This was like if Mitt Romney did an AMA: it came across as robotic and represented an inability to connect with people when it should have been insanely easy to do so.

RELATED: Stephen Colbert Discusses His Interview Process And Famed Bush Roast In Out Of Character Reddit Interview

But there’s something else at work here: a general misunderstanding of the internet from those whose productions are still reliant on visual media. We are more than a decade into a new millennium, and it seems like the Hollywood crowd still doesn’t understand how to successfully market in the digital age. This is not a universality, of course. There are some more adept at marketing on digital media than others. But the failure of Rampart‘s PR people to effectively market the movie online is clearly symptomatic of a general misunderstanding of how the internet works.

“AMA” stands for “Ask Me Anything.” Some people have the option of going for an “AMAA,” which means “Ask Me Almost Anything.” That second one tells you right off the bat there are certain questions the subject will just not answer, no matter what. But when you agree to having a celebrity come on a forum to answer questions, you should have some idea of what the forum is about. The most cringeworthy aspect of the Harrelson AMA was the disjointed sentences in the replies. Here are pieces of the responses throughout the session to illustrate the point.

well there was a lot of …the great thing about working with Oren is …he gives you an incredible playground. And all the tools… great direction, wonderful words to say…and inside of that he says “go play.”

Especially Brie, who initially that part was much smaller, just by virtue of her…the power of her personality

also you just feel completely safe and protected…Oren, he just won’t let you fail

When people speak, they tend to switch thoughts mid-sentence. Who does that when typing things out? Did they think this would make Harrelson sound more authentic? I read excerpts aloud and realized this is the kind of drivel you could probably hear verbatim if the movie was being plugged on an entertainment news program or late night talk show.

The problem is, the internet is a completely different platform from television. TV is all about creating moments to captivate audiences. Shows branded as “reality television” are perhaps the least realistic programs on the air right now. On the internet, everything happens in real time, and when you appear in a forum like Reddit, you need to come across as authentic and unscripted. The distance of television means politicians and public figures can get away with saying all sorts of nonsense without anyone being able to call them out on it effectively, with the occasional exception. The internet does not give you the same luxury. You need to be willing to speak off the cuff and have your facts on hand, because fact-checking through crowdsourcing is now more common than ever.

As any persuasive writer will tell you, the best arguments are the ones tailor-made to each specific audience. When you’re on Letterman, you crack a few jokes, recite the lines that the studio fed you to plug your project, and that’s it. When you’re interviewed by The New York Times, you speak more intellectually about the acting process and the themes addressed in the movie. And when you’re doing an AMA on Reddit, you drop the act and engage with real people. Some will be fans, some won’t, but if you’re just honest and it doesn’t seem like your answers have been planned out, people will respect you for it.

Of course, this isn’t really about Hollywood or Woody Harrelson or Reddit. It’s about presenting yourself as authentically as possible, because with the high level of skepticism you find on the internet these days, there is a lower tolerance for bullshit or hearing someone’s talking points.

Hollywood is in the business of creating moments, so allowing one to just pop up organically is unheard of. (This also applies to Washington.) That’s why insiders completely misunderstood how SOPA got shelved in the first place. TechDirt’s Mike Masnick explains:

I was amazed at how many people from the legacy music business believe, 100%, that the reason SOPA/PIPA were stopped was because Google stepped up its lobbying efforts. I can’t even begin to count how many conversations I had with people trying to explain to them that Google only played a small role in what happened, really jumping on the bandwagon pretty late in the game. It was a widespread group of internet users who spoke up, and that really has changed the equation. And Hollywood still can’t seem to wrap its mind around that.

RELATED: Defending Gervais: Why Every Awards Show Should Now Hire The Caustic Host

Mesnick adds that Hollywood might be in this state of reactive shock because it’s worried that it “no longer drives pop culture.” And for the most part, that’s true. But the reason people prefer comedians like Ricky Gervais to host award shows is because they’re no longer amused by industry toadies just getting up there, smiling awkwardly for the camera, and pretending the whole thing isn’t about Hollywood pleasuring itself. They want someone more raw and honest who’s willing to bite the hand that feeds them. We are slowly beginning to fade away from an era where we’re perfectly content to see such blatant fakery on television. People are more cynical about the media than ever, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

I’m not talking about pure honesty here. That’s a separate issue. But this is the 21st century. People need to learn how to engage with people without the aid of agents or communications directors. In the past few months, candidates for political office have done AMAs on Reddit that worked out very well, because they were willing to answer unconventional questions and drop certain formalities to fit in with the format.

RELATED: Soledad O’Brien Grills Reddit Founder On The Site’s SOPA-Inspired Shut Down

Things began to unravel from the get-go, the very first question asked was about a one-night stand:

I swear this is a true story. I went to a high school in LA and you crashed our prom after party (Universal Hilton). You ended up taking the virginity of a girl named Roseanna. You didn’t call her afterwards. She cried a lot. Do you remember any of this and can confirm or have you been so knee deep in hollywood pooty for so long that this qualifies as a mere blip? (…)

This awkward exchange set the stage for what possibly could be the worst AMA in the history of Reddit.

How bad was it? A sample:




In response to Harrelson’s incomprehensible answer, a user replied with a link that went to this .gif from The Truman Show:

A moderator at AMA tried to explain how something that seemed so right could go so wrong.

“We knew that he wouldn’t have much time to do an iama and I believe that he didn’t quite know what an AMA entitled. He probably thought that it is somewhat like a talk show where you get to plug your movie/book and receive questions about it. It hasn’t been removed, he just isn’t answering more and we are talking to his PR rep.”

A disgruntled user summed up how bad the experience was:

Mr. Harrelson/Mr. Harrelson’s PR agents:

You answered a total of 4 questions here today, and when I say “answered”, I mean that loosely. You have also embarassed Mr. Harrelson in the process. Please inform the rest of Hollywood that Reddit is not a publicity outlet and that Reddittors don’t tolerate this kind of crap.

edit: okay the final count for questions answered is 15 – it was 4 when i originally posted. if you want to read all of his half-assed comments, click on his account name.

Read the original thread here. Redditor jaggazz compiled all of the questions Harrelson “answered” below:

[1] The virgin question
[2] Most difficult role?
[3] What role are you glad you didn’t get?
[4] Vegan question
[5] Did you know about reddit before?
[6] His time is valuable, this is about Rampart
[7] Props for Larry Flynt
[8] Another vegan question
[9] What movie was most fun? Apparently he doesn’t have fun.
[10] Best role? Rampart…
[11] Best improvisation? Blah blah Oren…
[12] Studio plant asking abut Rampart
[13] Does acting take over your life?
[14] What do you do in your free time?
[15] Does acting take over your life? (addendum)

Brennan asked the internet entrepreneur why the blackout was still happening, despite Congress not pushing forward as hard as they were.

RELATED: Soledad O’Brien Grills Reddit Founder On The Site’s SOPA-Inspired Shut Down

“I was supposed to testify down in DC today with a bunch of geeks, explaining why SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) as written was a terrible piece of legislation. Fortunately, the backlash has been so strong, so loud from the tech community, from the investor community, from Americans, that they backed off. The PROTECT IP Act (Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act) is still on the table, and we are across the country hosting protests. These are probably the geekiest protests ever — of tech workers, job creators going to our Senator’s offices, and actually right after this I’m going to head up to Shumer and Gillbrand’s offices in the city, and I have some sympathy cards for them mourning the loss of the Internet should they continue to sponsor and support these bills.”

“Just a little bit of background,” Brennan said. “This is Silicon Valley and Hollywood at war with each other here,” Brennan observed. “You’ve got groups like the MPAA head Chris Dodd out there saying that this blackout is a gimmick, a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protect American jobs from foreign criminals.” They are saying, ‘hey, we produce content, that they want to protect it and not lose money in the process.’”

“As a copyright holder myself, I also want to be protected, but these bills were written by lobbyists, not technologists,” Brennan countered. “$94 million dollars from Hollywood went into Washington last year, and it is frustrating in a time when we cannot get Representatives and Senators to agree on anything important, like the deficit or unemployment but someone shows up with $94 million and we have Democrats and Republicans lining up to co- sponsor the bill? That just seems wrong. I really want to start from scratch with technological experts at the table, not wiping out such an important part of the US economy.”

Watch Brennan’s interview with Ohanian via Bloomberg:

“Both SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) are threats not just to the U.S. economy and not just all the jobs that this tech sector creates. If they had existed, Steve Huffman and I could have never started Reddit. It’s frustrating to see legislation that was written by lobbyists and not technologists perhaps become law.”

RELATED: Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales Trashes SOPA On OutFront

O’Brien grilled Ohanian, asking why Reddit wasn’t being part of the conversation on the legislation being crafted.

“There are some people saying by going black — it’s a gimmick,” O’Brien explained. “Come on morning shows, talk about it. Reddit could be part of the conversation and Google could be part of the conversation — because it sounds to me like all sides think piracy is a bad thing. There’s no one arguing piracy is a good thing.”

“Agreed,” Ohanian responded. “I just wish we had been called to the table when this legislation was written. If you look — last year, $94 million was spent lobbying to get this bill — to get these bills made. It’s just so frustrating because we look at Congress and we can’t see them do anything that’s important. They can’t solve the problems of unemployment, they can’t solve the problems of the deficit. Yet as soon as a lobbyist shows up with $94 million, Democrats and Republicans line up to co-sponsor it. Something is wrong.”

