"Renda Writer did not move to New York, and he did not already get on The Ellen DeGeneres Show," he says. Indeed, he states in the letter, he still supports WeMerge, which will continue as a publication, and WeMerge still supports him and his efforts to get on the show.
If you're not yet familiar with the continuing saga of Writer trying to make it onto Ellen's show, you can get caught up by reading this previous New Times writeup. His efforts have included organizing an online petition, asking folks to film themselves saying they want it to happen, filming himself (click and scroll down) many times saying that he wants it to happen, and mobilizing 30-plus artists to paint portraits of DeGeneres that he then auctioned off and used the proceeds to fly to California to visit her for her birthday.
The root cause of his resignation, he says, is the feeling that he needs to focus on himself: "I just feel like it's really time for me to go out there and really do me." This includes, he says, "build[ing] a team around me" and working on his "personal brand." Part of that effort will be through the creation of more video content, he hopes. More stuff like this:
If you've been waiting for an opportunity to work with Writer, now's the time: "Hit me up," he says, "But, please be serious and focused, and please don't waste my time or expect that you can just pick my brain for free, ride my coattails, or half ass it in any other way."
And he's looking for "some kind of job." So if you know of anything, hit him up.
"Also," he says, "my birthday is on August 17th, and I don't know yet what I'll be doing to celebrate, but if you want to hang out or you have any cool ideas, hit me up. Even if I don't know you very well -- hit me up. Let's all hang out."
He closes the letter the same way he would often -- if not always -- close his "Letters From the Editor" throughout the "WeMerge era," by addressing "the dream": "I'll have a whole bunch more free time, and I plan on devoting most of it to really revving up my efforts to get on the [Ellen Degeneres] show," he said. "I've got a new plan that I am positive will work."
"Also," he says, "I have made September 12th into 'Promote Renda Writer to Ellen Day'... September 12th is perfect because that will be during the first week of her new season." Plus, September 11 was already taken.
Best wishes to Renda Writer as he enters this new chapter. It will sure be exciting to watch it unfold.
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