Master of My Domain

The owners of other Pope Benedict XVI domains are taunting me.

Jacopo Di Trani, an Italian who got Benedict16.Com, has declared that pornographers and online casinos are welcome to buy it from him:

The first time i didn't believed Cadenhead when he said "i'll never give my domain to gamble/porn site developers"!
He's a very kind guy, but, first of all, his hair CAN'T be real, and, second, although i have respect for his decision to give for free his very valuable domain (with a billion of christians in the world), it doesn't change my opinion about the human nature and i'll never do something like that with this domain!

The owner of PopeBenedictXVI.Com, who received a $150,000 bid on EBay that turned out to be a hoax, had a question-and-answer page up where he posted this:

I'll be keeping every red cent of this dough, thinking about blowing it on horse races. ... the person that you saw on tv is the owner of benedictxvi.com and not me, you will just have to take my word on the fact that I'm much younger and sexier than that guy, I've got more hair too.

I know in a higher sense I did the right thing by donating the domains to Modest Needs, a great charity that continues to get record traffic, but if my gesture turns out to have an actual market value of six figures, I think I'm going to spend the rest of the day curled up in a ball eating Chunky Monkey directly out of the container.

Update: A discussion on Real Time with Bill Maher:

Joe Scarborough: I think there's going to be a porn site. "BenedictXVI.com."
Sen Alan Simpson: [overlapping] John Waters would love it.
Scarborough: [overlapping] In fact, go to it.

Insert Charlie Brown "Auuuugh!" here.

Domains · 2005/04/26 · 20 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

Chunky Monkey is good but I wish they would bring back Wavy Gravy ... I wonder if it was that picture of the namesake on the carton that killed sales on the best ice cream ever?

#1 · PsychoS · 2005/04/26

Mr. Cadenhead,

*ding*

Time's up, sir.

U.S. Naval Observatory Atomic Clock

#2 · U.S. Naval Observatory Atomic Clock · 2005/04/26

I know, Atomic Clock. That girl who fell on the ice singing the National Anthem sucked up all of the celebrity oxygen, returning me and the Virgin Mary Viaduct back to our ordinary lives.

#3 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2005/04/26

I can vouch for his hair, its the real thing girls.

#4 · Roger's wife Moon Girl · 2005/04/26

Cheer up Rogers! The bozo who "sold" for 150k on eBay most likely won't ever collect from the high bidder.

#5 · Zookeeper · 2005/04/26

I visited your website the day "Habemus papam" was announced. Not too many visitors lately, huh ? :P
you did a splendid job and your deed is almost hard to believe in this greedy, little world of ours.
Regards from Poland.

#6 · Palkers · 2005/04/26

OK, what is the obsession with the hair, someone please explain it. Do people think you have too much, too little, too gray, not enough gray???? I'm perplexed, I think you look just fine, even if it's a wig from Dollywood.
OK, phew, $150 large would be nice, I'm sure you have a long list of things that would be great to do with that kind of money. However, I think I'd rather be intelligent and interesting than have the big money. Because when that guy has blown his cash, he'll still be a greedy jerk and none too bright. You'll never have that problem...so, see, wipe the Chunky Monkey off your face and smile!

#7 · Sonia · 2005/04/26

IMHO you deserve for a Man of the month title.
Man of the year is reserved to BXVI I reckon.

#8 · Palkers · 2005/04/26

LoL. i mean BXVI o.O

#9 · Palkers · 2005/04/26

Don't you mean Chunky Monkey of the Year?

#10 · Sonia · 2005/04/26

It's Ok Rogers. I am going to get you on Letterman below is the letter. I just faxed it to Letterman

Worldwide Pants, Inc
Address: 1697 Broadway
New York, NY 10019

To the Exact Executive Producer I need to Reach to get Somewhere with this Letter,

Just a short pitch to ask you to consider having on the guy who registered the website www.benedictXVI.com a month before a new pope was chosen.

Roger Cadenheadâ€™s humor seems to be a perfect fit for the Late Show. He stated on his website (www.cadenhead.org/workbench) if his non-demands were met, he would turn www.benedictXVI.com over to the Vatican. The non-demands were:
â€¢ Three days, two nights at the Vatican hotel they built for the conclave.
â€¢ II. One of those hats.
â€¢ III. Complete absolution, no questions asked, for the third week of March 1987.
â€¢ IV. A back-cover blurb from the Pope for the next edition of Movable Type 3 Bible Desktop Edition. But only if he uses the book to create his own weblog.
â€¢ V. World peace
This guy is not a client. He was my college roommate and I just think this whole thing is a hoot. Heâ€™s been on Today and Keith Obermanâ€™s show on MSNBC. If youâ€™re interested, you can call me at or e-mail me at and I will put you in touch.
Thanks,

John Rice
CommonSense Communications

#11 · Lone Star J.R. · 2005/04/26

harsh dude.

#12 · garfield · 2005/04/26

Dude, you'll get a humongous tax deduction for the charitable contribution. Not the same as cash but then again your spirit feels much better.

#13 · BillSaysThis · 2005/04/26

Did you pick up that carton of milk on your way home last night?

Love,

Grams

#14 · Grammy Cadenhead · 2005/04/26

Ah, fame and glory -- they tease, they tempt, and then they dance away.

Well, at the least, I can nominate this for the most entertaining comment thread I've read all week...

#15 · Shelley · 2005/04/26

This story just gets better and better...

It's a Blog version of a "Reality Shows" where the hero elects NOT to take the money, or betray his wife or do anything sleazy in his own self-interest.

Keep on this path to righteousness...

and you'll get a movie deal out of it. :^)

Stay trim and you might get a cameo and get to hang out on the set!

Fame (song lyrics)
----

I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly
High

I feel it coming together
People will see me and cry
Fame

I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame
Fame

I'm gonna live forever
Baby remember my name

McD

#16 · McD · 2005/04/26

LOL, WWW.BENEDICT16.COM THE NEXT WHITEHOUSE!!!!
I can't believe that guys.....

#17 · Richard · 2005/04/26

Dear Mr. Cadenhead:
It was with much interest that I read about your efforts to protect the domain name of our new Holy Father. Please know that your good intentions are noted and praiseworthy...plus you are in good company. My organization, the National Scrapbooking Association, eperienced similar scrutiny (albeit not as grand!) after it was learned that the NSA purchased the domain names of several up-and-coming scrapbookers. Our only
intent was to protect
these domains from being hoarded by those hoping to profit; however, many people

jumped to conclusions, and the NSA received undo criticism.

Thank you for your honest and honorable actions. You did the right thing, and it was the right thing to do.

God Bless You,

Veronica Hugger

National Scrapbooking Association

#18 · Veronica Hugger · 2005/04/26

I, too, commend you on your efforts. We, who have the thought capacity to think beyond reality will always suffer from the 99% Club. You reinsure my efforts that the 1% need to exist to keep the world in balance.

#19 · Christine Naggie · 2005/04/26

To the first 500 post who dissed this guy - go to HELL!

#20 · Jack A. S's · 2005/04/26