Watch Ohanian condemn SOPA and PIPA, and explain why Reddit shut down to protest the bills below, via CNN:

According to ABC News, Reddit users debated which politicians should be targeted in the 2012 election over their support for the legislation. One proposal was South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (who is not up for reelection next year), another was Tennessee Senator Bob Corker. But Ryan has emerged as one of the top targets of anti-SOPA activists, even after issuing a statement denying his support of the bill.

RELATED: I Can’t Haz SOPA? GoDaddy.com Withdraws Support Of Online Piracy Bill After Threats Of Boycott

Ryan had not made any previous public statements supporting or opposing the legislation, but after he was linked to supporters of the bill, his spokesperson explained that Ryan had not made up his mind on the bill, but as of yet, he does not support it.

“He remains committed advancing policies which protect free speech and foster innovation online and will continue to follow the House Judiciary Committee’s deliberations on this issue carefully.”

However, this has not stopped Reddit users from launching Operation Pull Ryan. The group’s website acknowledges that while Ryan has not committed to supporting the bill yet, “his efforts to remain neutral about the caustic piece of legislation are extremely discouraging.”

Ryan is also criticized for his support of the National Defense Authorization Act that was passed overwhelmingly by both houses of Congress several weeks ago. And in an effort to mobilize a strong opposition to Ryan, the movement has now put itself firmly behind Ryan’s opponent, Rob Zerban.

Zerban participated in an AMA session on Reddit where he took questions from users, and made it clear that he opposes the SOPA bill. This is Zerban’s first political campaign, but since participating in the AMA session, he claims to have raised over $15,000 and posted again on the website to thank users for helping him surpass his own fundraising goal.

RELATED: Path To Prosperity: Paul Ryan Is Having A Media Moment Over Bold Budget Proposal

Ryan has been marked as one of the more vulnerable members of Congress in the 2012 election cycle, but Zerban still has a long way to go to achieve the kind of money and face recognition required to win a high-profile congressional race.

Fortunately, a family member captured the exchange on video, and wisely thought to publish it to YouTube under the title “Ron Paul Xmas Gift Makes Republican Girl Cry .” Watch and see the video below:

**The video/and picture have been removed at the request of the participants in the video**

Considering how controversial the bill has now become, a backlash has begun against the 400+ companies publicly in favor of SOPA with calls for widespread boycotts. GoDaddy was the internet’s latest target, and thousands of Reddit users supported a “move your domain day” on December 29 for anyone who has a domain registered on GoDaddy to its competitors. Initially GoDaddy wasn’t paying too much attention to the threats, issuing this public statement:

“Go Daddy has received some emails that appear to stem from the boycott prompt, but we have not seen any impact to our business. We understand there are many differing opinions on the SOPA regulations.”

It’s generally not a good idea to take a large stick and start hitting a beehive, but you could say that’s exactly what GoDaddy did when they issued that statement. People started getting even angrier with GoDaddy. Of course, the increased calls for boycotts and domain changes was due in part to what Ben Huh had to say. Huh runs a successful web business, but does not support SOPA. He tweeted that he would take his business somewhere else if GoDaddy didn’t immediately drop its support of the legislation.

This leads us to one very important question: who is Ben Huh? Well, he happens to be the CEO of the Cheezburger Network. The network includes popular sites like FAILblog, The Daily What, and Know Your Meme.

But the tipping point may have been a tweet earlier today by Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia. Wales proudly announced that Wikipedia would “move away from GoDaddy” because the public position they have taken on SOPA is “unacceptable to us.”

It’s unclear exactly what changed their minds or got them to buckle under the public relations pressure, but earlier today, not 24 hours after standing by their support of SOPA, GoDaddy.com officially withdrew its support in yet another public statement.

Go Daddy is no longer supporting SOPA, the “Stop Online Piracy Act” currently working its way through U.S. Congress.

“Fighting online piracy is of the utmost importance, which is why Go Daddy has been working to help craft revisions to this legislation – but we can clearly do better,” Warren Adelman, Go Daddy’s newly appointed CEO, said. “It’s very important that all Internet stakeholders work together on this. Getting it right is worth the wait. Go Daddy will support it when and if the Internet community supports it.”

To translate what he’s saying into English:

“We’ve decided on taking a neutral stance on this issue since we really don’t want to lose all this business so pretty please don’t be mad at us anymore.”

Many SOPA opponents felt victorious today, but others are still insisting the boycott take place. One recent Reddit post is titled “It sounds obvious, but; GoDaddy’s SOPA flip-flop is a PR stunt to try to stop losing money. They haven’t changed, keep boycotting, please!”

Heres is the official description from the YouTube video:

“2004: Aransas County Court-At-Law Judge William Adams took a belt to his own teenage daughter as punishment for using the internet to acquire music and games that were unavailable for legal purchase at the time. She has had ataxic cerebral palsy from birth that led her to a passion for technology, which was strictly forbidden by her father’s backwards views. The judge’s wife was emotionally abused herself and was severely manipulated into assisting the beating and should not be blamed for any content in this video. The judge’s wife has since left the marriage due to the abuse, which continues to this day, and has sincerely apologized and repented for her part and for allowing such a thing, long before this video was even revealed to exist. Judge William Adams is not fit to be anywhere near the law system if he can’t even exercise fit judgement as a parent himself. Do not allow this man to ever be re-elected again. His “judgement” is a giant farce. Signed, Hillary Adams, his daughter.”

The video was first uploaded a few days ago. While there has been no official word that that description is accurate and that the man in question is really Adams, other videos from the same YouTube user do appear to show the same girl and, after Gawker posted the video last night, a friend of the daughter wrote in to say that the man in the video certainly looks and sounds like Adams.

On Reddit, a site whose users have previously worked together to identify animal abusers found in viral videos, the most upvoted comments give instructions on how to contact local authorities. The following comments are descriptions of phone conversations with police and welfare officers in Texas.

I just called and got off the line with Kaitlyn (ID number 1338) and she was very helpful. I gave her the full name of the video, read the description of it to her, and told her they would probably be getting alot of calls about it. She seemsed VERY interested about it and was incredibly helpful I would 100% recommend calling that number, let them all know about this! She said she would be passing it along to CPS and since the descrption says “the abuse continues to this day” that they will be looking into it asap. And that all your calls do help!

NOTE: Searching youtube for the video, even by the exact name doesnt return anything at this moment, but searching google for the exact name turns it up as the first result so LET THEM KNOW THAT, so if they go to search youtube right now and can’t find it, they will know why! I let Kaitlyn know that and you should let whoever you call know too!

The video is absolutely horrifying and, now that sites like Reddit have taken it up as a sort of cause celebre, expect this story to become very big in the days ahead.

UPDATE: Both Adams and his daughter have spoken to news outlets today as a police investigation has opened. You can read the full update here.

You can watch the video below but, WARNING, it is incredibly disturbing.

It all started when Erwin, a two-time Jeopardy champion from Iowa, posted this, the first part of a book:

“DAY 1 The 35th MEU is on the ground at Kabul, preparing to deploy to southern Afghanistan. Suddenly, it vanishes.
The section of Bagram where the 35th was gathered suddenly reappears in a field outside Rome, on the west bank of the Tiber River. Without substantially prepared ground under it, the concrete begins sinking into the marshy ground and cracking. Colonel Miles Nelson orders his men to regroup near the vehicle depot – nearly all of the MEU’s vehicles are still stripped for air transport. He orders all helicopters airborne, believing the MEU is trapped in an earthquake.
Nelson’s men soon report a complete loss of all communications, including GPS and satellite radio. Nelson now believes something more terrible has occurred – a nuclear war and EMP which has left his unit completely isolated. Only a few men have realized that the rest of Bagram has vanished, but that will soon become apparent as the transport helos begin circling the 35th’s location.
Within an hour, the 2,200 Marines have regrouped, stunned. They are not the only moderns transported to Rome. With them are about 150 Air Force maintenance and repair specialists. There are about 60 Afghan Army soldiers, mostly the MEU’s interpreters and liaisons. There are also 15 U.S. civilian contractors and one man, Frank Delacroix, who has spoken to no one but Colonel Nelson.
Miraculously, no one was killed during the earthquake but several dozen people were injured, some seriously. All fixed-wing aircraft and the attack helicopters were rendered inoperable by the shifting concrete, although the MEU did not lose a single vehicle or transport helicopter.
As night falls, the MEU has established a perimeter. A few locals have been spotted, but in the chaos no one has yet established contact. Nelson and his men, who are crippled without mapping software and GPS to fix their position, begin attempting to fix their location by observing stars. The night is cloudy. Nelson orders four helicopters back into the air at first light, to travel along the river in hopes of locating a settlement.”

For the next few week, Erwin wrote a little more each day. Redditors quickly fell in love with the story, so much so that they created a whole Subreddit (one of the many individual boards that Reddit uses to categorize posts) for him to encourage him to continue. And continue he did. Fans got to watch in real time as the story was crafted before their own eyes, seeing Erwin fix elements he’d changed his mind about and use the site to ask actual Marines for help with details.

And now the story, entitled Rome Sweet Rome, will become an actual movie. The whole thing’s pretty crazy.

Really though, I think we’re all just hoping some movie execs hit up the Mediaite comments section. Obviously Commie Fascist: All You A**holes Are Wrong would make an excellent summer blockbuster.

UPDATE: It turns out that are some movies based on the Mediaite comments section. Check them out here.

“Somebody somewhere is looking at sexually suggestive photos of your teenage child and you might be just as surprised to learn where these pervy grownups find the images. They’re posted on a site that’s part of one of the most respected publishing empires on Earth. We’re talking about a site called Reddit.” Cooper noted that the site has grown big enough to become its own division, side by side with Conde Nast, but still the same corporate parent.

