Michael Arrington: Arrogant TechCrunch editor stink bombs his own event

Don Imus. Michael Vick. Dick Cheney. If 2007 has taught us anything, it’s that pricks can lead successful careers.
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When I set out as a blogger two years ago, I was excited by the prospect of becoming a virtual journalist. I vowed to write honest descriptions from my life experiences without holding anything back. I was inspired by a number of vanguard voices—Afrobella’s daring take on being Black in the U.S., a few avant-guard marketing blogger’s daily report on bleeding-edge trends, and even, I’ll admit, Michael Arrington's razor sharp sarcasm.

The first two groups of bloggers I admired for their honesty, expertise, and most importantly, for their openness and eagerness to engage in meaningful dialogue with their readers. And Michael Arrington, despite his reputation of being nauseatingly arrogant, I respected for his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to turn blogging into a career. I saw his jerky side as a necessary front used to create a provocative TechCrunch brand.

But this weekend, I discovered that Michael Arrington doesn't understand one thing: there’s a time and place to be combative and complacent, and there’s a time and place to be collaborative and constructive.

When fighting legal bouts and competing against rivals, bringing out a little "prick" is appropriate. But when a guest at your own party and a supporter of your company seeks you out for conversation, there’s simply no place for egotism and condescension.

I learned that one silly conversation and one silly photo opp can speak volumes. After a painstakingly awkward exchange where it became increasingly clear that I was being mocked by Arrington and his pals, we took a quick photo together.  I smiled and was just about to thank him when he snickered this out of the side of his mouth, “Whatever. It was certainly a pleasure meeting you too.” Then he turned his back to me and laughed with his friends.

This exchange left me completely… well, shocked to tell you the truth. Sure, Michael Arrington has a tremendously successful blog worth millions. People know him, respect his company, and may even respect his personality.

But is it all worth it? Because now, Michael Arrington also has one former reader sitting here wondering if anyone, other than his mother, really likes him.

2007 has also taught us that foul assholes are inevitably sniffed out. Genuinely rancid personalities are never good for business… they eventually just stink up the whole place.

Comments

[Patacki]

Wow... this is a blistering write up. I will say that Arrington is not the nicest guy in the world. I have met him on several occasions and he tends to make everyone, other than his immediate friends, feel like they are bothering him. It's too bad, b/c he has a lot of influence and could really carve out a piece of web history for himself if he would just be pleasant.

There is no excuse for constantly being a jerk; however, it should be noted that Arrington is constantly harassed. Entrepreneurs show up at his door step unannounced on a weekly basis pitching their companies. There are stories of people actually breaking into his home to get his attention. Like all media stars, hollywood or web 2.0, there is a reason people get pissy.

[James Dmitriavitch]

Yes, it is common knowledge within the community that Arrington is a 1st rate prick. No one actually likes him.

I've heard from a very reliable TechCrunch inside source that he didn't touch a breast until senior year of college and didn't lose his virginity until after he sold his first company.

I guess thats the fate of a little prick with a big mouth.

[jpastor]

Ew. This guy sounds like a total waste of time, insecure in his own success, as fickle a fraudulent politician. For me, it's not how you become successful that counts, it's what you do with your success once you get it that truly matters. The blogosphere rolls wide Ryan, no need for talent like yours to go to waste on guys like this.
It's like they say, if you can't find an example to follow, blaze a trail yourself.

[P-daddy]

Here's a thought: Maybe Arrington is a good pal of that Kevin Troy over at the Gypsy Bar. The other day, Arrington reads your blog, and raging at your suggestion that racial profiling occurs at the door of that fine establishment, he throws on his best pair of sneakers (so he can get into GB), runs over there, and has an animated chat with Troy to plot their revenge against you. And wouldn't you know it, you show up at Arrington's party and there he gets his chance! Maybe mockery is a form of flattery...?

[Dean Whitney]

I was just telling my wife today that I should have gotten a photo with him for my blog, now I'm glad I didn't. As Woody Allen said, "90% of success is showing up".

[CNKeach]

Hum . . . too bad about this guy. I don't know anything about the blogging world, except from reading yours and a coupla other blogs. I'm not surprised that there are jerks who act as foolishly as this guy did. Funny thing, in MY world (academia) there are very very few such people, apart from sine insecure grad students who tend to grow more secure when they get their own ideas. The really brilliant folks who've been around a decade or two are incredibly nice, open, genuine. But then, they have ideas, like to talk about them and hear your thoughts. So maybe this ArrogantArrington needs to take a few more years/decades to do some growing up, get used to being secure with who(ever) he is. Just a thought.

[Freddie Sirmans]

Ryan I think you look so nice in your photo with Arrington. What a great smile in you purple attire. You look great. Wishing you the best always, an admirer.

[Lewis Green]

Ryan,

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry you had such a terrible experience. But to Valeska's point, please don't accure business people of being arrogant SOBs. I am one and know hundreds of wealthy, smart, successful business people, and hundreds more trying to make a decent living for themselves and their families. All of them are very kind and considerate. Arrington is not an example of what most business people are like.

[Andy Nulman]

Boycott.

