***please note updates to the post at 6:22 PM MST 9/15/10
On Monday, my community of readers read and widely circulated  The Bitch Slap: How to Date in Denver When You’re a D-Bag. They commented – on Facebook and the post itself – and I responded (as I always do). My comments policy is this: if it ain’t spam or stupid, salesy, self-promoting nonsensical crap, it gets posted. I don’t mind differing opinions and I love a good debate. My way isn’t the only way and I invite and encourage sharing of thoughts and ideas. I respond whether you agree or disagree. As of this morning, Mr. Hollenback still has not personally responded to the blog and has offered no response on Twitter. The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle has not responded to my letter to the editor, either (though someone there DID allegedly, who said it landed in their “cyber trash heap”). It sure makes a body wonder if The GCCC holds all of their readers and community members in such high regard. Notwithstanding evidence to the contrary, it would appear that this community newspaper considers Mr. Hollenback an asset. Hmmm.

I received what you’re about to read below in my inbox last night. After reading it, I asked two trusted colleagues for guidance. What should I do? Should I delete it, post it, ignore it, take a shower? I asked for their opinions and ideas about alternatives. I was against deleting it (in spite of its inherent venom). And they agreed.

The comment’s author is Don Wrege. If you click through to Mr. Wrege’s website (listed at the bottom of this post), you’ll see his company, MediaWhore, is somehow affiliated with Clear Channel (via KHOW 630AM). As is Mr. Hollenback (via – strangely enough - KHOW 630AM). Huh. MediaWhore is right there, one rung above Hollenback. (***please see notes below for an update***)

I’m not going to jump to any conclusions. I’m not going to make any assumptions. I’m not going to imagine or even remotely suspect that these two men actually know one another. After all, I’m female and dysfunctional (see Mr. Hollenback’s column referenced in Monday’s post). But I am confused. I’m wondering if Clear Channel condones this kind of rhetoric from their employees and affiliate stations. They have a pretty clear ZERO TOLERANCE policy (clearly spelled-out on their website as well as in this article discussing potential talks with Howard Stern). It just seems odd to me that this kind of thing would ever be okay with them. And maybe it’s not. I’d love to hear their perspective.

The following is UNEDITED, and includes racist and other highly offensive language. Me? I can take any swing at me on a personal level with a shaker of salt. But apparently, this is who stands up for Mr. Hollenback. I can’t imagine that they don’t know one another (working at the same radio station and all…on the same radio show). But have a read.

Additional disclaimer: If you ask HOW I could post this and offer it bandwidth given the nature of what you’ll read, here’s how: people talk like this – and they mean it. And this is who Hollenback, I’ll venture to guess, asked to speak for him. While there’s going to be a fair chunk of you who say this should have been resolved with a delete button, I’ll let the rest of you have your way with Don Wrege.

I couldn’t give three fine frog hairs what Don Wrege thinks of me. People spew every day and in every available venue, and it’s the venue with which I took issue. A community newspaper delivered to my mailbox. And now, Hollenback and Wrege want to play the “I work with/for Clear Channel” card. Comments like the one below aren’t satirical, funny or direct. They’re misguided and sick. I just want you to see for yourselves the game Hollenback plays.

And it’s not a game. These are words, directed at me, women like me and women in general. At fathers and men of every age. And they’re vile.

And for the record, I’ll stand by liking Fresca

********

From: Disqus

Subject: [redheadwriting] Re: The Bitch Slap: How to Date in Denver When You’re a D-Bag

Date: September 14, 2010 7:05:46 PM MDT

To: Erika Napoletano

NOTE: This comment is waiting for your approval. It is not yet published on your site.

======

Don Wrege <*EMAIL DELETED*> (unregistered) wrote:

Greg – Here are my thoughts on your column:

GREG: “Remember, women are wired to be dysfunctional by nature . . .”

Whoo boy! We’re off and running in the second paragraph! Cool!

GREG: “Your approach is everything. Your first impression and getting a woman to go out on a date with you is half the battle.” And this is where I know I lose the battle. You have my complete and total reading interest at this point… “Lastly, hot modern women are flight risks . . .”

