Kara Swisher

Recent Posts by Kara Swisher

The MySpace Sale or Spinoff May Be a Nonstory for Now–But My Barry Manilow Badge Is Sure for Real

Like others, without inquiring, BoomTown got an email–from someone who would know–regarding inexplicably whirling rumors of the sale or spinoff of MySpace.

Read the “pre-emptive” note: “There is no truth, zero, zip to myspace sales report.”

Well, to tell my truth, I actually wasn’t wondering, especially since that was the exact same on-the-record answer I got from MySpace Co-presidents Jason Hirschhorn and Michael Jones when I asked them that very question in an interview last week about the fate of the social networking site within its parent company, News Corp. (NWS).

But whatev!

In any case, what is completely true–and I could not be more thrilled–is that I am now the proud and only owner of a Barry Manilow badge (pictured here in all its glory) from a yet-to-be-released feature MySpace is working on.

It was sent to me by Mike Macadaan, head product dude at MySpace now, after my recent video tour–which you can see below–of the changes being planned to try to revive the troubled Internet service.

When shown the badge idea, full of hipster stuff about three decades too young for me, I wondered what there was on MySpace for Manilow fans–Fanilows!–like me.

Hence, my one-of-a-kind Barry badge (which sort of makes the crooner look a little like Carol Brady/Florence Henderson, whom I also love, so no foul).

I am not sure I am ready to take a chance again on MySpace–or if anyone is–but, Mike, you came and you gave without taking, so I won’t send you away.

(A free All Things Digital T-shirt to the first commenter below to name those tunes.)

And, so more will understand Manilow’s bizarre appeal, here is one hysterical video mashup of “Copacabana,” which somehow includes former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a pimp and dog wearing a pirate hat:

(Full disclosure: News Corp. also owns Dow Jones, which owns this site.)

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There was a worry before I started this that I was going to burn every bridge I had. But I realize now that there are some bridges that are worth burning.

— Valleywag editor Sam Biddle