Justice! Loyalty! Courage! Three elements in very short supply at BeachGrit.

Rory Parker: “Why I quit!”

Derek mealy-mouthed! Chas "unpleasant!"

(The following appeared as a comment on a previous BeachGrit post from Rory Parker)

Sweet jesus, I just want to put this shit behind me (and hopefully cash in if Derek and Chas manage to make this thing work.) But because Derek was kind enough to make sure I was aware of this piece…

I agreed to write a number of articles for BG in exchange for a small piece of the company. After I’d passed that point Derek and Chas were not willing to begin paying me, nor give me more equity. Furthermore, Chas wanted to use BG to promote a bunch ‘grit’ spin-offs and felt that it was terribly unfair when I expected to be included.

In the beginning there were lots of kind words about being ‘partners’ and a ‘team,’ but when push came to shove they made it clear they’d always considered me an independent contractor.

I should’ve quit then, but I let Derek talk me into hanging around with a bunch of vague promises. Because I truly enjoyed writing for BG. It was fun.

Until it wasn’t anymore.

If I’m being totally honest, a few kind words would have been enough to keep me around. But that was too much to ask for.

Chas loves to play up the fact that he’s an unpleasant person. And he truly is. Rather than being a partner in the site I loved I found myself working, for free, for someone I can’t stand.

So I quit.

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Real Miki Dora
Real Miki Dora
9 years ago

Where are you gonna go Ron? Stab? The Inertia? Please start your own thing, I would love to see a competitor to BG and Stab rise from the ashes. Would be fun

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
9 years ago

Well, that’s embarrassing.

Neal Kearney
Neal Kearney
9 years ago

Best article you’ve ever written Chas! Here Here!

longtom
longtom
9 years ago

I couldn;t find anything current there: just old articles from the Grit and podcasts.

Is there any fresh writing around from Rory? Rory?

DrunkenAngel
DrunkenAngel
9 years ago

if anyone deserves a bigger cut it is us commentators and moderators. am i right or am i right ‘team’? we ARE the influencers … the wit … the brains trust … and the goddamn clicks … we are seo gold. without us this shit show is just a shit show. now where the fuck is our cut or we’re on strike you capitalist huffington post bastards!

Otto
Otto
9 years ago
Reply to  DrunkenAngel

At the very least we should be able to affix a value to our efforts and write it off on our taxes as some charitable donation. It would be interesting to see what would happen if we crowd funned (as opposed to funded) this shit and did a day blackout of comments. Who would flinch first? Would C&D cry to the sky for some spiritual intervention by Ramessess II?

Otto
Otto
9 years ago

For a father who rightfully got concerned about weirdos saying fucked up shit about his daughter, you sure talk about rape a lot. You know, that dog you threaten to rape is some bitch’s daughter too!

Otto
Otto
9 years ago

Is that why you can’t stay away?

Funtclaps
Funtclaps
9 years ago

I have nothing to say. I just want to have been there on this day.

longtom
longtom
9 years ago

is Rory writing anywhere at the moment? I went looking for him at the Inertia and could only find a year old listicle.

Manuka
Manuka
9 years ago

More and more this resembles a Venezuelan soup-opera. Culebrón!
And, I really like it.
Also, thank you Chas and Derek for making us part of it. I feel the BG commenter is the more experienced, slightly chubby lady leading to a good ending on a threesome.

Justin Illusion
Justin Illusion
9 years ago

Rory, face the facts. threesomes just don’t work for you

Antipodes
Antipodes
9 years ago

Maybe the ‘grit should set up an office in North Korea. I heard from Rip Curl labour is pretty cheap.

Noa's last dart
Noa's last dart
9 years ago

Mick C just whipped up a piece at stab, whens the blood feud for that one coming out?

Tom
Tom
9 years ago

I just read it – and maybe his best writing??

longtom
longtom
9 years ago
Reply to  Tom

the one about 10’s?

Tom
Tom
9 years ago
Reply to  longtom

yep but it seemed like there were elements I had read before

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
9 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Not even close.

Tom
Tom
9 years ago

Felt he was a little bit freer and unshackled – didn’t mind it

longtom
longtom
9 years ago
Reply to  Tom

I felt the opposite, if there is one undisputed benefit to writing for the Grit, it is that freedom and unshacklededness is encouraged.

Tom
Tom
9 years ago
Reply to  longtom

OK read it again – I don’t mind it, but get your point!!
It is comparing apples to oranges – the writing on stab I generally don’t like as much – the comments are classic sometimes mind you. BG is looser and freer yes. Maybe I felt his piece was for him freer from pressure of writing here!! Maybe he had to try harder here sometimes in a way, because the writing generally more poignant and funny??
I’m in 2 minds but he gone anyway……..
We do need few more writers popping up tho

Chazz Michael Michaels
Chazz Michael Michaels
9 years ago
Reply to  Tom

Funny, I read the complete opposite. Admittedly I skimmed the latter part because:
1. The topic was boring.
2. It seemed like he was trying to hard to make an impact with his first effort and it came across as formulaic/prosaic.
3. He seemed to be toeing some kind of line that he couldn’t quite distinguish.

What worked with some of his BG posts was the freedom. All that’s gone now.

Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
9 years ago

Who gives a flying fuck , so fucken childish Jesus christ

cuttiesandfloaters
cuttiesandfloaters
9 years ago

Rory’s wife made rory ask
for a slice of the gritty pie,
but with main ingredient mayhem
and a sprinkle of sharpeye,
the dough was wafer thin
and indescribably dry.
So evil daz n chaz tried moistening
with a profit share lie,
on which our haole home-husband
choked and left no goodbye,
to pen words of longboarding
with performance so high,
this is what it sounds like
when avatars cry.

Bleach'd Git
Bleach'd Git
9 years ago

With all the ration vouchers Derek and Chas have saved with Mikey’s exit, maybe they can buy the cycling bear a ticket to Struga?

longtom
longtom
9 years ago

This is like some deadbeat version of BladeRunner where all the Beachgrit writers get knocked off over time once they reach their use-by date.

Who’s next.

And can we have Townes Van Zandt “no place to fall” playing over the closing credits.?

Chas Smith
Chas Smith
9 years ago
Reply to  longtom

Yes. And who was your fav?

longtom
longtom
9 years ago
Reply to  Chas Smith

Honestly?
Rory when he covered the Womens Big wave event at Jaws.

NEGATRON
NEGATRON
9 years ago

Entitlement & money, two of my least favourite subjects.

dickie toledo
dickie toledo
9 years ago

what a week!

Otto
Otto
9 years ago

Why is it that Derek comes away from this sort of smelling like roses? The narrative suggests Chas being the unscrupulous bastard that shit on Rory right and left. Rory is a grown man. A fucking grown man! Getting taking advantage of is no one’s fault but your own Rory! They made it clear Rory was an independent contractor. All warning signs on the wall pointed towards “Walk Away!” But Rory didn’t. Why? Cause Derek sold Rory on some bullshit promises that Chas was unwilling to sell Rory himself. Yet, this reads like Chas martyred Rory. Rory said he couldn’t stand “someone”, not ‘someones’.

What are the equitable shares at BeachGrit? Equal shares Derek and Chas with Rory having some fractional interest? Logic would think Derek has a majority stake. If so, is Chas really to blame here?

woof
woof
9 years ago
Reply to  Otto

would our Derek let what happened at stab happen again?

Mariano Landa
Mariano Landa
9 years ago

Best part is that every American surf writer I can name is maintained by their wife.

I’d imagine that Michael Ciaramella has a very, very lucrative contract.


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