2 chapters across the catalog
The discussion of the Sam Adams Award leads to a critique of "vanity" awards and directories like "Who's Who in America" and J.D. Power & Associates. The hosts describe these as "your name here" scams where individuals pay hundreds of dollars for leather-bound books or certificates. They joke about creating a "Who's Who in Quantum Physics" or "Great Lovemaking" to exploit people's vanity.
Who's Who Directories, Early Internet Reference Guides
The "Who's Who" series of books is described as a vanity publishing business model where individuals are encouraged to purchase expensive copies of directories in which they are featured. Alongside these are early internet reference guides, such as the "Internet Complete Reference," which cataloged fewer than 750 resources and focused heavily on Usenet groups. These publications highlight the rapid expansion of digital information compared to the mid-1990s.
