Photo and coverage, courteousy of Domain Noob <dot com>:
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Steve Bell’s note:
Jason Calacanis called earlier this week to invite me to appear in his studio in Santa Monica, to debate his call for “a Jihad to destroy the Keiretsu Forum”, but he chickened out. Just as I was jumping in the car, his (very nice guy) assistant Alex Miller called me to cancel my appearance; Jason had decided to “put me in a Skype window”. Just as I expected, he yelled over me, cut me off, and kicked me off his show – literally. If i had been in his studio, debating eye-to-eye, he couldn’t have done any of that.
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update 12/7/09: My letter to the editor of the LA Business Times, disputing their one-sided coverage of Jason’s publicity stunt. This will be published in the Dec 11 issue:
In two recent articles, you wrote of Jason Calacanis of Mahalo.com in Santa Monica who has launched a “Holy War” against so-called pay-to-play angel investor groups, particularly the Keiretsu Forum, of which I am a member. There is definitely another side to this.
Mr Calacanis is a well-known technology industry provocateur, regularly attempting to generate controversies that bring outrage and then attention to himself.
A couple of months ago, Calacanis invited me onto the set of his weekly Internet TV show, and I spent several days preparing. Then, while I was driving to Los Angeles, his assistant called me to “un-invite” me, and pushed me onto Skype. I appeared, but I was treated very rudely. (He brandished a plastic AK-47. The video is posted online.). In a nutshell, Calacanis chickened out of a real debate.
Calacanis is a venture-capital funded Internet bully and publicity troll who feeds upon controversy without having any desire to check his facts. He has no moral authority to dictate the terms under which his competitors do business.
I do wish that the print media would revert to doing it’s homework like they used to do, and find out the facts before printing articles like the two about Calacanis.
Steve Bell
Startup Trek Television Inc
Los Gatos
I will be posting slides here as I use them while talking with Jason Calacanis, about his “Jihad” to destroy the Keiretsu Forum.
That was an intense encounter with Jason today. I think I did get that you weren’t representing Keiretsu Forum directly but I see that you made it clear here on your response page. As confrontational as Jason was, I think he also made Keiretsu a very interesting offer. From memory now, but didn’t Jason say that he would get behind Keiretsu 100% if they drop their fees? I think that’s a pretty exciting idea – what a Keiretsu/Calacanis partnership could accomplish for startups.
John, i like where you’re coming from and if Jason were a decent guy, i would jump at it. I had the same ideas, initially. I invited him to the Keiretsu Forum; offered to fly down there; re-offered with several other members joining me, etc. But in each case, not only did he refuse, he RIDICULED the good-natured offer. Clearly, the guy is a jerk; unsuitable to serve as a CEO of a venture-capital funded company, too. I am amazed at how shallow, and immature he seems to be.
So call me UN-STAR-STRUCK. Sorry! Initially, i wanted to meet him; but after being on his show, i lost my appetite. I would like to note, that he has a lot of good knowledge, ideas, and some kind of passion for startups. But that is countered by his angry, destructive attitude. I would think that a guy that had his kind of wealth at 38, would be NICER. Instead, he’s a jerk. SAD!!
-steve