Cooper called the posting of these photos creepy, and was curious why nothing was being done to protect the privacy of the subjects in the images.

“Reddit is uninterested in stopping them, even though it boasts on the corporate blog the good it is doing for the world,” he said.

Cooper asked CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin if the “jailbait” section of Reddit was legal. “I didn’t see anything illegal,” Toobin said. “Is it in good taste? Is it appropriate for this or any company to be involved? That’s a very different question…but it could result in a civil lawsuit, and obviously was not in good taste.”

Sunny Hostin, legal contributor on truTV, disagreed with Toobin’s legal assessment. “I think it’s borderline kiddie porn. It’s very close to the line and the bottom line is that the First Amendment doesn’t protect child porn. So, they are really straddling that line. Also, even if they aren’t, don’t we want them to be good corporate citizens? What happened to decency? What happened to corporations doing the right thing? Why would you have a website that sexualizes young girls? I looked at a lot of the pictures and i thought they were very, very close to the child porn line.”

“Something has to be done about it,” Hostin added.

The segment created an uproar among many users of the Reddit community.

Nightbane wrote, “Anderson Cooper has just tainted us all.”

“Anderson Cooper discovers the internet is not all roses…” NinjaDiscoJesus lamented.

Khiva thought Cooper had a point. “Jailbait has been a creepy embarrassment for some time, though it’s an open question as to what (if anything) should be done about it. At a certain point in a site’s growth it’s going to have to choose between chaotic, free-form openness (a la 4chan) and all of the detritus that attracts (a la 4chan) or shed its nastier excesses for mainstream acceptability.”

Watch the segment below, courtesy of CNN:

Last night, a Redditor posted a picture under the headline “The TMZ photo of Steve jobs is fake here is proof…” In the picture, he or she attempts to prove that the picture has been photoshopped.

While the Reddit post shot up through the popular site, the growing consensus in the comments seems to be, while the picture may be fake, the “proof” given here isn’t persuasive.

While this could just be a silly online debate, these are accusations with some serious implications. One of the reasons for the secrecy surrounding Jobs’ health has always been that it affects Apples’ stocks. In fact, just after Jobs resigned, Apple shares dropped 5%. If the picture, which is credited to Pacific Coast News, could have affected a lot of money. And that’s not even counting the money TMZ paid for it.

All of this could, of course, be moot. Whether or not the picture is fake, Jobs is, unfortunately, very sick. As he said in his resignation letter, the day “when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO” had come.

Hopefully though this man who is such a hero to so many will be able to stay with us for a long time to come.

(h/t Gawker)

First the 1-minute video of the unabashed Katy Perry fan singing California Girls acapella (followed by the viral gold):

A debate suddenly starts on the comment section of this video (as many on the Internet are wont to opine on material) between those who find the kid in the video annoying or endearing. An an individual who claims to be familiar with the kid (and the NJ Transit bus route) in question, provides the following comment:

I live in jersey city and i’ve seen this kid on the bus as well when i went to high school and yes he is mentally disabled. he always sings on the bus. he may not be the best singer and he may be “retarded” as what you guys say but he sure is polite and will probably help you out more then any other assholes on the street.

The motivation behind the auto-tuned version isn’t clear, I like to imagine that “heavymetalpancakes” created the following version as a means to humanize and support the singer in question. Move over Numa Numa kid, we may have just found our latest New Jersey viral video star!

And now the hit you have been waiting to hear, soon to go to be mixed at your favorite earnestly ironic hipster bar or club:

Reddit users (“Redditors,” in their parlance) subsequently sought an audience with Lemon, who, this morning, logged in to the site to answer their questions. Some of the more interesting exchanges are below.

Question from MandMandMvac:
Is that your real name?

Yes. But my first news director asked me to change my name and I said no way, Don Lemon is easy to remember.

Question from jimmy_mc:
Hi Don, How does it feel to push one side of the news and include yourself in the heaps of political posturing, asinine controversy and other news reporters who clearly have no passion for the job? Do you feel as though your dying breed will survive? And what do you need to do to bring integrity to CNN?

I don’t want to give you the standard, ‘well we always have to remain objective blah, blah, blah.” Obviously I try to remain objective. But i’m also a human being. And I think it’s important to think and ask questions like a regular person and not a ‘journalist’. I don’t think i’m a dying breed. But i do have to say i think the bulk of passionate journalists are coming from alternative places today like social media and internet radio etc. They have a freedom of thought and transparency that many of us don’t in traditional media. I don’t think i need to bring integrity back to CNN. CNN never lost integrity. I just think CNN can be better at reaching people like Redditors. And that’s one reason i’m here. i’m ‘that guy’.

Question from prwlr:
It’s a twofer: Is it hard to separate personal political convictions from the objective persona most anchors put on? Is there a congressperson that is particularly intimidating when it comes to interviews? Thanks!

It’s not hard for me to separate it. I’m probably one of the most objective people you’ll meet. Also, I don’t associate with any political party so that makes it even easier. Politicians are politicians and politics are politics. That’s the story on that. To answer the 2nd part of your question, I’m not intimidated by anyone. The only person who came close to intimidating me was Stephen Colbert. I knew his character from tv, but when we started to really have a conversation I realized that he’s not the character and it kinda caught me off guard. I said to my self, I know the character but I really don’t know the man. So I had to readjust quickly.

Question from devils0508:
Do you feel that the media is too interested in presenting both sides of the story, and not enough in actually discerning the facts (perhaps due to fear of seeming unbiased)? For example, in the debt ceiling debate, one side was much more extremist/irrational/dangerous than the other, but I didn’t really see this highlighted in the mainstream media.

To the first part of your question- Yes. Though it may grab your attention like a car wreck, I don’t think people yelling at each other on tv is productive. Keeping people on target and to the facts encourages the viewer to do his or her own critical analysis. Arguing usually serves to promote or reinforce ideology or opinion. And that applies to the debt ceiling story currently in the headlines.

Question from phoenixfenix:
How much input do the anchors have in what news is presented? Could you write your own piece? Could you refuse to cover a story (for religious, political, or other reasons)? How far in advance do you know what you are presenting for the day?

The anchor input depends on the anchor and the show. I have a ton of input. I insist on it. Some producers don’t really like it but that’s too bad. At the end of the day it’s my face and reputation. I do write my own pieces. I can refuse to cover a story but that comes with the possibility of getting disciplined by the company I work for. I did question and refuse to cover a story when I worked in Chicago. I got a lot of flack for it. But it’s ok. It taught me a lesson, made me stronger and more savvy about how to refuse a story without management even knowing it. Sometimes I have days even weeks to research a story. Sometimes, like this weekend with the debt ceiling, you just go in the air and follow the breaking news, no teleprompter, no scripts, just a laptop and my producer in my ear.

When asked to elaborate on the story he responded:

Remember, local news reporters cover a different story every night, sometimes several. So, I don’t really remember the exact details of the story. And it’s not that I refused the story. There’s a long back story. But, there had been some discussion in the newsroom and community about unfair coverage in minority neighborhoods. Why the news outlets chose to cover crime stories in one neighborhood and not another. This was one of those stories. I brought up the issue with producers and rather than answer my questions they told me they were sending another reporter. I said ok and that was the end of that.

Question from dE3L:
when did you first feel like “hey i have a knack for this news reporting stuff”?

I’ve known since I was a kid, but I didn’t really know what to call it. My mom says I asked A LOT of questions to anyone who would listen. I’d even go over to other people’s tables at restaurants. Guess I was ‘born this way’ or at least born to be a journalist.

In response to another question:

I’ve always wanted to be a reporter. But it didn’t play out like I thought. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by my success but I thought I’d end up working for NBC for the rest of my life. When I was younger my goal was to anchor the today show. But as I matured that changed a bit and I ended up in a better place, at CNN. Honestly, I’m not sure if I can say there’s a best story I ever covered. There are some very memorable ones like 9-11, Obama inauguration, Michael Jackson’s death, Hurricane Katrina, the tornadoes in Alabama and on and on. I’m just lucky I get to work at a place where those stories come often. It keeps me passionate.

Question from Fillup231:
What do you think is the biggest news story out there that the mainstream media isn’t covering sufficiently?

Hmmm… That’s a tough one. But I have a few. The Rochester Police story with Emily Good, the women arrested in her front yard for videotaping police. The Canton, Ohio story where the cop is caught on tape berating and threatening a number of citizens. I’ve covered both on my newscasts. And quite frankly I think the story of the fire firefighter, Shannon Stone who fell to his death at the Texas Rangers baseball stadium. The tragedy has been well reported but not the follow up. Just about everyone I know has had a close call at a stadium. Most people drink at stadiums and have to ascend or descend steep steps or walk next to low rails. I think it’s time we take another look at how safe these venues really are. It’s an ‘it can happen to anyone’ story.

Question from shanezy:
I’m in J-School now (Ernie Pyle SOJ), what advice do you have for a current Journalism student?

Honestly, work hard.. be passionate.. trust your gut. All of those clichés are true. But don’t get into it because you think it’s glamorous. It’s not. It’s a lot of hard work and rejection. But if you believe in yourself it will no doubt pay off. Also remember this, my mom told it to me. If someone else did it, you can. And if no one’s done it you can be the first.

Question from All_Your_Base:
Not a troll, I really am curious: What is your opinion on Fox News? It gets bashed a lot, but I’d really to hear what an insider thinks about their “fair and balanced.” Also, what do you think about Al Jezeera English?

Obviously I prefer CNN. But there are some really great journalists at fox, and you have to admit that their hosts do great TV. No comment on the fair and balanced part.

