Professionalism is capitalized for Sarcasam.
Official Press Release: Jonny Tobias Position Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
In light of recent events, Jonny Tobias will no longer be part of the RUNWAY group of companies. Please see the inset below which will be published in the January 2009 issue.
It is our formal position on Mr. Tobias’ recent conduct.
##
In case you’ve been under a rock for the last few weeks, or worse still, NOT checking the RUNWAY blog daily to keep up with what’s what and who’s who in the fashion world, the winners of the 2008 Model of Year competition have been announced. Controversy abounded, however, and it is with regret that we must take a stand on the inflammatory and tasteless comments made recently on Flickr, by Jonny Tobias, who on points, was voted the Male Model of the Year.
Winning is no guarantee, however, of unbounded good behavior, and Mr Tobias has recently made a number of vitriolic and personal attacks on an SL Designer. RUNWAY Magazine prides itself on it’s neutrality, and will not comment on the veracity or otherwise of the comments made by Mr Tobias. However, neither will we support his comments by continuing to publish his interview or his shots, taken especially for this issue.
RUNWAY Magazine has a zero tolerance policy towards inappropriate behavior relating to interaction between avatars, where those avatars are either representing RUNWAY or working with or for us. It is with regret that we advise that we will not be using Mr Tobias as a RUNWAY model in future, and wish to reiterate that at no time with RUNWAY Productions support those whose actions reflect badly on either the organization or themselves.
##
Maggie Mahoney, CEO
Ocean Bates, CEO
RUNWAY Magazine
RUNWAY Productions
This is what I love about SL businesses. In their flailing attempts (yes, flailing) to be professional, they usually… epically… fail. Instead of simplying saying “Hey, we’re not working with this guy any more” … RUNWAY (as it obviously must be typed in all caps as if you’re screaming it from a rooftop in London) chooses to get into detail.
Iris and I both agree-Â Flickr drama is dumb.
So at first I thought the article was about the magazine cover…
because seriously, that cover belongs on the whatthefug blog.
was it done in Microsoft Word by someone from the 60′s?
on a side note, I’m dying to know what this person said.
I am blissfully out of the loop on this one, have no idea what Jonny said, but the “Position Statement” makes me wonder.
But this part gets me giggling:
“RUNWAY Magazine has a zero tolerance policy towards inappropriate behavior relating to interaction between avatars”
If it was on Flickr, how is it an interaction between avatars? Also, are we forgetting that there are real persons piloting these avatars? Perhaps RUNWAY sees their models as characters and not individuals. RL models that speak out against say, the use of fur, find some of their opportunities dry up, yet it opens other doors. I would hate to think that every model in SL is not entitled to personal opinions lest they find themselves blacklisted and declared unprofessional in public. But then, I know none of the particulars in this case, so just like “the cat that was killed”, I really want to know what constitutes a serious breech that requires a “Position Statement” in the first place.
~ Ketsy
I agree, flickr drama is dumb. That doesn’t, however, mean that I don’t wanna know what he said.
I used to model for fun which turned into me learning how to take my own pics and for that I’m grateful, but c’mon people. This is just plain silliness. I just can’t take any of this seriously when we are talking about people who got their good looks by buying skins and hair and tweaking a shape by moving sliders up and down.
I still think models have their place in displaying products made by content creators, but this is not cause for avatars acting like celebrities and badly behaved ones at that.
Take a reality pill and get over yourselves.
Here’s the hullabaloo.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fannhyun/3137431719/
I’m sorry, bwahahahahah.
Model of the year, Payton someone and Johnny someone?? Miss SL Universe who ??? Just people like me sitting on their fat arse behind a computer screen……makes me laugh every time XD
I’m with creamy on this, they take it all so seriously because there’s no way they could have it in rl.
but even in sl, crazy shows itself.
lol i agree to who are these people
but i did hear talk a while ago about the runway mag thing that one of the organisers won which was odd,
but meh lol
“RUNWAY Magazine prides itself on it’s neutrality”
O rly… lol. How they can fire a dude for expressing his opinion and then turn around and say that, is beyond me.
OOOO DRAMA
soo lets see according to flickr and gossip
- JOnnnny boy couldnt get over his X– slammed her new alt who was gone for ermmm monthes?
