i was discovered on metafilter January 6, 2016 5:07 AM Subscribe
Do you know of anyone that got "discovered" via MetaFilter? e.g. they were the subject of a FPP, which got the attention of a reader that then gave them a job. Or they got a writing contract because of their comments. Or a record label picked them up off Mefi Music. That sorta thing.
The closest I've gotten is that an app I was working on got the attention of Startup Weekend after it became an FPP on Mefi and I got invited to one of their hackathons to work on it, but I was wondering if anyone else has reported fame and fortune thanks to being the subject of a post or for what they wrote as a member.
The closest I've gotten is that an app I was working on got the attention of Startup Weekend after it became an FPP on Mefi and I got invited to one of their hackathons to work on it, but I was wondering if anyone else has reported fame and fortune thanks to being the subject of a post or for what they wrote as a member.
Didn't someone get pulled into a TED-style talk or lecture invite somewhere based on a lengthy comment, perhaps about some issue related to sexual discrimination?
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:40 AM on January 6, 2016
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:40 AM on January 6, 2016
Very low level, but a ton of people subscribed to my YouTube channel after I had a couple of posts about my various series online, and one led to an offer (a very non-lucrative offer, so I didn't take them up on it) to join a tutorial video site.
posted by xingcat at 6:42 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 6:42 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
In my case a post to Projects led to an FPP, which led to lots of reblogging, which led to media interviews, which led to a substantial book deal.
posted by jedicus at 6:43 AM on January 6, 2016 [40 favorites]
posted by jedicus at 6:43 AM on January 6, 2016 [40 favorites]
I did a lengthy post about Jimmy Somerville that ended up with his record label getting in touch with me, and I did about 8 hours of interviews with Jimmy via Skype and wrote liner notes for the reissue of his first 5 albums plus a DVD of his collected videos. I'm an internationally published music writer now.
posted by hippybear at 7:04 AM on January 6, 2016 [100 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 7:04 AM on January 6, 2016 [100 favorites]
Well great I googled Bird Truth and now the CIA is all over me too.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:09 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by Salvor Hardin at 7:09 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
That Math Owie guy seems to have landed a pretty good job at Slack based on his Metafilter reputation.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:11 AM on January 6, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:11 AM on January 6, 2016 [13 favorites]
Guys, that's not the CIA, that's just a bunch of hungry seagulls, the saw your arms moving and thought you had bread.
I haven't had any discovered-via-MeFi moments specifically that I can recall, but I've had small-world moments where some conversation or creative interaction led to "wait, you're cortex?" which is always sort of disorienting but fun. I feel like there's a handful of particularly good MeFi-got-someone's-project-really-started cases over the years but they're all tip-of-the-tongue at the moment.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
I haven't had any discovered-via-MeFi moments specifically that I can recall, but I've had small-world moments where some conversation or creative interaction led to "wait, you're cortex?" which is always sort of disorienting but fun. I feel like there's a handful of particularly good MeFi-got-someone's-project-really-started cases over the years but they're all tip-of-the-tongue at the moment.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
Guys, that's not the CIA, that's just a bunch of hungry seagulls, the saw your arms moving and thought you had bread.
Yeah, that's totally not what a CIA mole would say.
posted by Etrigan at 7:16 AM on January 6, 2016 [8 favorites]
Yeah, that's totally not what a CIA mole would say.
posted by Etrigan at 7:16 AM on January 6, 2016 [8 favorites]
I have never googled subversive terms like Bird Truth or been to criminal terrorist web sites like www.thetruth.birds and www.iwanttobirdlieve.tv. Also, the CIA has never come to my house in the middle of the night and I certainly have never had mind controlling devices implanted in my brain. Not sure why you would even suggest that.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:16 AM on January 6, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 7:16 AM on January 6, 2016 [6 favorites]
Full House Reviewed was not a Thing until Metafilter discovered it; he's still going strong thanks to us and even made The Daily Beast.
