#videoranch

(BUT IMPORTANT!!!!! only view this on PC because I fear as I am inexperienced with HTML she's impossible to navigate on mobile. forgive me.)

Michael Nesmith

9 December 2012 at 01:03

It may be that a brutish or loutish advance will ignite the passions in some, but I have found that the truest love has a gentleness, a tenderness, and a kindness that for me is the most attractive element of character.

I suppose we treat each other harshly with our permissions sometimes -- rough play, rough sex, rough language -- but even with permission, something goes wanting, and the small quiet voice is often silenced when it needs to be heard.

This is specifically why I don't enjoy pranks, ridicule, or mockery in humor. The practical joke is not a joke to me; never has been. I can't understand why we would knowingly make a fool of each other. It's hard enough when we really are foolish, but to be held up as a fool is torture. I know. I have been on the receiving end of many jokes. They do not make me angry -- they make me sad.

We are fragile creatures, all. We have very little time together in the scheme of things.  Should we not at the very least choose the graceful and courteous in our exchanges? By this I mean more than "just getting along". I mean the outreach of good will and trust, and the encouragement of appreciation and approval.

We are entering our gift giving season for the next few weeks -- revisiting old friends and distant relations -- and exchanging tokens of affection. I find there is much to learn here -- how to receive and give and how to avoid the sharp word and censure -- even if it is said in jest.

It has made me retake my own vows to be even more gentle, sensitive and careful with another's frail and unsuspecting heart.

Thank you for asking this question. It seems a lot of people have been wondering what is going on, and so here now is an answer from a direct source: A former Videoranch employee and friend of NP who wishes to remain anonymous. This is their telling of everything that has happened, which will hopefully help to shed a light on the goings-on:

“Nez founded VR as a humble little internet forum in the early 90s. From there, it grew into an online shop, and then a virtual world. He ran it with his former wife, Victoria, who essentially built VR3D from the ground up, with the help of a very small team. Eventually, they would go on to host virtual concerts within VR3D, a concept that he actually obtained a patent for, some years ago. 

For a long time, VR flourished and thrived. It grew into something rather impressive.When Vic left, a former “ranch hand” and long-time friend of Nez’s returned to take the helm. We’ll call her Neffie (her VR handle). Neffie ran things beautifully, and was consistently personable and professional. She was always available when needed, and always willing and eager to find solutions for problems. Nez came to rely on her, as she was basically running the entire show, practically single-handedly. 

A few years ago, the VR team brought in another very helpful person to take over the Foreman duties. We’ll call her April. April quickly proved to be an important asset, handling queries and comments from fans with remarkable grace and ease. She was also a pleasure to work with. 

Soon, a well-known Monkees “entrepreneur” was brought on to help increase sales. That’s another story in itself, but suffice it to say, that’s where things started to go downhill. 

Cut to about a year ago. 

Curiously, both Neffie and April decide to leave, almost at exactly the same time (April, a few weeks prior). They swiftly bring in a replacement for April– we’ll call him Jack. Who are we told is taking over the rest of the VR duties?

Why, it’s a fan. 

The very same fan who had been asked to leave her job as “moderator” on the short-lived VR forums, some weeks earlier. 

The fan who, without any real authority, muscled the only other moderator out of the picture when she didn’t like the way things were being done. 

The fan who had a well-established reputation on Tumblr years earlier for being a bully and a liar, and (curiously) expressing an extreme dislike for the Monkees and Monkees fans.

That fan. She was now going to be running VR, and serving as Nez’s “assistant”. 

At first, she was mostly detached from the inner workings, but it didn’t take long for her to become more and more controlling, obsessed with projecting a very specific, curated image of Nez. There started to be less interaction with fans, and less care for their feelings. It became more and more about a personal agenda. The friendliness was gone. The approachability was gone. VR now looked like any other Nez fan page. 

During the FNB Redux tour (about 2 months ago), the person who had been in charge of the social media pages for over 10 years (and who had quite literally built their entire online presence out of nothing), was inexplicably fired. No explanation, just, “we don’t need you anymore.”

This person was also one of three DJs who played music in VR3D on the weekends. Shortly thereafter, one of the 2 remaining DJs was also fired, for no real reason. The third DJ then quit out of protest. Just like that, all of the entertainment was gone. 

Anything you see on any VR/Nez page now is posted by this person, or by the other sales person. 90% of what you now see on Nez’s personal Facebook account is posted by her. She has sapped all the creativity and life out of VR to serve her own agenda. Just like with the forums, she got rid of anyone who disagreed with her, and now does the same to any fans by blocking them. 

This is not the way to run an online presence. It is ruining everything Nez spent so long working for. His fans that know what happened are leaving in droves. I realize that it probably isn’t that obvious to those who don’t know, but I really wish it were.