Sunday, October 14, 2007

baltimore sun article

The following are the bits of the Baltimore Sun article in which IHATECROCS is written about. We took up quite a bit more space in the article than I had anticipated. Also, she misspelled Kate's last name. But, I am quite pleased that this is the first time that a journalist has mentioned Matt's name. I've been telling that anecdote for every single interview and finally Matt's name got in.
A young woman waits demurely in a stark room. Before her on a table sit scissors and one half of a pair of Crocs.

For the next two minutes and 35 seconds, as a jaunty Cole Porter score plays, she takes scissors to shoe, shredding the rubbery yellow thing into sad little slivers. The slivers she pulverizes in a blender.

A smile never leaves her face.

The dismemberment, enjoyed by more then 60,000 people on YouTube, comes compliments of the folks behind Ihatecrocs.com, an Internet site dedicated to the elimination of Crocs and those who think that their excuses for wearing them are viable.

Though that mission is failing miserably -- sales of the pliable, holey, cloggish Crocs are as relentless as their fans evangelistic -- Crocs haters remain convinced of the shoe's in-your-face obnoxiousness. They want to cut them to pieces, burn them and feed them to woodchippers.

Woodchippers?

***

"They repulse me," says Vincenzo Ravina, who founded Ihatecrocs.com with his friend Kate Leth, the happy snipper. "They are to your eyes what secondhand smoke is to your lungs."

Cancerous?

Ravina's Web site tops 1,000 hits a day.

His products -- including the $17 T-shirt with the slogan "Friends Don't Let Friends Wear Crocs" -- have found devotees internationally.

***

Like many haters, ihatecrocs.com founder Vincenzo's aversion grew from feelings of helplessness -- he felt as if he had lost control.

One day "the weird kid" in class showed up with Crocs. Vincenzo snickered disparagingly with his friend, Matt. Two weeks later, Matt got a pair.

"And his girlfriend. And all my other friends," the Canadian college sophomore says. "I'm looking around and going, 'What's changed?'"

***

All Vincenzo knows for sure is that he'd love to stick a few pairs in a woodchipper -- if only it weren't so expensive to rent one.

Instead he's chewing over the idea of laying a Croc or two on the tracks before a speeding train.

"Like Snidely Whiplash," he says with undeniable enthusiasm.

In the meantime, he promises not to slip, like so many others, over to the Croc side. Even if they are anti-bacterial. Even if they do come in lavender. Even if they are as comfortable as people say.

"The comfort level required to overlook their extreme ugliness would have to be amazing," he says. "They would have to be like walking on a cloud."
Full article is HERE.

Also, we got an email in reference to the article that incensed me a bit. Here is the email and my subsequent response:
I just read the interview in the Baltimore Sun and then went to your website.

Wow... you guys are HARD-CORE!! If you guys focused your efforts on world hunger, everyone on the planet would have three square meals a day! Too bad you're obsessed with plastic shoes.

Maybe you should learn a trade instead of trying to call yourself a journalist. If all you can focus on is plastic shoes, then you'll be penniless soon.

Who's next - Nike, Adidas, Puma, Birkenstocks??

Best,
Scott in MD


Dear Scott in MD,

Precisely what do you mean by "trying to call [myself] a journalist"? I mean, I go to a school of journalism, I'm in the Honours program, I've written quite a few articles and I've been published a few times. I take notes constantly and I interview people. Now look up the word "journalism" and then the word "journalist".

Also, I can focus on more than plastic shoes. It just so happens that you visited the site of mine that is all to do with plastic shoes. Perhaps if you were to explore my personal website, you'd get a better idea of my varied focuses. As to your comment that I'll be penniless soon as a result of said focus on plastic shoes, I highly doubt it, as most of my income comes from, you know, working.

As a journalist, I absolutely hate errors of fact. I can't stand when people don't do their research properly. It is so easy. We live in an information age. Use Google. Please write back with more valid arguments or at least better researched ones and then we'll talk. And I do hope that you write back, honestly.

-Vincenzo
I'll keep you posted on his response.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hate ihatecrocs.com dot com.

Anonymous said...

Funny you should mention getting an email attacking you for daring to criticise crocs, lol. I got a comment from someone called Linda having a go at me for the same reason. I'll copy and paste it here, and notice the similarity in tone, that we are somehow at fault and should concentrate instead on the worlds problems. Socialists anyone? Notice the intolerant attitude again, lol.

