I think I’m wearing a nice shirt. I think I look good. I walk into the room and realize I’m about 20 years too old and 20 minutes too late – the meeting had started long before I arrived. Oh hello…?
Foto from smojoe.com
Back in May, I was invited to an informal meeting of “Toronto’s Top Bloggers” as defined by Rob Campbell, a kinetic social media guru who, when he walks into a room, sweeps you up into his schemes with his charm and charisma, like a Canadian Steve Jobs without the temper. I looked around the room at the top bloggers and recognized …no one. We all took turns to speak about our sites, our styles and our future plans/desires when it came to blogging. As we spoke, a camera was focused on us as we addressed the group. Whoosh, the halogen light poured over me as the one-eyed monster drunk me in. I said:
“I’m Ted Healey, I run Deadrobot.com and I’m the resident queer.”
“Holy shit dude!” exclaims Raymi, from Raymi the Minx, as only Raymi could. If you’ve ever met her in person, you’d get that last statement.
We discuss creating a powerhouse of networked blogs that will become a marketing force using referrals through links and trackbacks. We also discuss Lenzr, which, as you know, I still write for from time to time. The camera gets shut off and we’re free to mingle up on the patio for pictures and individual video interviews. It was here that I got to meet the other bloggers.
And walked away feeling like I just auditioned for a reality TV show.
And didn’t get in.
Each person I spoke to asked me politely about my blog and then waited for me to ask about theirs. Which I didn’t. Because I didn’t know any of their sites and didn’t want to come off as an ignorant dolt. Blame me for not researching before I snapped up the free drinks.
Awkward.
In hindsight, the lot of us in a reality TV show would have made a more entertaining show than that crappy Lofters drivel. Picture it: The show would be great if they had stuck us into a house and given us cams and access to our blogs, we could slag each other off in the name of celebrity and let the public choose who wrote the better slaggin’ combined with our on-air personalities. Immunity could be achieved if we could hack into the back end of each others site and upload embarrassing video. Or eat worms live on TV. Or wear ladies underwear.
I digress (call me, MTVCanada!)…
Yesterday I learned that the three biggest personalities in the room (read: the ones who did the most talking) have joined together to fully brand themselves as Toronto Blog Stars (TBS), and has gone so far as to get themselves an agent. I learned this through a slightly smarmy yadda yadda yadda article over on Torontoist where they review the TBS event on how to be a big deal online. Newsflash: the only way you will become a celebrity through blogging is by becoming a superstar. Read: You gotta believe! Surprised? Me either.
The article is a good read yet go to the comments. The raging debate over “brand”, “celebrity” and “ego” is fascinating. Two of the TBS show up to defend themselves from the douchebaggery that they’ve slightly been painted as. I say slightly because the author of the article didn’t enjoy the fact that the TBS’ online egos didn’t translate well in Meatspace, yet agreed with their premise (cause?) regardless.
Best comment (if you want to skip it all):
Corina Newby
Other than overstating the obvious a tad, this article/comment thread beautifully demonstrates the blogger ego.
I sit here currently struggling to end this post: my ego (“Why wasn’t I asked?! I want to be known!” Yells my inner brat) and my relief (“Holy shit, I’m glad I don’t have to face a review where I look slightly douchey” comments my inner Marketing Manager) are conflicting each other right now.
So I’ll just…
15 thoughts on “Toronto’s Top Bloggers”
There were ever paid posts?
yep, I totally, totally hear you. 100%. Especially with the blogs that don’t even really have any content besides talking about how good they are at social media and marketing.
And I know that some of these “top bloggers” are also struggling with how they’re marketing themselves right now.. it’s a tough place to be in.
I’d like to be able to keep writing a diary like I have since diaryland 2k1 and keep taking random photos of whatever and then have people magically find my diary and like it and read it and pass it on and be all my best friends.
Now if only there were a way to market that…
Thanks meredith! I do remember you from the meeting – you were the nice one! Ha!
I realize that I’m whinging about this whole thing while at the same time, a few days ago I bitched about not being nominated for a 2010 CWA award. So I’m not immune to what they’re actually chasing after. In my case, however, I want it to happen organically and not display myself out to the internet with some cringeworthy sales talk.
I think they’re going about representation of themselves “in meatspace” all wrong. Creating and Selling “How to…” internet seminars is a bit like infomercials: Something to be watched once and then ridiculed on YouTube. I digress. Call it hubris but I think they labeled themselves a bit too strong.
I’ve decided that I’m not going to do any more “paid posts” in light of some soul searching in the last couple days. I’m not going to delete the posts but I’m not going to participate in any more link farming. I want to keep my blog ad free and *my own content*.
I really like your blog, jfyi.
And the whole “top blogger” business is super strange to me. Not to mention the drama that comes along with that scene, which I have mostly avoided.. And I also felt awkward at that meeting last year even though I knew a couple of the others. I do understand why they’re trying to market themselves better. If you have the readership for marketing then you should be paid for the marketing, I think.
It’s trying to figure out how to do it that’s the problem..
Your purpose in writing this blog? It’s to entertain me, of course.
Seriously? A coolkidclub for bloggers?
Just read the article and noticed that it was in May 2009 – but you are still head over heels the uber-geek compared to these children
Too old and too hairy to play with the rest of the children… Whatever!! as the youth say – not to mention that who-ever took the photo doesn’t know how to change the date on their camera so they aren’t nearly as uber-geeky as you dear.
It’s like the Oscars… it’s just an honour to be invited. Or something.
Hell, nobody invites ME anywhere.
Ted! Pearls before swine, dude! Do your own thing here for those who love it and forget the CBC-ification/self-deification of the bloginni set.
toronto blog stars? seriously?!
how will they look with harpoons stuck through their soft little skulls?
Get back to bed, sick boy!
I’m just happy to have my daily 100 or so readers… and keep swimming.
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Thanks Jim. I remember Cool Site of the Day. I miss animated GIFs.
A running theme in my head lately is “What the fuck am I doing with this blog?” With the influence of Facebook and Twitter I feel like owning an actual blog is like wearing flares and fringes. So passe!
When I see stories where people actually make money, gain celebrity or in this case, gain negative celebrity, I get kind of needy, myself.
I blurt out my feelings and then I’m better. Thanks for reading.
Wow. What a bunch of douches. Ted, be glad they didn’t let you into their Web Ring. Are they also claiming they’re in the top 5% of internet sites and they’ve been listed as The Cool Site Of The Day?
“I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”
–Groucho Marx
Fucking douches. You’re better than that, Ted.