-All the public go absolutely nuttso bc sl drama boy wish death on a x lover he call sick minded
- Runway.. sorry RUNWAY goes freakso thinking somehow they will look bad ?- and all THIS DONE ON SOME CHICK BLOG WHO WAS JUST WEARING CLOTHING?? than Battle Royale breaks out between cough Models– on who is more shallow– cough models
BACK TO RUNWAY(cough) ermm does it really hurt peoples feeling to be fired by a job that is virtually fake? Look forward to eating popcorn and seeing does this hidden designer fight back at the beefcake model with big opinions no common sense plenty? will the gods of sl bring wrath on mr tobbias, or will other adventures pan out STAY TUNNED FOR the next adventure of when MODELS aTTACK AND runway opps RUNWAY Fight Back.
Seems like several issues wrapped in one.
Lying about leaving SL due to sickness or death. Also threatening to leave every week but never leaving. I know people who’ve done this 4 or 5 times since starting SL. Annoying but I’ve learned to move along.
Commenting about someone elses drama on someone elses flikr page. Not the right place. Yea I get that she was showing the persons work but she shouldn’t have to answer to someone elses problem.
I’m not one to tell others how to run their business but that was an over-reaction. Naomi Cambell has hit how many people in the head with phones and she still works regularly in the fashion community. If it was that important they could have stated that Jonny’s views are not the views of the mag left it at that.
Oh, FFS. RUNWAY chose to post that on the FLICKR thread? Holy shit, man… idiocy at its finest.
Jonny has a right to be mad if this girl did fake her death, or, near-dying.
HeeHeeHee
Flickr/SL drama is dumb but oh so much fun to read from the sidelines.
I have Flickr drama of my own you know. A ‘tongue-in’cheek’ send up of the adventures of two SL urber super models. Can I share it with you? It’s my humble attempt to have fun with the SL fashion industry and it’s players. This includes me too who while having chosen a role in SL as a model, realises it’s fantasy driven by RL people. At the end of the day we need to know where the line between fantasy and reality is. In saying that, this living part of the time in a virtual world is relatively new in the scheme of things so I guess we are all finding our feet.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/975136@N21/
)))
Some of you might think the SLexcellent Adventures of Jula and Chalice is a croc but some of you might enjoy it. And yes, I’m quite aware that putting in this link is unabashed self-promotion
Sending love and light to you all in 2009.
http://jonnytobias.blogspot.com/
I’m surprised I don’t hear more complaints about this. I’m tired of recieving note cards from people with a long drawn dramatic story about why they need to leave SL but they seem to find their way back. They get an alt but are horrible about acting different or don’t even try. The only time I can understand is when it’s a stalker situation.
He should have put it on his own blog to begin with. Or put a message on CD/AEs flikr but looking at runways reaction it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.
never heard of any of those people…….
If someone is capable of lying about cancer, then I don’t want anything to do with them, or want to be even in the same sim as them.
Also… Runway Magazine? let me guess, all the models in MMS/Redgrave skins?
Professionalism is not about ditching someone for a potential customer
This is stupid.
If you are going to make a statement about why you need to boot someone from working with you, and you are a magazine publisher why not just make the statement in your magazine like a RL publisher? Posting it on the Flickr account, and sending it out in group notices as if it is a major newsflash was pointless.
Out of boredom, I went over and read the Flickr comments, and Tobias’ blog. I have no idea why I did this. It did not benefit me in any way. Now I have some useless information about a “fake death/illness and return as another alias” case number 16,867,992,348,430 since Compuserv chatrooms back in 1989.
Anyway, been there and done that with the “I’m dying” bullshit. I can relate to the anger of said male model.
haha models.
Was taken in once…ONCE…by a chick who claimed she had brain cancer, and lied about about her home country….the story changed over time, and then she claimed she had chemo at the same time once a week. One of these times, I asked her why she didnt go to chemo…she got all yelly with me about I wasn’t her mamma and she didnt have to go to chemo if she didnt want to… I realized then she didnt have cancer…
My mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, and a dear friends 5 year old daughter have all died from cancer, watched them die day to day…I have no respect for those who lie about having a fatal illness.
@ creamy.. I agree.
