Activist goes off on Shaun Doty, panic seizes Vortex diners
July 15th, 2009 by Cliff Bostock in Gossip, RestaurantsUPDATE (July 20): The video which appeared below was posted in the same spirit I post all kinds of other lunacy I encounter on the Internet — for amusement. The 50-odd comments that follow demonstrate that my effort bombed. It’s not the first time. Cliff Bostock.
The video that appeared here has been removed as a courtesy to Shaun Doty, who was concerned about the incendiary nature of its contents. It can be found on YouTube.
Girls go wild at the Vortex:
The Shumacher Group is listing Mitra for sale. The attractive restaurant is on Juniper Street in Midtown. …
Headline from ThePacker.com: “Despite Atlanta being a city with many dining opportunities, produce sales to the restaurant segment have slipped” …
July 15th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I am pro-shauns.
make it there for there sunday specials.
follow him on twitter:
http://twitter.com/shaundoty
July 16th, 2009 at 12:49 am
Why is CL giving this guy a forum for his one-sided opinion? He’s clearly a gay terrorist.
July 16th, 2009 at 1:32 am
hater has no idea…
i consider him a good guy, i mean you might as well google the guy and see the guys background, And… being in the industry I really don’t get trying to ruin an entire staff over a vendetta or something.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:30 am
I work in a restaurant and calling in the middle of service is a no no. As for the Parade or Carnival would you want a day of revenue taken from your restaurant if you owned one? Especially with the current economy?
July 16th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Cliff this is kinda a bullshit move giving this idiot a forum to express his one sided opinion. calling in the middle of service? no no. i worked at shauns for over a year, watched these youth pride kids come and go and act as if they had zero class what so ever. Shaun’s a good gut, as i’m sure his huge base of gay and lesbian cliental will attest to. Please cliff, keep this kinda crap off the pages at CL…..or maybe we’ll boycott you.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Agreed that this is bullshit. They guy isn’t even talking about something that happened to him–he says “I heard …” that all this happened. It’s all hearsay.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:54 am
This is absurd. Shaun is a strong and long-standing supporter of the gay community. I love the fact that the author of the video disses Shaun for being immature, and then turns around and posts that Shaun serves “Swine flu infected food on a daily basis.” How classy.
July 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am
can one record a phone conversation, like this guy did, without asking for the other party’s consent first?
July 16th, 2009 at 10:44 am
I did question whether to post the vid about Shaun and decided to do it because it seems so over-the-top to me that it’s funny. I see that people are taking it seriously, so perhaps I should have trusted my initial reluctance.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Well, maybe Shaun’s customers need somewhere to park??????
This was really in poor taste Cliff. You know Shaun is a big supporter of the gay community.
People need positivity right now – not negative shite from some dude who has too much time on his hands (and wasn’t even a witness to the supposed event).
July 16th, 2009 at 11:33 am
At the very least, Shaun should have an opportunity to respond to his detractor.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Gay.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
ignorant redneck giving the gay community a bad name.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Shaun is a hard working man struggling to earn a living for his family in this economy. He is a friend to the gay community and does not deserve to have his business maligned by this person.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Activist?
July 16th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Really disappointed to see CL post this about Shaun. He’s a great guy and has a fab restaurant. This guy doesn’t even know what he’s talking about. Clearly it’s such hearsay…but we all know how some people will believe anything they see on the Internet, so it could still end up damaging Shaun’s rep in the long run. Bad move Cliff and CL. Bad move.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Ill stop a mudhole in this guy if I ever see him in the street.
July 16th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I agree with what people are saying. Very poor taste Mr. Bostock. Shame on you too CL.
One word describes that guy in the video: DUMBASS
July 16th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
“Shaun’s restaurant serves swine flu infected foods daily.”
This jackass just opened himself up to a libel lawsuit. Defamacast. What a tard.
July 16th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I bet dumbass din’t count on the overwhelming support for Mr. Doty :)
July 16th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Oh for God’s sake people. Cliff is not giving this idiot a forum. He is simply doing what he has always done, bringing to light something that he finds distasteful. And ‘meh’, how exactly do you “stop” a mud hole? Since I am guessing you meant stomp, how tough must you be to beat(pun intended) a queen?
