Open Letter To Shel Israel - It’s Over
June 28, 2008 – 6:26 pmDear Shel,
When I first started my career, you made it a point to bury me online, and more importantly back channel as well. This is a fact. You and your crew went out of your way to take food off my plate. I never forgot that, and now you have something you’ll never forget. You chose to blame Mike Arrington, Jason Calacanis, and myself when you should have been blaming yourself. Mike is busy taking on AP and the NY Times. Jason is taking on Google. I’m taking on TV, do you think anyone of us have the time or even give a shit enough about you to plot a conspiracy? Your arrogance and self importance is truly staggering. You brought this upon yourself through your own stupidity and by being mean.
People like the puppet more than you because he is more real than you are. More honest than you are, smarter than you are. More human than you are. People want the Shel puppet to win. The same can’t be said for you my friend.
And now it’s done, my little experiment with Social Media. I beat you with your own tools, in the arena in which you bill yourself an expert. You are an amateur Shel, an amateur, always remember that.
Don’t comment, don’t say anything. Just send me an email where to send the registrar info and you can have www.shelisrael.com. The puppet will live on forever though, I just like the little bastard, he makes me and a lot of people smile. Perhaps you’ve learned some humility. Good luck to you Shel, you are going to need it.
Loren
Posted in 1938 Media, Puppet, Shel Israel
On FriendFeed, this post was liked by 15 people and commented on 20 times
101 Responses to “Open Letter To Shel Israel - It’s Over”
Touché. Glad it’s over. It was funny. It was real. Hope everyone walks away having learned something.
By Aaron Brazell on Jun 28, 2008
WHAT?!?!
I see no ruling by a jury of our social media peers. And now that post is gone as well.
Loren, are you just handing it over? Please say this doesn’t mean the end of the puppet show.
By Coop on Jun 28, 2008
Not only did you own him with his own tools you were also by far the bigger person. For all the heat you take for being such a “dick” you have your head on straighter than most of these so called social media “celebrities”.
Which just ads to how funny this all is.
By kevin on Jun 28, 2008
Everybody loves the Shel puppet. When he said, “Ya mean, I don’t have a show anymore?” It was soooo sad. Poor little guy.
As far as the Real Shel, you beating up on him is like when Scoble tries to engage me in political discussions. it’s like beating up on the smallest kid in class.
Yet, I lack remorse, because thats what the internet is. A big schoolyard full of self-important dopes(TM). The sad thing is, It’s usually the dopes who end up with the monetization deals.
By Art Lindsey III on Jun 28, 2008
Deal. I don’t have your email address Loren. Send me what you need to send at shelisrael1@gmail.com and we will be done with this.
By shel israel on Jun 28, 2008
Nicely done, mister. Keeping it real in so many ways.
By MsInformation on Jun 28, 2008
Now would you also cancel the vendetta against me. I just heard today what you think I said to or about your girlfriend. Loren, listen to this carefully — it never happened. Think about it. What if you got this wrong. How the fuck are you ever going to make it up.
Accusing a man of abusing women is the worst thing you can say about him. You really have fucked up here big time. And if you feel like a mensch, you should apologize, cause you really wronged me. Swear to god.
PS: I heard about it from a woman friend who knows your girlfriend. I asked her to let her know that what you said about me is absolutely untrue.
By Dave Winer on Jun 28, 2008
Shel needs to be interviewed by his namesake puppet so he can laugh at himself and we can see that he isn’t such a bad guy after all.
By paul on Jun 28, 2008
Excellent work, Loren. It’s great to see your project come full circle for those of us who have been following it. I’ve always thought Shel Israel should have made a puppet of you, and this whole thing would have seemed a lot more like friendly-if-heated joking instead of the kvetchy whine-a-thon he made it into. In any case, kudos.
By Juan on Jun 28, 2008
“I just heard about an accusation that Feldman made about me having something to do with posting messages to or about his girlfriend. I don’t read his blog, never have, never will and don’t want to know the details of the messages. If these messages exist, someone else posted them. Thanks.”
- Me, 2 hours ago, FriendFeed
By Past Dave Winer on Jun 28, 2008
Awesome Loren, your not only spot on but a good guy too.
This whole incident was a very interesting experiement and I believe a lot of people learnt from it
By Nik Cubrilovic on Jun 28, 2008
Long Live The Puppet!
