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Blackball 2.0

July 25, 2006

Steve Gillmor invited me to be a guest on the new edition of his Gillmor Gang gabfest, which was recorded yesterday afternoon. The main topic was the offer by Netscape's Jason Calacanis to pay real money to the top "social bookmarkers," a move I wrote about last week. So there we were in the middle of the show, burrowing down the usual rat holes, when TechCrunch's Mike Arrington, whom I've never met or even spoken with, suddenly announced that he would resign from the Gang if Nick Carr was allowed to be a regular member.

Golly.

Don't worry, Mike, I won't accept any future invitations to be on the show. The last thing I want is to become known as the Yoko Ono of the Gillmor Gang.

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Comments

Overquoted but somehow fits, I think.

I sent the club a wire stating, "Please accept my resignation. I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member."
Groucho Marx

Posted by: Thomas Otter [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 25, 2006 11:48 AM

I don't suppose it would have anything to do with your having referred to him as "...the madam of the great Web 2.0 brothel TechCrunch" in your Edgeio post a few months ago.

Some people just don't know how to take a compliment.

Posted by: Scott Wilson [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 25, 2006 02:05 PM

That was a hell of a good line.

Posted by: Nick Carr [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 25, 2006 02:32 PM

Is there a space problem where his ego wouldn't fit in the room if you attended or is this about him always getting picked last for dodgeball?

Posted by: Mike Drips [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 25, 2006 02:47 PM

For what it's worth (which likely isn't much), I think that's pretty dumb. I mean, it's not as if you're Dave Winer. And that was a pretty good line about the brothel.

Posted by: mathewi [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 25, 2006 05:58 PM

Thanks, Mathew. I knew that sooner or later we'd agree on something. :-)

Posted by: Nick Carr at July 25, 2006 07:40 PM

But Nick, you're not part of the Arrington clique, how dare you express an opinion! You're supposed to just agree. Get with the programme! Fit in!

I guess you're not going to the pool party then?

Posted by: Rob Jones [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 04:35 AM

I tend to agree with Mike Arrington. Perhaps not debating with you is a mistake, but I do find your writing laden with condescention, cynacism and put downs.

Posted by: Prometheus [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 06:08 AM

This whole thing was funny yesterday, and it just got sillier today.

Who knew that tech guys were such prima donnas? Being a girl, and just a novice media writer, I don't get to be social with tech guys too much, so I'm shocked by the high dudgeon. Could hear Arrington's indignant fan-snap all the way out here in the boonies.

Oh well. Can we call you Yoko now, Nick?

Posted by: tish grier [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 08:51 AM

I have found myself doing some high-pitched wailing recently.

Posted by: Nick Carr [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 09:41 AM

Although I'm sure you kick dogs in your spare time, I wonder if this has anything to do with those whose blogs are popular for their "scoops" (aka links) being intimidated by those whose blogs are popular for their sharp analyses.

Posted by: Brad [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 11:12 AM

As someone said to me: Captain Curmudgeon...a wonderful accolade but I don't do sailor suits.

Posted by: dahowlett [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 02:19 PM

Nick -- I just posted an item about this over at Blogebrity, just FYI:
http://blogebrity.com/blog/2006/07/michael-arringtons-nick-fury.php

Posted by: Kyle Bunch [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 06:53 PM

Nick,

Waiting patiently for Godwin's Law to kick in here my friend...:)

Alas, those with thin skin and/or a lack of spine don't last very long in these parts. Keep the faith and actually, I wish you'd stay on that podcast (or participate in somebody else's). I don't always agree with you, but your voice has been, and still is, vital to the community.

Posted by: Bob McIlree [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 26, 2006 10:50 PM

Madame is a little harsh, but I know why the term for Arrington is actually somewhat accurate. I have no idea how many of the companies he blogs about he own equity stake in. But rumour has it that he owns a stake in RapLeaf, and blogs about it constantly pumping his own shares without ever disclosing it. When a comment on his own blog questions him on this exact topic, it gets taken down / censored right away (this I've seen myself trying to link to the comment) . . .

Posted by: will [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 28, 2006 01:36 AM

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