"On the Blogosphere.

Batali: It’s amazing, these fucking Websites, these blogs. [Otto co-owner] Jason Denton hasn’t even thought about this pizza restaurant that isn’t even a pizza restaurant across the street from Otto, and he’s getting quoted. I call him and say, “Lips. What are you doing?” and he’s like “I want to tell you, I’m never planning on opening a pizza restaurant … I don’t know what happened on the blog this morning.” Whatever the blog heard is now fact.

Bourdain: I think it’s great. They’ve beaten down the wall, and everybody’s invited to write whatever shit they want about you. It’s democratic.

Batali: I’m not so much about these blogs by anonymous people saying nasty things about you. I think it’s getting pretty stupid. If there’s something interesting, and there’s somebody editing it and taking care of it, I’m down with it. But some of those people are just bit with vituperative anger and just want to rail on you.

Bourdain: It’s inevitable, it’s the tide, there’ s no fighting it. There’s a bunch of these guys that are like Comic Book Guy on The Simpsons, whipping out their fucking little cameras, and five minutes after one of them says it’s the greatest, the next will say that’s so last week. That’s inevitable. I go to all those sites and enjoy them, especially when they’re about people I don’t like.

Batali: Well, I don’t like them.

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2007/05/batali..._more.html#more


hahahhhahah aahahahhahaa
yah well

fuck you, mario-batali !

just kidding

batali hates eater.................hates shameless..............but likes you.......................

ee heee
true.

and bourdain loooooves me !

you know, last week a "bourdain" registered. see---> http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?showuser=297

but the registration had some wack yahoo address so i only "guest membered" him instead of "full Member."
hahhahahaa i don't think he's been back since. oh but maybe he just wanted to read his own "character" thread (sorry dude-- that aint how shit works around here!)


oh but that same day i totally full-Membered an "RAN" -----> http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?showuser=296
cuz HE had a ummm
pretty convincing e-mail address.

i'm just sayin.
(in case anybody's wondering)

THat would be cool if he posted something.

he posts at egullet sometimes. or at least he used to (i haven't looked in a while-- not since they banned me-- so i have no idea).

then again, egullet totally sucks his ass ohmylord he's like a GOD over there. so i guess maybe he likes them better

i love bourdain for lots of reasons, but mainly cause he responded immediately
to my interview request for my blog

with really good answers

and after his interview went up my site hits went through the roof.

thanx man!

fun while it lasted.....

oh and congratulations abbe!!

very cool

Ohhh, so, Bourdain's afraid of us.

LOL. Yeah, that's understandable.

There ya have it - Batali's down with us.

i just wanted to say i remember the whole thing with bux & what he did to you was definately wrong. i don't know why the egulleters weren't that nice to you. i don't go there that much any more either. and yea, they do suck bourdain's ass but that's prob just 'cos he's the only big name chef that goes there. egulleters don't work in rests., they are mostly just foodies.

Well, just based on what I figured out from this:

http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?s...dpost&p=581

I would guess this "Egullet" wasn't very nice, because.... they were jellie of my girl. No big surprise there, though. We've been battling this kind of thing since day one. It's like - every other fuckwad who can manage to handle a knife/fork and chew with their mouth shut, is allowed to talk about restaurants, out of their asses, as much as they want.

But, get a bunch of people together who actually know - and we're the pariahs.

I don't want to sound like an ass-kisser, but it is pretty astounding to me, with all the attention being paid to this industry lately, that Abbe's book isn't more well-known. No offense to Bourdain - his book was funny and all - but in terms of restaurant reality, it doesn't begin to compare to Abbe's.

I've been following Abbe's blog since the very start, and it's pretty obvious to me - she probably pissed alot of people off by naming names. The fact that the press and other food blogs tapdance around Abbe's, while they steal all the insider information - is bullshit.

But, I just want to add that I think it's very cool Eater has been backing us up, lately.

AMEN to all that

Go, Dick Johnson!!!

Abbe's book rocks!!!

Everyone Abbe wrote about (chefs, celebrities, socalites, etc.) has high-powered friends in the press. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

I found Bourdain to be more about the BOH. Abbe more of the FOH.

I am sure someone can help Abbe and "PX This" to be more well-known with some of the people on this board...

It's worse than bullshit. It's typical. Abbe sailed over the heads of all the gatekeepers like agents publishers press etc etc. Even though the book is good they have nothing to gain by promoting it. But they risk losing their relationships with their powerful friends like chefs celebrities socialites etc etc. I am so proud of her because despite all the blows she keeps going and doesn't quit.

Kitty Kelly writes pretty nasty things about famous powerful people...books even...Abbe just needs a good PR rep who knows how to market her. They cost money but they can do wonders. The book has the substance...she needs the attention or more of it.