By Scott Gjerdingen on Jun 28, 2008
I must say I’m so very happy to see you boys have patched things up. I’d be happy to buy you Loren and Shel a Coke, and sing together in perfect harmony.
Love,
juliejulie
By juliejulie on Jun 28, 2008
You have proven a point that I’ve believed for a long time. The vast majority of people who call themselves social media experts, new media experts, web strategists, whatever, are totally full of it. This whole thing is built around cults of personality. Good work my friend.
By Rob Safuto on Jun 28, 2008
About time Loren. The pettiness is ugly, glad this part of it is going to stop.
By Anonymous on Jun 28, 2008
I don’t think so Dave. I have some work yet to do with you.
By Loren Feldman on Jun 28, 2008
Ether. The shit that make the soul burn slow.
By Jamie on Jun 28, 2008
Maybe the Shel puppet can get a gig over at Valleywag.
By Dossy Shiobara on Jun 28, 2008
iTouch=PWNED
ShelPunkd.Com
By Mr. Saturday Night Special on Jun 29, 2008
Good Luck with whatever comes next, Loren.
Hoping you use your intelligence & talent for something truly extraordinary. But not so divisive, maybe…
By GeekMommy on Jun 29, 2008
Geekmommy - What I did to Shel WAS truly extraordinary. I dont care about being divisive.
By Loren Feldman on Jun 29, 2008
Wishing you peace and compassion, Loren, and hoping you get the appreciation and recognition you desire from your work–sounds like you would have appreciated a helping hand back in the day.
It seems like you’re taking down the sock puppet out of guilt about what others think about you’re doing after Shel requested a cease-fire–is that right?
The rest of the post–the anger, violent rhetoric, judgments, demands, and threats–seems to me like desperation for recognition that you’re better than Shel.
By Kevin Schultz on Jun 29, 2008
I stand corrected.
My definition of extraordinary and other goals seem not to coincide with yours in that area. I should’ve kept that to myself rather than commenting it here. But you can’t blame a gal for hoping. (I think.)
Good Luck in future endeavors nonetheless.
By GeekMommy on Jun 29, 2008
Kevin
Truthfully I could give a shit less what people think. I get mad recognition, and it means nothing because most of you are too stupid to even understand what I’m doing let alone be sharp enough to critique it.
Im done because there is nothing left to do to Shel. Not because of “critics” Fuck the critics. Always.
By Loren Feldman on Jun 29, 2008
Ridiculous, This f*n post made front of Techmeme?! A bunch of squabbling self-important, yet generally inconsequential, wankers hits the front page of one of the most relevant tech news sites? I’m embarrassed. I need to switch industries…
By Roebot on Jun 29, 2008
The presumption that Techmeme is important is laughable in itself.
By Aaron Brazell on Jun 29, 2008
What specifically did Shel Israel do to try and bury you when you first started?
By Ranked Hard on Jun 29, 2008
Anyone else notice that Mr. Winer is frequently getting misquoted, is misunderstood, or is saying “I never said that..”
You might want to take some communication courses Mr. Winer.
By James on Jun 29, 2008
that feldman character has a girlfriend? man, there is just no under-estimating the taste of women, is there
By gregory on Jun 29, 2008
Loren, feel free to make a puppet about me! I will not only NOT hate you for this, but I will thank you by posting a comic strip about you for each such episode - with link to such episode.
BTW: where is 1938 in name of your company coming from? From Kristallnacht? From “one year before WW2 started”?
By Comic Strip Blogger on Jun 29, 2008
You’re insufferable. It was funny but now I’ve lost my taste for it.
By John on Jun 29, 2008
You guys are pretty gullible if you believe “I got tired of destroying Shel” bullshit. He was ordered to stop. Feldman himself is a puppet. See there’s kind of a double joke there. When you try to find Feldman, all you come up with is the hand up his ass.
