SFist: Let's Buy Us A Damn Webby!

Pink Diva Webmistress

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:04:59 -0800

LoL! I am glad I got a chance to read your thoughts on the Webby awards. For a minute, I thought I was the only one who thought it was scandalous. It reminds of these pageants where you have to sell tickets... and the winner is..... the one who sold the most tickets. So yup, you can be the ugliest with no talent and win as long as you sell the most ticket. Pretty hideous, huh! I'm quite fond of the "CuteOverload" site. I'm a sucker for cute things. Thanks for the laugh! Mz. Pink Diva

Shannon from BlogArizona

Mon, 29 May 2006 13:12:44 -0800

Yes, we at www.BlogArizona.com received and ignored the same email. I'm glad we since it was just another rip off. Can't trust anyone anymore, especially in email! I'd rather let my kids piss away the $245, especially now that I know that they'll never get into those Who's Who directories! :)

cogno

Wed, 10 May 2006 10:34:05 -0800

Got this same email. So, it's a payola system. We didn't bother since it's not a real award.

Adam Brown

Wed, 10 May 2006 00:01:39 -0800

Man, I had no idea that it was a scam like that. For average readers like me it still has this air of honor to it.

Chris

Tue, 09 May 2006 19:38:42 -0800

We made the decision over at a large community art site not to bother with the Webbies once we were made aware of this farce. Paying the entry fee is certainly no guarantee of winning, even though we hammered the competition in the reader's choice awards.

MisterSnitch

Tue, 09 May 2006 17:28:43 -0800

I don't actually begrudge anyone a couple hundred bucks in compensation for their expenses (whatever they are - server costs?) involved in putting together something like this. But you're close to something very uncomfortable yet interesting in terms of what these awards really mean. Most of them are traffic drivers for the host sites, given to whoever can, well, drive the most traffic. Equating the ability to drive site traffic with 'excellence' is rather like equating Prom Queens with the Presidency. (Not alluding to any particular president, before you get started there.) There's much that's seriously wrong with the way blogs are evaluated, and awards shows are partly to blame. Popularity does not necessarily equal excellence. If the awards shows acknowleged this, I'd have no problem with them. Nothing wrong with being popular. But consistently excellent blogs are hard to find, snowed under by 'popular' traffic. My email address is mistersnitch@hotmail.com. I'd love to hear opinions on this.

Kevin

Tue, 09 May 2006 17:03:50 -0800

I think what I like best over at Cute Overload is their Cats and Racks section. Only, why didn't the site author call this section Kitties and Titties instead? Hint, hint! Seriously, sexualizing "cuteness" is just kind of icky to me. Like that whole plushy thing. Shudder. And if this is "webby" material? Give me a frickin' break! k.

sfmike

Tue, 09 May 2006 13:45:53 -0800

What utter sleaze. Miss Tiffany must be having a hard time buying that co-op on the Upper East Side.

KWillets

Tue, 09 May 2006 12:56:05 -0800

It's $245, but you get free shipping.