This isn’t the first time that Muller has ridiculed, insulted or generally tried to get a rise out of people on Twitter. Here’s the back-and-forth:
From bruisinales: @PacksTavern Thank you! Can’t wait for the next one now that hopefully we have some of the kinks worked out.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales @PacksTavern By “kinks” do you mean the exorbitant $30 ticket price?
From bruisinales: Whatever. RT @michaelfmuller: @bruisinales @PacksTavern By “kinks” do you mean the exorbitant $30 ticket price?
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Let them eat cake, eh princess?
From bruisinales: Nothing a like an asshole to ruin your day.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Oh my. Striking a nerve, am I?
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller Because you’re wrong. No one made $ on this event. We did it for fun. And thanks for ruining my day.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Oh don’t be so sensitive. I just think a $30 ticket excludes a lot of people in Asheville who can’t afford such a thing.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Besides, if I was wrong, how could it possibly ruin your day?
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales You might have had more people attend if the tickets weren’t so expensive. Most of us can’t afford $30 to taste beer.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller We had 40 ppl. It was a great event. (4) 12oz beers + 8-courses of food? Do the math. I call bullshit.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales I’m just being honest, Toots. I calls ’em as I sees ’em.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Did you raise any money for charity?
From bruisinales: No. RT @michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Did you raise any money for charity?
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller But we regularly raise money for our charity, FRIENDS of the Blue Parkway at our tastings, which you never attend.
From ssspoonah: Yo @michaelfmuller as an attendee, I felt initially $30 was steep til I went–great food, lots of beer. Totally worth it. @bruisinales
From michaelfmuller: @ssspoonah I’m not saying it wasn’t worth it, I’m saying most of us can’t afford a $30 beer tasting. It’s beer, for fuck’s sake.
From bruisinales: @ssspoonah Thanks. You’re my favorite asshat. 🙂
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales I’m sure you do. But a $30 ticket price is awfully steep if no money is going to charity.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Here’s teh thing. All I’m saying is that maybe you shouldn’t charge so much. Scale it back and maybe more people would show up.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales You know I love you, but really…$30 excludes a whole lot of folks in Asheville.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller Next time, I’ll just be irresponsible and cut out the food.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller And the servers.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller And have it in my back yard.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Don’t forget us little people, Beer Lady. That’s all I’m saying.
From michealfmuller: @bruisinales Don’t they serve pizza where you’re from? Or finger foods? Give me a break.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller Give YOU a break? Is your job at XPress to piss off your advertisers? @fobes?
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Clearlly, it was overpriced. You only had 40 people. That’s kind of lame for a beer tasting event in Asheville.
From michaelfmuller: Fuck the poor! If they would only just get off their lazy asses and get a job. More champagne!
From bruinales: “Bruisin’ Ales: The New Punching Bag of @michaelfmuller” Hey, @Ashevegas, look at me! #wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Are you saying that somehow you deserve special treatment because you advertise in Xpress?
From bruisinales: That’s stupid. RT @michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Are you saying that somehow you deserve special treatment because you advertise in Xpress?
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales That’s certainly what your implying, princess.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales And besides, you called me an asshole. That wasn’t very nice. Skank.
From bruisinales: Classy! It was a general statement. RT @michaelfmuller: @bruisinales And besides, you called me an asshole. That wasn’t very nice. Skank.
From michaelfmuller: @identifymichael Yes, she does seem rather entitled, doesn’t she? 🙂
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales You can call me names with impunity, but I can’t make an honest observation without incurring your spoiled-brat wrath?
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller I do not believe you even understand the idea of a beer pairing. Pick on Sunny Point for their $40 4-course dinner on Tues.
From bruisinales: @michaelfmuller Which was also affordable for what was offered.
From michaelfmuller: @barbieangell i have no doubt that @bruisinales can kick my ass. That’s why I’m here behind a locked door.
From michaelfmuller: @identifymichael Oh please. She can dish it out, but she can’t take it.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales It seems that I’ve hurt your feelings, so I’ll let you be. Drink an $18 six pack for me.
From michaelfmuller: @bruisinales Toodles, Toots. Have a good weekend. (And you know I love you, right?)
From bruisinales: sorry to disappoint y’all, but this skank’s gotta get to work. Here are some pics from our overpriced event last night: http://bit.ly/ap2tPi
Alcohol & Online Disinhibition — Not a good combination.
I would like to quote one section from the link above: "The anonymity, invisibility and fantasy elements of online activities encourage us to think that the usual rules don't apply. Like a science fiction escape fantasy, the net allows us to be who we want and do what we want, both good and bad.
The problem is that when life becomes a game that can be left behind at the flick of a switch, it's easy to throw responsibility out of the window."