By Dave Winer on Jun 29, 2008
This whole thing just left me very sad. Grown men who abuse their power in order to satisfy their own egos. I don’t know who is really “right” here and who is the “bad guy.” But it doesn’t matter. Each of you has power right now in the industry that you love. To abuse that online or offline is not good karma either way. Life is not a movie with good guys and bad guys. To me, this is the most certain sign that we are in yet another social media bubble… that egos are so big that time and good will can be wasted on such things like personal rivalries. Loren, perhaps Shel did horrible things to you before you became more well known. That’s a bummer, it truly is. But I have such a bad taste in my mouth from all this - why would I become interested in someone who publicly humiliates someone else? That abuse of power is simply frightening. Its the equivalent of me using social media to humiliate every other colleague or grade school friend who I ever disliked. It is a life of negativity, and while you may all be flying high right now, it is not a life that creates anything.
I don’t watch your stuff often, but I have taken a special interest in this because it was so weird to me. I hope you sleep easier now knowing that you have “won.” I also hope you use your power for positive things that move your industry forward - not bullying that brings out the worst in everyone who participates.
Cheers.
By dan on Jun 29, 2008
“The presumption that Techmeme is important is laughable in itself.”
The presumption that presumptions are important and important things are laughable is both laughable and presumptious. So there!
By Andrew Eglinton on Jun 29, 2008
I think you made the right decision..
Sometimes you have to do what you have do..
By Fred Grott on Jun 29, 2008
Dan,
People want to do business with winners. I help companies prevent this from happening to them or show them how to do it to their competition. All the while making it interesting and fun.
Some Mickey Mouse douche bag blogger is not my typical client. I keep most of my clients confidential and they seem to be quite pleased.
By Loren Feldman on Jun 29, 2008
Needless to say, can’t wait for “written Feldman” on CNet. Loren, you rock, just don’t stop.
By Pavel Neuman on Jun 29, 2008
By who?
@Kevin:
You don’t read very well, do you?
Here’s what Loren said on the post you just commented on:
Jesus. At least read something before you comment on it.
By Vinny on Jun 29, 2008
There, there. Now that we’ve got the squabbles out, how about we all get together for a nice cupcake?
By juliejulie on Jun 29, 2008
hahahahaha, feldman you are such a hater but i must admit i find you amusing. you are probably the most talented hater i’ve ever seen. i say that sincerely.
but alas, i cannot stand by idle and watch you spread your tough guy brand of hate, when we all know that you, like your peers, are a coward who will never say the truth, and will ultimately bow to the lie. so i’m going to write a song about you. calacanis got a song, fred wilson and mikey arrington got a song, and you’re next on my list of web people. because we need to turn that hate of yours into love. i’ll let you know when it’s done. in the mean time, learn to respect the truth — the most important thing in any media. until then, you’re just a cowardly sucker like everyone else (though admittedly a bit more amusing).
By kid mercury on Jun 29, 2008
Thank god he’s over. I found him immature; and I feel you exagerate your tone Loren to sound more manly! pfff
By Isaac Mordakhai on Jun 29, 2008
Loren,
Congratulations for taking the high road here! You are truly a mensch. Can’t wait to see the next self-absorbed social media poseur who gets puppeted.
As always,
A Feldmaniac
By Warren on Jun 29, 2008
What’s amazing to me is that Shel didn’t have ShelIsrael.com.
It makes me think that Shel had the big company cred with Naken conversations and his partnership with Scoble helped Scoble get a book deal and it possibly made Shel seem cool to the internet crowd, because no one who wrote Naked Conversations should find themselves on the business end of this feud.
Loren, good job all around. Keep it up.
By Rob Blatt on Jun 29, 2008
I’m gonna miss the puppet!
By katexter on Jun 29, 2008
Crows Nest Reports Show that 1938Media is Right on Course..
Stormy Seas Ahead..
Who is Next to Blindfold.. and Made to Walk the Plank???
” Dave”..Oh dave….Where is that “Stow Away Ratt”??
By Admiral John London on Jun 29, 2008
Well written and well said.
I’m not even sure if that’s the real Shel that commented (if it is - hint, his email address is on the About Page).
So many more thoughts on this. But talkers just talk … while others just do.
By Jeremy Pepper on Jun 29, 2008
LF,
This was the right move. Power. Only trouble — and I tweeted similarly — you should at least give the man a chance to repent for his malevolent ways and opine…at least $0.01, that’s all.
Masterful run.
Clever display of them clankers, and I think this remains for me and my local Czech, Slovak, and former Czechoslovak colleagues (both XX and XY Chromosomal Units) the ultimate way to use that nasty sack of venom which you sport. I can’t recommend IN THE COMPANY OF MEN (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119361/) more strongly.