Honestly, I really don’t know enough about al-jazeera to comment. They did contact me to work for them when they started their English network. But I was and am happy at CNN so it didn’t go any further. I think CNN does cover actual news. You have to remember CNN is compartmentalized. You probably watch a lot of CNN here in the states which we call CNN domestic. But there is CNN international, CNN En Espanol, CNN Turk, CNN Radio, CNN.com and on and on and on. We’re one of the biggest news organizations in the world and all we do is cover the news.

In response to a follow-up about the “fair and balanced” tagline:

I would hope that if you are going to say something that you actually believe it. And I’m sure the people who watch believe it too.

Asked if he might go to Al-Jazeera:

I never say never, but I don’t think I’ll be joining him anytime soon. I’m happy at CNN.

Question from authorial:
What would say to someone who says FoxNews and CNN essentially do the same thing?

I’d have to say you’re mistaken. CNN doesn’t carry a narrative. We report the news. We’re not perfect. No one is, and I tell you in complete honesty, we don’t lean one way or the other. We strive for true objectivity.

Question from Sum1t:
I understand that you guys are trying to reach out to audience across different age groups, but is it really that important to CNN what people on Twitter and Facebook are posting? Is it not more important what credible sources are saying?

I appreciate your comment. And I think there’s some truth to it.. but I think it’s also good to hear from everyday people. I’m not a big fan of talking heads and pundits. But I’m also not a fan of random tweets and emails. You’ve probably noticed I’ve cut back on using them. Twitter and facebook were like the new toy at Christmas at first and we had to figure out how to best utilize them. And I think we’re pretty quickly getting to that point.

Question from atypicalmale:
Are you 100% satisfied with how you handled Rand Paul recently? Do you feel that he wouldn’t have addressed the questions if he kept speaking?

I addressed that in my ‘no talking points’ #notalkingpoints segment. I think it’s important for people who are fortunate to have a national platform to speak directly to the American people to stick to ANSWER THE QUESTION and not give talking points or skirt the issue. If you don’t want to answer the question then say so. On that same day I asked a number of other politicians to not give talking points. Both democrats and republicans. I even asked the head of the tea party express the same thing. Amy Kremer and I had a great conversation. With the exception of Rand Paul, everyone stopped the partisan points and answered my questions directly. It’s in my nature to fight back, so I get it. But you have to pick your battles. And I think Rand Paul was battling someone (me) who’s not necessarily against him. I just wanted straight answers like the guy sitting at home in front of the tv who may be out of work and wondering if Washington gets where he’s coming from.

Question from Bham-Fox:
Don, I work at your old station in Birmingham. Don’t forget to show us some luv. :) What differences (Besides the deeper pockets) do you find behind the scenes at CNN compared to working under the shadow of Vulcan. :)

haha.. I had a lot of fun in Birmingham. Still remember the promo: ‘Don Lemon, part of Alabama’s 24 hour news team,’ ha!!!! To answer your question, it’s more than just deeper pockets, it’s a bigger venue and bigger thinkers. At CNN I literally get to see the world everyday. As I walk from my car to the newsroom to my office, I come in contact with people from just about every region of the world. My team’s pod (as we call it) in the newsroom is not far from the international desk. so, if I need to know what’s going on in Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, Mexico, London, Paris, Australia, ANYWHERE, I can just walk over and they know. And guess what, there’s someone there who speaks the language. It really is a world on to itself. It would be really tough to go back to local news or even another network after working in the CNN environment. Say hi to everyone atop red mountain in b’ham.

Question from richardoftheyear:
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being lamest) How Lame is Anderson Cooper’s ‘The Ridiculist’?

I have to be honest, I haven’t really seen the segment. I watch the show but I haven’t caught the segment. Sometimes his show is on in the background when I’m getting ready for bed etc. So I don’t get a chance to watch it from start to finish.

Question from fr0ng:
Why is MSM news so crappy? Do you wish you could do anything about it? Do you think the media is partially responsible for the dumbification of Americans today?

I wouldn’t use the word crappy myself. I think we all can improve. I think we (all news outlets) want to do good journalism at the end of the day. But many times we try to sell a product instead of work from our gut. I hope I’m doing something about that by remaining true to myself and the viewer. I have to be honest; I don’t think we do enough to make Americans even smarter. But we’re trying. I know I am, and CNN is as well, otherwise I wouldn’t work there, and I wouldn’t be answering your questions on this site.

Question from youdisturbme:
Do you consider yourself a news man or an entertainer?

Come on.. A news man. But sometimes as a news man you have to entertain. SOMETIMES. I pick my moments.

Question from WinterInJapan:
Is there an anchor or news correspondent that you’ve always admired?

Yes. Max Robinson, Peter Jennings, Bernie Shaw. I’m also a big Wolf Blitzer fan. Does the man ever sleep?

Question from Amuzed:
Is Wolf Blitzer a real person or does CNN have to charge his batteries overnight?

I’m wondering that too. I’ll have to discretely pat him on the back and see if there’s a battery pack in there. But I do know this, he’s a great guy and is one of my mentors here at CNN .

Question from zxcvb94105:
Do you agree with Lora Logan that American news is inferior to many international outlets, and, if so, what do you think could be done to change it?

I respect Lora. I’m not sure she said that.. But I think sometimes Americans think an accent makes a news presenter smarter or more aware. That’s not so. Also, we have the luxury here in the states to focus on many things at once. So just because entertainment may creep into the news cycle sometimes, it doesn’t mean that our news organizations are inferior. And again, with respect to Ms. Logan, she works for an American news organization.

Question from Pigs101:
I took a tour of CNN’s headquarters last year. Being in such close proximity to you guys while on air was really cool. Whats the most awkward thing a tourist has gestured to you through the glass?

Yikes.. a lot of fun things happen.. I usually start the wave with the tour groups. One woman saw me and started jumping up and down and obviously she wasn’t wearing any support up top. And just last week this woman freaked out and started kissing the glass so I went over and kissed back. I love the tour groups.

Question from OutaTowner:
What did you think about Jon Stewarts segment on you? That was pretty amazing. Go you for actually caring about the news instead of the stupid gimicks.

I was totally stunned by the Jon Stewart segment. I was watching the show with a friend and was tweeting about the prior segments. Then mine came on and we both said in unison, “uh oh.” Then I tweet ‘OMG’ and walked out of the room.. My friend said come back, watch it. I didn’t for about an hour and after I had 2 beers. Then once I watched I thought it was funny and complimentary. I just didn’t want to make my co-workers look like the brunt of the joke. But they understood and sent me nice emails. the truth is I love real news and my team knows it. We pride ourselves on gimmick-free news. In fact we ask ourselves when pitching ideas, ‘is this too gimmicky?’ And if the answer is yes, we drop it. I think the viewer may watch a gimmick for a while but then they catch on and tune out. It really is ok to be smart and present a smart newscast.

In response to another question asking how he ended up on Stewart and Colbert, Lemon wrote:

You’ll have to ask the folks over at comedy central. I have no connection to them. Colbert’s producers contacted me a few months back about the vampire segment. Stephen even called me personally to ask me to do it. It took some time to work it out with them and CNN but we did it. And the Stewart thing was just a coincidence. Funny story, after the Stewart thing aired, the next day Colbert’s producer sent me an email asking me if I was ready for this cause his segment was going to air the next night. I was floored. how cool was that?

Question from cc_1988:
Was Jon Stewart correct when he said you were bored doing inane news stories for CNN? Did you see that daily show episode several days ago?

Yes.. I do get bored with some of the inane stories but not just on CNN, and it’s my personality to say it. CNN allows me the freedom to do that. I did see the daily show episode. My bosses are well aware of my presence on Reddit. I only get bored when I’m not actually working on a story. No time to get bored in my workplace. Have you seen what’s happening in the world lately?

Question from galenblade:
I’m curious as to your general theory on news, given the recent Daily Show bit. Do you believe there’s a place for lighter stuff like the Hogwarts piece, or should places like CNN be solely devoted to commentary and breaking news?

My philosophy of news is to inform. The daily show bit was funny.. satire.. But as they say, the truth is often spoken in jest. So, of course there’s time for lighter stories. We all need a break and a laugh. But we have to pick our moments without being too cutesy. Funny and light is one thing. Cutesy and gimmicky are another.

Question from Appo123:
I am just entering my late 20s and still struggling with my sexuality. I’m still closeted and find it really hard to related to gays in my community. Do you have any advice for me?

(Lemon went public with his sexuality earlier this year.)

That’s a really good personal question. Know that you’re not alone. Come out of the closet when you feel comfortable and safe. But know that it’s never an easy thing to do at first. Then when you do it you’ll wonder why you hadn’t sooner. Here’s the thing, you don’t have to relate or like anyone just because they’re gay. You should relate to or like them because they’re a good person or you have something in common. You don’t have to hang out or befriend gay people just because you’re gay. I have a bunch of straight friends and some really gay ones too. It’s all good. Don’t be so hard on yourself. It all works itself out. Good luck.

Question from justice7:
Don, how do you feel about being one of the most prominent black male news anchors, and not only that; a gay male news anchor on cable news? How has this affected your career, and do you feel it has helped or hindered you to get where you are today?

Am I all those things you mentioned? I honestly have never thought of that. I don’t think of myself that way. My ego is not that big. I must admit that I am a non-conformist and sometimes a rebel. It’s just in my nature. But I don’t think of my ranking or standing in my profession etc. I am however respectful and grateful of the platform I’ve achieved that hopefully brings truth and knowledge to people who watch.

Question from asmallquietvoice:
How jaded and cynical have you become (if at all) working in the business? Or, were you aware to a degree what you would encounter?

