Woah, this is pure Friday fodder. From an anonymous source, we get the following exchange between a PR person we'll call FLACK and a travel writer we'll call HACK. We've changed names to protect the innocent and the insane.We join our story as FLACK is beginning to question whether or not HACK is really a member of the fourth estate. We assume reviews/stories were promised in exchange for complimentary hotel stays.
----From: FLACK@anagency.comSubject: UrgentTo: HACK1@yahoo.comDate: Thursday, July 31, 2008, 2:42 PM
HACK1,
It has come to my attention that you and HACK2 have promised stories to both HOTEL1 and HOTEL2, neither which have seen the results of the stays they provided.
Also, you told me the publication was new, how was it that you all promised HOTEL2 a story last year then?
As HACK2 plans on staying at HOTEL3 over the next few nights, I will need answer to the above ASAP.
Thanks.
----From: HACK1@yahoo.comSubject: Re: UrgentTo: FLACK@anagency.comDate: August 12, 2008 6:29:08 PM EDT
FLACK,
You were one item on my list that I neglected to take care of.
1. your unprofessionalism and rudeness will not go unpunished. The CEO of our parent company, American Express, knows the person who signs your measely paycheck at >AN AGENCY< and he will make sure that you lose employment at this company.
2. No one here promised anything to the hotels you mentioned. My editor, HACK2 never stayed at the HOTEL1, and as far as HOTEL2, we decided not to include them in our feature editorial which is always a media option.
3. Say this to yourself every morning when you brush your teeth"I am a paycheck nothing but a paycheck" "I am worthless in this world because other people have to employ me since I am too stupid to employ myself"
FLACK, you are nothing but a worthless piece of >RHYMES WITH WUSSY< in this world. You only eat and sleep if your boss throws you a bone.
YOU GIVE UP YOUR SOUL FOR A FEW SILVER COINS-DIRECT DEPOSIT. you are just a job-JUST OVER BROKE. That is what a job stands for. you take the train and I take a private jet. You stupid >RHYMES WITH STITCH.< And that is paying you a compliment.----
Um, wow. Just wow.
If the profanity didn't tell you that HACK1 has some issues, YOU have issues. We could detail the other examples of unprofessional behavior. But we suspect you can figure those out too.
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Those Hacks are insane and totally unprofessional. I wonder if any other hospitality PR people have run into these women scammers? Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteWow. Almost choked on my bagel.
ReplyDeleteI think unprofessional is an understatement. I was waiting for the end of the Hack's email to say "I'm going to make orphans of your children."
However, media (bloggers and journos alike) and pr pros are regular people. Every so often, ONE of us has to go off the deep end.
Thanks for the post.
Brandon
That is insane,hysterical, and has brightened up my Friday immensely.I do hospitality PR, and I think the experience they are talking about is fairly common. Many people get in touch with me and want complimentary stays, but I always insist on speaking with their editors to make sure the assignment is good, if it's from a legitimate outlet. Part of being a good flack is vetting the journalists you work with so you don't waste your clients time by billing hours for pieces that go nowhere.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, as much as people want to think you can trade free trips for clips, there is a real possibility that a property can be cut from a story so that could be legitimate. I don't know who anyone involved in this story is specifically, but if someone I had a legitimate working relationship with sent me an email like that I would have their boss on the phone in a heart beat. I think this comes down to someone who is really just a rude jerk.
Evil - Bless you for weighing in with your hospitality PR perspective.
ReplyDelete"Part of being a good flack is vetting the journalists you work with so you don't waste your clients time by billing hours for pieces that go nowhere."
That is the pefect topic for a more educational post somewhere in the future. Thanks for pointing that important point out to our readers.
I love the Bad Pitch Blog. It always has me laughing. There are mad people everywhere! Keep up the good work guys.
ReplyDeleteI produce media events for a living, and you simply wouldn't believe the lengths that so-called journalists will go to in order to gain entrance to our events.
ReplyDeleteThey lie about who they are. They present fake credentials. They make up publications/websites. They claim to work for a known pub when they don't. They even literally push their way past registration to get inside. We have a vetting process to weed most of them out, but some still get through.
There's an entire network of wannabe journalists who are lazy slugs who simply want to take advantage of the perks that real journalists are often afforded.
I've experienced several "you're going to be sorry" scenarios after refusing admission, which never materialize.
Keep fighting the good fight!
Having experienced a similar type of email abuse, I am so sorry for Flack. It is mind blowing how angry some people can be -- angry at the world and with themselves, really. It still hurts, even when you know that person must be crazy. I hope this community support will help you feel better.
ReplyDeleteI would love to say something brilliant, but all I can think of is that this Hack is on(rhymes with Hack). Very bizarre.
ReplyDeleteOMG - I went through something similarly insane last week with a blogger - complete off the wall temper tantrum which went from harrassing and irrational emails to harrassing phone calls! I'll be happy to send you the transcript - it'll *blow* your mind!
ReplyDelete