I received a message from Greg today, and in the interest of transparency, to aid Greg Solomon in learning the lesson he tries to teach me, and to get back at him a little1
I am posting his message as well as my two responses here for your own enjoyment.
(NOTE! This crap is extremely long. Look in the footnotes for TLDRs)
Edit (20:35): NOW INTRODUCING TREVOOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!!! YAAAAY!
Greg Solomon, man of integrity and passion. (Click and make me big, baby)
This is what I responded with (OMGZ in b4 copypasta instead of pic, verify through GregSolomon)2
Greg,
I see where you are coming from and what you think has happened. I see that. But you are working without all of the information available. “Das Economista”? That was posted 7 days ago before you ever made a video about me. Proof: http://www.vimeo.com/2468991
I understand that you feel you spurred me to action, and in a way you did. I was planning on making parodies of youtubers long before you came along, which is verifiable from a few sources (Cory Mr Safety, Danny Diamond). You simply became my first target.
For that I thank you.
I hope you do not take it as too mean spirited, although there was a tint of personal butt-hurtery there that I’m only recently shedding. For me, it was a fun video to make and I had a great time observing your mannerisms and writing what I think is an effective parody of your persona.
So I have to apologize Greg in that I don’t feel you are responsible for anything more than the parody video, which I have linked to your video for promoting your work as a reference to mine. I can’t advise people that are interested in my videos to go to yours, because (and I mean this objectively) I don’t see you as an interesting performer. You have intellect and you obviously can write, but until you reign in your persona and stop locking yourself to branding rules your “shtick” will become your cage.
I know you didn’t ask for my notes, but I feel I can help. Disregard this if it doesn’t interest you. You pacing is good, but it is overdone. You need to vary your tonality, pace, and hand gestures to more accurately convey your internal dialogue. I see snippets of the person you are under this act, and if you are not trying to be a character you need to be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show controlled emotion to illustrate your opinions on the topic at hand nonverbally.
A UCLA study listed in this article (http://humanresources.about.com/od/interpersonalcommunicatio1/a/nonverbal_com.htm) states that they found up to 93% of communication can be nonverbal; which includes body language, tonality, and your choice of words being the last potential 7%. Findings by John Grinder and Richard Bandler’s studies on nonverbal communication have similar findings, but a less weighted percentage on body language.
I know you are a studious man, and if you would let me I would offer whatever help I can provide to see you succeed. I simply wish you would see me for the person I am instead of the person I misrepresented myself as for a year and a half. I was an ass. I lied, I begged, I was going after the money and it nearly killed me.
But I have my groove back now, and I’ll do whatever it takes to stay happy, creative, and stimulated.
I hope you understand. Please let me know if you need clarification on anything. I’ve tried to be as precise as possible.
Regards,
Ben/boh3m3
And I shortly followed that with this message
3
And Greg, I also have to apologize in advance, but I feel the need to post your message on my website.
I know you are a good person, but your motivations have gone sour. I want to teach you the lesson you have tried to teach me, and I can think of no better way.
Take it from my experience that this will help you if you are strong enough to handle it. This will not be easy, but if you persevere and embrace transparency you will be a better person for it.
If you should have a problem with me posting this message on my website, please contact me and I will help you.
I swear to you there is not more than the tiniest tinge of personal reasons behind this. They are not nonexistent, but my motivations here are at least 95% for your benefit.
So again, I apologize for what I am about to do.
I doubt you would send someone you have criticized for years anything you wouldn’t want opened in public, so I feel your confidence in sending this message is a conscious choice you made of your own free will and without instigation by myself.
Hope to talk to you soon,
Ben/boh3m3
19:23 Pacific-ish: GREG RESPONDS! LARGE MESSAGE WARNING4
“Greg, I see where you are coming from and what you think has happened.”
Ben, not what I “think” has happened…what I “know” has happened.
Your “Re: BoSceme” video, which you spring-boarded off of my video, has now received (in one day) more views than your “Peach Fuzz” video that you posted 3 days ago, and it almost has as many views as your “Drain-O” and “Setting Up A Shot” videos that you posted one week ago and one month ago respectively.
All that in one day Ben.
You have well over 40 thousand subscribers. I should think that videos you uploaded one week ago and one month ago would have many thousands more views than a video that you just uploaded yesterday, but such is not the case.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.5
___________________________________________________________________
“…there was a tint of personal butt-hurtery there that I’m only recently shedding.”
That’s quite understandable Ben.
When I bust a man’s chops, he usually remains smarting for quite a while afterwards.6
_________________________________________________________________
“You pacing is good, but it is overdone. You need to vary your tonality, pace, and hand gestures to more accurately convey your internal dialogue…etc, etc.”
Ben, suffice it to say here, psychology is not your strong suit.7
_________________________________________________________________
“I simply wish you would see me for the person I am…”
You obviously inferred from my video that I have something personal against you…such is not the case.
I have no hard feelings against you or dislike for you, and in fact wish you all the best.
Certainly you must have got an inkling concerning the tenor of my video when I inserted the teeth in my mouth?
