Without Attribution: How You Responded To Our Bachelor and Bachelorette Power Lists

Foster Kamer — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:02:55 -0400

SO: THAT HAPPENED. On Monday and Tuesday, we rolled out our 2011 Media Power Bachelors and Media Power Bachelorettes. You responded with a lot, in the way of Tweets, comments, vocal arguments, outrage, praise, and even in one case, a single-serving site that falls somewhere between utterly brilliant and generally disturbing. But the best stuff didn't see the light of day so much as the shadowy cave-like email in-boxes from whence these lists emerged. Until now. After the jump, some statistics, some post-game highlights, some omissions, and of course: a whole lot of id, shipped directly our way over email.

WORD COUNT:

Bachelorettes: 6,142 Words.
Bachelors: 4,874 Words.

ON WHERE TO START WITH AN OMISSIONS LIST:

"Well, you have to look outside the coke parties."

NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED THEIR PHOTOS CHANGED AND/OR SENT PHOTOS TO USE:

20: 15 Bachelorettes and 5 Bachelors.

NUMBER OF EMAILS ASKING ABOUT NATE FREEMAN'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION DESPITE CLEARLY NOTING WHAT A CHARMER OF THE LADIES HE UNDOUBTEDLY IS, REASON GIVEN BEING BECAUSE HE'S "SO NATTILY ATTIRED":

Just one, amazingly.

EMAILED, TWEETED, OR IM'D REQUESTS FOR A MIXER OF BOTH LISTS:

At least nine. It'll happen. Because we're announcing it tomorrow.

BEST REQUEST TO CHANGE A PICTURE:

"Is there anyway you can change my sister's picture back so she stops bitching and she also looks weird in her current picture? PS: Anyway I can get some of those girls' numbers?"

IF YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TWITTER HUMOR AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR LISTS:

You do it like this.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE RESPONSE:

Sorry, Jesus Diaz.

MOST OFT-MENTIONED "SHOCKING OMISSION" FROM BACHELORETTES LIST:

Dealbreaker's Bess Levin. We even got an email from a JP Morgan guy.

MOST DEPRESSING OMISSION, BACHELORS LIST:

Carles of Hipster Runoff. He DM'd: "I am s00000 eligible, bb. :-("

RESPONSES DEVOTED TO BREAKDOWNS BY RACE:

"Too bad for anyone looking for actual color in their life."

"For the first time I saw people of color on those listicles, so I shall not complain."

ANGRY "PLEASE REMOVE THAT LINE" EMAILS:

Just one.

POSTS DEVOTED TO FACTCHECKING THE LISTS EXTERNALLY:

Three!

FAVORITE RESPONSE TO LISTS, DM DIVISION:

"You have to do a TOTAL REDO of the Bachelors list. God. That slideshow looked like the cantina scene from Star Wars."

FAVORITE RESPONSE TO LISTS, COMMENTS DIVISION:

"I WOULD HAVE SEX WITH ALL THIS WHITE GIRL." (Or as one Observer editor noted: "It's the ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US of media people.")

FAVORITE RESPONSE TO LISTS, NIKKI FINKE DIVISION:

"What the hell is wrong with people?"

FAVORITE PHOTOSHOP:

It could happen.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE CONTACTED BY AGENTS POST-LIST APPEARANCE:

Three!

MOST FAMOUS PERSON TO ACKNOWLEDGE HAVING MADE THE LIST:

The reportedly taken Don Lemon.

FAVORITE RESPONSE AND KEY VALIDATION OF THIS ENTIRE ENDEAVOR:

The Media Power Couple Coupler. Or as it was commonly known yesterday morning around the office: "Wow."

MOST CLEAR EXPLANATION/RATTING OUT OF THE OBSERVER'S POWER LIST METHODOLOGY:

"...your relative geographical position on the dart board we use to make editorial decisions like this and the corresponding steadiness of the assigning editor's aim."

BEST RESPONSES FROM NOTIFIED PARTICIPANTS THAT WEREN'T ABOUT DEVORAH ROSE AND CAKE:

"I’m guessing that in your omniscience, you guys knew all that already."
"As flattering at this sounds, I'm wondering if whether I'm an appropriate person for the list. I was recently listed in your own paper's "Media Power Couple" slide show, and am still happily with [REDACTED], my power-boyfriend."
"oy."
"Oh, dear."
"Thanks, and please don’t let this piece be too snarky."
"That said, what is a 'media bachelor'? And why am I on it? (Do you need me to confirm that I am unmarried? I'm in fact unmarried.)"
"DON'T INCLUDE ME ON A LIST JUST DON'T oh shit oh god"

YOU'RE WELCOME?

"Thank you for not making me sound like a self-involved prat."
"It's funny how much better looking the single people are than the couples. I guess everyone must just let themselves go when they get married. "
"Where is that photo from btw?? I have no recollection of it and I haven't worn that cardigan (or that shirt?? I don't even know what shirt that is) in probably 3 or 4 years???!!?"
On attempting to reply to an email thread about the list: "[I JUST DELETED THREE PARAGRAPHS IN THIS SPACE]"
"My parents will be so proud!"
From a parent of a list-maker: "ps i hung up a copy of the bio on your from the 50 best.......on my bulletin board on my desk. so happy for you"
On acceptance of listed party-submitted photo: "One of the most terrifying things about being an occasional presence in the Gawker/NYmag.com/Observer universe is that in the event I get written about but not photographed, they invariably pull a picture from Patrick McMullan, a person who seems to have an unparalleled ability to make me look totally unfuckable."
IM'd was a request for "Power Swtich-Hitters: Girls Who Lezzed Out Reading Observer Lists bc i LOVE ____"
Also, on acceptance of photo: "it's almost time for a winter boyfriend."
"I WILL FWD TO MY RABBI!"
"My ability to use this list to increase my sluttiness is greatly decreased by the [photo] you're using now; even my mom thinks so."
"A girl at _______, to me: 'Wait, were you on that bachelor list? you were the ______ slide!' We kinda almost made out."
"And, man, you guys, [REDACTED] is going to hurt you."

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyourfek

Observer » Without Attribution: How You Responded To Our Bachelor and Bachelorette Power Lists

Without Attribution: How You Responded To Our Bachelor and Bachelorette Power Lists