Did Brianna Wu use #metoo to slander Nolan Bushnell?

[bluemax]

This guy thinks so: https://medium.com/@Brad_Glasgow/the-metoo-fueled-character-assassination-of-nolan-bushnell-2405452b635d

[Tasty]

Who cares?

[team filler]

pong sucked and that brianna bitch ugly as fuck

[Positive Touch]

take this gamergater shit back to the dumpster

[Purple Filth]

who?

[TakingBackSunday]

this is gamer gate trash

[Kara]

Elaine Shirley talked about the party-like atmosphere at Atari in the 1970s. “Those were the times. Nolan Bushnell hit on women and they hit on him. If the MeToo movement was active when Atari was alive I think half our company would be charged."

Carol Kantor also talked to me about the hot tub. “[Bushnell] invited anyone to the hot tub who wanted to. It wasn’t a sexual thing. That’s the way it was in the 70s. Wasn’t Marin County known for hot tubs? It was a hot tub town. They were the in-thing at that particular time.”

There were drugs, there were hot tubs, there were relationships, and none of that would fly today. But none of it indicates a culture that was hostile to women.

lol

[Tasty]

OP is so fucking dumb lmao

[agrajag]

  you guys are something else

[tiesto]

Not giving the GDC award to Nolan Bushnell due to 70's socal hippy culture is the most ridiculous ess jay double-u stuff yet I've seen in gaming.

[bork]

Not giving the GDC award to Nolan Bushnell due to 70's socal hippy culture is the most ridiculous ess jay double-u stuff yet I've seen in gaming.

Amazing that they bent over backwards and stopped the award like that, especially with things like this:

Talking specifically about Brianna Wu, Loni Reeder said, “based on her political aspirations, personal assumptions, and libelous accusations against a man where no complaints have been raised or filed — she made a big, unfounded noise against Nolan — and the Pioneer Award honor was withdrawn.”

I exchanged emails with Loni Reeder for more information. She relayed the story of how she was hired at Atari. By the time she applied to their newspaper ad, she had heard that Atari was “the place to be.” She was determined to get the job, and interviewed with Nolan’s personal assistant, who Reeder describes as “the first empowered woman I’d ever met in an office environment.”

After the job interview, she was persistent and made numerous follow up calls to inquire about her status. When Bushnell’s assistant informed him of these calls, Bushnell said, according to Reeder, “give her the job, because she wants it the most. People who express that much interest and enthusiasm are always an asset to a company.” He also increased her pay.

She offered this story as an example of the work philosophy of Nolan Bushnell, from the perspective of a woman who worked with the man for years, and she would later co-found a startup with him.

WOW, WHAT AN ASSHOLE AMIRITE

Elaine Shirley talked about the party-like atmosphere at Atari in the 1970s. “Those were the times. Nolan Bushnell hit on women and they hit on him. If the MeToo movement was active when Atari was alive I think half our company would be charged. To my knowledge, no one ever did anything they did not want to do.”

“In truth,” she continued, “ I think there were at least the same or more aggressive women at the company.”

WOMEN ALSO HIT ON MEN?!  GTFO WHAT

As for Brianna Wu:

She followed this up with a tweet saying, “If I am elected to Congress, I fully intend to launch hearings on hiring bias against women and PoC in the tech industry. It’s time to hit this culture of silence and abuse head on.”

Hey, yeah, that's an issue that I'd like to see my tax dollars being spent on.  You know, because there's not more important things out there.

Another SJDubya moron pointing the finger at a guy she didn't work with about stuff that didn't happen decades ago.  Fuck outta here with that shit.

[bork]

Carol Kantor also talked to me about the hot tub. “[Bushnell] invited anyone to the hot tub who wanted to. It wasn’t a sexual thing. That’s the way it was in the 70s. Wasn’t Marin County known for hot tubs? It was a hot tub town. They were the in-thing at that particular time.”

Curt Vendel added, “Atari was synonymous with hot tubs. The 1272 Engineering building had a co-ed hot tub with a big tiled [Atari] Fuji logo on the wall. No one was forced. Yes, women were asked to come up to the hot tub and when they went in, they went in of their own choosing. This wasn’t a ‘do it or get fired’ type situation, nor was there ever anything like the horrible blackmailing and casting couch environment of Harvey Weinstein.”

Al Alcorn, the man who was in the hot tub, whose account was twisted by Brianna Wu to imply sexual harassment, denies her statement. Other employees say nothing improper went on with regards to hot tubs at Atari. So let’s move on to Brianna Wu’s next criticism.

So how is this even a thing?
 