Thanks for the good times — keep them RSS pistons a-firin’ cap’n.
Signed,
ADM on the Hot Cobbles
By Adam Daniel Mezei on Jun 29, 2008
When you graduate from fifth grade, let the rest of us know.
By James Robertson on Jun 29, 2008
Without knowing any of the “weblebrities” involved here, I will nonetheless weigh in.
Feldman has raised the stakes, and is winning an apparent race to the bottom.
“Some Mickey Mouse douche bag blogger is not my typical client. I keep most of my clients confidential and they seem to be quite pleased.”
So, he’s proven that he can do damage, and he’s available for consultation on how to prevent him or others from doing the same thing to you. The message reeks of extortion.
If people are so pathetic that they hire Feldman to get sock puppet insurance, perhaps he at least has uncovered some hypocrisy. That is not to say he isn’t simply a bigger hypocrite.
By Richard Walker on Jun 29, 2008
this one is great
http://blog.hackingcough.com/2008/06/loren_feldman_f.htm
By meanguy on Jun 29, 2008
is Loren being a mensch here? Or is this just another piece of schtick? There was nothing at all menschy in the tone of the “open letter.”
Loren has very high order comedic chops, a great sense of strategy, a deep understanding of the level of the room and the hot buttons of social media. But menschy?
A funny schoolyard bully is no less mean than a physically abusive bully. We all incurred a karmic debt in supporting Loren’s cruelty.
By Michael Markman on Jun 29, 2008
Hey Richard,
Let’s see you get ” Full Blown Interviews” with the Top 10 Web 2.0 CEO’s in Silicon Valley!!
4 Richard
By Jimmy Hoffa on Jun 29, 2008
Wow. Just wow. These folks need to see if they can get a bulk discount on psychotherapy, and meds too. Just remember: arrogance, superiority complexes, and passive aggressive behaviors are all rooted in insecurity. This thread sure proves that. For shame, Techmeme.
By osla on Jun 29, 2008
Observing this whole adventure, I’ve gone back-n-forth on a few things…
+ I feel sorry for Shel but maybe he deserved it
+ Shel is naive and feeding the troll
+ Loren is a troll
+ Trolls are sometimes funny but usually should stay under the bridge where they belong.
Regardless of how you spin this, Loren, you just come across as mean and nasty. In the same way that those guys on the other side of my high school library used to tease and harass the geeks who went on to add value to the world while they pumped gas, drank beer, and showed how they could talk by belching.
Hey! There’s an idea for ya.
By Steve Adams on Jun 29, 2008
Loren,
I guess all good things have to come to an end - look forward to seeing what’s next !!
- Richard
By Too Many Secrets on Jun 29, 2008
keep the hits coming Loren…
By Solacetech on Jun 29, 2008
Long live the puppet!
By Ashley Angell on Jun 29, 2008
Neither of you won. You’re both losers
By Anonymous on Jun 30, 2008
“Mike is busy taking on AP and the NY Times. Jason is taking on Google. I’m taking on TV”
my god you are the most arrogant asswipe ive read.
You are just a hanger on to hanger on’s.
By jason on Jun 30, 2008
you might have made a puppet out of Shell but Shell definitely had his hand deep up your ass.
By jason on Jun 30, 2008
If only I could leave a video comment here
By Loic on Jun 30, 2008
I was knee deep in the puppet game before there was a Web 1.0, bitches, this Feldman fool got nothin on me.
Word to your mother.
By Mister Rogers on Jun 30, 2008
Shel - Sounds like you don’t know how to transfer a domain name?? And you want me to hire you to set up my entire online business?
By Grant S. on Jun 30, 2008
Loren wrote:
“I help companies prevent this from happening to them or show them how to do it to their competition.”
Sounds like the mob.
By Steve on Jun 30, 2008
I want to be transparent. I messed up. I should have supported Shel. I couldn’t because it would have put me in the middle. Now I’m not happy that I’m getting negative attention.
I admit that I used Shel. I hate you Loren and always have.
I’m to busy interviewing top public relations people to deal with you Loren.
Screw you and your people. I am the Robert Scoble. I will always be an A-lister.
