Burt’s Eye View: Some Townhalls Are Worse Than Others
by Burt PrelutskyRecently, I had a very odd experience. No, I didn’t wake up 30 years younger and with a full head of hair. That would have been odd but nice, whereas the experience I actually had was merely bizarre.
Like most bloggers, I write for more than one website. It’s rather like being a syndicated columnist, except that little or no money changes hands. But, as a writer who hopes to influence public opinion, you want to have as many readers as possible.
The strange event took place on a Tuesday. It came in the form of an e-mail from Jonathan Garthwaite, who runs Townhall, a website I’ve contributed to for nearly four years.
The message read: “Dear Burt: As everyone is painfully aware, the economy is forcing companies to make difficult decisions. Townhall.com is no different. We take our commitment to our readers and our bottom line very seriously. Similarly, we are constantly reassessing our editorial lineup. We end up making tough decisions that aren’t always fun.
“I know it won’t please you to know that we’ve decided to discontinue carrying your column. It was not a decision make (sic) carelessly. Picking between colleagues, friends and talented writers is never easy.
“Thank you very much for sharing your insights with Townhall.com readers over the years. Sincerely, Jonathan.”
I must confess I was shocked to receive an electronic pink slip after all this time. I sent Garthwaite an e-mail asking which other writers were being made to walk the plank, but he said he wasn’t free to share that information. I did get him to agree to post a notice on the following Friday, lest readers simply assumed that I had died.
The reason I’m sharing this with you isn’t because I regard this as a case of blatant censorship. This isn’t the federal government silencing me. Townhall has every right to post or not post any writer for any reason. I don’t believe I or anyone else has the inalienable right to have his articles disseminated. There are many more important issues than whether or not a blog decides to cut me loose. Okay, I exaggerate. There aren’t many things more important, but there are, I’m almost certain, several that rival it.
That said, I fear that there are dark forces at play. You see, although there was the reference in Garthwaite’s e-mail to the weak economy and the bottom line, there had been no prior discussion between Townhall and me about money. At least not for quite a while. When I first started writing for them back in 2005, Townhall was paying me $35 for an article. But I was writing faster than they were posting, so they agreed to run two-a-week, and I agreed to lower the price to $20 each. And so it has remained.
But if they were cutting me loose over money, wouldn’t it have made more sense for them to suggest we revert to one-a-week or even ask me if I would write for less, even for free? Isn’t that usually how these things work?
Therefore, I think reasonable people can agree that money makes a very questionable motive in all this. And if I were popular enough with the readers to warrant Townhall’s posting two of my articles each and every week for all this time, lack of popularity wouldn’t appear to be the problem.
Now, understand, I am not the sort of person who readily subscribes to conspiracies. If anything, I tend to pooh-pooh them because I don’t believe two people can keep a secret, and I’m dead certain that three or more can’t. However, something about the timing couldn’t fail to grab my attention in much the same way that a mackerel lying under your pillow will certainly grab yours.
The piece that Townhall had posted on Monday of that week was an attack on our sworn enemies, which I had titled “The Straight Poop on Islam,” but which Townhall, in a fit of political correctness verging on insanity, had re-named “The Straight Talk on Islam.”
Perhaps it was sheer coincidence that the very next day, I was let go. Maybe the one thing had absolutely nothing to do with the other. Perhaps somewhere along the line, Cause and Effect had gone to Reno for a divorce and I just hadn’t heard about it.
But at least now you understand why I can’t help wondering if the folks at Townhall got an offer they couldn’t refuse — perhaps a call from someone threatening to send them a ticking CAIR package.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
234 Comments
Ever been to a town hall in Massachusetts?
They start off with a viewing of Ted Kennedy's soiled swim trunks.
followed by everybody trading phone numbers for fun later.
Many have no problem with Obamacare because they got screwed
with Massachusettscare so they think it's only fitting the rest of us get screwed too.
wow, some people take being fired really hard.. Hope you get over it but I can't say I blame them !