[demi]

Nolan Bushnell probably did coke off a rack of tits back then, poor guy

[agrajag]

haven't we all Demi, haven't we all?

[demi]

Not me, I'm perfect sorry

[Joe Molotov]

The Bore is a hot tub forum. That's our thing. It's not sexual.

[Great Rumbler]

Carol Kantor also talked to me about the hot tub. “[Bushnell] invited anyone to the hot tub who wanted to. It wasn’t a sexual thing. That’s the way it was in the 70s. Wasn’t Marin County known for hot tubs? It was a hot tub town. They were the in-thing at that particular time.”

Curt Vendel added, “Atari was synonymous with hot tubs. The 1272 Engineering building had a co-ed hot tub with a big tiled [Atari] Fuji logo on the wall. No one was forced. Yes, women were asked to come up to the hot tub and when they went in, they went in of their own choosing. This wasn’t a ‘do it or get fired’ type situation, nor was there ever anything like the horrible blackmailing and casting couch environment of Harvey Weinstein.”

Al Alcorn, the man who was in the hot tub, whose account was twisted by Brianna Wu to imply sexual harassment, denies her statement. Other employees say nothing improper went on with regards to hot tubs at Atari. So let’s move on to Brianna Wu’s next criticism.

So how is this even a thing?
 

What's even more galling is that two of the people involved in this, when presented with inaccuracies in their posts on the subject, responded thusly:

[HaughtyFrank]

Unlike any of those gamergate conspiracies this ones actually pretty open and shut and it's very clear that Wu was just talking out of her ass because she desperately wants attention

[Kurt Russell]

So how is this even a thing?
 

This is a thing because every time we try to talk about it outside of the GG / anti-GG bullshit, as if by magic, the usual suspects assemble their defence force

Who cares?

take this gamergater shit back to the dumpster

this is gamer gate trash

OP is so fucking dumb lmao

...ad nauseum. This is de rigueur for any mildly controversial conversations. Shut it down with snark. Tis the Millenial way.

So yeah - this thread is pretty much a microcosm of how this is a thing. Any chance of nuanced, reasonable discussion is immediately drowned out by shit-heel spergers.

[Tasty]

Defense force?

Get fucked pissbaby.

[Kurt Russell]

Defense force?

Get fucked pissbaby.

Hey, if you want to get your jaws around some of that sweet sweet Wu cock, then it's your business. No judgement here. Just try and be a little less dishonest about it. You should white knight in good faith.

[Boredfrom]

Who cares?

This is one of the most shitty things that Wu has done, being honest.

[team filler]

ok, pong didn't suck.

[Tasty]

I couldn't give a shit about Wu and this situation does indeed sound shitty. You're crying about something that doesn't exist.

But careposting and then whining about it is just inviting derision, full stop. Lrn 2 Bore.

[agrajag]

Andrex, yours and the others' first few posts in this thread were straight up embarrassing. If you are not interested in the thread you can just not respond. But it seems a few of you have a knee jerk reaction to stifle discussion with the GG scarecrow.

[Tasty]

Andrex, yours and the others' first few posts in this thread were straight up embarrassing. If you are not interested in the thread you can just not respond. But it seems a few of you have a knee jerk reaction to stifle discussion with the GG scarecrow.

Huh? Don't put words in my mouth. I have a right to shitpost where I want.

[agrajag]

And I have a right to criticize you.

Brand New's post was the most embarrassing.

[team filler]

Takingbacksunday annihilated

[thisismyusername]

Not giving the GDC award to Nolan Bushnell due to 70's socal hippy culture is the most ridiculous ess jay double-u stuff yet I've seen in gaming.

I do think it's poor timing (#metoo and all), but hopefully in the next 2 years or so they'll give the award to him. Wither or not you believe harassment happened in those hot-tubs (I highly doubt it), he is/was a part of the industry's start and thereby should be celebrated.

[agrajag]

what are they gonna tell us next, that Miyamoto is a furry?

also, this was a failed opportunity for Reee to milkshake duck Nolan Bushnell

[Joe Molotov]

#MeWu

[agrajag]

Who even brought up Gamergate? The tards reeeing about it that didn't even read the article.

Any time there is blowback against some reeeing dumbass going on a ridiculous smear campaign, said blowback gets written off with "gamergate," and now you are guilty of it too, Wrath.

And the "I don't even like Wu but let's not talk about anything unpleasant" thing is played out. No one is forcing anyone to participate in these threads, but every topical thread has a right to exist.

[nudemacusers]

Nolan Bushnell probably did coke off a rack of tits back then, poor guy

But all the 70s full bush tho 

[agrajag]

Who even brought up Gamergate? The tards reeeing about it that didn't even read the article.

