When the ABA Journal went online, it did a pretty good job of it. Good up to date legal news. Coverage of blawgs, good and bad, with relative equanimity. Easy on the eyes. But it was still the ABA, in the sense that it was kinda lifeless. No personality. Bland-o-rama. Then came Ellen Barshevsky.
Ellen Barshevsky, a persona that some unknown wag adopted to play in the comment sandbox, decided to have some fun with the ABA. Her comments, written in a semi-literate, self-ignorant yet strangely aggrandizing fashion, made some furious and other laugh out loud. Some thought that the shtick wore thin over time while others continued to enjoy her messing with everyone’s head.
For an example of Barshevsky comments, as well as others comments about Barshevsky, check out this otherwise vapid story about a new Skadden partner’s “secret to success.” Subtract the Barshevsky comments and there would be no reason in the world to read the story.
Over time, the ABA Journal became more about what Barshevsky would post in the comments then about the stories themselves. The ABA Journal finally decided that enough was enough, with editor Molly McDonough going so far as “announcing” that Ellen Barshevsky was banned from commenting.
After reviewing our last week of comments, we have decided to become more assertive with our comment moderating.We will more readily exercise our authority to remove inappropriate comments, those that are particularly off-topic and those that generally flout the rules of civil discourse and persistently disrupt the comment stream.
Specifically, we have tolerated for some time, often to the delight, but increasingly more often to the dismay of our regular readers, what we can only assume is the fictional “Ellen Barshevsky” and her various personas.
As of this morning, “Ellen” has formally been banned from commenting on the site.
When the banning of a commenter requires a public announcement, you know the commenter has made a major impact. As the comments to the announcement show, the banning has divided the ABA Journal audience. Ellen certainly had her fans. The fact that it even caught Bob Ambrogi’s eye and ended up in a Legal Blog Watch post tells how big the impact of one commenter can be.
Molly’s decision was correct and important for two reasons, notwithstanding Ellen’s popularity amongst many. First, the game being played by Ellen Barshevsky was at the ABA Journal’s expense. It is not up to commenters to seize control, even if others think it’s a hoot and stand behind her. The website is the ABA Journal’s home, not Ellen’s, and the ABA Journal gets to call the shots and control what is, and is not, appropriate. It cannot allow a commenter to usurp control of content and atmosphere.
Second, the ABA Journal is not, nor has it ever indicated any intention to be, a legal humor blawg, like Legal Antics. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine that being the image the ABA would seek to project. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s just not the ABA. Barshevsky was funny, at least in the beginning if you believe her later detractors, and brought some life to the ABA Journal, but it wasn’t the life that was needed or desired.
The good news is that Ellen Barshevsky hasn’t gone away, but moved to her own home in the blawgosphere. That’s right, she (assuming it’s a she) now has her own blawg, subtitled “THIS is a blog ABOUT me. I hope YOU enjoy it as MUCH as my BOYFRIEND.” It can be quite funny, but it’s also easy to see how it could get on your nerves after a while. At the moment, it’s a one-trick pony based on the Barshevsky persona, and whether that will be enough to keep people amused has yet to be seen. Humor is a rather personal thing.
If you’re a fan of Ellen Barshevsky, the new blawg will have you rolling on the floor. If you’re not, then you don’t have to read it. And that’s how it should be.
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Last year, Loyola 2L, a persistent commenter at WSJ Law Blog and ATL won an award for most noteworthy lawyer of the year – Maybe Barshevsky gets it this time?
Carolyn
I remember Loyola 2L. Who says a commenter can’t have an impact?
I’m all in favor of weeding the garden, but when DefendingPeople whacks a commenter I don’t make a big fuss about it. Some commenters never even notice that they’ve been banned.
There’s a large amount of self-important asshattery in the ABA Journal’s announcement. Now that I read that last sentence, I see that it is truistic. Ah, well.
What has Ellen Barshevsky learned?
I assume, though certainly don’t know enough since I never paid attention to the comments over at the ABA Journal, that the sudden disappearance of Barshevsky would have been a big enough issue to raise an outcry of some sort, and that Molly was pre-emtping the screams by posting her reasons. If not, then it was just total foolishness to make such a fuss.
What was she supposed to learn?
Only she knows, if anyone. She may have to sleep on it.
No, Mr. SCOTT H. GREENFIELD, ESQ. I am NOT a pony. You have NOT seen ME and should NOT refer to a WOMAN with my expertice with such RUDE language when you do NOT know what I look like. I hope you have NOT BEEN following ME to work at my FIRM and I know you have NOT because if you DID you would see I am fairly attractive and Alan says so too so you are wrong.
And I am NOT “semi-litterate” because I could not work in a big firm and do briefs and file motions in limene if I was not GOOD at what I DO. YOU should do research for your Blawg because I do NOT think “Molly” is her real name but it might be. She is a WOMAN because I saw HER picuture on the internet and she has her own Blawg even though she BANNED me.
ALSO, you should know that IS not a picuture of the Supreme Court on your blawg, despite what you might think.
Well done! And best of luck with your blawg.
That Firefox has a built-in spill chucker, perhaps.