We all have different ideas on how to use social media, but a mantra I’ve repeatedly spouted involves embracing honesty, authenticity and transparency. I want and expect everyone I deal with to remember those three words and act accordingly online. As someone who’s no stranger to public outbursts*, whether online or off, I realize I started off hypocritical of Amy Bouzaglo’s recent reaction to a Yelp post and her ensuing boiling over on a Phoenix New Times thread that as of right now is still going.
I called and email Amy, offering to buy her a cup of coffee to talk about what happened, but I was ignored. I read the comments, saw the juvenile reaction she had and the comments against her that kept piling up. I agreed with Matthew Petro and liked the lessons he hoped Amy learned.
Now, I know almost nothing about Amy. I searched for the correct spelling of her last name, and have done no further research on her. Here is what I assume about her, just from reading her comments over the past few days:
-Raised on the East Coast to a blue collar family
-May have gone to community college
-Is either Eastern European or Italian
-MARRIED RICH, possibly as a mail-order bride
-Is slightly overweight and has frizzy hair Young with way too much makeup. I AM sayin’ she’s a gold digger
-Is proud of hard, physical work Isn’t smart
-Doesn’t read for pleasure
-Uses a desktop computer
What does this have to do with anything? Absolutely nothing. But after stereotyping her, I realized that is that she IS being honest, transparent and authentic. The woman is bat-shit crazy, people. She’s a mad scientist business owner who loves the work more than the outcome. She’s overbearing, eager to please and a little shrill, like the younger, nicer sister of Cruella de Vil in a chef’s hat. She doesn’t want just anyone eating at her place, she wants members of her tribe eating there. They don’t judge each other based on their use of capitalization or style of dress, but rather like a cruel shrew who desperately wanted to be respected.
She’s completely nuts and I disagree with nearly everything she has said and would not recommend she continue, but damn, isn’t she exactly what we ask everyone else to be? We want social media to free us and wow, Amy is free in ways most of us will never comprehend.
So keep yer yappin, Crazy Amy. Remember to put me on the list for your next asylum-themed night.
*Mp3 courtesy of Tyson Crosbie. Not safe for work, children, nursing mothers, anyone easily offended, people who hate yelling, those who are scared of hate, your grandma and anyone who doesn’t enjoy a very drunk, very angry man spewing venom toward people he dislikes and not really remembering the next morning.
