To be or not to be, that is the question…
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the Slings and Arrows of outrageous verbiage. Or to take journalistic arms against a sea of profanities, and by opposing end them: to die, to sleep no more; and by a sleep, to say we end the heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks that reader’s eyes are heir to.
Could I state it any plainer?
Of course I can, and so I shall. It’s like this, for more than three years KC Confidential has sallied forth on a daily basis to give Kansas City and Lawrence readers a piece of our minds. And in turn, to allow them – you – to strike back, to poke our eyes when the spirit moves.
And while it’s obvious the vast majority of readers participate primarily by taking in what our writers write, make no mistake, KC Confidential comments section habitues often provide welcome, refreshing counterpoints readers enjoy.
That said, we’ve been remiss, arguably, in not keeping things halfway civil.
No mas.
It’s time to take the conversation to a higher plain. To that end, we’ll be screening comments for some of the more obvious words and terms.Take this recent missive from dear Harley:
“smarmyman: your wifes a real ‘head turner’…yes she is..when she’s blowing the guy who you sold the nasty feces infected used hot tub she can turn her head…real well.”
Classy, right? Wrong.
Sorry H Man, time to clean it up a bit.
If need be, we’ll edit comments that loophole their way in, like this gem from smartman – who by the way manages to fly quite frequently on Greg Hall‘s sports site without using the “N Word” or any of the unsavory imagery he unleashes here – like the following:
“Gettin’ corn holed in the shower and having to blow your cell mate will make a guy look for ways to get out early.”
Look, this topic has been kicking around for a while. A couple of our writers actually moved on – really good writers – not because they couldn’t stand the heat but rather because they didn’t appreciate the crass, needless tastelessness exhibited by a few.
There are still plenty of ways to bag on Craig or myself without being ridiculously crude.
Check out this comment three days ago from Gene, for example:
“Chuck and smartman are the perfect examples why comment sections on blogs like kcconfidential should be more tightly edited,” he begins. “Their bullshit give perfectly good stories and posted reviews negative connotations. If you can’t contribute intelligent thoughts or comments to movie reviews, sports or other posted stories then stay off the computer and deal with your mental masturbation by playing pocket pool instead.”
Allow me to say that both Chuck and smartman are standup guys who make significant contributions to this site.
So here we go, I’m gonna plug in a handful of obvious words – the F, N and C to name three – and we’ll go from there.
So if your comment doesn’t post right away, that’s probably the reason why.
I would also like to request that cut and paste paragraphs of unoriginal content be removed. If you didn’t write it but want to include it, link to the original source instead of subjecting us to 50 single spaced lines you got off of hotair.com.
I won’t name names, this isn’t HUAAC and hearne already did so I don’t think I need to elaborate any more.
Comments sections are great as HC said for counterpoints and also tangental points. They are less fun when there are people sniping at each other and making personal attacks.
I write articles at this site on occasion under a pseudonym. If the comments section was more civil and the internet less crazy in general I wouldnt have a Nom de Plume.
OK I can go for this but what about stories that lead to the comments that are made a lot, you going to edit them as well? I mean you can’t allow freedom of speech by your writers and then say oh wait comments by the readers can’t be based on freedom of speech. If the comments are the issue, just no longer allow them and see how long this site draws readers at that point.
well said. I mean is that the point of this site? To read people making fun of Glazer? The reason Greg Hall’s site gets better comments from Smartman is that Greg is not talking about banging a hooker or making lame jokes about current events. There is give and take with the comments. Bring your A game, and we will bring ours.
Well Jess most of my artilces are not on girls, they are political, sports, KC events, media stars, local stars, and yes once in a great while my love life, or my past adventures…maybe a new one…YOU…DON’T get to do that in your life, most don’t, maybe thats a good thing…so when I do throw in a “picked up a young gal on the way to the concert story…..or the Puerto Rico chick story…” well they get a ton of attention…people enjoy those, some hate on me for it, some like it, most are entertained by those events…I use little if any foul language…hints maybe…but I don’t think I’ve ever used the F bomb…Greg is strictly sports, if thats what you want don’t read my articles on anything you feel is off color…or don’t read me at all…that’s fine…
I’m on here because at my age to our knowledge, I am kinda one of a kind…in both good and not so good ways…
puerto rico chick is a piece oof ppoop phyco. give us stories of semi nnormal girls instead of wakos. anybody could do her with a teener. i ddid
Hearne…after a lot story and 34 comments whoever wrote this garbage under “harley”
is allowed to stay up on your “new and improved site”.
