TSR Who's running the TSR3 social media accounts?

Ernie Gygax (before he and Stephen Dinehart accused the whole affair of being orchestrated by WotC and then deleted their Twitter accounts) indicated that Justin LaNasa was running the social media accounts for TSR3, Giantlands, and Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum.

After a full week of insults, barbed exchanges, and problematic statements from all three accounts, the following has been posted by somebody who identified themselves as "Michael", perhaps suggesting that Justin LaNasa is no longer with the company (which seems unlikely), leaving many on social media to question whether "Michael" exists. The new TSR3 was founded by LaNasa, Stephen Dinehart, and Ernie Gygax, and despite the acrinomious social media activity, the former two founders' names have largely escaped much of the criticism.

UPDATE -- the below tweets now appear to have been deleted.

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Around the same time, the header above the available events at the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum website was altered to read: "Most role playing games will be played in old school fashion so if you're easliy offended or Rude ! DO NOT PLAY !" (sic)

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So who is TSR3 co-founder Justin LaNasa? He was an American politician who ran for office in 2014 and 2020, and who was involved in a minor scandal during the latter campaign.

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[Sir Brennen]

Not surprising in the least that they omitted it really. That site is a ComicsGate-adjacent vehicle for pushing “anti-woke” content so stripping the “disgusting” tweet fiasco seems right up their alley.

I had a feeling. I occasionally click on a link to such sites and just get mad. There's one that shares the same initials/similar name as a more mainstream comic/nerdery site, making it hard to tell the difference in the URLs.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

LaNassa has a 51% stake in the LLC. He may have receded into the shadows but he's still guiding the ship. Why? From my research to date:


Mr LaNassa is a 32nd degree Mason, ex-military (Navy & Coast Guard), used to have TOP Secret clearance, with lots of money, lots of properties (real estate broker), owns a successful tattoo parlor and Museum of the Weird; lots of friends, lots of accomplishments, beautiful wife and kids. Political office runs at least twice (failed). Highly connected in NC. No back down attitude, rather double down. Has a handy lawyer. Collects D&D artifacts, writes children's books (bio claim, source?), game designer (supposedly coming out with his own game), weapons designer (owns a tank!) Not only bought the old house on Williams St (old DHS) but came up from NC and restored it himself, re-roofing it as well.

This is not a resume that exhales the phrase "backs down".

Quote from Ernie's e-mail to m June 29:
As of this time I am not going to make any more statements Rob after a lot of thought I'm going to let this burn out I don't care about some of the other things and we will have a PR person and Justin is no longer doing things and I will not be put any information that is not done by a PR person or just showing us playing games....

 

[Bradjalon]

Interesting they omitted the tweet where the TSR account called a trans person "disgusting" (or called her question about trans acceptance disgusting. Intent could be read either way, but extremely transphobic, regardless.)

I seriously wonder if a company who's only product at this point are t-shirts with possibly copy-right violating logos and re-packaged Dollar Store dice can afford a dedicated "PR Officer" on staff.

It wasn't the TSR main account, it was their GiantLands one. The GiantLands account also has the same "new PR person" post and claims that the original poster is no longer with GiantLands

 

[Charlaquin]

I wasn't aware that "old school fashion" meant "inherently offensive".

Nah, it means “I can’t be bothered to consider how anything I say might come across to someone with different lived experiences than me.”

 

[MarkB]

Nah, it means “I can’t be bothered to consider how anything I say might come across to someone than different lived experiences than me.”

But that would be rude, and rude people aren't allowed to participate.

 

[Charlaquin]

But that would be rude, and rude people aren't allowed to participate.

Oh, no, rude means “doesn’t consider how what they say will come across to me.”

See, it’s all very simple: I’m allowed to say whatever I want and don’t have to do any introspection, and nobody else is allowed to say anything I don’t want to hear.

 

[Bradjalon]

Quote from Ernie's e-mail to m June 29:
As of this time I am not going to make any more statements Rob after a lot of thought I'm going to let this burn out I don't care about some of the other things and we will have a PR person and Justin is no longer doing things and I will not be put any information that is not done by a PR person or just showing us playing games....

Interesting if LaNassa is actually stepping away from running their twitter, but agree he seems like the type to never give up control of the company. Sadly I think it is too late for a PR person to salvage this, or to even let this burn out. Maybe they could get some goodwill if they gave to a trans focused charity or rights organization, but 1) it may be too late for that, and 2) that seems like the last thing LaNassa/TSR3 would give the okay for

 

[Lidgar]

Ernie Gygax (before he and Stephen Dinehart accused the whole affair of being orchestrated by WotC and then deleted their Twitter accounts) indicated that Justin LaNasa was running the social media accounts for TSR3, Giantlands, and Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum.

After a full week of insults, barbed exchanges, and problematic statements from all three accounts, the following has been posted by somebody who identified themselves as "Michael", suggesting that Justin LaNasa is no longer with the company (which seems unlikely), leaving many on social media to question whether "Michael" exists. The new TSR3 was founded by LaNasa, Stephen Dinehart, and Ernie Gygax, and despite the acrinomious social media activity, the former two founders' names have largely escaped much of the criticism.

View attachment 139582
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Around the same time, the header above the available events at the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum website was altered to read: "Most role playing games will be played in old school fashion so if you're easliy offended or Rude ! DO NOT PLAY !" (sic)

View attachment 139584
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So who is TSR3 co-founder Justin LaNasa? He was an American politician who ran for office in 2014 and 2020, and who was involved in a minor scandal during the latter campaign.

​

I think I figured out who the mysterious Michael is:

 

[Rob Kuntz]

It wasn't the TSR main account, it was their GiantLands one. The GiantLands account also has the same "new PR person" post and claims that the original poster is no longer with GiantLands

Dienhart (sp) the other partner was the one who made the "disgusting" comment and he is the one who offered Giant Lands to LaNassa and was handling the GL twitter account.

 

[OblivionDrive]

I had a feeling. I occasionally click on a link to such sites and just get mad. There's one that shares the same initials/similar name as a more mainstream comic/nerdery site, making it hard to tell the difference in the URLs.

There’s actually a couple of those so yeah... I think I know exactly which ones you’re referring to - CBR, no? There’s also one the initials BF that’s “parodying” a mainstream site with the initials BC too.