Burt:
I can't believe Townhall is cutting you off! Especially since lately they are posting a bunch of writers I've never heard of and don't particularly enjoy. Thank God I can still find you on Big Hollywood, because your columns are among the only ones I ALWAYS enjoy and look forward to!
I write for more than one website. It’s rather like being a syndicated columnist, except that little or no money changes hands.
Exhibit A: Upside of capitalism.
Blogger etiquette Rule #47: Never, EVER, use the word "poop".
Sorry, Burt. I don't mean to make light of your situation. I enjoy your writing here at BH and hope you stay with us for a long time.
JRH
muslims carry a lot of weight with their action, while the Americans just talk, talk, talk
wonder when the Real Americans are going to learn from the muslims?
cuz I know that the liberals and our govt will never face the muslims for what they are.
They fired you over twenty lousy bucks? I can't believe that. And dude – you are right. This 'reason' stinks very suspiciously. VERY suspiciously. Dang, now I have to add Townhall to the list of sites I don't visit. Dang! Never thought Townhall would cozy up next to Pinch. Who knew?
[...] is the original post: Burt’s Eye View: Some Townhalls Are Worse Than Others This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
Crap! Burt you are probably in my top three for columnists at Townhall, I never missed them! I loved your mix of varied topics and sharp wit, along with a smooth writing style that always entertained, and informed.
Please keep sharing your insights here or wherever you can.
a fan.
Does Rupert Murdoch own Townhall, too?
Good to hear from you Burt. Townhall is not the first employer to come up with a weak excuse for firing someone. They won't be the last.
I was upset to hear that Burt would no longer be at Townhall, since his column was always the first I would go to when visiting their site. I think they may be having other problems as well. Lately, I have noticed a lot of technical problems with Townhall. Pages downloading very slowly, getting kicked out after a long download, or pages causing the computer to shut down. It might be best you're out of there Burt.
Maybe they just got tired of your God-awful writing.
None of this matters. Victoria Jackson is the best columnist on the Internet ,ever!
I've loved reading you on Townhall. I'm happy I'll be able to find you at Big Hollywood.
Maybe it's because you write inane, rambling posts like this. I can't believe anyone ever gave you any money. And for christ's sake, "The straight poop on Islam?" I know you McCarthyites like to whine about the scourge of political correctness in America, but did you ever stop to consider that maybe sentient adults just don't want to listen to your pablum? There has not been one instance of censorship when it comes to reactionary drivel on sites like this. People just grow up eventually and realize that morons punctuating incoherent screeds against "socialism" with racist insinuations and then feigning offense when someone else points it out is an asinine mockery of political discourse that has no place in the America that most of us are proud of. Now, commence with the irrational, indignant responses.
"a person"?
But hardly human.
And your government job is with whom?
Hey, person. Go on back to your parents' basement and continue humping your Hannah Montana pillow.
I'm way too irrational and indignant to even respond right now.
My God, man, think much of yourself?
Wow, you come up with all that on your own?
Decaf. Just a suggestion…
Hey Burt –
20 bucks? I just deleted "Townhall.com" from my favorites folder.
You mistake, "a person" is a troll. Only here to sow discontent. Which means BH is working! They're fighting back.
Ok I'm a nobody and get more per article than that Burt… now I don't feel so bad about having one site cut what they are paying me.
Sounds to me as if one of two things happened..they feared offending someone ( God forbid) or you're articles weren't bring in enough hits to justify keeping it. I am guessing it ws the first one.. I still wonder when we got the right to NOT be offended by someone else's opinions.
Townhall is only on my occasional, after I catch up on all my others, I don't want to work so what else can I do, let's read the editorial cartoons list anyway, so… meh.
BH is MUCH better! Better columns, better posters.
Here's a mental exercise for you old tom (just tell reagan mjolnir down there to stay out of it since he's apparently a little overwhelmed already). You people hate it when the lefties accuse you of racism just because you disagree with Obama's policies, right? well, you accused me of being supercilious just because I disagree with ol' Burt's lame excuse at rationalizing his failure as writer. How do you reconcile your victim complex with your tendency towards immediate ad hominem attacks on people you disagree with? By the way, don't bother trying to avoid being hypocritical.
