Boy, has there been lots of commentary and discussion this week about Robert Scoble’s comments regarding the public relations profession.

I heard it on “For Immediate Release,” blogged about it, had my post included in one made by Alice Marshall at Presto Vivace and listened to the debate continue on “For Immediate Release.”  And that’s just what I was paying attention to.  Imagine if I had actually done something like a Technorati search.

Ron White is one of my favorite comedians and he got it right when he said “you can’t fix stupid.”  Read below to see how prophetic Ron’s words actually are.

When I saw that Alice’s blog had mentioned my little rant, I read her comments section – and the SCOBELIZER himself weighed in, as did Shel Holtz, the co-host of the excellent “”For Immediate Release” podcast.  Alice’s post was fairly measured, compared to my frothing at the mouth:

Wow, OK, Scoble says it is much more valuable to him to be offered a scrumptious dinner and convivial conversation with the pitch at the end. Congratulations to Brian Solis for building such a valuable relationship. Pardon me if I don’t follow his example.

Listening to Scoble’s rant gave me new respect for reporters like Joab Jackson, Chris Dorobek, Roger Hughlett, and so many others who put their readers first and don’t expect to be wined and dined.

Measured stuff.

Now read the comments section.

Scoble: It’s not about wining and dining. You totally missed the point. This morning I met a CEO at http://www.kyte.tv/scobleizer and recorded what he told me. That is FAR better than getting a clueless PR pitch via email. I think people like you need to come and be on our side of the fence once in a while. You’d be horrified to see what comes through.

Insult-o-meter ranking: moderate with two snarky comments

Open mouth, insert foot, chomp vigorously.  Keep digging, Robert.

Scoble: Whether or not I’m a journalist (I’m currently not) is not really the right point to make. I talk with TONS of journalists and I haven’t had one tell me they like what is coming through their email stream. In fact, one of the best tech journalists I know (he was key in getting the DOJ to look at Microsoft) is Dan Gillmor. You might read up on his PR suggestions: http://steverubel.typepad.com/micropersuasion/2004/07/dan_gillmor_to_.html — they sound an awful lot like mine. Oh, and everytime there’s a dinner there’s usually a lot of journalists in the room, so I think wining and dining works with even “real” journalists.

Insult-o-meter ranking: moderate, with condescension

Scoble: Alice: I read all my emails. Love that you think you have my readers best interests in mind. Not based on the PR emails I get. Yes, I get a few good ones. But they are so buried in the bad ones that it’s funny to watch PR people try to defend the industry. PR people really do need to live on the other side of the fence. By the way, it’s very hard for me to pick out a good product’s pitch from a bad one’s via email. I need to SEE it. I do video, which, luckily, keeps me honest that way.

Insult-o-meter ranking: moderate, with increasing condescension

And finally, the lid blows off:

Scoble: Sorry if I made it sound like you must wine and dine me. Yesterday’s interview proves otherwise. I wasn’t wined and dined for that. I didn’t receive anything. I was SHOWN a product live, though, and didn’t receive a stupid email pitch. I love how you are making it about something lame like wining and dining. TOTALLY the wrong point to focus on, but that figures. If that’s the kind of “journalism” you did, no wonder you aren’t a journalist anymore.

Ask around: almost ALL of the videos I did in my career didn’t happen because I got some stupid food. Geesh.

Insult-o-meter ranking: high, showing thin skin and insults

But wait!   There’s more!

Scoble: NONE of my videos ever were done for money and if you think some $20 dinner is gonna be worth selling my soul for, you aren’t worth the time of day.

Insult-o-meter ranking: very high, showing even thinner skin and enhanced insults

Scoble seems to be a legend in his own mind, which reminds me of Jason Falls’ post last summer, “Friday Frustrations,” in which he brought up a valid point:

Social Media Influencers Are Not Celebrities

A-list bloggers have an awfully bad habit of blowing smoke up each other’s asses. I’m probably guilty of it, too, though I don’t consider myself an A-lister, but for chrissakes people, you’re not celebrities so stop acting like them.

Jason also commented on my post last week so I have to confess to stealing the term “cewebrity” from him (can anyone get Elmer Fudd out of their heads when they say the word out loud?)

It’s a great read.  And guys, here’s the point. The more you give gas bags like this a platform to pontificate, the worse it’s going to get.  I completely cop to occasionally having written just to gin up a little controversy, but generally trying not to be pompous and insulting, while maintaining an astonishing level of cluelessness.

What a person to do?  When a fan base gets frustrated with a lousy team or lousy owner, they stop attending the games.  I am pretty convinced that the only way to stop having to listen to this garbage is to remove the microphone.  If you agree with any of the above:

1. Stop reading Scoble’s blog
2. Stop following him on Twitter and his other social media platforms.
3. Take away his soap boax.

I know I did – but a long time ago.

Mark