Live from Sundance: Steal Someone Else's Lines, Stu VanAirsdale!

We at Cinematical knew times were tough, but we had no idea how dire the economy really was until yesterday, when desperation drove Defamer's Stu VanAirsdale to STEAL MY JOKE. What's worse, he apparently involved other members of the Defamer staff in his heinous theft.

Defamer, the indispensable L.A.-based snarksite, published an item at 12:32 p.m. yesterday about how the press lounge at the Sundance Film Festival reflects the down economy: The complimentary beverages are all Shasta. Not Coke or Pepsi, but Shasta. "Shasta, the official cola of the recession!"

Yes, clever, very pithy. I recall Stu laughing when he heard me say it earlier that morning. I had just introduced myself to him as a Defamer reader and fellow blogger, and we'd had a friendly chat as we shared one of the large tables at which important film journalists such as ourselves assemble our piles of words. Another colleague, Erik Childress (keeper of the Criticwatch files), came over with a Shasta, which led to the discussion of Sundance only being able to attract Shasta-level sponsors, which led to my observation that "Shasta is the official soft drink of the recession."

So you can imagine my shock and dismay when I saw that line repurposed at Defamer yesterday. Strangely, the post was written by Kyle Buchanan, who is in Park City but who was not present for the scintillating Shasta discussion. Perhaps Stu mentioned the item to Kyle, who posted it without realizing part of what Stu had told him was STOLEN? I don't know. It is but one of the mysteries in this scandal.

Another mystery: How dare you, Stu VanAirsdale? And a third mystery: Have you no shame, Stu VanAirsdale?

Did you not think I might like to include that anecdote in my own blog?? If I were to do so now, any readers we happen to share would think I had plagiarized Defamer.

But we were going to take the high road and let the whole thing drop until we realized: If the situation were reversed, Defamer would DEFINITELY call us on it. They would call it ShastaGate 2009 or something, probably create a sarcastic graphic to go with it, and commenters would choose sides by saying, "Team Defamer!" That's one of the reasons we love Defamer ... and it's why a tear rolled down my cheek at 12:32 yesterday afternoon.