I have no idea who these people are and the only time I hear of this stuff is when I check in with this blog. Other than that I have no idea, or desire, to know what is going on, whose with who, whose who, etc. I just could not care less.
As the days go by I find myself logging onto SL less and less, infact, I find i have to force myself to get on. SL is a place to express your creativity, and meet friends. But as the days go by I notice there is a lot of this “elitist” delusions of grandeur rearing its head. Its to a point where I am actually concerned for some of these people.
I find myself wanting to know if they healthy and balanced in RL? Im not so sure. If these individuals sit on the computer for the purpose of creating hype and “fame” around their name I have to wonder how stable their RL is.
And the sheep? oh the poor sheep! poor lost souls only shopping at stores that these “high fashion” SL magazines hype up because you (Talking directly at these people now. YOU! yes you) think that makes you cool and afford-able (Meaning, able to afford the outrageously priced clothing). Sorry, it doesnt. Youre still the person you see in the mirror while youre brushing your teeth getting ready for bed. Make something of THAT life. Be your own person. Do your own thing. Quit letting this fake “Slebrity” shit run your slife.
Youre always searching for something, always searching for someone. Always trying to get to the top to fill the void eating away inside of you. You long to get a word from that designer you envy, waiting for him or her to say something you can pass off at being funny so you can throw it into the “Quotes” section of your profile. Do you really need to do this to feel good about yourself?
This goes for your first, and most important, life too. Dont buy into the mainstream media that controls your every move and your every purchase. Its marketing people. It goes on in both worlds. These RL and SL so called “celebrities” are NOTHING without YOU. And so far, they control you well.
Wake up. Live. Be Free.
I don’t care what my teacher says, I’m gonna be a super model!
OK soo wow
One lets look at the facts we know kids—
Jonny tobias is still obsessed with a girl who left 4 months ago– this girl clearly stated in her going away letter that she was not leaving bc of illness but bc she couldnt take the drama– as we all see drama=aka jonny tobias.
Now whats funny is how many laws of LL has jonny broke- slander, stalking passing rl info of someone else without her premission.
Jonny tobias was kicked out of BOSL for threatening to ruin the upcoming show of this designer- as well as Runway for his distasteful remarks.. Than he posts this Blog… sounds like someone is grasping at straws…
Not only that– knowing both Jonny and the girl i have LOGS AND LOGS of convos on her illness– never in her proof or her convos with me and many other has she ever declared she had 6 months to live,,, sounds like Jonny BS
than people think about this— a well know photographer with an establish business woman leaves sl when her partner wont stop spreading her rl to everyone— I know for a fact she told only thoose she worked with to keep them from worrying if she poofed for days at a time– jonny told how many of you?? think about that
FACTS_
Runway,BOSL and Anessa stines On your Toes blog has kicked this man out
THIS person gave proof– no matter what she gives it will be questioned duh shes a designer– you believe what you want–
Two LOOK AT who supports her top models and business people- To name a few Harmonica-Payton-Anessa-Nardya-Frolic Maggie- Kurvy- these are huge business icons and models in sl who have everything to loose in association with her if she is as nasty as jonny makes her to be—
something must be off if she is lying
Also maybe think about how big of a gossip jonny is before you side with him… he has no doubt displayed aspects of an obsessed crazy person in his gestures and went way out of his way to lose everything to hurt someone who has left jonny alone– has not played into his game–
@ blahblahblahwhatever
I have to largely agree with your diatribe. It’s getting to the stage where much of the SL experience is steadily underwhelming me due to the desperation of so many in wanting to be part of the ‘elite’.
Concerning the male model’s jaundiced reaction to the woman who feigned having cancer – yeah, I know it’s only one side of the story – I can understand. I rezzed two years ago today while recovering from major surgery ( a kidney transplant ) and I’d give my soul to be what I was, yet I know I’m more fortunate than many others, so for someone to fantasise about having cancer is rather sad and a bit mad.
To end with a quote for what it’s worth:
The living being is only a species of the dead, and a very rare species. – Friedrich Nietzsche
I honestly want to know how hard it could be to keep away from this kind of drama? Someone screws me over or messes with me in SL, I bitch about the skank/wanker to my friends for a little bit, then move on. Case closed. You drag it out you’re in it for the drama just as much as the original douchebag.
