The Rise and Fall of Plastic.com, part one.
January 25, 2002 9:14 AM   Subscribe

The Rise and Fall of Plastic.com, part one. Freelance writer Mat Honan (Mefi user Emptyage) probes the story behind Plastic, using interviews with Joey Anuff, Carl Steadman, and the rest of the Plastic crew (some conducted publicly). Most Metafilter users never really embraced Plastic, but I can't help but wonder about Carl. $40,000 is a lot of money for one person. Does he know what he's doing? Why does he care so much? Maybe we'll find out in the second part of the OJR article.
posted by waxpancake (16 comments total)
 
Could Carl have spent that money simply because he loves Plastic? I think not. Clearly he has some nefarious plans which involve the destruction of Metafilter, and ... just possibly... the murder of one Mr. Matt Haughey.

STEADMAN MUST BE STOPPED!

posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 9:41 AM on January 25, 2002


Good read!

Choice quote:
"What we learned from that adventure," wrote NetSlaves' Steve Gilliard, "which hurt us a great deal financially, is that we shouldn't trust slimy, lying motherfuckers like Joey Anuff."
posted by phatboy at 9:41 AM on January 25, 2002


I miss the slimy motherfucking Suck.com.
posted by Skot at 9:50 AM on January 25, 2002


What they say about sausage-making and legislation also appears to apply to Plastic....if you enjoy it, don't look at how it's made.

One wonders what scheming and byzantine intrigues AREN'T being reported.

And what about MetaFilter....?
posted by briank at 9:52 AM on January 25, 2002


I miss the slimy motherfucking Suck.com.

So you're the one!
posted by KLAX at 9:55 AM on January 25, 2002


Kind of a snide piece of journalism. Can someone explain why I should hate/fear Carl Steadman?
posted by spslsausse at 9:58 AM on January 25, 2002


I miss the slimy motherfucking Suck.com.

Now that Heather has her own blog, I don't miss the slimy motherfucker so much.
posted by briank at 10:14 AM on January 25, 2002


Kind of a snide piece of journalism. Can someone explain why I should hate/fear Carl Steadman?

Kottke has the day off.
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 10:15 AM on January 25, 2002


I wish Polly could have come up with a worksafe domain name.
posted by Mid at 10:17 AM on January 25, 2002


Snide? Oops.

And as to hating or fearing Carl Steadman... Why would you? What, he's going to come over to your house and force you to read plastic when you'd rather be sailing? I don't see any reason to hate or fear Carl (or Joey, or anyone else that hasn't screwed you over personally in some way). I mean, I could see mathowie having a competitive kind of beef with them. But as for the rest of us. Why indeed? I certainly hope the piece didn't come across like I was suggesting that you should hate or fear Carl. Or anyone. If you feel like you've just got to hate somebody, hate me.
posted by emptyage at 10:27 AM on January 25, 2002


Shoot, if Carl's at the helm, maybe now I finally have a reason to read it.
posted by ratbastard at 10:38 AM on January 25, 2002


And what about MetaFilter....?

matthowie (puffing on a gigantic cigar): all goes according to plan, j-ko. we have their minds, and soon their wallets.

j-ko: will i get a fpp?

matthowie: you know you will j-ko. you know you will. now hand me the aunt jemima.
posted by owillis at 10:47 AM on January 25, 2002


The only downside to that article was the "To Be Continued?" in the middle of that high-speed chase on the 101 between the guy in the stolen pickup and ponch and john. I don't want to wait until next week, I want to hear the end of the story now!

And in case anyone's wondering, I have no beef with plastic. The "plastic.com it's ok to like" isn't some snide remark I came up with. In some bizarre twist of fate, it was made up by former metafilter member holgate (whom I miss dearly here), who also happens to be a plastic editor now. It was a funny tagline and I decided to use it, even though I didn't agree with the spirit of it completely (it's tongue in cheek).
posted by mathowie at 10:55 AM on January 25, 2002


I know this is kind of pointless, but don't you just love the phrase "I have no beef with plastic"?, like a missing item at some grotesque buffet.
posted by puppy kuddles at 12:01 PM on January 25, 2002


hey, thanks briank -
even if she doesn't turn out to be the Heather I hope she is [it's good]
Here's the trouble with impressing or charming others when you're actually awkward, neurotic, and wildly dysfunctional: It's false advertising. It's like wearing a miracle bra. You'll catch a lot of fish with that net, but eventually the second boob has to drop.
posted by roboto at 8:22 PM on January 25, 2002


part two.

I gotta admit, I'm mostly left wondering what the point is. Steadman sounds like he has some vision for the site, but it remains a mystery, washed over by rhetoric that, while he claims it isn't just rhetoric, he doesn't bother to explain. Great. How is Plastic going to "determine our destiny," or change the course of events? Does he see everyone having a Plastic number? Or does he think the next intellectual elite will birth there? Not to mention that boring old money question. He leaves it all as an exercise for the reader.
posted by mattpfeff at 10:02 PM on January 29, 2002


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