I’ve been doing my best to dodge the sour grapes coming at me in all directions from Mr. Baron. Since I’ve been contacted by numerous bloggers and reporters alike, included Richard Rushfield from the LA Times, it appears I need to lay down some more facts.
1. HBO came to me, not Mr. Baron. I had one meeting with them during my time at Rocketboom. Mr. Baron had no meetings with them during my time at Rocketboom and, as far as I know, has had no meetings since.
2. Mr. Baron and I were in talks with ABC Family during my time at Rocketboom about producing a number of different videoblogs that never materialized. None of them involved me on-camera in any capacity, but rather, as a writer/producer. I am now working in an entirely different division of ABC, ABC News, and to my knowledge Mr. Baron has never had a meeting with ABC News.
3. I was contacted by twelve major media outlets after the blowup at RB. I also have great agents at the Endeavor Agency. I am not and was not in need of Mr. Baron’s contacts.
4. Regarding Mr. Baron’s allegations about the Amanda Across America tour, I told Mr. Baron last March that I wanted to go on a road trip when I finally moved to LA. I’ve always wanted to go on a road trip across the country. Mr. Baron tried to secure sponsorship for this but, again, nothing ever materialized. Going on a “road trip†is not proprietary anyway.
5. Regarding Rocketboom and his allegations that I have usurped “his†camera 2 idea. I will let you figure that one out for yourself.
I really have no more time or energy to invest in Mr. Baron’s endless slew of allegations and random and outlandish claims to own projects of mine. I have moved on and hope Mr. Baron can do the same. It’s getting REALLY old.
UPDATE: I made a mistake that needs clarification. Before Mr. Baron and I were handed over to the team at ABC Family, Mr. Baron correctly points out that we had had a meeting with ABC News, where we made introductions and were given a tour of ABC’s NYC headquarters. We were then turned over to ABC Family to pitch a couple of shows, none of which involved me as a host and none of which ever came to fruition. Also, it is my understanding that ABC Family’s door is open for Mr. Baron to continue to try to work things out, if he desires.
I hope this clears things up.
Kudos, Amanda. That really should do it.
Andrew, please, I beg you (!) ENOUGH !
jm– are you Jimmy M, from NU? You sound like him and I’ve seen you around. Reveal yourself!
Ugh, ABC News is exactly the people we were in deep talks with. You have just lied again, mark my words here. I will release the document to my blog then.
The AAA story? Jeze, you have not told the relevant truth, documents are forthcoming. I spent months on this project and it was my sponsor relationship you took for Ford. You quit before the deal was done.
HBO contacted Rocketboom and wanted to do a show with Rocketboom. You stole the call and told them I didnt want to. I said I did. I will provide docs, forthcoming.
Call up ABC and ask them about what department we were working with. ABC Family.
The AAA story? My idea that you failed to secure sponsorship for.
Ari Emanuel turned HBO onto me. Not you, Andrew, sorry.
I believe that “road trip” is owned by the estate of John Belushi which trademarked it right after Animal House came out.
Note the email below about being close to working something out with Bernie (ABC News):
http://corporate.disney.go.com/wdig/bios/bernard_gershon.html
Lie #1, proven. If you need some more documentation, there is plenty, this is a no brainer.
Begin forwarded message:
From: “Gershon, Bernard L”
Date: May 26, 2006 8:44:13 AM EDT
To: “andrew michael baron”
Cc: “amanda Congdon”
Subject: RE:
Thanks so much for noticing. Albert says we are close to working
something out, which sounds great.
Hope you both get some rest this weekend.
Best,
/bernie
The AAA project was a Rocketboom project that I designed, motivated and worked on for you for months. It was the way I was trying to afford to get you to LA. I was close to closing a $250,000 sponsorship. Since you took it yourself for $0, I dont think bragging rights for closing the deal are in order. You never even spoke to the guy until after you quit.
Close to closing what deal? A deal with ABC Family for a show that I wasn’t going to host? You’ve never addressed that and thus, once again, you’ve proved nothing.
As for AAA, I’m not bragging about anything. All I wanted to do was see the country and promote the environment and citizen media. It wasn’t about the money… it was about getting expenses covered, which, thankfully the NRDC made happen. Sorry you never closed the big deal. But there were lots of big deals that were “almost” closed during my time at RB.
I know it must hurt that I still own the 49%. Guess you should’ve checked the docs before you fired me.
As you know, your 49% is in dispute and my position is that you dont own any of Rocketboom anymore.
Now that you are no longer being vague and have finally said “you fired me”, I have addressed that lie right here:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/videoblogging/message/53588
I have said all I need to say on this thread.
Hallelujah! Can I get an Amen?
I’ve been very open about you firing me. That is what you did when you forced me out by saying “face only”. I posted it here for the world to see. Remember?
http://amandaunboomed.blogspot.com/2006/07/for-record.html
Be gone from my personal site, troll.