posted by Melismata at 7:32 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Melismata at 7:32 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Was this Projects post how Kickstarter first got discovered?
posted by divabat at 7:33 AM on January 6, 2016
posted by divabat at 7:33 AM on January 6, 2016
Cortex is too modest - his song about the flight attendant gone wild was used in a couple of news stories at the time. I only remember because it was so very very strange.
posted by fiercekitten at 7:49 AM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercekitten at 7:49 AM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
I haven't had any discovered-via-MeFi moments specifically that I can recall,
We did have a song (lyrics by me, music by Cortex) go very briefly viral.
posted by maxsparber at 7:58 AM on January 6, 2016 [4 favorites]
We did have a song (lyrics by me, music by Cortex) go very briefly viral.
posted by maxsparber at 7:58 AM on January 6, 2016 [4 favorites]
A few MeFi commenters of note have been discovered, landing them fabulous moderator jobs.
posted by duffell at 8:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by duffell at 8:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
Um ...me?
I did a post on the Saveur's recipie comics and then the editor contacted me asking if I knew artists they could contact for the next batch and I said "well here are some ...BUT ALSO ME" and they said great do one and then I did but then I think the feature was cancelled or the editor was fired cause no one returned my emails or calls for a YEAR and I was super bitter about it? Until I started to see this new site everyone loved called the toast and I pitched them the comic I originally did for Saveur thinking, why not it's done allready and then they bought it!? And I ended up having a great rapport with the editors and I stated pitching to them a lot and then I made friends with the other contributors and they told me about places like The Nib where buying comics and then I was in there and other places and basically my entire Being Funny Online For Money carrer is because of metafilter?
posted by The Whelk at 8:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [78 favorites]
I did a post on the Saveur's recipie comics and then the editor contacted me asking if I knew artists they could contact for the next batch and I said "well here are some ...BUT ALSO ME" and they said great do one and then I did but then I think the feature was cancelled or the editor was fired cause no one returned my emails or calls for a YEAR and I was super bitter about it? Until I started to see this new site everyone loved called the toast and I pitched them the comic I originally did for Saveur thinking, why not it's done allready and then they bought it!? And I ended up having a great rapport with the editors and I stated pitching to them a lot and then I made friends with the other contributors and they told me about places like The Nib where buying comics and then I was in there and other places and basically my entire Being Funny Online For Money carrer is because of metafilter?
posted by The Whelk at 8:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [78 favorites]
Also wow lots of editors of publications read metafilter
Like lots and lots and lots.
posted by The Whelk at 8:09 AM on January 6, 2016 [11 favorites]
Like lots and lots and lots.
posted by The Whelk at 8:09 AM on January 6, 2016 [11 favorites]
i discovered the whelk on metafilter
posted by poffin boffin at 8:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 8:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [24 favorites]
Guys, that's not the CIA, that's just a bunch of hungry seagulls
You are thinking of the SeaIA, or Seagull Intelligence Agency, which has an unwieldy name because seagulls are pretty dumb and also don't get how acronyms work, but, since they are homophones, the two groups get confused a lot. Well, by seagulls.
Also, if you don't have any bread, stop waving your arms around.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:13 AM on January 6, 2016 [23 favorites]
You are thinking of the SeaIA, or Seagull Intelligence Agency, which has an unwieldy name because seagulls are pretty dumb and also don't get how acronyms work, but, since they are homophones, the two groups get confused a lot. Well, by seagulls.
Also, if you don't have any bread, stop waving your arms around.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:13 AM on January 6, 2016 [23 favorites]
i discovered the whelk on metafilter
*tries to unload even more fine tea products*
posted by The Whelk at 8:23 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
*tries to unload even more fine tea products*
posted by The Whelk at 8:23 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, that's totally not what a CIA mole would say.
