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Writer Jed Lipinski, who infiltrated the secret Brooklyn climbing gym and then wrote about it on the NY Times' Local blog, is allegedly the most hated man in the borough now. To recap, there's a secret climbing gym in Brooklyn that probably not that many people actually care about, but The Local hyped it up and then promptly took the story down, and then everyone else wrote about it and about how the Times unpublished the secret, and now the gym is closed! Or so they want us to believe. Animal reports that "the 'bizarre hybrid of subterranean climbing gym and hippie speakeasy' has been shut down. An ex-climber from the once covert space confirms, via email, that 'the gym was closed due to this story. It is uncertain when or if it will ever be open again' making Jed Lipinski the most hated man in Brooklyn." People are calling him “the world's greatest douchbag," and saying he "betrayed a trust." You'll never climb in this town again Lipinski!
Secret Underground Climbing Scene? So Over
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The World March for Peace and Nonviolence comes to New York tomorrow, Monday, November 30, 2009, on
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I know for a fact that he meant no harm and feels awful about the fallout. Back off!
A) What the fuck does it matter whether he meant any harm or not? Why does every unique and special thing in New York have to be exposed?
B) Gothamist's hands are just as dirty for running with this story and posting links to the cached article even after it had been pulled down.
Regarding point A, that’s what news is all about.
I get it, but I also think that's an very unnuanced position to take.
I think it's less about exposing unique and special things, and more the fact that so many people try to 'discover' unique and special things and flock to it *because* it's unique and special.
I mean, how many rock climbers are there in NYC, sitting around, thinking, dang, where's all the happenin' climbing happening?
Compare that to the fashionable young people who would just be thrilled to go to a secret underground climbing gym, just to consume the experience and regurgitate it later.
Speculate away! But I lean toward the latter.
@entropone: I'd agree with that. I think my point still remains though. This isn't a place looking for publicity- unlike on a "faux" speakeasy bar which is popular precisely because it is exclusive. What is inherently newsworthy about? IMO, nothing, but I know it's not a black and white issue.
It sounds to me as if the climbers who have banished him greatly overestimate the level of interest that people outside of their niche-group have. Most readers are probably "underground climbing? so what?"
I also don't believe that they've closed, just trying to discourage the thousands upon thousdands of people who will be banging on their doors to... climb.
Your two paragraphs a too contradictory to be in the same post. Robot brains might now explode.
It's called sarcasm. Learn.
Ah, I see. Unlike me talking about robot brains exploding, you weren't really being serious. Thanks, that's very helpful!
B) Gothamist's hands are just as dirty for running with this story and posting links to the cached article even after it had been pulled down.
Wasn't the whole reason the story was taken down that he didn't tell his sources that he was writing about them? That's what the NYT made it sound like. And "meant no harm" is a pretty weak excuse for writing something for the NYT while not having a basic grasp of journalistic ethics or basic decency.
"that's what news is all about"! = weak. So is accepting responsibility. Not that it's that big a deal. A week or two and it all dies down and noone gives a rat's ass anymore, but don't expect anyone to "take it easy on him," because he feels bad.
as if i needed another reason to hate try too hard brooklyn uber hipsters
That they wanted to avoid drawing attention? Yeah, that's so despicable.
Just think about how horrific the odor probably was in there.
It's sad. So many good times with so many good people. It's takes so much time and money to do something like this, especially in this city. Now it's gone. And for what? A measly article on a blog. He's not even a climber. He went there with the full intention of exploiting it. I hope that dude gets bed bugs.
Yawn. The place isn't really closed, just like it wasn't ever really opened to begin with.
It's a great example of double-standards - you wouldn't want approval/clearance/notification required for all news stories, but somehow it's different when it comes to climbing. Of all things.