How the AOL Call Became one of the Best Moments of My Life

Roughly 7 months ago, I made the infamous AOL call. Since then, AOL has gone to free (I’m not arrogant enough to believe it was my doing, but I’m not naive enough to think I had nothing to do with it either), the story has been all over the place, and people still know me as the “AOL Cancellation” guy.

Since then, lots of good things have happened to me as a result of the call, and it’s hard to deny that it was one of the pivotal moments in my life. Without any further blathering, here’s why the AOL call was one of the greatest things that ever happened.

1. It got me started into podcasting. Slobokan and I have now done 28 episodes of Information Salad. It’s the most fun I’ve had and even though it seems like work sometimes, it’s worth it in the end. When I played an episode for my parents one time, they seemed impressed that their little boy was able to whip together a show that sounded like a radio show. Go figure :-)

2. I got to meet Ben Popken who’s become a good friend. He’s a really cool guy and I’m glad his site got a bit of a bump with the first reporting of the AOL story.

3. I was interviewed on the iLifeZone with Scott Bourne. It was one of the most listened-to episodes of his podcast ever. A few months later, he was looking for a Shownotes writer, something I knew I could do. I volunteered and told him that “if you think of it, you can say you have a celebrity shownotes writer). He let me in, I did a few weeks of notes, and the next thing you know, I’m given the title of Producer. How’s that for some cool stuff?

4. I got to meet Matt Lauer, Becky Quick, Michael Smerconish, and the Fox & Friends crew. Even more fun was talking to my hero on his radio show, Leo Laporte. It was probably the biggest highlight of my year and the one thing I’ll never forget. Leo actually wanted to speak to me. If that isn’t a textbook example of a change in roles, I don’t know what is!

5. I was mentioned in two books, one of which I was given a whole chapter in. I was also mentioned in hundreds of news articles, television news broadcasts, and so on. I was finding my name on websites and TV shows that just blew me away. Imagine tuning into your favorite radio show (Opie and Anthony) and they spend an hour talking about you. I love it!

6. Finally, readership on IT is way way way WAY up. I used to get 320,000 hits a month. At its peak last year, I hit over 3 million in one month. It levelled out to just a bit under 700k and now it’s around 500k but it’s still interesting to see people are still hanging around.

I could go on and on and on, but the truth is that call worked out to be a great moment in my life. It also emboldened a lot of people to stand up to corporations, record their calls, and report being mistreated to sites like Digg and Consumerist. That in itself is a great thing.

I’m going to turn 31 tomorrow, but I can’t imagine it being any more interesting for me than 30…

[tags]aol, vincent ferrari[/tags]

This entry was posted in Me Stuff. Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://www.robertkbrown.com/ RKB

    Congrats on the upcoming b-day, Vinny. And, of course, for the great moment that should set the stage for even better things in the upcoming year (or more).

  • Ray

    Although you did bring to light a negative side of AOL, you did not ever mention the 80% – 85% of the people that were very happy with their AOL. I’m glad you are happy that “you” feel you contributed to AOL now being free however, “you” very well could have contributed to the layoff’s of over 5000 people in the USA. Being one of those “layoffs”, I would not hold you personnaly responsible. It’s just sad that no one ever goes on TV to tell the world how great “something” is.

    Thanks for listening,

    Ray

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com Vinny

    I guess you weren’t one of the happy 85 seeing as you aren’t even using AOL now. Secondly AOL had plans to go free and layoff you folks long before my call, it just accelerated things. You were at a dead end my friend.

    Don’t worry I don’t blame you. Comfort engenders complacence.

  • Ray

    I can see that I seem to be the only one interested in this blog so I will leave it at this. Thanks for your reply. I do have 2 AOL email addresses that I still use however, they are reserved for my friends and family. Neither of which I will find here. Good luck in your future.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com Vinny

    You’re the only one interested?

    You’re a moron, which explains why you worked for AOL and keep AOL addresses. I find it telling that you’re connecting through Comcast and not AOL. Speaks volumes for what you think of it.

  • Ray

    WOW! A moron? There is really no need to stoop to name calling. I never once attacked you personnaly. I certainly never resorted to name calling. I only meant that there was only 1 post other than mine meaning, no one else seemed interested in this particulair posting. No need to get so defensive. I worked for AOL to support my family, which I did very well thank you. I connect through Comcast because AOL doesn’t offer high speed where I live. I’m not so thrilled with what AOL did to us, or you for that matter but, that’s Corporate America for you. Could have happened anywhere to anyone.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com Vinny

    I only meant that there was only 1 post other than mine meaning, no one else seemed interested in this particulair posting.

    Actually, dumbass, what you said was:

    I can see that I seem to be the only one interested in this blog so I will leave it at this.

    Now shut up and go suckle the AOL teet.

