The Post Sell-Out Post
April 2, 2016 My fellow wrecky minions,
For 8 years I have steadfastly refused buy-out offers, sponsored posts, full-page ads, and every pop-up ad my network allows me to opt-out of. I have turned down "free money" in the form of after-the-click jumps, slideshows, and other unscrupulous posting practices. In short, I have done everything I possibly can to make Cake Wrecks a fun place for free laughs while still allowing John and I to do this for a living. It gets harder financially every year, as we've long since had to let go our part-time helper & guest writers, but these are standards I've never wavered on, and never will.
I thought it would be funny, then, to do something so WILDLY out of character for April Fools that you regular readers would immediately get the joke. I decided to make a CW post that looks like most other blog posts these days: a tongue-in-cheek, "sponsored post" parody.
Unfortunately, even after 8 years of writing online, I still managed to drastically underestimate the knee-jerk, jump-to-the-worst-conclusion-and-then-gather-an-angry-mob reaction of the interwebz at large. Not to mention their inability to check the calendar, and/or remember they were on a humor site. o.0
At first I took it as a compliment that so many people were falling for it, but within a few hours it was obvious things were getting out of hand. We lost readers. There was lots - and LOTS - of yelling.
;)
Some even called into question the legality of what we were doing, while others bashed poor Wilton, which of course knew nothing about our post, much less gave us a single cent in compensation.
I like to think the silent majority got the joke, had a laugh, and moved on, but regardless, John and I received a sound virtual thrashing yesterday.
I'm still rather bemused by the whole thing, but to be honest, I can't help but think: this is our thanks. This is what we get, after all these years, thousands of posts, thousands upon thousands of hours of hard work and heartache and just trying to do the right thing by our readers. After showing you guys who we are, after building a sense of trust and even community here alongside the giggles, all it took was one ill-received joke to turn us into pariahs.
Worse, it wasn't even a hurtful joke. Nothing tasteless or thoughtless or targeting any individual or group - just a parody of what everyone else online seems to be doing. Something that if we DID do (which we wouldn't), would only be because we needed the extra money to keep CW running.
To be fair, a few readers yesterday - who still didn't get the joke - were supportive. They wrote to say they understood, and everyone has to make a living, right? - and I was weirdly grateful, even while thinking, "How can you believe we would do this? Don't you know us?"
So anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to the silent majority who remembered what day it was yesterday, even if you didn't think my post was funny. And thanks to those who would support John and me even if we did "sell out." But mostly, thanks to those of you who took into account every post before yesterday's, and showed a little trust.
Now, let's get back to cake.
Because hey, I think I finally have an excuse to post this one:
;)
No foolin'.
*****
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Reader Comments (424)
I read your blog every. Single. Day. And will continue to do so. Don't let thise buggers get ya down.
I thought you were making fun of bakers who couldn't even follow instructions from a kit. (shrug)
Now, I'm mad & sad for you. You two do a great job! :) No fooling.
Thank you for all of the lovely Wrecks! Personally I thought that Cake Wrecks partnering with Wilton was a brilliant idea! Who better to sponsor Cake Wrecks than a company that helps supply and train Wreckerators! Thank you for the giggles and laughs! Thank you for Beautiful Sundays!
Lololol. I thought yesterday's post was funny! I would never believe you sold out!! Not that I would mind if you did... But really whether or not the links were real, I still think it played as a joke!
I don't normally comment on posts, but wanted to drop by and comment on this one. It took me the whole post and a couple minutes to realize it was an April Fool's joke, mainly because I was stunningly tired and had the brain function of a sea slug. :)
Just wanted to say that I love and have always loved this blog. I really appreciate the work that you do to bring us all daily laughs (and reminders that our sad attempts at homemade cake decorating are really very good compared to the "professional" cakes out there). I hope you continue for a long time, and if you ever -do- need to take on a sponsorship of some sort, I'll still be a faithful reader (because, like, you need money to live!).
I enjoyed yesterday's post and I thought they (if they existed) would be a great sponsor for a hard-working site. I imagined they would be as intrusive as the Amazon link plug. I am sorry some folks went "postal" on you.