Batali: I’m not so much about these blogs by anonymous people saying nasty things about you. I think it’s getting pretty stupid. If there’s something interesting, and there’s somebody editing it and taking care of it, I’m down with it. But some of those people are just bit with vituperative anger and just want to rail on you.


I concur! Recently, a guest from my restaurant went online and wrote something pretty nasty about our place after he showed up with more than he was reserved for (it was a rather large party) and we couldn't give him one long table in the middle of the restaurant.

He proceeded to go home and write a scathing (and completely false) review about our interaction, complete with a personal attack on me. No one reading that will know the reality of the situation, how rude and uncooperative he was, or even that I tried numerous attempts to accomodate them in different ways, before he gathered his party in a huff an stormed out. They will just read his venomous words an assume it's true.

awww ! you guys... THANK YOU ! sniffle











damn, you're like a buncha crazy koreshians up in here

"koreshian" inside-joke referral link----> http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?s...c=100&st=20

[ for the "visitors." gotta be hospitable, you see ]

i totally hear ya. really !

that's why i haven't followed peoples' advice about putting an ad in craigslist or some shit, to "increase traffic"

i LIKE the fact that it's word of mouth... i'm not into the idea of being flooded with a bunch of disgruntled creepies who just want to bitch and moan but don't really have anything constructive to offer in return.

of course, the downside of that is:
now apparently we're the fucking "mount olympus" of the industry. approximately 2 dozen of over 200 members are the only ones who contribute consistently. and evidently we are starting to look "clicque-ish" as a result.

well i just have to say
WHATEVER

it doesn't take much to get yer ass in here, peoples want a fucking titanium engraved invitation or some shit. geezus

i dunno though

i don't really think anyone (who "matters" ?) really takes that shit seriously. someone who really dines out often and is a potential good patron knows that shit is nonsense. ESPECIALLY when it's anonymous. a valid complainer will always sign his/her name (and title, place of occupation, resume, status, whatever etc) because they WANT to be taken seriously.

when i read creepy malicious complaints like that, i just laugh. and then i WANT to try the place out, really !
cuz i think it's a GOOD sign that some crazy loser fuckwit asshole with deep-seated inadequacy issues NO LONGER wants to go there. i always think to myself: oh wow that place MUST be faaaaboolous !! hahahhahaa



no seriously now
i remember when i was checking out this restaurant in LA. and there was this online complaint like: "the hostess was SO RUDE she blah blaaah we had to WAIT blahh arrgghhh she thought she was so cute... stupid dumb idiot actress wannabee.... she gave us a shitty table.... even though it was our ANNIVERSARY... arrgghhh gaaagghhh...."

i totally was all: oh wow i wanna go THERE !

hee heee hahaa. and i did !
it was good too
(and sure enough there was some famous actor and photographer and director and a bunch of beautiful peoples there. of course)

You made my day!

I just needed a bit of perspective from another strong person who's seen as much insanity as I have in this business. Thanks!!!!

oh. word ??
alls i have to do is like rob a bank or kidnap a millionaire's offspring or some shit ??

damn, if i'd a known THAT's all it takes...








mama
have you ever priced one a them mutherfukkers ? that shit is EXPENSIVE (except for jo, she's totally cheap )

i think i hear what Dick and MILF are sayin...

see--
believe it or not, there is a bit of an uhhh "injustice" to this "gatekeeper" system

oh ! like just as an example

the other day i get this call from this publicist. who happens to represent the new upcoming restaurant of a friend's.

and this fuckwit publicist is all pissy cuz i gots the 411Google, and i'm just all blabbetty blab about it, to whomever will listen, like i don't give a fuck.
well.
now this fuckwit publicist has NOTHING to bargain with, with New York Magazine. cuz i ALREADY dropped the news. and now NY Mag i guess is all heated cuz they look stupid like johnny-come-too-fucking-late-lame-assed-muhfuhs.

so then i call up my boy-- and i'm all: WHAT THE FUCK. you and i are OLD SCHOOL, mutherfukker. i HELPED YOU GET JOBS, bitch. you take ORDERS from your fucking publicist now ??

