Bubblespotting, ultimate reader tip edition: MeeVee got its sign for free, Yahoos booed their CEO, and Chad Hurley can't park
Readers sent in some great tips over the past 24 hours. Tipster #1 allays our fears that TV-listing startup MeeVee is blowing its cash on signage:
When I read this post about the MeeVee sign, I was curious to get the real dirt. I drove down to Burlingame and stopped in the office. After talking with MeeVee's CEO, I got the real scoop. They didn't pay a dime for the sign. It was donated by the building owner. You are correct about them not owning the building. They filmed the folks putting up the sign to use as a marketing video on their site. While the sign is difficult to see during the day, you will be able to see it from the 101 at night because it has a bright blue neon light inside it.
While I agree about crazy spending, and I've seen it all - this is a case where it is just not true.
The true sign of the bubble return will be the "re-opening" of South Park in S.F. and when start-ups begin renting out the XYZ Bar in the W Hotel for cocktail hour - oh for the good ole days.
Tipster #2 says Yahoo CEO Terry Semel faces a tough crowd at all-hands meetings:
I am a Yahoo employee. We usually have our quarterly all-hands the same day we announce our earnings. It starts out with a short monologue by Semel, that lasts no more than 5 minutes. Since buying Overture in 2004, Semel has always made it a point to put in the following sound bites in his monologues:
"Overture invented paid search, not Google."
"We are going to kick Google's ass in search."
At the last all-hands, when he dropped these sounds bites, a section of the crowd actually started booing. I'll bet he's not going to repeat these at the next all-hands next Tuesday!
This guy has got to be the most clueless CEO on the planet. His internet knowledge or lack thereof, has already been well documented. In addition, he appears to have zero business acumen. About the only thing he had going for him was charisma and personality, both of which are eroding faster than the
declining stock price here...
Tipster #3 accuses YouTube's co-founder of a little hit-and-deny. Hey, we won't take sides till we see pics.
A coworker of mine was hit by Chad Hurley yesterday in the Google parking lot, Chad denied the dent in his car was caused by him and a fight nearly broke out, apparently.
Got some gossip of your own? A sighting of the Bubble? An overheard line that teaches you more than three years in business school? IM heyvalleywag or e-mail tips@valleywag.com.