I don’t think I’m jaded. I am a cynic. Always have been, the business is conducive to cynicism. I got into this business with my eyes open. I was almost 30 when I got my first full-time reporting job. So, i was old enough to know what I was getting into.

Question from universearight:
Can reporters actually wear more comfortable pants when behind the desk? Do you just have to look well-dressed from the waist up?

I used to wear shorts and a suit jacket all the time in local because I didn’t have to stand up and walk a lot. The most casual I get now is jeans. CNN anchors are often shown in full-body shots. No more shorts for me unless enough people demand it.

Question from Optimash_Prime:
What are your hobbies outside of work?

I’m a simple guy. I like to work in my yard. I like to swim, and I like to travel. But when I travel for pleasure I don’t want to sit on a plane for a long time cause I have to do it a ton for work. So I usually go some place that requires a short flight. Or I just vacation in my city.. NYC. Running clears my head every time. But most of all I LOVE to sleep!

Question from tjn225:
Don Lemon has the potential of becoming a great name for an alcoholic beverage. Answer me this, Don Lemon, what would you put in a “Don Lemon”?

Wow. That’s an awesome question. A lil vodka, some lemonade, a splash of sparkling water for bubbles and I’d stir it with one of my fingers. Aaahhh refreshing!

Question from pinstriped:
In the span of your career in the news biz, what was the one piece you’ve covered that had the most emotional, long lasting impact on you? Just one.

Africa. I went there on my own. With my own money. Shot it myself with a Columbia college student from Chicago. Then turned it into a special on the news when I returned. It was life altering. I write about it in my book.. and that’s not a shameless book plug.. I’m not even writing the title here.

Question from thechickabides:
One of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on television happened during your interview of supporters of disgraced pastor Eddie Long. Did you know you were going to bring up your own history of abuse, or did it just happen? In a world that is so scripted and fake, it felt very genuine and authentic. Your honesty was heartbreaking and refreshing. I have worked with victims of child abuse and molestation, and I know that little boys have much less support than little girls. I know that little boys who have been victimized the world over looked at you in that moment and felt comforted by the fact that they could overcome their abuse, and they didn’t have to be ashamed. Kudos to you sir.

First of all thanks. It was completely organic. I had no idea I would say it. I think I said it because I had been writing about my own experience with abuse for my book. So it had been on my mind and it just came out. I ‘m glad you were comforted I have a fun book stack of responses from that moment. Thousands of people wrote me with similar comments to yours. I hope it made a difference.

Question from Unable2Stop:
Any real hope for our country?

Of course.. we’re America darn it!!!

And then there was this.

From FBC:
I don’t have a question, but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for a story you did when you were in Philadelphia. It was Thanksgiving night, 2000. A group of families were returning from China with their newly adopted daughters, and you were there to cover the event. You interviewed our family, and we ended up making onto the 11:00 news. We were lucky enough to have some family members watching who recorded it for us, and to this day my family still watches that story every Thanksgiving. Thank you for doing such a fabulous job with the story, and for giving us a lifelong memory and tradition. Keep up the good work.

As Lemon continues his responses, we will update this thread.

A little background. MasterChef is a show where a bunch of contestants with different accents and hairstyles stand around a shiny kitchen getting yelled at by some priggish host, all the while everyone attempts to get as much product placement on camera as possible. At least I’m assuming. I’ve never watched MasterChef. However, since I’ve managed to see, well, any other cooking competition reality show ever, I’ve got an educated guess as to how it works.

Anyway, in the opening moments of a recent episode, the MasterChef producers showed footage of the “thousands who applied” waiting for the audition of their lifetime. However, a viewer noticed that the crowd had been manipulated to appear bigger with many of the people repeated throughout the shot making it look like the crowd in a sports video game from 10 years ago.

I guess, all the country’s aspiring chefs were too busy at one of the other 20 cooking shows’ auditions of a lifetime.

After the viewer posted a screen capture to Reddit, the producers of the show, Reveille Productions, released a statement to Entertainment Weekly:

“We have reviewed the footage and it’s clear that the scene was enhanced in post-production. We sincerely apologize to our viewers and hope that they still enjoyed the show.”

“Reviewed the footage?” Yeah, you guys must have been shocked. Anyway, to translate that out of TV producer talk, I believe what they said is “Yes, we faked the footage. What are you gonna do about it? It’s not like anyone who watches this show gives a crap. Hey, look! We just found a Cajun chef with spiky red hair and a face tattoo! Isn’t that outrageous!”

Hmmm, maybe I should watch this show. Watching these clips totally makes it seem like a solid batch of entertainment that, one day, when I’m on my death bed, I’ll remember fondly and be happy I spent an hour a week watching.

Watch the offending clip from Fox below. The faked bit comes around the five second mark (and, since it’s a reality show, probably every other mark as well). The full-sized image from Reddit that points out all the digital trickery is here.

(h/t The A.V. Club)

A Hulu editor named “Ben” sent Reddit an invitation to guest edit a portion of the site’s homepage for a day. Below, “Ben” breaks down how it’ll work:

Here’s the deal: After a nice cellular phone conversation with the glorious folks in the reddit offices, we’ve decided to portion out the “Featured Content” section on our homepage for reddit use on Friday.

You’re going to look through all of our non-softcore porn content and you’re going to find a damn gem, something you’ll cling to like a buxom woman at the end of a Michael Bay movie.

Then you’re going to post it on this here thread. The highest-ranked video gets a spot all its own on the home page. The top ten get compiled into a playlist that we’ll feature right underneath it.

Please note that the softcore porn thing wasn’t a joke. A certain Mediaite editor may have watched Method Man’s acclaimed documentary The Strip Game, on Hulu.

So, anyway. That’ll be exciting! Look out for it this Friday.

h/t Reddit

The Palin editors attempted to add Palin’s quote as well as make mention of a “disputed account” while the opposing side fought to prove that Palin was not a “reliable source.” Thanks to the always entertaining Wikipedia Talk Page for the article, we can see the strikes made by each group. Here’s a sample of the fight:

“In the article on Paul Revere, someone has added false information in an effort to support Sarah Palin’s FALSE claims about Paul Revere.
‘Accounts differ regarding the method of alerting the colonists; the generally accepted position is that the warnings were verbal in nature, although one disputed account suggested that Revere rang bells during his ride.[8][9]‘
This must be removed as it is a LIE designed to mislead. dj
Dajames (talk) 14:46, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

A lie? If you follow Wikipedia’s rules, we must maintain a WP:NEUTRAL position, representing the mainstream position as well as disputed versions. I think the addition represents this fairly — the mainstream position is that Revere’s warnings were verbal, but there are differing accounts that the warnings were done with bells — with two sources: WDHD television plus a live interview, with a highly influential US politician relating these facts.–Tomwsulcer (talk) 14:50, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

Done. Thank you, I removed the content not backed by a reliable source. –CutOffTies (talk) 14:52, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

I kindly remind people that it’s not our job here at Wikipedia to decide what’s true, but to report what reliable sources say, such as the LA Times, WDHD TV in Boston, numerous others. And they quoted an American politician saying that bells were used. –Tomwsulcer (talk) 15:09, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

Tomwsulcer – You should be kindly reminded that it’s not your job to debase Sarah Palin’s wiki page with (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Sarah_Palin) your version of the occurrence for political reasons. The left leaning bias on Wiki is well known, but these types attacks are over the top. Mk 71.228.77.211 (talk) 20:08, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

It’s not the LA Times that’s questionable as a reliable source, it’s Palin herself. Even if the Times (& others) quoted her accurately, her off-hand, poorly-informed view doesn’t belong here, per WP:UNDUE, and I have reverted. Hertz1888 (talk) 15:30, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

Sarah Palin is a former governor of Alaska as well as a presidential candidate of one of the two national parties in the United States. Her account of Paul Revere’s famous ride has achieved national attention from most mainstream media — LA Times, CNN, you name it. There are numerous reliable sources quoted her exact words on this subject. This article has HUGE attention (55K readers in one day) as a result. Clearly, there should be some mention given its obvious importance. And I remind people, kindly, that it’s not up to us contributors to determine who is and isn’t a ‘poorly informed view’ and to try to determine truth. Rather, Wikipedia is about verifiability.–Tomwsulcer (talk) 15:37, 5 June 2011 (UTC)”

Fittingly, this war had its own Paul Reveres, as online patriots did their best to spread the word of the coming Palin forces. Little Green Footballs wrote that “you’ve gotta almost admire the sheer blind dedication of Sarah Palin’s wingnut acolytes” while a Redditor made the Revere comparison clear with his post “Not that I’m trying to ring any bells at the moment, but Palin’s redcoats are trying to re-write Paul Revere’s Wiki page right now.”

Back on Wikipedia, the editors seem to hope this fight will die down with some suggesting the page be locked against further revisions until the Palin story blows over. However, like the Revolutionary War itself, Wikipedia battles can last for years. It’ll be interesting to see who has the stamina, fortitude, and, I guess, free time to come out victorious in this. Like all Wikipedia battles, history will literally be written by the victors.

(h/t David Weigel)

That has been the rallying cry of some of the President’s detractors ever since he became a serious candidate. His supposedly “mysterious” past has haunted him his entire first term. However, it’s interesting to note that the candidate who’s been gaining the most from the fabled blank pages in Obama’s biography, Donald Trump, is a man with no mystery. People know everything about Trump. And a lot of it, on first glance at least, doesn’t look good. So how could he become President?

This is the question proposed in an intriguing editorial by Richard Cohen in the Washington Post. Do we know too much about Trump for him to be a serious candidate?