Mr. P., I wouldn't take it too personally. The real money in blogging is in advertising. If you're columns aren't attracting enough eyeballs – that follow the ad links – they may have needed to replace you with some one attracting more ad followers. So the token sum they paid you was probably insignificant compared to the bigger deals with advertisers.
And when you're competing against the likes of Dr. Thomas Sowell and Dr. Walter E. Williams, that's some pretty big talent.
Please continue to post here at BH, I enjoy a lot of your work.
Even for someone as creatively deficient as myself, that's really weak.
Apparently you scared him with your (rather accurate) suggestion (read the response to Old Tom).
FSOM, how do you rationalize your hypocrisy on hypocrisy when you yourself engage in ad hominem attacks?! FYI, ad hominem means attacking the man. Examples from your post: "McCarthyite," "morons," "asinine." Then, the implicit "irrational, indignant responses."
Pot? Meet kettle….
As far as meltdowns go, ol' Howard Dean would be proud.
Since you clearly assume that any answer to your loaded question is going to be hypocritical, why did you even add the last sentence at all? While I doubt that Burt was fired as the result of some grand conspiracy, and you obviously have the right to your opinion on the quality of his writing, after the screech you posted lumping all conservatives together for abuse, which was why Tom accused you of having a little bit of megalomania, how can you justify saying that he went after you just for disagreeing? Unless you've completely lost all cognitive function, you know good and well that's not the case.
Remember Yoda: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hatred, hatred leads to suffering."
"did you ever stop to consider that maybe sentient adults just don't want to listen to your pablum"
Since you read his pablum and responded to it, and I read yours and responded to it isn't it kind of interesting that you would use that particular phrase?
That is the beauty of America, you have the freedom to pay attention or not.
Burt has the freedom to spout off about being fired and other things. You have the freedom to think he needs to shut up about it.
I never click on thise side links. Am I stealing?
Did you read the article? It is pretty clear that the money argument is weak. So the whole, "not enough people wanted to read your column" argument makes it seem like you didn't read or fully grasp the simple point of the article. Too bad that thesaurus of yours can't help you there.
Your anger is perfectly understandable though since the idea of socialism and islam being evil doesn't fit in your naive worldview where large centralized collectivest governments work and Muslims are just another color in the diversity rainbow of love. Keep that thesaurus handy! You'll need it for the rest of your life to hide your idiocy as best you can.
Burt
I'm sure you have been fired for other stupid reasons. We all have.
My personal favorites:
1. I left work after coming in to help on my day off
2. I wasn't lazy enough
3. I started going to night school
My wife once lost her job for not completing her work while she was on maternity leave.
Hey! You can also catch Burt at World Net Daily!
Sorry, dude. Your rant is beneath response.
No, your conscience is clear.
People who work on the internet understand the business model for free content, as well as the pitfalls of the subscription business model. If they don't, they're in the wrong business.
Currently the only method for verifying which web site sourced a visit to an advertiser is to add a character string to the link that tells the advertiser where the traffic originated. My computer is A, BH is computer B and the advertiser is computer C. If I go directly to from A to C, all C knows is the IP address of A. What B does is add some text to the link that specifically says "This came from B," and that's what generates the payment.
I would suggest, only if you're interested, clicking on some ads at low budget blogs you enjoy. You don't even have to look at the site, just click, then close the window. But a nickel here and a nickel there, starts to add up.
This will really stink if they keep Kathlene Parker. If anyone needs to be dropped from Townhall it's that broad.
IMHO Townhall has gone from a very good conservative site to a so-so site overall. I used to go there daily, but lately it's more like once a week, or less. The quality has just sunk to a level that doesn't warrant a daily or even committed weekly visit. I always come here to look for you anyway!
