Defamer
What do you say about Mark Lisanti that doesn't instantly start sounding like pathetic gushing? Is he one of the funniest, most brilliant writers ever to put fingers to keyboard? Of that there is no doubt. Has he left a mark? Try a Godzilla-sized footprint. Working with him over the last three years has been nothing less than the creative experience of a lifetime. The best part is that beneath that mountain of talent, Mark is one of the most humble, humane, and menschy guys you will ever meet. Also: His career has only just begun.
What do you say about Mark Lisanti that doesn't instantly start sounding like pathetic gushing? Is he one of the funniest, most brilliant writers ever to put fingers to keyboard? Of that there is no doubt. Has he left a mark? Try a Godzilla-sized footprint. Working with him over the last three years has been nothing less than the creative experience of a lifetime. The best part is that beneath that mountain of talent, Mark is one of the most humble, humane, and menschy guys you will ever meet. Also: His career has only just begun.I was going to compile some sort of Best Of, but it's a fool's task. Here's a better idea: Crack open a bottle of André, click here, and curl up for an hour or five with his mind. It's a beautiful one.
Magical Defamer video gnome Molly McAleer has put together a visual goodbye, craftily calibrated to reduce Mark and his fans—every last one of you!—into a blubbering puddle of salty tears. It's sheer poetry.
From all of us here at Defamer:
Goodbye Mark. We love you.
Comments
Awesome work over these years. Your style is being aped all over the Gawker network, but none can compare.
P.S. Did Molly tip each of those cos-play dudes? I hope Defamer reimbursed her.
Mark, without you, I will be decidedly more productive at work. This is a bad thing.
Your brilliance will be sorely missed, the joint will never be the same. Thanks for always making us laugh. I will spend the weekend in an drunken haze re-reading my favorite Mark posts.
Godspeed.
That's Defamer's Hollywood as we've grown to know and love it. Set it on fire Mark (metaphorically speaking). Make lots of bucks.
A beautiful tribute. Best of luck Mr. Lisanti, may the future bring nothing but awesomeness and kickassery. I swear that's a word.
You'll be missed sir.
FIRST!
Oh, fuckballs.
I'm really not going to get anything done now, what with all the weeping, the seizures of sadness, and the aneurysm of gratitude I'm a little busy with at the moment.
Mark:
I hadn't really thought about the ramifications of you leaving until just now when I saw this video and I realized that, Jesus Christ, you're no longer The Defamer. You're a civilian again. An amazing, hilarious, thoughtful, decent and ethical civilian (which, I guess, makes you sort of a lonely soul here in Los Angeles). But this means my days will be a lot less funny, and that I may actually end up billing more hours (or at least getting more done in the hours I bill) and being less snarky. You were - and still are, it's not like you're moving or dying - a great voice for this City of ours. A voice for the snarky but the smart, the ones who find that L.A. is a city where bliss and absurdity, eye-rolling celebrity worship and true creative arts can wonderfully coexist.
You will be missed. You will be bought many a drink by many a thankful Angeleno.
hugs.
And all of the Hollywood executives with dirty secrets breathe a sigh of relief. Keep up the good fight, Seth, in the spirit of what Defamer is really about.
Mark, we'll miss you terribly. I, too, will probably be much more productive at work now.
And thank god I have an Oscar party to go to this year, so I won't be staring through tears at my laptop screaming, "WHY?! Why did he leave us????"
Waaaah!
Not having easy access to your writing is going to suck.
I wish you the best of everything, nevertheless.
Thank you for the jillions of laughs.
A great treat.
Thanks!
I can't watch the video (on dialup), but I'll miss you, Mark!
how can i convey my sadness with this wretched keyboard?
:(
is all i got. but you should know it's like 1000% in my mind.
I never thought I would ever see the phrase "being defamed" as a positive rather than a negative. Way to go, Mark!
Mark, you and your glorious snark will be sorely missed. Your wit, your perspicacity, your way with words, your information on the snacking habits inside the CAA Death Star have made this site one of my favorite spots on the internets over the years. Although I feel bereft, like Morgan Freeman at the end of The Shawshank Redemption, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and hope they are as delightful as this one has been.
all the best my friend!
We're all going to miss you, Mr. Lisanti. Maybe during your newfound spare time you can investigate exactly what kind of accent Supergirl is speaking with. Congrats on an amazing run, my man. See you at Ye Ole Rustic Inn sooner rather than later.
Mark, you were my first! Blogger that is. Thank you for defining what it is "to snark". No one really does it with the same style and class as you do, my friend. Godspeed.
Most excellent job, Mark, you will be missed! Good luck always.
All of this carrying on is going to seem awfully silly when I coming crawling back here in about three weeks. See y'all then!
You put the Def in Defamer... or maybe the er?
Either way you will be missed!!!
Mark, I just want to say I have nothing but the utmost respect for your abilities as a brilliantly witty writer who regularly managed to perfectly capture the mixture of naive childish glee and dead-eyed snarky cynicism most of us feel working in the Ho'wood.
You deserve to be hired to be something awesome and overpaid-- maybe Ben Silverman's put-down writer.