  • Megan

    Vinny,

    I am not bitter, but I am sad. Alot of good people did lose their jobs after the ordeal, now I do NOT hold you personally responsible, but I do feel the phone call heard round the world did impact the situation. I was one of those reps who did care about our members. I do apologize personally for the bad situation you were placed in. I just ask you to think about it this way. What if you were an employee with a company and someone just for giggles called and had a bad call and recorded it.. Then that call caused you to lose your job, and place you and your family in a bad situation. It would be hard. Please do keep in mind there were good people hurt. I just hate to see you so happy that so many lives were negatively impacted by that call. I am sorry if this seems like a rant, I just wanted to kinda let you know how some of us feel. I do hope that things work out well for you.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com Vinny

    Megan,

    Unfortunately there weren’t enough of you and there were too many Johns. Thousands of people went through what I went through which is why my call made such an impact.

    Truth is, we all know there are good people at AOL. Hell, even John was only doing what he was trained to do.

    I wish you the best. I didn’t do it “for giggles.” I did it because AOL had a problem and was doing nothing about it despite being ordered to by the New York State Attorney General.

    Did my call force the situation? Nope. Just made it happen quicker. It was coming. Everyone knew it. AOL did it to put a nice face on a really bad situation. As is usually the case, the little guy gets the axe.

    Sucks, but it’s the way it is I guess.

  • Megan

    Thankyou for not being rude to me on that response after I did kinda of rant at you. I can understand where you are coming from, and it is nice to hear you say that not all AOL employees are bad.

  • http://www.robertkbrown.com/ RKB

    Congrats on the upcoming b-day, Vinny. And, of course, for the great moment that should set the stage for even better things in the upcoming year (or more).

  • Ray

    Although you did bring to light a negative side of AOL, you did not ever mention the 80% – 85% of the people that were very happy with their AOL. I’m glad you are happy that “you” feel you contributed to AOL now being free however, “you” very well could have contributed to the layoff’s of over 5000 people in the USA. Being one of those “layoffs”, I would not hold you personnaly responsible. It’s just sad that no one ever goes on TV to tell the world how great “something” is.

    Thanks for listening,

    Ray

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/ Vinny

    I guess you weren’t one of the happy 85 seeing as you aren’t even using AOL now. Secondly AOL had plans to go free and layoff you folks long before my call, it just accelerated things. You were at a dead end my friend.

    Don’t worry I don’t blame you. Comfort engenders complacence.

  • Ray

    I can see that I seem to be the only one interested in this blog so I will leave it at this. Thanks for your reply. I do have 2 AOL email addresses that I still use however, they are reserved for my friends and family. Neither of which I will find here. Good luck in your future.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/ Vinny

    You’re the only one interested?

    You’re a moron, which explains why you worked for AOL and keep AOL addresses. I find it telling that you’re connecting through Comcast and not AOL. Speaks volumes for what you think of it.

  • Ray

    WOW! A moron? There is really no need to stoop to name calling. I never once attacked you personnaly. I certainly never resorted to name calling. I only meant that there was only 1 post other than mine meaning, no one else seemed interested in this particulair posting. No need to get so defensive. I worked for AOL to support my family, which I did very well thank you. I connect through Comcast because AOL doesn’t offer high speed where I live. I’m not so thrilled with what AOL did to us, or you for that matter but, that’s Corporate America for you. Could have happened anywhere to anyone.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/ Vinny

    I only meant that there was only 1 post other than mine meaning, no one else seemed interested in this particulair posting.

    Actually, dumbass, what you said was:

    I can see that I seem to be the only one interested in this blog so I will leave it at this.

    Now shut up and go suckle the AOL teet.

  • Megan

    Vinny,

    I am not bitter, but I am sad. Alot of good people did lose their jobs after the ordeal, now I do NOT hold you personally responsible, but I do feel the phone call heard round the world did impact the situation. I was one of those reps who did care about our members. I do apologize personally for the bad situation you were placed in. I just ask you to think about it this way. What if you were an employee with a company and someone just for giggles called and had a bad call and recorded it.. Then that call caused you to lose your job, and place you and your family in a bad situation. It would be hard. Please do keep in mind there were good people hurt. I just hate to see you so happy that so many lives were negatively impacted by that call. I am sorry if this seems like a rant, I just wanted to kinda let you know how some of us feel. I do hope that things work out well for you.

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/ Vinny

    Megan,

    Unfortunately there weren’t enough of you and there were too many Johns. Thousands of people went through what I went through which is why my call made such an impact.

    Truth is, we all know there are good people at AOL. Hell, even John was only doing what he was trained to do.

    I wish you the best. I didn’t do it “for giggles.” I did it because AOL had a problem and was doing nothing about it despite being ordered to by the New York State Attorney General.

    Did my call force the situation? Nope. Just made it happen quicker. It was coming. Everyone knew it. AOL did it to put a nice face on a really bad situation. As is usually the case, the little guy gets the axe.

    Sucks, but it’s the way it is I guess.

  • Megan

    Thankyou for not being rude to me on that response after I did kinda of rant at you. I can understand where you are coming from, and it is nice to hear you say that not all AOL employees are bad.