Sorry to hear that you've been let go from TH, that's where I first discovered you a couple of years ago, and have enjoyed you ever since. It's funny but I find that although I like TH, I haven't been visiting it as much as in the past. The American Spectator has replaced it as one of my first go-to websites, along with Big Hollywood, and a few others. I suppose losing $20 a column won't set you back too much, but IMHO TH is the biggest loser in the long run. I'll look forward to seeing you here in the future.
Nor does he have the balls to use a real account and name. Coward.
Did you ever marry Paula and finally make a respectable women out of her?
No.
I guess she just got tired of you beating her up then, troll meat.
Not Over.
Look, a person finally signed on.
I wonder if Rush Limbaugh is aware of this?
I wonder if Rush Limbaugh is aware of this?
After all he promotes them a lot on his show.
Too much sugar in the trolls Kool-Aid I'd wager.
Not Over.
In order for you to demonstrate some element of hypocrisy in my argument by adducing ad hominem attacks that I have made, I would have had to assert that I do not make ad hominem attacks, which I never did. By the way, I don't know why you would feel the need to define a term that I used correctly unless you were just proud of yourself for looking it up before you vomited up your response. Also, no one on this site has ever made any pretense about being a McCarthyite, so I don't know why you would find that offensive. In conclusion, since I doubt you understood when I said it the first time, let me repeat my refutation of your argument in plainer English: Conservatives are hypocrites because they whine about personal attacks and then proceed to commit the same offense. I'm not a hypocrite, because I never said that I don't personally attack people, you idiot.
It's never a good idea to take infighting public. Whatever Townhall's motives, is it really fair to accuse them of kowtowing to our fanatical Islamist enemies?
Wow, the trolls are hitting this post hard!
Well, it's completely Townhall's loss! I will read Burt wherever people will post his work! I am always so happy to see a new post from you, Burt, so keep up the good writing.
I hope there was some other reason for dropping you. If Townhall is cowed by possible Muslim backlash, we are in a lot more trouble than I thought.
yeah, there was clearly a tone of fear-based deference to mjolnir in my response to old tom, in that I insulted his intelligence (that was sarcasm, by the way, don't hurt yourself reading it). doing so was admittedly redundant, I might add, since Mjolnir's trifling comment degrades him enough as it is.
forgive me if I don't have as high regard for the sententious musings of a puppet in an puerile, outdated trilogy that you do
Perhaps your argument would do well to consider itself. In other words, you did write a response. Or did you think that those thoughts had stayed in your head after you typed them and hit "submit comment?"
Trust me, the only one degraded here is you. But that requires self awareness to recognize– one among many things you lack. But go ahead and keep on trying to compensate for your shortcomings. It's amusing to see you run in circles while saying nothing.
I applaud your relatively advanced train of thought, but this particular blog posting by ol' Burt was meta-pablum. I never read the pablum in question. I am simply exercising the freedom you described.
Hang in there, Burt – I will read you no matter where you get fired from! Townhall is the worse for letting you go, and their explanation is lame. To hell with political correctness, and to hell with anyone who promotes it or knuckles under to it. As the Spanish proverb says, "Quien calla, ortorga" – He who is silent, consents. I know you won't be silent!
No worries Burt, you have us.
actually, I don't trust you, and if you could follow a linear progression of logical arguments, you wouldn't mistake them for a circle
Well, I think they should have canned their editor as well because I think when they replaced the "poop" with "talk" they should have taken the "The" off the title. Now I'm just an actress, mind you, but I think, grammatically "Straight Talk about Islam" makes more sense. Regarding your salary: there seems to be a rash of people taking advantage of others in this time of "financial crisis" I'm stage managing a show. Have been for about a month. Agreed to do it and awaited a contract. Still waiting and we open next week. It sure would have been nice to have an open, honest negotiation. It is possible that I might still have donated my time, but I would have enjoyed having the option. I'm not union so I have no recourse there. I have learned a lot. When they start reducing or eliminating compensation, it's time to rethink your agreement–at least that's my catch-phraze now. I'm glad you're still here, Burt. I always enjoy your posts.
Lol! The only linear progression going on here is through your mom's thesaurus.
