Opportunism of the Year Award: already

I'm currently the Unemployed Emperor of Jupiter. Or so says my press release..

What an absolute bell-end and an embarrassment to Manchester

This seems a bit like bullying to me. This guy sends an email in good faith to try and cash in on five minutes of TV fame and you lot act he's an irritant for even daring to contact mighty ManCon. Cashing in on a cringeworthy tv appearance? You'd never catch ManCon doing that. I like ManCon, just getting a bit sick and tired of the nature of some of the 'articles'. Last week there was a personal attack on the Sankeys owner (yes I know it wasn't manCon saying it but you published it) and now you take the michael out of a bloke trying to get some work, however clumsily he does it.

I agree actually. So he's sent an email, to all the addresses he can find, looking for work and used Cc instead of Bcc. If this justifies 'Cock of the Year' we're in for a boring and quiet one. What will we have next week? Perhaps you could pisstake all your job applicants in an article?

Got to agree with the comments above, a bit ill-judged and over the top this article

I sort of agree with eavesy and anon. Don't think it's bullying but it is a bit harsh to call him cock of the year. And I don't think he's an embarrassment to Manchester, or indeed a bell end. On the show he came across as quite sweet, albeit with a tendancy to talk in a bizarre kind of marketing language that only marketing people use. But he didn't seem nasty or unpleasant.

Give him fifty quid to write an article in response to this one, Mancon. Go on, you know you want to!

Alex we offer you £50 in response to this article. As long as you never speak in marketing speak. Ever. That would be nauseating. Hey folks maybe we need a harsh or at least a free-to-speak media rather than one craven to celebrity...Cruickshank and Gillray maybe? Why does Alex even want to be on TV? Maybe we should ask him that first. If you have a skill speak, if you don't go to the local pub and chat with your mates. Nowt wrong with that.

Harsh is fine. Overly personal is amateur and it is creeping in.

We don't do personal. But the city does need a media that will say One Piccadilly is crap, we're not sure about the direction of MediaCity or the lack of aspiration in food and drink or the way the Trafford Centre does sculpture. And this man. Well..he may have been ill-advised but don't raise your head over the parapet unless you can bear being shot at. I again give you John Edward Taylor and Cruickshank and Gillray.

It's fine saying One Piccadilly is crap, but to call the person behind it a 'cock' would be childish. Just sometimes you know, and perhaps you'll find this hard to accept, you get it wrong. It'd be nice to show a little humility rather than try to use it as an opportunity to place yourselves with innovators in media. Calling someone 'cock of the year' for an ill thought out email is not innovation, not pushing the boundaries, it's just a bit playground.

Come on people, it's an absolute gem. A bit of lighthearted banter, for a guy who is offering his services to be similarly critical in the media! I'm sure can handle it, and would actually guess that he'll be just a little amused that he's got his own column inches once again!

Anyway, is there actually an Events Manager job going at the moment......

Anon maybe you're right. And we'll keep your comment on. But aren't you worried about people like Alex who seems nice enough but gets on TV through a load of screen tests which will only prove how desperate he is to be on TV? The BBC are complicit in this. And it is awful. I will not employ a writer unless they can write. Prove it. Do it. And for Gawd's sake avoid TV producer.

I don't think he's a cock, I think he's a c*nt

At the very least his PR should be fired

Ah the BCC field, bless him. Copy/Paste into my Contact list thank you very much!

Just a bit of 'guerilla' marketing gone wrong.

Can't say I watched the show but perhaps his self-promotion and blag is the style of professional he is putting himself across as?
If he's plugging himself it's only right to have the bull-shit-business-talkometer switched on.

It is harsh and childish.

Whilst he only has himself to blame for being the butt of all sorts of jokes, I think the general tone of the article was quite vitriolic rather than humourous.

'We´re not sure we´ll be rushing to take Alex up on his offer, but we admire his determination to talk about his mistakes and being fired so readily.'

Yes, really harsh.

Whether or not the guy is a cock or not, and whether or not it's unfair personal criticism of him, it's certainly very unprofessional to publicly publish what was intended to be a private email between him and yourselves. Making himself look like a cock doesn't excuse you. Poor show Man Con.

JS Were all in favour of a free media, but clearly some of your readers, me included, would prefer it if confidential didnt take the Heat magazine approach of takeing a famous(ish) person and slinging mud at them for the sake of a story. Your better than this.

