Wow, I’d hate to interview her for anything, it would be a waste of time, ya know?

And she didn’t even spell fuhgeddaboutit correctly. Sheesh. As my grandma would have said: good riddance to bad rubbish. :)

That can’t be real. Please tell me you’re joking. I wear sassy pants every single day – And, even I’m not THAT stupid.

There’s an Eskimo custom that offers an angry person release by walking the emotion out of his or her system in a straight line across the landscape, the point at which the anger is conquered is marked with a stick, bearing witness to the strength or length of the rage. One can only imagine that Ms Wolk is far, far from home at this point.

Wow – obviously she’s too “cool” for HARO, so good riddance!

I’ll make this analogy: If a handicapped person ever made it to the NBA, they’d still be called for double dribble.

So long, Gloria Wolk. You don’t belong in this league.

There is no NO WAY this is real. Wow. BTW, her bio starts out like this:
“Gloria Wolk’s viatical books draw on decades of experience as teacher, family counselor…” Rant on, Peter!

OMG SO FUNNY. Another reason why I think it’s ok to make fun of mean people. Have fun in life- life’s too short to not laugh at funny antics- keep em coming Peter! ;0) I thought I was having a bad day…

Charming! Her Web site could use an extreme makeover as well.

Man, she sounds like a real piece of work – I think I’d preemptively give her the boot, before you wasted anymore of her apparently precious time!

Maybe it’s just ‘cos I’m in PR, but I never metamessage I didn’t like. (best read aloud while imitating Groucho Marx)

This is just hillarious! Lol. = )

So let me get this straight.

“GLORIA” joined HARO at her own free will. Cause she saw the good that it would be used for.

Then has the nerve to give you “a what-for”, for a welcoming, standard reply to any new comer that would receive such a reply given when joining ANY site!?

Plus your welcoming email to her mentioned her by name, and not some super generic “Welcome to ________.” that is spit out automatically by most companies!

*sigh*

Gloria, you just shot yourself in the foot.
Can’t fix stupid, dumb dumb.

Love ya Peter! Keep up the good work

Ah come on now… People like Gloria make blogs more interesting to read! Fiction is much more boring.

Looks like it’s time to update the definition of “douchebag” in the ol’ dictionary…

:)

And you know what? Based on the clumsy phrasing in that little note, she’s not even going to be a good interview. But I’m kill-filing her name just in case.

Peter,
I think you’ve found yourself an ‘Expert’ on ‘How to Lose Friends and Get People to Dislike You’ if that ever comes up in a Query!
J

All I can say Holy Cow! And BTW, in my opinion, the best part of receiving the HARO queries is the Peter Shankman moment we get at the beginning. I’m fairly certain I’ve never laughed out loud when I’ve gotten my daily allotment of ProfNet queries.

Who, in their right mind, replies to automatically-generated e-mails? Peter, keep up the good work. There are many PR pros out there, including myself, who appreciate your sense of humor, and the HARO service.

The good news is if you google her name, this story now comes up in page 1 of the search results. Ha Ha!

She is a complete idiot

Peter, unlike Gloria, you make my day everyday. I’d say “you go, girl”, but nah….

Thanks for your great service and rants. Have a swell evening. I will continue to refer HARO to good folks…

She signed up for HARO, right? You didn’t MAKE her sign up, right?
Yikes.

Bob LaDrew made me spit my soda out laughing.

Hey Peter… I assume you’ve since updated the “The emails are formatted like this” section to include the newly-added (and very handy!) numbering? KTHXUROXBYE. –BMW.

(PS… “metamessage” *sigh*)

What an ass. And by ass I mean B**CH. Jeez. I just deleted your first e-mail and went on my way. I knew it was a standard welcome to the group. Big deal. What does she think that you’re writing just to her?

Well it’s obviously all about her isn’t it? Gag me. People like that suck.

And I love your rants – both funny and gossipy and rantish.

