Your attempt has ended in failure.

It's been interesting this year watching the Buffalo News enter the wide world of Blogistan. They've moved in fits and starts, it must be noted; they shut down the blog devoted to their monthly "Book Club" after just two or three months because it didn't have enough readership, which shows that they don't realize how long it can take to build audience in the blog-world. They also seem completely unaware of the existence of blogs outside of their own operation, to judge by the number of outgoing links they use.

And then there is the occasional hilarity of watching these reporters interact with "commenters". A great case in point: the other day, News sports columnist Jerry Sullivan, who is also now one of the News's new bloggers this year, decided that he'd had enough with his commenters trying to be funny in his comment threads, so he threw down in a post which he entitled "You're Not Funny":

Judging by many of the posts on this blog, a number of you feel as if you're auditioning for the Comedy Channel. Here's a tip: You're not funny. Don't get me wrong. I do get a charge out of some of the back and forth banter that shows up here. I'm all for a good dustup between two people with strong opinions, even if it goes over the edge at times. But the guys who spend their time straining to be clever, posting lists that are really weak and signing other people's names -- Larry Felser, Jerry Sullivan, etc.? Really, when I read those I lament the very existence of these kinds of forums. It gives dim-witted types the idea that anyone can sit down for five minutes and write something that the average person wants to read. It's not that easy. That's why the blog can be a pain in the ass for me at times.

And as any experienced citizen of Blogistan might well expect, everyone in the comments of that post is completely respectful and no one makes any attempt to be funny. Well, except for, well, everyone. Oops.

Worse, Sully even makes special mention in his post of a specific item for which he seems to take lots of ribbing on the blog: the tweed jacket he's wearing in his headshot. So along comes this line from a commenter:

I give two nicotine stained thumbs up to Jerry's drool stained circa 1972 imitation tweed size 46 portly jacket.

That's signed "Jeff Simon", who happens to be the News's monument to pretentiousness film critic, and a guy who has never failed to complain about Roger Ebert's "Thumbs Up" schtick when he's had the opportunity. So that comment is funny on multiple levels. Not bad for an anonymous person in a blog comments thread!

Later on, Sully eats a bit of crow, to his credit. Welcome to Blogistan, Sully.