Fake websites about Dyrdek and California Skateparks tell us what we already knew.

Photo credit: Obviously fake blog.

My feelings about how Rob Dyrdek and California Skateparks operate, and how that’s played out on the Roxhill project, are well documented here.  I won’t bore you by going back over it again.  But it appears that someone that has a grudge against these guys is making their opinions known by creating fake blogs intended to slander them.

Now I’m just tossing out hypotheticals here, but let’s see… we’ve got “Celebsleaze” which contains over 50% Dyrdek/Ciaglia content, and then some other crap copied directly from other websites to make it look (to only a total moron) that it’s a legit source.  See for yourself.  Here’s the Celebsleaze post for some unknown TV dude who got a DUI, and here’s the post on the Comcast site they stole it from.  I mean…even lazy obfuscation is still obfuscation.  For posterity, here are some of the other fake blogs they created, this time going for more of a “Church Charity”” vibe:  Interfaith Charity Connection, and Family Charity Watch.  I highly recommend checking it all out as some of the editorial work is downright hilarious.

But who could possibly want to defame these guys so much that they would set up three fake blogs and spend time making up stuff like this?  Well, it’s hard to say for sure, but we do know that Aaron Spohn of questionably competent skatepark firm Spohn Ranch is currently suing them in court.  The only reason any of this is interesting beyond a few chuckles is because Spohn is suing them for fraud, which would make setting up these slanderous websites somewhat ironic.  Congrats Aaron, now I am not sure who is more insidious, corrupt, and untrustworthy, but I still hope you win!  The truth is that Spohn’s suit has merit.  We’re seeing the proof right in our own backyard on the Roxhill project.

To top things off, today I received this comment on the Roxhill thread from “Alice”.  Because, you all know Alice has been really out there following what’s going on with the Seattle skatepark scene, when not ripping it up at Marginal. Alice really has her rap down pat as it reads like it was copied directly from the Celebsleaze play book.  Hmmm….

But no one is above board here because back when we were writing about how we genuinely felt about California Skateparks and Rob Dyrdek buying their way into the Seattle skatepark system, they were posting fake comments on my website too.  It seems as though these two California companies are bringing their special brand of cloak and dagger drama to Seattle,  the results of which will be in the ground at Roxhill.

Imagine what these people could accomplish if they just spent all of this wasted time building and designing great skateparks instead…

14 Replies to “Fake websites about Dyrdek and California Skateparks tell us what we already knew.”

  1. Someone wasted a relatively large amount of time spamming us about this (via e-mail since we don’t publish unsubstantiated accusations in comments) a few weeks back too. I did some checking around, responded to the person who e-mailed by saying that I had found their allegations to be not true regarding their specific intimations of something they thought might be happening with the situation here … and they vanished like dust in the wind.

  2. Exactly why so many people appreciate the value you and WSB place in presenting the facts with integrity and diligence. Thanks for doing what you do!

    It will be interesting to see whether or not the lawsuit in CA affects CSP’s ability to bid/win the project here in Seattle. But on a purely superficial level, it sucks that we can’t just rule them out for being so cagey and manipulative. “Knowing how to work the system to your financial advantage” isn’t really what I’d put in the qualifications requirements if I was in charge, and it certainly doesn’t speak to your ability to design/build a great skatepark.

  3. I’ll take a Calif. skate park over Spohn Ranch ANY day, and ANY way it took to build!

  4. Matthew – Neither myself nor anyone associated with me has had any connection with the authors of the Celebsleaze blog or any of the other similar blogs. There is grossly inaccurate information contained in them, and considerable information we knew nothing about. Unfortunately, they have misstated some of the facts, especially with respect to our involvement. The following are the facts:

    · Spohn Ranch, Inc. is not suing California Skate Parks, Inc., or Joe Ciaglia for fraud or anything else

    · Spohn Ranch, Inc. has not filed a complaint with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office as alleged in those blogs

    In the event that we or our attorneys wanted to make public comment about any such actions, we would do so transparently and based on scrupulously investigated facts. While we sympathize with the issues in Seattle, no formal action has been taken by us nor have any public comments been made by us. This includes fake postings on legitimate blogs.

    Regards,
    Aaron Spohn

  5. While the some of the issues on those bogus blogs are legitimate, the record should be set straight. Spohn hasn’t sued California Skateparks for fraud or anything else. We simply protested California’s award of a project we were competing over. And we did so because we felt there were some conflicts of interest and important omissions on their part. We simply wanted the same rules applied equally and to have a fair and honest bid process. We presented the facts as we saw them and asked the city to make a ruling. Those documents became public records and someone has seized upon them and has distorted and exaggerated some of the facts. We have not brought a lawsuit against California Skateparks, Ciaglia, or Dyrdek. We believe that our challenge was honest and correct. These blogs were not created by us and we don’t feel they’re helpful or effective.

  6. Aaron Spohn, you are a liar plain and simple. It is so evident that you penned this and other fake blogs/comments it is hilarious that you even try to say you have nothing to do with it. All arrows point to you, and no one has motive but you since CA continues to be chosen over you.

  7. Thanks for taking the time to clarify your position Aaron. Much appreciated.

  8. How about checking facts? If you are going to publish this kind of thing, which is really bad for our industry, you need to actually do some RESEARCH and verify your sources.
    You can’t just make wild claims. Maybe it does “feel” right to your writer but come on.. people have lives. Do your due diligence first.

  9. hey heidi, wtf are you talking about? you wanna give us the facts, give them to us. you come on here wining that yuor buddies are being slammed with “false claims” tell us what’s frakkin’ false!! we will consider the source. you advertise dyrdek’s dc shoes on your site, you even advertise dyrdek’s sponsor monster energy drink. so you market big doses of cafeine and taurine to children. real nice. you must be a freakin pilar of society.

  10. Say NOOOO to Spohn Ranch. These guys are a bunch of ass clowns and their skateparks a certifiable SUCK!! They built a turd in my home town. Over priced, retarded design, and just plain boring. These guys are taking skatepark design back to the 90’s. Do yourself a favor and avoid them like the plague. PS. Dear Mr. Spohn, keep your shitty skateparks out of Oregon, we have standards here!!!

  11. I am looking for some feedback from skaters or any others knowledgeable about skateparks built by Spohn or Pillar/Artisan. My hometown is going to have a park built soon by one of these companies.

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