I actually had to go back and see the post, and for the life of me, I can't figure why anyone would have taken it seriously! April fools, indeed!
I read and laughed and was floored that people didn't get it. You are fine... you are funny and you are apparently convincing.
I'm one who didn't get the joke but commented positively. (Links were still Wilton when I read.) I don't see generating ad revenue as becoming a sell-out. If it is, isn't anyone who works for a living a sell-out? It would be nice to think we could all be listener-supported like NPR, but even they have to beg for their money. Being a fellow anxiety sufferer, I'm sending love and light your way to try to offset the negativity. Keep up the good work!
I'm a first time commenter, too, and for whatever reason I didn't see the post yesterday.
I am so sorry people were mean. I LOVE CW, and I hope you don't get too discouraged by this.
O.M.G. It was earlier this week when I was sitting in my car at lunch, doing my daily Cake Wrecks reading, when I thought, "Man, I wish I were her friend because well, just LOOK at her!" I so appreciate your intelligent wit and sense of humor - you have no idea. That's why I go out to my car to read your posts. I can lol in peace with no one going, "What? WHAT???"
Anyway, you, Jen, are one of the most consistently funny, sweet, sometimes-alarming people out there and I would cry and cry if you stopped doing what you do.
Please ignore those who "don't get it." Sadly, there are more of them than those of us who DO get it, but that's life. You know, at least half of the people out there are below average. True story.
Thank you for all you do. Believe me, you and John are loved. Bless you both.
I'm also jumping in with good wishes and, if you're into them, hugs. Thank you, and as many others have said, I would still check this site even if you did get a sponsor. Take care.
People flip out way too easily, but I guess it's a consequence of being disappointed so regularly. Anyway, I got the joke and thought it was brilliant. Wreck on!!
I didn't realize it was a joke, but i wasn't upset by it either! If the page was suddenly covered in pop up ads or "you won't believe what happens next!" Click bait titles, I would have been displeased, but I can't believe people took a single post with a handful of links with thrown in so seriously that it warranted an entire new post about that post. Good riddance to those people. They take things too seriously for this kind of site.
When my kids and I read the post yesterday, as part of the multiple AFD jokes we were enjoying, they shuddered to think what if you really were like all those other bloggers? What if this is what CW was all about. It was a very Twilight Zone moment and we all moved on grateful that we can count on you to be unique. Thank you for the ad free fun we can count on.
The sad thing is that the people who didn't get it and got self-righteous may not come back. We know they won't apologize. I'm worried that it will hurt your view count and hence your bottom line. Because I enjoy CW so much and want you to stay, I'm going to share your posts even more. I want to help new people find you so that I have the continued pleasure of your posts.
You didn't lose anyone worth keeping! I thought the joke was fun, after about 1/2 a second of wondering what in the world was going on. Falling for it even a teensy bit is what made it funny! People take life waaaay too seriously if they are getting their panties in a twist over cw!
Keep up the funny and don't let the downers get you down!
I don't think people read posts properly a lot of people read the first sentence and form an opinion on what they've just read. Its sad that people react so strongly to stupid little things.
Also, there were Wilton products I didn't know about, so thanks!
I don't normally comment, but I wanted to each out and say that I throughly enjoyed yesterdays post! It made me laugh, and having seen a rather lackluster performance in tomfoolery across the board, I was glad t least one site got into the Spirit of things. Sorry you got such a harsh reaction, and know your local fans got a good laugh!
Haven't commented in a year because I will never be as creative as SueB or the regulars but I loved it! You caught me missing it was April Fool's even though I should know better. My apologies for the rest of the internet.
I come to CW for your humor and snarkiness and to laugh at the world. I love Epbot and I've volunteered to bring cookies into the EPCOT bunker when oversensitive idiots start in on you. Even IF you decided to go the sponsored route, I would wait it out and see if it dampened your humor before I even thought about bailing. I appreciate your integrity, but I also understand that you have to feed your furbabies. Do what you need to do. I'll still be a fan.
Wow, I had no idea there were that many dense readers out there. I'm so tired of websites' April Fools jokes I just rolled my eyes and moved on, truly can't believe anyone thought you all were serious and that even if you were that they had any right to complain about how you make money.
