Amanda Chapel ‘leaves’ Strumpette; booted from Facebook
October 9, 2007
I held off posting the news that Amanda Chapel is resigning as editor of Strumpette. Hoping to find out if the site had found a buyer or some other exit as we blogged before, I logged on to her Facebook group this morning only to find I myself kicked out of the group, and Chapel booted from the site.
On September 26, we responded to several coy Facebook messages from her, implying that mediabistro.com would be the perfect buyer for the site, promising an “instant footprint.” We doubt that’s in the cards and we do hope there is a new phase for Strumpette. We’ll be looking for the announcement.
It seems Chapel’s expulsion from Facebook was coincidental, an occasional thing that happens to other marketing caricatures (see Ranger Rick).
Emails today to Amanda and her business manager Brian Connolly were not returned. Facebook group admin Dave the Intern returned offering surprise, and the link to her resignation. Kent State prof, Strumpette contributor, and Facebook group wall-poster Bill Sledzik replied. Consistent with Connolly’s assertions in our earlier post, he explained essentially, that the pseudonym must die for the blog to grow:
There’s a lot worth saving in Strumpette, but if they or anyone hopes to expand the audience to “mainstream PR folks,” the blog will need a different tone — you know one that even a hardcore PRSA booster might say, “OK, you have a point there.” You don’t accomplish that with “Douche Bag” awards. I can only hope that an evolved Strumpette continues to reflect critically on the PR business, pointing out its faults and hypocrisy. But if you follow the blog, you see this evolution has been happening for months now. Amanda has mellowed, and assembled a lot of high-profile contributors.
