I would disagree strongly.

The kind of "media" that might take interest in this isn't your old school newspaper or TV news. i don't see how stern benefits from ignoring this. They are asleep at the switch if you ask me and will make "pinball look worse" by hoping it goes away. That's a gamble and one I doubt they are going to win.

Yeah but does it really matter if they say anything or not. I understand pinball people are hypersenstive to pinball news but does anyone else care? Does it even move a needle?
What's the headline going to be? "Pinball company employee arraigned today on felony child pornography charges."
Is anyone in the real world really gonna give 2 shits aboot that?

The post is real. I remember it too, but probably not from this site. I might have seen it on Instagram or Facebook, but it was probably something I passed off as someone being bitter about an old dispute. I wish more people would have noticed and paid attention.

Stern is just a tiny company.

They don't have professional PR staff to write intelligent or legally vague statements.

I'm sure their lawyer told them this morning to keep their pieholes shut.

You won't hear a peep about it until someone asks at Expo, and Gary responds that his counsel has told him not to comment.

What comment?

Exactly. I am not sure why anyone would think Stern should or would make a public statement about this.

There is no way that Gary's lawyer said this morning "Issue a press statement to the media, and then make an official statement on the evening WGN9 news"

That would be insane advice.

You can bet that Stern's lawyer said for him to take any comments down, and to keep his mouth shut.

"This is a sad day for pinball"

I believe this was the entirety of it. EDIT: sorry there was more as 27dnast points out

I remember that post as well and thought it was really odd at the time. Maybe it was Stern Facebook which was quickly deleted off? I'm sick to my stomach seeing it now. This alleges that it is more than just porn and kids under his watch. These poor kids are going to have to live with this their whole life and all of the damaging effects of being abused by this pervert. Yeah I don't think I'll be adding any of his games to my lineup anytime soon. It's only pinball...

According to others, he basically said if people would stop talking that it might go away... something added on to the effect of 'no more posts'

(and as the TheLaw added above: that it was a sad day)

Did the cops say that he had interaction with any children?????

Last I read, he had "images" on his computer.

Be careful you don't carelessly libel yourself....

ForceFlow other then the archives from the actual site itself, I have not seen it archived anywhere else at this time. I personally don't recall that comment going around but apparently many here do, still looking for something more concrete on the date and time posted other then the actual site itself.

With my sincerest Apologies to my friend, if I am wrong, but was it Odin who made that post?
He was ejected, and the remaining post is harmless/edit.....

There's a difference, yes, but in both circumstances children are being harmed.

I would like to say a little in steve Ritchie's defense. He posted and I quote. "It was a bad day for pinball. If we stop talking about it, it might go away. Don't post"

I don't think he meant the charges would go away. I don't think he meant that it shouldn't be talked about. I think he was very hurt and understandably horrified that a friend and colleague he knew was charged with what we all can agree is a heinous crime.

I myself made a vague Facebook post last night saying "If people I looked up to and who's creative endeavors I loved could stop ending up being horrific monsters that disgust me I would very much appreciate it." because I also found out a musician I like has been accused of sexual abuse.

Steve Ritchie gave this post a thumbs up. I would think in solidarity. He has NEVER interacted with me on Facebook before and I wouldn't think he would even read Facebook.

Again, these are just my thoughts, but I think Ritchie's post came from a place of personal hurt and a feeling of betrayal, I think he quickly realized it wasn't a wise post and took it down. I don't think he wants it all to go away other than the mixed feelings when you can't believe someone you cared about is suddenly being accused of being a monster.

Edit- I want to add that before he gave it thumbs up someone asked in a comment and I said that a pinball designer I admired was charged with possession of child pornography, so he most likely knew full well what I was referring to

Add me to the list of those that remember it. It was just so completely out of left field that I don't think anyone really knew what to think other than someone was trolling, or just had a beef with him and wanted to start something.

No, but I did see it when it was posted. Just can't remember where.

All your memories are "fake news". Please provide a timestamp of your memory.

More than likely, your assumption is correct.

For those that missed it, "Nintendo" posted a cached timestamp on the previous page (proving it was there back in June, and thus, believable it was there in 2013 as well).

It's funny how this whole "fake news" & social media phenomenon has evolved. Now the assumption is that everything is fake until proven otherwise. (Or guilty until proven innocent).

I don't think these 2 things are related personally; Distrusting internet stuff has always been pretty normal.

Well, I don't know about you guys, but that external website comment makes my skin crawl. Its wording... its distance from this past weekend's events... everything about it is flat out creepy.

And that's why it's met with skepticism...that it can be so spot on. It goes from being laughable and an obvious troll to being completely creepy really goddamn quick.

Google does not find the phrase "Do people know who Mr. Trudeau really is?" except for today's date, on the German site:

http://www.flippermarkt.de/community/forum/showthread.php?p=1481237.

You'd imagine that if it's been up for 4 years on Performance Pinball, it would be indexed by now.

The OPs name is "Ghost of pinball past" and does not have a link associated with it, just like the other posts created by Kevin.

I'd say clickbaiting .

..

How long will it take Google to index it on Pinside, now that I've just put the phrase up here?

.