July 16th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Shaun Doty is an extraordinarily talented chef and an uncommonly nice person.
I’m a firm believer in the right of the world’s Douchy McYootoobs to record and post gibberish, but I’m not sure why it’s being linked to on this blog.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Agree with Andisheh–this guy can film youtubes to his heart’s content, but linking this to a (normally) reputable food blog where it has the opportunity (intent is of no consequence here, Cliff) of indicting one of our city’s better chefs is a serious lapse of judgment. And if,indeed, Cliff, you thought it was so bad as to be humorous, why not clue the reader in to your motivation rather than letting it speak for itself? I can’t remember a time when you held back snark before. Interesting omission here, to say the least.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Some other crazy shirtless person has recorded a video response to the “boycott” video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK_Rr0XGSqU
July 16th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
For the record, Cliff has asked me to remove this post. His original intent, as he stated above, was to bring something to light that he thought was funny. I have mixed feelings about it and think that maybe he should have been more clear about his feelings. So let me be blunt: this is a clearly insane, non-CL endorsed rant. But at this point I’m not willing to remove the post. I think the overwhelming support for Shaun that’s come out in the comments is reason enough to leave it up. And if we take it down there will be no place for Andy shirtless, which would be a shame.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
well, based on the brief conversation the kid had with doty at an apparently bad time, it does seem like an incident occurred, however explainable.
i think bostock’s posting of this vid without trying to get doty’s side is better than the completely biased response by CL staffer Nouraee, who personally vouches for doty and then posts a vid of himself mimicking the kid.
WTF? i usually try to avoid being a persnickety faggot, but this is journalism today?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
the “kid” in the video is an adult.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Maybe we should do as Zell says and put some ‘gorilla glue’ in this guys mouth. Oh, wait a minute, he would probably enjoy that.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
lighten up people. that video is HILARIOUS. I really doubt Cliff or CL was condoning it by posting it. It’s a high-profile, local restaurant. And I’m sorry, but whatever your sexual persuasion, it’s just damn funny. It made my day! But yeah, the swine flu comment at the end… bad call.
I love Andisheh’s response video too!
July 16th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Even more gay.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Besha Rodell clearly has zero journalistic integrity. I’m sorry this is happening to you, Shaun. You are successful for a reason. Creative Loafing is bankrupt for a reason.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Shaun’s black amex is stamped with rainbow colors. You’re picking on the wrong guy.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am
pointless. but it does make me question certain people’s judgement.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Ok so here is a bit of a newsflash for all of you. I am the guy who posted the youtube video and I am very good friends with a few YouthPride volunteers. This isn’t just something that I heard off the streets or from a friend of a friend on the internet, I actually know the people who witnessed this first hand and they don’t wish to go public with it but I did. When somebody acts out in an inappropriate manner I feel the need to confront them about it and get the problem solved. Since when is that a crime? You can all call me an ignorant redneck all you want to but I have an IQ of 125. As for me being immature, well life’s too short to be a constipated prude 24/7. We’re all entitled to a little crazy fun.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:41 am
an iq of 125?
hmmmm.
stupid is as stupid does.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Wesley honey 125 is above average thank you! Next…
July 17th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Aw shit, he quoted his IQ! And it’s “above average”! You better watch your back Andisheh, he’s got boring, illogical, blissed out youtube videos by the truck full and he’s not afraid to use them! And thanks to his 125 IQ he knows how….glad to have someone with some intellect posting on youtube these days, I always thought any idiot could.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I believe Corey Lynxx has left out a few details about the situation – for starters, the YouthPride organization left a note on the door of Mr.Doty’s restaurant less than 24 hours before the planned event, hardly enough time to give any business establishment time to consider alternate plans – and note that I stated how they informed Mr.Doty; they neglected to give him the courtesy of speaking to him personally about their event. Another detail – and the most important one, I believe – is that Corey has lead viewers of his little diatribe to believe that YouthPride was unable to have their festival because of implied repercussions of Mr.Doty’s reactions. The carnival was held as planned. As far as IQ is concerned – charted intelligence is clearly no indication of common sense, or one’s ability to interact socially. Corey Lynxx manipulated the facts and seems to have brought attention only to himself, not YouthPride or even gay rights. His attempt to harm Mr.Doty and his restaurant with select information clearly backfired – Mr.Doty is respected and well-loved in the Atlanta community, gay and straight, mainstream or not. For one who professes a high IQ, Corey Lynxx wasn’t so smart after all.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
i am actually going to shauns tonight!