Ugh… Peter, sorry you have to deal with people like that! Just know that the other 9,999 of us are extremely grateful for this service… even if we don’t say so early or often enough (points at self.)

Her motto: Let No Good Deed Go Unpunished!

I love it when someone outs a rude person. Good for you, Peter. And thanks for this really great free service you’re offering us. It’s incredibly helpful. I’ve written to a couple of journalists already and gotten really nice results.

Are you kidding me?

This is an invaluable service you’re providing (FOR FREE!) for the PR and news industries. It’s a pretty self-explanatory process. You give your information…you get information that may be useful to you…but apparently some people just can’t grasp that.

Peter, I enjoy your funny rants and sincerely appreciate what you’re doing. :)

Don’t stop!

Ha! As my friend Robert’s dearly departed mom used to say, “I wish I had her mirrors.” Or as the late great Sir John Gielgud stated in “Arthur”: “one must usually go to a bowling alley to meet a woman of your stature, Gloria.” (yep – the character’s name wa Gloria. You just can’t make this stuff up!

I think the phrase you were looking for is, “Watch people and the way they act, and they will always tell you who they really are.” Okay, so I just said that. But really — everyone you meet, virtually or otherwise, leaves a trail of WHO THEY ARE. Sometimes it smells like roses and then there are times like this. Oooof.

Wow. That is all I have to say.

She obviously didn’t know much about you – or she would have realized that would go directly into the blogosphere.

Hooray for outing people on your blog – hilarious.

Love this! Thanks for a great laugh today!

Gosh, Peter, you banned her? But she seemed SO interested in helping reporters.

Oy.

I can’t believe what I just read, I think your emails are very useful!

I’ve read that three or four times now. What the hell is she mad about? Maybe it’s a good thing she’s off the list if her pitches are anything like that message.

Perhaps she was trying to piss you off so that you would post her name and your readers would go to her site to buy her book. But I would never buy a book from someone who claims to “advocate for those who are powerless”, then proceeds to treat someone who provides a service to her like crap. Here’s her biography: http://www.viatical-expert.net.....author.htm. Oh, and she is a member of IRES.

Wow. People have really lost it in the manners department. I guess, unfortunately, you see that everywhere now.

For what it is worth, Peter, I like your commentary in the HARO emails. It provides a nice pause in my day. Keep the emails coming and don’t lose your sense of humor!

It’s amazing how PR people, reporters and experts alike need to relax. I hate spam more than most, but deleting or just responding “Unsubscribe” is so much easier than ranting and getting bent out of shape.

She’s clearly not that interested in getting people to look at her website either…it looks like it hasn’t been touched in 10 years.

What a sad, bitter, self-important person. I’m sure karma will slap Ms. Wolk off her metamessage-pedestal any day now.

For what it’s worth, my coworkers and I love HARO – and the editorial comments. Keep up the great work!

This is the best damn laugh I’ve had all day!!!! Oh and Peter, next time you’re in Houston can I buy you a sandwich? Or maybe some fajitas and a margarita?

This has to be a joke, right Peter?

It’s like saying: “Why are you wasting my time by me reading your blog & commenting on it?” Huh???

It’s like… nonsensical…

Much Success & keep diving!
Marvin

HOLY BUCKETS OF ‘WENCH HAS A LOT OF NERVE’ BATMAN!

Buh bye Gloria.

Um, in saying “I will not provide basic information they can obtain from my books or website,” did she not just throw out everything I ever learned in media training? I mean, when I’m hired for spokesperson gigs and they bring in a media trainer, I’m told, emphatically, that responding to a question with a response that starts with “Well, if you buy my book” is not OK.

So — does this mean she won’t be buying you a sandwich? ;)

I notice from her website (http://www.viatical-expert.net/) that her books are banned in Texas and Florida (scroll to bottom of home page to see). Now, she’s been banned from the state of HARO. Perhaps we can make a push to have her banned from the other 48 states.

