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Beware Those Reclusive Bathrobe Bloggers

Since his snide dismissal of bloggers as pajama-clad losers with no checks and balances in September 2004, Jonathan Klein has been the poster child for mainstream media cluelessness about the blogosphere. But as of this week, Klein has a challenger, and one with a much higher profile, for that dishonor.

In a speech to New York University journalism students, NBC Evening News anchor Brian Williams warned them of the future that awaits them in the field: "You're going to be up against people who have an opinion, a modem, and a bathrobe. All of my life, developing credentials to cover my field of work, and now I’m up against a guy named Vinny in an efficiency apartment in the Bronx who hasn’t left the efficiency apartment in two years."

Dean Barnett of Townhall, Andrew Sullivan of The Daily Dish and the folks at ThinkProgress are among the footsoldiers of the bathrobe brigade who have taken Williams to task for the comment.

"How unbelievably rich is that?" Barnett wrote. "Three years after Rathergate, this Catholic University drop-out still thinks the blogosphere consists of shut-in half-wits."

No word yet as to whether Pajamas Media will launch a new Bathrobe Communications division in response to the latest MSM dig against the blogosphere.

Posted by Danny | 09:26 AM

Comments

Brian, if Vinne the Hermit is a threat to you, then instead of building up your creditials with your boss and the press club, perhaps you should have spent your life earning a reputation for integrity and and investigation.

cdeboe | 04.13.07 01:30 PM

"You're going to be up against people who have an opinion, a modem, and a bathrobe."

Modem? Bathrobe? I haven't used either one in years. I have a 15mb fios connection and curtains on my windows, so I don't really need either. I do have lots of opinions, a blog, and lots more credibility in my profession than Brian Williams does in his.

This is just another example of how clueless the MSM is about real life.

Ron W. | 04.13.07 01:44 PM

Has anyone tried to contact Vinny and ask him for a rebuttal?

DJ | 04.13.07 02:36 PM

Remind be again, what *exactly* are these 'credentials' Brian Williams has spent his life developing, other than reading the copy of others and getting primped to look good on camera? Of course he's spouting this arrant nonsense to a bunch of journalism students who are undoubtedly being taught that no one who doesn't graduate from journalism is fit to report or comment on the 'news'. Unluckily for both Williams and the students (to say nothing of their idiot profs) the world is going to change on them whether they like it or not. My estimation, after some years of observing Williams and his ilk, is that, like dodos, they're totally incapable of absorbing the fact of the danger or adapting to it.

JorgXMcKie | 04.13.07 02:45 PM

The problem with someone like Brian Williams and all the other network anchors out there is they have something to sell and it is the political bias of their network's owners. Because of that I haven't watched a network "news" show in over three years. I get all my information from the internet and I check all my information by reading the different slants various bloggers take on one subject then I make up my own mind.

Archie1954 | 04.13.07 03:37 PM

"shut-in half-wits."

And the MSMers prove themselves repeatedly to be celebrated and respected half-wits. Which it is better to be, is obvious. Which is less hazardous to public well being... likewise.

megapotamus | 04.13.07 04:00 PM

For that elitest's information, some of us prefer to blog in the nude.

Oomgals | 04.13.07 04:33 PM

"For that elitest's information, some of us prefer to blog in the nude."

As in so much of the blogosphere, that is way more information than I needed.

scs | 04.13.07 10:55 PM

Define "pajamas"...I use my hubby's t-shirts...but, yeah I do own a robe and use it. I'm usually dressed when I blog, but, O.K. Brian, you got me, I have blogged in my robe once or twice. But, hey, I did the work myself without a prompter.

Sue | 04.14.07 02:45 PM

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