For decades, gadget pundit Leo Laporte, the host of a variety of internet and TV talk shows, has served as the neighborly face of technology. And just like some actual neighbors, he has a history of accidentally exposing himself. This time, his audience was treated to a photo of a penis, spotted among a collection of personal photos.
When we last checked in with internet tech explainer Leo Laporte a year ago, he was accidentally broadcasting screenshots of his sexy Google chats with his business partner Lisa Kentzell by cutting to the contents of his computer screen—"i still smell and taste you. i adore you. (12:13 pm)"—during his show. So what's he up to these days? The exact same thing.
Every month, Leo Laporte delivers technology advice to millions of people who download his podcasts and tune in to his syndicated radio show. He is, as one of his programs bills him, "The Tech Guy" whose digital savvy was recognized, near the dawn of the web, with an Emmy Award. But for all his expertise, Laporte still managed to clumsily broadcast an explicit Google chat with his lover, exposing the affair he's apparently been carrying on with his CEO.
NYU kids partied with ChatRoulette; sports fans imagined hacking ChatRoulette; and a 30 Rock guest star is ready to work at Fox News. The Twitterati toyed with worlds beyond their understanding.
Friday's Bear Hug Camp, a software developer's meetup to discuss Twitter-like "microblogging" services, proved Internet commenters can prickle even the grizzliest Web 2.0 advocate. "Steve Gillmor decided to look at feedback on the Twitter and Identica services," a tipster emailed. "After reading out loud multiple comments calling him an A**hole, as well as other choice words, Gillmor commented he didn't want to do this anymore and made Leo Laporte take over, despite Leo's plea for him to stay." We waited for the video. It takes forever to watch, so here's the summary: At 11:40 into Session 3, Gillmor packs up and walks off ("OK, take care..."), leaving the event in the hands of Laporte, a TV host turned videoblogger, but he returns at 1:22:15 to take over an API whiteboarding session. You can check out any time you like, Steve, but you can never leave.
Egobloggers Jason Calacanis, Robert Scoble as well as startup PR clearinghouse Michael Arrington all want to know: How amazing is it that after two years of using Twitter, they've each already got nearly half as many "followers" on FriendFeed after just a few months? Asking the question, each offer hypothetical answers involving the social-network aggregator's ease of use — "The comment systems is so fast and easy that it's perfect," says Calacanis — or Twitter's frequent outages — "Twitter downtime plays a big part," writes Arrington. But here's the real answer to the amazing growth these bloggers have seen on FriendFeed:
Stickam's rumored $100,000 signing bonus to woo nodcaster Leo Laporte away from live-video broadcasting startup Ustream.tv worked, as Laporte is officially working with the site, previously best known for emo camkids and a booming side business in pornography. Though I admit, Laporte drunk and out of control might make his show interesting enough to watch. [Mashable] (Photo by MR O)
Why is tech podcaster Leo LaPorte picking a fight with Digg's Kevin Rose? He's jealous of Rose's Twitter following, and is making it a requirement that his Twit.tv listeners drop Rose and add him on Twitter to be eligible for a giveaway. LaPorte later regretted the call for a Rose ban, saying he was "drunk and out of control." Isn't that a prerequisite for listening to a podcast, let alone producing one?
NICK DOUGLAS — While dust gathers on our old VHS copies of Pirates of Silicon Valley (for us, Noah Wyle's career hit its high point with his role as Steve Jobs), it's time to cast the sequel. Starring the Daily Show's Demetri Martin as Digg founder Kevin Rose, Jason Bateman as Diggnation co-host Alex Albrecht and Rush Limbaugh as John C. Dvorak, the show also includes stars playing Bill Gates, Rupert Murdoch, Merlin Mann, and Google's Marissa Mayer.
Gottfried the Intern wraps up another episode of Leo Laporte's online talk show, This Week in Tech.
The latest episode of This Week in Tech, Netcast Expo, in a nutshell: The Second Annual Podcast Expo was attended by 2500 people, featured lots of booze, innovative audio hardware and software, podcasters (who, Leo claims, prefer to be known as netcasters) pimping their wares while talking the token "grassroots community" line, and techies with an affinity for trash talking Apple and Microsoft. Web 1.0 is SO 90s.
Some people can't let up on AOL exec Jason Calacanis. Readers are begging for a mention of the Weblogs, Inc. founder's appearance on major podcast This Week in Tech. (One TWiT commenter wrote, "Keep that flaming drama queen off your show.") So here, instead of wasting over an hour listening, read these hastily scribbled Valleywag show notes. (If you really must hear, here's the mp3.
Another week of tech podcasts churned through the official Valleywag iPod. The verdict: suffer through a Laporte-less This Week in Tech and you can skip the rest.
Another Gillmor Gang podcast, another hour and a half of white guys saying "um." If your ears aren't bleeding within five minutes, you'll at least want to walk in and SHAKE these guys when they get distracted and start talking about Darwinism. Blogger (and Tinfinger CEO) Paul Montgomery says just what we're all thinking: cut it down! And Steve, shut up!
Geeks don't listen to the radio. They pop podcasts onto their ipods for the morning commute. So the best Silicon Valley news naturally comes on mp3, not FM. Here's a rundown of three of this week's tech podcasts, all hosted by alpha-geeks from the Bay Area.
