devote any more time to the subject, because it's the weekend, and I've got a backlog of deadlines, and I still haven't finished The Unconsoled and that mysterious bruise on my right thigh still hasn't shifted. Which, were I a lifestyle journalist, is where I would have started. Before cutting off my typing fingers and sending them in a jiffy-bag to the editor of the New York Times magazine.

9 comments:

I, Like The View said...

I quite liked the comment, on Ms Seal's piece, that both of the other pieces were "c*rp"

Annie said...

First CiF comment: 'Nobody is interested in bloggers. What are they for?'

Gawker seems like a spiteful, gossipy, petty little corner of the internet, maybe that's why she was flamed. (Set up by a British hack, doesn't it make you proud?) It's a warning for hapless bloggers. The Philip Weiss article looks interesting, he was clever to lead in with all these case studies and theories, it made it appear more academic.

I wish your bruise better.

Dick Headley said...

I notice the lovable bumbling Henry has moved out. His story might make interesting reading.

patroclus said...

Weiss did get a massive kicking in Jezebel, though.

Tim F said...

ILTVS: Indeed. The flamethrower school of literary criticism.

Annie: Maybe the question should be, if it's out of order to attack a female blogger for a gender, is it OK to attack her for her bloggerness?

DH: Yes... I wonder if he was among the 1200-strong lynch mob...

I read that, Patroclus. Some sound points, but why do they say 'dude' so much. It's like the outtakes from Slackers.

Dick Headley said...

Philip Weiss should just find some excuse to visit Bangkok for a week or two. Helping Burmese cyclone victims maybe?

Tim F said...

But would he get equivalently turned on by Thai waitresses, Dick? Especially the ones who get your order wrong because they're trying to watch their fave soap at the same time...

Dick Headley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dick Headley said...

I deleted the last post. I suspect you're as bored with half-arsed jokes about sex-tourism as I am.