Mailbag Sampling:
OK that didn’t take long. In the time it took me to fight the LA traffic to Staples, watch a thrilling 2 OT game between the Clippers and Celtics (My 2 favorite teams by the way), avoid the angry drunks in the parking lot and get home, my mailbox was filled with responses to the Tony T situation.

Before I continue, I will point out that I did get a second email from the same address from Tony. I also got phone confirmation from Chico Wang that the writer was in fact Tony. So if it’s a joke, it’s all Chico now.

My apologies to those of you whose email didn’t make it, but many of you made the same points and I don’t want anyone to think that this is piling on. As always, these emails are un-edited, snipped only when noted and mostly uncensored. (There are certain words I’m just not going to print.)

DCD Writes:

“Hey Rog,

I am sure I’m not the only one who feels that this Tony T. thing has to be a joke. No one with half a brain writes like that. Someone is pulling your chain and if Tony is going to be pissed at anyone he should be pissed at the moron who wrote in trying to make him look like a retard.”

Rog Replies: I was thinking the same thing to be honest. I still think that the way he wrote it was supposed to be funny. Based on his second email I would say that he is seriously pissed. I am going to do what I can to just keep everything cool because you know I love the guys at Anabolic. This is all just kind of out of left field.

BrownsFan32 Writes:

“Roger

It’s clear that Tony has no sense of humor, no sense of history and no ‘mother fucking’ sense period. If he can’t a little bit of criticism (Though I have to admit you were a little hard on his movie) then he needs to go back to whatever he was doing before. He has to learn that he can’t be such a baby. Second, doesn’t he realize that one of the best things you can do for someone’s career is to blast them? Has he never heard of Max Hardcore, Michael Raven, Skeeter Kerkove, Thomas Zupko, Mason, Lizzy Borden, Kahn Tusion? Somehow those people have survived without having to threaten people.”

Rog Replies: Hey BFan. I don’t know if doesn’t have a sense of humor. If he was joking I think the email was funny. I don’t blame him for not being happy with the review, but as someone told me “he runs on emotion.” As for history. Yeah, I have a whole band of loyal readers who buy only the stuff I don’t like. I’m cool with that and it would be nice if Tony could understand that. What was that about not threatening people though? Of the seven you listed, three made direct threats and another stormed around the office all day looking for my home number. Seriously though, there isn’t one person on that list who I wouldn’t want to interview. I am sitting down with Mason this year in fact. Zupko has always been wonderful no matter what I write about his stuff. Kahn was very gracious and frankly I would imagine his reaction reflects the Anabolic position on this issue. Lizzy actually went on her own site to threaten me at one time, but we are tight now…I think….Max, Skeeter and Raven….dudes, I WANT interviews. This year. What do you say?

MorrisP Writes:

“Yo Rog,

I watched the Balls Deep 8 crap from Anabolic and I think Tony T should be kissing your ass for not telling us the whole truth about that shit. I don’t know if this Tony cat is Italian, Greek or what, but he ain’t Black and he ain’t Lex. That little shout-out at the start of the movie was bullshit. He’s nothing but a wi**er who should stop trying fill Lex’s shoes. If y’all are going to steal from us, at least make it good. ”

Rog Replies: Hey Morris. I hate that word man. (and it’s word of origin) so forgive me the bleep. I don’t know what Tony’s ethnicity is. Maybe I just didn’t see anything in there where he was trying to be black. I’ll take your word for it though because I doubt seriously if Tony and I are going to sit down and discuss it any time soon.

MrInside Writes:

“Rog
20 thousand pieces? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Uhhhhh, yeah right.”

Rog Replies: You would know, but I’m not questioning his sale. Let me say that again clearly… I am NOT questioning his sales numbers. I hope he does sell that many pieces. I sincerely do.

Phony T Writes:

“Deer Roughe
Dis B tony T and I iz berry surry dat I writed 2 u inn seech a inprofessinal manor. URA gr8 w8r and I loove u hairy mooch. Dat iz y et hurted me su mooch 2 no dat u don’t lick my moovy 2 moch. Well U pleze furgive me and knot cawl me nemes lik muther focker. Ef u wheel I well b ur bestest fred. Ef not I wheel has 2 keep u razz. U beeech azz fagut hed. ”

Rog Replies: Thank you for this. It was great fun to figure out and I hope everyone else is laughing as hard as I am. That had to take a lot of effort man, thanks.

NeverPassABar Writes:

“Rog,

That Tony T email was pretty interesting. I guess that one goes in the file doesn’t it? Somehow I doubt if Anabolic would condone this type of behavior. They seem like classier people than that. On the up side, if Tony’s movie is selling that well then you might stand to make a cool chunk of change of whatever shot you take in Vegas. Minus my fee of course. ”

Rog Replies: I am sure Anabolic doesn’t condone it. In his second email (I am not sure it’s even going up because I don’t want this to go on forever) he mentions as much. He does reiterate the threats though.

AnaFan420 Writes:

“Rog,

I know that you’re going to get a lot of email on this TonyT thing and I will be following it closely. I have been a huge Anabolic/Diabolic fan for years. You have pointed me in the right direction countless times with them and I want to know how they react to this. Any company that would allow some half-wit meat puppet to run around acting like a thug does not deserve my business. If they don’t fire him for being an asshole then they most certainly should fire him for being a hack. ”

Rog Replies: Hey, hey…..come on. This isn’t on the company. I haven’t called or written to Gregg or Chris because I just don’t see the point at this stage. Tony is reacting on emotion and that part is fine. I wish he could figure out that I actually didn’t call him a “mother fucker” but I imagine that doesn’t even matter any more. I don’t think it’s Anabolic/Diabolic declaring war on me. I hope not. I look forward to seeing those guys every year and they have always been more than gracious no matter what I have to say about their product.
Name Deleted (Sorry I don’t think it’s really him.)

“Mother Fucker Rog

Tony T is mother fucking new hero. He can kick your ass so I won’t have to. On second thought I will kick it after he does. It will be a love story covered in blood, bitch!’

Rog Replies: This came from an email address that I do not recognize as belonging to the director whose name is on it. If it is really you then let me know through an email I recognize or on the phone. I am happy to keep it up, but I don’t want people putting words into your mouth.

And just in case people are wondering if I cut out all of the pro-Tony emails, I didn’t. There are a few I am going to put up with the next email. (Or without it if I choose not to run that email.) I have nothing against Tony T at all. I didn’t like his movie. Big deal? There are a few hundred movies a year I don’t like. I’m very sorry he took it personally and never like to see these thing break down into this.