Homo Back At You, BigHeadDC
posted by on December 3 at 13:55 PM
In response to my post calling on him to put up for shut up on the Trent Lott / Benjamin Nicholas non-scandal, BigHeadDC attempts to call me out today—and only succeeds in making an even bigger ass of himself in the process.
Perhaps you don’t want to believe the Benjamin Nicholas/Trent Lott story because you played a role in once hiring Nicholas, an alleged plagiarist, to write a few articles for your newspaper, The Stranger? Have you had communications with Nicholas since this story broke? If so, what has he told you? Have you not been honest in explaining your relationship with him? Most importantly, why did he risk his negatively affecting escort business by not flat-out denying a Lott relationship in his original e-mails?
Taking your questions one at a time…
1. I did hire Nicholas to write for the Stranger—two pieces—after running across his blog. He wrote one piece for us in June of 2005 and another November of 2006. Nicholas wasn’t busted for plagiarism until March of 2007. And he admits to having posted the work of other writes on his blog, BigHeadDC, so there’s nothing “alleged” about his plagiarism. And I wasn’t aware of it before asking Nicholas to contribute to the Stranger.
2. Have I been in communication with Nicholas since this non-story broke? Um… yes. The dead giveaway might be the first line of this post: “I’ve been emailing back and forth with Benjamin Nicholas, gay escort and past Stranger contributor.” Can you read, BigHeadDC?
3. What has Nicholas told me? The exact same thing he’s told everyone else: He denies having had any contact with Lott, which I posted to Slog, along with his answer to the “why me?” question:
At the moment I’m inclined to believe Nicholas when he denies any involvement with Lott—even though, of course, Nicholas’ commitment to client confidentiality pretty much requires him to deny ever having seen Lott. But one thing gives me pause—one aspect of this makes me think that there might be something to this.Why Benjamin Nicholas?
Of all the escorts in all the world—many of whom are based in DC—why would some random DC blogger pluck Benjamin Nicholas out of the ether? Nicholas is based in San Antonio, not DC. If BigHeadDC is making this shit up, wouldn’t he be likelier to make this shit up about a DC-based escort?
“Why me?” Nicholas responded via email. “Well, I think it’s mainly because in the escort world, I’m pretty face-front and known…”
4. Have I been “honest in explaining [my] relationship” with Nicholas? Goodness gracious, BigHeadDC, whatever do you mean to imply? I’ve never been a client of Nicholas’, if that’s what you’re driving at. Not that I think there’s anything wrong with hiring sex workers, mind you. I think prostitution should be safe, legal, and commonplace. But I’ve never met Nicholas in the flesh. All our contacts have been via email.
5. I don’t know why Nicholas wasn’t more emphatic in his original denials, BigHeadDC, when you first contacted him. Like I wrote on Slog after emailing with Nicholas, I’m merely inclined to believe him:
There’s other stuff in [Nicholas’] email exchange [with BigHeadDC]—assuming it’s complete and accurate—that would seem to call Nicholas’ denials into question. But there’s nothing definitive, no smoking gun, no blue dress. Still, there’s a lot of smoke here.
And given Nicholas’ stance on client confidentiality, I am of course aware that he would have to deny ever having met Lott even if he was sitting on Lott’s face while he was tapping out his emails to me. But you can rest assured, BigHeadDC, that Nicholas isn’t telling me one thing off-the-record and another thing on-the-record. He denies it, period.
Finally, BigHeadDC, you seem to think that your having made this allegation somehow obligates Nicholas to disprove it. The onus, in fact, is on you. In your first email to Nicholas you wrote:
I’m an editor with Big Head DC in Washington. A commenter on the site recently said that you and Sen. Trent Lott happened to be vacationing together at the same place on a couple of separate occasions. Could you clarify whether you know Sen. Lott in any way?
Maybe you should stop badgering me, Nicholas, Larry Flynt, and John Aravosis about your dubious “scoop,” BigHeadDC, and go ask your commenter for more information.
And, hey, thanks for using that very old, very flattering pic of me on your post.
original post for those who want to read what dan's responding too.
There are some charming comments about you on their comment line. Apparently you are all done and over with Dan. And that pic was when you were 25? Damn that was in the 1930's right?
Dan, since when did you become a member of the gay mafia?
Oh, snap!
And how can you justify further flogging of this non-story without posting another semi-nude photo of the rentboi in question?