I believe I even complimented you a couple of years ago as showing maturity beyond your years for your measured response to my “chop busting” video then…remember? 8Regards,
-Greg
OMG MOAR! RESPONSE TO APOLOGY MESSAGE! DRAMA DRAMA EATITUPYUMYUM! 9
“And Greg, I also have to apologize in advance, but I feel the need to post your message on my website.”
I knew you would feel that need when I sent you the message. It’s analogous to a “card force” in magic.
___________________________________________________________________
“I know you are a good person, but your motivations have gone sour.”
You’ve got a hole in your glove Ben…you’re missing the high ones.10
___________________________________________________________________
“I doubt you would send someone you have criticized for years anything you wouldn’t want opened in public.”
Actually Ben, I never write -anything- in an email or internet message that I would not expect at some point to possibly be displayed by someone on a public medium…because I realize the motives and intentions of some persons can be ulterior and self serving.11
Just a good dose of healthy cynicism on my part.Regards,
-Greg
AND NOW ITS TIME FOR BACKWARDS DETECTIVE WORK WITH TREVOR THE OBSESSED!12
THE CONCLUSION!
The CONFLICT!
The INTRODUCTION!
EDIT: 12/16/08 15:14 PM Pacific time! I’m done with this shit!
The Saga of Trevor, Episode 1! Say this with me, Trevor: 'I are the Demons'
MERRY CHRISTMAS MOVIE HOUSE!!!
- This is a sincere statement. This is only a tiny part personal. If this post were a cocktail, the personal tinge would be the twist of lemon. And I would probably get a little drunk. ↩
- TLDR; My name’s Ben and you are claiming you did more than what actually happened and are now trying to leverage me into promoting your channel like the “schemer” you claim I am. ZOMG I ARE EXPOZEENG HIM HERE! ↩
- TLDR; Oh and you sent me this without instigation of your own free will and I assume you don’t mind me posting it as nobody in their right mind would give a potential “frienemy” ammo to attack with after having just criticized the hell out of them for the better part of a year! ↩
- TLDR; “I know what happened and nothing else beyond what I see exists. I did something, you did something before that in the style that people now love and I’m taking responsibility for that, even though it was not released on YouTube. You owe everything to me, because I’m the man and I’m smart.
When I insult someone, it hurts and I’m tough because of that. Your psychology is also flawed, according to me even though I clearly have not studied body language or Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I like to point that out, because it belittles you and makes me feel special. If I don’t know that, it doesn’t exist, puny mortal!
I was sure you understood the vast, sweeping adjectives of my videos by inserting teeth into my mouth, after watching more than two minutes of my slow-paced communicative overcompensation.
Don’t you remember talking to me before? Even though you say in your response that you don’t remember doing a response to me before, because that last response was to RENETTO’s video and not to mine. ↩ - OMGZ I LOVE PUDDINGS! ↩
- I am truly humbled by the sheer velocity of this man’s cockyness. ↩
- Even though I’m talking about acting and performing, not psychology… ↩
- I don’t remember that, because all I can remember is responding to RENETTO’s video making fun of you ↩
- TLDR; “I know magic tricks, and use metaphors to my previous knowledge that I think you know a tiny bit about to impress and relate to you.
I use obscure metaphors to befuddle and make you think, thus proving my intelligence not by information but by poor communication with my common man.
Actually, I’m smart, and I’m going to tell you why I am, despite the fact that the statement I’m responding to was a statement and not a question.
I’m also cynical, and am IMPERVIOUS to satire! ↩ - Now he is critiquing my poverty and clothing. Just like I did to him! YAY! Lurneeng! ↩
- TRUTH! FINALLY! ↩
- TLDR; “I want you to give my website exposure, because I think that my insane opinions and wildly unclever “satire” in the format of the notebooks from Se7en entertains, instead of just documenting my downward spiral into obsessive madness in the cold, dark cell that is my mind.”
Oh and by the way, “Trevor,” you won’t get any of my exposure that I don’t have anymore… CAUSE IM NOT GIVING IT TO YOU!
THEN WHO WAS PHONE?! ↩
Follow me on Twitter
I find it a bit irritating that the last thing he has to add in the message sent to you is pretty much “I dissed you and tried to make you look like a fool. You got views because of it, so thank me by giving me subscribers.”
So he made a 15 minute video trying to get his point across, just to try to get subscribers from you?
What an arrogant ass.
Oh, and another thing. I’ve watched a lot of the videos on your channel and Haberdashery 1 and 2 are two of my favorites. Not even joking.
Keep up the good work, Ben.
my god Ben.
he basically admitted that he was piggy backing on your name/success.
and had the audacity to ask you to refer your viewers to him?
you must make a video that features all of the info above.
(con’t)
but the “bigger man” mentality might be a bit more respectable.
Your call to make my friend.
@joiywtj: Great animated video “UNKLE – Eye For An Eye” – just to let you know that The Temptations’ 1970 Motown classic “Ball of Confusion” was sampled in the music. For further discussion: Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today).
I’m sorry, but I get antsy when music is not properly acknowledged in YouTube video descriptions.
Yay, good music! Thanks guys. And Chef, that animation is so good!
