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Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse extends mercy to noted blogger/molester

AICN has been in sharp decline for many years with most of its best writers like Drew McWeeny having moved on long ago.

And Harry Knowles is just a slob who got lucky by being first and then squandered that lead by being lazy and full of his own shit.

Go visit AICN right now; I dare you. The place feels like a website from the late 90’s.

Also, if you want a whiff of the real Harry Knowles, consider this:

He claims that his father knew Tobe Hooper and that they arranged for Gunnar Hansen – dressed as Leatherface – to appear at his birthday party when he was two years old before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in theaters.

In fact, Harry is such a glory hound that he felt the need to insert that little anecdote into the Marilyn Burns obituary his site ran:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/68284

Problem is, it never happened.

Both Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen publicly refuted that bullshit story.
 
In the sense that it might not even be connected, the guy you were basing this on apparently doesn't have shit but an ability to get kicked out of facebook groups for asking questions in a shitty manner. Where'd you even get that this was going to be a Daily Beast story anyway?

I'm not sure what you mean by "basing this on." I only found out about that dude's tweets after I posted what I had heard from people who would know. I actually know all the players involved, but don't use twitter.
 
Probably. He was definitely the first Internet Person I remember hitting the mainstream. He was on Ebert's show IIRC, and there was a brief period where Hollywood really courted him. He's arguably a bigger name than DF, even though Knowles' career seems in the tank while DF (pre-one year ago) was possibly going places.

I recall Entourage made a Knowles parody during the Aquaman storyline. Long, long ago.
 

killroy87

Member
AICN has been in sharp decline for many years with most of its best writers like Drew McWeeny having moved on long ago.

And Harry Knowles is just a slob who got lucky by being first and then squandered that lead by being lazy and full of his own shit.

Go visit AICN right now; I dare you. The place feels like a website from the late 90’s.

Also, if you want a whiff of the real Harry Knowles, consider this:

He claims that his father knew Tobe Hooper and that they arranged for Gunnar Hansen – dressed as Leatherface – to appear at his birthday party when he was two years old before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in theaters.

In fact, Harry is such a glory hound that he felt the need to insert that little anecdote into the Marilyn Burns obituary his site ran:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/68284

Problem is, it never happened.

Both Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen publicly refuted that bullshit story.

The thing that really bugs me about Knowles is just how terrible a writer he is, and that's his job. He's a very, very poor writer, always has been. When the head of the site can't construct a paragraph, it kind of colors the rest of the work.
 
The thing that really bugs me about Knowles is just how terrible a writer he is, and that's his job. He's a very, very poor writer, always has been. When the head of the site can't construct a paragraph, it kind of colors the rest of the work.

Yep, he's atrocious.

So bad that the quality of the shit he pumps out - in those rare instances when he actually publishes something - have been a running joke in the talkbacks for years.
 

border

Member
Would Knowles be considered the first internet infleuncer(god i hate that word)?

I think he probably had a broader reach than anyone else at the time, as far as film/geek culture went.

Outside of that sphere, Matt Drudge was probably a bigger influencer......though his work isn't exactly what you think of when you picture some Youtuber shrieking as he unboxes a Mass Effect Andromeda Collector's Edition.
 
AICN has been in sharp decline for many years with most of its best writers like Drew McWeeny having moved on long ago.

And Harry Knowles is just a slob who got lucky by being first and then squandered that lead by being lazy and full of his own shit.

Go visit AICN right now; I dare you. The place feels like a website from the late 90’s.

Also, if you want a whiff of the real Harry Knowles, consider this:

He claims that his father knew Tobe Hooper and that they arranged for Gunnar Hansen – dressed as Leatherface – to appear at his birthday party when he was two years old before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in theaters.

In fact, Harry is such a glory hound that he felt the need to insert that little anecdote into the Marilyn Burns obituary his site ran:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/68284

Problem is, it never happened.

Both Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen publicly refuted that bullshit story.

