Weekly Asheville Disclaimer Page: 07/14/10
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I don’t get it. Okay, it’s obviously tongue-in-cheek, but the tone of this piece seemed more mean-spirited and petty than anything else. Satire (good satire, anyway) uses humor to make the reader think about an issue in a new way, to lampoon something that needs to be exposed–there is some point to it, in other words. This seems to be some sort of personal beef against Biltmore, hiding behind sledgehammer-subtle humor. Are you angry that they charge $60? Would you prefer people take their cash down the mountain to the Bi-Lo Center for a two-hour show, and Asheville lose the 1800 or so jobs on the estate? Are you offended by the “uncouth masses” who built the house and got paid cash money during a time when such was hard to come by? Is this some sort of politically correct ‘class envy’ rant against the eeeevil rich people (as the saying goes, ever known a poor person who created jobs?) In fact, I believe I’ve seen Biltmore advertising in the Mountain Xpress. (Bet that bought some newsprint.) I have a season pass to the estate, and I use and enjoy it; I just don’t understand the poorly disguised anger towards a company that provides a huge economic and cultural benefit to our community.
I completely agree with MtnSmith. What poor taste the Mtn Xpress has for allowing this “satire” to get published. A few pages before the Asheville Disclaimer, I see advertisements for Biltmore Estate and wonder how long it will take Biltmore to see this kind of poor humor and discontinue their business with Mtn Xpress. Biltmore does more for this community then you realize and it is extremely disrespectful to the Cecil family, Biltmore employees, and Asheville to discredit Biltmore for having a high-priced admission ticket. Have you ever been to Biltmore? It is certainly worth the $60. I really do hope Biltmore stops advertising through Mtn Xpress, maybe that will teach you a lesson and you will have to start selling $20 hot dogs to make up for the loss.
Maybe with the extra money you are making, you guys could buy a sense of humor.
Don’t know who Bart was referring to in that last post, or if it makes any sense, as I am not the one making any extra money, BUT I really do try and have a good sense of humor about Asheville Disclaimer knowing that it tries to be funny like The Onion on fake news, but it does fail miserably.
“It is certainly worth the $60.”
Are you kidding me? A family of 4 to see a big house costs you $240 to enter the gates? C’mon. I think the Biltmore Estate will survive this joke.
See the first comment concerning “good satire.” You can get away with a lot if you’re actually funny; unfortunately, this piece was not, hence the aggravation factory kicked in for those of us who enjoy the Estate.
Good satire is traditionally measured by whether or not you agree with it. Bravo to you for recognizing that “bad satire” pokes fun at the Estate so near and dear your heart. Bravo!
“Good satire is measured by whether one agrees with it?” Umm, actually, no, all is not relative in life or in satire. Good writing is good writing, whether or not we ‘agree’ with the premise. This piece could have been funny had it been more skillfully crafted, and I for one would have been able to enjoy it, though the premise would still have been silly. It was the writer’s heavy handedness and obvious personal bias that caused it to crash and burn.
Wow… some folks taking things, and themselves, a little too seriously here.
The article isn’t so much about Biltmore as it is the ludicrous nature of people being willing to fork over hard earned dough to look at “stuff” (remember George Carlin?).
I mean, don’t you think it’s at least a little bit ridiculous that a family of four would pay $240 just to enter a property of a family so wealthy they could feed every homeless person in Asheville for 10 years and not put a dent in their net worth?
Well, I think it’s laughable. Kudos to the author. Sorry some of you can’t see the bigger picture and just laugh at our silly human ways.
And actually, one of the main points of ridiculousness is the fact that people pay that kind of money and then just walk around the woods. Now that’s funny to me, considering what’s available for free.
That’s not a dig at Biltmore, unless the hair trigger “I’m so offended” reactions some of you have can’t see that either.
The main point that needs to be driven is that this article was not funny and it was not very smart for Mtn. Xpress to write something satirical about Biltmore when Biltmore pays for advertisement space. How dumb can you get? When you stop seeing Biltmore in Mtn. Xpress, I think you will understand a thing or two about running a business and maintaining a brand.
The point about Biltmore having a hefty admission price is a good one, but not the main point. I see the bigger picture and it’s just not funny.
And I don’t get “offended” by these articles as I know they are supposed to be fake, but when a business like Biltmore has done so much to help the people of Asheville, even in the tough economic times, it makes me angry to see people bash it.
Well I thought the article was really funny… Wow that is easy… my opinion is just as subjective as yours and just as valid.
I agree with Mtnsmith… the Asheville Disclaimer was clearly making a mean spirited attack on an impoverished nation a.k.a Biltmore Estate. I know satire too. And this is not satire. It’s plain old gobbledygook. Actually, it’s overpriced gobbledygook. If you want to do really good satire, pick on soccer! Everyone in America hates it! Easy target! Oh wait, I meant football… that’s the European way. Don’t want to offend the pretentious girly men who think they are better than everyone… “oooh look at me, I can play footsy with a cute little ball…” Anyway, I’m disappointed in you Asheville Disclaimer wordsmiths. You aren’t wordsmiths at all, just a bunch of smiths. This obviously is worse than a ‘class envy’ rant, a penis envy rant of some kind. You want to have a big penis Asheville Dislaimer, don’t you? Epic fail! fail I say!
Now I hate to say “I told you so”, BUT did anyone notice the lack of a Biltmore advertisement in the most recent Mtn. Xpress? Tis a shame – maybe next time you won’t bash a paying customer’s business. Bad form, Peter. Bad form.
Absolutely! When I was in college we (the science geeks) made fun of the management majors, in essence saying, “How hard could it be to manage a business? Isn’t it mostly common sense?” Hmmm, guess not. Although, not to beat a long-dead horse, Mr. Editor, but you can get away with a lot if 1) it’s actually funny; and 2) it doesn’t have a mean-spirited, axe-to-grind tone like this piece did.
The dead horse has been beaten. You know what else should be beaten? The person who charges $60 for one ticket to see a mansion that doesn’t pay property taxes.
Ok, so you say the horse has been beaten, but you get to have one last kick? That’s animal cruelty!
And not sure where you are getting your facts from, but Biltmore does pay property taxes. According to the Asheville Citizen Times article “Answer Man” dated on June 21st of this year:
“the Biltmore Estate said it paid $969,000 in property taxes to Buncombe County last year, and according to spokesperson Lee Ann Donnelly, it pays taxes at full value.”
So now the horse has been beaten, is dead, buried, mourned, and we are all moving on. Don’t try to put false accusations on here when you don’t have any facts to back it up! BAMM!!! YOU JUST GOT SERVED!