The phony “hardley”..”harley” and assorted other comments that you’ve allowed to fester
with comments no other site would allow…you
say nothing about those.
Hearne…you’re late to the party bro. You’re way to late. This site is a joke. Seriously.
No proffessinal writers…articles about kids and
cell phones…your “truthful” reporting on don
harmon….hearne you’rev way too late.
Allowing smartman to write “BURN THE JEWS”..the threats of violence conveyed on this
site…and only now you’re discovering this.
Tell me how you consider this an upscale
site. we all know glaze..we know his story and what his stories are about.
But this site is filled with innaccuracies…lies…
and poor analysis of everything from sports to
politics.
In other words hearne…if you want to change
the site…step up and do it right.
I’ve been attacked almost as much as glaze
(although glaze is a writer on here) and you only now see it.
I’ve always believed that this site has almost
no readers . I’ve challenged you to put up your
google stats on that. You’ve always refused.
Put them up. I have a feeling it’s not what you
say it is. In fact i know that based on the comments here your unique visitors is maybe
1000-2000 per month. If i’m wrong…prove it.
You are late to this party hearne. Should have
happened a year ago when the old angry guys
came on here with their angry comments including BURN THE JEWS!!!!!!!
Good luck cleaning up the site. But you should have done this long long ago.
sincerely
the real harley…
fyi to all my readers/fans/disciples: I’m now
a regular commentator on some of the largest
blogs in the nation. Just last week received
over 300 reccomendations for a piece i wrote.
This was not a gossip site filled with sexual
inuendos but one of the highly read analytical
and fact based sights on the internet.
thanks for all the support from my fans…
i love intelligent debate…using facts and figures
and analysis. Look forward to intelligent
conversation with hearne’s new and improved
kcc.
I have been on this site for 9 months. I have seen some perjorative terms used for various ethnic groups that were somewhat over the top, no doubt. However, I have never seen this “burn the Jews” stuff that Harley is referring to. If anybody has seen it, tell me where.
Glazer, How do you know I don’t get to do that? You assume a lot. Makes you look petty and childish.
MIKEY…MIKEY…MIKEY..
i have the exact comments and date and time..
will look it up and get b akc wit hyo.
the qoutes were terrible…and hearne did not
edit them…
there were others as bad…by the angry white
guys on here…
hop[efully now hearne won’t allow such trash
like that in the first place..
I’m sure those of us who have been on here
longer know the qoutes and the controversey that entailed..
hang tight…i’ll get you the info …thanks.
Thanks Jess.
I will say though that Craig’s romantic exploits are fairly few and far between. But a little goes a long way, right?
Remember Tracy Thomas? Maria? I don’t recall them airing details of their sex lives and they took numerous needlessly crude shots.
Hearne, is there any chance of some of them returning with this new policy in place?
I wasn’t talking about Glazer specifically, I was being general. Even though you are right, a little bit of Glazer goes a LOOOONG way. But, I know you have to curb the down right rude and totally off color comments. There is no way I would ask my mother to read an article on here, not because the articles are not good, but because I would not want her to read the comments.
But, birds of a feather flock together. When you have articles that are of a risque nature, you are going to get risque comments.
Reasonable point, Super Dave, but don’t forget that all of our writers get edited prior to being published. But yes, I will keep an eye on, oh, Craig and make certain he doesn’t over react to a couple of the dudes that like to try and push his buttons.
If you recall, it’s been more than a year since we addressed that there would be no more challenges to meet in the parking lot for fisticuffs.
Gene’s idea of “negative connotations” relates directly to his subjective opinion on the issue at hand.
Would that he were up to his neck in the Thames rather than enduring the journalistic bloody constraint effected on these muddy fields at kcconfidential (Back at ya Hearne.).
Gene would sally forth into intellectual combat armed with those ideas which offend a predetermined, instilled by rote, procrustean mean whose parameters are unassailable to the clones who defend them.
