Jim Kukral - Latest Comments in The Death Of The A-list

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Noah David Simon — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:12:23 -0000

I wish you were right... I really do

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Shéamus — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:06:40 -0000

Until a single so-called A-lister becomes anything more than a Z-lister in the real world - I mean, really, as others have said, even within the Internet itself most of these people are complete unknowns to the majority of everyday folk - I'm not sure anything of this really matters, does it? I can't think of a single blogger who is famous outside of the blogosphere. Even Kevin Rose is a complete nobody to the non-Digg user. David Spade owns him. Heck, Freddie Prinze Jr owns him.

Relatively, we're talking 'A-list' inside a very small bowl.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

DomesticMouse — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:12:11 -0000

Stupid question of the day. You are claiming the A-list is dead because of twitter, friendfeed and co, yet all the stats I see on twitter usage show power laws. Which to me imply the continued existence of an A-list.

Whether the a-list still includes calcanis and scoble I have no idea. In fact, I unfollowed scoble because he made lots of twitter noise that i couldn't be bothered keeping up with. His breathless excitement was off putting.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

amirulcyber — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:41:47 -0000

Thank for such a wonderful idea.really thanks.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Sonny Gill — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 19:43:04 -0000

Great post and so true. The numbers game is getting kinda weak - time to put up or move aside.

And btw - that picture is going to scar me for the rest of my life.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

paulmccord — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:06:34 -0000

Man you did a very good job of putting it in perspective.
Paul

Re: The Death Of The A-list

wil reynolds — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:13:25 -0000

Shawn, tacky and entitled is SOOO true.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jon Kepler — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:42:18 -0000

What about the concept of the A-list now being supported by the media? Mike Arrington remains large because he jumps on TV every so often. Maybe the A-list isn't as strongly defined as it used to be, but I still think getting on CNBC is a milestone that separates you from those who haven't been on.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

fmckenna — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:57:30 -0000

Not sure I consider myself a geek, just an accountant who has an interest and aptitude for technology more than the average CPA. I heard about this post from Twitter, which all of my accounting readers are scared to death of. Except the ones at the beginning of their careers (and a few other hybrids like me.) The 20-somethings are into everything , 24/7, and don't call it "social media." It just is. And they don't wait for permission from anyone to reach out or to give their opinion. I like that and they push and pull me to to do what I've always done, network, only using new tools. Scoble, Calacanis, Arrington? Might as well be Rocky and Bullwinkle to me and to the 20-somethings. As obscure as those cartoon characters except for the fact sometimes they show up and assume everyone is going to be entertained.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:21:51 -0000

Yeah, great point Brian. Tech used to "be" blogging mainstream, you're right.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Chetan — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:15:46 -0000

Good post there..
This is what i agree with entirely -

The a-list died because we’re tired of them and their incessant drama and posturing for attention. We all just decided enough was enough and called bullshit. It was bound to happen.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Brian Clark — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:36:27 -0000

Great post Jim. I think the one point you don't address is that tech used to = blogging. Now it doesn't (not even close), but the tech guys don't realize that most people could care less about geekery... blogging is not about technology, it's about people. The more "normal" the blogging demographic looks, the less relevant the nerd herd.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

PodcastSteve — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:43:03 -0000

Absolutely fair game, and very funny. I had the opportunity to get to know Shel at the SNCR New Communications Forum in California in April. He and I are both Senior Fellows of SNCR, so it was nice to meet in a peer setting. He's quirky, snarky, and very funny. Don't know Scoble, but he's made a very successful brand of himself.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

daveevans — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:30:45 -0000

Select blog stars will become much larger and morph into global columnists. Makes me think of HuffPo, that's not even a blog anymore.

Some bloggers will always post 10x a day, the usefulness of this schedule will become less important to most readers. Think NYT op-ed page.

People love the quickness of blogs, but I would does that help them do you job better or become more efficient or make more money? Not for the majority of readers.

Maybe I'm too focused on the post-anytime nature of blogs today, but still, I'd rather read and write longer though pieces than 150 words several times a day. Still, I think today's A-listers are brealy breaking the surface. Just wait until blog translation services start to emerge and China is reading you.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:59:40 -0000

GREAT points Shawn.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:58:25 -0000

Yeah, people are still paying attention to guys like Scoble. There's nothing wrong with that. I follow him and I like reading his thoughts My point was that "his kind" is not needed as much anymore.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:56:04 -0000

But will these new stars be as big as the old stars were? I don't think we'll duplicate what happened once do to the reasons I stated above.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:53:26 -0000

That's pretty much what I alluded to in my piece Mark, we agree.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:51:36 -0000

Yeah, I thought about not using it Steve, but there it was in the #3 google images result for Scoble. I figured it was fair game?

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:50:06 -0000

LOL. How prophetic!

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Jim Kukral — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:49:16 -0000

Great points Mack.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

JimBob51 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:48:56 -0000

I agree - the social network and the ease of the tools gives everyone the opportunity to make their point "pimp" their blog and have their say. The mere fact that I came to this via a "re Plurk" makes the point entirely. Welcome to the new age - but please learn the etiquette. That is the message - despite what we think there are rules and if broken like any form of communication you will be excluded.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

templestark — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:17:58 -0000

excellent - the d-list is the new A-ist ;-) shades of but for a typo in the original, "the geek shall inherit the earth."

Re: The Death Of The A-list

templestark — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:14:21 -0000

It's a little black and white but I like Steve's answer.

Re: The Death Of The A-list

Ozegold — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:09:01 -0000

True,as social media has changed, the present 'A listers' have failed to change with it.

There's probably a natural arrogance that tends to go with being on an A list of any sort, but if those on it don't learn to flow with the tide, they go the way of the dinosaur!