Any time there is blowback against some reeeing dumbass going on a ridiculous smear campaign, said blowback gets written off with "gamergate," and now you are guilty of it too, Wrath.

And the "I don't even like Wu but let's not talk about anything unpleasant" thing is played out. No one is forcing anyone to participate in these threads, but every topical thread has a right to exist.

It was always going to be a topic as long as Brianna Wu is involved, same happened in the RE thread.

I didn't say not to talk about anything unpleasant. I'm saying you can certainly attack Wu for being an idiot with her head shoved far up her ass but not for being trans. There's a difference there.

Ok and how many posts into the thread did Kurt come in with his transphobic comments? Did either the OP or the article contain any transphobia, references to gamergate or a #gamergate hashtag? So what justified the "OP is so fucking dumb" and "this is gamergate trash" comments? If you can look past that senseless hostility, I think you can look past Kurt's mildly offensive shitpost as well (after all, she most likely does have cock, I don't get the whole calling a penis pussy thing just because you're trans, a dick's a dick

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I get it, he's purposely reminding us that she has a penis as a slight against her, I just don't find it the most offensive thing ever

[close]

)

[agrajag]

I don't find it the most offensive thing either but it is pretty shitty. And I didn't talk about number of posts, you called something the most embarrassing post and I thought different. My point being that I actually agree that jumping on "GAMERGAAAATE" is stupid but it absolutely was going to happen here and a lot of the "other side" would be similar. I never asked to censor the topic, was just saying that the thread was always going to turn out that way, my comment on "being relegated to the RE thread" was a musing more than anything else.

Not sure why you expected higher discussion on this topic here, my point simply is it was never going to happen.

Well I felt that way before he posted. I find dogpiles and circlejerks repulsive, so we may just have slightly different values in what we see as the most embarrassing.

I found it weird how the initial reaction was in this thread, when I did bring up this topic in the RE thread, with very different results. Then again, no many of them except for Andy cross-post in that thread, for better or worse.

I honestly don't think we disagree much, I agree that the transphobic shit was a low blow, but what do you expect from a guy that postz Rebel Media links? So yeah, I alologize for lashing out at you bb 

[Positive Touch]

look at all these triggered motherfuckers

[bluemax]

I can't tell who is serious and who is parodying a GAF/ResetERA poster.

[Kurt Russell]

Nah, I don't even like Wu but the most embarrassing post in this thread is Kurt Russell attacking Wu because she's trans.

  No, that's not what happened. If it can even be classed as an "attack", then I was critical of her latest batshit insane attention grab. Her being trans has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I agree that the transphobic shit was a low blow, but what do you expect from a guy that postz Rebel Media links?

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/genetic

[team filler]

I had no idea she was trans, don't pay attention to that biaaaaaaaaatch. still 

[curly]

Well I felt that way before he posted. I find dogpiles and circlejerks repulsive, so we may just have slightly different values in what we see as the most embarrassing.

I found it weird how the initial reaction was in this thread, when I did bring up this topic in the RE thread, with very different results. Then again, no many of them except for Andy cross-post in that thread, for better or worse.

I honestly don't think we disagree much, I agree that the transphobic shit was a low blow, but what do you expect from a guy that postz Rebel Media links? So yeah, I alologize for lashing out at you bb 

Seems pretty understandable to not want the garbage from the rest of the forum coming into the relatively untainted video game side. Not every part of the internet has to be part of the unending debate about identity politics

[agrajag]

That's not what that was though.

[agrajag]

Nah, I don't even like Wu but the most embarrassing post in this thread is Kurt Russell attacking Wu because she's trans.

  No, that's not what happened. If it can even be classed as an "attack", then I was critical of her latest batshit insane attention grab. Her being trans has absolutely nothing to do with it.

I agree that the transphobic shit was a low blow, but what do you expect from a guy that postz Rebel Media links?

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/genetic

Stfu we're not in a formal debate. Only spergs post links to logical fallacies in casual conversations.

[demi]

I had no idea she was trans, don't pay attention to that biaaaaaaaaatch. still 

Would you have sex with a transgender person if you didnt know?

[chronovore]

The Bore is a hot tub forum. That's our thing. It's not sexual.

[tiesto]

Nolan Bushnell probably did coke off a rack of tits back then, poor guy

But all the 70s full bush tho 

FTFY

[etiolate]

[Raist]

what are they gonna tell us next, that Miyamoto is a furry?

Miyamoto only fantasizes about his ideas from 30y ago, sorry.

