Documents Reveal: Neumann DOES Look Like An Ostrich

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Separated at birth

We are in receipt of complaints that question our assertion that former Volkswagen executive and future Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann “looks like an ostrich.”

Recently released documents show that he indeed does.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Dundurrbay Dundurrbay on Jan 22, 2013

    Oh quit the whining everyone it was clearly meant as humour, and not serious. Honestly, if everyone in the world couldn't handle saying that someone who CLEARLY resembles an ostrich does, then how would you handle the actual real world, where you'll inevitably have to deal with people who are rude, mean, cut-throat, and miserable. That's life. And another note; we are human and each of us looks unique. Why can't someone poke a little fun at that? Are the world's feelings really that sensitive now? And no, i'm not talking about racism or condoning it, but clearly Bertel's post was not racist and more of a connotation on his direct appearance versus his race.

    • See 5 previous
    • Rushn Rushn on Jan 23, 2013

      @ Bertel No ban for anyone, get over it. This is a fascinating way to deal with criticism. Someone who repeatedly makes fun of people's appearances is upset about an exaggerated critical comment? If it's insulting to other's, it's a-okay, but if it's insulting for you, all of a sudden the rule book comes out. While you are battling sexism/racism/-ism, care to explain the multitude of galleries of "product specialists" that you so love to post up? I am sure that it has something to do with "reporting the truth" and the snide comments about their actual jobs or their appearances are "lighthearted humor", but I would love to see that deluded explanation yet again, straight from the horse's mouth/fingers. Love reading many articles here, but here is an improvement that will keep everyone happy: allow blocking of articles by author.

  • JimothyLite JimothyLite on Jan 23, 2013

    Bertel, I stand corrected. Thank you for presenting the evidence.

  • Bertel Schmitt Bertel Schmitt on Jan 23, 2013

    Gentlemen: NMGOM's "stocky gorilla" comments appear to violate TTAC's commenting guidelines: "Racism, sexism and homophobia will not be tolerated. TTAC is read all around the world. Be careful of what we call “racism by proxy.” Saying “I hate Eskimos” is racism. Saying “Samoans hate Eskimos” is racism by proxy, it is insulting two nations instead of one, and it will not be tolerated either." I will leave it up to the readers to deliberate whether NMGOM should be banned. While the process runs, I do not want to see a single word from NMGOM and Robert Gordon. One more comment from either of them, and both will be banned without a new warning.

    • See 5 previous
    • Mikey Mikey on Jan 23, 2013

      @ Bertel....I've been following this for a while. Pesonally I thought it was kind of funny. I worked with a guy that looked like a Basset hound...we called him "Dog". Everyone called him Dog. He liked being called Dog. I swear,a lot of folks didn't know his real name. A sense of humour goes a long way, some folks get it,some don't. Does anybody here need to be banned? After eight years of reading all kinds of nastys here at TTAC, the answer is simple NO!

  • ...m... ...m... on Jan 24, 2013

    ...no ban: robert and NMGOM have both aired fair criticism, and done so with all due civility given the nature of the critique... ...that you intended no such personal attacks nor racism doesn't make their point any less fair; offensive statements are by nature subjective and highly-dependent upon context...to be blunt, bertel, waving around the ban-hammer when someone calls you out on behavior which is both off-topic and plainly skirting violation of TTAC's commentariat rules of conduct strikes me as a thin-skinned and petty reaction... ...all the editors here, yourself included, have strong personalities reflected in your writing: that's why we come here as readers, to enjoy your blunt and unfiltered take on the automotive industry...sometime those personalities include pointing out a girl's big ears or waxing philosophical on the nature of threesomes, we get that; by and large we roll with your collectively thick-skinned propensities to skirt the boundaries of acceptable behavior...as an editor, though, you have a reponsibility to wear that same thick skin while receiving the room's feedback on that boundary you skirt so closely; sometimes you'll begin to cross that fuzzy line of unacceptable conduct and need to receive these initial outliers' offense for the constructive feedback that it is... ...it's unfortunate that the "R-word" has somehow transformed into the "N-word" of contemporary discourse...TTAC rightfully enforces a strong code of conduct upon its commentariat, but it can't can't nurture a healthy tone to our discussion without a similarly-strong tolerance for subjecting itself to those same standards: anything less projects a chilling effect across the community you've grown...

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