The clone army of quotidian, dead behind the eyes, facist, hidebound hicks who bristle at the idea of harsh language, or offensive ideas, offer little to this on going intercourse, and in fact can go intercourse themselves.
🙂
Oops…
Funny!
In short, you’re still free to opine, folks, just keep it clean,
Or we’ll bust your behind – yikes! – if you know what we mean.
So please excuse the mess while we tidy up the place a bit –
We’re getting rid of a few f-bombs and a lot of other —-.
kcconfidential’s Poet Laureate always makes me laugh.
Heh, heh…
Hey Rick, just trying to be up front. Not going to dial things radically back and I’m sure Craig’s hair and love life will still draw plenty of fire.
As I noted at least one of the comments dudes here is all over another site and plays itas clean as can be. So it’s obviously a case of knowing when to behave in a halfway civil manner and knowing when you needn’t.
It’s not like most people are using their real identities. In the examples I cited, they wouldn’t dare.
Hey, just trying to be up front so we’re all on the same page.
Godfrey Daniel! Mother of Pearl! Chicken Nasty! Mother Puppy!
“A couple of our writers actually moved on – really good writers – not because they couldn’t stand the heat but rather because they appreciate the crass, needless tastelessness exhibited by a few.” — and perhaps some editing for the stuff inside the white space.
One thing I’ve noticed on here is that there are a few people on here, one in particular that is mentioned in Hearne’s article that if you disagree with him, almost immediately starts an ad hominum attack. I have been guilty of ad hominum attacks on this individual myself since he shows no respect for anyone else on here.
I have no problem at all with someone disagreeing with me about anything as long as they don’t make it personal and have a cogent reason for the disagreement. That is how we all learn.
I will stop the personal insults to this individual as long as he show respect to myself and others on here. If he starts with the personal insults and bragging about how much better he is than everyone else, I will respond in kind.
I enjoy this site overall and hope the changes raise the bar and make it even better.
I enjoy this site for what it is, however, especially among its small cadre of regular commentators, it is very insular in demographics and point of view. While one can never be sure of the biographies of anonymous web posters, this site skews heavily older, white male, and paranoid about losing power….with all of the accompanying peccadilloes of that group. It’s an electronic “old boys club” where those of like mind can sip cognac, complain about uppity riff-raff and make fun of Harley. As such, it’s pretty closed off and antagonistic to commentators outside of the narrow parameters set.
You do make a good point. Cleaning up some of the language and adding civility to the discussions could improve this site.
Another thing that could improve it would be the addition of more articles written by women. That might open the door for more female participation in the discussions on here.
The last time there was any significant female participation was when the Jardine’s saga was going on. That may be at least part of the reason Hearne covered it as much as he did.
More people reading and participating in this site will make it more interesting for all and lessen the need for tolerating some of the behaviour Hearne mentioned.
Good points as well Mike but women who I have tried to get interested in this site see a Glazer story and that’s the end of that. They see him for what he is and they don’t find it entertaining at all. Some women might, but the majority doesn’t. Women who might support the advertisers on this site or say good things about it do not because of the Glazer stories. And since too often Hearne backs Glazer with the stories they dislike him and his site for that. You can’t have a classy site if your number one writer and friend offends the people male and female or draws the type of readers that you don’t want.
While you have a good point, some of the problem is how some of us respond to the Glazer stories. It is usually divided between the “you go bro’ comments and the harsh personal insults, both of which probably turn off many people, especially women.
Glaze is fairer than he is given credit for. From what I’ve seen, if you disagree with him, have a reason for it, and don’t insult him, he responds in a respectful manner. However, he will respond to insults with insults, probably like he would have to a heckler when on stage.
Thanks, Wild Man.
Unfortunately, a couple women writers were among the casualties I alluded to. Not that they were prudes, far from it. But not everyone wants to engage in the lowest possible form of communication. Including regular readers.
I think that’s a bit narrow. I think a good percentage of the comments crowd is 35 to 40 and they’ve staked out their turf in the comments section. And sometimes I think the lowbrow exchanges discourage readers of all ages participating.
Look, the subject matter we put out there is definitely all ages. Just like most people who listen to sports radio on WHB are not 50-something just because Kevin Kietzman may be. They like sports. I used to listen to Ed Superfan Bieler, Don Fortune and older sportscasters when I was in my 20s and 30s. Because of the topics.