Spot on…
After reading this electric exchange it is my medical opinion Michael Muller was hammered when making these remarks! He probably has an addiction to the White Lightning. As far as the Xpress is concerned I feel it would be a thunderous mistake to continue to allow this man to strike down the reputation of their paper. As guard of my own reputation I would use an alter ego if I were going to make such a public display.
Dr. Donald Blake
Um, hello? YOU SPEND 30 BUCKS ON YOUR BAR TAB EVERY DAY, FUCKER.
Seriously though – a $30 beer tasting at Stewart Coleman's place? The real crime is that everybody didn't call BS.
Michael cracks me up.
Having a look at the MX website, the @michaelfmuller account is listed beside his photo and info, therefore should be considered along with the @mxnews account. http://www.mountainx.com/info/contact
The point @michaelfmuller was trying to make was $30 is too much for a _beer tasting_. What he forgot was included in this _beer tasting_ was dinner: lamb kabobs, sweetbreads, corn cakes and cheese. The event wasn't drink $30 worth of beer. It was have some great food and try out a sampling of beer.
Intervention anyone? I highly recommend his friends do something before it is too late.
Has Muller ever worked as a reporter before MtnX, or does he have any sort or formal training to do such work? If not, it makes you wonder what sort of vetting process they have for job candidates at Mountain Xpress. I imagine Muller's interview went something like this:
Jeff Fobes: Do you have a Twitter account?
Muller: Yes.
Fobes: When can you start?!
The apology rings hollow to me. Self-serving not remorseful. He's a phony and can be an A-1 first class prick. Unnecessarily so. He must have issues. I wouldn't trust him with your back, ever.
I'm not taking the side of Muller or Julie in this situation because it seems as if they were both emotional and handled the conversation in a completely unfortunate manner considering it is all public comment. That's the crux with Twitter & they are both old enough to know better.
However – to comment on the current state of the Mountain Xpress & their reporters…
Muller used to be someone I respected when he was strictly a commenter on the ScruHoo blog – he'd often have great insights & dialogue. Now all of a sudden he's a legitimate reporter? He seems more like a wild card ready to go off without warning & an employer who doesn't care how he reflects their business or reputation.
Maybe Asheville really is too small – we're professionally inbred. People can't keep their politics, personalities, and professional lives separate. I would never in hundred years imagined seeing Jason Sanford, Jon Elliston, or Brian Postelle acting in such a ludicrous manner as Muller has in public forums. When the paper recently flipped this group of exemplary employees I dare say it didn't take a turn for the better. It now has the air of a circus with Jeff Fobes posing as a ring-leader.
Most recently the Xpress began featuring this 3 Amigo dialogue which is just a lame excuse for David Forbes, who I'll admit is a good reporter – just a bit of a prick (and does he have any other shirts besides that one blood red one he wears to every interview? The 1990's called – they want their faux goth style back), Muller, & Jake Frankel (no opinion – he seemed to do well with the Disclaimer) to sit around and get drunk while putting their opinions into public forum.
Here's a new flash: We Don't Care.
And the twitter based reporting seem's half-assed to me. Fine, tweet yourself silly if you want. But when you're writing your reports for public viewing write a real report & not just a summery of your thumb speed.
It's sad really – the Xpress used to be the best legitimate news source. No longer is this true…
Frankly my dears, the public doesn't give a damn about the opinions of some drunken dudes – we want the local news. Real coverage. Professionalism. Community & customer service. I'm glad you all are enjoying your jobs, that's important – but step it up in the quality control department please.
Provide that and maybe the Xpress' air of cirque du ashleil will dissipate.
@ Media Watcher: He would, but he's too busy twitting or twatting or whatever you call it.
is MM the same guy behind the annoying @mxnews tweets? i had to unfollow @mxnews because of the all the irrelevant crap that floods my feed.
it's like drunk dialing, except you are making your employer look bad.
I love it. Muller nails it. Again. Bravo!
……………………….
When will Jeff Fobes comment?
I love Julie, but she got baited into an making an emotional response, unfortunately.
Like a seemingly growing portion of the local population, I find MM, as well as much else in the MX, quite loathsome. I wish some other publication would steal their lunch, or at least give them some competition.
A couple of points:
1)People do realize that MM made these comments from his own personal Twitter account, not the Mountain Xpress account, correct?
2)Assuming this is a full account of the back and forth, it looks to me like MM was publicly expressing his opinion about the ticket price of an event. Then, it was bruisinales, who responded with "whatever" and then called him "an asshole for ruining her day" very shortly thereafter.
My intention is not to defend what MM said, but to point out that, from what I can see, he was criticizing the price of an event, and then bruisinales made it personal by dismissing his criticism of the ticket price with "whatever" and then calling him an asshole in a public forum. She could have DMed him if they wanted to carry on a conversation in private.
