(original can be found at Frog God Games)
Statement by Bill Webb
Bill Webb here. I am one of the principals of Frog God Games. I have been at the center of a controversy stemming from a series of events that took place at Paizo Con nearly two years ago. For the most part, I have declined to take part in the many, often heated, discussions of these events. But given the strong feelings, opinions, and rumors on the internet concerning the events of that day, myself, and my company, there are some things I need to say.
I want to start by taking ownership of my own bad actions. On the day in question, I acted unprofessionally towards a colleague, BJ Hensley. I was overly familiar with Ms. Hensley and acted in a gender dismissive fashion. To be specific, I put my arm around her shoulders and called her “sweetie.” That behavior was and is not appropriate behavior towards a colleague and, unless one is very familiar with someone and has their consent to speak to them in that manner, that kind of conduct is never appropriate.
Unfortunately, that was not the end of it. While we were out for a cigarette, I offered her one by holding my cigarette pack out towards her so that she could take one. As was my habit, I had my room key in the sleeve of the cigarette pack so that I would not lose it.
I now can imagine how that must have looked. I had absolutely no intention of giving the impression that I was propositioning Ms. Hensley. In fact, my wife and kids were present at the con and my wife would have responded very poorly to additional guests in our hotel room. However, that does not excuse my mistake. I can see that my actions with the cigarette pack could be taken as a pass. I am deeply sorry for making BJ uncomfortable.
I have worked hard since this event to correct my behavior and focused on being more professional in my interactions with both con attendees and colleagues. This in no way excuses my prior behavior.
Beyond this, I have been accused of doing several other things that day. I have seen stories on the internet accusing me of assault, getting into a fight, and attempting to drug Ms. Hensley at PaizoCon and acting like a sexual predator and a violent drunk at other cons. I am posting a series of screen shots below which I hope will address these other accusations. None of these things happened at PaizoCon or any other con.
The company decided a while ago that when I’m at a convention now, I am always accompanied by another FGG associate, which is a policy I agree and comply with.
At the end of the day, I accept full responsibility for what happened that day and accept the consequences. All that I can do is to try to be a better person. What truly has been the worst part of the aftermath of the incident with BJ are the attacks on Frog God Games. I am just one of many people who work for this company. None of the other people at FGG had anything to do with this incident and none of them have ever conducted themselves in such a poor fashion. They are all perfectly decent and respectful people. It saddens me that they have had to pay for my poor actions from years ago by having our projects attacked by third parties. Many of these projects I have nothing to do with, yet my colleagues must continue endure their company being disparaged because of my poor behavior.
I am not asking for anyone’s forgiveness here. I acted like an idiot that day. That is the full truth of the matter. And I am deeply sorry. At this point, all that I can hope for is that with regard to this incident is that people will form their opinions of me and FGG based the truth and my actions, and not on the basis of rumors and fictional accounts created to fit a desired narrative.
Thank you,
Bill Webb
So will there be a lawsuit or not? If so please make a gofundme so we can throw money at the people wrecking our hobby by slandering hardworking folks based on rumors.lies, and falsehoods.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this Bill.
ReplyDeleteThis witch Hunt is getting old fast.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate Bill's candor on the issue. I also appreciate BJ's years long efforts not to feed the rumor mill. I ALSO also think there's a special place in hell for people who start gossip about drinks being spiked, at a gaming con or anywhere else. We've got enough to deal with already, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI agree a gofundme is a great way for us to support the people in our community.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteIt's sad that someone can get drug through the mud for simply calling someone sweetie. By that definition, I saw at least a half dozen people today commit the most harshest of crimes.
ReplyDeleteWell.. he wrote "The company decided a while ago that when I’m at a convention now, I am always accompanied by another FGG associate, which is a policy I agree and comply with." You don't do that just because someone said 'sweetie'. It makes no sense at all.
DeleteAgreed. IIRC, there was something about Webb following Hensley around, and it's pretty clear from Hensley's statement that Webb was drunk since she asked the con not to throw him out until he was sober enough to drive.
DeleteAlso, the "Sweetie" remark can't possibly have bothered Hensley that much, since she shared a smoke with him afterwards.
There's no point in filing a suit for defamation, because the people who propagate slanderous rumors are generally deadbeats who couldn't pay a court settlement anyway.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't matter. You take a stand, you set an example, it's not about the $$$ but the Principle of the matter.
DeleteI don't know that his apologies are well advised given the audience receiving them and the rather ridiculous nature of them (gender dismissive? a pass?), but hopefully his attorneys looked over this comment and advised him adequately.
ReplyDeleteNever apologize to Social Justice Warriors. They only will expect you to cave more, give in more, and now know that you are wrong/bad for doing what they told you you were doing which was bad.
DeleteThis same sort of group have almost destroyed the comic book industry and like a swarm of locusts they have now moved into gaming. They will attempt to destroy anything or anyone that does not agree with their political dogma. We can only hope that their mania will die down and the madness will end.
ReplyDeletewhich is why I hope Steve Jackson Games with Ty Beard as his lawyer, sues these people into the same hole they crawled out of for Tortuous Interference (SJG+FGG had a deal, these folks interfered in said deal, money was lost, God Bless Texas)
DeleteI'm John Fiala, and I have $20 that says Steve Jackson doesn't sue anyone over this, with Ty Beard or anyone else, in the next 12 months. Anyone wanna bet the other side? We'll go with May 1st, 2020 as the end of the bet.
DeleteFeminism is a plague that takes from every community look at the comic book and videogame industry they went after thunt from goblins simply for competing "too well" against fem web comics they are about Marxist redistribution from every media to them
ReplyDeleteIts not just feminism. This is part of a larger "victim culture" where anything said or done they they disagree with is interpreted with the same intensity as if it were an actual physical attack. It's part of an effort to silence any political or philosophical disagreements with their efforts to turn everyone into victims or predators.
DeleteThis type of insanity is truly a sign that western civilization has reached the maximum freedom, safety and quality of life possible. When being called sweetie by a drunken sot is truly considered "unsafe" we've all won.
ReplyDeleteYou do obtain a second individual to protect yourself from being accused. I had the ugliest of divorces and to protect myself always had somebody around.
ReplyDeleteI'm still going to purchase Frog God products, because they are superior. And FGG has done right by their customers over and over. I can't bring myself to care about Webb's actions at the Con. I can't bring myself to care about all of the myriad ways that any and all social interaction has been sabotaged. Sooner or later, all will be forbidden, because someone on social media will find a way to articulate their 'emotional pain' and call for the ritual and material punishment of the "transgressor".
ReplyDeleteI'm so done, so tired of this crap. I just don't care. What little sympathy I may have had has been turned to apathy by the fatigue of keeping up with it all.
I was more worried about Webb smoking. He's got a family. I wish he would quit for their benefit.
This man-shaming is a plague. I understand that there are some men with predatorial qualities, but every time some justice warrior feminist decides that she hasn't gotten enough attention, she cries foul over the most ridiculous of shit. I live in the south, I have women calling me
ReplyDelete"sweety" all the time and it never ruffles my feathers. As for making an assumption about someone's room key, that's just ridiculous. Making an assumption is making a guess, and if you have to make a guess because of a lack of evidence, then odds are is that your assumption is wrong.