July 17th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I am sorry for the video post. Thanks to the CL blog community for setting me straight. I would announce that I am no longer gay.
Please go to Shauns.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
“When somebody acts out in an inappropriate manner I feel the need to confront them about it”
First off you are being incredibly hypocritical Corey, as your YT Vid proves, you acted out in an innapropriate manner by suggesting that Shauns serves swine flu tainted food.
At this point you are the one being confronted not Shaun, as it is quite obvious the entire community thinks you are a fucking whining little bitch. I have personally know Shaun Doty for a number of years and find your characterization of him to be ignorant, shallow and devoid of any intelligent thought. Your claim that others are being “immature” is laughable, take a look in the mirror, or better yet watch your own foolishness that you posted and the answer will be quite clear.
You are an embarassment to the entire gay community, and should be ashamed of your actions.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
“I am sorry for the video post” -
“Please go to Shaun’s”
We aren’t the ones in need of your apologies. Shaun Doty is the one who should hear those words from you. In fact, I believe a video post of your apology to Shaun Doty would be most appropriate – should you have the maturity to do so.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Cliff never should have posted this tripe. His bitter old queen thing is getting tired.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I am gay and I LOVE Shaun Doty…(maybe I have said too much)
I have to say this is one of the FUNNIEST VIDEOS I have seen in awhile!
July 18th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Quite brave to post your face on u-tube when all Atlanta restaurants are a tight mafia (shall we say). To the guy on u-tube-I recommend you eat at home!
Shame on CL for posting!
July 18th, 2009 at 12:55 am
To begin, this is irresponsible journalism on your part Cliff. If this is to remain posted, please amend the title of the clip. While you have acknowledged your intentions in posting, only the viewers who choose to read the comments will be enlightened. The rest will take the video at face value and your post for what it seems to be: a CL endorsed boycott of Shaun’s. As a journalist, you must be responsible for not only your own words, but also the words of those that you choose to represent (in any way, shape, or form). As a critic/writer in the ‘food world’, you should be more than aware that restaurants are highly sensitive to even the slightest of comments. For not only yourself, but Shaun Doty as well, I am sorry to see that you put your personal amusement above your responsibilites as a writer, seemingly without concern to the possible ramifications of your actions. Fortunately for you, your reputation and most likely your following will not be adversely affected by this posting (although it may earn you a title as a sensationalist). The same may not be true for Shaun.
To Corey: The comments that you’ve made regarding what you ‘heard’ from a friend are hearsay. Testimony derived from hearsay would not for one second hold up in a court of law. What would hold up, however, is a libel suit against you. Especially with the bit about ’swine flu’, you could easily be held financially responsible for your actions and words against Shaun Doty and his highly respectible business. You have been foolish to put yourself out there on behalf of friends who, as you commented, did not wish to get involved. That alone should tell you something. Shaun Doty is of the utmost character, respected in the community, and most importantly for you, a known supporter of the gay and lesbian communities. After seeing the touching support of so many, I hope you feel at least the slightest amount of shame for not only attacking someone with whom you had no fight, but also for maliciously and willfully trying to harm the reputation of a man who has from day one been a supportive neighbor of Youth Pride. To be sure, this was not your fight, and on behalf of myself and all of Shaun’s many supporters, I request that you remove your video from YouTube.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:17 am
There are nineteen exceptions to the hearsay rule under the Federal Rules of Evidence.
July 18th, 2009 at 3:21 am
“everyone is entitle to a little crazy fun”
Corey you are obviously a mentally unstable young man.
In what universe does your slanderous diatribe on YT consist of “crazy fun”? I suggest you seek out a mental health professional ASAP. Not to mention a lawyer.
