Merujo // Oct 18, 2007 at 6:17 am
The problem I have with Ellen in this situation is that she decided, rather than work this out locally, to sob to the entire nation on her high-rated talk show.
I’m fairly certain she did try to at locally before she acted globally.
Now, from reading the crazy-ass comments that Rosie gets on her freaky website, I think we’re all aware that America’s favorite lesbian talk show hosts have a lot of unhinged fans.
And flannel shirts.
And relating an emotionally charged (potentially legal) situation to a nation of unhinged late night lonely QVC shoppers is stupid. Because some of them will do things like make death threats.
And Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon to impress Jodie Foster.
My point is that anyone with a following will attract a percentage of lunatics. You can’t second guess yourself out of saying or doing anything that might cause a deranged person to act out, because you’ll second guess yourself out of making any artistic contribution at all. How long do you think someone will keep their fan base when they start making themselves as benign as possible?
And it’s not always highly charged issues that provoke these nutjobs anyway. The most vitriolic hate mail I’ve received in the last few months came after I made fun of Dancing With the Stars.
And no matter how obnoxious folks might find the behavior of the the rescue operators, death threats are taking things way too far. And if I got threatening phone calls and e-mails suggesting I was going to die, I would probably sob as I evaded the tabloid TV reporters, too.
Well, hopefully you would really cry as opposed to pretending to cry, which is clearly what Batkis is doing in that shameful clip on Access Hollywood.
I don’t even think you can legitimately claim someone is evading reporters when they go inside, fluff up their ponytail and come out again with a prop puppy and give a self-serving monologue about what a decent person they are. That’s not evading the media, that’s using it.
And how about the three press releases she issued yesterday, and her statement to the Insider, and the radio and newspaper interviews she granted? Way to keep a low profile!
Taking this matter to a kooky national TV fanbase was an overreaction.
Calling her entire fan base “kooky” is an overreaction. I’m sure the percentage of her audience making death threats was very small.
I also believe Ellen exhausted every possible avenue with them beforehand. It’s not like Batkis is easy to work with, and I can say that from first hand experience.
And that *was* Ellen using her celebrity to sway anyone she could to her case, not making a plea to the rescue shelter.
And who wasn’t using Ellen’s celebrity? Batkis just handed the dog over without a home inspection or an application from Ellen. If she wouldn’t do that for a hairdresser, then she must have felt she had something to gain by doing it for a celebrity. Maybe it was the $3,000 check.
I’m not saying which side is right because I’m not privy to all the details. I doubt any of us are, but, jesus, this just unleashed the fruitcakes.
I also resepctfully disagree that Ellen alone unleashed the fruitcakes. Had Batkis done what she claimed she was in this business to do, had she put the best interest of the animal ahead of her own ego and made this a positive experience, Ellen would have had a very different story to tell on the air.
Anyway, I have no sympathy for people who involve themselves with celebrities and then whine about the attention.
13 responses so far ↓
1 Merujo // Oct 18, 2007 at 11:18 am
Do I get the “asshole” and “bullshit” tag or the people from the dog rescue? Eh, if you call me asshole, that’s okay. I don’t mind being called a-hole by someone bright and creative (and with whom I can have a reasonable debate.) And if you ever find yourself back in DC, the overpriced coffee or diet Pepsi Slurpee is on me.
Respectfully, I don’t think Ellen should have taken this to the national airwaves. I think she made the situation worse. But that’s my opinion. I didn’t mean to infer that her whole fanbase is kooky, but that elements are. My blog has a kook element reading it, and I only get maybe 50 readers a day (other than the people looking for “unicorn tattoo” or “low-hanging boobs” on Google.)
There you have it.
Thanks for responding to my comment, April. I appreciate your perspective on this. I respectfully disagree with some of it, but genuinely appreciate it.
Merujo
2 April // Oct 18, 2007 at 11:47 am
No! The “Asshole” and “Bullshit” tags are for Batshit and friends.
Let’s face it, Batkis went into this for the purpose of getting famous. It was never about the dog.
I think she figured Ellen would take Iggy on the show, maybe she’d be on the cover of People with it, and Batkis would make a name for herself.
At the end of the day, she wasn’t savvy enough to make the most of the opportunity. But when it comes to trading on Ellen’s celebrity, I think they’re running neck and neck.
