# lissener, video clerk to the stars **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 20, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425 "2008-09-20T12:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/1 "2008-09-20T12:37:41Z")
I have had with lissener. The man is a pompous jackass who threadshits all over perfectly good threads and a psychopath who seems to get off on hijacking a thread towards himself and then getting pissed when people call him on his shit. Well I’m calling you on your shit. Although maybe our intrepid 45 year old video store clerk can find solace in the arms of all the celebrities he supposedly knows. From lissener’s own posts, in the last week he has claimed to know: Henry Rollins David Foster Wallace Billy Idol (who he’s seen naked) Lena Lovich The Romantics Frankie Goes to Hollywood Sherman Alexie David Sedaris James McManus JG Ballard Alan Ginsberg Kathy Acker Laurie Anderson Larry McMurtry Kaye Gibbons Sue Miller Ethan Canin Donna Tart Oh, and looking over his posts, he’s also “an artist who’s had experience with pretty much every medium imaginable” and he’s “worked in various arts-related situations for [his] entire adult life.” Whatever dude, whatever makes your life have meaning. But I’m sick of it and I’m sure I’m not alone. You used to be an interesting poster, but between all the threadshitting and weird celebrity name dropping, I think the years of the hard video clerk life have made you snap. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/2 "2008-09-20T12:44:16Z")
He’s annoying? A liar? A bad movie critic? I’m not disagreeing, but what? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/3 "2008-09-20T12:52:52Z")
I don’t care who he claims to know or anything like that. Maybe he does know them. Who can really say? The only thing that has irked me about his posts (well, not really his posts, more like his opinion) in the past is the fact that sometimes it seems he holds a certain opinion about something and anyone who disagrees or thinks different/otherwise is either: A. Stupid B. Wrong C. Worthy of being looked down upon/having respect lost D. Possibly all three He’s sort of the **DtC** of movies (I.E. **DtC** is to controversial views as **lissener** is to movies). Other than that, I have no problem with the guy. Oh, nor **DtC**. ---
**Author:** ![Hellestal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hellestal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hellestal)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/4 "2008-09-20T13:43:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Although maybe our intrepid 45 year old video store clerk can find solace in the arms of all the celebrities he supposedly knows. I’m just barely clever enough that I can puzzle my way through why people might be rubbed the wrong way by **lissener** , but this is a flaccid complaint. I don’t see why it would be so strange that he’d met those people. And if he’s got experience with them, then others might possibly find that experience relevant to the threads, yes? > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Whatever dude, whatever makes your life have meaning. But I’m sick of it and I’m sure I’m not alone. If you’re reaction to him is “whatever”, then why start a pit thread? “Whatever” is the sort of word you softly mutter as you shake your head and then page down to another poster who interests you. It’s generally not the sort of powerhouse emotion conducive to powerful rants. It leaves you with no material, so you’re got nothing but tacky bullshit like the jabs at his job. I’m not even sure what you’re upset about. That he knows some celebrities? That he tries his hand in multiple artistic mediums? I mean, really, you’re pitting **lissener** , and _this_ is the best you can do? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/5 "2008-09-20T13:48:22Z")
I’ve often thought he was arrogant and stubborn, not uncommon traits amongst the members of the SDMB, but I don’t know if you can call him a liar just because you doubt he met famous people. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/6 "2008-09-20T13:58:14Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I’ve often thought he was arrogant and stubborn, not uncommon traits amongst the members of the SDMB, but I don’t know if you can call him a liar just because you doubt he met famous people. Him lecturing me about all of the famous people he knows is just the latest in a long line of lissener bullshit. The fact that he’s so dismissive of everyone else while being so high on himself is infuriating. Lately, that’s taken the form of him name dropping some celebrity as a personal acquiatence whenever someone questions his jackassery. It’s such a kneejerk comeback (“Why are you getting mad at what I said? I actually know this person!”), it doesn’t seem real. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/7 "2008-09-20T14:00:29Z")