Movies, soccer, cutting concert reviews and previews, news, sports, humor, politics and controversial takes on news stories are not the exclusive province of the Baby Boom generation.We have writers from the low 20s into the 30s, 40s and up.
Hopefully this will help open it up to a broaders mix of commenters.
I applaud your efforts, I enjoy hearing about these topics. Unfortunately, based on comment quantities, the concert and humor posts are some of the least popular. I enjoy Glazer, I think/hope he is creating a “character” based on his life, and doing so for comedic effect and response. I hope he has that degree of self-awarness. Every once in awhile he seems in on the joke. On the other hand, I agree the schtick is a major turn-off to most women.
I agree its the response from the readers that cause most of the issues with regards to my ‘over the top tales’ I am in comedy, do comedy on radio to a young audience…remember I am on stage at Stanfords every weekend night(with rare exception) our audience is from 20-50 for the most part..Friday nights more 20-35…so to say my articles offend younger people is for the most part untrue…they seem to enjoy the conflict and we talk about lots of this on radio…young girls get it and find it funny…they live that life, older gals are offended cause they want to live that life, but are too old….
Some of the older gals that are offended just live a different lifestyle than you do. They may be married, religious, have kids and grandkids, etc. and are at least as happy with their lifestyle choice as you are.
Conversely, you might be offended if someone preached at you about sexual immorality. That you were offended by them would not mean that you were jealous of them either.
I don’t think you can peg comment numbers to readership.
Certain types of stories draw tons of comments – like sports – but many, if not most stories are merely of interest to readers and elicit few to no comments. That’s also the case on straight down the line news sites like The Star.
Trust me, the number of people who comment are infinitesimally small in relation to the traffic on the site.
You reap what you sow.
The only difference between Glaze and many of our kcconfidential cognoscenti, is that he readily acknowledges that virtue is frequently inconvenient, and therefore unworthy of effort.
Surely that admission, in and of itself, must be, ironically virtuous.
That small virtue, in turn, lets us grant this small courtesy.
Our attention.
🙂
Cleaning it up would be nice, and quite frankly simple “spell-checking” would be an added bonus. Regardless of Glazer’s “status”, the guy cannot produce one piece without a run-on sentence that is riddled with typos. At the very least have the guy use Word- that way the spelling and perhaps the misuse of common words will be caught. Case in point the “Nikki Glasser” story. Is it Glasser or Glaser? Seriously, even for a so-called-blog, it’s just not work that should be published.
Its Glaser, sorry..as you read the story you see its Glaser…
I’m guessing you will see a decline in comments and a decline in traffic. Maybe just temporary until focus shifts more to the actual content rather than comments. Your unique hits might change little, but your page views will decline. You tend to underestimate how much of your traffic is driven by the comments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should or shouldnt police your comment section, but your traffic will decline . I’ll go back to a particular post that’s catching a lot of comments several times just to read the back and forth. This is especially true on a Glazer post. Does it get a little salty? Yes. That’s what makes it funny. Then again I fall under the dreaded “angry middle age white guy” grouping. You go out of your way to assure us that your demographic includes the hipster 20 and 30 somethings. Problem is, most of them, excluding Leftridge, don’t have anything humorous or thought provoking to say. When commentors feel constrained by keeping it clean, the end result is fewer comments, followed by decreased traffic. So it will be interesting to see if you can pull off that balancing act between pg and x. and maintain those page views and unique hits. If you can you’ll be like the Amazing Wallenda of the Internet. Good luck, seriously.
HC: I’ve considered this as well. And you may be right. However people can still bag on Craig, just like they bag on Chiefs players and local politicians on other sports and news sites. It just doesn’t have to be in the lowest form of communication imaginable. That’s the thinking anyway.
Hi, HC. Long time reader (starting with dead tree)/never time poster. Not that I’m without original thought but mark smith pretty much summed it up for me and don’t want to be redundant.
I don’t engage in the verbal “rock ’em, sock ’em” exchanges in the comment sections of sites but they are SO fun to read. If things start getting too inbred, etc., I move along. I figure anyone engaging in the back and forth can take it or they wouldn’t engage. I’m always wow’d when you respond to some of them.
