Status Conscious: MySpace Execs' Firing Faux Pas

If you have to let people go -- and who doesn't nowadays? -- you might want to avoid rubbing their noses in your own great mood while you're doing it.

Yesterday, MySpace eliminated a dozen or so people from its marketing communications team, most of them in Los Angeles and the remainder in New York. The social networking world being what it is, the axed employees immediately checked their bosses' MySpace pages for comforting signs of sympathy, only to discover brand new and jarringly chipper status update messages.

Angela Courtin, the company's senior vice president for marketing, described her mood as "focused," with this message: "just another manic monday. after a sublime weekend. can you say SUNNY LA." Meanwhile, sales and marketing president Jeff Berman seemed preoccupied by Malcolm Gladwell's new book. His message, punctuated with a big smiley face: "loved Outliers -- great read."

A MySpace spokeswoman wasn't immediately available for comment. By the way, Berman and Courtin are headed off to Sundance later this week, according to a source, where MySpace is hosting a party. Expect more smiley faces.

Clarification/Correction: A MySpace spokeswoman says the job eliminations were the result of restructuring, not a layoff, and that an unknown number of the affected workers may yet be relocated within the company. She also said that, while MySpace will have a presence at Sundance, it's not hosting a party there, and Berman and Courtin won't be in attendance.