[subego]

It's all really sad. I'm still bummed about it. It was the one show that really catered to the live audience.

Erik Lanigan, the host of the show, went ballistic on Leo, Lisa (the CEO of TWiT), and a few other people who work there.

What's worse, it seemed like he was a few weeks out from being asked to substitute for Leo on his weekend radio show. That also shows the scale of the communication breakdown, as I'm sure if he knew he wouldn't go off on how TWiT has left him out to dry, and how he can't get a job anywhere else because TWiT's been blacklisted for poaching talent.

Or how the CEO makes fun of him.
Or how he isn't getting paid.
Or how he doesn't have a call screener.
Or how the editor he taught Final Cut to is a complete asshole.
Or how Leo won't help him find another job.
Or how Leo won't talk to, or mentor him.
Or how he didn't get invited to the company barbecue.

Pink slip in... 3...2...

[The Final Dakar]

His list of grievances doesn't seem that unreasonable on the surface. I'm guessing this guy was never in the studio outside of when everyone was gone?

[subego]

Bingo.

Which it would appear led to a massive communication breakdown.

I agree that his grievances seem reasonable, but of course you want to bring them to Leo rather than your audience.

They seem reasonable enough I was pissed at Leo for a few weeks, until he put it in terms of "I love Erik, he's really talented, but his problem has always been he's a pain in my ass. That's why he got fired the first time [he used to be the board op for Tech News Today]. He's like, on his fourth chance here. I'm not going to let someone host my show if I can't trust them."

[The Final Dakar]

The guy looks mentally imbalanced. But if that is the case, leaving him to his own devices, you may be shooting both of yourselves in the foot.

[subego]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

The guy looks mentally imbalanced. But if that is the case, leaving him to his own devices, you may be shooting both of yourselves in the foot.

Then I'm definitely misrepresenting things.

From the outside it comes off exactly like the kind of thing where you have a communication breakdown in a relationship.

Leo clearly loves Erik. You don't pick a guy to replace you who you don't have some sort of connection to. As for the mentoring, Leo felt letting the guy do 6 hours of call-in talk a week under difficult conditions was mentoring, with the added advantage of it not being at some 50 watt AM station after the Farm and Fleet report. Erik was getting to build a dedicated audience of lifetime fans.

However, since there was no communication, none of it was being interpreted that way.

Erik felt his show was really bad, so what he should have seen as a huge opportunity was just beating him down. Likewise, Leo felt Erik was good enough that he could just hurl him into the deep end. Rather than Erik seeing that as a testament to Leo's faith, he instead felt abandoned and about to go under.

[subego]

I should also throw in that Erik was supposed to be paid a little, but wasn't being paid anything. As far as he knew, he was doing it for free, so the mistake was never addressed.

To show the bizarre lack of communication, not only did I know he was supposed to be paid, I knew how much per show. This is because his rabid, insomniac fans would clusterbomb the chat room during breaks in Leo's radio show, and Leo would answer their questions. The only person out of the loop was Erik.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Then I'm definitely misrepresenting things.

From the outside it comes off exactly like the kind of thing where you have a communication breakdown in a relationship.

Leo clearly loves Erik. You don't pick a guy to replace you who you don't have some sort of connection to. As for the mentoring, Leo felt letting the guy do 6 hours of call-in talk a week under difficult conditions was mentoring, with the added advantage of it not being at some 50 watt AM station after the Farm and Fleet report. Erik was getting to build a dedicated audience of lifetime fans.

However, since there was no communication, none of it was being interpreted that way.

Erik felt his show was really bad, so what he should have seen as a huge opportunity was just beating him down. Likewise, Leo felt Erik was good enough that he could just hurl him into the deep end. Rather than Erik seeing that as a testament to Leo's faith, he instead felt abandoned and about to go under.

You gotta admit, from the outside, mentoring and being banished to SIberia look pretty similar. Just because you're King of Siberia doesn't make the situation great.

Originally Posted by subego 

I should also throw in that Erik was supposed to be paid a little, but wasn't being paid anything. As far as he knew, he was doing it for free, so the mistake was never addressed.

To show the bizarre lack of communication, not only did I know he was supposed to be paid, I knew how much per show. This is because his rabid, insomniac fans would clusterbomb the chat room during breaks in Leo's radio show, and Leo would answer their questions. The only person out of the loop was Erik.

So... was he getting paid and he was lying or was he not getting paid and they screwed up royally?

[subego]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

You gotta admit, from the outside, mentoring and being banished to SIberia look pretty similar. Just because you're King of Siberia doesn't make the situation great.

