Don't call me Liz, BITCH.
Possible political_wank? I'm posting it here, since the "politics" are largely incidental. So-and-so asks Jim McDermott's secretary for an audience, and addresses her poorly ('Liz' rather than 'Elizabeth'). HOLY SHIT, you did not just go there!

A few weeks ago, the assistant e-mailed Becton seeking a meeting with McDermott and a client, JPMorgan Chase. Days later, the assistant checked back in and unfortunately began the e-mail with “Hi Liz.”

Becton curtly replied, “Who is Liz?”

When the assistant wrote back with an apology, Becton turned up the heat. “I do not go by Liz. Where did you get your information?” she asked.

The back-and-forth went on for 19 e-mails, with the assistant apologizing six times if she had “offended” Becton, while Becton lectured about name-calling.

Please, please check out the email exchange hosted on Politico.

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	frequentmouse 2009-06-18 09:43 pm UTC (link)
	I'm vastly amused that this is McDermott's office manager. It sounds as if she's a good representative of the style of discourse common in WA-7, to begin with, but also Jim McDermott is a psychiatrist,and may keep her around to keep his professional skills honed. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	frequentmouse 2009-06-18 09:44 pm UTC (link)
	Once again, first post on page 2. It's a curse, I tell you! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	brennalarose 2009-06-18 10:12 pm UTC (link)
	Oh, my god. I'll admit, I used to get pretty snippy about my name (which doesn't shorten well to me and kept getting mistaken for "Brianna" or "Brenda" and once, hysterically "Bruno"), but a fully grown woman pitching a temper tantrum about it? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	sparkysrevenge 2009-06-19 06:23 am UTC (link)
	I have an ex-friend named Brenna, and my mom would always call her Brennan. No, mom, that's the boy name. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	brennalarose 2009-06-20 05:05 pm UTC (link)
	Remarkably, nobody's ever called me "Brennan". Damn near everything else, but never Brennan, which would have sounded close enough, I would have missed it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	some_dude 2009-06-18 10:54 pm UTC (link)
	You know what I like to do for fun? Figure out the best way to get on the nerves of the person answering the phone of the person I actually want to talk to and then irritate them in a way that seems innocuous but is coldly calculated to send them over the edge! Just kidding. I only like to do that to Lizzie Becton. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	cmdr_zoom 2009-06-19 02:02 am UTC (link)
	Lizzie Becton took an axe And gave her email forty whacks (Reply to this)(Parent)

	ingrid 2009-06-19 12:39 am UTC (link)
	JFC, Lizzie, put the axe down. (Reply to this)

	littlest_lurker 2009-06-19 01:46 am UTC (link)
	You should know that her first name ain't Liz. It's Elizabeth...Ms Becton if you're nasty. *dances angrily* (Reply to this)

	fern_on_fen 2009-06-19 01:59 am UTC (link)
	So, erm, who's watching Countdown with Keither Olbermann? Yes? Awesome? I didn't record it, but I hope SOMEONE did. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	fern_on_fen 2009-06-19 03:08 am UTC (link)
	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI-ficXX_ag Link very related, awesome, and I would suggest adding it to the post. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	_goblin_ 2009-06-19 04:21 am UTC (link)
	I do believe this calls for a heartfelt OMGSQUEE!! That was brilliant. (Reply to this)(Parent)

(no subject) - blackmamba, 2009-06-19 04:58 am UTC

(no subject) - hallidae, 2009-06-19 10:15 pm UTC

	_goblin_ 2009-06-19 04:27 am UTC (link)
	Once upon a time, I would have been the baffled, profusely apologizing soul caught on the pointy end of that exchange. Hanging around at F_W has taught me well. Now, I'd quietly sneer, say, "Okay!" and passive-aggressively refuse to engage !Liz on the issue of her name any further. (Reply to this)

	pfeffermuse 2009-06-19 05:56 am UTC (link)
	I absolutely hated the diminutive of my first name. I'd stop talking to people who used it to address me even after I'd politely asked them to stop, and would continue to ignore them even with other people present. Of course, I was also five at the time. (Reply to this)

mochibuni 2009-06-19 07:19 am UTC (link)

OHO, she's pissed that someone called her Liz, which is a common nickname for her God damn name? Listen, Lizziecakes, at least someone called you by a name that actually stems from your full name and not your ethnicity. Someone has actually called me "Asia." Let alone that people seem to have some difficulties with the name "Cali" (Cari, Cami, Kathy, Kaylee, and Haylee are the common names I've been called), and also have a strong desire to sing and dance any California related song when they meet me. Cry me a river, Lizilla. (Reply to this)

	miss_padfoot 2009-06-19 02:58 pm UTC (link)
	I feel sorry for whoever answers the phone in McDermott's office now. The poor staffer will probably have to answer about 50 calls today asking for Liz. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	iamnotyourmuse 2009-06-20 01:19 am UTC (link)
	Bonus points if the next one in the position is an Elizabeth who actually does go by Liz.\ (Reply to this)(Parent)