BTW for those who don’t know what viatical means, I’m guessing that it’s from the latin for “acting like a complete jackass”. In which case, Gloria is clearly the expert. But, hey, think how boring life would be without those kind of emails. Without making fun of people like that we’d have nothing to do for fun other than wash our cats…

In the “there’s no such thing as bad PR” department, I (also) naturally felt compelled to Google this previously unknown woman’s name. Love the hit #3 is, um, right here!

Perhaps a small re-think of career path is in order – I believe Gloria might be happier as a coroner.

Did you see what she sells???? Viatical settlements for godsakes! No wonder she has a shitty attitude – selling someone’s life insurance while on their death bed. Great business, Gloria!

Tom

I love the opening comments/rants/jokes/whatever. I subscribe just for the entertainment value. If I find a good lead here and there, it’s just a bonus. Life is short. Let’s try to have as much fun as we can along the way.

Holy hilarity! If you just want to get to the queries you can always scroll down. I bet the decision to hit delete on her file was quick and easy. Be well. Thanks for the insight and good work.

Wow. Some people’s kids. Who does she think she is??

Well, Peter, *I* bought your book! ;)

I’m sure the rest of us were going to write letters like that when we first joined but we were dazzled by your rants and product placements and we forgot to send our emails.

You’re right, some people need a puppy – Not a cat because puppies do stupid things and make us laugh, cats just laugh at us.

Peter – wanted to send a well-deserved note to you in support of your rants! And perhaps we can thank Ms. Wolk for reminding us what can happen when we take ourselves too seriously. When needed, think of her missile and make a choice to lighten up – you’ll help yourself and those around you!

Here’s the punch line: According to her website, she’s a family counselor, among other things. I wonder how her militant approach works with children?

laughing my a** off and glad i’m not in the company of THAT MSW/financial planner/what-else-does-she-claim-to-be?

Parish Cafe style sandwich on me, next time you’re in boston.

It’s so easy for people to berate each other online. I would be she would never say something like that in person. All the best, Peter, as a new subscriber, I’m LOVING this list!! JK

Hmmm, too bad Amazon doesn’t have a way of un-buying a book to make Gloria Wolk’s book rankings drop. My g-d! She’s an MSW who’s carved out a niche advising on the risks of buying the life insurance policies of terminally ill people. Maybe that’s why she behaves like a harpie or vulture! How would you like to have a therapist like her!? Or, have her advising on anything when she’s exhibited such poor judgment?

Barry #46! ROFL! Hilarious.

You know worst case scenario she checks her website status and sees an increase in hits.

….then she checks her email….;)

Actually, this reminds me of another pastime enjoyed by some people, shooting fish in a barrel. If you look at her site at Viatical-Expert.net it may help shed some light who the person behind the tirade directed at an auto-response email.

While I don’t think all the remarks posted here are off the mark, I think that those like Gloria with less than a clue could be shown a little more patience, and spared the outing in a post like this. I would be ashamed and angry to be treated in this way and I’m not sure that’s the best cure of this type of illness…

Peter, while I think spammers and shameless self-promoters should be left to swing in the breeze, I think this goes beyond the professional image I suspect you would like to project. Please don’t “misuse” your power as moderator of this list. I think this is coming close to that and I expect more from you.

You demand things from those of us that get your mailings and Gloria was simply making her own demands. I would have prefered that you both communicate and figure out if the list was right for her or not so she could just unsubscribe, or just deal with the mailings (and you) as they are. We tend to forget how much email sucks sometimes, and things like this happen that would NEVER occur with phone or face to face meetings.

I have to say in defense of this woman, she’s not a PR person. She’s an expert on a serious topic. Most likely she’s an intellectual who exists primarily in the academic realm, which differs greatly from the corporate pimp game that most PR people exist in. Granted, if it was me, I would personally have a better attitude in terms of basic human contact. Playing devil’s advocate though, there is a significant amount of superfluous chatter that is completely irrelevant to the actual point of HARO, which is to connect reporters with appropriate sources. Sometimes people just want the sources and could do without the ‘i am going to jump out of a plane today’ bit.

