Congratulations to Rare Magazine's Winner for Best Improv

[Jeff]

"reader's". WAUGH!

Boom! You're redeemed, Sara.

[York99]

Here's Matt's reply...

Hey Sara,

Thanks for pointing it out. We actually already knew that, ... In hindsight, we probably should have noted it in the copy, but ....

In hindsight they should have at least the minimum amount of journalistic integrity. Knowingly printing misleading information is the same as lying in my book. I actually take matters like this pretty seriously.

They've done a disservice to us and to their readers.

[mattswinney]

Hello Austin Improv forum....as the founder and Publisher of Rare Magazine, I had someone forward this thread to me. So, full disclosure, I work for/own/am the final voice when it comes to all things Rare Magazine.

I'm fairly certain I should just let sleeping dogs lie with this thread, but I feel it's important that someone from the magazine step up and answer something you guys are obviously very passionate about -- after all, it did garner 3 pages of comments.

I'd like to say that I'm not upset, I'm not angry, none of that. I think all of you have a right to express your opinion and if you want to hate me and Rare after hearing me out, that's certainly your right. What I didn't want was for a group of people that I think probably do great things for our community to have the wrong perception of Rare because we just didn't bother to speak up.

So, here goes....

First, I want to be completely clear that Rare DID NOT choose Esther's Follies in the "Best Improv" category. Our readership did. We did a simple "Best of Austin" poll to our readership and one of the questions was "Best Improv Group." Esther's Follies was the far and away winner of the category even though I know the difference between Improv and scripted comedy. Therein lies a dilemma for a magazine publisher.

As I said in my email to Sara Farr that was reprinted in the thread -- in hindsight (which is, of course, perfect), we should have made note of the difference between Improv and scripted comedy and somehow figured out a way to be more clear in the category. At the time, it didn't seem like a major issue (obviously it was bigger than I knew at the time) and if it upset the local Austin Improv community, I am truly sorry for that. If you notice back issues of Rare, we have done editorial pieces on local comedy troupes, improv groups and the like, so it's not as if we ignore you guys intentionally. I'm not a comedian, no one on my staff is, and maybe we just haven't been educated enough in the comedy world to understand all the nuances. Should we be more educated? Probably. Maybe someone on the board will be willing to enlighten us further so we don't make the same mistakes again.

To have our "journalistic integrity" questioned over the use of one word seems a stretch to me especially when the person that questioned that did not contact me personally for any clarification. It's pretty easy to sit back on a bulletin board that the general public can't respond to (from what I can tell) and make snide comments about someone they don't know. (Side note: I noticed one person say that they had emailed us for a response on this issue and never got a response back -- I never saw such an email -- I'm sure it was sent to us and probably got lost in the shuffle somewhere -- I apologize for that).

Finally, just so I've said it out loud -- this wasn't a ploy to get Esther's Follies to advertise in Rare. To be perfectly honest with you, I doubt Esther's has to advertise much at all. I have no idea who the advertising contact even is over there. If you don't believe me, call them and ask them if we've ever hit them up for money or anything else. Also, another person on the board mentioned that we had done an article on them in the past -- ask that same person if we ever hit them up for advertising and I'll guarantee you the answer is no.

The bottom line is that we are a local publication run by local individuals who deeply care about the local business community. At the end of the day, we hope that every advertiser and any business or person we provide editorial content for sees a spike in their business and the awareness of who/what they are. Personally, I grew up in Austin (5th generation to be exact) and chose to make it my home again as an adult. I'm not some transplant that came in and said "ooooh....I can publish a magazine here and be rich and famous!" If only it were so easy. Like everyone on this board, I get up every day and try to produce a good product and enjoy what I do for a living. Do we sometimes make mistakes? Sure. Do we do our best to correct them when we make them? Yes. So, tell me what it is that would help you guys on the board be a little less snarky and condescending about the magazine and educate us on what the Improv community is truly like in Austin. I saw one post where the person said something about this award making it clear that the public doesn't understand the difference between Improv and scripted comedy. That's ABSOLUTELY true -- coming from someone who's not on the inside of that world. If there's an image problem (that you obviously care about) then you guys as a group need to get out there and educate so these issues don't consistently arise. So, in the immortal words of Jerry Maguire -- help me help you.

I'll take all feedback....good and bad. You can email me personally at matt at rareaustin dot com. (sorry, the board doesn't allow me to publish a URL.

Thanks for hearing me out...

Matt Swinney
Publisher
Rare Magazine

[Roy Janik]

Hey Matt,

Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful response.