So they've enlisted rodents into their ranks now?
posted by zombieflanders at 8:27 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
So they've enlisted rodents into their ranks now?
posted by zombieflanders at 8:27 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seagulls are just winged rodents, so that would make sense.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:44 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:44 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
the real discovery was the friends we made along the way
posted by poffin boffin at 8:44 AM on January 6, 2016 [30 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 8:44 AM on January 6, 2016 [30 favorites]
Oh, any "anti-seagull" comments I made along the way are present company excepted, of course!
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:45 AM on January 6, 2016
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:45 AM on January 6, 2016
I made this post about two little girls and a haircut a couple of years ago, which went viral and led to the publication of at least two children's books.
posted by gauche at 9:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by gauche at 9:02 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
Also metafilter is why I have a shiny new website thanks again you guys
posted by The Whelk at 9:04 AM on January 6, 2016
posted by The Whelk at 9:04 AM on January 6, 2016
I thought the Whelk was born famous
posted by sweetkid at 9:30 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 9:30 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
I wouldn't say were were exactly discovered with the whole Steven Slater thing, though, as bizarre and fun as that whole thing was. Nobody approached me with an album deal (or, let's be honest, with a pitch for a poorly-compensated recurring musical feature on a BuzzFeed clone), it was just a weird goofy couple days of internet coverage.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:32 AM on January 6, 2016
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:32 AM on January 6, 2016
damn now I want a book deal
posted by divabat at 9:37 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by divabat at 9:37 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Me! I posted my blog as a Project, it was popular, and then I sold it to the Lolcat corporation. I became a thousandaire because of MeFi.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:55 AM on January 6, 2016 [23 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:55 AM on January 6, 2016 [23 favorites]
it was just a weird goofy couple days of internet coverage
Like grains of sand, so are the posts of our lives.
posted by maxsparber at 10:13 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
Like grains of sand, so are the posts of our lives.
posted by maxsparber at 10:13 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
MetaFilter made me more obscure.
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 10:40 AM on January 6, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 10:40 AM on January 6, 2016 [11 favorites]
Not fame, but a discovery of sorts. I once made a jokey harsh comment about our local Romper Room hostess Miss Jean - and then I was contacted by someone who had worked with her at the TV station and liked her and they wanted me to defend my opinion as to why I would call her a "cold bitch." It made me feel very mean-spirited and made me aware that mefi's reach is broad and that should be considered when you make mean comments about people, even jokey ones.
But that cold bitch never did see me in the magic mirror and never called my name. Still bitter decades later.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [12 favorites]
But that cold bitch never did see me in the magic mirror and never called my name. Still bitter decades later.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:12 AM on January 6, 2016 [12 favorites]
oh i thought maybe you'd learned some lesson about not calling women 'bitches' in the intervening 13 years.
posted by sweetkid at 11:22 AM on January 6, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 11:22 AM on January 6, 2016 [12 favorites]
I got 15 minutes of fame. People made posters and faux trailers.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:23 AM on January 6, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 11:23 AM on January 6, 2016 [10 favorites]
In my case a post to Projects led to an FPP, which led to lots of reblogging, which led to media interviews, which led to a substantial book deal.
And then I bought a copy of that book without even knowing any of that!
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:32 AM on January 6, 2016
And then I bought a copy of that book without even knowing any of that!
posted by schoolgirl report at 11:32 AM on January 6, 2016
I posted Tufte CSS to Mefi Projects, it got picked up by Hacker News and became a FPP. This became a little attention across Twitter and it's brought me some work.
posted by daveliepmann at 11:41 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by daveliepmann at 11:41 AM on January 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
I believe Scott Adams has a popular comic strip now.
posted by uosuaq at 11:54 AM on January 6, 2016 [21 favorites]
posted by uosuaq at 11:54 AM on January 6, 2016 [21 favorites]
I believe Scott Adams has a popular comic strip now.
Then his chaotic plan was Certified Genius.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 12:08 PM on January 6, 2016
Then his chaotic plan was Certified Genius.