Hopefully it was all their own lousy attempts at humor for the day.
Please don't get upset over what a bunch of idiots do. (Well, I know you are already upset, but you know what I mean.) I got the joke, and enjoyed the parody.
Yes, I did think that if you did decide to take advertisements Wilton would be OK by me. (They have saved my cake decorating life several times, like the time my granddaughter suddenly decided at the last minute she wanted purple icing for her homemade birthday cake.) I personally don't think there is anything immoral about honest advertising as long as it doesn't take over. But it's your site and your rules!
Anyway, cheer up and have a piece of cake!
Wow. Sorry you had to deal with that. I thought that post was funny and didn't even occur to me it was an April fools joke. Thanks for all your hard work!
This blog has been one of my favorites for YEARS. I've given out your books as Christmas gifts, people take them to work and tell me how well the books were loved. Y'all are a staple! A poorly spelled, sticky, suspicious looking addition to our daily lives! Most of all, it's FREE for the reader, you guys have cheered me up after medical bills, getting laid off, while pinching every penny (well, every other penny, I'm not that good). So, THANK YOU. 100%. Really, I'd rather buy things cake-wreck themed when I can (books,mostly) than look at adds, but I get that sometimes book sales aren't enough, I would totally be cool with reasonable ads. Not because ads are okay but because you guys are WORTH IT.
Jenn and John: It took me a while to get the joke yesterday, but I got it and that was confirmed by the comments which I always read, BEFORE posting. So HUGS to you for the nastiness you experienced and good riddance to the people who "unfollowed" you. They were not your friends anyway. I also want to say that I admire your decision not to have sponsored posts, BUT I would not question you at all if you did! It is your decision. The internet allows people to say mean things that they would never say to your face and many bloggers have quit because of the idiots out there and the demands they make on the bloggers. KEEP UP the GOOD WORK! 99.9% of the world loves you and the 0.1% who flamed you should just keep their mouths shut. What did our mothers teach us? "if you don't have any thing good to say, keep your mouth shut!'
I didn't really get the joke yesterday, perhaps I didn't pay attention, but I'm so sorry you got attacked. Love your blog! People are mean! Don't let it get to you!
Cake Wrecks is brilliant work and I adore all that you do. Please put the clueless haters aside and keep on shining that ray of sunshine into our little worlds. Many thanks for the countless giggles, laugh out loud spray-tea-out-my-nose fun!
I actually went on Amazon and purchased some of those letter things that help you write on a cake, lol. Wilton should give you a cut of that profit!
some people just get really mad when you rick roll them, that's all it is. :)
Yesterday's post was so funny and so "you"! I'm sure most of us quiet fans totally got it and enjoyed it just as much as we love all your posts. Honestly it takes great bravery to allow comments at all any more because of how much trolls love to hate but this is motivating to be more proactive to spread the kindness - you guys rock.
How could anyone not see it was a joke? Us old faithfuls know you'd never sell out, plus we know how your sense of humour works. So sorry you had to suffer stupidity - how some people behave when they're on a computer never ceases to astound me. Thanks for the years of laughs, don't ever change!
Maybe the people who got all mad and said they would no longer read this blog were upset when their coupon code didn't actually get them a discount on that nifty practice board! ;-)
Says a lot about the state of our country right now when people get their knickers in such a wad over the possibility that a humor blog might actually need a relevant sponsor...and I agree that on April Fool's Day, it's hard to sort through joke vs fact, especially when it's well done. On this site, where snark and sarcasm is the norm, it's even harder--you can't see the smirk on your face through the internet.
Adding to the throngs who SO appreciate the lift you give to our days!
I knew what day it was, I laughed out loud at your parody, thought it was extremely clever, and moved on. To address the thought about supporting your site, have you considered a donation button? I know it's tough to survive doing what you do, but I love it, and would be happy to send a donation to keep you going. Just a thought. Hang in there. Haters are gonna hate no matter what.
I also didn't catch on that it was an April Fool's parody. I feel silly about that now because in retrospect it's obvious but I just thought it was YET ANOTHER creative and entertaining way of making fun of wrecks.
