2013 - The Year You Betrayed Us
You’re upset that this year you don’t get a table. I understand that. I know how hard you’ve worked since I began listening back in 2009 to your show. This isn’t about that, this is about how you turned your back on us.
2013, you decided to hold a fundraiser to earn funds to help alleviate the costs of reserving tables, getting banners, and renting a performance space next door as you didn’t get a panel. As a fan, I eagerly donated money to the cause. An episode of each of your podcasts were going to be performed in front of as many people as we could muster.
Then we got the news. The best news! Your Star Trek podcast got a panel at ECCC! I was super proud of you both. That’s a really big deal. There’s a good deal of exposure from being part of a con, far more than you’d get just performing outside. Ok, so some of the money we donated was going for a space we weren’t going to use aside from a meet up now. That’s fine, it’s still helping you guys out.
We, your loyal fanbase, the ones stomping around the con all weekend advertising your show, the ones the willingly gave our money to help support you, come to your show outside the convention center and took our seats. You come out to as loud of an applause as we can muster and the first things out of your mouth are to the effect of “We have been rehearsing for our live podcast panel for so long that this show got put on the back burner a bit. I want to apologize to you guys, but we’re going to give you the best show possible.”
I don’t have a successful podcast, nor have I or will I ever have a panel at a con, so I can’t begin to imagine what you must have went through to prepare. We didn’t care we still came to your show to support you. All through the show were continual apologies, the only part running smoothly was the segment that would eventually become your show.
You reach into the question box to start the Q&A section of the podcast. With each question, you get more and more irritated. “All these jokes are inside jokes! We are trying to appeal to new listeners.”
You scolded us. You scolded us like we were children that got caught reaching into the cookie jar. You spent the entire show apologizing it wasn’t as crisp as you’d like in a performance hall WE paid for and complain that WE, the people who have listened to you have let you down.
Despite all the times you made me feel like I wasn’t part of the group or even more than a twitter acquaintance, I still supported you. Until that day.
The way you treated people who listened to you since day 1, sacrificed their time to proofread your material, volunteered to be guests, is just downright disheartening. You took our money, gave us some trinkets and tokens of appreciation, and a crap show. You threw in a bit of disrespect as an added bonus. THAT is when I stopped listening to that show.
As if it weren’t enough, you did it again 2 years later. You spun the tale about how you were losing your job and wouldn’t be able to take the podcasts to the convention this year. Again your troops rallied to your aid and donated a significant chunk of change and you show up in a brand new suit! It’s not my place to know where your finances are, but that just came off odd. Oh and you didn’t lose your job, (rather fortuitous for you), but not an offering to those that donated a chance to have their funds back. I’m really glad I didn’t give you any money this go around.
It feels good to finally get this all off my chest. That year really got stuck in my craw. No I don’t have the balls to actually address this to you because why bother? You don’t have any use for it now. The only thing I miss about your shows is how all of us would use it as a minor excuse to gather together to see old friends, socialize, and have fun. There will be future cons for you, maybe even 2016. Count your blessings and remember who helped you along the way.
Funny, it only took two years for the Con you’ve supported to turn its back on you after you’ve turned your back on your supporters. It really is a shame because your co-host is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. You, however, have the attitude of “what have you done for me now? Nothing? Piss off.”
Best of luck in the coming year.
gummygunk
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