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 12:08 PM on January 6, 2016
My Art in the Goldfinch Pinterest board that I put on Projects got FPP'd and then picked up a bunch of places around the web, including the publisher's social media. It pops up every couple of months. Nothing particularly concrete came of it except other people liking it (and one person plagiarizing it), but that's a fun thing.
A Bustle writer said that I was "saving things from the fire of history" and now whenever my husband is like "are you fucking around on the internet again?" I'm like "NO I'M SAVING THINGS FROM THE FIRE OF HISTORY GO AWAY." It's my go-to response if people make fun of me spending too much time dorking around on the internet so that part is totally fun.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 12:08 PM on January 6, 2016 [39 favorites]
A Bustle writer said that I was "saving things from the fire of history" and now whenever my husband is like "are you fucking around on the internet again?" I'm like "NO I'M SAVING THINGS FROM THE FIRE OF HISTORY GO AWAY." It's my go-to response if people make fun of me spending too much time dorking around on the internet so that part is totally fun.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 12:08 PM on January 6, 2016 [39 favorites]
A piece I wrote on Medium about the Welfare System got an FPP, but not much came from it.
posted by SansPoint at 12:14 PM on January 6, 2016
posted by SansPoint at 12:14 PM on January 6, 2016
what I want to know is how many people have gotten laid thanks to Metafilter
surely someone
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:40 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
surely someone
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:40 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
wait! maxsparber is Astrozombie? mind=blown!
The best thing about the Steven Slater song was, as commented in the original thread, CNN having "Words by Astrozombie" on the screen during their news report.
posted by marienbad at 12:40 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
The best thing about the Steven Slater song was, as commented in the original thread, CNN having "Words by Astrozombie" on the screen during their news report.
posted by marienbad at 12:40 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
what I want to know is how many people have gotten laid thanks to Metafilter
I could have. I chose not to.
posted by Melismata at 12:42 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
I could have. I chose not to.
posted by Melismata at 12:42 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
I am only one of the Astro Zombies. I think Paphnuty might have been behind the others.
posted by maxsparber at 12:42 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by maxsparber at 12:42 PM on January 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
Who am I kidding. Paphnuty doesn't even know who I am. I was all of the Astro Zombies.
posted by maxsparber at 12:43 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by maxsparber at 12:43 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
I made a post about Jessica Hagy's doodles/cartoons, and she got a book deal out of it. This got me compared to someone who exploits sex workers, but I'm not sure why.
posted by hydrophonic at 1:01 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by hydrophonic at 1:01 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
maxsparber:
posted by charred husk at 1:05 PM on January 6, 2016
"Who am I kidding. Paphnuty doesn't even know who I am. I was all of the Astro Zombies."Are you sure you're not just Astro Zombie 3 and you ate all the other Astro Zombies?
posted by charred husk at 1:05 PM on January 6, 2016
I AINT SURE OF NUTHIN
posted by maxsparber at 1:16 PM on January 6, 2016
posted by maxsparber at 1:16 PM on January 6, 2016
Aren't we all just Astro Zombies, though, at the end of the day?
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 1:22 PM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 1:22 PM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]
He who shall remain nameless famous Chihuahua book.
Not sure if MEFI discovered but it's a hell of a read.
posted by clavdivs at 2:18 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not sure if MEFI discovered but it's a hell of a read.
posted by clavdivs at 2:18 PM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
You no soup for.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:43 PM on January 6, 2016
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:43 PM on January 6, 2016
For no soup you.
(from Alphabetical Seinfeld... Alpha is the new Yoda, "anything not that that there's with wrong")
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:06 PM on January 6, 2016
(from Alphabetical Seinfeld... Alpha is the new Yoda, "anything not that that there's with wrong")
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:06 PM on January 6, 2016
> I haven't had any discovered-via-MeFi moments specifically that I can recall
Garkov doesn't count?
posted by ardgedee at 4:10 PM on January 6, 2016
Garkov doesn't count?
posted by ardgedee at 4:10 PM on January 6, 2016
I am maybe being either confused or overly literal about my understanding of what "discovered" means, I guess.
