April 5, 2007: Gawker Invited Me to Studio 54, Celebri-spiral to Follow

When Gawker invited me to be an official poster last week (it's by invite only), it was, in some small way, as if Steve Rubell personally pulled back the velvet rope and into the hallowed disco Studio 54 I lept. Studio, as the insiders called it, is the place I most wanted to go when I was in 10th grade. Now, here I am, slipping past the pop culture blog rope.

The questionable facts behind both events are ridiculous (Who waits in line hoping to be chosen and allowed club entry by some hackneyed Queens disco pioneer? Why do you need an invite to post on somebody else's blog?). But the feeling is a flash of acceptance, hearkening back to some high school place in my reverie. I get to play with a select group of cool people! Even if we are all misguided in our celebrity focus, Gawker writers are the sharpest and funniest.

I know that, on some level, Gawker commenting is making me celebri-spiral backslide big time.

But I don't care right now. My attention is focused on a new Gawker post entitled This Week in Commenter Executions, in which Gawker publicly rids itself of the unwanted:

We've got the Grindhouse fever and there's only one known cure, short of actually seeing Grindhouse: execute the bejesus out of a boatload of commenters. Block 'em all and let God sort 'em out. Let's do it. Execution is just that: banishment. Beheading. Public death. The big check-out. Y'all may check the Gawker Comments FAQ. It is also true that banned commenters may return through our invitation. The best way to receive such is to send us cookies (peanut butter, please) or charming and juicy gossip-filled emails.

This post makes my heart stop for a second. Am I on the list? Please God, no. I mean, of course, I want to be on the list, but not this list. Kapish? Is my Gawker career over almost as soon as it started? No, I am safe for now. Damn, Gawker is smart in how they approach postings and posters. Now, where are Liza and Andy?