I think it is awful that andrew put you in a situation where you had to place a response on your site. And worse that he manipulated truth and had the gall to comment that here.
Wow. Just Wow.
Amanda,
Is there any chance that “Mr. Baron” just has a crush on you and is pissed at you for rejecting him?
Mr. Baron just has a lot of emotional problems, Steven, and issues with control. He throws these tantrums whenever he doesn’t get his way. He’s like a canker sore that keeps coming back. The sad thing is that the things he’s revealing by continuing to post dirty laundry just prove my points! It’s pathetic, really. Well now everyone knows what he was like to work with.
Amanda, you have not addressed chucks email. It looks like you quit Rocketboom and also that yor share in Rocketboom is in dispute.
All divorces are ugly.
The quality of the AAA and ABC vides haven’t been up to the standard of Rocketboom.
What Andrew did with $20 a day was truly amazing.
I didn’t quit. Mr. Baron told me I could be the face only and talk to the press. That’s a far cry from writing and being involved in the business– which was the original understanding of our “partnership”. When he decided he needed more control and that I was getting too much press, he turned our relationship into essentially an employer-employee one. He fired me by demoted me to “only a face”. This was an entirely new arrangement. Not to mention a baffling, demoralizing way to treat someone. He forced me out of Rocketboom. It was his choice. He already had Joanne lined up and wanted me out. Want proof?
This
http://www.rocketboom.com/vlog/archives/2006/07/rb_06_jul_05.html
was filmed on July 4. I posted about my Unbooming on July 5.
Also, I had a place to stay in LA already organized. I was set up to leave in a week and Mr. Baron knew it. But 7 days before our scheduled departure date, he called me and Mario up and said we could stay in NYC and I could be the “face only” of RB or we were both off the show. He’s a GREAT guy.
I still own half of Rocketboom. That’s why Andrew has abandoned his initial plan to keep this between our lawyers and is trying to duke it out publicly. Sadly for him, he has lost here too because none of his arguments are based on facts. Facts are important.
The worst part? His childish, petty behavior is hurting RB’s business. Self-destructive as an adjective to describe Mr. Baron would be putting it mildly.
[...] Nerd Fight… round two By Frank Paynter Duking out in the comments at Amanda’s place, Drew tries the rope-a-dope, while Amanda calls him on his hostage taking behavior. Meanwhile, Mario has already rescued the princess and I’d say that this game of Donkey Kong is over! [...]
Tis right in the world. RB is NOT the same without Amanda. The new “face” has no personality and the writing stinks and its dull and boring. I have only clicked over to RB once or twice since AC left.
Glad to see Amanda is back doing videoblogging again. Its now bookmarked. Cant wait to see more.
Cheers!
I love a good chick fight….
Wait, that came out wrong. I mean…. um, no name calling.
No wait, I mean. Play nice.
Hmmm, I’m not satisfied. I have folowed this closely and setting aside Drew being rght or wrong, Amanda, you have def. said things that are not true about the past, he shows this in many emails.
I think you should say what you belive but you should reach out to Drew and at least say you are sorry for leaving him hanging with Rocketboom when you left.
You have mislead the public about this.
Hey Sam,
I’m sorry I have no idea what you are talking about. I mislead no one about anything. Andrew clearly shows in his emails that he no longer wanted to be my partner anymore, and that’s exactly what I said in my video. A puppet is not a partner.
Leave him hanging??? He already had Joanne. We are talking in circles. You know what I’m sorry for? I’m sorry he can’t just move on and leave me alone. I’m not asking HIM for an apology for finding Joanne and attempting to quietly dispose of me.
have any of you uncovered the fantasticness that are “uncrustables”?
check it out, its peanut butter and jelly sandwich WITHOUT crust. Unreal. It’s only like 100 bucks for a box of 4. This is an amazing concept.
Happy Holidays Amanda
Amanda, I hope you can just let go of the whole thing. When I read the dembot post I was floored by the unprofessionalism, but I chalked it up to a mixed up guy thing…. Testosterone poisoning is terribly painful. I imagined you would ignore it; but, you didn’t, so I’m offering this avuncular advice: just let it go. Don’t play his game any more. You have so much more to lose than he does and you risk losing it if you let yourself get dragged down. Remember: no pig wrestling, the pig likes it and you get all dirty.
Dust off your hands, straighten up and just walk away.
/s/
Fanboy Frank
Hi Frank,
I hear what you are saying. And I ignored trollie for a while. But since the LA Times contacted me along with several bloggers for my side of the story, I thought it made sense to post it on my blog.
Hopefully we are all done now.
[...] So far, no response on the Amanda Across America blog, just some more of that happy dancing. (UPDATE: Amanda’s response!) But if it’s anything like last time, maybe we’ll all have something to read and watch instead of end-of-year Top 10 lists. Nothing like a family fight just in time for the holidays! [...]