There are few enough things in life that are wonderful:
Dogs and cats
French roast coffee
Good dark chocolate
Peter Shankman
Thank you for bringing us into your world. We are better for being there.
Love you,
Cherie

PS Love the “Buy Peter a Sandwich” feature. Please don’t ever buy Witch-y Woman one – I beg you.

I think it’s extraordinary that this woman has so little understanding of the power of the web—and your willingness to use it—that she didn’t see this well-deserved public humiliation coming. One more proof of her uncannily bad judgment! Bravo for outing her, Peter. And thank you for all of the work you put into HARO, of your own volition, and with no compensation from us. You are a wonder.

Ah yes, once again proof of the axiom that while intelligence is limited, stupidity knows no such bounds…

Seriously, there’s a thousand ways she could’ve put that which wouldn’t have come across as asshattery – and yet, she chose poorly.

OMG! I signed up today and received the same welcome email without a second thought. She is crazy. I gasped in disbelief while reading her email, and was truly angry for my new friend Peter…That is until I started reading all the posted comments. Now that made me laugh! Some are absolutely hysterical! Go get her!

Peter – seriously, what is up with this character *LOL* Listen, HARO rocks and I love the rants. Clearly, she needs to get a wake-up call to reality. Barry has it *spot on*.

Hhow close are you to dancin’ a jig on YouTube, I wonder…

Unreal. Truly, what is wrong with some people? Peter, big slap on the back for not lowering yourself to her level.

Wow, how sad on many levels—the first being her complete lack of respect for another human being who is doing something to help her. No, I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter that you were trying to help her, you are a human being and she had no right to treat you that way. I have, and will, never understand how some human beings can treat others like they do.

Others have mentioned additional ways she is confused, but I was most struck by her comment “Those who are diligent earn my respect because they ask good questions and report accurately…”

Perhaps we can educate her by helping her understand it is HER job to earn the respect of media by being a great interview, by providing relevent information that helps them do their job in a timely, common sense manner, and by being honest, kind and educated.

Peter, thank you for what you are doing. If you ever come to Indianapolis, make sure you let me know!

Nancy

If I hadn’t run into others like Gloria, I’d think you are making this up. On the other hand, who could make up stuff like this? Her attitude is definitely her ticket to anonymity… she’s truly a legend in her own mind!

If the metamessage in her response is that she is too busy and too important, then why the hell did she sign up with HARO?

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its
limits” Albert Einstein.

Apparently, that woman’s stupidity is boundless. She is also unbearably rude and quite full of herself.

Peter-don’t take it personally. I was on a forum with her for many years. Suffice it to say, she didn’t just get angry for the first time today :)

Holy smokes — “viatical” expert, eh? Whatever….

Now, that cat-bathing story that’s being planned for NPR just ROCKS!!! As someone who has tried to do it and ended up drenched and a bloody mess at the paws and claws of an otherwise gentle, docile Maine Coon, I would LOVE to hear that story when it airs. Can you plug it in one of your HARO e-mails when it comes out, Peter? I’m afraid I might miss it!

I just joined and haven’t had time to read many of your e-mails. . . until now! This was too crazy to ignore! I don’t know whether this is funny or sad. Oh well, more PR for the rest of us!

Looks like someone needs to spend a little quality time with the cluestick. And it’s not Peter.

I can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said but “wow.” I wonder how many interviews she’ll get now? Ha.

Its like the lady who asked to connect to me on Plaxo and then asked to be taken off my ‘LIST” so she wouldn’t get any emails from me.

Oy, she was a teacher? That sheds a little light into our educational system. My guess is the MSW is a reference to her “My She’s Whacko” degree. Keep it coming Peter, we love ya! Thanks for the laugh.

#46, you want to ban her from all USA states, if you do she’ll come to Canada and we DON’T WANT HER!

Well, She is NOT going to get any good PR now!