I guess I should have realized that, in the conservative lexicon, poop = evil. As for your distrust for centralized governments, that sounds eerily similar to an argument made in certain southern states before. Back then it was about "states rights." Now it's about "socialism." You people have a long history of thinking you could fool people about your motives.
Out of curiosity, which word was it that you found so exotic that you could not possibly imagine anyone encountering it in a literary context? No answer would surprise me, but it's amusing nonetheless when you inadvertently admit your ignorance. Inadvertent means unintentional, by the way, just so you don't have another conniption about me being fluent in English.
Normally I try to stay away from the ad hominems, but you're a compassionless jerk. And they say Conservatives are uncaring….sheesh.
To answer your question, I can justify saying that by reminding you that making generalizations about people who admit the same things of themselves is hardly megalomaniacal
It's a line on the ol' CV, at any rate.
It's a line on the ol' CV, at any rate. It'll help you when the economy kicks back up.
Hmmm. Sounds like something a Sith Lord would say.
So you're saying that you do make ad hominem attacks, which means you're admitting that you're the illogical troll we already knew you were. Well, glad you cleared all that up for us. Everybody knew your comments were too asinine to be taken seriously anyway, but thank you so much for confirming it! I really appreciate it.
"Perhaps your argument would do well to consider itself."
and then you hit "submit comment?"
"Distrust for centralized government" is one of the principles of the founding of this country and the Constitution, dillweed. Maybe you should actually do some real reading instead of mentally masturbating in your mother's basement (probably using your mother's picture to help it along). It is not at all similar to an argument for segregation. That argument was bupkus then and is now. However, I will stand corrected if you can point me in the direction of the portion of the Constitution that allows the Federal gov't to take over health care, and private industries.
I await your response with glee, useful idiot.
Oh-ho, boy, fellers! We got us here one of them "college ed-ji-cated" folks who jest natcherly know so much more than we do, the kind who see us for the ignert, backward redneck fools we'uns are. Don't worry, guys and gals, Mr. Country-Song-Title here's gonna sit us all down and teach us why bein' opposed to a big central guvmint up thar in Warshington idn't about any kind of principles, it's 'cause we cain't stand that black feller in the White House. Then, I expect he'll let us in on why that socialism business is the thing to do and we just ain't civilized 'til we're on board with it. Doan' matter if some of us think we scored really high on them ACTs or SATs, or got four whole years of college larning ourselves, we're jest as dumb as a box of rocks if we ain't on board with what this feller says. Please, oh please teach us and cure us of our racist, Bible-beating ways Mr. Big-Shot!!
Huh. I didn't know we conservatives admitted that we were all racists and McCarthyites (something you'd know there was disagreement on if you paid any real attention to dialogue within the conservative movement). Maybe you could point these folks out to me who spoke for all of us, so I can get with the program. And while making generalizations about people isn't megalomaniacal, thinking of yourself as the "true voice of America" is (and to anticipate an obvious comeback: 1. Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity & Co. have never, to the best of my knowledge, claimed to speak for all of America, just a significant part of it if at all; 2. their comments are listened to by several million more people than are yours, therefore if they made such a claim, they would have more grounds for it than would you).
I didn't know arguments were capable of considering themselves.
Oh…they're just bored waiting for their dealer to get back with his stash.
Not Over.
I was fired for, as the new boss (who hadn't hired me) wrote: "Took a day off to get married."
I'm going to miss you. I also think TH is on the skids. It was always my first read in the morning but a few years ago I got bumped from their mailing list. When I called the office in Washington, the young man I spoke with informed me that they had so many new subscribers that they were forced to delete some of the older subscribers from their mailings to make room for the new ones. I tried to subscribe several times after that but my e-mail address was always rejected. Finally I just bookmarked TH but reading the columns dropped significantly. Instead of reading all the columns except Parker, I began to cherry pick. Now I can drop them altogether.
"You people"? Who do you think I am, exactly?
Actually, your entire premise falls apart with your first assertion, that I "hate it when lefties accuse (me) of racism". I don't hate that at all; I find it enormously entertaining. I accused you of being supercilious because of your assumption that your gratuitous ad hominem attacks could generate nothing other than "irrational, indignant responses" from us neanderthal conservatives.