Absolutely. In hindsight it's clear Leo needed to be talking to the guy more. I saw that Erik wasn't invited to the company barbecue being telling. Was he actually not invited, or did he just assume that because no one talked to him.

My guess is he assumed. If he really was the kind of pariah he thought he was, he probably shouldn't be working there at all.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

So... was he getting paid and he was lying or was he not getting paid and they screwed up royally?

Leo said multiple times on the air that he's getting paid, and Erik discussed not getting paid as if that was the plan. Evidence points to a royale with screw-up.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

I saw that Erik wasn't invited to the company barbecue being telling. Was he actually not invited, or did he just assume that because no one talked to him.

Well given this is TWiT I imagine either a Facebook invite or email had to be sent out en masse so give the time and date, right? And if he wasn't sent one...

Originally Posted by subego 

Leo said multiple times on the air that he's getting paid, and Erik discussed not getting paid as if that was the plan. Evidence points to a royale with screw-up.

Meaning he wasn't getting paid and he was supposed to?

[subego]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Well given this is TWiT I imagine either a Facebook invite or email had to be sent out en masse so give the time and date, right? And if he wasn't sent one...

Good point, but if he's never there when whoever was in charge did it, it could have been an oversight. He isn't a full-time employee.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Meaning he wasn't getting paid and he was supposed to?

That's what it looks like.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Good point, but if he's never there when whoever was in charge did it, it could have been an oversight. He isn't a full-time employee.

Well, that kind of supports his position, doesn't it?

Originally Posted by subego 

That's what it looks like.

While the guy's troubled past undermines him, I find it hard to fault a guy for losing his shit when he's so removed from the company they forget to pay him.

[subego]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

Well, that kind of supports his position, doesn't it?

Absolutely. His view on the events is rational, I'm only trying to determine if he genuinely wasn't invited, as in people didn't want him there.

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

While the guy's troubled past undermines him, I find it hard to fault a guy for losing his shit when he's so removed from the company they forget to pay him.

Absolutely again. Which is why it's such a shame he didn't feel he could go through the proper chain of command. Assuming Leo wasn't lying about letting him sub for the holidays, I imagine he would have been open to the complaints.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Absolutely. His view on the events is rational, I'm only trying to determine if he genuinely wasn't invited, as in people didn't want him there.

I'll err on the side of oversight, given the rest of the circumstances. Isn't Christmas the one time of year you swallow the pill and invite someone regardless?

Originally Posted by subego 

Absolutely again. Which is why it's such a shame he didn't feel he could go through the proper chain of command. Assuming Leo wasn't lying about letting him sub for the holidays, I imagine he would have been open to the complaints.

I get the feeling this guy is rough around the edges, which is part of the reason he was where he was, but I also get the feeling they took him for granted. Like they treated him as less of a person because of the favor they were doing him. To hear it from you, it sounds like it was always a matter of time before he would have ****ed it up, but given just how terribad it looks like he got treated, they owe him something, because frankly it reads as pretty damn insulting.

I wonder how long they weren't paying him.

[subego]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I'll err on the side of oversight, given the rest of the circumstances. Isn't Christmas the one time of year you swallow the pill and invite someone regardless?


I get the feeling this guy is rough around the edges, which is part of the reason he was where he was, but I also get the feeling they took him for granted. Like they treated him as less of a person because of the favor they were doing him. To hear it from you, it sounds like it was always a matter of time before he would have ****ed it up, but given just how terribad it looks like he got treated, they owe him something, because frankly it reads as pretty damn insulting.

I wonder how long they weren't paying him.

Oh yeah. It seems pretty horrible. The guy he bitched about who he trained is a full time employee. They hired their intern.

Erik was providing them six+ hours of content per week, had the CEO on his ass, and he wasn't even getting the (paltry) $50 a show he was due. I don't think he got paid for any of them.

All that being said, if you flame-out on your boss in front of everybody, you've somewhat tied his hands.

[The Final Dakar]

Man, this is terrible. I see your point about their hands being tied, but I still feel like this guy burned his bridge after they doused it in gasoline and tossed him some matches.

Edit: I'm sure I'd feel less bad if I watched flame-out (No, I don't want to).

[subego]

You really don't. It happened it the chat room after what became his last show, so it's a literal slow-motion train wreck. He actually starts at the studio, goes home, and then logs back in.

Also, and this had been a problem all along, his fans try to help, but end up giving him more rope.

It's a sad read.

[The Final Dakar]

Also, never call Dvorak "Big D" ever again. This week's show reminded me of something. I swear it was him Patrick and Mark the second to last time he was on. I seem to recall a few years ago Leo noting people don't like being on with him. Just another way he ruins the show.

