Former World of Warcraft Team Lead Mark Kern issued a warning that Kotaku and its parent company G/O Media are opening themselves up to lawsuits as they unleash editor Alyssa Mercante to dig up dirt on YouTuber Melonie Mac and others.
Mark Kern via Sodapoppin YouTube
Kern’s comments came as part of a lengthy thread that stemmed with Mercante sending out a call for dirt on Mac.
As shared by YouTuber Nerdigans Mercante originally posted a call for anyone with connections to “a prominent female Twitch streamer/gaming personality who leans very hard into Christianity” and also implied Melonie Mac is prejudiced. “DM me or email me at link in bio.”
Mac responded, “You know, you could always just talk to me if you want. But it looks like you’d rather find people who don’t like me to help you formulate some hate and lies to fit a narrative you’ve inevitably made up in your head for your witch hunt.”
Mercante responded by confirming her original post was about Mac. She wrote, “Hi Melonie! I would love a chance to talk to you. My email is in my bio if you want to reach out, I planned on sending one your way early next week as it’s EOD for me. Thanks!”
Mac replied, “Judging by your tweet and lack of tagging me in it, your intentions appear to be in bad faith. But I sent an email, happy to chat!”
p9cker_girl on X
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Kern began his thread writing, “Kotaku Editor Alyssa Merante (@Alyysa_Merc) has a weird grudge against Melonie Mac and wants to fight her.”
He continued, “Now she has convinced Kotaku to let her write a hit piece on Melonie, calling out to anyone with rumors for ammo. This is not journalism, it’s anger, and a power play.”
Kotaku Editor Alyssa Merante (@Alyysa_Merc) has a weird grudge against @MelonieMac and wants to fight her.
Now she has convinced @Kotaku to let her write a hit piece on Melonie, calling out to anyone with rumors for ammo.
This is not journalism, it’s anger, and a power play.🧵 pic.twitter.com/wt4O4BfuTr
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
He then explained his assertion, “Kotaku’s editor-in-chief resigned, leaving a power vacuum at the top. Alyssa and Carolyn Petit are the only editors left and would be next in line for the EIC promotion. Alyssa has convinced G/O Media to let her continue to write ‘news’ while Kotaku pivots to gaming guides.”
“She cites how her prior hit-piece on KabrutusRambo was the 2nd highest traffic article on Kotaku. She likely leveraged this to get G/O Media to agree,” he continued.
Kotaku’s editor-in-chief resigned, leaving a power vacuum at the top.
Alyssa and Carolyn Petit are the only editors left and would be next in line for the EIC promotion.
Alyssa has convinced G/O Media to let her continue to write “news” while Kotaku pivots to gaming guides.… pic.twitter.com/K8rS2SvP4B
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
Next, he noted that Mercante is attempting to build up her own profile in the wake of her hit piece on KabrutusRambo, “As Alyssa fights over the scraps at Kotaku, she has been very busy drumming up PR for herself. A combination of nerd-baiting tweets and an interview tour with CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp) and Nerds of Culture is an obvious attempt to curry visibility.”
“It is failing,” Kern added. “The interviews have almost no views and a huge dislike ratio. But G/O Media may not be looking that closely, only noticing she is getting a higher profile.”
As Alyssa fights over the scraps at Kotaku, she has been very busy drumming up PR for herself.
A combination of nerd-baiting tweets and an interview tour with CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corp) and @NerdsofCulture is an obvious attempt to curry visibility.
It is failing. The… pic.twitter.com/soSTPk40jw
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
READ: Kotaku Editor-in-Chief Jen Glennon Resigns
Kern then shared a screencap of a couple of posts from Mercante and opined, “Now Alyssa has seemingly gotten Kotaku approval for not just ONE hit-piece, but a slew of them targeting any prominent Gaming Personality or Youtuber. If she can get enough traffic, she might be able to save her job and get the EIC position at rapidly fading Kotaku. ”
“She seems to be starting with Melonie Mac because of her Christian values that ignited her first angry tweet at Mel in 2023,” he noted.
Now Alyssa has seemingly gotten Kotaku approval for not just ONE hit-piece, but a slew of them targeting any prominent Gaming Personality or Youtuber.
If she can get enough traffic, she might be able to save her job and get the EIC position at rapidly fading Kotaku.
She seems… pic.twitter.com/IGe0RdvfEM
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
Next, Kern shared some advice for Mac given she’s communicating with Mercante, “I highly suggest Melonie Mac refrain from giving Alyssa any airtime. Anything she says is going to be cherry-picked, reframed and twisted to serve the obviously slanted story Alyssa is preparing to write.”
At this point, Melonie and Alyssa appear to be e-mailing and, presumably, giving comments.
I highly suggest @MelonieMac refrain from giving Alyssa any airtime. Anything she says is going to be cherry-picked, reframed and twisted to serve the obviously slanted story Alyssa is… pic.twitter.com/tY57RpTl50
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
Kern concluded his thread by sharing his tactic to defeat Kotaku and his warning of possible lawsuits “The best way to defeat Kotaku is to starve them out and not give them any traffic. Let them switch over to game guides and fade away in a year.”
