Disappointed with Tough Love Artist Management

As you know, I have a new job. As you don’t know, we bought a car that I might be able get to my new job. A 2001 Toyota Corolla. I had a few concerns about owning a car. One of my biggest concerns, in regards to driving, is my infamous inability to conjure patience. I tend to get upset, quickly. Simple things make me mad. Like when I let someone into my lane, but they don’t wave (to say thanks). Maybe the build-up of all that frustration has led to this post. Maybe not.

Who is Tough Love Artist Management and Media Consulting? Tough Love is the management company of Josh Ritter. So what’s this all about?

I was toying with an idea. I was thinking about creating a Josh Ritter fan site. My reasons include: (1) I am a huge fan and (2) I wanted to test my ability to create a successful site. First step? Find a good name/domain. Just for giggles, I checked “joshritter” and I was amazed to find that joshritter.org was open. For a person of his celebrity—or anyone of any/no celebrity—should own every domain with their name on it.

The thing with people’s names, especially if they are trademarked or something (I don’t really understand it all), they can legally take their domain name and/or sue. The next step I checked Josh Ritter’s website and saw that Darius Zelkha, from Tough Love, is Ritter’s manager. I email him. I could have just bought the domain and held it ransom or done other terrible things with it and then they’d have to spend all kinds of money hiring a lawyer and pay all sorts of money to send me a cease and desist order, etc etc. Which would likely not be worth it. But I don’t. Not because I am afraid. But because that’s not how I roll.

I ask for permission. I send the following email:

Hello Darius,

I just need a minute of your time. I am a huge Josh Ritter fan and I would like to create a fan site for him. I would like to acquire a domain that would befitting of a fan site and I did a quick search and joshritter.org is available. Frankly, I would suggest that you purchase all domains having anything to do with Josh’s name. However, if not, I was wondering if I could get permission to purchase and use that domain name? Because it contains Josh’s name it would be within his right to request that domain and/or sue me, etc. Which I don’t want to happen , but I wanted to throw the idea past you guys.

Let me know,
Rhett

Not only do I ask permission, but I suggest that they should really be the owners of it. I see it as a long shot for me, but it’s always worth asking. joshritter.org would be a great domain and has great SEO value.

No response. Nothing all day.

The next day, I think to myself, I should just buy the domain and make sure that nobody else gets it and I can hand it over if Josh Ritter/management wants it. So, I check. The domain is bought. Registered by one Darius Zelkha from Tough Love.

So why am I frustrated? He did exactly what I told him to do. Because it’s the same as those people I let into my lane and I get no wave. You’d think, in this digital age, everyone would know that you should own all the domains. You’d think. But you’d think even more, if someone offers you a helping hand, you say thanks. That’s all I am looking for. You aren’t entitled to my help or my lane, but I offer it because that’s what I do, that’s what we all (should) do. And in response, you say thanks, you wave.

So I am frustrated. If someone lets you in, wave. It’s the right thing to do.