	The story continues fern_on_fen 2009-06-20 01:38 am UTC (link)
	http://wonkette.com/409300/more-super-mean-liz-becton-e-mails She wasn't just having a bad day. Apparenlty she's fucking certifiable. This women is the new Lady Sybs for me. I am eating her crazy like it's potatos candy! (Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: The story continues slackeremeritus 2009-06-20 05:42 am UTC (link)
	It's like she's looking for reasons to get hacked off. Crimony. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: The story continues tree 2009-06-20 08:27 pm UTC (link)
	I want her job, it looks like it provides one with a lot of spare time. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: The story continues irised 2009-06-21 03:59 am UTC (link)
	Wowwww. LIZ McLIZZY, VALIENT HERO: SHE RIGHTS WRONGS, SHE BATTLES SPIES ... CEASELESS CHAMPION OF ABSOLUTE CORRECTION ... "Oh it's nothing" our heroine cries "All in a day's emails!" (Reply to this)(Parent)

	dragonfangirl 2009-06-21 08:01 am UTC (link)
	I can understand some irritation over being addressed by an unwanted nickname, but... name-calling? What, are we on the playground here? (Reply to this)

	ruslan 2009-06-21 06:17 pm UTC (link)
	I hate having to say my name over the phone, because unless I explain it really quickly after I introduce myself, it inevitably gets misheard as Sylvester. My least favorite time was when somebody misheard my surname as Humbert, of all things. Sylvester Humbert is the worst name. *grumbles* If Liz is the most irritating thing you could be called, you are a lucky bitch. (Reply to this)

vzg 2009-06-26 02:11 am UTC (link)

Well ..... I don't normally defend the dems but .... I agree with her in her name . I hate it when someone ask me my name which is michael and in turns says okay mike. I said my name is michael not Mike ... My daughter's name is Elizabeth and I will not let anyone shorten it to liz or beth or lizzy. I named her Elizabeth. So I understand where she is coming from. If you are unsure of what you should say use Mr or Ms. Until you know it's courtesy Posted By: Michael | June 17, 2009 at 08:37 AM It's not the "Mike" part of this that bothers me, it's the "I WILL NOT LET ANYONE CALL MY DAUGHTER ANYTHING BUT ELIZABETH EVER." And I actually knew someone like that, too! I asked my friend Jenna if anyone ever called her Jennifer (because I had a friend back in Michigan named Jennifer who went by Jenna) and her mother snapped, "No, because I named her Jenna." More politely than in this e-mail, sure, but... I just don't fucking get people who get upset about nicknames or mispronunciations. I don't like being called Katy, but other than asking to be called Kate instead I've never said a word about it, really. I don't like the name, but it's not as though every time I'm called Katy I lose ten dollars or something. So my English teacher called me Katy all year. So what? I knew who she was talking to. Everyone else knew who she was talking to. But then, I just run into all sorts of problems with this. I had a friend whose named was Lena, pronounced "Lee-na." Thing is, I'd known other people with names spelled Lena who were "Ley-na" and my best friend had been "Lee-na" but spelled "Lina." But she raged about it, even if it was a first offense. Bah? I mean, I have a friend whose mother doesn't even know who she's talking about when she says "Kate" — she knows a few Kates (unsurprisingly) and so I am Ursula instead. And I love it. I also love hearing people pronounce my rather confusing last name, because the ways they mangle it are all sorts of fun, and if they get it right I'm usually a little disappointed, but still, hey! Someone got it right! It's just easier to be amused than insulted, I think. ...tl;dr — LIZ LIZ LIZ LIZ LIZ. (Reply to this)

mockygogo 2009-07-16 07:36 pm UTC (link)

I was at a party once and made the mistake of calling the wife of a semi-famous furry artist (yeah, I know) "Becky" because I thought she was someone else. Turns out her name actually is Rebecca. REBECCA. Got that you little twerp? It's REBECCA! Say my name! SAY IT!!!! How DARE you assume familiarity with me? What? You thought I was someone else? Nice try! Now GTFO before my husband comes in and kicks the crap out of you! REBBBEEECCCCCCCCCAAAAHHHHHHHH! (cue image of Bill Cosby's famous "her face SPLIT" soliloquy from the "Chocolate Cake for Breakfast" routine. Yeah, just like that.) Almost twenty years later, I finally have a good place to tell this story. Fandom never forgets, Becky. (Reply to this)

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