I would also agree with the above poster regarding your future dining habits. I for one am Boycotting you. Your shirtless mug shot will forever adorn the hostess stand in my midtown restaurant, as owners “We reserve the right to refuse service”. You might be surprised at how many people follow suit and ban you.
Better get used to Digiorno
July 18th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
This has made up my mind about any future advertising with CL. I will encourage others to do the same.
It’s sickening that CB would attack a small business like that.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Amen to that Jay!
July 18th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
FWIW, what a nut job! It’s sad that some people will form a bad impression of gay people based on this guy’s vid, when in fact it has nothing to do with him being gay: he’s just an ass. I’m sorry that the immediacy of the internet is giving him the attention he wants. While I think Cliff could have wrapped a little more context around the original post, the intention has been made very, very clear in the comments. Anybody who is interested/incensed/motivated will read the comments. I appreciate that you haven’t pulled this down and instead let people work through what they think about it. I’m going to Shaun’s tomorrow night. Most of us will never know what really happened with the YP thing, but I’m not going to do anything based on the opinion of an ass. In fact, I’m doing the opposite.
July 20th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Jay Swift, how wonderful of you to throw Cliff Bostock under the bus simply because you lack advertising dollars. He didn’t attack a small business, he simply reported on a video. That’s what journalist’s do. As far as asking other restaurants to pull advertising monies, don’t overinflate your clout.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Just found and read this thread, and felt, for the first time ever, to comment.
Let’s get the acknowledgments out of the way: I’m in the industry. I’m a published contributor to industry trade rags in a differrent industry. My significant is a real reporter, having lived around the world as a correspondant for The Financial Times, one of the most highly respected newspapers in the world.
So, with that said: This is so typical of Cliff, who is basically a pissy little shit-strrer who is not as clever as he wants you all to think, who has had abhorent ethical lapses for a “reporter”, such as fabricating quotes for attribution that I can absolutely attest were not made, and who will pan a restaurant for a snivelling little thing even after almost licking his plate clean. Anybody who doesn’t understand this, after all these years, is just too defensive for common sense, and needs to experience the agita that Mr. Bostock feels compelled to dispense. He, and his opinions, just aren’t worth it, folks.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
To be honest, I think now is the time to close comments on this and let’s all get on with our lives.
Please check out Shaun’s for the GREAT Sunday night pasta dinner special $12.00 per person! Also, please give to Youth Pride, the people who ACTUALLY volunteer do a good job for a worthy cause.
This is so two weeks ago…
July 20th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Dear getacluejayswift:
Firstly, have the stones to post under your name. Secondly, if posting random material detrimental to others without checking or posting any mitigating facts is journalism, then Bill O’reilly is Edward R Murrow. Finally,I realize now Cliff may have only posted it because it is funny, which it is, but we are in a recession, Shauns is a small business ad livelyhoods are at stake.He should have had better judgement. Just ask a local restaurant employee, maybe you’ll feel differently.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I wrote a lengthy reply to this but decided not to run the whole thing. I did, however, want to run the following part of my response. Believe me, I have been as embarrassed by some of the responses here as I have been stung by them:
Look people, if you want to chastise my ethics, how about curing your Multiple Screen Name Personality Disorder? Some of you don’t seem to be aware that sites like this routinely record your IP address and keep track of posts originating with that address.
One of you is pretending to be four different people in this thread. The post by Corey Lynxx in which he “apologizes” is of course not actually him, but one of our regular posters once again using a phony second name. We’ve confronted him about this privately in the past.
“Brent,” who attacks me as a “bitter old queen,” is a sock puppet of another poster who, I might add, attacked another chef in the most personal terms on this blog in the past, calling him a thief. Tell me. Should I disclose his actual identity?
Another of you who exuberantly champions Shaun is the same person who, with a different screen name in another post, wrote how involving him in your restaurant was a sure-fire way to fail.
I could go on with a few more examples, but you get the point.
We’re happy to protect your anonymity but do us the favor of integrating your alter egos. Consider even using your real name.
I’m telling you this because, after a point, it becomes quite obvious that personal agendas often take over in these discussions. I understand how tempting that is – I’ve been there and learned my own lesson – but it’s especially galling to read lectures about ethics from people who are backslapping their subpersonalities.
