speaking of pure taste experiences that have nothing at all, in any way to do with rank status-mongering …
June 11, 2008 – 1:04 amwhen it comes to those “ellusive” and “exhilirating” coffee experiences, this blog can hardly think of anything more joyous than a good cologne and coffee pairing involving, possibly, a “coffee taster’s helmet.”
what will these studly taste geniuses think of next — that is, when they get back from trotting around colombia hulla for their rare, cold-cupped beans? espresso massage? supraspro? milan-grown “terrace” varietals?
key quote: “yes, it truly can.”
(hat tip, reader X)
p.s. reminds this blog of a whiskey-drenched coffee profile we read once …
p.p.s. question is, is rod lazar ripping off barack obama, or is obama ripping off lazar?
UPDATE: strange. this blog’s rss reader tells us that the world barista champion wrote about this very taste guru with his customary restraint (“My new favourite site ever“) sometime yesterday. but, ah, the post would appear to have been “moved.” not a fan of “killer so-spro,” james?
UPDATE: one thing that gnaws at this blog, late at night: that one day soon we might become a coffee snob … driving people away with our insufferable inscrutability. but that’s why rod lazar gives us hope. the true snobs, they’re all offended!
UPDATE: that thompson owen, of sweet maria’s — you know, the one with the “driest sense of humor on the planet” — is either strangely obsessed or intimately acquainted with that ista-bar czar, rod lazar.
18 Responses to “speaking of pure taste experiences that have nothing at all, in any way to do with rank status-mongering …”
well, it’s obvious Rod Lazar is the most brilliant mind in coffee, if he says so himself.
btw, did you happen to catch the link on Lazar’s page to the godawful Ethos coffee rap vid?
By rich on Jun 11, 2008
“Isn’t there just a bit of Rod Lazar in you?”
No thankfully there is not
By Stephen Leighton on Jun 11, 2008
the music video is a true ghastly canker-blossom.
By bz on Jun 11, 2008
For just the shortest period of time, i thought that was a real website, and i was thinking of how disappointed i was that i’ve never gotten to meet this guy.
By Ben on Jun 11, 2008
I am glad James took it down. Tasteless tacky mockery.
By Jaime on Jun 11, 2008
of whom?
By bz on Jun 11, 2008
Oh man, i didn’t realize that it was modeled after a real person. I feel kind of bad now…
By Ben on Jun 12, 2008
yes, of whom?
it wouldn’t be funny if it was a parody of any one site. i can read off 10 sites who inspire some of the humor here. and in fact, that’s not even the point. take any trajectory in coffee a few degrees further and even the most noble enterprises become ridiculous. geez – i didn’t realize coffee has become so holy we can’t have fun any more .
By tom on Jun 12, 2008
i’m aware of lazar’s main resemblance. but the thing is only bloggable because of its smashing relevance to all of us. thus, my question to jaime: who does it remind you of? maybe you?
i can definitely laugh at myself in the spoof. in fact, i missed the real key quote:
“isn’t there just a bit of rod lazar in you?”
brilliant. and if you’re offended, there may be MORE than just a bit in you …
By bz on Jun 12, 2008
my take is that if you love metal, but you are offended by spinal tap … if you love westerns, but are offended by blazing saddles … if you are love purebreds and are offended by best in show … well, you are one serious dude (or dudette). and i agree with the critics too actually, if rod resembles any one person or site, it’s not very effective. i think rods an original and now a major player; nobody can deny, and there will always be player haters. i saw an email from the main folks in the roasters guild saying he is a lead contender for “Master of All Roasters” award too. that’s just going to make the the resentment grow.
By tom on Jun 12, 2008
Oh, man. At first I thought I could get by with only needing a change of underwear after visiting the site and losing control of some major biological functions in laughter.
But even after surviving his Scott Baio headshot, clicking on the “Detailed Coffee Reviews” link opened about 47 windows of rejected airbrush paintings for Scooby-Doo’s Mystery Machine that will come back to haunt me as nightmares tonight.
Damn you!! This is all YOUR fault!
By Greg on Jun 13, 2008
awww. see? who could get angry about that?
By bz on Jun 14, 2008
Go, Lazar, Go!
Wonderful parody!
Once you can’t joke about an issue or yourself, then you’re really in trouble, friends!
I wan’t my helmet now!
By LAb on Jun 14, 2008
It’s one thing to parody and satirize something or someone.
It’s completely different to bash anonymously. And let’s be clear: Rod Lazar.com is an anonymous bash.
I’ll be the first one to admit that I have been publicly made fun of and satirized on ChemicallyImbalanced.com. It was humorous and funny – but most importantly, it came from a traceable source.
The Onion is satire and parody perhaps at its’ finest, but you too can check out the contact page and see the people publishing The Onion.
Neither of the two examples are equal to the anonymous bashing that is this Lazar.com shit.
You want to satirize and parody someone, go ahead – but have the balls to put your name to it and stand up for your actions. I’m out here in Copenhagen and have already seen a member of the SCAA Board of Directors proudly wearing a Rod Lazar shirt – and it’s the same person who claimed not to have been behind it on another website.
How about some people in this “community” grow some fucking balls and stand up for themselves?
By The Onocoffee on Jun 18, 2008
well put! thanks so much for bringing up balls, fucking balls, in case anyone thinks we’re talking about tennis balls.
By tom on Jun 19, 2008
strange. i would’ve pegged you more as a free expression type, jay.
By bz on Jun 20, 2008
To my mind, “free expression” also requires a level of responsibility.
Say what you want, comment as you wish, but do have the balls to stand up for what you say and what you comment. The Rod Lazar site is just anonymous bashing.
By The Onocoffee on Jun 20, 2008
I don’t know about the complete anonymity of the Lazar site, but I definately support whoever is behind the content. I think some of the content of the site being mocked is absolutely deserving of parody. After all, it is rather difficult to name a brand after oneself without raising questions of excessive ego/hubris. My favorite post is the latest about cupping; not an attack on an individual, but rather, a mockery of a the romanticised practice sweeping coffee shops nationwide.
By Brendon on Jul 6, 2008