Considering that the behind the scenes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was basically pure insanity it cracks me up to imagine the cast and crew showing up for a fucking birthday party. Does his uncle also work at Nintendo?
 

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
AICN, where the writing consisted of sexual and scatological figures of speech.
 

erlim

yes, that talented of a member
AICN has been in sharp decline for many years with most of its best writers like Drew McWeeny having moved on long ago.

And Harry Knowles is just a slob who got lucky by being first and then squandered that lead by being lazy and full of his own shit.

Go visit AICN right now; I dare you. The place feels like a website from the late 90’s.

Also, if you want a whiff of the real Harry Knowles, consider this:

He claims that his father knew Tobe Hooper and that they arranged for Gunnar Hansen – dressed as Leatherface – to appear at his birthday party when he was two years old before The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in theaters.

In fact, Harry is such a glory hound that he felt the need to insert that little anecdote into the Marilyn Burns obituary his site ran:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/68284

Problem is, it never happened.

Both Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen publicly refuted that bullshit story.

I got to meet Harry at fantastic fest last year, and he was pretty much just telling me his accomplishments. That said, he was definitely not with the higher ups like Tim League, and was just happily checking out movies with his dad.
 
I think he probably had a broader reach than anyone else at the time, as far as film/geek culture went.

Honestly, is it really that surprising that we ended up where we are, culturally/politically, when the birth of the most commonly used communication device as we've come to understand it was basically midwifed by these two fucks?

These two were the princes of the wild west days of the internet and the rule of the day was "don't feed the trolls."

And you wonder how entire armies of disgusting angry men got where they are almost completely unimpeded.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if AICN simply got dropped this year because they were always going to get dropped this year because AICN and Harry Knowles are basically an old skin tag they can safely remove now.
 

R-User!

Member
Honestly, is it really that surprising that we ended up where we are, culturally/politically, when the birth of the most commonly used communication device as we've come to understand it was basically midwifed by these two fucks?

These two were the princes of the wild west days of the internet and the rule of the day was "don't feed the trolls."

And you wonder how entire armies of disgusting angry men got where they are almost completely unimpeded.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if AICN simply got dropped this year because they were always going to get dropped this year because AICN and Harry Knowles are basically an old skin tag they can safely remove now.

What device: forums, cellphones, the internet?

And no, it is not surprising that we've gotten to where we are via the path that was laid out in the beginning.
 

norm9

Member
The AICN crew were definitely, imo, the cool nerds. They had an enthusiasm for movies and pop culture that I think in hindsight could be seen as more of like crazy fanaticism. They were also one of the only sights I visited for films besides imdb and their forums, so they were dstinctive and eye opening to me about the power of the internet.
 

SeanC

Member
The AICN crew were definitely, imo, the cool nerds. They had an enthusiasm for movies and pop culture that I think in hindsight could be seen as more of like crazy fanaticism. They were also one of the only sights I visited for films besides imdb and their forums, so they were dstinctive and eye opening to me about the power of the internet.

Oh certainly. I mean early on I don't know many that didn't go to AICN. It was a new thing. But they never grew or learned or tried to improve, just kept doing the same thing. The community became better but that site is one step away from being a Geocities blog site in Comic Sans.
 

Slayven

Member
Oh certainly. I mean early on I don't know many that didn't go to AICN. It was a new thing. But they never grew or learned or tried to improve, just kept doing the same thing. The community became better but that site is one step away from being a Geocities blog site in Comic Sans.

Goddamn
 

kirblar

Member
The AICN crew were definitely, imo, the cool nerds. They had an enthusiasm for movies and pop culture that I think in hindsight could be seen as more of like crazy fanaticism. They were also one of the only sights I visited for films besides imdb and their forums, so they were dstinctive and eye opening to me about the power of the internet.
moviepoopshoot.com, 2001. Who knew that was a harbinger of a living hell to come.
All this talk about AICN, do we have any idea what exactly happened regarding them and Fantastic Fest?
Not until whatever story's clearly lurking out there drops.
 
