10 Freaky Fetish Fair Items, Repurposed Away From Perversion

• Rich, I can only assume from your comment... "Who knew the BDSM community could be so thin-skinned? It's pretty light-hearted stuff in the post, I have to say. At any rate, all meant in the spirit of fun. Sorry if you didn't take it that way." that all you ever aspire to be is a mediocre fluff journalist who has no intention or desire to report on facts and "real" news. My comment was just made in the spirit of fun... sorry if you don't tae it that way.

• I'm not apologizing for what was written. I am sorry for people who can't take a little joke. Good Lord, if you guys think that was over the top.... You all do seem to be forgetting that we gave the event publicity before it came here, including talking to the organizer and making it clear the event was friendly to newbies. http://bit.ly/bQ6cS3

• @ Mr. Connelly's comment: Who knew you could be so unapologetic and insensitive. I see your comment as insult to injury. Your humor is not appreciated simply because you come off as uneducated and reluctant to learn about this alternative lifestyle prior to writing your blog.

• Well most of what I would say here has been said by people with a much better command of language, all I can add is that I am really upset with the HP for sending someone like this to cover this new event to the Houston area and I hope that next time they make a better choice.

• Maybe HP would consider letting someone in the community actually write a piece on our own events? At least then the information would be a little bit more accurate. They might even make up for the mistake of letting a half-assed journalist take a couple of cheap shots at the community, but let's not get carried away. The people in the Houston community, I've found, are pretty intelligent, accepting, and willing to explain what they get out of what ever it is that they are doing.

• i find it pathetic that a so called journalist would poke fun, rather than do a little research, or take the time to talk to the vendors. i highly doubt he event attended the event, most likely looked at pictures that should have been artistic & in good taste, then never asked what any of it was. i guess the houston press will hire anyone these days, to try & fill the pages. i wonder how many trees died for this piece of garbage to be printed? sad, really sad.

• "Sorry if you didn't take it that way" is not an apology it is a "FU, I meant what I said, but my boss is getting flack..so here is a half-assed apology" That does not constitute an apology, or an attempt to placate the group you have offended...it is, quite frankly, another insult.

• and apparently in my anger I have some grammar and spelling mistakes...at least I own them sorry for them lol

• RICH, IF THE JOKES WERE ACTUALLY FUNNY WE WOULD ALL LAUGH. WE ARE NOT THIN SKINNED, WE ARE TIRED OF BEING THE BRUNT OF JOKES FROM PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO EDUCATED THEMSELVES ABOUT A SUBJECT BEFORE REPORTING ON IT. MAYBE NEXT TIME IF YOU ACTUALLY EXERT SOME EFFORT, AND SPEAK TO SOME OF US....WE WOULD FILL YOU IN ON THE JOKES THAT ARE FUNNY... INSTEAD OF PRINTING MINDLESS DRIVEL, THAT I AM QUITE SURE YOUR PROFESSORS ARE EMBARASSED BY (IF YOU EVEN WENT TO COLLEGE), DO US ALL A FAVOR AND JUST PRINT "DID NOT WANT TO GO AND DO MY JOB TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, SO I AM PRINTING NOTHING".. OR HERE IS A CONCEPT....LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT, SO YOU CAN AT LEAST WRITE INTELLIGENTLY.

• Too bad they didn't take the time to report anything. I would be GLAD to show the reporters the ROPES....grins...anyday. I love looking and shopping at the vendor fairs!

• Who knew the BDSM community could be so thin-skinned? It's pretty light-hearted stuff in the post, I have to say. Not everyone's taking it as judgmental: http://bit.ly/gydJIe At any rate, all meant in the spirit of fun. Sorry if you didn't take it that way. Rich

• I am disheartened that Houston Press has chosen to post this blog which has clearly offended much of the community in "The Scene". Houston Press has always been viewed as a voice for Alternative Houston. We in the community have many times purchased space in this paper to advertise different Fetish Events and or services that are available in the Houston area. For the support that we have shown to this paper I feel that it has not been reciprocated and even seems to be a slap in the face to the community that has graced Houston Press with financial support. I will pull all and any ads that I currently have and will no longer use your services. I am also shocked that you chose to use a 'wanna-be' sports writer to cover this story instead of a seasoned professional. Mr. Connelly is in no way adequately qualified to write stories on interesting and alternative lifestyles. Regretfully saddened by your choice, Mrs. MAC

• I can appreciate a good funny about myself or my practices and I'm fairly open for other's opinions. However, I'm appalled and extremely disappointed that a journalist who was sent to cover an event as important as the FFF chose to opt for cheap jokes and "non-information" instead of shedding light on the event and its positives. We, in this community, already have too much of this type of judgemental clap trap to deal with in our daily lives. We turn to HP for nonjudgemental an true journalism. Now we realize that there are some in your employ who are there only for the paycheck and not to provide real news and infomation to an underserved commuity. Failure to thrive is what this article demonstrates. Richard, the author, exhibits an acute sense of failure to thrive in this community. Perhaps HP should consider more closely the folks they send to cover potentially sensational events and send someone who is open enough to consider it a learning experience. Thanks, The Momma

