I never liked getting picked on for being a nerd in Junior High through High School, and nor do I like now, fortunatly, I get paid to be a geek now. 😉
I do enjoy watching a reporter named KTLA’s Eric Spillman, getting called a “Jackass” and his journalistic credibility being questioned after taunting technology lovers on the street by asking them “If they’ve ever seen a naked woman”. Although Eric received an Associated Press Television-Radio Award for “Best Live News Coverage, he clearly has failed the following interview:
What’s interesting to see is that this video (now on Digg) above is now climbing the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for Eric Spillman’s name as well as many blogs citing his name. There’s actually an upside for Eric on this he could use this to gain even more attention from the internet if he plays his cards right, but there is a lesson to be learned. While picking on nerds will always pander to one’s short term ego, it doesn’t pay off in the long term.
Update: Eric has issued an apology, “Mea Culpa, YouTube Viewers” does it seem authentic? He should be apologizing not just to YouTube viewers but the technology audience in general, betta watch out or Steve Jobs will put the hurt on ya! (link via Ryan Ozawa)
Dave L is right…Triumph was the first thing I thought of. But the difference is that Triumph and the Star Wars ‘nerds’ was like a comedic roasting at a party; everyone was laughing, especially the people laughing at themselves. This was just an unfunny guy trying to steal a bit at the wrong place and the wrong time with the wrong guy.
But it doesn’t matter if the guy is funny or not. It’s free publicity. No one’s going to stop watching this show because of an inocuous attempt at bad humor. But maybe some more people will tune in hoping to see him bungle another joke live on the air. And in the end, it doesn’t matter why people are watching, only that they are.
My immediate thought was that this was like Comcast and the sleeping technician….but i can’t really think of a good parallel example of someone screwing up, getting swept up in groundswell, not making the situation right, and still benefitting from it in the end. Know what I mean?
a smart answer by the geek would’ve been: “yes, your wife!”.
A better story, I think, is the guy who stood up to him and didn’t allow himself to be bullied. I love that he called Spillman out on his inappropriate behavior. Where is he? We need to give him kudos.
pretty funny that this is from a TV affiliate in the same town where people line up for days prior to an event in order to see vapid celebrities. At least an iPhone serves a function. Makes the reporter/station seem more out of touch than anything, that they’d still be hung up on the tired cliche about geeks & gadgets. I’d guess the majority of REAL journalists are using smart phone themselves.
WOW! I have never read so many responses from uptight people. Can’t anyone joke around anymore? Does everything have to be so “politically correct” that humor is no longer allowed? Get a grip, live life happy… humor is the best medicine! I am a computer tech and I thought it was great… who wants to hear, “Because the iphone is great!” from every person in line? Eric is also a self admitted geek, so what is your problem with him… the news team was just having fun.
I understand, but are you implying that watching people stand in line for a phone (no matter how wonderful the phone is) should be a news story, let alone a credible news story 😉
Yes, it is. I was also shocked. Just cannot believe the amount of coverage it has received!