You two are so awesome. I love both of your sites and I hate that people give you any sort of grief over them. If someone doesn't like something they read online there are ways of handling it other than heaping abuse upon the author. Like maybe closing the tab.
I am sorry you had to deal with the negativity. Please know that there are so many of us out here who appreciate what you do. There was an article in the NYT by a women whose daughter was the only girl at science camp. I wrote to her and recommended Epbot. You make a safe supportive and entertaining space for so many.
#silentmajority - you guys rock. Every. Single. Day. I don't know how you do it, but please keep on doing it!
I'm totally a part of the silent "CAKE WRECKS LOVER" majority.
I didn't get it either....but I' m more of a literal person. I did think that maybe the supply of wrecks was drying up and you were encouraging new *talent* into professional baking. :)
I think you guys are awesome. People need to get a grip. Just roll your eyes and move on.
Everyone who expressed shock at your "selling out" should immediately be offered a full and complete refund of all of the fees that they pay to read this blog.
In the mouth-breathing world of the interwebz, you two can always be relied upon for a chuckle. Surely that's worth the readers (I'm using that term generously) you lost yesterday. Wreck on!
Well, I haven't left. I lived off you guys during my college years, and I wouldn't stop so suddenly, even if I was insulted. I'm addicted to your blog.
I personally don't like April Fools Day, because it's a day on which you need to mistrust everyone, and not just the mistrustful ones. And I didn't really get the joke on yesterday's post, perhaps it was because I worked till the evening and read the 'edited' version where you state it was a joke in it, but I will still keep comming back for more. I am addicted, after all.
As a member of the "silent no more majority", I thought it was hilarious! Sometimes your posts are the brightest spot in someone's day, and we should all remember to be thankful for that. Besides, if Cake Wrecks really had a sponsor, we all know it would be king cakes or EPCOT!
Another never-poster :) I have 0 tolerance/patience for & nothing nice to say to/about stupid people this week, so I'll be polite & just keep my mouth shut on my thoughts about the haters. But just another post of support - yeah, my brain didn't connect the dots & get the joke at first, either, but "sell-out" never crossed my mind. And then it clicked & I went "derp, I see what you did there." And people must have incredibly sad little lives to feel like they needed to jump all over you, cuz really, I have a sad little life & felt no need to judge you. So, yeah, you do what you do, & f em if they can't take a joke!
I was part of the silent majority yesterday (as usual.) If I'd noticed the comments I'd have said something... I never really read more than the first 3 or 4 ... Sorry people missed the joke... The good news is no one lost their job ... *side-eye to Gmail* ...
Hey guys, I never comment I just enjoy all the laughs. I'm sending you a virtual hug because you sound like you need it. I enjoyed the humor of your joke yesterday, and that of all your posts. Keep on keeping on.
Crap! I missed it! I have more CakeWreck posts on my FB page than I have of my own child! You guys are great and have never been referred to as Click Bait (the worst!). Keep being your awesome selves. Push the edge of the envelope. You know you are doing something right if you get censored and also piss people off .on occasion. Good work!
Reminds me of what they say at work: One 'aw sh*t' erases a thousand 'atta girls!'
You & John & the cat & all who have ever popped in to assist are dearly loved & appreciated. You put a smile & a cheerful note into our day. Forgive me stumbling on the quote, just imagine Gene Wilder's awesome voice & sweet weird face, So shines a single candle in the darkness . . .
That's you, Jen, & never forget it.
Another member of the silent majority here, breaking my silence to tell you that I got it. I got the joke, the date, the whole gosh darn thing. The people who didn't are probably embarrassed, and are taking out their frustrations about that on you. Keep on doing your thing, J & J. You guys are awesome!
I guess I must be the target audience, because I got the joke almost immediately--as soon as I realized that you were being deliberately not-funny. I'm pretty confident you all wouldn't sell out without retaining editorial control to be able to continue to be really, really funny. So the flat, clumsy infomercial tone was a dead giveaway that you were being tongue-in-cheek. :-D
I never comment, though, and it didn't occur to me other people wouldn't get the joke! I'm sorry you were given a hard time.