Personally, I'd love it if he was on with Tom though. That guy is a fact machine that tears apart all the BS Dvorak likes to throw into the discussion.

[subego]

"Big D" was meant as sarcasm. I agree, he's totally been bringing the show down.

[subego]

Gibson
Norton
Block

Hosted by Merritt.

[subego]

Ihnatko
McCracken
Patel

[subego]

Wow. Good show already. Leo and Nilay are almost yelling at each other.

[subego]

Especially if you have interest in SOPA and PIPA, this episode gets the subego seal of approval™. It's been awhile since I remember anyone on the show being passionate.

[subego]

Genuine spoiler:

 

Leo in college holding a "flower vase".

[The Final Dakar]

I forgot to note, Merritt has come a long way since his early days subbing. I thought he was quite good.

[subego]

Then I should add he copped to not dancing with everyone being a joke, so it was kind of lame for me to hold that against him.

[The Final Dakar]

I... don't recall what you're talking about.

[subego]

I bitched about how his personality rubbed me the wrong way, as opposed to having any problem with his skills as a broadcaster, which I think are superlative.

At the end of his daily show, everyone except for him dances to the theme music. He always has his head down and is typing on his laptop. I cited this as an example of why I find his personality off-putting, while in reality it's my confirmation bias leading me to miss the joke.

[The Final Dakar]

Half an hour in and they're still going. Unbelievable.

[subego]

Apparently, Leo let a shot on the air of a dirty Google+ chat between him and Lisa, the CEO.

Separate from that, Erik posted a 30 minute video montage of on-air stuff which he feels vindicates him, and one of his fans spammed the comments with a screengrab of the chat.

Nick Denton smelled fresh link bait and put it up on Gawker.

What a mess.

[subego]

Leo's rebuttal:

Shame on me? Shame on Gawker! : LOL: The Life of Leo

[driven]

Originally Posted by ort888 

My problem with the TwiT shows is that they cover about 20 minutes worth of tech news in an hour and a half. I understand that some banter and personality needs to come through, but they tip the scales too far. Plus Leo hogs the spotlight. There are typically 5 cast members but 2/3 of the show is Leo talking.

I really prefer the Talk Show and Hypercritical on 5by5.

I'm sort of in the same boat on this one. I love TWiT, but the shows are too bloody long and I have too little time to listen to it. If they were 30 minutes (or less) I'd watch them religiously. When they are over an hour, there's not a chance I'd find the time.

[The Final Dakar]

Originally Posted by subego 

Separate from that, Erik posted a 30 minute video montage of on-air stuff which he feels vindicates him,

"I need to go deeper"

[subego]

You do, or he does?

[The Final Dakar]

I'm saying he's digging himself a deeper hole.

[subego]

Oh yeah.

[subego]

Originally Posted by driven 

I'm sort of in the same boat on this one. I love TWiT, but the shows are too bloody long and I have too little time to listen to it. If they were 30 minutes (or less) I'd watch them religiously. When they are over an hour, there's not a chance I'd find the time.

Out of curiosity, do you sit and watch them? Have them on in the background? Listen only? Option I have not thought of?

[ort888]

I had to go look up that dirty tweet from Leo and now I have a naked dirty-talkin' Leo Laport on a bed burned into my brain.

[The Final Dakar]

Hawt

[subego]

Sniff, sniff...

[subego]

New year, old guests.

Silverman
Dvorak
Pournelle

[subego]

Malik
Stevens
Magid

Belmont and Shwood officially start today. Webb and Sessler cry.

[subego]

Originally Posted by subego 

Belmont and Shwood officially start today. Webb and Sessler cry.

Spoiler:

I guess it was sorta okay...

[subego]

They replayed it, so I've seen it twice now. The writing is actually pretty good, but it's going to need some major polish in the execution.

[The Final Dakar]

What's the name again? ARe they releasing them on iTunes yet?

[subego]

It's now called "Game On!"

AFAIK, they're going to start putting it up with this episode, but it looks like it isn't there yet.

It's up on the website:
http://twit.tv/show/game-on/1

[The Final Dakar]

Heh, I looked that up yesterday morning as that's what I remembered, apparently there's another podcast named that.

Terrible name, too.

[subego]

Of all the possibilities they tossed around, "Falcon Punch" was my favorite.

[ort888]

Blech. Why does every gaming show feel like they need to tailor the experience for semi-literate 13 year old boys?

That was terrible.

I miss CO-OP by the old 1up guys.

[subego]

No love for Max Trollbot?

[The Final Dakar]

Finally getting watch it. Jesus, some of the animations/cuts/transitions. Can't wait to see it in a year when they polish it/get rid of the more gimmicky/schlocky graphics.