Rectified, NapoleonXIV.
Mmmmmm.....Rectification!
Blogger catfight.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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I demand fresh scandals. Minions! Go forth and ensnare prominent Republicans, then post pictures on the internet! I command you!
Holy shit -- is that really you, Dan?
Why aren't you sitting on MY face as you type your columns?
No, that's Ben. I'm actually tied up on the floor behind the sofa, just out of the shot.
i think dan and the escort are working on "2 gays, 1 cup" for the next homemade porn extravaganza.
yum.
Dan,
You really think it's cool to publish someones naked picture in SLOG without their permission?
How many times have you knocked boots with this hooker?
Never, Ecce, but I wouldn't say no to him -- not that I could afford him. But if you wanna go rub one out picturing me and Ben getting it on, be my guest, lover.
Ben's pics are out there -- Ben posts them to his own website -- for all to enjoy. This isn't the first I've posted and, like I said, I've been emailing with Ben since this broke. He doesn't have a problem with it.
But your chivalry is noted, Ecce. And I love you.
Ecce, it's nice to see you expressing concern for one of your own.
After all, empathy is one of the first steps on the road to recovery.
I dunno Dan, I saw you on TV a few months ago talking about Larry Craig and you're still pretty hot.
Dan,
What about the allegation that you "slept with a subordinate that worked at the Stranger? This subordinate then plagiarized articles and stories that were then published in the Stranger.
Any comment?
I've slept with a few subs, Ecce, but never a subordinate. But thanks for thinking of me.
on september 25, 2006, mediabistro's DC blog notes that rob capriccioso was hired to work at THE HILL. he did not last long there. on november 10, 2006, the same blog reported that capriccioso was hired by what was then called THE CAPITOL LEADER, now known as THE POLITICO. he did not last long there, either. why? well, really, for similar reasons why he was recently sacked by RADAR. he lies, he inflates, he takes credit for the work of others, he alienates actual professionals with his antics.
this cuts right to the root of your final point - "go ask your commenter for more information." his blog doesn't have commenters. it doesn't have readers. capriccioso spends an inordinate amount of time inventing fictional characters to populate his comment streams. as with his "staff" and his "investors" they are figments of the imaginary.
there is not a more disreputable human being pretending to be a journalist in DC today. in no uncertain terms: you should trust robert novak before you take capriccioso's word for anything.
now...what trouble can I get up to in seattle this new years?
Burnz.
Kathryn? Is that you? It's me, Circle V! Glad you're back! Call me, girl.
This thread is SO tired. Get over yourself, Dan, puh-leez.
Nice pic, though.
reading the comments over at BigHeadDC I LOL'd when I came to this:
"19. ecce homo said:
Dan Savage is a total tool. he prances around giving gays a bad name and wearing “his” child like a fashion accessory. It wouldn’t be the first time he has had his head so far up his ass he misses the point.
He likes to out people based on speculation and rumour. He likes to bash gay people for being gay if they disagree with him on anything. He is a horrible spokesman for gay people, yet he has appointed himself so.
He should be pushing trent lott to explain why he was diddling a male escort, and punishing lott for being gay, not questioning the veracity or accuracy of this story. We all know its true.
Care to explain yourself Dan, over here, instead of on SLOG where you are sucked off on a daily basis?:
LOLOLOL Ecce is so fucking obsessed with Savage that he goes to OTHER blogs to attack him. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Dan: This malestrom is partly BN fault. He's young and always after his 15 minutes of fame. Instead of not responding to inquiries or making a catagorical denial his answers were at first cagey. Using "Trent" in his answer was inane. I would guess BN believes he's the smartest person EVER! I've read his "blog". Personally he is a bit arrogant.
Now that he is in his late-r 20s the clock on BN's shelf life is starting to tick away.
Fortunately for him this story didn't really hit the mainstream.
Re: SoCalGuy's comments
Dude, you've been going onto all the blogs and bashing Nicholas for one reason or another. Get a fucking life, get off your trip and let it die. Big Head didn't even post the actual HTML emails, so it's possible (and likely) that Ben didn't even say those things or was misquoted.
Yeah, he's a little arrogant. He's a great looking guy, obviously has smarts and has found a way to make a good buck at something he enjoys. Sounds to me like you're just a bitter dude. Build a bridge man. Get over it.
c499t
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