Oh god, another moronic thread to pile on lissener. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I have had with lissener. The man is a pompous jackass who threadshits all over perfectly good threads and a psychopath who seems to get off on hijacking a thread towards himself and then getting pissed when people call him on his shit. So people are only supposed to say nice things about celebrities? This was about Henry Rollins and lissener had anecdotal experience that Rollins WAS in fact gay. That was not out of place in that thread, though perhaps the comment on Rollins’s personality was. > [@](#): > > lthough maybe our intrepid 45 year old video store clerk can find solace in the arms of all the celebrities he supposedly knows. From lissener’s own posts, in the last week he has claimed to know: You’re being a dick. First, you’re making it sound like a fleeting meeting is the same as being friends. He never claimed to “know” most of the people you name, but the ones he does know, believe me, he does know. > [@](#): > > Henry Rollins > David Foster Wallace > Billy Idol (who he’s seen naked) > Lena Lovich > The Romantics > Frankie Goes to Hollywood > Sherman Alexie > David Sedaris > James McManus > JG Ballard > Alan Ginsberg > Kathy Acker > Laurie Anderson > Larry McMurtry > Kaye Gibbons > Sue Miller > Ethan Canin > Donna Tart I can personally attest to his long-time friendship with David Sedaris, and his knowing Donna Tartt (note spelling) via mutual friends, and I have no doubt about the others. I could personally attest to a hell of a lot more, but either he hasn’t mentioned them (you think he’s named-dropped? Ha!), they’re people he hasn’t named himself for specific reasons (like his cousin, who you would know by sight if not by name), or they’re people you’ve probably never heard of (Holly Cole, Iris DeMent, Jane Siberry, Sheila Chandra, and many more). I can attest to those because lissener was with me when I interviewed them for my radio show. I think you’re the jerk here. You don’t believe that someone who works in a video store has a family and a past and several life experiences that would put him into contact with famous people. Or at least you want him, but noone else on the Dope, to shut up about knowing or having met them. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/8 "2008-09-20T14:05:32Z")
And Godfucking dammit, it’s LEN **E** LOVICH! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/9 "2008-09-20T14:09:49Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > You’re being a dick. First, you’re making it sound like a fleeting meeting is the same as being friends. He never claimed to “know” most of the people you name, but the ones he does know, believe me, he does know. I am repeating what he has posted. > [@Equipoise](#): > > I can personally attest to his long-time friendship with David Sedaris, and his knowing Donna Tartt (note spelling) via mutual friends Blow it out your ass, I copied the spelling from lissener’s own posts. > [@Equipoise](#): > > I think you’re the jerk here. You don’t believe that someone who works in a video store has a family and a past and several life experiences that would put him into contact with famous people. Or at least you want him, but noone else on the Dope, to shut up about knowing or having met them. What I’d like is for lissener to stop being a pussy whenever someone challenges one of his moronic rants about entertainment. What I’d like is for lissener to stop threadshitting in every thread in Cafe Society. What I’d like is to have a conversation about movies that doesn’t include the great lissener waltzing in and telling me how stupid I am for not realizing that he knows more about film than Roger Ebert. Basically, I want lissener to act like an adult. He is 45 isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/10 "2008-09-20T14:10:53Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > And Godfucking dammit, it’s LEN **E** LOVICH! Again, you dumbassed airhead, I copied the spelling from lissener’s own posts. Bitch at him. And take Happy Rhodes with you, because your hand is no doubt stuck in her pants. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/11 "2008-09-20T14:20:30Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > What I’d like is for lissener to stop being a pussy whenever someone challenges one of his moronic rants about entertainment. What I’d like is for lissener to stop threadshitting in every thread in Cafe Society. What I’d like is to have a conversation about movies that doesn’t include the great lissener waltzing in and telling me how stupid I am for not realizing that he knows more about film than Roger Ebert. What I’d like is for you idiots to put him on ignore and quit whining about him. Stars will fly out of my ass before that happens. You people get a kick out of RLO (Recreational lissener outrage) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/12 "2008-09-20T14:30:39Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I could personally attest to a hell of a lot more, but either he hasn’t mentioned them (you think he’s named-dropped? Ha!), they’re people he hasn’t named himself for specific reasons (like his cousin, who you would know by sight if not by name), or they’re people you’ve probably never heard of (Holly Cole, Iris DeMent, Jane Siberry, Sheila Chandra, and many more). I’ll bet I know _hundreds_, if not _thousands_, of people you’ve probably never heard of. In just a few minutes I’m going to meet a woman I’d be pretty sure no one here has heard of. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/13 "2008-09-20T14:35:48Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I’ll bet I know _hundreds_, if not _thousands_, of people you’ve probably never heard of. In just a few minutes I’m going to meet a woman I’d be pretty sure no one here has heard of. What do I win? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/14 "2008-09-20T14:50:36Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > What I’d like is for you idiots to put him on ignore and quit whining about him. Stars will fly out of my ass before that happens. You people get a kick out of RLO (Recreational lissener outrage) Isn’t the pit the place to complain about other posters? I don’t notice you in pit threads focused on other posters complaining about “you idiots” - why is that? Is it possible that the most reasonable solution is for one person to behave differently, rather than the dozens that have been irritated by that one person? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/15 "2008-09-20T14:59:21Z")