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:16 PM on January 6, 2016
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:16 PM on January 6, 2016
It means, "Were they able to find you and hold you accountable?"
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 4:29 PM on January 6, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 4:29 PM on January 6, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'm pretty sure that "discovered" means that powerful corporations have legal teams examining your MF contributions.
posted by hippybear at 4:48 PM on January 6, 2016
posted by hippybear at 4:48 PM on January 6, 2016
"The Undiscovered Paralax Soup"
By Fishton Drum-Key.
posted by clavdivs at 5:52 PM on January 6, 2016
By Fishton Drum-Key.
posted by clavdivs at 5:52 PM on January 6, 2016
Jessamyn discovered me via an FPP I did about Bob & Doug McKenzie. I've been her sweetie for about eight years now.
Beauty way to go, eh?
posted by not_on_display at 11:34 PM on January 6, 2016 [18 favorites]
Beauty way to go, eh?
posted by not_on_display at 11:34 PM on January 6, 2016 [18 favorites]
Also wow lots of editors of publications read metafilter
Like lots and lots and lots.
posted by The Whelk at 8:09 AM on January 6 [5 favorites +] [!]
So I should pitch my noir mystery series about plumbers here?
posted by From Bklyn at 1:01 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Like lots and lots and lots.
posted by The Whelk at 8:09 AM on January 6 [5 favorites +] [!]
So I should pitch my noir mystery series about plumbers here?
posted by From Bklyn at 1:01 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Post your idea for it and we can help flush it out.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on January 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:29 AM on January 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
DON'T DO IT! IT'S A TRAP!
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 9:43 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things at 9:43 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY TOILET -- THE KIND OF CRAPPER THAT SMELLS LIKE A THOUSAND SHITS. I HEARD A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND THE VOICE OF A DAME. A REAL ANGRY DAME.
"COME OOOOON! I GOTTA GOOOOOOO!"
posted by not_on_display at 9:48 AM on January 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
"COME OOOOON! I GOTTA GOOOOOOO!"
posted by not_on_display at 9:48 AM on January 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
I posted an Ask about how to deal with my book's review quotes, and it got me two offers for film rights representation... still not famous, though.
But I know the Whelk.
posted by Mchelly at 10:07 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
But I know the Whelk.
posted by Mchelly at 10:07 AM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also wow lots of editors of publications read metafilter
Choire Sicha once told me he liked my writing on MeFi and to keep in touch, but I'm a lazy lazy lazy man and didn't. Still sometimes feel like that was a big ol' missed opportunity, but I probably never had the gumption (or craft) to be a professional. So it's possible, but you have to bring some skills to the table for it to pay off. #StoryOfMyLife
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:31 PM on January 7, 2016
Choire Sicha once told me he liked my writing on MeFi and to keep in touch, but I'm a lazy lazy lazy man and didn't. Still sometimes feel like that was a big ol' missed opportunity, but I probably never had the gumption (or craft) to be a professional. So it's possible, but you have to bring some skills to the table for it to pay off. #StoryOfMyLife
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:31 PM on January 7, 2016
Choire Sicha once told me he liked my writing on MeFi and to keep in touch, but I'm a lazy lazy lazy man and didn't.
What? Sorry I'm a little astounded by this. It's like Ira Glass being like "hey your voice tells stories in a really educational middle class intellectualish type way that captures a certain zeitgeist, record stuff maybe" and you were like nah.
I mean, sorry, but that's a pretty cool thing to let slide.
posted by sweetkid at 1:35 PM on January 7, 2016
What? Sorry I'm a little astounded by this. It's like Ira Glass being like "hey your voice tells stories in a really educational middle class intellectualish type way that captures a certain zeitgeist, record stuff maybe" and you were like nah.