By Robert Scoble on Jun 30, 2008
Brought to You By S.A.P.
By Google on Jun 30, 2008
I think I saw a picture of that puppet once. Never heard of anyone named Loren or Shel. Sounds like much a-douche about nothing.
By Dan on Jun 30, 2008
Who are you again?
By Isaac on Jun 30, 2008
This is so fucking lame.
By Keith on Jun 30, 2008
Don’t let up on Winer please. I want to see him get the full force cock punch he deserves.
By Josh on Jun 30, 2008
loren,
i’m not sure if the end of the shel debacle is a good thing or a bad thing, quite frankly i don’t care. im sure many of us “observers” only have a limited perspective on what has happened between you and shel. why don’t you tell us what exactly happened and what has led to this? we all heard the bs facade stories, but what did shel actually do to you? regardless of your shit talking attitude and your continuous insults, i know you appreciate the feedback and the comments people give you, otherwise you wouldn’t have a blog and wouldn’t allow comments. sure you can pull the tough guy rebel image, the guy who says “fuck the critics” and all that other garbage. but you have a sense of pride and accomplishment just like everyone else, in the end you did what you had to do, and the only thing that really matters is that you are happy with the decisions you made.
“I get mad recognition, and it means nothing because most of you are too stupid to even understand what I’m doing let alone be sharp enough to critique it.”
glad to know you put yourself in such high esteem loren, if you really think that we are so stupid to understand “what you’re doing” then how does it feel to write for a bunch of idiots? what does that make you?
we are smart enough to critique your masterpieces such as “technigga” and you are capable of critiquing us.
guess what, you’re just as stupid as the rest of us, welcome
By jacob morgan on Jun 30, 2008
Well played.
But I thought it was in fact something the three of you cooked up together at Arrington’s house to get more attention for all of you.
The puppets are getting a bit over-exposed, give them a rest, maybe.
By Prokofy Neva on Jun 30, 2008
“Mike is busy taking on AP and the NY Times. Jason is taking on Google. I’m taking on TV”
You are probably one of the most aggrogant shits I’ve come across in this industry. You believe you’re changing the world with some crappy little content, get real you lame-ass
By John on Jul 1, 2008
Seems like Loren did what everyone else talks about/aims for re: ‘monetising’ social media. (Hate that phrase.) He monetized it alright. He went out, created some content and got a deal from Verizon to keep doing it. Forgetting the opinions you might have of the content or him, give the guy props for pulling off what most of us are after, no?
By bg on Jul 2, 2008
Loren is pathetic; a grudge-ridden person who’s insecurity and poor self-esteem push and drive nothing but negative feelings, thoughts, and actions.
It’s truly sad to watch someone play out his neuroses so very publicly.
By Tom on Jul 5, 2008
@Tom You’re being kind of negative, dontcha think.
By Michelle McCormack on Jul 5, 2008
I am a unpleasant loser.
By Michael Arrington on Jul 5, 2008
I am the real Dave Whiner.
(PS Loren and all you readers: None of these comments count for shit when they can be so easily faked.)
By Dave Winer on Jul 5, 2008
I am an ugly fat runt. Not enough brains to plan a conspiracy.
By Jason Calacanis on Jul 5, 2008
Taste my ego, bitches,
By Loren Feldman on Jul 6, 2008
@Dave Winer: There are many worse things you can say about a man that he is abusing a woman. When people make overly emotional statements like that they lose legitimacy.
By Michelle McCormack on Jul 6, 2008
Dear Jimmy Hoffa,
Where are you buried?
Love to!!
-Richard
By Richard Walker on Jul 13, 2008
This is about the whiniest comments I have ever read. I loathe to think that anyone could be so lame. Everyone with an anonymous opinion, should really get a life soon. If your going to say something show you name, otherwise shut your pie hole.
By thesportsgirl on Jul 14, 2008
Gosh Loren, the fact that you haven’t jumped down my throat means that I’m either unworthy of commentary or you’re in bed with Julia Allison (is that her name?)
Either way, evidently no-one cares anymore. Still, I think I’ll eat the crumbs. Yummy!
By Richard Walker on Jul 16, 2008
I guess I’m commenter #100. Should this post be amended to read, “Shel - it’s not quite over, but you can have your URL back”
By Clark Kent on Jul 24, 2008