LOL!!

GREG: “…women are little flowers looking for the strongest seed to pollinate them. Be strong and safe out there….”

Oh my god…I can’t wait to read the reaction to this.

FIRST IMPRESSION COMMENT

You have spoken the Great Truth my man. You have unearthed some Sacred Secrets known only to the Masters of the Craft which have heretofore been buried in obscure religious texts and old dusty issues of Penthouse and Playboy. You are performing an IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVICE (or maybe an important pubic service) to young and old men everywhere. Now…let’s see what Ms. Napoletano (if that is her real name) has to say about it.

oh oh…

NAPOLETANO: “It’s NOT war in the world of man-meets-woman. Perhaps for the douchebags who would read your column and take your advice as the holy grail, . . .”

Methinks you have pissed the young lady off….and such course language…

NAPOLETANO: “This line actually made me spit Fresca. ”

Okay, let’s talk first about a woman who DRINKS FRESCA. My guess, and this is just a guess, is that it’s because –  as everyone knows – Fresca tastes just like carbonated sperm. But she obviously is aware of this fact. And, just reading this far, it’s obvious why she spit it out instead of swallowing it. I know the type. But I must soldier on…for your sake Greg.

NAPOLETANO: “How about if I came out and said that every guy is a chauvinistic, self-absorbed, cheating, infantile, commitmentphobe dickhead?”

Well, EriKa, I wouldn’t argue with you. And by the way, did your hippie parents give you the name EriKa (spelled stylishly wrong) because they had some drug-fueled dream that somehow you would be different from the herd? Unique in some way? And all you got out of it was a weird spelling of your name, yet you’re the same pitiful regret-filled bitch that you characterize as “psycho pussy” roaming the streets of Denver? (I notice she didn’t provide any helpful numbers or email addresses for this category of young woman, dammit.) Is EriKa the proverbial pot calling the fun chicks black? And if so, exactly WHAT does she have against black chicks I’d like to know.

Onward.

NAPOLETANO:  ”Really? We’re not “dating” anymore? Well, slap me and call me Myrna.”

Okay, she’s obviously in to the Rough Stuff. I’ve met the type. Usually I will not abide by this kind of request, as I prefer to talk my women out of self-hating behaviors like getting slapped or otherwise physically abused. But the “call me Myrna” thing is a dead giveaway. EriKa is obviously so traumatized by her Rainbow Parents saddling her with a ”different” name (she was probably teased and taunted mercilessly in high school) that she wants to be punished physically and called her great grandmother’s name of “Myrna,” as if a more pure spirit is reaching out to her from the grave.

Greg, this woman needs my help. But I soldier on through her drivel.

NAPOLETANO: “I’m going to a site that allows me to connect with MEN in order to explore future romantic involvement.”

Wait a minute. Just earlier in her hysterical rant she mentioned “sharing a life together.” So which is it
EriKa? Involvement? Or SHARING A LIFE, which pretty much means the death of hope for guys, to quote Woody Allen. Get off the fence EriKa, either you want it hot and now, or you want it cold, lifeless and forever. Your choice  Myrna! .

NAPOLETANO: “After you’ve been dating a girl for awhile, you can “hang out” with her on the couch.”

Actually, EriKa, it “hangs out” of my zipper.

NAPOLETANO: “My girlfriends’ favorite pastimes include things like cycling, hiking, climbing, knitting, salsa dancing, charity work, going to a Rockies game and working in the garden.”

Jesus…she left out watching PBS, wiping senior citizens’ asses and walking blind kids around the
block. Give me a fucking break – her girlfriends’ main hobby is texting and checking their makeup (when they aren’t talking about EriKa behind her back). Cycling? Maybe the kind that involves blood and napkins… Oh, and EriKa? They really aren’t you’re friends. You’re always the last to know these things aren’t you?

NAPOLETANO: “Great relationships are borne out of mutual attraction, timing, circumstance and…that “thing.”