Another reason why information like this should only be given to true PR pros who know what the heck they are doing. She needs one of US more than anyone needs her ranty a**. She’s bitter at the world and will never change. We are the wrong group to make sour. Please send her a link to these comments.

Goodness, she really step in it. I can’t believe that email.

Well, that was rather interesting! Who made her the queen of everything? That’s my title…oops, no, its not! Gloria, take some flax seed oil, chill, contemplate the universe and let the cortisol in your system subside, otherwise you’ll die of a heart attack.

Peter, you rock!

Hey, I am a therapist. Does she need some anger management or just some socialization skills?

I was going to say something disparaging about a “Viatical Expert,” but #49 beat me to the punch :-)

Anyone who doesn’t feel immediate admiration for you and what you are doing is pretty lost as a human. She misses a lot by not understanding your way of communicating. Oh, and I loved the video of the x-ray machine. (See how much fun that legend-in-her-own-mind is missing)?

For the PR person’s Wall of Shame – I had a bunch of those posted on my bb at my last editor-in-chief job. Time to start the collection again! Since I ride both sides of the fence, I really have zero tolerance for PR folks with ‘tudes!

Yeesh! Judy

I am so appreciative of what you do and now knowing the stupidity you put up with too..you deserve a medal. If she’s so hot and reporters are ignorant and lazy then why did she need to join a list? Aren’t the masses beating down her door to interview her? Well, at least she showed her cards up front and now we’re done with that nonsense.

Wolk Away!

Maybe she is just jealous because so many people like you…. well, she just made us like you even more.

If you are ever in Tampa Bay, let me know and I’ll buy you the best grouper sandwhich this side of the Mississippi!

I recognized her name. She interviewed me as a possible publicist. I told her I really did not know her subject material, and wouldn’t be a good publicist for her. Meanwhile my intuition was saying please go away quickly.

I really, really appreciate your service. Thank you for doing this.

She’s a douchenozzle.

If she’s attractive. I volunteer to spank her.

Jeff

Maybe she’s pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes and is very shrewd herself at PR. Look how much free publicity she’s gotten. Granted it’s all negative, but how many of us have now checked out her website and her books? Or maybe she just really is an idiot. Either way, she’s entertaining.

I couldn’t imagine working with someone like her. I think she really does need some Ritalin on a daily basis.

What a pompous b5. You did a good thing by outing this woman. We are all happy to steer clear of this vulture.

BTW, I read your first email of the day before any other. The rants help me start my day.

Human behaviour constantly amazes me! Obviously Ms. G never met you in person or she never would have said that. We appreciate you, Peter. And your rants crack me up.

People like this make the rest of us who are even semi-competant seem like PR geniuses. Thanks so much, Gloria!

Peter, if you are ever in San Diego your hide is MINE. Sandwiches available 24/7.

“A day without a Shankman rant is a day without sunshine.”

The woman is a Viaticalist. No wonder! They have enormously giant egos, don’t like humans and should never be allowed on lists like this!

Wow. I’m speechless. Look at it this way, Peter – less bad karma to deal with!

I’m guessing teaching and being a family counselor didn’t pan out too well! Unless you define both as “beating them with a club until they submit.”
She’ll probably brag to her clients about how her website got a lot of hits in the past two days – but gloss over the reason why.
I really love this part:
“We do not provide refunds. If you are uncertain about buying a book, borrow a copy from the library. If your local library does not have a copy they will borrow from another library or order a copy. There has never been a problem with getting a library to order these books since they are unique, there is no competition.”

I’m betting the “no competition” is not due to the fact that they are “unique”… I can say no more… okay, except that if you encourage people to borrow it – you’re not SELLING it! So that’s a unique “non-selling” proposition!
V-

Peter, this was a hoot! I’m still scratching my head in disbelief, but these people are definitely out there. I’m delighted to be on the list. I LOVE the intros to your queries, and if I reply to one but don’t hear anything, I know I wasn’t right or that the reporter has all he or she needs.

This is a benefit…a privilege… man, how she could not see that is beyond me.

