Does Anyone Care About Neil Kramer?
Thank you for all the kind emails during the last few days saying that the Douchebrity parody of my post was just plain nasty. I had to restrain Sophia from flying over and punching this guy in the mouth.
“How would it look if Laura Bush yelled at the New York Times every time they criticized her husband?” I asked.
Even though the parody was mean, I didn’t take it too personally, mostly because I could have done a better job myself.
I was actually more hurt by Cowboy’s comment on Jack of All Blogs asking the question, “Seriously does anyone care about Neil Kramer?”
And the answer is, “Sure. Why not?”
Blogebrity asked me to write here in order to introduce others to some undiscovered talent — bloggers who write personal blogs — blogs written by truck drivers, ambulance-chasers, African-Americans, gays, sex addicts, and just plain crazy people.
Anything, as long as it was interesting.
I was impressed that Blogebrity asked me to do this, considering that they were mostly known for their infamous lists of A-B-C bloggers. I quickly learned that their “Blogebrity” attitude was more tongue-in-cheek than elitist.
But there are some out there who want the blogging world to be the same as the traditional media — where there is an elite that matters and those who do not.
Luckily, the blogging world doesn’t work that way. In blogging, it is the BLOGGERS that rule. It is the only “industry” where a housewife who writes about her kittens can compete with a professional journalist working for the New York Times — and frequently gets a more loyal audience. This is why newspapers, TV networks, and corporations are all starting blogs — they are scared of the power it gives to the general public, and want us to focus our attention back on them.
As scary as this might sound to me, there is nothing stopping my mother from going on the computer right now and creating a Blogger account in five minutes. And who knows? She might be very successful at it. She can write a blog about playing mah jongg. After all, communities have grown around every subject imaginable, from knitting to the Talmud.
Most of the blogging community is bored with blog-insiders who only write about blogging. Many blog-insiders have an elitist attitude that I’ve seen before in the worlds of publishing and television. They have a disdain and hatred for the very audience that they cater to. They want traffic. They want an audience. They want ad dollars. But they actually have no interest in the individuals who make up their own readership. It’s like the Hollywood TV network executives who sell some crappy new show to their Midwest affiliates, but then make fun of Midwesterners while they eat lunch at the Ivy.
So, Cowboy of Jack of All Blogs, I do find it odd that someone who writes a blog about blogging and bloggers would ask, “Seriously does anyone care about Neil Kramer?”
Because YOU should. I am a blogger. Everyone on my blogroll is a blogger. The only reason your blog about blogging exists is because someone like me reads it.
I am your audience.
If all you really “care about” are blogs by big blog networks, then let them be your audience. You and Douchebrity can spend your nights reading each other and laughing over insider jokes. For those interested in real bloggers, I invite you to click on all of the wonderful writers who are on my blogroll. Maybe some of you will actually learn who is out there in the blogosphere besides Nick Denton and Paul Scrivens.
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukkah to personal bloggers everywhere you blog.
This entry was posted by Courtney Gidts on Saturday, December 24th, 2005 at 4:59 am and is filed under Nick Denton, Paul Scrivens, Underrated. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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on December 24, 2005 at 8:40 am he's dead, jim! wrote:
And, can I get an “AMEN!?” Absent audience, no form of entertainment has merit. To achieve maximum audience, a writer would need to aim for the hump on the bell-shaped curve. To write for the right-sided tail only would be advertising suicide. Even though intellectually, this two percent tail is the audience we all court with our egos, where the ninety-six percent hump is the one we court with our wallets.
on December 24, 2005 at 10:04 am JJ wrote:
A well reasoned argument eloquently stated - especially in light of the “farts in the back of the classroom” attack. People who are not intelligent and not eloquent will forever resort to playground tactics to horn in on the conversation. The difference is that now that we aren’t trapped with them in elementary school and they are off pumping our gas, we don’t have to listen to them anymore.
Does Neil matter? Yes. He matters exactly as much as you like his blog. If you don’t like it, you can step off. There are 8 million other blogs to try. Or you can fart in the back of the classroom and make fun of stuff. But, while you’re at it: fill ‘er up with regular unleaded and clean the windshield.
on December 24, 2005 at 10:34 am TWM wrote:
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While this guy’s attempt is mean-spirited immitation, it’s obvious he is envious of you. And that is flattering in a way.
And, seriously, lots of people care about Neil.
on December 24, 2005 at 10:40 am ashbloem wrote:
BRAVO, Neil.
This makes me think of the stereotypical high school situation in which the popular quarterback intimidates the geeky kids for four years, but later on the quarterback dude works in a gas station and looks back on his glory years, but the geeky kids become the scientists, artists and millionaires.
As always, it’s the little guys and the creative types that make this blogosphere as great as it is. If Cowboy doesn’t like something he doesn’t have to fucking read it.
on December 24, 2005 at 11:06 am Elvira Black wrote:
Neil, you are right on as always. There is an old-boys bloggerati network out there, but I still say content is king, and you’ve got that nailed down like nobody’s business.