Unkle has a lot of good ones from what I’ve seen…I found them through a band called Radiohead (they also have some really good music videos).
And thanks, Ozbro :D
You like Radiohead? Good man. Watch this video, it makes me cry every time. http://www.lowmorale.co.uk/creep/
well,yeah, nice…got no clue.
should i leave a comment? what
did i even sign up for?
anybody here knows that blue light joke?
(long time wasting pause) hi- (long time wasting pause) i’m greg suleiman.. (long time wasting pause) sillyman..there’s hope for everyone
Ben, really. You need to step away from the PC for a longer period of time this time. You’re getting more desperate, childish and annoying each time you upload a new video. Get over yourself. He busted your ass and made ppl see for what you really are, the old geese.
If Greg Solomon were half as intelligent as he seems to think he is the world would be crushed under the immense weight of his accumen which in turn would rip a hole in the space-time continuum. Good thing his pseudo-intellect is more than a little transparent, I mean, here’s this old man whose boarderline geriatric trying to appeal to a generation that really couldn’t give less of a shit about what he has to say. Is there anything less appealing than an old man trying to be hip? I mean, whose he fooling with those cigars? Who does he think he is? Wolverine? Like, I get it, Greg, you read a lot of books, you’re real edgy with all the smoking you do. Almost as edgy shaving your head to hide how far your hairline has receded.
Everything about that man just screams douche, and I think I’d be more pissed off about it if it weren’t for the fact that I’m pretty sure he’s going to die a lone and his only legacy will be a series of shitty, uninteresting videos he’s posted on youtube.
Personally, I think you were two nice, boheme. If it were, I probably wouldn’t have responded at all, which would have sent a much clearer message… Because, at the end of the day, nobody gives a shit what he has to say.
Hey Ben,
Why are you semi-backing down to Greg and his little cronie what’s his face? They are both obviously piggy backing you and trying to parasite off of your you-tube fame. They know that by attacking you they are going to gain exposure.
Except, there was no ass busting on either end. Just childish remarks, quite a bit like your own.
Consider Ben is constantly putting himself down for lack of perfection, I’m not sure what he really needs to get over except, of course, the inability to stop these games.
How can you even say that the old asshat could make “ppl see Ben for what he really is”, considering AssHat doesn’t even begin to fathom or understand the equations of Ben.
Your attempt at advice/hurtful Internet words was ineffective, pathetic, and a little funny.
Thanks =D
So Boh3m3, sir…
what the heck was with the newest vid?
any info on that?
Oh, new videos….
Well shit, son. I mean I knew you were a poet back in the day, but I thought you’d sidelined it in favour of other things.
You’ve diagnosed yourself with two medical conditions to explain how you feel. If that’s the only way you feel you can explain yourself / understand yourself, then fine, but I don’t know if you’ve really got either. Well, I don’t know you, do I… still can’t tell when you’re taking the piss…
If you want constructive crit on your stuff, head over to http://www.humanbeatbox.com – good community there, they’ll help you get started.
…Ben, how can you say you have ADHD and you focus? And if you have OCD, you have the mildest form I’ve ever seen. You don’t display it in your videos, and being a perfectionist isn’t the same thing as OCD.
Don’t self diagnose yourself by comparing yourself with things on the Internet, or with friends.
Go find a health clinic that wavers your payment based on income (or lack there of), and find out.
Your rapping embarrassed me for some reason. You put together some good rhymes, I’ll give you that…but you’re so white. I really do hope Eminem comes across it an at least considers what you had to say
Alright, seriously, this is bugging the fuck out of me.
If you had REAL OCD it would have been diagnosed at a young age. Your sister, your dad, a teacher, your mother…SOMEONE would have noticed you picking up your pencil, putting it back down, picking it up, putting it down, etc. When you were potting training you probably would have held your dick a certain way, and would have had a temper tantrum had the urine not sounded right.
You would step out of your front door on your right foot, and redo it ten times if you stepped out on your left foot even once.
Writing something and wanting to redo it to make it perfect isn’t OCD, neither is restyling your hair (unless of course you leave the bathroom 50 times and come back, adjusting the light perfectly so you can see every hair out of place).
ADHD would have been diagnosed by you or someone else in high school. “Focusing” is not a symptom. I HAVE ADHAD, Ben, and I was only ever able to effectively focus (especially with writing for long periods of time, or making videos and editing them, or even listen to an entire song) when I got on some serious Aderol.
If you have ADHD or OCD, I will streak sober past a cop car. I honestly don’t think you have either, you just want to believe you do. The simple fact is, Ben, you’re intelligent and you care about your work. Don’t dumb it down to mental incompetence.
If you are serious about believing you have these, then go see someone. Save up money, pedal fake crack if you have to…see someone.
B, I wish you’d schedule a chat or something, it’s the closest we’re gonna get to a convo and a lot of people are wondering what’s going on in your head.
Apparently some very strange, confused, but inspired things, Anna. I agree with you, though…I miss live chats with Ben D:
Well…that was a long read. And to think I actually put down a book to come check your site.
It seems pretty clear that Greg has issues being talked down to by someone half his age, but I think it’s funny shit.
Please keep up the old man spirit breaking.