I will not defend the back and forth or the name calling that ensued, but I'm trying to imagine if, for example, in a moment of frustration, I tweeted something negative about a local business and that local business responded to my feedback first by saying "whatever" and then by calling me an asshole.
I would also like to mention that BruisinAles should in theory be the one we would expect to behave professionally in this situation, since she in fact is representing her own business (BruisinAles) in this interchange, whereas Michael Muller is not representing the Xpress.
While I will not defend many of the things MM said in this argument, it's hardly a shining example of customer service & respectful attention to community feedback on the part of BruisinAles.
Man, imagine Jason's reaction if Muller had taken a photo of someone being attended to by EMT workers?
Seems the people have spoken. Will Fobes hear their cry.. or can he even hear it over the din of the twitteratti?
Kaboom!
-=WL=-
Ditto to Mike. Thanks for a reminder as to why I stopped following his MtnX tweets. Same reason I don't follow my teenage nephew's tweets either.
Michael puts the "Twit" in Twitter.
As a participant in his rant (@ssspoonah), I actually tried to steer it into a discussion, (As in, "Ok, so what is $30 worth? What is $30 in Asheville?") but Mr. Muller had no interest in starting a discussion or a story; he simply wanted to rile up a local business owner.
Pathetic. Unprofessional. Mountain Express needs to address this.
Like many others, I'm sure, I finally had enough of his idiocy and stopped following. Thanks for this little reminder of what I've not been missing.
Wow, that guy is a total D Bag. Who cares what they charge? This is America Jack! What you choose to charge is your bussiness and you can decide if you have charged too much by the turn out. These are our freedoms, if you don't like it turn the channel!!!
What's this guy's problem? MtnX should get tighten the leash. If he can't afford it, he shouldn't go. Don't understand the whining about it.
Kudos to Julie for handling that douche with class and restraint. I did not attend the beer tasting, but that price doesn't seem incredibly over the top considering the venue, quality of food and variety of beer… Sorry they didn't host their event at McDonalds, oh wise peasant reporter of Mountain X.
Wow that muller is a dick.
He sounds like a bigger asshole than glen beck.
Ash,
I normally don't write in anonymously but because of what I am about to say I have no choice. I work in PR for a local organization (is that vague enough?) and I have to say the Muller is a joke and in my opinion is ruining the reputation of the Xpress, my favorite local publication.
I don't know why they keep him around, if he pulled this crap at any other employer in town he would be on the street in a heartbeat.
I have met Michael many times and at first I thought he was an alright individual but my opinion quickly changed. Having observed him for months from both a professional capacity and his childish rants on twitter, I simply have no use for him.
Wow. I can't believe this guy is considered a reporter. Probably why I don't put much stock in Mountain Xcess.
Wow….I really think calling Julie a skank was weak. There is still a line that a member of the media should never cross, I advertise with them also and don't
expect special treatment either but I do expect them to not attack locals or local events without actually being present to see for themselves.
Not the first time MM has gotten pissy on Twitter, and most likely not the last. His down and dirty antics are becoming a public embarrassment, on a regular basis, lately.
Me thinks a little too much of "the drink" may be involved????
Princess, toots and skank? Completely inappropriate. Muller is the one acting entitled.
Wow. Is it possible to dislike a man I have never met? At least, I assume he's a man. Sounds like a middle-school brat…no offense intended to kids in middle school.
Michael Muller is often mean-spirited, self-righteous and supercilious in his online comments. He's offended me more than once. In this case his presumed entitlement–to cheap beer–is particularly self-serving. If 40 people at 30 a pop for food and beer floats Bruisinale's boat Michael can cry "poor me" all he wants. I didn't get that red Lamborghini I wanted either but I didn't start a hissy fit with the dealer about it. Grow up Michael. It's not always about you.
Now that was hilarious. I am going to have to side with BruisinAles on this argument, if there was one. Muller sounds like a cheap whiney reporter with too much time on his hands. The beer tasting was not over-priced and it was really good too. Well worth it. Fuck the poor!
He needs to get a life and a job outside of 'journalism'…
Do you as a reporter, Ash, have any thoughts about whether a reporter, like Michael Muller (who is not an opinion columnist), should allow his personality/tastes/likes/dislikes to be so prominent? Will that affect his readers' perceptions of his supposedly objective "news" coverage?
Is this Twitter coverage carrying the imprimatur of Muller's employer, Mountain Xpress?
I almost never reply to these things, but lack of professionalism gets under my skin.
WHY is this classy gent still working with the Mountain Xpress? I am FLOORED that he hasn't ben reprimanded or threatened to be let go for crap like this. It's one thing to post your opinion in a public forum, but quite a different thing to actually go after someone like this.
And this person is an advertiser in their paper? Congratulations moron, you've just lost your paper revenue, which a free publication such as yourself needs in order to survive.