Or maybe I just have the “wrong” friends and that’s why I don’t get it?
The fact remains that what Jonny posted on someone else’s Flicker was inappropriate no matter how many reasons and justifications he listed. Reading Jonny’s blog what I see is that he is still blaming her for his bad behavior. It doesn’t matter what she did.
@ Leonard sorry your post nearly just made me keel over (no pun intended on the fake/real whatever illness) on:
“FACTS_
Runway,BOSL and Anessa stines On your Toes blog has kicked this man out
THIS person gave proof– no matter what she gives it will be questioned duh shes a designer– you believe what you want–
Two LOOK AT who supports her top models and business people- To name a few Harmonica-Payton-Anessa-Nardya-Frolic Maggie- Kurvy- these are huge business icons and models in sl who have everything to loose in association with her if she is as nasty as jonny makes her to.
Hardly everything to lose now is there. Frolic has a yet another poorly designed magazine (why nobody can get it right in SL I will never figure) and the gawdiest sim on the grid. The design is equivalent to vomiting after eating too many Quality Street Toffees.
it’s pixel models and in Frolic’s case make believe business wannabe. They have nothing to lose except the faux reputations in a virtual world that really doesn’t matter in reality.
This elite rubbish has to stop. Because you can keep buying the most expensive (and badly designed) clothing, the uber gorgeous houses and parcels above market rate on over hyped estates. But as somebody already posted….each night as you fall asleep you are still good old *you*.
oh come on guyz runway iz a foreal magazine with forealzie writerz and and modelz.
*bursts out laughing and goes to make a sandwhich*
also that cover makes me lol ALOT.
Who really cares who wants to be elite or not and why do you guys seem to be losing sleep over who does what in their “fake” fantasy” world. Like why bother, who really cares. is it really that important, just mind your business and move along.
@Good grief
Part of what prompted me to post what i did was because, as i said, this is getting to the extreme where whatever blog you open, whatever webpage you open, when you sign on, where you go, this is being thrown into our faces. Its getting really bad. Its kind of hard to just “move along” when everyone you meet is obsessed with trying to get to the top. The only real remedy is to stop signing on SL. Which is what ive been doing to a degree.
You used to be a pretty cool poster, your past few posts seem to say youve just been used as a douche.
You people with your comments about how “stupid” it is to be a model or a fashionista or a business tycoon or part of an “elite” society, are all such ignorant morons I could scream. Second Life is ALL about us being and doing what WE want to do, who are YOU to judge if what makes us happy in Second Life is to have “fame” and “fortune” that couldn’t be achieved in real life? What about RL “straight” men who come to SL to explore their gay fantasies? What about people who go into GOR and roleplay thier fantasies there? What about the vampires, the furries, the nekos, the beach addicts, the dancers, the escorts the 1.4 million residents of Second Life who ALL come to Second Life to do just that… live a fantasy that real life cannot provide them. And you bunch of jerks, log on here and rip people apart because they are enjoying their version of fantasy by being models and celebrities. Truly, what I think, is that you people taking jabs at those in the SL fashion world, really are a bunch of sad jealous losers, because when it comes down to it, you failed to achieve any kind of notoriety in RL and then you came to SL and nobody thought you were worth anything there either. The SL celebrities are the ones who ARE fabulous in RL, but not famous, or who might LOOK less than appealing in RL, but have an amazing personality that shines in SL and enables them to become “famous”. You bunch of sad people fell short in both lives.
And next…. Jonny Tobias is a slandering psychotic liar who makes suicide threats to any girl who hurts his feelings and talks trash about anybody TO anybody who listens, who is SO self important that he has declined going to his “best friend’s” wedding because his ex-gf designed the dresses and because he states he cannot sit still long enough to attend a wedding. :O So before you people who openly claim to not even know him or the girl involved should really shut your mouths because the fact is that Jonny Tobias LIED. GREATLY. And Leonard is absolutely right… there are many successful people in SL who have a lot on the line to defend and side with a girl who had any chance of being false.
And Kent, if you think it’s so easy to make a magazine, why don’t you do one yourself and show us how AMAZING you are and how it’s supposed to be done. We’d love to learn more from you oh masterful one. And when your magazine and your sims bring in as much as The Best of SL, you let us know and we’ll all get on our knees and worship you.