The Gorrell - Montano Quarrel

An officemate was reading the Inquirer the other day where there was an article about this issue. He told me it would be interesting to look up Brian Gorrell's blog: http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/

Apparently, this blog shot to internet stardom shortly after it opened two weeks ago. Since it took me months to find out about the Malu Fernandez incident, it's no wonder I haven't heard about this at all.

The blog was basically started by Australian Brian Gorrell as revenge against his ex-lover, Filipino DJ Montano. The issue is the $70,000 Gorrell lost to Montano's bogus business venture; and Montano's friends, nicknamed "Gucci gang", are currently collateral damage since Gorrell will keep lambasting them and publishing sordid details about their circle if he doesn't get his money back.

Tough.

I'm not really into fashion, I don't read society columns, and I don't have a database of famous people lodged in my head. Ergo, the only names that are familiar to me in this drama are columnist Tim Yap, and Wendy Puyat of the Hong Kong scandal that I read in Cocktales. My officemates couldn't believe I don't know Celine Lopez.

Anyway, whether I am familiar with these people or not, the blog entries are indeed "entertaining". So are the comments people leave on the site.

My thoughts, and all stemming from the assumption that Gorrell tells the truth:

• It's bad enough that DJ allegedly robbed Brian of $70,000, what's worse is that the money represented Brian's life savings. The worst part is DJ knew Brian has HIV and was probably hoping any income from the supposed investment would help with his expenses to stay healthy.
• I understand that frustration is driving Brian to this extreme, but the initial plan of shutting the blog once the $70,000 is paid sounds a lot like extortion/blackmail.
• Brian, and some people who have commented on the blog, have resorted to calling people names based on physical attributes. They curse Tina Tinio by calling her fat when what they supposedly couldn't stand is her manners. I'm fat, I don't think I have the bad manners they say she exhibits, so this tactic offends me. I may be chuckling as I write this, but I mean it. Ouch!
• I think the word "celebutantes" fits the Gucci girls better than "socialites". Look up the word on the net...you won't find it in a dictionary.
• Freeloaders do not necessarily have no money ... some of them are just so used to being given things for free that they are shocked if they have to pay. They usually don't think of themselves as freeloaders, too. They think they are just so privileged, idolized, and (cough!) loved/adored, that people want to give them stuff just to please them. They never hear the snide comments spoken behind their backs. They should, as a wake up call, but they don't.
• As for the "moneyless" freeloaders, I think that the way they persuade people to give them things has approached an art that is even admirable. It takes thick skin, which I don't have, and a strong stomach. Unfortunately, I have a weak stomach when it comes to duplicitous acts...I easily throw up.
• People tend to see the picture as the sickness that is high society. I think of this as Brian's misfortune of being with people who are afflicted with the deterioration of the person brought about by cocaine addiction. Following is part of the literature on cocaine addiction from www.emedicinehealth.com:
  

  Why cocaine becomes addictive: Research with cocaine has shown that all laboratory animals can become compulsive cocaine users. Animals will work more persistently at pressing a bar for cocaine than for any drug, including opiates. An addicted monkey pressed the bar 12,800 times until it got a single dose of cocaine. If the animal survives, it will return to the task of obtaining more cocaine.
  
  The human response is similar to that of the laboratory animal. The cocaine-dependent human prefers it to all other activities and will use the drug until the user or the supply is exhausted. These persons will exhibit behavior entirely different from their previous lifestyle.
  
  Cocaine-driven humans will compel themselves to perform unusual acts compared with their former standards of conduct. For example, a cocaine user may sell her child to obtain more cocaine. There are many stories of professionals, such as lawyers, physicians, bankers, and athletes, with daily habits costing hundreds to thousands of dollars, with binges in the $20,000-$50,000 range. The result may be loss of job and profession, loss of family, bankruptcy, and death.

  Cokeheads will sell their kids for cocaine, so fooling Brian into a business venture and the sex for coke should not be surprising behavior from them.
• Parents in denial that their children are addicts will definitely, initially, deny that their kids are doing something wrong. They insist that their kids are good citizens, not only to assure other people, but also to assure themselves. They would rather wish it's just a phase and would go away. Like magic. When they do get to their senses and think of intervention, their kids have already gone far down the road of destruction. Think Britney Spears.
• If DJ is indeed a cokehead, I doubt if he has any money to payback the $70,000. The money's already in the hands of the drug dealers.