[David Reich]

Thanks, Ryan, for the heads up. I haven't read this guy's stuff, but you can be sure I never will now. There are enough very smart people out there who are actually nice, so we don't have to deal with arrogant people who are nasty.

Thanks for calling this guy out.

Now let's hope he doesn't come to Blogger Social.

[RyanB]

Lewis - I don't think all businessmen are SOBs. I like businessmen. I think Arrington is a very bad representation of one, to tell you the truth.

David - but it'd be oh so much fun to give him the boot... :)

[Bob Glaza]

Bravo, Ryan, for sharing your story. Sorry the guy was such a drag. And one "former" reader leads to two "former" readers then three...well, you get the idea. Keep up your good work!

[Luc Debaisieux - mindblob]

Ryan,

Thank you for sharing this openly with engagement and honesty. What shocks me is the distance between your smile (obviously sincere) and what happened after that instant. It must have been quite unpleasant to push you into writing this post. I'm really sorry about that bad experience.

Besides the rude attitude he had (NO excuse for that), there is no conversation possible if one is not listening. Unfortunately he missed that. Not to mention he's missing an opportunity to jump into this conversation as well. Geee... BTW, I wonder what all the people who read your post and decided not to comment thought about all this. Sometimes I think silence is just not fair, like being a star and being rude just not fair.

Wondering : how are people selecting the conversations they want to join in?

Once again... thank you for sharing and for your honesty. I'm really glad to meet you at BS08. : )

[C. B. Whittemore]

Yikes, Ryan. What a nasty experience. Good on you for blogging about it.

[Mark Blair]

Wow. What a jerk. Thanks for sharing and for posting that really telling picture -- just looking at his eyes and expression in it say a lot. It really gave me a fresh perspective on Techcrunch.

[g. kofi annan]

Kudos to you Ryan for communicating your experience through your blog. After all that's what blogs are for.

It just goes to show how power and money only ampifies a person's true character. The good AND the bad!

[Toby]

Ryan - Success with grace and kindness goes further than success with arrogance. The word spins in strange ways; tuck this away and bring it out when you are in a similar position to make an impact on a young person starting her career. Very sad that Michael missed an opportunity to make a real difference.

[Arun Rajagopal]

Dear Ryan:
Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm looking at the bright side - everyone who has read this post will walk away feeling more enriched knowing the value of humility. You have taught us the true worth of humility using a personal negative experience. So, kudos to you.
See you at BS'08.

[Manny Stevens]

I can't speak to the validity of Ryan's story, but it looks like the picture tells it all. In Malcolm Gladwell's book "Blink", he describes Micro Expressions that flit across your face and indicate inner thoughts. This one looks more like a Milli-Expression, although seems to indicate true character: Arrogance and Condescension. Can you imagine what its like to work with this guy?

[Gavin Heaton]

Hey Ryan ... as WH Auden says, "We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know".

It is a shame, because we are all empowered by a kind word -- and giving them is free. Taking them back can never be. As Toby says, file this away and remember it when you are at the top of your tree. Good on you for writing it up.

[Shaping Youth]

Treating you as if you were paparazzi? Sadly, this is what I call the 'collecting people as coins' behavior, where people invite you into a circle if they 'need that certain coin' (blog cred, eye candy, media clout, gender/race tokenism etc.)and flippantly discard it to go on to the next shiny penny.

I've had this courting/dumping behavioral spiral show up from nonprofit do-gooders as well as corporate/biz folks, and keep trying to take the high road when people USE me for their gain, even though I'm seething inside.

I have a biz/betrayal legal story from a fellow-do-gooder that I'd LOVE to go public with, but am biting my tongue per Gavin's advice as well as my nonprofit board, who reminds me this is a long haul not a sprint.

Truthfully? I struggle with it daily, waiting to see if the perpetrator will ever get an ethical clue, and in all candor, wish I could post the truth of my experience just like you did...but I'm under a self-imposed gag order because it's just too messy to clean up all who will be in the blast zone, as it will take my org 'off-topic' and derail my bigger cause...

I'm reminded of the Japanese proverb "The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour."

By giving us all a 'heads up,' I'm guessing Arrington's rep for 'conduct unbecoming' will travel through the blogosphere, with 999 years to go. ;-)

[Jules]

What an ass! I hate that guy so much!

[Karoli]

Wow. Just wow. And I have to say, I love your opening line.

Subscribed and blogging this one. You're the reason I love discovering new blogs.

[Lox]

It's only start up enterpreneurs that buy into Arrington's powerhouse image. Insiders and people who've been in the business and have as good of connections know he's not the wheeler and dealer everybody thinks he is. He's connected in plenty of ways, but no more than anybody else in the Silicon Valley. TechCrunch was the MySpace of blogging. It isn't hard to be the bright star when the rest of the room isn't lit up yet.

His treatment of people has nothing to do with entrepreneurs coming to his door or bothering him. He's always been known to be an egotistical, emotional and rude person.

[Matt]

It's obvious that Arrington has no game with the ladies. He's simply a tool that likes to stroke his own ego. Money can't buy coolness or likability.

Sadly, this is all too common among Silicon Valley's blowhards. They fail to realize they are nothing in the offline world.