[bradisntclever]

I saw one post where the person said something about this award making it clear that the public doesn't understand the difference between Improv and scripted comedy. That's ABSOLUTELY true -- coming from someone who's not on the inside of that world. If there's an image problem (that you obviously care about) then you guys as a group need to get out there and educate so these issues don't consistently arise.

Bingo.

Thanks for the response, Matt.

[Miggy]

I saw one post where the person said something about this award making it clear that the public doesn't understand the difference between Improv and scripted comedy. That's ABSOLUTELY true -- coming from someone who's not on the inside of that world. If there's an image problem (that you obviously care about) then you guys as a group need to get out there and educate so these issues don't consistently arise.

Hi Matt. Thank you for your thoughtful message. This quote above is exactly it. I think this thread was an internal discussion about seeing another example of how Improv is misunderstood which we have all experienced before. We as a community do need to illuminate the differences better to the public so they understand and I think we try whenever we can. I say that with no condescension in my tone since, for example, my mom and dad still refer to it as 'stand up' even though it's nothing remotely like that. It happens. I wish it didn't - but it does and it will probably continue for as long as we do this.

Incedentally, I participated in the interview with one of your staff reporters for the June 2007 issue - and you did a fine job of covering our community then, and no - you did not ask us for advertising dollars.

I fear that we have come off sounding prickly in these on-line forums and that doesn't match up to the good natured people I know on the other side of these avatars. These are some of the warmest, most intelligent and passionate people and one of the most open communities I have had the privelege to be a part of. We're doing a poor public relations job indeed if that wonderful spirit is not what's on display and available for you to write about.

Your advice is well taken.

Sincerely,
Michael McGill
Treasurer, Austin Improv Collective

[mattswinney]

First, a thank you to those of you that have posted here since my post and to those of you that have sent me personal emails.

I do want to ensure all of you guys that I and Rare completely respect what you do and thank you for simply doing it. I can't imagine that doing improv pays the bills all the time, so I know it's a labor of love for virtually everyone that posts here.

I also want to let you know that I'm not at all offended or will hold a grudge based on the things said on this board. Trust me, when you publish a magazine for a living, you open yourself to criticism -- both positive and negative. The fact that I get nailed for misspelling a word seems a bit snarky, but I'll let that go...

Bottom line is that this won't affect AT ALL how Rare will do its best to cover the improv and comedy scenes in Austin as best it can. I urge all of you to please email me any story ideas or pitches that you think will help the public understand what you do. I'm open to it.

The last thing I'll say because this actually sparked some conversation in our office yesterday after everyone here read this entire thread (trust me, some people here were much less forgiving than I)...

I urge you to be careful about what you put in a public forum or thread. Not just you guys, but everyone. I find it interesting that as a society, we've become completely clueless (myself included at times) when it comes to sitting behind an anonymous computer and posting things that we think others won't actually ever see. Make sure that if you post something in a public thread that it's something you'd be willing to say to that person's face. If not, then maybe you shouldn't post it. If so, then more power to you, but understand that you may not be very well liked. I say that to the group, but realistically, there were maybe 2 or 3 posts in this entire thread that were actually offensive. Everything else was obviously tongue-in-cheek and meant to poke fun -- obviously harmless.

Again, thanks to you guys for at least being passionate about something. Sure beats sitting on the couch and not caring one iota about anything!

Matt

[York99]

I'm late to the response table on this one. I was called out directly on Mr. Swinney's post, so...

Matt,

Thank you for acknowledging that this thread was fueled by our frustration about the general misconception about improvisation.

I concede that the term "journalistic integrity" sounds harsh. I'm not that self-important that I was trying to equate that piece with printing an article claiming that the pope is a Nazi (bad example, but you get the point). But it's very deflating to have someone knowingly perpetuate an untruth. I'm sure there are more diplomatic words I could have used to have gotten my point across, but I was aggravated and offended and wanted to get my point across.

I knew full well that this might get back to you. I hoped it would. I hoped that you and the rest of the staff would see how a seemingly insignificant little piece of print had an affect, if only in one small community this time.

I majored in journalism in college and I have an appreciation of the power of the written word and mass communication... and the responsibility of the media. That coupled with the fact that the subject matter is close to me stung a little bit.

You said you regret not printing a clarification and I believe you. That's good enough for me. This is a mole hill we made into a mountain a while ago and had all forgotten about. Body count: zero. All is smooth.

[bradisntclever]

I forgot to comment on this last year, but with the 2010 Rarest of Them All issue out, it's worth nothing that the "Best Improv Group" has been renamed "Best Comedy/Improv" for the last two years. It's a nice compromise.

[acrouch]

Has Esther's Follies won every year?