“American political life is doing away with the back story. Increasingly, politicians are becoming religious types, Eagle Scouts who mastered all the knots, a monasticism leavened only by the occasional martini. They do not stray. They avoid midlife crises. They came out of the womb with certainty, avoided acne, married the first girl they dated and went on to make a fortune in something or other.

Then there’s Trump. He is all back story. We know his flops. We know he curses. We know his women. We know he lies. We know he has bad taste — in buildings, in ties, in associates (the late Roy Cohn, for instance, and now Roger Stone). He did not treat his wives well (according to them) and Ivana, in particular, retaliated by enlisting the New York gossip columnists. And now we must add this nonsense about Barack Obama possibly having been born outside the United States. Trump’s a birther. Why not? He’s everything else — and, anyway, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

Cohen clearly isn’t a fan of Trump’s, but this is a big problem for his possible candidacy. Don’t believe it? Just look over at Reddit where a popular news story is the description of this 1998 law case:

“Vera Coking, an elderly widow from Atlantic City, knows firsthand the power of unaccountable government agencies. The Institute for Justice successfully defended Vera against the condemnation of her home by a State agency that sought to take her property and transfer it—at a bargain-basement price—to another private individual: Donald Trump. Trump convinced the State agency to use its “eminent domain” power to take Vera’s home so he could construct a limousine parking lot for his customers—hardly a public purpose. And unfortunately, cases in which government agencies act not as protectors of constitutionally guaranteed rights, but instead as agents for powerful, private interests, have become all too common.

Thanks to IJ’s advocacy, Vera Coking won in court and continues to enjoy her home of more than three decades.”

Yes, in the early 90s, Trump (or rather his company, not that it matters in a presidential election) tried to take away an old lady’s house so he could build a parking garage for limousines. Remember when the McCain campaign thought they could derail Obama because of a simple comment he made to Joe the Plumber that alleged to demonstrate he was a socialist? Yeah, imagine how much traction this story can and will get.

>>> NEXT PAGE

Charlie Sheen’s stage tour got off to a rocky start in Detroit where the former Two and a Half Men star was booed off stage. But things got progressively better, with positive reviews in Chicago and a standing ovation in Cleveland.

News of a possible government shutdown was one of the most talked about stories of the week, with Speaker of the House John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and President Obama failing to reach a budget deal. The Huffington Post spells out some of the possible side-effects.

Fox News has announced that Glenn Beck’s show is coming to an end. Unfortunately, Beck’s Mercury Radio Arts has announced that they will be producing several other television projects with Fox.

Archaeologists near Prague have uncovered what they believe might be the first known gay caveman. The copper age man was buried with artifacts normally reserved for women.

This photo of an abandoned mineshaft went viral on Reddit this week, after being called The Ultimate Anti-Zombie Fortress. Reddit’s resident anti-zombie defense experts got to work suggesting design improvements, resulting in the most entertaining meme of the week.

The photo was uploaded by Redditor dbzchuck who explains in the comments that the photographer and soldier is a “friend of a friend” and that he will make sure to forward all the well-wishes on to him. So, if you’d like to thank the young man for his service, you can do so over on Reddit.

On that note, may we send our fondest wishes to the young man, the young woman, and everyone else who has been separated from those they love this holiday season so that our nation can be defended. May you all return home soon.

The letter, sent by Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz, begins by reminding soldiers that, just because the repeal has passed, doesn’t mean it will go into effect immediately. Soldiers will have to continue not “telling” for a couple of months. With that business out of the way (similar to how Robert Gibbs handled his statement in a press conference, as you can see in the C-Span clip below) and after promising tons of educational material will be forthcoming, Schwartz goes on to address the challenges of integration as well as stressing his feeling that his forces will adapt well.

“Effective leadership, however, is key to implementing this change and success will rest on the shoulders of senior leaders like me, commanders, chiefs, first sergeants, and supervisors. The standards of conduct we expect of all Airmen will not change. Moreover, we will continue to treat each other, as members of the Air Force family, with dignity and respect.

I know each of you will approach this issue professionally and that you will continue to adhere faithfully to our core values of Integrity, Service before Self, and Excellence in all we do. By following our core values, we will successfully implement this change with the same unparalleled professionalism we have demonstrated with every transformation we have undertaken in peace and war.”

Read the full email at Reddit here.

Meanwhile, Gen. James Amos, who had suggested the repeal could be a “distraction” as recently as last week, sent out a statement showing he is more than ready to work under the new arrangement. Even more so, he is planning to “lead” the integration process. Here’s the quote from Stars and Stripes:

“I, and the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps [Carlton Kent], will personally lead this effort, thus ensuring the respect and dignity due all Marines,” Amos said. “On this matter, we look forward to further demonstrating to the American people the discipline and loyalty that have been the hallmark of the United States Marine Corps for over 235 years.”

Of course, it remains to be seen what effects there will be once the repeal actually begins, but, with the knowledge of these quotes and centuries of unparalleled service, the safe bet would probably be on the professionalism of the United States armed forces.

Watch Gibbs’ statements on the repeal from C-Span below:

Really though, none of us are surprised at this point that there are people out there who have a slightly unhealthy relationship with Islam (heck, some Muslims have an unhealthy relationship with Islam). However, what fascinates me about this photo is imagining the small, cottage industry that produces racist bumper stickers. Do you think there’s some guy in an office somewhere struggling to come up with these? And did he get super psyched when he realized he could rhyme “Osama bin Laden” with “O Slimy bin Rotten?” Like, was that the point in his day where he went, “Oh man, I can pack up shop now. I totally burned him with this one. If Osama knew I turned his last name into ‘Rotten,’ I bet he’d really start hating America.”

The whole thing is just really depressing. It’s so depressing that I need something to cheer me up. Oh, I know! How about this picture that I took while stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike a couple weeks ago. It’s of a truck with 12 bumper stickers all about poodles! What kind of person loves poodles this much? You know, I used to think only a crazy person would have 12 poodle bumper stickers but, after seeing this new picture, I’d rather hang out with Poodle Person any day of the week.

I mean, at least they don’t have a man-step! Ooh, Howie Long Burn!

Check out the full-sized picture on Reddit here:

Here are some examples of the answers so far:

“CoinTrap
Just out of curiosity, what possessed you to hire a male stripper for a corporate event? Did it make sense for the talk you were giving or was it more of a silly thing that you thought would be funny with no repercussions? Also, now that you are away from Fox, doing your own thing, do you find life less stressful?

stephenchao
In the Netherlands in the 60′s, the government decided to allow nudity on television, while simultaneously banning violence. This was their emphatic statement that violence was not acceptable, and that human nakedness would be (previously banned) acceptable. They wanted to realign television standards and practices to mirror their view of what was social versus anti-social. To demonstrate this policy shift, the government filmed a naked person for 24 hours on national television, a kind of Warholian exercise in the mundane. It made a huge point in terms of standards and practices. Violent movies/tv shows were taken off national television. In my opinion, a bold move by the Government that radically adjusted the Standards and Practices of a population. In my speech, I was discussing the Netherlands television example and posing the question whether the sight of a naked person was more offensive than seeing a violent murder of a person. I happen to believe the Netherlands government did a very positive thing….that would be difficult to pull off in the context of a puritanical FCC.”

…

honkytonks
what kind of directives came down from Murdoch on high? I understand you may have been more entertainment focused and not the news division, but was there ever communication from the Sith lord?

stephenchao
He is a journalist through and through. He just wanted a great story with aggressive reporting, plain an simple. There certainly was never a political directive. I ran the News Division for Fox. After I was fired, Roger Ailes took over, and I cannot speak to his point of views. In my opinion he has totally revived the Wall Street Journal. It is fun to read again. People naturally want me to talk crap about him, having been fired by him. But I have to say he is the one great media executive alive today. He is fearless in pursuing markets and stories that have a populist underpinning. And he loves it.

…

Sugarlessgum
‘Crossing Over’ With John Edwards was picked up by USA during your time as president of programming there. Regardless of whether you believe in the paranormal, do you believe -John Edwards- truly has the ability to communicate with the dead?

stephenchao
I just had this conversation with a friend this week. He kept offering to ‘read’ me, but out of professionalism I declined. I wish I had. Ultimately, I think he gets it (amazingly) right 2% of the time, and the other 98% of the time, he is dancing and twisting. Like mentalism and magic, I don’t believe he has a gift. I think he has very smart devices that play on the emotional desire we all have to believe. With that said, he was able to read things that were just incredible: he knew that Winston cigarettes were in the grave of a woman who died of cancer. I still cannot explain that one.”

Cool stuff. Check out the ongoing thread to read more information about the weirdest pitch he ever received, why he flipped burgers for McDonalds after leaving Fox, and his current relationship with Murdoch. You can even try to submit a question of your own.