I mean, sorry, but that's a pretty cool thing to let slide.
posted by sweetkid at 1:35 PM on January 7, 2016
I HEARD A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
I was reading my name on the frosted glass: S'NEM
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:36 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was reading my name on the frosted glass: S'NEM
posted by Devils Rancher at 1:36 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
I mean, sorry, but that's a pretty cool thing to let slide.
This was like years and years before The Awl was a thing. maybe even Gawker. He was just RJ Reynolds the cool MeFite to me.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:36 PM on January 7, 2016
This was like years and years before The Awl was a thing. maybe even Gawker. He was just RJ Reynolds the cool MeFite to me.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:36 PM on January 7, 2016
(and it was a really dumb thing to let slide.)
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:37 PM on January 7, 2016
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:37 PM on January 7, 2016
haha yeah. I guess it's less dumb then. But I keep in touch with EVERYONE almost.
posted by sweetkid at 1:38 PM on January 7, 2016
posted by sweetkid at 1:38 PM on January 7, 2016
Wait, wait. RJ Reynolds is Choire Sicha??? I gotta start clicking on profiles more often.
posted by Rock Steady at 1:47 PM on January 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 1:47 PM on January 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
Wait, we've got our own tobacconist?
posted by marienbad at 2:13 PM on January 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by marienbad at 2:13 PM on January 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
This is only tangentially related but! I'd posted an AskMe about looking for a cool job after an interview for a position at Dream Company seemed to go poorly, and someone who worked at Dream Company commented that they would get in touch with HR, and now I am sitting at Dream Company typing this! Hooray!
posted by masquesoporfavor at 2:44 PM on January 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by masquesoporfavor at 2:44 PM on January 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
IIRC, the woman that did the Indexed venn diagram jokes on Tumblr said she got a big fancy NYC book deal after it showed up on MetaFilter, and later Kottke, BoingBoing, etc. but I swear she said somewhere she got on MeFi first, and everything else followed.
There's also the guy that wrote a book on how car traffic works in the US, that all started with an Ask MeFi question. He mentions in the acknowledgements of the book, he posted the question, was surprised at how contentious the responses were, so kept writing about it and soon after got a book deal out of it.
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:42 PM on January 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
There's also the guy that wrote a book on how car traffic works in the US, that all started with an Ask MeFi question. He mentions in the acknowledgements of the book, he posted the question, was surprised at how contentious the responses were, so kept writing about it and soon after got a book deal out of it.
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:42 PM on January 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
here's the traffic book that spawned from MeFi
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:43 PM on January 7, 2016
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:43 PM on January 7, 2016
sweetkid, here are a couple links here and here.
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:56 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mathowie (retired) at 3:56 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Cool Papa Bell, I see that theory pop up online from time to time, and think "yeay, that came from a MeFite!"
posted by radioamy at 4:13 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 4:13 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
not_on_display, that's adorable
posted by radioamy at 4:16 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 4:16 PM on January 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
We hired tangerine via this Jobs post. Best decision we ever made.
posted by scrump at 5:45 PM on January 7, 2016
posted by scrump at 5:45 PM on January 7, 2016
This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: "Aren't we all just Astro Zombies, though, at the end of the day?"
I read this as "Astro Zambonis" at first, which has amused and delighted me for at least 10 consecutive minutes.
posted by scrump at 5:48 PM on January 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I read this as "Astro Zambonis" at first, which has amused and delighted me for at least 10 consecutive minutes.
posted by scrump at 5:48 PM on January 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I ran into Caspar Babypants (Chris Ballew) after my post about him. I outed myself as the guy who posted that and he mentioned that he got a lot of traction out of that. He'd been well known in Seattle for a while but afterwards began selling a lot more CDs across the rest of the country, was invited to play shows and tour elsewhere and had just been invited to SXSW. Later that day, he put me in charge of the "pyrotechnics" for his show's finale (pulling the tabs on some New Year's Eve poppers at the end of "Frogs"). Through completely unrelated channels, the drummer in my band ended up developing his iPad app which is awesome and everyone with a 4 year old and an iPad should go download it now.
