Setting THE RECORD Straight

I am no longer writing my “Here’s Johnny” column for The Cliffview Pilot. It was a good run, and I enjoyed it very much. My former editor at The Cliffview, Jerry DeMarco, seemed like a good guy, but he’s very lost and confused right now. For awhile there, he was supportive of me and my goals, however, he showed his true colors as being a complete control freak. It got to the point where he felt that I was supposed to consult him if I decided to use the bathroom, and if I didn’t, I was considered a “backstabber.” What happened was, I had a telephone conversation with Bill Ervolino, columnist for The Record, and he took that as somehow me being disloyal to him since I didn’t ask his permission before Bill and I chatted. Jerry wrote all kinds of nasty things on his facebook page about me and wrote a horrific, lies-filled blog on his “Borough 6” site. (I wrote back to that blog in an attempt to defend myself from his mean-spirited remarks, however he did not have the guts to post my response there.) I still feel compelled to give my side of the story—it’s just really not cool to have your name dragged through the mud. Below is my response to his blog titled, “I knew it was you all along, Fredo”

Allow me to clear up a few things here...
Bill Ervolino and I have been talking for years, long before I ever hooked up with Mr. DeMarco. I didn’t realize two adults needed permission from a third party to speak to one another—especially about a topic that the third party has nothing to do with. I’ve been a longtime reader of The Record and Bill’s column, despite Jerry’s disapproval of me reading such a “lame, boring, directionless publication.” I guess I blame that on my ignorance. That being said, I understand Mr. DeMarco was “shit-canned” from The Record and there are obvious bad feelings there. Yes, I was a columnist at The Cliffview Pilot so there could have been a direct conflict of interest if I was going around outwardly promoting the fact that I liked The Record (or trying to write for them.) I know it’s Jerry’s goal in life to stick it to The Record by trying to be the first to publish breaking stories. That all being said, I could understand Jerry being a little upset if Bill and I were collaborating on some breaking story for The Record behind Jerry’s back. But the fact is, Bill and I were talking about “Jersey Shore” and Guido life (stuff I personally have a lot of insight and interest in) for a column Bill was writing. Big deal. Jerry even acknowledged (in his own “sour grapes” way) the fact that this was not an act of us sneakily trying to get some “you read it here first” article before him with the second line in his opening rant: “Leave it to The Record to be weeks behind the curve.” Here’s the thing though…I was not OWNED by Jerry DeMarco or The Cliffview Pilot. If I wanted to write a column for The Record, that’s my right and I didn’t need his permission or approval. Jerry is a control freak and expects his UNPAID columnists (who promote his site, help him find advertisers and work for him for free) to be his puppets. Because I knew how bitter Jerry was over his departure from The Record, I courteously—as a friend—told him that I had spoken to Bill Ervolino. I did not want Jerry to think I was trying to ditch The Cliffview for his archrivals (even though, as I said, that is my right even if I wanted to do that.) Yet I guess in Jerry’s mind, that’s what was going on. Funny how that was so far from reality. The kicker in all of this is that Bill’s column has not even been written or published yet. Jerry just somehow assumed that if my name appeared in Bill’s story that The Cliffview would not be mentioned. So instead of waiting to see, he completely flipped out and spewed insult after insult on facebook and now on this (Borough 6) site. I’m sure he ruined any chances of his site being mentioned now, and Lord knows he could have used the exposure. Jerry is lucky I haven’t filed a lawsuit for defamation of character. I did nothing wrong here and have been loyal to him from day one. I deserve a public apology. Jerry is so worried about being hurt that he wants to be the one to preemptively hurt others. And he seems to like to slander his own people. This is the second time he has lost a columnist. If he doesn’t start treating people with respect he will have no more columnists, and eventually no more site. Jealousy and insecurity are not good qualities and when you exhibit them time after time, you will find yourself completely alone, with no colleagues or friends. Maybe he can find what he is looking for at Starbucks.

http://borough6.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/i-knew-it-was-you-all-along-fredo/