"Blogs" in the Times

Lately there is a lot of hoo-ha out in the blogosphere (well, really, in a small weird part of it with delusions of importance) about how blogs are becoming professionalized, oh woe, alas, boo-hoo. This is apparently in reaction to an article in the NY Times (registration required). And I've posted a few cross retorts in a few comments threads here and there in response (basically on the theme of poli-blogs aren't the world), and was gearing up for a rant on the topic. But now I don't have to! Great minds think alike, and Jill has beaten me to the punch.

Full disclosure: I only got half-way through the Times article before stopping in disgust. I'm sorry, people, but Wonkette is not funny, nor witty, nor clever. She's sophmoric and crude and I strongly suspect that she's only popular because she photographs well and has corporate backing. And the glee of the writer at delving into the secret underlife of the poli-bloggers is irritating as well as strongly reminiscent of the way mainstream news covers things like sci-fi cons. Bleah.

Comments

[LiL]

You're completely right, among other things about the Wonkette. Who is competely not funny. In fact, I usually think her blog is no fun at all...

[David Foster]

Perhaps we've finally found something that liberal & conservative bloggers can actually agree on...that Wonkette is vastly overrated by the MSM.

Who is her "corporate backing," by the way? I want to check and make sure I don't own stock in any of them......

[Rana]

I'm not sure. I do know that "The Gawker" (whatever/whoever the heck _that_ is) is part of the stable to which she belongs, so it's probably google-able.

My impression was that it was a fairly small concern, so your portfolio is probably Wonkette-free. :)

[Cleis]

I don't read Wonkette (but I do know the Gawker is another gossipy blog). I thought the Magazine article made the blogger sound pathetic: hoping the gig would make her rich and famous and then watching it not happen. The cover photo with the pretty whatever-her-name-is sandwiched between the venerable newsmen was a joke. I'm surprised the men agreed to pose.