3 coasterboy // Oct 18, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I wonder if Batshit has children…..I worry for their mental health.
4 socalfrank // Oct 18, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Leave Iggy Alone
5 pal Jacky // Oct 18, 2007 at 3:06 pm
April, this is how wacko conspiracy theories are started. Yes they are very close, having been both members of World Vision Ministries where the CIA swept them up and brainwashed them into shooting at public figures and believing that ‘catcher in the rye’ is a worthwhile read. However, it was John Hinkley who shot at Reagan to impress Jodie foster. Chapman was trying to impress Paul McCartney who as we all know is the true ‘evil’ beatle.
Not only did he fake his own death, he put subliminal messeages in the White album that inspired ‘helter Skelter’ during the sixties. Recently,He sold their song ‘all you need is love’ to diaper commercials.
6 Auntie Vera Charles // Oct 18, 2007 at 3:25 pm
I smell fish.
7 pal Jacky // Oct 18, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Auntie vera smells fish. Sounds like a code that he’s the real walrus.
8 JohnnyBoy // Oct 18, 2007 at 4:51 pm
“I am the batshit…
dog ate the catshit…
I am the Igg-dog
chew chew kachoo”
Brian Yipstein
9 pal Jacky // Oct 18, 2007 at 5:40 pm
This is nothing to scoff about. If auntie vera is the walrus we are no doubt on some CIA list and are being wiretapped.’ Smell fish’ is no doubt some secret codeword to alert the worst elements of the federal government. Look what they did to Steven Seagal and we are next.
10 jim // Oct 19, 2007 at 8:51 pm
HAS April vacillating on doing her taxes just begun to ignite the new World Revolution?
WAS Auntie Vera on the Grassy Knoll?
IS Ellen a member of the Bilderburgers?
DID Batkis just send a coded message to the Saudi-Sino axis to convert their greenbacks into Euros?
I have the answers, but if I tell all - I have to kill everyone who goes on the Interwebs.
Bob’s your uncle.
( just sticking up for my tribe: the Kooks)
11 pal Jacky // Oct 19, 2007 at 9:51 pm
On the grassy knoll? It is worth looking into. Investigative Journalist Joe Bob Briggs theorized that JFK was actually killed by a drag queen gunning for Jacky. The tranny blamed the first lady for the whole pill box hat fad c. 1963 and concluded that, rightfully so, she must die. I suspect aunt vera might actully be a man. Connect the dots.la..la.la.la.la.
12 katzinoire // Oct 22, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Hey April! I am finally getting caught up on everything in your blog. Ok, remember my friend who you donated money to for her lame pup’s surgery? That pup came from a dog she had purchased from a breeder, who KNEW the dog was pregnant,didn’t disclose it and told her she would only sell the dogs, except Tina (the lame one). So, she went to a rescue center to help place the dogs-which they did for all but the one needing an expensive operation. I won’t share their suggestion they gave her,it would really ticked you off, however as you know, Monica raised part of the money and a woman adopted her, knowing she was lame, and is caring for her properly. Also, Monica originally had tried to get an Italian Greyhound from a rescue center and like you, was turned down. So she had to go to a breeder-defeats the purpose, agreed?
Did Ellen break the contract? Absolutely. Did Iggy suffer? Only after they took Iggy away from the family that loved the dog. It was an asshole thing for them to do, gave them bad publicity and I was appalled at the concept, although your photoshopped rendition is pretty much what ran through my head. And I believe she did it because she is a control freak. She wants the world to know no one can BUY her. Yeah, right. She probably gets a God-like feeling from choosing people who simply want a dog, and don’t want to encourage breeding. And that is very sad, when their are dog owners like Monica, you and John who very much so love their dogs and treat them so well. It’s sad because this woman feels validated the dog is now in a “safe home”-when she really means “one I picked-let that be a lesson to you all!!” She probably made the new owners sign a contract to ensure they don’t bring the dog on Ellen for a reunion with the hairdresser, like a no-contact order. Pathetic.
13 Pookie // Oct 22, 2007 at 4:26 pm
This is all I have to say:
I love that photo.
It’s amazing how ‘your people’ get into the right places and get the best documentary footage, and also, the lighting is always so fabulous!
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