That “thing”? What, has she forgotten how to spell “wallet”? It’s spelled w-a-l-l-e-t  Myrna! .

NAPOLETANO: “Hmmmm…how am I going to jack with his/her head so they know how much I like them?”

Okay, now she’s getting real. Yes Myrna, jack with my head. The little one. Faster.  FASTER! Okay, thank you. Now swallow your Fresca!

NAPOLETANO: “I am not a flower. Women are not flowers. We are women, . . .”

Well, EriKa, let me just step in for Mr. Hollenback here and say he was being polite on purpose. Of course women aren’t flowers. Far from it. They are open gashes of festering diseases and bottomless black holes of emotional need. But I felt Greg’s poetic interpretation was far prettier than the ugly, stinking, oozing truth. Look in the mirror EriKa. Look in the mirror and weep.

SKIPPED – the imaginary version of how she spends here day (because in reality, she gets up around 10am, scratches her ass, checks her email, looks in the mirror and then curses God on high that she woke up as HER again – then has a fattening snack to ease her psychic pain).

NAPOLETANO: “If children are in the mix, it’ll happen.”

Oh yeah? Dream on bitch. You’re thirty-fucking-SEVEN – and that’s just if you’re telling the truth! Any crotch fruit you spawn will have very oversized foreheads. You missed it lady – the clock ran out. While you were “being liberated,” and chasing your imaginary career, the16 year old illegals were having the HEALTHY babies. You might be able to punch out a Yuppie Puppie with autism due to the age of your shriveled womb and your worn out Cougar Jerky if you’re lucky. But it’s a long shot, and word to the wise: the sperm bank doesn’t take debit cards, girlfriend.

NAPOLETANO: “But I don’t need pollination. I’ve never met a woman in my thirty-seven years who did.”

No honey…you need IN VITRO FERTILIZATION at your age. Because no man-juice is going to make the horrid trek up your ancient withered caverns to find the goddam lost tomb, no matter how energetic his sperm cells. You’re outdated cheese woman. Face it Myrna! , FACE IT!

Again Greg, this woman obviously, desperately needs my help. But she’s a little old for my liking. I could make exceptions Greg, but only on your direct recommendation. As you know, I don’t like to waste my time on the
crazies. But the Psycho Pussies? Oh yeah!

User’s URL: http://www.mediawhore.com

IP address: *deleted*

*****

Have something to say? Here’s how to do it (though I can’t guarantee that the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle will care to hear from you):

UPDATE: I’ve had a very productive conversation with Joe Bevilacqua, Director of Programming for Denver with Clear Channel Communications. Greg Hollenback is, indeed, an employee of Clear Channel and the producer for the Peter Boyles Show. His company’s statement is that they would caution Mr. Hollenback’s references to his affiliation with Clear Channel in outside interests he pursues (such as his column in the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle). However, they will not censor Mr. Hollenback for his words in said venues unless it does material damage to Clear Channel’s reputation.

Clear Channel indicates that Don Wrege is an employee of Media Whore, which is owned by Peter Boyle (this, I cannot confirm, but the MediaWhore.com home page seems to indicate such). Media Whore is not a Clear Channel employee/company, either. Thus, if you have issue with Don Wrege, you could contact the Peter Boyle Show at KHOW 630AM per Clear Channel. If you have issue with Greg Hollenback, Clear Channel’s clearly stated their case – send your attention towards the editors at the GCCC. A HUGE thanks to Clear Channel for an open dialogue. While we can’t argue that Hollenback and Wrege are “buddies,” keep your comments flowing in the most productive directions. Sweeeet.

Contact the Editors at the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle
(The community newspaper that publishes Hollenback’s column)
newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com
Phone: 303-312-1808

Contact the Morning Show at KHOW 630AM (choose Peter Boyle, per Clear Channel’s instructions)
(The Peter Boyles Show indicated that Media Whore – Wrege’s gig and the website he linked the above comment to -  is affiliated with the show per their landing page)
Main phone: 303-713-8000