Ron Livingston Lawsuit Discussion, the beginning of the end? Options

[ColScott]

Moderator's Note: A full narrative of this story may be found on our Opinions and Editorials page. However, this thread contains somewhat more detail, if that's even possible.


Let's discuss this lawsuit. Malicious lies intended to damage a reputation? Check. A systematic pattern of abuse- check.

We'll see if WP stays clean... but for certain they will have to reveal the editor. And once one loser editor is taken down, legally, how many more will grow up and run?

[Somey]

I have to say, it's very tempting to go to some of these blogs and "open content" gossip sites, and tell them that "Lee Dennison" isn't a real person, and (just to be thorough) link to this thread. Several of them seem to be completely hoodwinked, and I'm not sure I blame them, given how elaborate and extensive the fiction is.

I'm sure the MSM will figure it out once they try to contact "Lee Dennison" for a comment, but that could take several days...

[Random832]

I'm sure the MSM will figure it out once they try to contact "Lee Dennison" for a comment, but that could take several days...

Or they'll just call the phone number or write to the email listed on the "Fushion" site - either of which I'd bet will end up being answered by the guy behind this. The fiction is elaborate enough that trying to contact him for comment won't necessarily reveal that he's fake.

[Somey]

Or they'll just call the phone number or write to the email listed on the "Fushion" site - either of which I'd bet will end up being answered by the guy behind this. The fiction is elaborate enough that trying to contact him for comment won't necessarily reveal that he's fake.

The e-mails, sure, but the phone numbers... I haven't called any of them myself, but I'd say the chances that any of them are even in service are less than 10 percent, and if they are, they've probably been long since reassigned to other phone customers. If this guy isn't willing to spend money even to set up proper web hosting (though admittedly he does seem to have done that with "Qualitiwork Ltd."), he's almost certainly not going to shell out for phone numbers and answering services. There might be a 2-3 percent chance that one of the numbers will ring to an answering machine, but any calls that are returned will be dialed from a different number.

Aside from that, it's a good point - I myself have personal experience of actors actually being hired for the purpose of maintaining these kinds of charades via telephone conversations, and for someone not expecting it, that can be extremely convincing. Hopefully this thread will help, though it's difficult to predict.

[Daniel Brandt]

Aside from that, it's a good point - I myself have personal experience of actors actually being hired for the purpose of maintaining these kinds of charades via telephone conversations, and for someone not expecting it, that can be extremely convincing. Hopefully this thread will help, though it's difficult to predict.

Somey: Have you seen this page? I wonder if those names of Mark's assistants are all fake. It's time to start saving pages like that one in case they begin to disappear. It's quite clear now that Mark is behind the Lee Dennison page, and the only question is whether someone is behind Mark.

[Somey]

Somey: Have you seen this page? I wonder if those names of Mark's assistants are all fake.

Every single one!

At one point, Mark claimed that the woman who replaced Siobhan in Bananarama, Jacquie O'Sullivan (T-H-L-K-D), was working for Lee Dennison Associates. In fact, Ms. O'Sullivan is happily married, retired from the music business, and doing some sort of arts 'n' crafts kinda thing in the Midlands somewhere. (I could look it up if you want...)

It's time to start saving pages like that one in case they begin to disappear. It's quite clear now that Mark is behind the Lee Dennison page, and the only question is whether someone is behind Mark.

I doubt anyone is behind Mark, personally. The fact is, and I hate to seem homophobic or whatever, but for most gay guys the act of "outing" a male (or even female) celebrity as gay is a huge deal, like a trophy or something - to be touted and shouted to the rooftops. This guy is operating in the shadows, keeping his head down - not the standard MO at all, from what I understand (which, admittedly, is not based on first-hand experience!)...

That's really how he got away with it on WP for so long - not only did he not engage with the community (posting mostly from IP's, etc.), he always backed down when challenged. Even when the three BLP articles he wrote about his alter egos (Lee D., Harry D., and "Lee Kaay," supposedly another "rising pop star" on "Bite Records" who had some hit records in Scandinavia) were AfD's, I don't think he even showed up to vote "keep" on two of them, and on the "Lee Dennison" one, he didn't exactly put up much of a fight.

This is a lesson for anyone looking to do self-promotion on WP - don't engage. Spend your time setting up fake websites, blogs, etc., etc., and even then, don't engage with the WP'ers.

Frankly, if this Mark dude hadn't been attacking BLP's with gay rumors, he'd not only still be getting away with it, he'd probably have actually cast several films by now, just on the basis of his web presence alone!

[Jon Awbrey]

not the standard MO at all …

Not that there's anything wrong with that …

Jon