I think MS’s prediction of comment decline is a gimme.
Well, you may have nailed it. Especially since the two “offenders” if you will are conspicuous here by their absence. My hope is to build the content and retain writers and readers who are turned off by some of the more lowbrow comments.
And again, as I noted, some of the same people who are the offenders behave themselves quite well when weighing in on other sites.
Here’s how I’ll defend Craig; most of his columns – typos included, it’s hard to clean them up catch them all – have nothing to do with sex, drugs and rock n roll. Some people just like to push his buttons and they are more than welcome to continue doing so.
hey hearne…there are at least 2 comments that should be shut down…
stop talking about stuff…do it.
You’re like an old man…sitting in your rockinjg chair saying “i’m gonna
do this”…i’m gonna do that” then never doing a damn thing.
If you want to clena up the site do it…we don’t need a long
drawn out conversation about this. You’rte boring people!!!!!!!!
hearne you’rte just not ddoing what yo say. be like jo backson and jjust dooi t!! get ou t of the rockinjg and du whatt youu sayy. dam wehere are my meds. thhiss is geting ruf. o well comn herne. ther ids too artuicles here that shoulsdnt be. onm here.
just gopt ourt of the shower. feeel clena noew!
this guy is nott mee…..wy ar you doingg nuthi ng abbout it….if u are gonna cleen up thi s sight….doo it…..dont nead a lonng bornig convursashun unle ss i doo it…then wee nead it for mi fanz/dispicables…….yourte allmost as boaring ass me peeple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Au contraire. Just a couple of weeks ago someone at OTC referred to me as a, and I paraphrase, racist, blowhard, homophobe, know it all that can spell. Words have meaning. To limit the use of any words, regardless of intent or context is cowardly. Let the reader make up their own mind and draw their own conclusions. Civility in discourse? Please. That went out of style with pantaloons and powdered wigs. Violence in discourse, be it physical or verbal, is the new coin of the realm. Knowledge is still the ultimate power. Discipline in how that power is invoked reveals brilliance or weakness.
+1
I agree with you on many things. However, one thing that I have disagreed with you on is the use of perjorative terms for Black people. The same points can be made about the issues you have discussed without the use of these terms. In fact, your arguments will be more effective because using these terms invalidates anything else you have to say in many peoples eyes. This does not censor your views and opinions.
Man, I can’t wait until pantaloons and wigs come back in style… 🙂
HC: No need to wait, Halloween is just around the corner!
Huzzah! Day of Hallows is nigh!
Pantaloons and powdered wigs for all! 😉
Wigs are in style as one of the main writers on here can attest to!
+1
does that include your comments about “burning jews”??????????
remember that smartman…
where were you then hearne!!!
im an anngry white guy too. thee glaze wont let me do the oold reach aroundd with him. hc talk too himm fore me!!!! where are yaou….!!!
Harley, Harley, Harley! I am still waiting for you to tell me where the “burning Jews” comments were. Your being like an old man in a rocking chair. You talked about it but haven’t done it.
There you are, smartman…
I said nothing about civility in discourse. In fact, I predict and expect the bullets to fly just as fast and furiously as ever. Craig’s hair and sex life? Bring it!
There’s nothing cowardly about trying to keep needless racist or sexual imagery out of the discourse. What’s cowardly, if you will, is making such assertions while hiding behind an anonymous identity.
For those of you who enjoy bagging on me just remember that:
a.) I’m a LEGAL alien.
b.) I’ve got papers (…and American citizenship.)
c.) The accent is REAL.
d.) Don’t call me a Nazi since I grew up AFTER that regime. I’m actually a refugee from the old communist East Germany.
e.) Some people actually agree with many of my movie reviews.
f.) A lot of people think I’m a damn good travel agent–proven out by the great % of repeat business I enjoy and the many referrels thrown my way.
Now can’t we all just get along?
Jack Poessiger
jack…sorry i don’t believe the accent is real…afterall these years
in kc…could you please talk with the midwest drawl we midwesterners
have…thanks.
Its real, he’s a good guy…have known Jack for years…very nice person.
And Jack is I might add a nobleman as well.
Thanks Jack, for many years of Jack Goes to the Movies
Noble not such much. But thanks for the memories, Super Dave.