Poor bloke. All he wants to do is make something of himself and he's crucified on a website.

no they are not...are they AD?

I once cc'd rather than bcc'd an advertising email. I, understandably, got a bollocking... However, I was a junior, this guy is supposed to be head of communications... he is a cock.

I agree a bit as well. There is a nasty undercurrent creeping in here and there on this site. Where does that come from, dya think?

Yes, Alex came across a a 'sweet guy' on The Apprentice, but he did also come acreoss as a bit of a c**k as well. However, I don't think he is the only person who has, say gone on a TV reality show and come across as a bit of a c**k (ie CDWM)....... or then tried to cash in on it by promoting (or self-promoting) via Man con (meals at a certain over-rated restaurant). Come on Gordo, get a bit of control over the editorial staff.....stones/ in glass house etc.

I quite like One Piccadilly. What were we talking about again?

Mancon makes money from people advertising with them because people like mancon, we like the stuff they do so that feeling extends to the commercial offers they make to us. Carry this 'nasty undercurrent' as someone put or 'childish clique' as I'd put it and then people will still read but more to scoff at what is being said. Advertisers could potentially do themselves more harm than good. So please drop this kind of thing and the other similar personal articles that have creeped in.

Must admit Jonathan that, much as I like your writing, there was a bit of a feeling of pulling the wings off flies as this article progressed. He is, without a doubt, a knob but a rather sad one and ManCon should really be above a whole article lampooning someone who has had his 15 minutes of fame.
As for Gordo appearing on reality TV, there were sound commercial reasons for that i.e. free television exposure for his illustrious organ not just his bloated ego (though that, no doubt played its part)

Maggie, leave me out of it, it's all down to Jonathan this one. Anyway, I thought I was the best on CDWM. Thought I was looking pretty hot as well.

I dont suppose Manchester Confidential (lovely people, very charming and talented)would be kind enough to send me everything in the CC box. It would make me very happy indeed! (Not arsed about the letter though)

Listen folks, hes put himself on the line and quite rightly got a knockback off here, Mancon is simply showcasing this mans sheer arrogance at the thought of making money off the back of being a well known failure. Its a sad and pathetic indictment of todays society. Hes clearly money obsessed (why go on tv?)with a sense of inflated ego simple as. It aint bullying either he's in PR FFS! If he cant handle a lively debate then blimey! This is a chance for us to rant freely and so be it, he's put himslf out there in public domain! The guy is a proven failure both on and off TV why on earth does he think he can get a career on this or any other site?? PR aint his bag however much he fantasises about this role. Sir Alan proved he hasnt got what it takes in business either! Crap ideas, communication skills, modus operandi and an unbelievable arrogance (hardly surprising). Not great traits you'd want to display on TV or a normal average CV to a potential employer!!Yes an embarassment to us all in Manc.... maybe London may suit him better? He can compete with some real Knobs then!

you always look good Gordo (except on an earlier picture of you getting up some years ago on ManCon)

if you abhor him so much, why publicise him(negatively or otherwise) ?

the nature of the article is a tad twatty in my opinion.

really do not see the point in publishing what amounts to a personal dislike of someone who doesn't warrant any more coverage in the press anyway.

Has he taken up your offer of fifty quid for a column yet?

No Smitty, he insists upon £45

Ranters you are all getting a little bit holier than thou about all this. We are a bit of a cynical nation and a pretty cynical city - not at heart, just for the banter. ("ooh that's so shit" "oh look at that twat" - just a typical british responses to most things!)

He was affable enough on the show but has screwed this up by emailing hacks (the most cynical of all!)- the very people who will crucify a mistake like this.

If he's that great at communications, why didn't he send an email to all again making light of the matter and thus diffusing it?

Get over it; I for one do not believe that an undercurrent of bullying exits on Mancon. Pay him to respond.

But don't insult the man with £50!

Yes, it was a faux pas to send an email revealing everyone's addresses. And this has actually reminded me of a funny email I received on 20th October from Daniel Davies @ ManchesterConfidential.com promoting the "Hero's Card" [sic] — he also sent this to 247 other people, how do I know this? Yes he put them all in the To field. Now I find personal people's details being exposed like this a lot more scandalous than exposing media addresses, which are all over the internet anyway!

"DO YOU LIKE THIS DRESS?!!"