HBO's Entourage Slams Citizen Media

First, I'm not slamming HBO's Entourage in this post. It's one of the best shows out there, and it's theme song often runs rampant in my brain. Plus, breakout star Jeremy Pivin's character Ari Gold is a Michigan Law School and Business School grad. BUT, last night's episode "I Love You Too" took an unflattering jab at internet reporters. The show description, with further annotation in italics by me:

Heading to a comic book convention to launch Aquaman, Vince decides that he overreacted in blackballing Mandy Moore from the film, but when she wants him to be friends with her fiancé, he can't quite play along. The situation gets worse when an influential Internet journalist (who happens to appear fat and geeky) starts asking questions about the co-stars' old fling, and Vince abruptly ends the interview. The Internet journalist (blogger?) then vows to destroy the movie by writing a bad review. Although the guy says he'll change his review if Vince & Co. give him $300,000 in cash, i.e. payola.

As the hero of Viking Quest, Drama is a big man at Comicon, and it's his acquaintances - a group of porn-stars turned comic heros -- that finally manage to turn the angry journalist around. Pay to play : ) After a visit from the Pussy Patrol, he deems Vince the perfect Aquaman, and the boys head back to L.A. to celebrate at a U2 concert, courtesy of Ari.

Where's Citizen Media proponent Jeff Jarvis' outrage? In the "real world" of bloggers, this guy's credibility would quickly vanish amongst his loyal readers.

But, that doesn't mean bloggers can't make money:

For one blogger, fun and profit (According to tax records filed by his employer, the Poynter Institute, Mr. Romenesko (blog: poynter.org/column.asp?id=45) received $169,187 in salary and other compensation in 2003, making him Poynter's highest-paid nonexecutive.)

UPDATE: August 11, 2005
Jeff Jarvis of Buzz Machine links to this post here. He's not outraged, he's entertained. And so am I.

HBO is lampooning Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News.