[team filler]

I had no idea she was trans, don't pay attention to that biaaaaaaaaatch. still 

Would you have sex with a transgender person if you didnt know?

If I know or don't know is whatever. If she's hot and trashy I want her.

[bluemax]

Kotaku decided to investigate: https://kotaku.com/sex-pong-and-pioneers-what-atari-was-really-like-ac-1822930057

[Kurt Russell]

Kotaku decided to investigate: https://kotaku.com/sex-pong-and-pioneers-what-atari-was-really-like-ac-1822930057

Woahh boy...

If it isn’t the women of Atari who paint a bad picture of Nolan Bushnell, it’s the culture he created there that, decades later, has mushroomed into something else.

Never knew that one of Atari's legacies was the introduction of a culture of sexism to the US. First the video games crash, now Weinstein? FUCKING SHUT IT DOWN. Bushnell confirmed shitlord. Pack him off to gitmo, boys.

[etiolate]

kotaku confirms kotaku as ideological trash

In the books chronicling video game history, Atari is painted like something of a frat house, a post-Summer of Love den of pot and sex. These stories weren’t secret whispers—they were tales told proudly by Bushnell and other Atari higher-ups to the historians looking for the inside tales of the game business. Strung together, they conjure a vision of a Mad Men-esque work environment, riddled with toxic power dynamics between men and women.

This is after a litany of former employee testimony detailing how they got job opportunities and were quickly promoted when they showed competence. Basically, progressive viewpoint is morally shocked by hippie liberation.

[Raist]

GDC: "Nolan Bushnell of Atari fame to receive an award for his career achievements."

Random social media-addicted nutjobs: "Bushnell getting an award? REEEEEEEEEEEEEE. HE'S A FUCKING MISOGYNISTIC CIS-HET HARASSING WHITE MALE PIG"

GDC: "Oh, our bad. No award for him then."

Bushnell: "OK."

Women who actual worked at Atari: "Huh, it was fine? Great place to work too, with lots of female employees, quite the rare sight back then especially in tech. Are you guys distinguished mentally-challenged or something?"

Kotaku: "Hold my beer."

[I'm a Puppy!]

Applying current social sensibilities to people in a different time, even if it's just a few years is in essence "babby's first social commentary" All of the self important gratification and social adulation, none of the risk.

[etiolate]

Kotaku also left out Brianna Wu's name when she was a firestarter in this.

Loni Reed went in on the kotaku writer afterwards.

[kingv]

I don't find it the most offensive thing either but it is pretty shitty. And I didn't talk about number of posts, you called something the most embarrassing post and I thought different. My point being that I actually agree that jumping on "GAMERGAAAATE" is stupid but it absolutely was going to happen here and a lot of the "other side" would be similar. I never asked to censor the topic, was just saying that the thread was always going to turn out that way, my comment on "being relegated to the RE thread" was a musing more than anything else.

Not sure why you expected higher discussion on this topic here, my point simply is it was never going to happen.

Well I felt that way before he posted. I find dogpiles and circlejerks repulsive, so we may just have slightly different values in what we see as the most embarrassing.

I found it weird how the initial reaction was in this thread, when I did bring up this topic in the RE thread, with very different results. Then again, no many of them except for Andy cross-post in that thread, for better or worse.

I honestly don't think we disagree much, I agree that the transphobic shit was a low blow, but what do you expect from a guy that postz Rebel Media links? So yeah, I alologize for lashing out at you bb 

Dogpiles and circle jerks?

Bukkake?

[agrajag]

kotaku confirms kotaku as ideological trash

In the books chronicling video game history, Atari is painted like something of a frat house, a post-Summer of Love den of pot and sex. These stories weren’t secret whispers—they were tales told proudly by Bushnell and other Atari higher-ups to the historians looking for the inside tales of the game business. Strung together, they conjure a vision of a Mad Men-esque work environment, riddled with toxic power dynamics between men and women.

This is after a litany of former employee testimony detailing how they got job opportunities and were quickly promoted when they showed competence. Basically, progressive viewpoint is morally shocked by hippie liberation.

It's almost as if they lived in a different time and judging the past through a context-less lense of post-millenial sensibilities is dumb as fuck

[agrajag]

Every single job I've had we've had employees going on dates and fucking. Harassers everywhere 

[etiolate]

To be fair to her, it would be kotaku writers asking her out.

[Raist]

Loni Reed went in on the kotaku writer afterwards.

(Image removed from quote.)

Goddamn that must burn

Also,



 

[HardcoreRetro]

I remember when the AVGN played Brianna Wu and the Drunkard Hu.

It was a pretty crappy game.