My hat goes off to you!
on December 24, 2005 at 11:12 am Chantel wrote:
Its amazing that blogging has become a class war. Suddenly there are lists of “real” blogger’s and no list for the rest. I personally could care less about sports, news, blogging blogs. There are far more personal blogs than news/hobby blogs so there are only a few out there trying to create an elite clique. You guys are outnumbered — and yes, Neil - you matter!!
on December 24, 2005 at 12:29 pm heather wrote:
Holy crap, Neil.
I want to know when blogging became the new highschool. I mean, for real: even those of us who are trying to have a go at creating profitable sites understand that things like this should be taken with a grain of salt. If you’re comfortable with yourself as a writer and a “blogger”, then who gives a fuck about what Cowboy or Douchebrity think of you? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I know that’s what you’re doing here…but I thought you had a little more class than to write a “look what they did to me, Mommy!” post.
I really don’t get why everyone is taking themselves so freaking seriously. We write blogs, for chrissakes. BLOGS. Yeah, they’re making their way into mainstream media, and becoming more acceptable news sources, but the petty bullshit drama like this is what’s going to keep the medium from its true potential.
Parodies aren’t an attack on the person they satirize - written for their for humour value, it’s fairly easy to achieve if the subject is one that is popular. I’m not saying you need to be flattered, but don’t take it so fucking seriously. The more popular you become, the more people are going to criticize you, that just comes with the territory. You need to grow a thicker skin and quit bitching about it, because the more you talk about it and link it, the more validity you give it.
I am YOUR audience. I’m not really in the market to be buying boxes of kleenex for you because you won’t stop crying over something that inevitably comes with success. I might actually start thinking that those other people have a point.
on December 24, 2005 at 12:29 pm Bill wrote:
I think the elitist thing happens everywhere. I see it in the businesses I work with where they wonder why the people who buy their products/services have no interest in what they’re selling. It doesn’t occur to them to actually use those products and services themselves or try to figure out who their customers actually are. This may explain the high level of middle management turnover.
Anyway … not sure who Nick Denton and Paul Scrivens are but I gather they have blogs, and popular ones at that. That’s nice. However, the downside of popularity is people have a tendency of getting bored with you and/or turning on you real quick. I think it’s preferrable to have a small but loyal following.
I have such a following. At present it consists of me. Now that’s small!
on December 24, 2005 at 2:23 pm Neil wrote:
In order to make blogging more like “acceptable news sources,” as Heather insists, I think all possible conflict of interests should be disclosed.
With that in mind, I should be honest and say that all of the previous commenters are readers of mine.
I should also note that Heather, who commented that “I should grow a thicker skin and quit bitching” just happens to write for Spoke Media (Girlspoke, Decent Content) where Cowboy is touted as “unpaid manservant at all the girlspoke slumber parties” and where my name has recently mysteriously disappeared from their blogroll.
on December 24, 2005 at 3:53 pm The Assimilated Negro wrote:
that’s a big blogroll you got there …
I like the Snod Spanking delivered by Heather.
carry on …
on December 24, 2005 at 4:56 pm Meme wrote:
Neil, As a point of clarification…I took you off my blogroll for a number of reasons like how you felt it necessary to leave bitter comments on my site and sending me creepy unsolicated emails.
I have nothing personal against you, I just feel that the direction you’ve taken on your site in past months no longer held interest for me. And the Cowboy link was actually a replacement for the former Paul Scrivens (FF) link who I also decided no longer maintained the focus he once had. Ultimately, it’s my site, my sidebar and my decision. If it truely concerned you you should’ve gotten off your passive-aggressive ass and written me an honest email instead of airing your bitterness on this site.
I think you’re taking this all a bit too seriously. Drama, drama, drama…geez.
on December 24, 2005 at 8:39 pm pia wrote:
Sheet Neil, I got the rudiest nastiest comment I have ever gotten the other day–and one of the things she said, essentially, is that I’m a rich bitch who can afford to blog.
I did the in the amount of time she studied my blog, and wrote the comment, she could have set up a blogger blog, written many entries and surfed BE as many of us started.
Blogging is the first meritocracy in writing, and it’s wonderful. It’s sharpened my writing so much because of the honest interchange.
But the character assasaination, that’s just gross.
Thanks for saying it all with such humor and grace
on December 24, 2005 at 9:14 pm Cowboy wrote:
I think this is hilarious dude. Actually I have never read your other blog Neil reading you here is enough man. And I am not tempted to click through to your blogroll. You don’t have to read my blog. And the only reason you knew I blogged about you is because you were egosearching on technorati just like all the other people who get so easily offended. Dude seriously don’t ego search if you can’t handle it. But feel fortunate I was picking on you and not an entire blog network.
on December 24, 2005 at 10:31 pm Neil wrote:
Meme, I won’t apologize for the direction of my site, but I certainly regret if you misconstrued anything I said as bitter or creepy. I always enjoyed your site.
on December 24, 2005 at 10:44 pm jamy wrote:
This kind of parody means you’ve “arrived.” You are popular enough to be mocked! I think you’ve taken it in the right way.
