Wonkette editor Ken Layne continues to take some amazing heat for firing Megan Carpentier, one of the most popular writers the site has seen since Ana Marie Cox left in 2006. Commenters have been outright rude to him on his own site (calling him “a sexist anti-gay pig” in one instance), and he’s received dozens of letters from readers expressing their outrage. In response to a query from one of Carpentier’s most ardent fans, Jason Cox, Layne wrote the following message:

Hello Jason,

There have been a half-dozen editors of Wonkette over its five years, plus scores of guest editors and contributors and fill-ins and try-outs and columnists and interns, etc. It’s just a website, part of a chain of websites employing a hundred-plus writers who come and go, myself included.

Megan was given the opportunity to say goodbye to Wonkette readers after her short stint as an associate editor, and exercised her own judgment in her farewell post. I certainly don’t speak for the company, but I can’t imagine a publisher using its own publications to provide continuous updates on a disgruntled ex-contractor.

Ken

Layne’s labeling Carpentier as “disgruntled” has not sat well with many who are still watching the admittedly insider-y media drama play out — especially with Carpentier herself, who says she is now “mad” and that she has tried to take the high road throughout.

“When I got tons of emails and comments asking why it happened, I contemplated what to say and how to say it, and went the high road, describing Ken as ‘not a dick’ and the decision as not motivated by sexism, Nick Denton or anything besides my ill-suitedness for the direction Ken wanted to take the site and even added that I agreed with his decision,” she shares on her personal blog. “When I was contacted for comment by HuffPo, the New York Times, Page 6 and BigHeadRob [Big Head DC was formerly published under that banner], I all but killed the story in every single instance when I could by saying that over and over again. I didn’t encourage my readers or supporters to engage in the boycott or drive up particular comment threads, suggested that people should simply do what they thought best and spent the vast majority of my time attempting to find a new job while continuing to do a little writing.”

Still, the Wonkette boycott has continued. The site’s numbers continue to slide. And many are questioning whether Layne made the appropriate decision. And why he made the decision he did. To date, he has not responded to requests for comment from Big Head DC.

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The first female Wonkette editor since Ana Marie Cox left Wonkette in 2006 has been unceremoniously let go from her position — and she’s hurt, claiming that her former bosses are “morons.” Meanwhile, some Big Head DC spies close to the situation claim that sexism may be involved.

Megan Carpentier, a D.C.-based lobbyist, recently left her lucrative lobbying position to write for Wonkette after anonymously freelancing for the site for several months. Along the way, she has burned several bridges (by her own admission) in the lobbying community, and she is not likely able to go back to that profession for work. In a plea on her personal Web site, she claims she needs to get drunk badly.

Many Wonkette commenters are outraged by her unexpected dismissal. They seem to agree with our earlier assessment that Carpentier had become the new soul of the site in her few months on the job. However, Gawker Media millionaire Nick Denton, in the midst of high-profile news stories alleging his blog empire has jumped the shark, apparently did not agree.

Behind the scenes, tongues are wagging that Gawker Media has become a hostile workplace for female employees. “If you’re not a gay man at Gawker, you’re screwed,” one former editor who asked to remain anonymous told us this morning. “And if you are a gay male at Gawker, you’re screwed, too. By Nick Denton’s penis. Literally.”

While Denton did not respond to our requests for comment on this matter, our tip box has been flooded with questions today asking whether we’d consider hiring Carpentier to write for Big Head DC. Honestly, she’s a good writer, but we definitely can’t afford to pay Denton dollars at this point. Still, we’d love to help her land on her feet — if our readers would like to see that happen. So, like the good people of South Carolina, it’s time for you to vote:

Earlier: Wonkette Editor Exits Gracelessly After Only Few Weeks; Gawker Empire Again In Shambles

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Jackie Kucinich’s behavior at the Dana Milbank party aside, newish Wonkette editor Megan Carpentier had a blast chatting up The Washington Post’s resident gossip, Amy Argetsinger (right). Just look at that grin. Megan’s arrived!

Earlier: New Wonkette Editor Says Hello to Big Head DC

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Megan Carpentier, the new associate editor over at Wonkette (who you, the voters, think looks most like Miss Piggy), has written Big Head DC a personal note:

I wanted to take a second to write to thank you for linking to a bunch of my posts. I hadn’t actually ever heard of your blog before I took the job, but John and Jim both mentioned that you’d been putting up a bunch of links to my stuff and promoting my new job, which is really sweet of you to do. My beat is on more of the policy-issues type stuff than the inter-DC gossip because of my background, but when I finally get a chance to look around at the other stuff that I’ve been missing, I’ll definitely check you out! Good luck with your blog!

Awww, sweet gal. Flattery will get her everywhere!

Earlier: New Wonkette Editor Bans Commenter Because He Thinks She’s Not Pretty

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Goodness. This new Wonkette editor Megan Carpentier is a tough pill to swallow. Yesterday, as we told you, she put a few tawdry pics of herself online and then invited commenters to mock her and pick her apart. One such commenter, named RFKRFK, did just that, saying, “I’m curious why you posted your pics. You’re not hot like [the] real Wonkette and frankly, the only thing you had going for you was the fact that we thought you might actually be good looking. God, along with Condi, I woudn’t fuck you with Bea Arthur’s dick.”

Today, Carpentier, calling herself capricious (but is it her last name?), has banned RFKRFK (and another two souls) from ever commenting again on Wonkette!

“Our third, Rfkrfk, showed up out of the blue months ago, made a misogynist comment or two and then disappeared until yesterday, when he plagiarized a very bad and misogynist joke from the Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson,” explains Carpentier. “It didn’t help him that it was directed at me. Although many other (remaining) commenters made it clear that they consider me quite horribly unattractive and unworthy of their attention, only one saw fit to go blue and steal a bad joke to do it. For the crimes of misogyny, joke-stealing and perennial unfunniness (and as an example to the other commenters that I’ve noticed tend to mine misogyny for “humor”) we bid you adieu.”

It just goes to show you: everyone wants to feel pretty. Read more…

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Only her first day on the job and the new Wonkette editor hates us. God, she’s already starting to remind us of ex-Wonkette editor Alex Pareene. And who knew that a girl like her would have a crush on Sam Donaldson? Sadly, he’s taken!

Related? Big Head DC Now Beating Wonkette!!!

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Wonkette announced today its first female writer since Ana Marie Cox left the publication in 2005. Her name is Megan Carpentier, and she’s a former lobbyist with the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association.

Upon introducing herself to us, she was compelled to post a few pictures of herself, which have tended to displease some Wonkette commenters. For instance, RFKRFK just wrote: “I’m curious why you posted your pics. You’re not hot like [the] real Wonkette and frankly, the only thing you had going for you was the fact that we thought you might actually be good looking. God, along with Condi, I woudn’t fuck you with Bea Arthur’s dick.” Welcome, Megan!

P.S. Our favorite Carpentier candid is after the jump: Read more…

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