LOVE that you posted her note. Just love it!

Even if she didn’t like Peter’s humor (which I do), why would she take the time to be openly negative for no apparent reason? Compliments cost nothing, but no one forgets baseless crticism. The lack of PR savvy is unfortunately unsurprising, but the disturbing aspect of this is the open rudeness.

Some people just can’t keep their smart-aleck 14-year-old nephews away from the keyboard! Yeah, that’s quite the self-absorption in action.

Oh, Peter, Peter,

Don’t take it to heart, dear. The world is full of all sorts of people. (Ummm, yeah, I guess you know that, since you purposely try to find “all sorts of people” and facilitate their getting in touch with reporters who need to talk to all sorts of people …).

Gossipy and chatty a Waste of Time!?!! Geez. Is she “Monk” or something that she can’t skip over what she doesn’t want to read? Anyway, some of us think being entertained is one of the three best reasons to be alive.

Keep entertaining us. Do it for spite, if nothing else. (Oh, no. Not spite. Just for fun.)

PGO.

I can imagine her as a mother: “I don’t care if you’re three – you’re wasting my time. Drop one more cheerio and you’re fired. Fugheddaboutit.”

Now she knows what it feels like to be on her PR deathbed. Time for her to cash in all (if any) goodwill insurance she might have earned in this lifetime. If I may alliterate somewhat — She is a vitriolic viatical expert with a viscious knack for eviscerating nice people who make the world a viable place to live with their vivacious humor (Peter)…

Rant on, Peter! Some of my biggest laughs some days come from your unique experiences and view of the world!

Self importance is alive and well in America. My sense is that her behavior is a direct result of all the entitlement (I am entitled to be treated this way or that way) that many individuals have come to expect.

As my dear Swedish immigrant grandmother told me as a young child: You get far more with honey than with vinegar. Her wise words still live with me today.

Thats it! She wont be invited to my birthday party!

Thank you Peter, and the rest of you who gave me several laugh-out-loud moments. And thank you too, Gloria, for being such a viaticalist that I will never think of viatical books, toys or sandwiches without thinking, though I may forget your name, of the “My She’s Whacko” who engaged in emotional conversation with an inanimate object sent as an introduction to greater prosperity and joy in life.

Thanks for the rants and raves, Peter. They make my day, or at least add a moment of clever uplift in a writer’s life. Shout out, too, to Daniel who asked about viaticals then pointed me to this hilarious discussion. (We hope you’re laughing with us Gloria, so you won’t be crying alone.)

For the record, one of the things that I enjoy about your rants is that they’re short enough that you can just scroll past them – and the format of the e-mails is such that it’s really easy for me to find what might apply to me and not bother with the rest. So I’m going to join the ranks of those who are mighty appreciative that they signed up for this e-mail.

That said, I’m not sure how to respond to dear old Gloria, except to say that I feel sad for her.

Wow, what a way to make a name for yourself in an oh-so-public way! Didn’t she get that she was talking to a PR expert, for goodness sakes? (grin) Can’t wait to check out her website. Maybe she knows that some PR is better than no PR. Or is it? You’re doing a great job, provide a valuable service and the majority of us appreciate the opportunity to help out your reporter friends!

Peter
Do not spend your time concerning yourself with the petty stupidity of small minds. I find it fascinating what people will say and how they will act in e-mail form as apposed to face to face. E-mail and the blogoshere have become the great arena for people to air their petty rants and stupid opinions – HARO is great!

Poor thing. She must be very unhappy.

For the record, one of the things that I enjoy about your rants is that they’re short

From personal experience, this lady is a snake. She is not liked and has to use alias. She is always claiming to be the victim, she is a evil person. People and companies files lawsuits against her due to her evil acts. She travels with her two German Shepherds because those are her only true companions. Her kids rarely speak to her, people in the dog park hate her. She moved cross country to escape a lawsuit from a dog bite incident at the dog park. Its never her fault, she’ll claim elder abuse when its not going her way. She is Trash.