The Strange Case of Eddie Nimibutr
Well, in this viral world we live in, it doesn’t take much, as Eddie Nimibutr found out yesterday, to piss off a couple of million Americans. He posted some nasty crap about the Newtown shootings on his Facebook page; and he and his Austin restaurant, the Thai Noodle House on Guadalupe, has taken a major PR hit.
There is some confusion as to whether Eddie is actually the owner of the restaurant or not, but it really doesn’t matter. “I’m failing to give a damn about the CT shooting,” he wrote on FB. “I don’t care if a bunch of white kids got killed.”
His point apparently was that the world only reacts when white kids are shot. If they are black or brown or whatever, it’s only usually given a minor footnote in the US and world media. The veracity of that statement is open to debate, but Eddie simply chose an inappropriate opening to grab his duly appointed 15 minutes. He came off sounding hateful and woefully ignorant. And he has already been judged and found guilty in the court of ersatz reality.
My friend the elegant Foo Swasdee used to own the Thai Noodle House, and I cringe at the thought of Foo ever even contemplating such a thought. It’ll be interesting to see how much literal (dollars and cents) venom is directed against the Noodle House on Guadalupe as it reopens. Or if it is boycotted.
One thing for sure: Eddie seems to remain unrepentant. He is certain of his right to free speech even if it brings down a gigantic albatross around his neck and his business.
“If you don’t like me or my opinions, I suggest you unfriend me and f–k off,” said the emotional Eddie.
Clearly, he is behind on his retainer to his PR firm. Restaurant owners are simply not supposed to talk that way! Or are they?
And then, just as we were going to press with my blog, Mr. Nimibutr spun into damage control with an emotional apology on Facebook. He talked of being broken, sitting in church (perhaps because no one was at the restaurant) and being beside himself with grief. It was a complete 180 from yesterday. Amazing how the thought of empty seats can help you find your inner self, such as that is.
