Like an Eskimo needs a Frigidaire
One more and I’m outta here:
Drudge is running this headline, with no link.
HUFFINGTON SET TO LAUNCH SUPER-SITE OF CELEB OPINION… DEVELOPING…
Hee hee hee…Venture Capitalists, take heed! All the credibility of blogs, combined with all the penetrating insight and analysis of celebrities! Where else can you log on and catch the sort of finely crafted writing that made Ashlee Simpson famous? Tune in to see what Martin Sheen and Babs Streisand say about indexing capital gains. Guest blogger Dr. Dre will bring the truth–tonight only!
UPDATE! before Patterico’s cane settles around my neck to yank me from my virtual stage…The article Drudge hinted at is now up at the New York Times. As suspected, mostly lefties, though slightly more newsy than showbiz, seen as a direct challenge to Drudgemony:
Having prominent people join the blogosphere, Ms. Huffington said in an interview, “is an affirmation of its success and will only enrich and strengthen its impact on the national conversation.” Among those signed up to contribute are Walter Cronkite, David Mamet, Nora Ephron, Warren Beatty, James Fallows, Vernon E. Jordan Jr., Maggie Gyllenhaal, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., Diane Keaton, Norman Mailer and Mortimer B. Zuckerman.
David Frum and Tony Blankley will chip in from the right.
They acknowledge up front that fragile celebrity egos may be bruised by the brutal frankness of the blogosphere:
Another trick will be balancing the bloggers’ ability to put forth their ideas with their desire for protection from abusive comments. Jonah Peretti, who is overseeing the site’s technology, said the bloggers would decide for themselves whether to engage with readers. “It’s something we’ll experiment with,” he said. “We want to make sure there’s a productive, interesting dialogue and not just people ranting.”
No ranting. These celebloggers are much too important to have commenters ranting at them, wasting their precious time. No one challenges them all the doo-dah day as they spout their goofy aphorisms to squadrons of doe-eyed yes-men and sycophants. Why should their blogging be any different?
I think this site, the ‘Huffington Post”, will be the Air America of the blog world, in more ways than one. This has train wreck written all over it. For one thing, I have absolutely no reason to expect Warren Beatty is capable of producing more compelling online content than, say, Oliver Willis. And as for star power, I think it wears pretty thin in this medium. Look, right now you’re reading a pseudonymous guest blogger on a pseudonymous blog instead of Barbara Streisand’s site. It’s not because I can sing better.
But I for one am thrilled to see this catastrophe looming. As commenter Buckley F. Williams observed below about John Bolton’s latest gossamer-winged accuser, “It’s stuff like this that threatens to render all conservative satirists without jobs.” Well, take heart, Buckley! To arms, Frank J.! Come back, AllahPundit! Scrappleface, gird your loins! Ace, hoist the black flag! Your talents are needed now more than ever!
See-Dubya, over and out.
Now there’s a blog that really could be run on full automation with an internet insult generator with the daily news as source material. Perhaps running one ‘commentator’ through a swedish-cheferizer, and another though through babelfish.
Al (00c56b) — 4/24/2005 @ 5:03 pmI am sure this will be about as exciting as watching the 3 Stooges snore!!! (Sorry Moe, Larry & Curly)
DD (fed494) — 4/24/2005 @ 5:42 pmMaybe she will give Susan Estrich a place to write?
Or will Kinsley be writing there too?
Flap (bef92f) — 4/24/2005 @ 6:29 pmWhat are they going to call it? “Airheadblog”?
Kevin Murphy (6a7945) — 4/24/2005 @ 7:24 pmShut up and sing
The Unalienable Right (7a057a) — 4/24/2005 @ 7:41 pmPatterico comments on a report (via Drudge) that Arianna Huffington (former conservative activist and writer, now Michael Moore with a funny accent) is going to start a website where various celebrities can have another opportunity to share with us the…
I’m on pins and needles.
mikem (fd2aad) — 4/24/2005 @ 8:09 pmSo this is the latest incarnation of “Air America” ?
Neo (7136ee) — 4/24/2005 @ 9:37 pmNo, _Hair_ America.
Al (00c56b) — 4/24/2005 @ 10:40 pmThe Governor’s debate between Arnold and Ariana, each with their own strange accent, and with Bustamante with his conspicuously un-Mexican accent, has got to be one of the most bizzare debates ever. And after that debate Bustamante gave an interview promising unlimited untaxed gambling at Indian Casinos.
Embrace the joy you get being a Californian.
Ladainian (91b3b2) — 4/24/2005 @ 10:42 pmMeMeMeMePundit.com Set To Kick Off Soon
The Nose On Your Face (af7df9) — 4/25/2005 @ 4:25 amIn what many are calling a clear attempt to piggyback in on the success of Air America talk radio, Arianna Huffington has recently begun soliciting celebrity contributors to participate in a new on-line venture. Ms. Huffington has already signed up
Venting is supposed to be good therapy, and I look forward to seeing all celebrities get this healthy outlet.
I’m really worried, however, about the potential targeted audience. Instead of surreptitiously reading checkout line magazine headlines, these newer voyeurs will have a chance at joyful communion in the privacy of their homes. Imagine the dinner table conversation , if any, to ensue.
Pity the children.
Ruth (106b5b) — 4/25/2005 @ 5:50 am“The Huffington Post”??? More like “Huffery and Puffery” to me.
Omnibus Driver (d4af9f) — 4/25/2005 @ 2:41 pm