Personal blogging is the revolution, not news blogs and info blogs. Personal blogging opens up views to private worlds in an unprecedented way. It’s fascinating.
You’re a great writer, Neil. Keep doing what you’re doing.
on December 25, 2005 at 12:32 am danielle wrote:
I care.
on December 25, 2005 at 12:49 am Jack wrote:
Blogger insiders- Do such people exist or is it just in their heads.
on December 25, 2005 at 10:06 am malatron wrote:
Ok kiddos.
Recess is over.
Neil, your mom is here to pick you up.
Cowboy, if I have to tell you one more time to stop picking on Neil, I’m gonna tell your father that your being disruptive in class.
And Meme, Neil’s not creepy, he’s just a little bit weird. Remember what we learned about kids like him when we watched “I’m not creepy, I just have down’s syndrome”
See you all tommorow. Don’t forget to bring your coloring books.
on December 25, 2005 at 12:06 pm Neil wrote:
I’m so glad I took this gig writing for Blogebrity! Within two weeks of writing innocuous posts, I’ve now been called a loser, a nobody, creepy, a baby, unclassy, a douche, and someone with down’s syndrome. Who are you people? It’s not like I even write anything very controversial here.
Maybe I’m not really a hard-nosed professional blogger (a tear comes to my eye whenever I see a new baby photo in someone’s Mommy Blog), but when someone says they were “hurt” by nasty comments, it is not an excuse to hurl meaner comments.
Or maybe admitting that I was “hurt” was the most controversial thing any blogger can possibly say. Oh my God, someone expressed real emotion on a blog! Does this break any official rules of blogdom? I guess I’m now blackballed from all the best clubs.
You’ll notice that when I realized that I upset Meme, I immediately apologized to her for anything she might have misconstrued as mean.
Whatever happened to manners in the blogging community?
Happy Holidays.
on December 25, 2005 at 4:03 pm anne arkham wrote:
Neil, you can write bitter and creepy comments on my site all you want. And I loved your unsolicited email.
on December 25, 2005 at 5:17 pm Edgy Mama wrote:
Love ya, Neil.
Less snarkiness and more cheer–your style, is what I want in a blog.
on December 26, 2005 at 5:37 am sb wrote:
By looking at Neil’s blog I saw that Minima Plus design. Thanks Neil. I was then able to google a blogger alternative. Don’t mind the haters, dude. The universe works in threes, baby.
on December 26, 2005 at 11:04 am Jill wrote:
Wow. I can’t believe these comments, Neil. Emotions are reactions to stimuli; we can’t control the emotions but we can control what we do with them. I think you did a fine job of expressing yours. You’re right–people don’t expect an honest expression of an emotion such as hurt. Being snarky is much too cool these days. A few days back I commented that I didn’t know what to say, and I still don’t, because this is exactly the kind of situation that made me hate high school. Maybe I’m naive, but I just want to write. And I really enjoy reading other people’s blogs and interacting with those people, albeit virtually. I care abou you, and I care about all the people who put themselves out there.
on December 26, 2005 at 3:19 pm Nelumbo wrote:
Neil,
Don’t let the bastards get you down.
on December 26, 2005 at 5:02 pm annie wrote:
Are we talking about Alex Blagg’s article?
If so, don’t take Blagg’s digs too seriously. He left San Francisco, supposedly with the intention of moving to New York City, but somehow got waylaid in good old Memphis Tennesee, living in his mother’s basement, and eating too much barbeque. I think he might be a little bored.
Besides, he’s made his name parodying good bloggers…Stephanie Klein, for instance.
I’d say you’ve arrived, Neil. Be happy!
Good points, though, Neil. Those “important” bloggers can try to weed out the “unimportant” ones as much as they want. We’re not going away, though.
on December 26, 2005 at 6:46 pm Laura wrote:
Neil who? LOL..I love YOU, Neil!!!
~L.
on December 26, 2005 at 10:18 pm sandra wrote:
First of all, Neil, you rock. And I totally agree — the fact that we’re posting comments instead of saying something to someone’s face doesn’t excuse a lack of manners. Maybe I’m saying this because I was born & raise in the Midwest…but it just makes sense to me (so there!).
on December 27, 2005 at 11:54 am amanda wrote:
i care about neil kramer. i think i am going to make a sign. where did my sharpie go?
on December 27, 2005 at 1:57 pm sac wrote:
I can’t believe 29 people read this site.
on December 27, 2005 at 8:16 pm miriam wrote:
Good for you, Neil!
on December 28, 2005 at 11:23 am whiskers wrote:
This belongs on your personal blog. Quit being an insecure crybaby and next time vet your emotions with a therapist first.
on December 29, 2005 at 11:44 am Tanisha wrote:
What a great “I am snubbing my nose at you ASS-inine jokes about me” Neil. U are awesome and like Danielle. I care!!
on December 29, 2005 at 6:47 pm Tatiana wrote:
I heard on the blog vine that Cowboy has recently had a terrible accident with his ego. Though, there’s been no news yet on wether he’ll still be able to blog.