it’s not who you think it is
tommyI had thought everyone knew about the Ronda myspace page. Of course, the site was so juvenile, I wouldn’t think anyone would take it seriously. Of course, I didn’t take Ronda into consideration. She was upset greatly by the fake thing.
But fake/parody websites are nothing new. In fact, they are becoming more and more pervasive, especially on myspace:
- Ronda Storms’ myspace (now gone)
- another lame attempt at Ronda (this one is still there)
- Nobody F*cks With Brian Blair.
It’s not just County Commissioners, either:
- Pam Iorio (interests include “sledding down the ramp for westbound I-275 from Ashley Drive backwards”)
- Jesus
- Nancy Reagan
- Barbara Bush
- I can’t begin to imagine how many there are of “George” and “George Bush“
- Even poor Angela Lansbury has a fake myspace.
There’s even a Joe Redner myspace. Although I guess this one might be real. But that’s the point of this - you don’t know if they are real or not.
But myspace isn’t the only place. Using fake names that are real has been common since Al Gore invented the internets. This pervert told a gullible woman he was Ronde Barber.
In this case, Ronda is lucky it was myspace. They agreed to take it down. Not so sure she even knows about the other myspace site. Or the blogspot weblog. And if someone were to pay to host such a site, I’m not sure she would have any recourse.
Tags: online, politics, tampa
Loading ...
May 2nd, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Ronda *is* the parody.
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:07 pm
But that’s the point of this - you don’t know if they are real or not.
Words fail me. I am glad you’re protecting America from The Onion and Will Ferrell’s George W. Bush impression.
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:59 pm
Mike, I wouldn’t be quick to say soemthing snarky like that — ESPECIALLY since MySpace is used as a tool by bands, film makers and artists and other net-roots organizers. You can find profiles of long lost friends as well as profiles of high profile people — legit profiles. Not just obvious fakes like the Bush ones.
Words fail me — your continued pissing match with Tommy just goes on and on.
May 3rd, 2006 at 11:09 am
Yeah Hussey (with a silent P), throwing rocks at Tommy isn’t gonna draw any more readers from here over to your blog. I’m guessing you don’t want to come off looking like a b*ngh*le, but then with a name like “Pushing Rope,” maybe you do!
May 3rd, 2006 at 2:49 pm
John, I know what Myspace is. I have an account with the site.
Yeah Hussey (with a silent P), throwing rocks at Tommy isn’t gonna draw any more readers from here over to your blog.
Bamaroller, the bravery of an anonymous poster. Since when do I care about getting Stick readers. I got links recently from The Heretik, the American Prospect and No Spin Zone. Those sites have more readers than Sticks and the posts link have nothing to do with Tommy. If I wanted to gain more readers from Sticks I would have guestblogged and run a link back to my site. Bama, when you can carry your own blog, have other people ask you to blog on their site and don’t have your ass handed to you by Rachel then come back and talk to me.
Tommy equated online sex predators to parody sites. The two are not the same.
Satire is protected under the first amendment. The Al Franken/Bill O’Reilly case is a good example. Myspace can delete the fake Ronda Storms profile. It’s their domain and rules. If Storms thinks the profile was a “threat” against her then she is paranoid. Is The Onion a threat to George W. Bush or John Kerry’s personal safety? That question is absurd.
If I hate Tommy so much then why would I throw him a Sticks T-shirt idea and offer to set him up with a Blogads sponsor. I disagree with Tommy on a lot of things. What the problem is you people are extremely insecure of anyone who disagrees with Tommy. You refuse to argue on facts. I wasn’t aware there was a Tommy cult. L Ron Hubbard would be proud.
May 3rd, 2006 at 3:55 pm
“But that’s the point of this. You don’t know if they’re real or not.” Perhaps Tommy is guilty of using a vague filler sentence as a transition, but you can hardly view the post in its entirety as a shrill call for the end of satire as free speech. It’s really just a rather bland (sorry Tommy) review of how easy it is to anonymously parody the famous, semi-famous, and infamous. With just a hint of cautionary tale with the perv reference.
At least that is my considered opinion. Decide for yourselves if someone who has not been invited to link to, or be linked by, comment on, contribute to, or otherwise join in with the hoi polloi of blogdom has an opinion worth reading.