• I can appreciate a good funny about myself or my practices and I'm fairly open for other's opinions. However, I'm appalled and extremely disappointed that a journalist who was sent to cover an event as important as the FFF chose to opt for cheap jokes and "non-information" instead of shedding light on the event and its positives. We, in this community, already have too much of this type of judgemental clap trap to deal with in our daily lives. We turn to HP for nonjudgemental an true journalism. Now we realize that there are some in your employ who are there only for the paycheck and not to provide real news and infomation to an underserved commuity. Failure to thrive is what this article demonstrates. Richard, the author, exhibits an acute sense of failure to thrive in this community. Perhaps HP should consider more closely the folks they send to cover potentially sensational events and send someone who is open enough to consider it a learning experience. Thanks, The Momma

• The Houston Press has, for as long a I can remember, been the "Underground" news source in Houston. Today they seem to content to be another mainstream rag, catering the pretty people. I would have expected this kind of thing from the Chronicle, but I'm sorely disappointed in the HP, who I thought was on my side. Dear HP, if you're not going to seriously report on events and stories that are important to the people that have come to think of you as the only real newspaper in Houston, then please just but out.

• I am quite sure the vendors of the items of unknown purpose would have loved to tell Richard all about their product if only asked. The fact that he left FFF without learning anything new about the products tells me he was only interested in sensationalism and not the real story. Most of us have a sense of humor and certainly even make fun of ourselves on occasion. I would have accepted the repurposed notes with a few giggles myself if he had at least bothered to come away from the experience more informed. ~m

• Houston Press has obviously failed on this particular story. The employee chosen to write this story made it clear that they did not want to write this story and instead of being professional they chose to be sophmoric in their approach. Shame, to the writer, you should be ashamed for making fun of people's craft and art. For clearly there were many vendors who spent much time crafting tools for people in this lifestyle, as you are obviously not a part of. And you also did not bother to spend anytime researching and further educating yourself on this very interesting community of artists and craftsmen/women.

• Fail. Just cause it's not your kink, doesn't mean that you get to poke fun. Maybe asking what people get out of the objects and the play, instead of just the objects themselves, would have been useful and given the journalists something substantial to write about.

• This is an absolute embarrassment to journalism. Is it a wonder that the majority of society takes one look at those of us in the BDSM/kink community and make ignorant judgments? This article represents the mainstream attitude towards the community. Perhaps if the journalists had bothered to talk to the people at FFF, go to some of the presentations, they might have found something worth while to write about instead of snide, ass hat, comments that leave alternative life-stylers shaking their heads. Maybe the next go round won't be so disappointing.

• I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in the Houston Press and this article. When taking the liberty to poke fun at a lifestyle it should at least be plausible (and entertaining). This was a bit campy, catty, and unoriginal. From what I heard the FFF was filled with more than just what you presented--demonstrations and education were just a few of the positive aspects that occurred.

• The Houston Fetish Fair Fleamarket was a long awaited event for the Houston Lifestyle Community. It provided educational seminars, presentations and demonstrations, social opportunities for visiting straight, gay, lesbian and polyamorous people as well as a vendor area featuring vendors from all over the US. Houston Press's coverage of the event seemed to be virtually non-existent except for a clueless photgrapher and a snarky, disrespectful and OBVIOUSLY ignorant blog entry about the uses for items in pictures. The blog was an embarrassment to the entire Houston Lifestyle community and showed the infantile and immature views of the editorial staff that runs the "Houston Press". It angered organizers, vendors and atendees from all over the United States and showcased HP's style of "off target" journalism. Perhaps next year Houston Press wont drop the ball and actually get some accurate, worthwhile information about what actually happens there instead of snarky comments making fun of peoples interests and sexuality. Maybe next year, the journalists will actually do their job and provide information abut the event intead of ignorant social commentary. The Houston Press has always been considered "The Voice" for Houston's alternative lifestyle community - more open minded than the traditional media outlets and certainly more tolerant of the fringes of society. WHAT HAPPENED? This coverage of the Fetish Fair Fleamarket disappointed a lot of people who read the Press, drew criticism from the local community, angered people from all over the country and made the editorial staff of the Houston Press look like teenagers in High School... The Houston Lifestyle community expected better from the "Houston Press". Mr P Possum Productions

• I'm into BDSM and embarrassed by this stuff. There's such a thing as "too much." No wonder people think our community is filled with perverts and chesters with shit like horse masks. The corset was nice, though. Probably sweaty, but still nice.

• I used to live at the Sheraton Brookhollow! Sad that they've let the hoi polloi in with this stuff.... On another note, the Cock Ring Warehouse used to have 10 miles of product! So it looks like they're doing business at a clip, I mean, handily.

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