"To complain about a pair of shoes is assinine. Kids are walking around with their pants halfway down their crack and looking like idiots with their blank expression, and blasting their senseless music for all to hear. You have the nerve to complain about crocs?!?!?? These shoes do not incourage drug use or the rash of 4 letter words that come out of some young adult mouths. You can't even take your children to the mall without hearing their sick language and gross body movement. At least you can find a safe haven in the store selling crocs. So get a life and put your energy into helping someone who is in need, or maybe visit a nursing home and make someone feel good again."

Hope it gives you a laugh, as it did for me. Sorry about the anonymous tag, Blogger is playing up with my password and won't let me sign in.

Anonymous said...

ummmm, is Scott in MD trying to imply that world hunger is a bigger problem than crocs?

just kidding.

P.S. safe haven in a crocs store? crocs stores only encourage suicide and cause blindness. that is no safe haven

Anonymous said...

Scott is a douche. I'm sure of it.

I found you guys from The Sun story and will share in your crusade. I blogged about a recent Croc experience here - http://regularguycolumn.com/blog/?p=176

I let my 7-year-old daughter wear her knock-off Crocs, but my wife and I are determined not to let it get much further. And she's only getting this pair because she's a girl.

Unknown said...

I love how many people say that you "spend your life" or some such nonsense making fun of Crocs. How much time do you ACTUALLY spend on this website, Vincenzo? An hour or 2 at MOST a week? Something along those lines, I'm sure.

Seeing as I know you in real life, I can certainly attest to the many other things you spend your time and effort on, aside from your crusade against little rubber shoes. Including, but not exclusive to: working, getting drunk, school work, attending school, shopping, being a good friend, drawing a web comic and *shock* BEING A JOURNALIST!

The hilarity, it kills me every time.

ciscalim said...

"They are to your eyes what secondhand smoke is to your lungs."

priceless.... keep fighting the crocs!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Scott, you tell 'em! I am in full support of what you said.

It really is a shame that this is the only think you can think of to do with your time. Two hours a week could do a lot of good in this world.

Anonymous said...

hey guys,

I was just looking though your store because I'm buying a t-shirt for my friend's birthday, and i was just thinking, why don't you guys have national "I hate crocs" day? A day where people buy shirts and buttons and wear them. If you already have a "i hate crocs" day I'd love to know when it is.

Signed,
Francine

KirkyDoo said...

Hey, my name is Kirk Spuhler. I have a blog at www.kirkspuhler.blogspot.com I am currently writing a blog about how much crocs suck, and I would like it if all of you checked it out.

Scrapbook1 said...

I happened across this website while looking for crocs. Are you serious? I have been quite amused; especially from the person who tried to walk down a slipper hill in crocs -- although, I am sorry about the broken bone. I guess I'll go finish my search of crocs. Thanks for the laughs!

Anonymous said...

i had a wonderfully ironic encounter with a crocs-wearing girl this morning. it's been raining here for about two and a half days now, and this morning while i was waiting for my class to start i happened across a young student with her feet in prison--i mean crocs--talking about how "practical" they were and everybody should have a pair because their keep your feet dry in the rain. i can't imagine how that would work, considering crocs have, you know, holes.

Anonymous said...

right on!
crocs suck.
and i was wondering, do you have to pay for the internet on an ipod touch?
send me a comment on my blog if you can.

good luck with your hate of crocs!

Unknown said...

er... "more then 60,000 people"? That sounds like the kind of error a 13-year-old would make in their blog, not an error you'd find in a (legit) in-print publication.

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Anonymous said...

Wow, I guess I'll have to stop wearing crocs.......oh, wait a minute, I forgot.....I DON'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MY SHOES, YOU SHALLOW PRICK!!!!

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bladder stones said...

They are to your eyes what secondhand smoke is to your lungs.

cabernet reserve said...

Instead he's chewing over the idea of laying a Croc or two on the tracks before a speeding train.

Anonymous said...

You guys are out of control... I can't help but laugh at the whole thing, haters and lovers alike!
For full disclosure, I was a hater too... for a looooong time... UNTIL... here it comes! My wife bought me a pair (in black, this is critical). Believe me, they are surprisingly comfortable and well ventilated.
I wear them a lot more that I ever thought I would. Not for dates, clearly, or for doing anything else other than walking around at home and/or walking the dog.
I would never wear them as a fashion statement, or for that matter in any color other than black. I want to enjoy the comfort and mask their ugglyness(is that even a word?) as much as possible.
So maybe we can say that whoever wears them in order to try and look cool, is a moron, but those of us that wear them because they are very comfortable and try to draw as little attention to them as possible, are not so bad...
Of course, that is what I say...hehehe...