There was an interesting kerfuffle on the journals list today, regarding Bill Maher's comments on Politically Incorrect last night. I have been writing this on and off, and am posting it kind of late, so some of my thoughts have appeared on the list as written by other people.

Just want to make it clear that it is less a factor of my nicking people's opinions than a case of great minds thinking alike.

So, according to Erica, who is the one who actually watched the show, the ninny who won the appearance by paying $47,000 for it on eBay led Bill Maher to start ragging on online journals, saying that the web was all about raging egos and what kind of fools write about their lives on the web and blah blah blah.

On-line journallers, ego driven loons? Well fucking duh! People thinking that they have something to say, people thinking that others will be interested, people waving their arms at the world, shrieking "Anyone want to know what I did today? Anyone want to know what I think what I feel who I am who I know? Because I'll tell you! I'll tell anyone!" those people have egos? Whoda thunk it?

But the real question is is this egotism misplaced? No, I don't think it is. People are interested in what I have to say, and have been for five years, because, no matter my faults, I can fucking tell a story. I can name twenty world-class writers writing on-line without even stopping to think, in fact, I think it would be more difficult to keep it to only twenty. The egotism would be misplaced if there wasn't an audience, and you know what? There is! Not the amount of people who watch ABC, not by any means, neither the amount of people who want to pay $29.95 to whack off to porn (Mr. Maher?), but an undeniable audience.

And if there is an audience, then the journallers aren't fooling themselves. And I know this because I am not only a journaller, but I am the audience as well, and I care about Beth's Dad's knee operation and Jessie's house-hunting and Lucy passing algebra and Pamie making her first movie the other day. I care about Colleen's trip to Disneyworld and Patrick's gall bladder and Jette's cold and Melissa's wisdom teeth (wow, alot of illnesses lately, ain't?) These people matter to me, these stories are interesting to me. Is this because I or they are lacking a life? Well, no, because (again, duh), if we didn't have anything to write about, then nobody would want to read about it.

Now, ol' Bill seems to be under the impression that only famous people have opinions that people are interested in. But he was a standup, and he wasn't always famous, so what about before he was famous, weren't his opinions, his thoughts, in his act, the act that he expected people to listen to and be interested in? Was it all ego with him? Probably, but he wasn't wrong, his opinions were interesting, and people did want to listen.

And you know what? So are mine.

Let me say, by the way, like People magazine noting that something they are reviewing is owned by their parent company, that I am acquainted with the co-creator of Politically Incorrect, Scott Carter (whom I notice is not credited on the ABC site at all), and through him met Bill Maher once, who was very polite. And short.

On the journals list, it was suggested that perhaps a journaller dissed him in an entry once, and he has never forgotten. Well, back in '96 I called him a pig, so hey, maybe it's me! Then again, that's probably just my big old ego talking.

Today's horoscope:
Focusing on how you are NOT having fun will lead to more of the same. Notice ways to enhance your enjoyment of leisure activities.

One year ago today:
As I told Wende in the Billy the Kid play, 'a little more virginity, please!'

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Last Updated Sun 4 February 17:26:09 2001