post in this thread every time uncle kage goes on a drunken power trip

[Jim Demintia]

They do; you just don't hear about it because they're not the "identity" types. I'm not saying CEO or whatever but you've basically hit the nail on the head. Having a career requires that people have respect for you. Respect requires professional conduct. Having a "lifestyle" is not professional conduct.

[Conan]

http://unclekage.livejournal.com/138084.html

Andy Runton has got to be one of the coolest and at the same time most genteel guests Anthrocon has ever hand. Millions of people out there enjoy "Owly," a bird who says very little yet speaks such volumes to all of us.

Andy (and Owly) could use a little help. They're using a very outdated version of Adobe Creative Suite and would so love to upgrade to something a bit more 21st-Century. Andy is too modest to ask for donations, but me, well, I have no shame. If you like Owly and you would like to help drag his artist kicking and screaming into the modern age, you can make a Paypal donation to andyrunton(at)mac.com.

I've made mine, modest though it is, because every little bit helps. I firmly believe that such a unique and cherished creation as Owly fully deserves our support, if only to keep his creator from going mad with the incessant "this version is no longer supported" boxes.

"Owly" is also very well merchandised and has appeared at several conventions (including Comic-Con), but even with the "millions of fans", the artist needs the help of the furry fandom to buy a $700 software package. And the man who's asking for the donations will fly himself and his parents first class to a furry convention in another country.

[Freehaven]

http://unclekage.livejournal.com/138084.html

Andy Runton has got to be one of the coolest and at the same time most genteel guests Anthrocon has ever hand. Millions of people out there enjoy "Owly," a bird who says very little yet speaks such volumes to all of us.

Andy (and Owly) could use a little help. They're using a very outdated version of Adobe Creative Suite and would so love to upgrade to something a bit more 21st-Century. Andy is too modest to ask for donations, but me, well, I have no shame. If you like Owly and you would like to help drag his artist kicking and screaming into the modern age, you can make a Paypal donation to andyrunton(at)mac.com.

I've made mine, modest though it is, because every little bit helps. I firmly believe that such a unique and cherished creation as Owly fully deserves our support, if only to keep his creator from going mad with the incessant "this version is no longer supported" boxes.

"Owly" is also very well merchandised and has appeared at several conventions (including Comic-Con), but even with the "millions of fans", the artist needs the help of the furry fandom to buy a $700 software package. And the man who's asking for the donations will fly himself and his parents first class to a furry convention in another country.

You know what's really sad about this?

It's actually going to work.

[Jim Demintia]

What does Kage get out of using his position for this sort of thing? He seems to have a habit of doing this, it's gotten him into trouble in a couple of instances IIRC.

Also, "genteel". Really? I have to say, I've never met Kage in person or seen him perform, or whatever it is he does. Everyone says he's a pretentious cock, and while I often come away with different impressions of people than most, I feel like this is probably the exact impression that I would get. He sounds like a fictional version of himself.

[Freehaven]

What does Kage get out of using his position for this sort of thing? He seems to have a habit of doing this, it's gotten him into trouble in a couple of instances IIRC.

He gets to look like a "nice guy" by "helping" another furry. The more gullible members of the fandom will donate towards getting this guy something wholly unnecessary for his immediate survival just because Kage is a "nice guy who helps furries".

God knows this guy couldn't just, y'know, save up the money to buy the program himself -- nope, furries gotta fur and help raise the cash for it because "OMG if I don't help this other furry I don't even really know then I'll be considered a bad furry!!!11!1".

I can understand donating towards somebody's immediate survival -- like, say, helping somebody get some food/temporary housing after a natural disaster -- but buying someone a pricey computer program for no reason other than they're in the same internet community as you is fucking ridiculous.

[Jim Demintia]

But he's out here risking his reputation for this; he puts a stake in every one of these posts he makes. If the person turns out to be a total flake or whatever, Kage looks bad. If he were to start making that into a pattern, it would hurt his reputation (theoretically). So from Kage's perspective it's kind of better not to do this, or at least not to whore out every random plea for money you see/are asked to whore out. I'm sure he gets a lot of them, since people listen to what he has to say for whatever reason.

Maybe he's just learned that it costs him nothing to stick his neck out in this manner; given that it's Kage, that's very possible. Perhaps this guy is just a buddy of his or something...IIRC Kage was whoring for donations for 2 Gryphon's plane tickets or something a while back.

Kage is not an altruistic person. He likes to be perceived as such, but there's always something in it for him, even if it is just accolades. I tend to think he gets that enough anyway; so there must be another angle. Who knows.

[Kindrift]

You say it'd hurt his reputation, theoretically.  Practice shows that isn't the case.  This entire thread shows that, a decade of public freakouts over the media and con ghosts hasn't harmed his reputation among his crusty bearded peers.  Con drunkenness, fan-funded trips to Europe, and his Dr. Conway/Mr. Rogue double identity haven't budged him from Anthrocon, even in the face of superprudes Xydexx-and-boyfriend.  Nothing's going to pry his hangers-on away from him short of acting like an adult.

That said, this can't backfire.  Conway's biggest fans are the braindead remnants of fandom who still go into fannish orgasms over Rescue Rangers, so this Nick Jr. level crap will serve their fetishes nicely.