May 3rd, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Valid point, Port. The fact is I can only go by what Tommy writes. Maybe he was in a hurry and didn’t word out his post well enough. I get people disagreement with me or correcting my mistakes. I rather have someone point out an error I made then pass out false information.
Tommy went from parody sites, aJoe Redner profile to a convicted sex offender. If Tommy meant something different he should be clearer.
Tommy is worth reading. I disagree with some stuff. I also disagree with fellow progressives I’m friends with. I read Peer Review. Mr. C’s politics are the opposite of mine. I still like the blog. With the exception of FLA Politics. There is no blog that generates thousands of hits a day.
Port, your points are well stated. From my perspective Tommy seemed alarmist. That doesn’t mean your opinion isn’t valid.
May 3rd, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Gawd, Hussey, you take yourself so seriously you likely have a velvet painting of YOURSELF in the basement of your parents’ house! Some of us are here for amusement as much as insight. And I’m not posting anonymously, I’m using a pseudonym! (Go look that up in Webster’s, I’m sure there’s a copy upstairs somewhere.)
May 3rd, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Bama-Some people do take themselves too seriously. I tried to say as much with a self deprecating line but…nevermind.
May 3rd, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Seriousness. Kids, I tell a mean knock knock joke. I’m a regular Lipsey Russell. The Sticks comments come off as elitists. Bama, use your real name. Basement, nope. Haven’t spoken to my parents in years. What’s your story, Bama. Please share. Since you can engage in insults and not debate on issues why don’t you tell us why you are so angry. It’s not just Rachel and I you attack in the comments. You seem to feel empowered by lashing out at others.
Port, I was extremely civil towards you. I thought you’re comments were well-written. I leave it like that and wish you well.
May 3rd, 2006 at 6:45 pm
(P)Hussey your long-winded responses aren’t even worth the responses anymore. What makes you think Rachel wants to align with you anyway? What makes you think ANYBODY … aw screw it. Gotta get back to my normal, happy life now.
May 3rd, 2006 at 6:45 pm
I’m very upset.
You people posted all these commetns under Tommy’s post and NOT MINE!!! I write a story on the same topic, the same day as Tommy’s and he is at 28% popularity right now while my post is at a stinkin’ 18%!!! BTW- this snarky comment thing is off-putting to some people (ok maybe just me)
May 3rd, 2006 at 9:19 pm
(P)Hussey your long-winded responses aren’t even worth the responses anymore.
Bama, you responded. That’s funny. Stop bullying people and they take you seriously. You can’t debate people without name-calling. The only way I’m allign with Rachel is that you seem to dislike the both of us. Rachel doesn’t have to support my views. If she wants to diaagree with me then she’s more then entitled to.
Facts: I told Tommy he can delink me anytime he pleases. I also offered to get him a sponsor for Blogads. Which I did. I won’t even add the link to my site in comments. I> DON’T. NEED. TO. GAIN. READERSHIP. BY. DISAGREEMENTS. WITH. STICKS.
If you people feel threatened by what I have to say then you need to look at your own insecurities.
May 4th, 2006 at 8:35 am
To address Hussey’s original point: I did not intend to equate parody sites to a predator. My only point is that just because someone is using a real name - or a real-sounding name, does not mean it is their true identity.
I thank Port Tampa for clarifying. How hard would it be to take one of these parody sites, and make it believable? Not hard at all…
May 4th, 2006 at 10:21 am
For the record, I like Rachel, always have. I only poked a little fun once and someone else took it wrong. Michael Who’s-He is like a parody of Bill O’Reilly, and without sounding too much like a grade-schooler, he started it! (See No. 2.)
May 4th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
Yawn. Next.
May 9th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Hey Ronda, Censor this event!
http://www.brandonpride.com
May 15th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
More Pushing Rope Controversy…
A post I wrote at Pushing Rope seems to be pissing a lot of people off. The post is currently linked on the …
June 30th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
[...] She’s also finally gotten her very own campaign website: RondaStorms.com. At least I think this one is truly hers. I’m pretty sure these didn’t have the “paid for by blah blah blah” that you sometimes see. Then again, you never know these days. [...]