First those Geico commercials, and now this…
You really are an insufferable ass.
Yee Haw.
Now, now, don't blame him and call him names, Tom. He can't help it, he was just born that way.
Burt let us know if you ever know why. Such bs. Why keep Parker and not you? This is bs.
Face it Burt, you're the oldest and most likely to die first. Still, it must hurt that they consider Chuck Norris a better writer. Ouch!
Oh yeah? http://zoethebitch.blogspot.com/2008/10/vulcan-mi...
Poop and vomit same sentence.
Typical of leftist hypocrites. They only show Star Wars any respect when they think they can use it for their own gain.
I had trouble getting past the 20 buck part.
It is hard not to find your argument about the timing /article without merit. Sad. I like and subscribe to Townhall. Do I want to continue knowing they guard their words and ideas so heavily? I will have to rethink that.
Is there room for such silly cowardice anymore?
I don't doubt that it's economically motivated. I haven't read Townhall in quite awhile.
I suppose it is a bit much to use language on such a level of abstraction. Don't worry, T-Rav, the scary metaphorical construct won't hurt you.
Be careful using words like "asinine." People around here are threatened by any word with three or more syllables. They might even accuse you of using a thesaurus. Other than that, yeah, sure, the degree to which you continue to pursue this conversation is definitely indicative of your general disregard for my "trolling."
I never said anything about those talk show entertainers, although I see why you preemptively addressed that point: you are aware that they do frequently claim to be not only the voice of "a significant part" (<30%) of America, but oftentimes, the voice of reason (this is mostly Rush. Beck knows he could never pull that off with his weeping, ranting idiocy, and Hannity doesn't know what reason means). I never said that conservatives admit to being racist, quite the opposite in fact. They deny it vociferously despite how obvious it is. As for McCarthyites, if they knew what that meant, and the history whence it derives, they would accept that title with pride.
so far, the assumption you ascribe to me has been proven correct. Now I just wish that you would prove yourself right about me being insufferable, and quit attempting to suffer me.
Another one of these accusations, only this time I've somehow borrowed the thesaurus from a woman I've never met. I refer you to my response to "Looner" below.
I'm sure that's true of whomever you have in mind, but I can assure you I never feel the need to show Star Wars respect.
if you say so
The preoccupation with my mother is an interesting trend to these conversations. I wonder what it is about being repeatedly proven wrong that makes people resort to these attacks (See SQT's retort above). I'm also not really sure what "mental masturbating" is, but I don't want you to explain it to me. And I have read the work of the founders of this country, including the Federalist papers (go ahead … look up what "federalist" means) among others, which is why I know that you just made up the first half of your argument (before the weird, Freudian part). In any case, I'm glad I provide you with glee.
Truthfully, I used to enjoy Townhall.com. Lately I haven't found it interesting or informative, so I stopped navigating that website. So whatever direction they're going is not to my liking.
Your all-to-accurate diatribe is correct in one regard: it doesn't matter if you scored "high" on the SAT's (the numbers go above 400, in case your guidance counselor told you otherwise), nor does it matter if you sat in a college classroom for four years and were handed a piece of paper in honor of your achievement. That doesn't mean you're capable of critical thinking, as you continually demonstrate. Besides, I thought Universities were bastions of liberalism, and all college professors were evil. Maybe I've been listening to too much Hannity or Dennis Prager.
Change your picture to that of a women with nice cleavage. That will attract eyeballs….. : )
Now, understand, I am not the sort of person who readily subscribes to conspiracies.
No, except that the president is a commie muslim nazi terrorist who wasn't born here.
Obviously the use of the word "poop" is an anachronism that the historically challenged and all liberals misunderstand. Much Like liberals think that the 2nd amandment refers to arming the Natioanl Guard (Established in 1905) their ahistoricity reveals their ignorance when it comes to WWII slang. Poop is used by Burt to refer to 'info.'
You must be logged in to post a comment.