Comments on: Berating Your Customers: Is This a New Trend?

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 15:06:54 +0000

I would agree with Elaine on the level of ridicule going up.
In the magazine case it’s largely anonymous; no one knows the sender’s identity.
But Jerry Springer and other reality shows such as Fear Factor irk me. Blech. I don’t really want to revel in the misery of others, at least not to the level that it’s going.
Celebrities are going to get bashed, people in the public eye will get bashed (politicians, etc.) and that’s expected. Done with wit and humor it can be funny. Look at Jon Stewart, for example. But most people aren’t Jon Stewart so they rely on boring, silly, blatant bashing.
It may be generational, if you consider things like reality TV generational (which they probably are).

By: Elaine Fogel

Elaine Fogel — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 14:19:31 +0000

Thanks for all your comments. Those of you who claim that poking fun at others is entertaining are right. I accept that. What may have started with stand-up comedians in the 50’s and 60’s has evolved, however. Now, it’s mean.
Dissing celebrities is something else – they are in the public eye and have to expect some level of criticism and scrutiny. But I find it embarrasing to watch Jerry Springer and I don’t enjoy anyone ridiculing someone in public, even for entertainment purposes. The level of ridicule has changed and for what? To make average people feel better because they don’t have any excitement in their lives, or want to take out their job frustrations by watching someone else “get it?”
Again, maybe it’s generational. I’m saddened that our culture finds redressing others so enjoyable. What do we need enemies for when we do such a good job of lambasting ourselves?

By: J.D. Matthews

J.D. Matthews — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:00:02 +0000

To be perfectly honest, that’s one of the things that built up readership at my blog: me poking fun at American Idol foibles, as well as the random Paris Hilton and Kevin Federline diss.
People like it. Doesn’t mean it’s good.

By: Igor M.

Igor M. — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:52:17 +0000

If it gets you talking, it’s working. In my letters and now my Blog I can sometimes say something negative towards my reader. I can use sarcasm and non politically correct jokes.
This only brought more readers. Bottom line is … you can say whatever you want as long as people still find value between the lines.

By: Ben Yoskovitz

Ben Yoskovitz — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 18:16:30 +0000

Following up on JD’s comments, I’d say that the magazine responded to the tone of the subscriber.
Had the reader sent in something more courteous, reasonable and intelligent, I’m sure the response would have been more courteous.
That might not be an excuse, but having some experience in the newspaper business I know the volume of “crazy stuff” that comes in. Most of the time it’s ignored, but a “hip” magazine might use it as a way of giving people a laugh.
944 can publish whatever they want as “letters to the editor” so you have to believe, as JD points out, they know what they’re doing.
Still, I’d never respond to a customer that way no matter how insane the request, comment, etc.

By: J.D. Matthews

J.D. Matthews — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 16:35:48 +0000

It’s not just this magazine. They’re sort of copying the letter-to-the-editor style of Maxim, FHM, and Stuff, who also are snarky to their letter-writers. This kind of thing, outside of maybe Reader’s Digest and Newsweek, has been going on for years. Wizard Magazine and Electronic Gaming Monthly have even been known to do it as well. In fact, most of these magazines will post a “ridiculous letter of the month” for everyone else to make fun of.
Do I think it’s tasteless? Sure. Do I think it will harm their readership? Not on your life. They are doing this for a very specific (and profitable) reason.
People like seeing other people get cut down. It’s just a fact. The cut-down, while being the most base form of comedy, is also the biggest laugh getter. People like to read snarky, mean-spirited things like that. I mean, look at TV, millions of people tune in to hear Simon Cowell say hurtful things to CHILDREN on American Idol. People watch shows like Blind Date and ElimiDate and Jerry Springer just to see other people hurt other people. There’s a huge market for that, and 944 magazine is just wanting to be known as the next new smart aleck out there.

By: Paul Fabretti

Paul Fabretti — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 15:16:34 +0000

Pathetic! If blogging has taught us one thing, take the rough with the smooth.
Every criticism is a valid one. We might not always agree with it but we sure as hell need to listen to it.
In this instance, if one person felt that so may ads are at the start of the magazine that they had to write and complain, there is no doubt going to be an awful lot more people thinking the same thing – and also thinking “Does that make me an idiot too”?
944 may as well pack up now if it is going to publicly mock the people who take the time to write in…then again any magazine that can sell 42 pages of ads before you get to the Ed’s introduction has a great ad team behind it…maybe they just need to change the editor!