July 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Wow, I can’t believe that the multiple post with different name situation/problem is so prevalent!
July 20th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Do you understand how restaurants feel when you bash them now? Everyone needs to leave Cliffy alone.
July 20th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Ah! CL allows inflammatory journalism… and now admits they actively track, record, and monitor their readership too?! Big Brother! 1984! ^_~
July 20th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Oh please, Food Dude. You forgot to add that I make up shit and attribute it to people who didn’t say it because I love to piss off wine dealers while I lick my plate — and if you had a real reporter for a partner you’d already know I have abhorrent ethics.
Anyway….
It is standard procedure to record IP addresses. You’re showing your ignorance…or maybe you’re joking? In case you’re not joking or in case others are ignorant, be informed:
Your IP address is recorded whenever you send email, much less log onto sites like this and talk to your subpersonalities in order to build phony consensus or buzz.
Before you get into an Orwellian snit, do some Googling and you will find that anyone can note an IP address of mail they receive. This doesn’t give you a name or geographical address. (TRANSLATION: This doesn’t allow you to monitor actual names, just screen names associated with the IP address.) Legally, actual names and addresses are usually available only under court order.
Still, you can trace an IP and get the exact longitude and latitude of the ISP or the actual location of the IP, along with a fairly close-up picture from Google maps. A silly amusement.
Here is just one of countless instructions to feed your paranoia:
http://www.wikihow.com/Trace-an-IP-Address
If you are concerned about everyone you email anonymously recording your IP address, there are services and software programs that will hide it.
But go ahead and have your Creative Loafing Orwellian-style fantasy, if you want. However, any regular user of the Internet should already know all of this by now. Keeping track of IP addresses is one of the ways sites effectively cut down on spam and ban offensive users.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:14 am
lol, Mr. Bostock I actually wanted to see what would happen if I posted something so outrageous (Orwellians Unite!) that was funny (to me) and without context (for example, my personal sense of humor) and see who would bite. (Sound of you *chomping*)… a small social experiment if you may, see any parallels?
I did however include a clue of my intention with my *winking smiley*…
Don’t worry Mr. Bostock, it is all fun and games… I’m a fan of the food writers at CL, you included. Hey, without brouhahas such as this, life would be boring… right? =)
July 21st, 2009 at 12:32 am
Kit? Is that an allusion to an alter-ego name thing? If so, you’re IP recorder/checker thingy is broken…
If not…
Regards Kit!
July 21st, 2009 at 12:37 am
Uh, read it again, FoodieMan, I mean FoodDude, I mean…I guessed you were joking but said I was replying as if you weren’t, in case others were ignorant of the facts about IP addresses.
Fun and games indeed. There’s nothing like a troupe of hydras to keep a critic’s sword sharp. My question to you is why you won’t stick with one screen name.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:38 am
We don’t always depend on IP addresses, Food Dude.
You’re surrounded.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:50 am
All jokes aside, I have no idea what you’re talking about… really. I’ve never posted on this site until now under “FoodDude.” That YouTube terrorist really struck a nerve…
Anyway, perhaps you’re confusing my ISPs dynamic IP assignment as a static IP, no? maybe?
And, you cheated and deleted your post… *shakes fist*
Now pardon me while I arm myself against the marauding zombies and CL men (…and women) in black pajamas outside my house…
July 21st, 2009 at 12:59 am
Deleted a post? You must be joking. I just wanted to see who would bite (sound of you chomping).
And, yes, I know you’ve never posted on the site before as “FoodDude.” That’s just the point.
I’ve asked the zombies to save me your brain stem. I’m digging the more primitive organs these days.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:09 am
Touche! Dirty.
I feel you misunderstand, I’ve never posted here at all…
But, now now, Mr. Bostock personal attacks are mean…. you have definitely turned an (ugly?) corner… I’m a sensitive person… *sniff*
July 21st, 2009 at 11:20 am
would u please STFU? both of u are making me wish this corey idiot would start posting again.
July 21st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Hahaha nice Foodieman finally got Pwned!
FM you troll, get a life!