Does google find anything else that's on that website? Maybe indexing is disabled for that domain?

Yes, Google finds the phrase "Stern Pinball hires Legendary pinball designer John Trudeau" on that same page.

True. It could be just a really unfortunately coincidence.

i don't know why we associate a single designer with "pinball" in general terms... "sad day for pinball"

sad day for pinball for me was when Williams shut it doors back in the day...and the uncertainty of pinball in general then.

my 2 cents...

The byproduct of an entrenched hivemind mentality of those whose lives exist solely around the same participants and find it easier to allow those in positions of false authority do their thinking for them without using their own critical thinking skills to ascertain the veracity of a statement or action for themselves. AA as an example is a microcosm of a broader social phenomenon.

If nothing else, at least you're persistent.

Well I guess that the ghost of pinball may have really known something important and had a roll in this. It only took 4years? I have been really fighting my feelings.

I have watched a cop sting show where they have female cop acting as a prostitute. And not only is it uncomfortable to watch. I feel anger and disgust for the cops as well as the accused as they throw accused in the back of car.

As far as SR goes I am sure whatever his comment was a poorly worded and or a mix of thoughts and emotions that did not combine well. He realized and removed. That's fine with me.

Folks not wanting to look at a machine that digs up feelings like that I can understand. I have been trying to ask myself what I would do. I honestly don't know. Maybe tombstone it for a while. If I was a JT fan with a bunch of his titles oh my! I can't imagine. Pinball, playing and collecting is very social and usually a good time. So if my mom came over and said oh you have a new machine she would be in for as much info on the title as I could come up with. But like MG, would I say oh yeah look at this beauty it was done by a famous designer leaving all the filth out of it. No way. So I am getting the same feelings about these JT designed games maybe not as much as if this stuff is personal problem not professional.

Its such a odd taboo subject that I rarely ever try to even think about. Think about working on these so called sting teams that interact or gain info by pretending to be a creep. That's almost more f Ed up.

Prayers for John, family and friends is all I can say.

Zombie Yeti curse?? MG, GB can he pick some winners. I'll give him a little prayer too.

Any follow up story or is he in jail awaiting further investigation?

Paid $750 bail and is out.

This is such an effed up story; sad on all fronts; SR shouldn't have said what he said though; it's insensitive to the victims here...He's obviously guilty; and I think Stern would be wise to come out and make a statement; you do wonder if they knew of some of his past transgressions; i.e. Penn State/Sandusky/Paterno type of situation. Very sad and disgusted.

Was his bail $7500 or $75,000? Because it would usually take 10% to get bailed out.

I remember it also. And back then, couldn't a poster go back and edit their posts at any time? It may have been edited away.

Really???????

No need for a trial then.

I'm not sure where you went to law school, but I don't think any attorney would advise that.

"Hey John, you ever download any pictures of young girls? No? Me neither. " - conversation that never happened at Stern.

You sticking up for this guy? You're sick and trolling...

Vid, a Troll?

When an individual uses an episode of Law and Order as a benchmark for the real world criminal justice system or the Kardashians as a beacon for morality it becomes patently obvious a single lesson on perspective will not suffice.

Sticking up for his rights, not him specifically. Right to a fair trial, innocent until proven guilty, etc. etc.

Sheesh!

That is not a commentary of the latest post. It's a commentary of around 80% of the proceeding posts. You know who you are. Or maybe you don't. And that's what's sad. So many idiots.

I'm sticking up for human rights.

Get a clue, real Americans fight for the rights of everyone.

I wonder if the Ghost of pinball past is someone (designer?) who worked with JT, knew something about him and got mad because Stern hired him and not them and started the ball rolling on this back in 2013? Just thinking out loud. Feel free to call me stupid.

You're right. Innocent until proven guilty. 100% agree.

But, all due respect, you have no idea what kind of conversations - good or bad - have happened anywhere along the line in this guy's life. Professional or personal. You don't think there are cases where an employee or employees of a professional organization knew of an issue like this and tried to keep it quiet or turn a blind eye?

Maybe in a Catholic church or something, but has anyone at work EVER asked you if you if you were into Ephebophilia?

I've been on this earth longer than most of you, and the subject has NEVER come up.

I knew a guy who worked in a division of cyber crime that basically hunted for people that dealt with CP, human trafficking, etc. From what I understand, you don't just go after someone because "there's a chance he/she is involved with it". It's pretty well documented when they make the arrest. That's not the kind of job I would want considering the shit they see...But I'm glad people out there handle it.

Regarding John's games...It is what it is, but I don't see the issue with keeping them. While not the situation overall, it's not like CV, TOTAN, or TOM decreased in value because of the JPop fiasco or anything like that. But maybe the degree of shit-baginess is what impacts people's opinion.

Also, I mean...I've eaten at Subway since the Jared shit happened. The company that a person is involved with never reflects the views of said company.

Google Street View does have a picture of GoPP's home, but I can't make out who he is, even when zoomed in.

haunted-house-pinball-backglass (resized).jpg

News article just posted. Mentions JT and Stern pinball.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/noted-pinball-machine-designer-charged-with-child-porn-possession/

Even has a link to a John's Arcade Stern pinball tour video.