Here are a few of the highlights from Reddit:

“#1 by Killfile
To this day I’m convinced that your appearance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was because the Bush Administration didn’t understand your show.
Did they? What happened behind the scenes there? Was it more ‘non-alcoholic beer in the Roosevelt Room’ or ‘Dick Cheney peppering your limo with bird-shot as you beat a hasty retreat?’
I was as surprised as the next guy that I was invited to roast the President and the press corps that spring.
Here’s how it works. The White House Press Association (or some name close to that) actually does the inviting, not the President or White House. The president of the press association that year was a man named, I believe, Mark Smith, I think from the AP. He invited me. When all was said and done, I wrote to thank him and said I hoped I hadn’t made trouble for him. He said there was zero fallout.
As for the backstage aspects of the night, the President has a nice, small gathering in a room near the banquet hall. The presidential seal is etched into the granite on the floor. A few news anchors, football greats, cabinet members and advisors (I remember Rove and Chertoff, there were others I think), Rich Dahm, Allison Silverman, my brothers and sisters and mom, my wife Evie, and the President and Mrs. Bush. Let me say that the President could not have been nicer, especially to my mother. I have some lovely pictures of her with him. The President and I had a brief conversation before we went on stage. There were in total maybe 60 people at the party, many of whom I should remember more about, but I was pretty focused on my job that night. There was no backstage event after the dinner, but several parties around town.
I had my family up to our room for a drink then hit a party, don’t remember which one. We all had a great time. but I had no sense of public reaction until Monday at work.
…
#6 by noncompliantcitizen
Do you sometimes wish you could not be in character for some interviews? Being in character, do you feel that it prevents some people from coming on the show?
Well these questions are really related. I’ll say that from my end of the interview, I often have a guest whose subject I happen to know a thing or two about, and I want to engage them intelligently, but I am an aggressively ignorant character. That is frustrating. Of course knowing their subject lets me make the dumbest possible characterizations of their position or idea. If you ever see me truly being vigorously dense with a guest, I probably know something of his or her subject. And as I said, yes, the character aspect may give some people pause.”

Another interesting aspect about the interviews is that Colbert explains that he never talks to anyone on the show without first explaining clearly that he will be doing a character unlike, say, Sacha Baron Cohen. We wonder if this has anything to do with his distaste for doing field reports in the early, Craig Kilborn days of The Daily Show, when those segments were more about tricking and then mocking ignorant or deluded people who thought it was a real news show. In an interview back in 2003, Colbert described how going on those shoots made him want to “take [his] soul off, put it on a wire hanger, and leave it in the closet before [he] got on the plane.”

Check out the rest of the responses to questions about his struggles before becoming successful and his stance on marijuana legalization (this is Reddit, of course) here.

The idea was first proposed by a user named “exula” who wrote a post on the site’s Politics board entitled “Dear Mr. President: Would you send the First Lady and your two little girls through the TSA screening process?”:

“The options are either the full body scan, or a extensive pat down, involving the patting of genitalia. Would you send your girls through that process?
If so, reassure the American people that a violation of their 4th amendment rights are needed and do it. Show them going through this process. If it really is what is needed to keep us safe from dangers that we can’t even fathom, then show us the way.”

An hour later, a user named “busytigger” proposed that the site’s readers take the challenge over to Twitter where they would Tweet it at CNN’s account (perhaps looking for media exposure as much as getting it to the president himself). Sure enough, a day later, CNN is still being besieged by the same message.

It’s certainly not clear that we’ll be seeing Michelle and the girls venturing into a body-scanner any time soon (can you imagine being some lowly airport security guard and having to give the first lady a “crotch pat down” while the president and secret service watch?) but the last time Reddit users organized like this, they got there way (although it’s still unclear whether or not that was just a lucky coincidence). Either way, with all the media coverage of folks on and off the Internet up in arms over the new measures, the White House will need to make a comment one way or another. And soon.

Oh, what’s the point in being coy (besides potentially protecting Mediaite from some unwanted attention)? It was almost definitely 4chan. For those of you that don’t know, 4chan is an anonymous messageboard where people post ribald stories, jokes, and pictures and generally try to out gross each other. They also are highly organized and have used their internet powers for extreme good and also, occasionally, a little bit of evil.

The photos have mostly now been cleaned from the site (save for a couple) however, Reddit and Boing Boing managed to get some screen shots of the site during the attack. Really though, while the pictures were pretty tasteless (and, every once in a while, clever and hilarious as 4chan can be), the Tea Party site kind of got off easy. Just ask Gawker or the MPAA.

And, before anyone gets too mad at 4chan, we should all remember that, strangely enough, the Tea Party struck first.

(Photo via Reddit user LMFAO)

From Reddit user mrsammercer’s post:

“I was woken in the middle of the night by this(along with the sound of my cat getting ready to pee on the rug).
Think about it. It’ll be just like Colbert’s mockery of GW Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondent’s Dinner, but 500,000 people will be able to participate with him. We’ll all stay totally in character as teabaggers. The kid with the microphone that interviews all the idiots at these things can come by and we’ll ramble into his microphone.
This would be the high water mark of American satire. Half a million people pretending to suspend all rational thought in unison. Perfect harmony. It’ll feel like San Francisco in the late 60s, only we won’t be able to get any acid.”

Yeah, the Redditor is a bit hyperbolic and his use of “teabagger” is tacky, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a good idea. However, as great as this sounds, it’s doubtful that Colbert would be champing at the bit to do it. While Beck repeatedly made a point of making his rally as apolitical as possible, gathering a massive amount of people to listen to speeches in Washington DC will always be a political move and that’s something that both Colbert (and Comedy Central compatriot Jon Stewart) have purposefully tried to distance themselves from. Besides, Beck made his rally mostly about religious faith and there’s only so much that Colbert the entertainer (who is a devout Christian in real life) can do to make that funny. Besides, Beck’s crowds set a high bar and, as O’Reilly has shown, any number less than what the Restoring Honor rally garnered would be seen as a defeat.

Still though, if anyone can clear these potential mine fields, it’s Colbert and his amazing staff. So, do you think this is a good idea? Who would Colbert’s fellow speakers be?

The video in question is of ‘Rep. John Haller of Pennsylvania’ reading out the “homeland terrorist preparedness bill” in which he keeps having to interrupt himself to say “classified.” A Google search quickly reveals that neither Haller nor the bill exist, though should you look closely at the video you will also see the Onion insignia on the lower right-hand corner, which probably should have tipped people off to begin with. Alas, this did not stop the video from making the rounds under the title “Martial Law Plans Revealed.” Watch below.

[h/t Reddit]

It all started as one of those heartwarming stories we just don’t get enough. Anner’s wonderful video caught the eyes of the Internet message boards who quickly began linking it around. Any why wouldn’t they? Just watch the video below in which Anner describes his prospective show, a travel program in which no mountain is too high and no Atlantis is “too underwater or fictional.” You can read a detailed timeline of the first half of this amazing story as well as watch some great videos Anner made in this extremely well-written (by me) post on Geekosystem here.

Then everything turned sour. A woman named Dr. Phyllis shot up the ranks and passed Anner in the number one spot all in the matter of a few hours. Anner’s Internet fans began to smell a rat and the grumblings of a fix shot through message boards everywhere. Then a Reddit user noticed that the source code for the “vote” button on Dr. Phyllis’ page was somehow different than all of the others. This inspired the Geekosystem team to take action. Block watched the site for the next few hours and noticed, at some point, that the change in source codes seemed to vanish. He then compiled the information he gathered and came up with this nearly irrefutable proof that something untoward was going on:

• Doctor Phyllis: ~1923/min
• Zach Arren: ~977/min
• Kornelius: ~587/min
• Jacqueline: ~224/min
• Jasbina: ~167/min
• Maria: ~137/min
• Cheryl: ~29/min
• David: ~12/min
• Shawn: ~2/min

The chart above are the numbers of votes per minute that each of the top contestants were receiving while the fixed coding was up. Now check out the numbers once everything was back to normal:

• Doctor Phyllis: ~3/min
• Zach Arren: ~753/min
• Kornelius: ~648/min
• Jacqueline: ~255/min
• Jasbina: ~334/min
• Maria: ~176/min
• Cheryl: ~80/min
• David: ~20/min
• Shawn: ~4/min

Yep, Dr. Phyllis went down nearly 2000 votes. You don’t need to be a statistician to see that something funky was going on.

Geekosystem’s story and Block’s charts have now been picked up by both Entertainment Weekly and Fox News so it seems Oprah may be forced to comment at some point. Whether she does or doesn’t, this whole mess has just turned an inspirational story into something sad; sad for Anner who had his victory stolen from him, sad for Dr. Phyllis who has become an Internet pariah just because (presumably) some OWN producer thought she fit a “type” better, and sad for Oprah’s image which this contest once seemed to fit so well.

We may never find out who rigged the contest but the moral is clear: you should never try to pull one over on Internet geeks…by using the Internet.

Make sure you check out Block’s great post where he goes into much more detail about the hows and whys of the rigged contest. Really fascinating stuff.

(photo via EW)

A letter to Meredith Bluett-Mills, mother of “thatcoolguyben.”
April 2nd, 2010
To: Meredith Bluett-Mills
From: Eli Roth
Re: Your son Ben

Dear Meredith,

You don’t know me, but my name is Eli Roth, and I am the boyfriend of a young woman named Peaches Geldof. Her name might ring a bell, as your son Ben recently wrote a sick, hurtful story about her that is now causing tremendous damage. If you do know Peaches, like many in America you probably know her from the gossip blogs as the daughter of Sir Bob Geldof. However, in the United Kingdom people have been reading her newspaper columns and magazine articles since the time she began writing professionally at age 13. If you lived in England you’d also know her as not just a television presenter and fashion model, but you might have seen one of her three documentaries that aired on British television, the first of which she produced when she was 15 years old. I realize this might be difficult for you to comprehend, as your 23 year old son Ben was expelled from Drew University and so far as I can tell makes a living as an “artist”, but Peaches accomplished all of this before the age of 21. Perhaps a need for attention at any cost drove Ben to write such a destructive story, but upon closer examination, I believe there is something much darker at work with your son…..