I'M the mutherfukker who comes to yer place ALL THE GODDAMNED TIME and spends $$ and brings friends and talks you up and tips yer staff. you FUCKER.


what was my point again ? oh yah so my point is this:

i "promote" and "support" those i believe are worthy. for NO OTHER REASON except i really think they deserve it.

this "gatekeeper" system fosters a certain strategy-- in that
the $$$ being spent on publicists, PR, advertising, marketing etc
means LESS $$$ being invested in the QUALITY of the product

so what happens is rich, deep-pocketed companies spend all this $$$ just to sell some crappy piece of shit. and peoples buy into it. cuz they don't know any better. and WHY don't they know any better ? cuz everything that's made with love and care and passion and blood and sweat and tears
is created by poor broke assed slobs who can't afford to compete with the "big name" garbage that's marketed straight up yer ass, 24/7. EVEN IF THE PRODUCT SUCKS DICK.

as a result, everything suffers--- movies, art, books, music, food, etc etc etc

but it's the consumer who suffers most.

now.
ask yerself why so many published books these days are written by former "journalists" or "editors" or whatever (weisberger, sykes, gross, froelich, bruni, the other sykes, etc etc and yes even yer kitty up there)

might it be cuz they have friends in the press/media ? and maybe publicity comes a wee bit CHEAPER for them ??

hmm. something to think about, no ?

even if i COULD afford a big PR firm...
i dunno
maybe i would seriously have to think twice about it first.

i'm not trying to diss or anything
but i really do think i'd rather be an alaïa than a BabyPhat

Patience, young Jedi.

But, that's only because I you.

And because I your dresses even more.

Tony Bourdain "interview" referral link>> http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?s...dpost&p=886

(For the "visitors." )

See: http://pxthis.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=136

abbe -

that rant on publicists

and the breakdown of how the machine works

was fucking perfect.


talk about laying out a frikkin blueprint.



girl, peeps must be reading this and thinking "i can't beat this bitch, i better join her"

well the ones with brains....

if i was paying some bullshit publicist i'd be making sure he or she was taking your ass to
lunch at least once a week

ahhahaa

"...or kill her"

http://eater.com/archives/2007/06/why_i_hate_food.php
Why I Hate Food Bloggers By Mario Batali #01
Wednesday, June 13, 2007

I do not really HATE anything or anybody, it takes too much energy to hate, and I would rather dog someone/thing sotto voce to the large audience than spend a lot of time hating them/it. But blogs live by different rules. Many of the anonymous authors who vent on blogs rant their snarky vituperatives from behind the smoky curtain of the web. This allows them a peculiar and nasty vocabulary that seems to be taken as truth by virtue of the fact that it has been printed somewhere. Unfortunately, this also allows untruths, lies and malicious and personally driven dreck to be quoted as fact. Even a savvy blog like the one you are reading now has strangely superseded truly responsible journalism. It is much more immediate and can skip a lot of the ponderous setup necessary in a news article. It cuts right to the heart of a matter, often disputing it as though real research has taken place.

Take the following quote from yesterday's summation of the battle between landlord and tenant, our restaurant Del Posto, at 85 10th avenue. I quote:

Since we've haven't mentioned this story in a while, let's review: In January of 2006 it became clear that Del Posto had violated their lease agreement by building in spaces not expressly listed in their least agreement (the extent of these violations wasn't clear) and that Somerset Partners intended to use these violations to get rid of the Batali/Bastianich restaurant and the sweetheart lease they'd negotiated on the space...
It became clear that Del Posto had violated their lease? To whom?? If you follow the blue bold link, it takes you to the original piece driven by a factoid written by the hapless NY Post real estate/food hack Braden Keil who has hated me for as long as I can remember, not that he has any value to journalism anyway. That's who. The perception of the reader will be that, as any idiot can see, these greedy fools have swashbuckled their poor landlord and stolen property and only God knows how they will pay for such a scam.
Even a cursory examination of the facts would have landed anyone -- such as all of the courts who ruled in our favor -- with the conclusion that it was nothing more than a classic shakedown. The Somerset Partners, after spending more than $1.3 million of their principals' cash unanswered and unsupported by even a morsel of gain, backed way down and off of the field to lick their wounds in their $40 million townhouses. What you did not read yesterday is that they sold the building 14 months later for something like a hundred million smackers in profit. So the reader has no option to assemble a version of the story that includes the Somerset partners' gain. Nobody is served in the end.

My broader point is that the casual and serious reader alike cannot possibly hold the anonymous blogosphere accountable. I think, in fact, many of the readers know this and enjoy the fun. But the blog is now a new partner, and this bit of shoddy journalism will be picked up and promulgated by the rest of the gray zone and march its merry way toward the center of the road. Eventually these blog posts become factual information lost in the sauce.

But, in the end, I do not hate the blogger. I just expect, and want, more from many of them.

—Mario Batali

Everyone loves us, including Batali.

i don't think he's giving the "reader" much credit

personally, i ("the reader") perceived it as: "these greedy fools have swashbuckled their also greedy landlord and stolen property and only God knows how they will pay for such a scam."





i mean. get serious mr.batali

sorry but when BOTH sides are playing with $$$$multi-gazillions

AINT NO FUCKING "VICTIMS" THERE. "poor" landlord/tenant my dick.

i perceive you ALL as a bunch of sorry greedy whiny mutherfukkers. puhleeese