Better Bad News, “a video blog using voice, character and audio visual support to extend and recontextualize the conversation,” challenges my credibility due to a statement I made in my blog, regarding a comment made by a dinner companion, that compared David Weinberger to the late, great Lenny Bruce.
To clarify some confusion regarding BBN’s assertions:
– I was not compensated by Dr. David Weinberger or by the late Lenny Bruce or his estate for comments on my blog.
– While I have linked to BBN’s accusations, this does not imply that I believe that Dr. Weinberger is a “schmuck” or that he is planning to develop a “$600 a day smack habit”. A link is not an endorsement.
– While it would have been a wise marketing move to compensate BBN for marketing my “personal brand” by featuring me as a central motif in a piece of performance art, I am neither that smart nor that wealthy.
– I am unwilling to source the comment made, off the record, by my dinner companion without said individual’s permission. In the interests of transparency, I am attempting to obtain permission from the individual in question so I can property address BBN’s assertions.
– While I work closely with both Dr. Weinberger and Rebecca MacKinnon, and while it is possible that I have, in the past, been a kitten-eating cyborg, I am working – with the help of my family and my church – to mend my ways.
– The internet is a strange, strange place.
(In the event that this doesn’t make sense to some of my readers, especially those looking for African commentary, don’t worry too much. It’s all related to the “Weblogs, Journalism and Credibility” conference that took place at Harvard last week and generated all sorts of interesting reactions around the blogosphere.”