Guest posting: Fake Stephen Conroy on what really happened
Leslie Nassar yesterday went public on being the person between Twitter’s Fake Stephen Conroy. A row has since developed between him and his employer Telstra about what transpired once his identity was known. This is his version of events:
So the news of my identity broke. It’s weird, you know, seeing yourself on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald. I knew it’d happen some day, but honestly? I thought it’d be for my singing, or my acting. But not this.
We had some good times, didn’t we? We sure did. Do you have any regrets? I have questions. What questions?
Why did you even start the Fake Stephen Conroy twitter page? Why did you write the commentaries?
Funny story; I didn’t actually start the FSC account, someone else did. I took it over in January. That’s why there’s that big gap in tweets, and the writing style completely changed. It was like Bewitched; we swapped one Darrin for another.
So I’d been snarking at Web 2.0 and Slacktivism idiocy for a while on my own Twitter account, and the original Darrin thought I’d enjoy playing FSC.
Twitter is an echo chamber where pleasing voices are looped and amplified. A dissenting voice, that wanders meekly into the mix will get drowned out pretty quickly. So I aimed to be dissenting, yet populist. That worked out pretty well, actually.
It was a good opportunity to try something different, so I wrote as FSC the Buffoon, FSC the Evil Genius, FSC the Concerned Citizen. Hell, there were moments of FSC the Zen Buddhist. The whole thing, beginning to end, was a chance to flex my creative muscles just a little (some might say, very little).
Have you had previous experience as a satirist?
My creative output was always photography, never writing. Given that I’ve been kind of a jerk my whole life, I don’t know why writing satire didn’t occur to me sooner.
How do you think the Australian public and media reacted to the Fake Stephen Conroy persona?
Bewilderment, for the most part I think. As much as the Twitter Echo Chamber wants to believe it’s mainstream – The new SMS! The new Email! – it’s really not. At least, not yet. It’s the same 10,000 guys that were on Pownce last year.
Have you started other satirical efforts online to target other personalities?
No, of course not. That would be 1) Hilarious, and 2) a violation of Telstra’s strict anti-impersonation code.
Why did you stop?
Because I was told to by my manager, actually, a few of them. Remember the whole TPS report thing in Office Space? It was like that, only a lot less funny, and with a complete lack of red Swingline staplers. Maybe it’s an infringement on personal liberties, maybe it’s goonish corporate behaviour, maybe it’s clueless, maybe I’m a coward; but the bottom line is that (for now) the humourless-ones pay the bills.
But why did you out yourself?
Because I was about to be outed, whether I liked it or not.
This posting is reproduced, with permission, from Leslie Nassar’s Department of Internets blog.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Goddam he’s a funny bastard. Pity it all had to end.
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First! FTW
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Doh! OK real comment below 🙁
I hope the guy gets a job writing as he seems to have a talent. Wonder how he’d go with a sitcom script?
I wonder who was going to “out” him?
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Ash, don’t you sometimes wish there was a delete comments section for this blog!
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Of course, I hold that power… but having chuckled aloud when I saw Ash’s posting, I think it’s good to share it with the world…
Cheers,
Tim
You always were an evil bastard at heart, Burrowes…
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And you always encouraged me, Mr McNabb…
that’s pretty funny. too bad it had to stop!
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Leslie I wont’ jump in conclusions.
1st) I don’t know you
2nd) I didn’t follow your character on Twitter.
However I’d to express my opinion if you allow me.
Firstly I like your “the humorless-ones pay the bills”. Thats true.
Also like you honesty in saying you might have been a coward.
I have NO idea your position, but as I can see you are in a senior management role, so you are clear enough to understand the rules of the business game.
Social Intelligence is the Biology of Business.
In 1920, Columbia University psychologist Edward Thorndike pointed out that “the best mechanic in a factory may fail as a foreman for lack of social intelligence.”
i think that’s the point, lack of social intelligence. Your messages on Twitter were funny (i’m guessing based on other’s opinions) but they were conflicting with your position/company.
As being part of management you personality is integrated (in some degrees) with the own company personality.
It’s not about personal rights or mental slavery, it’s about real life and real business.
You do have, due your position, access to privileged information and playing around this area in dangerous per se lack of diligence.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the fact you recognize that twitter is not that mainstream as we’d like to be, and appreciate the fact you come public and exposed the facts.
Personally I think you now is worth much more for Telstra than can even imagine. Remember, much of today’s most valuable management knowledge came from wrestling with issues like this one.
Lucio Ribeiro
twitter@lucio_ribeiro
marketingeasy.net
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Lucio, I couldn’t agree more; I do deserve a trophy and over-sized cheque as a reward.
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Leslie, we gotta love your sense of humour 🙂
the cheque will be well deserved and a meeting room named after you wont be bad 🙂
All the best Leslie.
Lucio Ribeiro
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