Reddit user Violentacrez, the influential former moderator of sections on the site such as “jailbait,” “rapebait,” and “incest,” was revealed by Gawker last week to be 49-year-old Michael Brutsch, a software programmer from Texas. Now that he’s been fired from his job and scaled back on his positing of gore, porn, and rape jokes, Brutsch has nothing better to do than try to defend himself and is appearing on Anderson Cooper 360° tonight, which cannot be good for his career prospects. “I am to some degree apologizing for what I did,” said Brutsch — but not really. “I treated Reddit like a game,” he explained.
The booming social news site, which so values its anonymity that it blocked Gawker links in response to the article, told CNN it “regrets not taking stronger action sooner,” but adds, “Mr. Brutsch was banned several times.” He was also sent a gold-plated bobblehead doll “for making significant contributions to the site.”
“Two years ago, when all of this was at its height, the audience was appreciative and supportive of this sort of gallows humor that I put out there,” said Brutsch, adding “the biggest thrill I got was those meaningless Internet points.” Appearing on national television to live it all again must be something very special then.
