I received an email today from a gentleman named Jon Dodd. Mr. Dodd, it seems, came across an article I wrote for New York magazine in May 2004, about the increase in taxi cab fares. It's a harmless enough piece-- mildly snarky, sure, but also factual and well reported. Or so I thought. Mr. Dodd seems to disagree.

His email was subject-lined "You are the most obnoxious person alive." This is certainly an achievement, though I'm not sure how scientific his survey was. I can think of at least three people more obnoxious than me, but two of them are dead. They are: the philandering King Henry VIII, Ugandan tyrant Idi Amin and Joey Buttafuoco

He went on to to offer the following choice excerpts:

how can you live after writing the things you've written? Some of the most inane drivel Ive ever read, and of course, you: probably the most vapid, insipid writer ever...Talk about trash... but its not so much the content so much as its your tone. This tone of obnoxious entitlement. To actually say Friends reflects life in NY, Jesus. Were you being ironic?... Goddamnit. Why are you so obnoxious? PLEASE answer me, PLEASE tell me, I would like to know what events in your life led you to be this way. I want to know for 2 reasons: sheer morbid fascination, and to actively avoid the choices you must have made.

I do feel badly that my writing offended Mr. Dodd to the point of using explicit language and forcing him to question the rationale for my existence. I offer no defense or excuse, and I do respect his criticism. I don't get very much hate mail, though he may well be correct. As for his query regarding my reference to 'Friends': I have no recollection of doing so in any piece of writing, though if I did, Mr. Dodd, then, yes, it was done with ironic intent (though, apparently, poor execution).

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