It's just too bad for us that you got tired of dealing with Denton. Not that I blame you. Best wishes.
Defamer without Mark? Now THAT is a riddle that would make the Sphinx incontinent! I guess the world really has gone feces-smearing insane...
Thank you for sharing your incredible wit, Mark. Thank you very, very much.
Mark elevates celebrity ridicule to an artform, and the Internet's gonna be a whole lot shittier without him.
@Mark: Oh sure. Taunt us with your humility, but in about 6 months HeidiHo, Cutting Makes You Sexy, and Sweet Panda Love are all going to fighting over which one of us can be your second assistant.
Aww.
Hey, why is everybody leaving the Gawker Interwebs?
Not that I gave a shit about any of the others, but you I actually liked. (Remember me? Jeremy Piven? "Pecs and pythons... full frontal?")
Anyways, happy trails!
xo
abbe diaz
PX This.
sigh, we'll always have keanugate.
I think this song says it all:
+ Watch video
Good luck!
There's a dark cloud over Hollywood today. Metaphorically, obviously.... there is never really a dark cloud in Southern California.
Fondest farewell from the East Coast. As a memorial, we're peeing your name in the snow.
I love you, Mark. Good luck.
@jerebo: Good night, but not goodbye friends!
+ Watch video
Dear Mark:
Thank you for inviting me to be a commenter, even though I am embarrassingly under-qualified.
Best of luck, Mark. You gave this site a terrific and wholly unique voice that many others have emulated, without success.
Alright, kids, what's the plan? Are we finally meeting up at the Rustic tonight? I want to raise a glass to Mark, and we might as well combine it with a Kiefer sighting.
Being one of the ancients who dwell here (my age, not my length of time enjoying this marvelous site, unfortunately), I realize anew that, sadly, wonderful pleasures do end.
But I look forward to other talented and snarky people who will imprint their special charms onto this arena and I especially look forward to What Mark Does Next.
Another thing about being old, unless you spend you life under a rock, is that you come to realize how many more exciting adventures await you as long as you are open to them.
Take care, be safe and go make millions of others laugh and appreciate life as you have helped me to do, my friend.
God, it's like the last days of the Roman empire, but with less public group sex. Happy trails, Lisanti.
The end of an era. Godspeed, sir.
After all you've given, all I can offer to you, Mark is:
Hey, Unicorns!
+ Watch video
Ok, so I'm in the Acceptance stage now. BIG hug! Can't wait to see what's next! (btw, that video did kinda get to me-- damn you Molly and your faux super heroes!)
Mark, you've always been a wonder, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to spend another (virtual!) four years with you. I can't wait to see what the future brings and how you'll be able to bring your hilarious, insightful and unique voice to even more people who will surely love you as much as we all do.
Kudos and best of luck always!
xoxoxox
I could puke, but I wish him all the best. This old gin joint will never be the same.
You'll always be "bikini-capable" to me...
But please, leave Grazerhead and take the skinny hairy guy up at the top. He herts meh eyez...
(P.S. I did post something like this but less witty earlier in the day but it never showed. Be a dear and fix that before they scrape the parking pass off your Hyundai, mkay?)
Tears of a clown,
Mintz
bye Mark. i hope that now the writers' strike is over, you will get yourself hired to do some amazing work. your talent is clear. all the best.
check out my writing when you have the time. i'm looking for work too!
www.thetennischick.blogspot.com
i love you mark
xx marsha
Is it coincidence my stereo is playing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina?" Hardly.
@jilly.bebe: Mark, do I even have to ask...
i love you mark,
marsha
Mark,
Good luck in your next step, you will be very missed.
Hey! Unicorn Planet!
+ Watch video
This is the worst day ever. How can Defamer exist without The Defamer? Balls.
Mark?!?!?! So it's not a dream, despite the massive ingestions of halcyon I have enjoyed since...oh...earlier this week.
Don't stop believin'
This is my third such post, but I have to say it again - thank you, and you will be SO missed!
Reading Defamer for the first time was nothing less than a revelation, and it fomented a revolution in my writing. In terms of style, Mark Lisanti is the guru of guruphiliac.org, an association he may not necessarily want, and one I've got a long, long ways to go to do justice to. I'm sure he's going to kick ass and I'm looking forward to being a witness to it.
Two months after I go on tee vee and praise this guy as maybe the best blogger on the planet, this happens. I also praised Seth. Sorry, Seth; the Curse of Raincoaster is in play. Tick, tick, tick...
I haven't been this crushed since Spy crashed.
Thanks, Mark. You're the best.
i got a little choked up watching that. you've made logging into defamer every morning for the past couple years truly enjoyable. good luck with everything, mark! trust me, you'll be greatly missed.
don't know where, don't know when...
+ Watch video
Please let us know where you go. You will be missed.
wait, you mean there's actually an editor for this thing? Like someone gets paid to decide what goes on here? Kinda takes away the trashy feel of some kid in his mom's basement writing this stuff. Oh well...blogging is so 2006, Twitter is the new thing.
@Max Mercy: Twitter? How 2007.
Some things fall into place:
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