Violet Blue Explains Why She Quit The Chronicle/Gate

You know I'd care if she wasn't so freakin' annoying. Tired of her constant conspiracy theories and whining about how she has be wronged by everyone.

I say good riddance!

She seems to have a real personality problem. First she got booted from BoingBoing, now she quits the Chron?

Xenu, given how critically you speak of the Chronicle, I'm surprised that you wouldn't consider remaining at the Chron more indicative of a personality problem than leaving it!

I remember a colleague who once said "never get in a pissing match with someone who buys ink by the barrel." It sounds good; I'm not sure what it means. Except that content needs context, and hers just got stripped (no pun intended). Having my own blog, I can imagine the horror of seeing her work shredded, without any notice or involvement on her part. But what did she expect from the Chron? Really?

Putting someone like her into the context was the gift itself. That allowed us to discuss the topic without being seen as the perverts we probably are.

The trick is how the person in that position deals with the power of that context. When I had my TV and Radio shows, I pushed the limits for about ten years and now I'm a "...commenter"

If Violet writes here, I'll read it.

Aside from Eve, I'm sure most of those who comment here do not actually know Violet. She wrote her column from her own experience and point of view. It reached a wide-ranging audience. With sex as the topic, it was bound to offend many, titillate some, and amuse a few. These reactions are merely reflections of the sophomoric attitude of our culture towards any attempt to have an honest, open discussion about sex. However, her writing also illuminated many topics that people often avoid at their own loss and peril, and helped countless others heal the wounds of their past. If you've ever met her, as I have, and had a real conversation with her, you know she is an intelligent, sensitive, hard-working woman.

The Chronicle/SFGate has profited immensely from her hit count. Despite the fact that she is routinely personally attacked and threatened with violence, they did little-to-nothing to protect her from the psychotic element most attracted by SFGate's pseudo-anonymous user comment system. Leaving the Chronicle/SFGate is hardly a set-back for her. Rather, it sets her free to reach the goals she is already working toward. Fly, Violet, fly! xoxo

Except she can't write her way out of a paper bag, IMHO.

Violet's a much better sex manual writer than a sex columnist. Chalk that up to focus, editors, scope, technique, whatever.

I question her motives though. Her contentious ouster from Boing Boing has never been clearly explained and a similar scenario appears to be unfolding at the Chronicle/SFGate. There is something odd going on in her relationships with her various publishers.

I don't personally know her, but it is odd that so much drama gravitates toward Violet. It all has a very mercenary feel to it.

You know that Internet Juice is that draws trolls? Some people have it, some people don't. Violet Blue has Saudi oil fields of it.

I've seen more concerted vitriol and hatred directed at her than anyone, ever. I would include George W. Bush on that list.

I used to think it was mostly the wingnuts who are drawn to SFGate and the Bay Area more broadly. And then I used to think it was because she wrote about naughty bits and people are uptight. Or that maybe it was some strange confluence of the two.

But no, it's just Violet. Lots of people quit or leave their jobs for various reasons. But something about her always touches a nerve with people. And she doesn't even try that hard. It's kinda awesome.

I don't think Violet had a problem with BoingBoing - I think Xeni Jardin had a problem with Violet and used BoingBoing against her. Jardin could clear that up any time she'd like, but thus far has chosen not to. If it's not been clearly explained, it's because of Jardin's character-assassination-via-omission.

The SFGate situation is different however. This isn't about vindictiveness, it's about old media being excessively clueless, and mistreating its content creators in the process.

hey Eve, why did YOU quit the Gate? Don't think I haven't thought about it, and even tried to do it, at least once a week since I started. Then my stomach growls and I look in my both my fridge and my bank account, find them both empty, and get back on my knees for more abuse...

I'm a whore, I guess. But I know one day I'll find a limit, and SFgate will push me over it. What was yours?

Well! That is a very long story. But I was at the Chronicle (in the newsroom), not the Gate, so the issues I had to deal with there were a whole other mess.

In short, once it was decided that the news org's focus should be print, I did not have a lot to contribute! I suppose I could have hung in and waited to get canned, but instead I went and worked with the guy who hired me at Hearst for a few months, and when I felt like I'd amassed enough money to get this thing started, that's just what I did.