Brian Lam, you are sofa king cool


I have to admit I friggin hate Wired magazine for being so stupid and pretentious and phony, but in the latest edition — the one with the “Apple is evil” cover; don’t get me started — there’s this fantastic story about my main man, Brian Lam, who is perhaps the greatest journalist of his generation, and his wicked cool blog, Gizmodo. (That’s Lam in the chair in the photo above, hanging out in his apartment, which doubles as Gizmodo headquarters.) You can read the article here.

Why do I love this guy? Because when Wired starts poking around and suggesting he and his reporters might be a bit, well, puerile, for doing things like blasting out displays at CES and calling Walt Mossberg “Grandpa” and losing Microsoft’s advertising afer writing about “a bicycle outfitted with a dildo where the seat should be,” you know how they respond? Guilty as charged, your honor.

These guys give new meaning to the term “filthy hacks.” In fact they are dirty, nasty, irresponsible, mean, wise-ass little pricks — “disruptive juvenile delinquents masquerading as reporters” in the words of one CES exhibitor — and they rejoice in their bad-assery. Or as Wired puts it, “Gizmodo revels in cheap jokes and hedonism. Its writers regularly proclaim their love of alcohol, marijuana, and Jessica Alba.”

You know what that does? That makes them dangerous. And dangerous people are more fun to watch. Think of Evel Knievel versus Dick Cavett.

Consider this description of Gizmodo’s CES coverage: They put together an NSFW montage of their adventures at an adjoining adult video convention, complete with a paid “butt rub” and vibrating fake breasts. And they ran a snarky list of reasons why CES — a “vile clusterfuck of nerds, sluts, and suits” — foretold the end of civilization.

I love it. They make me all nostalgic for my own days as a dirty little scumbag hanging out with this psycho and doing bad things. You know what? I miss those days.

In a truly class move, Brian Lam’s chief rival, Ryan Block of Engadget, wouldn’t comment for the Wired piece, and told his writers not to comment either. Great job, Engadget. Try not to move around too much either, and then the sticks you keep up your asses won’t hurt as much. Sniff sniff.