Years later, we've been invited to a few private parties and we have original Kate Engle artwork hanging in our house. I got Caspar Babypants to play Macklemore's "Thrift Shop". Let it be known that he is not afraid to drop f-bombs in front of small children and their parents. Rock and roll, man.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:55 PM on January 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Years later, we've been invited to a few private parties and we have original Kate Engle artwork hanging in our house. I got Caspar Babypants to play Macklemore's "Thrift Shop". Let it be known that he is not afraid to drop f-bombs in front of small children and their parents. Rock and roll, man.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:55 PM on January 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I handed my extremely expensive former psychiatrist dozens of new patients and most likely hundreds of thousands of dollars in patient billings solely due to one comment several years ago that returns high in search results. It's the feel-good story of the year!
posted by RJ Reynolds at 9:31 AM on January 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by RJ Reynolds at 9:31 AM on January 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
I discovered Charlie Stross through metafilter and bought some of his books. Pretty sure he's famous now. No need to thank me.
posted by dazed_one at 10:43 AM on January 9, 2016
posted by dazed_one at 10:43 AM on January 9, 2016
Here's a source for Jessica Hagy mentioning that Indexed was discovered by her agent (edit: not publisher) via Metafilter.
posted by 1367 at 9:18 PM on January 9, 2016
posted by 1367 at 9:18 PM on January 9, 2016
Birchbox was a MeFi project.
I didn't know this started out as a MeFi project until I searched MeFi for mentions/reviews. I'd heard about it from a friend, and decided to get a gift subscription for my cousin. By that time, Birchbox was big, (big enough to have a slew of competitors and/or imitators).
it was interesting to read the thread's single comment, (summary: that unless customers have the "discretionary income" to buy the full-sized products, the subscription could seem pointless). Six years later, in a market full of thing-of-the-month boxes (and at least one business that facilitates the creation of thing-of-the-month businesses), I get the sense that buying the full-sized options isn't necessarily the point. It's more about getting a fun little box of surprises and treats, for about the price of a couple of lattes. It's like lipstick during earlier recessions. It's a low-cost, low-effort thing people can do to pamper themselves. Coming as it did during the recession, it's genius.
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 12:40 PM on January 11, 2016 [7 favorites]
I didn't know this started out as a MeFi project until I searched MeFi for mentions/reviews. I'd heard about it from a friend, and decided to get a gift subscription for my cousin. By that time, Birchbox was big, (big enough to have a slew of competitors and/or imitators).
it was interesting to read the thread's single comment, (summary: that unless customers have the "discretionary income" to buy the full-sized products, the subscription could seem pointless). Six years later, in a market full of thing-of-the-month boxes (and at least one business that facilitates the creation of thing-of-the-month businesses), I get the sense that buying the full-sized options isn't necessarily the point. It's more about getting a fun little box of surprises and treats, for about the price of a couple of lattes. It's like lipstick during earlier recessions. It's a low-cost, low-effort thing people can do to pamper themselves. Coming as it did during the recession, it's genius.
posted by Flipping_Hades_Terwilliger at 12:40 PM on January 11, 2016 [7 favorites]
My proposed mashup of JK Rowling and HP Lovecraft, Howie Phillips and the Necromancer's Stone, received precisely zero book offers but no cease & desist letters either, so it evens out.
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:43 AM on January 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:43 AM on January 12, 2016 [1 favorite]
Kattullus once found me at a bus terminal. Does that count?
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:54 AM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:54 AM on January 14, 2016 [2 favorites]
Violet Blue noticed me one time and read something I wrote into a camera. That was nice.
posted by the bird at the bottom of the tree at 9:56 AM on January 18, 2016
posted by the bird at the bottom of the tree at 9:56 AM on January 18, 2016
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posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 6:16 AM on January 6, 2016 [5 favorites]