Your son Ben appears to have a deeply troubled past with women, as internet searches show he was accused of holding a girl hostage at knifepoint in a dorm room, and was then later was accused of witness tampering in the ensuing trial. Whether you choose to believe it or not, your son Ben is a liar. There are photos of Ben drunk with Peaches, and he concocted a racy story which involved them using heroin. I know you are quite familiar with how young adults can be irresponsible when alcohol is involved, as your son Jacob, who is the same age as Peaches, was once arrested for public drunkenness (see #3148). Ben posted his heroin-fueled sex story on a message board and then posted topless photos of them together as “proof,” and instantly his story was everywhere.

At first Peaches and I thought nothing of the posting – the story was simply too preposterous. Your son’s fairy tale culminates with him dazed and vomiting in a sauna at the Scientology Celebrity center, a place notoriously so high security that no non-member would ever be admitted and left alone, let alone a strung out one. But look closely at the specifics of your son’s story: he did not pick a drug associated with sex like ecstasy or cocaine, he chose heroin. Why? Because not only has Peaches openly talked about drug use in her past, her mother tragically died from a heroin overdose when Peaches was young. Ben’s story becomes much more salacious if he paints Peaches as heading down a similar path. Peaches does not have a squeaky clean image by any means, in fact, she’s known for being brutally honest and open about her past mistakes in life. But she has also worked hard to grow up and overcome her troubled past, and is now drug free. Your son took details from Peaches teenage tabloid stories to make the story more believable, no matter how contrary they are to who she is today. Ben used the most painful events from someone’s past to make himself famous, and it worked. It’s sociopathic. Imagine if I had a photo of Ben with a knife next to a girl and after some internet research posted a story that he had held yet another girl hostage at knifepoint? What if there were new photos of your son Jacob drunk and someone made up a story about how he was drunk in public again, and the press painted him as an alcoholic? Peaches has worked hard to put her mistakes behind her and show she has grown up, and was doing quite well until this insane story came along, and the British press spun it into front page news. Peaches lawyer immediately came out with a statement categorically denying the heroin accusations, but it was too late, your son had already done the damage.

Your son did not just post a false drug story on a message board. He took a bright, intelligent, incredibly creative young writer and damaged her ability to work until people forget about this or dismiss it as nonsense. Not only has your son’s horrible lies now painted Peaches as “dangerous” to many who would potentially hire her, but companies like Ultimo Underwear are using this “scandal” as a reason to fire Peaches by saying that she is not a role model for young girls. And for what? Some psychotic story your son made up that people were all too ready to believe because it fell in line with stories from the past. Stories your son clearly read before he made up that post. He knew exactly what he was writing, the details were far too calculated. And that made it all the more destructive. These stories also send a dangerous message to anyone who has ever made a mistake, that no matter how you change someone can make up a sick story about you and everyone will revert to the worst image of your past.

The instantaneous connectivity of the internet spread this venom to newspapers all over the world, so now I am hoping this letter reaches you through the same medium. The night Ben posted the photos a mutual acquaintance called him and asked him to take down the photos and the story, and Ben’s response was “Fuck off,” so clearly he was not bothered by what he did at the time. Hopefully someone will notify you through by your Facebook page, your son Jacob’s Facebook page, through your daughter Gabriella at Tulane, your twitter page, Jacob’s twitter page, or one of your Twitter followers, and my words will ultimately reach you. I would send a copy to your at your Palo Alto address that I got from Jacob’s arrest on the internet, but I don’t know if you reside at that residence anymore. I would even ask the blogs and newspapers who were more than happy to run rampant with Ben’s insane story to reprint my letter in its entirety in the hopes you see it. Maybe by examining the person your son hurt, he would attempt to be more like Peaches and become an artist beyond hanging himself from meat hooks. Ben writes such creative fiction, he could ask Peaches how she got her book deal. Or perhaps like Peaches he could write for newspapers and magazines published around the globe, although even that’s getting difficult for Peaches now that your son has painted her as trouble with a hurtful story fabricated around details from a painful past. I hope you or your other children can help Ben realize the damage he has caused to (yet another?) young woman, and teach him how to behave like a human being. Although considering Ben’s past history and recent actions, your record as a mother appears spotty at best. Perhaps you are the source of his anger, in which case I hope you both are able to find happiness without damaging other people’s lives.

Sincerely,
Eli Roth
Los Angeles, California

I’m not sure how much there is to add here. The obvious thing to say would be that Peaches Geldof’s illustrious career as a child newspaper columnist and magazine writer likely had more than a little to do with her, um, family history and connections. And that I suspect Eli Roth is going to very much be wishing he hadn’t hit that post button sometime in the not-too-distant future. But whatever. It’s springtime, the season for young love, so let’s focus on the positive and just say, what tabloid hound, troubled daughter of a celebrity wouldn’t want their handsome, successful boyfriend posting a letter like this in their defense. It’s the stuff 15 year-old-dreams are made of. I mean seriously, the best most of us can expect is a nice tweet-out here and there.

[h/t Gawker]

This weekend, Schaaf announced — on Reddit, appropriately enough — that Imgur had added individual user accounts and paid pro accounts, though it’s still keeping in place its speedy process for anonymous submissions. The site is still quite a ways from becoming a Flickr or a Photobucket, but is that the direction it’s headed? Unlikely.

Recently, Mediaite swapped emails with Schaaf about the rise of Imgur, the impact that personal accounts will have on the site and its vibe, and — yes — his plans when he graduates from college in June: Our questions are bolded.

N.B.: For the uninitiated, the best place to get a sense of what Imgur’s community is all about is probably its gallery of popular images.

1) What has the response to Imgur Accounts been like since you launched the service? In your edits to your Reddit post, you mentioned that there has been a ton of weekend traffic; what have you seen in terms of usage, accounts created, and pro accounts created?

I’ve gotten extremely positive responses to the accounts: everyone really seems to like what I’ve done with them. There have been a couple of really good suggestions brought up that will improve the accounts even more, and I plan on releasing those pretty soon too. In the first 24 hours after the launch, there was just over 10,000 regular accounts created. Also, the amount of images uploaded daily since the launch has doubled, to about 30,000 images a day.

2) Tech question: you said that you coded for 14 hours a day through your 6-week winter break to create Imgur accounts. What was the most challenging part of making the upgrade? Are there any features or coding innovations that you are particularly proud of?

When I first released imgur a little less than a year ago, I had no plans for accounts or anything of that nature, so the structure of the site was very minimal. The most challenging, or time consuming, part of the upgrade had to do with refactoring a lot of the original site to make it more modular and easier to add onto in the future. One thing I’m particularly proud of is the ability to handle millions of requests and terabytes of outgoing bandwidth a day on very little hardware and funding; it’s an extremely fun challenge.

3) Do you think that associating clusters of images with individual users will change the vibe of Imgur at all? It seems that anonymity and privacy have always been big draws on the site.

I was very careful when creating the accounts to not let them interfere with the anonymity and privacy you get when using the site. All images by default are private, so the principle remains the same. You chose what images enter the public by sharing them around on the Internet, and this doesn’t change whether you share a single image or a group of images.

4) I’ll try not to rehash Domain Shane’s interview with you too much, but as you were transparent enough as to give Shane your usage stats, I have to ask: what have Imgur’s usage stats been like this past month?

The usage stats for things like bandwidth and image views can be seen on the site, but I’ll also include them here, along with some other stats measured by Google Analytics for the past 30 days:

• 380,861 Images Uploaded
• 302,823,192 Image Views
• 47.70 TB Outgoing Bandwidth Used
• 154.03 KB Average Image Size
• 7,824,573 Total Visits
• 2,379,915 Absolute Unique Visitors
• 19,372,925 Pageviews
• 2.48 Average Pageviews
• 00:03:57 Time on Site
• 60.15% Bounce Rate
• 24.36% New Visits

5) Imgur links have a pretty dominant presence on Digg and Reddit, and the Reddit front page in particular is often chock full of links to your site. Given the number of image sharing sites around, why did Imgur grow into the phenomenon that it did? To what extent is it a function of a community deciding that they like something, and to what extent is it a reflection of Imgur’s technical features?

If someone from a community creates something new or interesting, other people from that community will check it out and give it a chance. Only when that thing is above the rest will people decide to switch to it, and as more and more people make that switch, the more it becomes an integral part of the community. So to answer your question more directly, the Reddit community decided they liked imgur because it’s simple, easy, and hassle free, but they gave it a chance because it was made by a redditor for other redditors.

(photo of Schaaf via his website)

6) Though you said in your Reddit post that the monthly cost is mostly to cover your hosting fees, Imgur pro accounts obviously give you a new source of income. To what degree do you consider Imgur a hobby versus a business? Have you turned down any business opportunities people have pitched to you as being against the spirit of Imgur? Would you ever sell the site?

Imgur officially, according to the United States, became a business over the summer. But I’m not much of a business man, I just like working on cool things and I really enjoy knowing that every change I make on the site will be seen by millions of people. I suppose this is an instance where the difference between a business and a hobby isn’t exactly clear cut.

I have turned down several offers that are against the spirit of imgur, most of them being along the lines of embedding advertisements in the images or tricking/confusing the users somehow.

I’m young and there are many other opportunities out there for me, so I may sell imgur one day if the right offer came around, but I would have to be absolutely sure that the company shared the same views on software and user experience that I do.

7) You’re about to graduate from school, correct? Any idea what you’re going to do when you graduate?
Yes, this is correct. I plan on moving out to California, probably near San Francisco or Palo Alto, soon after graduation. Also, depending on how imgur turns out, I’d probably be looking for a real job around that time too. My email is as751606@ohio.edu.

Related: I’m the Imgur guy, ask me anything! [Reddit]

Imgur goes pro – Reddit’s own image host grows up [The Next Web]