• by Kelly Samardak , November 26, 2008

AgencySpy Party, The Hill, New York
November 25, 2008

If you mistype AgencySpy, you get AgencySoy, the more lactose-intolerant version of Matt Van Hoven. Yesterday was exciting in the lives of agency types, frigid media types, and ground-hogging cube-poppers. One, the lull of pre-gobble-fest brain checkout was broken by a stuffed turkey of a different sort with the breaking story of yet another amateur sextape... via cell phone. AgencySpy broke it, Gawker, showing class as always, posted the full video (and don't think I didn't watch it on my own time, from my home computer, of course), and it was the talk of the AgencySpy party at The Hill last night. Mostly because I kept bringing it up.

The Hill used to be Dip, a spot for those of you who like to put bread and fruit on sticks and plunge them into usually lukewarm, not chunkless enough liquid versions of solid favorites like cheese and chocolate. Back in the day I wanted to have a romantic dinner there, but I think we all know romance is dead. I mean, why else would rumored agency types do the cubicle chacha during normal work hours while giggling weirdos tape it for personal use?

But I truly digress. The Hill is odd. It's definitely not a good set-up for a "private" party because they've got those awkward tall round tables off to the right (if you're heading to the back) of the bar. At the tall roundies were, well, non-party-goers, so it got a little soupy. Also at the round tables was a mediabistro employee who was the only person requesting NOT to have her photo taken because, "I don't like my photo on the site." 

Discussion point: It's your company, why the shame in your mug being on the site? I just don't get it. Other than that gnarly bump in the evening no one else had a problem, especially the incredibly chipper and awesomely chatty (which gave me a break for a minute) Tatiana Ridler, Events Manager at mediabistro. We gabbed about the joys of still getting carded due to youthful appearance. Vvvrrrt! What's that? Oh, my boyfriend, The Blackberry, was being an attention-monger as always and summoned me. It was a Twitter DM from Lee Scharfstein, EP/Director at Harold Group, a creative development and content production company. Lee has been a freelancer his entire working life (much like when I was a freelance waitress) and recently founded Harold Group. He was also inhaling some mouthwatering artichoke dip and the old bar standby, chicken fingers. Chickens don't have fingers.

Lingering nearby was James Hirsch, multimedia producer at Good Corporate Citizen. We share a big corporate America connection via HBO. I had interviewed there way back in the day for a position I had little experience for, but wanted to learn something new. He had actually worked there and was labeled a bad corporate citizen, which he embraces as someone who isn't really a fan of big corporate control and overmanagement. Very anti-establishment guy to talk to, always a fun find. 

Joe Ciarallo, Editor of PRNewser, was there on his day off, what a guy. I bounced my latest business idea (I have about 10 a day) off of him, stemming from my irritation with the way our industry finds it easier to listen to cute potentially not as bright people over smarter doers who aren't deemed typically "smokin' hot." This mentality that whoever yells the loudest or bats their eyelashes more sexily get the floor is bothersome. As I was walking away from Joe, I ran into Steve Krakauer from TVNewser whom I met at the IFC Media Project Panel.

Manning the annoying round tables and keeping roofies out of my drink were Gail Hilton, Director of Sales and Marketing, and George Bartlett, Sales Manager and Marketing Content Manager, both of Qwikker. Lurking on the far side of the table was Matt Caldecutt of Trylon PR and Lisa Lacy, freelance food and business writer and master baker. 

Wrapping up the evening were the Medialets duo of Rana Sobhany, VP of Marketing, and Eric Litman, Chairman and CEO. Rana and I have only been Twitter buddies, so it was fun to catch up in skin form. Their business cards are adorable paper versions of the iPhone. I carry one with me and pretend to talk on it.

That's it man, now it's time to talk turkey. Despite the closeness of the "let's get as plump as possible" holiday, the AgencySpy party, by my eyeballs, had a really good turnout - AND they raffled off a one-year membership to David Barton gym so, you know, you can work on your physique for your cell phone video stardom.

Have a post turkey day mixer? Invite kelly@mediapost.com and get your fame on!

There's more photo action on Flickr!

Follow me to see what the holiday party season has in store on Twitter.