There it is (via Indiewire):

When Fantastic Fest kicks off today in Austin, it will open without at least one long-time supporter: the influential fan site Ain't It Cool News has been dropped as a sponsor, and founder Harry Knowles will not be attending the festival. The move is the latest development in the still-unfurling Alamo Drafthouse controversy surrounding the re-hiring of former Birth.Movies.Death editor-in-chief Devin Faraci after he was accused of sexual assault last year.

Knowles confirmed the decision in a phone call with IndieWire today, adding that Fantastic Fest co-founder Tim League would be sitting out the festival as well.

...

He added that his decision was partly motivated by accusations about his own activity. ”There was a rumor about me and an ex-girlfriend that felt ugly," he said. ”They're a complete fabrication and lie."
 

kirblar

Member
Doesn't actually say all that much. Mostly its just Knowles saying he didn't know anything and nothing bad ever happened. Not that I am trusting all of this but that didn't really shine much of a new light on things.
That story Knowles is alluding to is clearly out there, it's just a matter of when it drops.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
That story Knowles is alluding to is clearly out there, it's just a matter of when it drops.

Yeah I get that but the posted article is just him denying everything which is what I meant, and not at an all unexpected response from him considering what might be going down. I thought it'd have something a bit juicier.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I had to laugh at Knowles bringing up the fact he is in a wheel chair as one of the reasons nothing bad could have happened.
 

-griffy-

Banned
I submit as evidence A: I'm in a wheelchair. How could I possibly have contributed to a culture of misogyny while being in a wheelchair? Also, my best friend wife is a girl.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I submit as evidence A: I'm in a wheelchair. How could I possibly have contributed to a culture of misogyny while being in a wheelchair? Also, my best friend wife is a girl.

How am I even supposed to grope someone from a wheel chair? I mean come on!
 

JB1981

Member
Harry Knowles sent me and all my buds to the world premiere of The Two Towers at the Ziegfeld in NYC. We attended the after party and everything. I even wrote an article for the site. It was one of the great experiences of my life. For that I will be eternally greatful to him
 

Slayven

Member
Man the hill of ants that was kicked over by trying to slide his boy in the backdoor.

A lot of shit much have been bubbling up for years
 
Harry Knowles sent me and all my buds to the world premiere of The Two Towers at the Ziegfeld in NYC. We attended the after party and everything. I even wrote an article for the site. It was one of the great experiences of my life. For that I will be eternally greatful to him

What if he turns out to be a touchy, creepy shithead like Faraci? You wouldn't think any less of him?

Not trying to pull a "gotcha!", I'm genuinely curious.
 

killroy87

Member
Just so I'm super duper clear; do we have reason to be making jokes about Harry Knowles being a perv?

I personally, before today, have literally never heard anything of the sort. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened, I just know how the internet works and we might want to squash this topic until it becomes an actual thing.

Edit: There it is
 

okdakor

Member
j9SxWog.jpg
 

kevin1025

Banned
This thing just keeps getting worse, yikes.

Is Knowles one of the people that chooses what plays at the fest? Even though he was dropped as a sponsor, he was mentioning watching all of the movies a week or two back and commenting on them.
 
These stories of Harry back in the day have been around. Heard some strange stories. He's probably a sack of shit.

As for his writing. It's legendarily bad but that's not the issue. It's his legendarily bad opinions. Fat fuck just likes every movie and haS to personally relate every movie to himself. I actually really enjoy how poorly theyre written. But no one would ever take his opinion seriously.
 

Moose Biscuits

It would be extreamly painful...
Ok it's a bad denial, but I'm wondering how is this denial related to the story?

He groped me... no no we were confidantes? Like ok? Even if you were tight as peas, what does that have to do with her accusation

Could it perhaps be a pre-emptive "don't shit on this person all over social media" thing? You could argue that if he's telling the truth and it is an untrue accusation that he doesn't have to give a shit what happens to her, but that's not a good look.
 
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