“But I also have a word of caution for G/O Media and Kotaku,” he continued. “If they allow Alyssa Mercante to write these smear articles, they had better be prepared. G/O Media’s Deadspin was killed off by the Chiefs fan lawsuit.”
“Given Alyssa’s propensity to lie, Kotaku and G/O Media are likely to open themselves up for legal liability as she goes after prominent gaming personalities. Alyssa could not just cost Kotaku it’s news section, she could cost them millions of dollars in damages and kill off Kotaku forever,” he concluded.
The best way to defeat Kotaku is to starve them out and not give them any traffic. Let them switch over to game guides and fade away in a year.
But I also have a word of caution for G/O Media and @Kotaku
If they allow Alyssa Mercante to write these smear articles, they had… pic.twitter.com/xQ4XeLcaub
— Grummz (@Grummz) March 23, 2024
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G/O Media most recently sold off Deadspin to Lineup Publishing and laid off the entire staff. Jim Spanfeller the CEO of G/O Media announced the decision in an email earlier this month.
As reported by TheWrap, he wrote, “I have some news to share regarding one of our sites in the G/O Media portfolio. Recently we were approached by the European firm Lineup Publishing expressing interest in purchasing Deadspin to add to their growing media holdings. Lineup Publishing is a newly formed digital media company described in their words as dedicated to creating, acquiring and managing high quality media brands across a variety of sectors.’ After careful consideration, the G/O Media board of directors has decided to accept their offer.”
“I do want to make it clear that we were not actively shopping Deadspin,” he continued. The rationale behind the decision to sell included a variety of important factors that include the buyer’s editorial plans for the brand, tough competition in the sports journalism sector, and a valuation that reflected a sizable premium from our original purchase price for the site.”
Jim Spanfeller via Big Think YouTube
Spanfeller then revealed the entire staff was being laid off, “Deadspin’s new owners have made the decision to not carry over any of the site’s existing staff and instead build a new team more in line with their editorial vision for the brand. While the new owners plan to be reverential to Deadpin’s [sic] unique voice, they plan to take a different content approach regarding the site’s overall sports coverage.”
“This unfortunately means that we will be parting ways with those impacted staff members, who were notified earlier today,” Spanfeller went on.” I would like to thank them for their hard work and efforts that helped make Deadspin stand out in the crowded sports media space.”
Jen Glennon via Kotaku YouTube
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“As I mentioned at our all-hands meeting in December, we are always actively reviewing our portfolio and operations to make sure we are prioritizing resources to best meet the needs of our readers and advertisers,” he wrote. “Although we are seeing some improvement so far this year on the advertising front, and I am cautiously optimistic this will continue, we are cognizant of the need to focus on the core sites we feel can best prosper in the current and future media business environment.”
“These decisions are never easy, but this represents a step to keep G/O Media focused, nimble, and financially sound into the future,” Spanfeller concluded.
Jim Spanfeller via IAB – Interactive Advertising Bureau
The sale of the website came after it was sued by the family of a 9-year-old Kansas City Chiefs fan who was accused of wearing “blackface” by Deadspin Senior Writer Carron Phillips.
The lawsuit, which was filed in February, states, “The Article falsely alleged that H.A., (the 9-year-old fan) had ‘found a way to hate Black people and the Native Americans at the same time.’ It alleged that H.A.’s parents, Shannon and Raul, ‘taught’ H.A. ‘racism and hate’ at home. It intentionally painted a picture of the Armenta Family as anti-Black, anti-Native American bigots who proudly engaged in the worst kind of racist conduct motivated by their family’s hatred for Black and Native Americans.”
It continues, “The problem with Phillips’ Article: literally none of it was true. H.A. did not wear blackface. “Blackface” is “dark makeup worn to mimic the appearance of a Black person and especially to mock or ridicule Black people.” Before this controversy, nine-year-old H.A. had no idea what blackface was or the racist history behind it. And he certainly did not wear black paint on half of his face to mimic or mock Black people. He is a child, and until Deadspin and Phillips’ malicious accusation, it never occurred to nine-year-old H.A. that a person could hate another for the color of their skin. The truth is that H.A.’s face was painted in Chiefs’ team colors, black and red, split down the middle—just as myriad fans and team regalia have for decades.”
Carron Phillips via Sister Circle TV YouTube
The lawsuit accuses G/O Media of three counts of defamation per se and two counts of defamation by implication.
The family is seeking “actual and presumed damages to be specifically determined at trial; awarding the Armenta Family punitive and/or exemplary damages; awarding the Armenta Family a narrowly-tailored injunction prohibiting the republication of any statement or image adjudicated to be false and defamatory; awarding the Armenta Family all costs, disbursements, fees, and interest as authorized by law; and such other and additional remedies as the Court may deem just and proper.”
H.A. via The Young Turks YouTube
What do you make of Kern’s warning to G/O Media and Kotaku?
