BoingBoing Gadgets vs. AT&T

Joel Johnson, former ed of Giz and buddy, went on a small internet television show, decked out Leno style with a real band, an audience and a full staff. He was brought on to talk about the cheery and harmless subject of gadgets (how cute!) but instead, turned it into an audience participated bitch fest against AT&T’s plans to filter the internet and wiretapping. They called cut after he hijacked the segment, and made him do a second take. It appears they called cut because all that lavish setup, the musicians and the gear and the space, all were paid for by AT&T, the sole sponsor.

The producers tried to explain to me that Hugh doesn’t work for AT&T and shouldn’t have to speak for them. I told them I understood that, but that the show is entirely underwritten and distributed by AT&T, so it seemed like a reasonable place to discuss AT&T’s plans.

That segment would have been buried, but Joel brought along Richard Blakeley (Yes, That Richard Blakeley) to film the segment, so you could see it here. I won’t go so far to say AT&T is evil, but I will say that they have a lot of power and a lot responsibility to do what is right for everyone who pays for their service. Never hurts to remind them of that. On a show they pay for. Especially since our requests for interviews have been shuttered until AT&T can figure out what their policy is going to be. [BoingBoing Gadgets]

P.S. That Digg badge links to the original BoingBoing Gadgets piece, so click on it, will you?