Of all the things to pit **lissener** for, this is really pretty lame. Yeah, he’s a pompous ass when it comes to movies, but he gets pitted because he says he’s met a few celebrities (he didn’t claim to hang out with them on a daily basis, just that he’s met them), most of which are not exactly well known or famous names? It’s not like he claimed to be best friends with George Clooney & Brad Pitt. Most of the people you listed I have never even heard of before and certainly would not recognize on site. I’ve met/run across/know a lot of famous people through my volunteer work in theatre (no I won’t list them, & you probably wouldn’t know them either unless you were familiar with Broadway) so no I don’t find it hard to believe that **lissener** has met some famous people over the years. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/16 "2008-09-20T15:02:40Z")
You know, I’ve met a lot of famous people (for various values of “famous”) and know a couple well enough that they remember my birthday. I have a large extended family, we live scattered all across the country, and we work in an assortment of professions that bring us in contact with a lot of people. A couple of my relatives through blood or marriage work in specifically entertainment-related fields (from local DJ to Actual Famous Actor), others in arts or literature. Even without that level of “insider” connection, famous people are pretty much standard-issue humans, who’ve gone to school, had other jobs, have homes and kids and neighbors, do charity work, etc. It’s not that rare to know them. One of my friends ended up becoming good friends with Steve Guttenberg, a friendship that started when he called her company to help with a problem he had with his central air. I’m a self-employed 43-year-old who has never lived more than 50 miles from my birthplace, was a stay-at-home Mom for 13 years and don’t actually get out much even now. So - I find it not at all doubtful that **lissener** might know lots of famous people. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/17 "2008-09-20T15:06:03Z")
I was just talking to Tom Cruise and he repeated something that Oprah told us at a party over at Jennifer Garner’s place: People who namedrop _suck_. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/18 "2008-09-20T15:20:48Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > From lissener’s own posts, in the last week he has claimed to know: …[list trimmed]… > > Oh, and looking over his posts, he’s also “an artist who’s had experience with pretty much every medium imaginable” and he’s “worked in various arts-related situations for [his] entire adult life.” Hsub W Egroeg on the SDMB: “I have been a politician and business owner all my life and I know a lot of politicians and business people.” Justin Bailey: “Whatever dude. Do you realize how _unlikely_ that all is? Jeez. What am I, gullible? Yeah, right, a guy who’s worked in politics. AND he happens to know politicians. What are the odds?” ---
**Author:** ![bufftabby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bufftabby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bufftabby)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/19 "2008-09-20T15:21:33Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > I’ll bet I know _hundreds_, if not _thousands_, of people you’ve probably never heard of. In just a few minutes I’m going to meet a woman I’d be pretty sure no one here has heard of. What do I win? _snerk_ That’s the funniest shit I’ve read all day. **Idle Thoughts** is right when he says > [@Idle Thoughts](#): > > sometimes it seems he holds a certain opinion about something and anyone who disagrees or thinks different/otherwise is either: > A. Stupid > B. Wrong > C. Worthy of being looked down upon/having respect lost > D. Possibly all three I think we all do that to some degree, but some people go a little overboard. I like all kinds of things that actually _aren’t very good_ (_The O. C._, _Footloose_, etc) but that doesn’t make me stupid, or deserving of derision, nor does it necessitate someone “correcting” my opinion. That said, I can think of far more obnoxious activities, such as replying to a post with only a single smiley. (I mean, come on, would you ever just respond with “LOL!” Didn’t think so.) Worse than that, however, is taking pot-shots at **Lissener** ’s job. He obviously enjoys his job, and isn’t living on welfare, so who cares? I find it extremely tactless to use this as a point against him. I mean, we can’t _all_ be hot-shit librarians, covered in glory, like you, **Justin Bailey**. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten the little people in your much-envied rise to the top! (Not a potshot at librarians. I love you guys.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425/20 "2008-09-20T15:25:03Z")
It’s not that hard to meet writers and obscure musicians. Go to book signings, hang out at the club after the show, and you’ll meet all sorts of very minor celebrities. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lissener-video-clerk-to-the-stars/464425.md?page=2)