Sailor Man is Go!

May 12th, 2008

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Great news! The show that Scott and I proposed to the New York International Fringe Festival was picked up, and will be performed in August. So if you’re in NYC this August and you want to see me in the the role I was born to play, come see Sailor Man. I haven’t been this psyched about anything in quite a while. June first we’re launching an official website with production blogs and photos, and maybe even some cool video and stuff. For now, you can read the show proposal, and see these production photos (photos by Carlye Hirsch)

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Back from ROFLcon 08!

April 28th, 2008

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photo: varmazis

Well I’ve returned from sure one of the most awesome/surreal experiences of my life. ROFLcon 2008, the “first ever meeting of internet memes” was thebomb.com/sosofun. There was a real potential for this undergrad-organized nerd herd to be totally awkward and lame, but instead everyone was just so fun and enthusiastic that the whole experience was a giddy thrill. The pic above is of the LOLcats Panel: I can has case study? that Arija and I were invited to speak on months ago. Yes, that is Tronguy sitting in our audience. He asked smart questions too. And didn’t take the costume off the whole weekend as far as I could tell. Below is a better photo of us at the same event.

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photo: dsearls

If you want any more info on how the LOLpanel went, specifically, here are a couple of legitimate press articles on the event where Arija and I are quoted.

What else happened over the weekend? Well, I was asked to sign one of the one laptop per child laptops by Alexis Ohanian of Reddit (who also did a great job moderating the LOLpanel, btdubs.) He was getting every “meme” at the conference to sign it before he auctions it off for charity.

I met Leeeeeeeeroy Jenkins, the creator of Bert is Evil, and Joe Peacock of Mentally Incontinent (a really nice guy with a pretty funny book). I talked to Cheeze of ichc.com, and the brothers Chaps, creators of Homestarrunner, who ACTUALLY HAD HEARD OF US AND OUR SITE. Total geek moment, for sure.

At an afterparty I actually met and Tronguy, had a nice talk, and was asked to sign a release because our chat might appear in a documentary Current TV is making on him. Current also interviewed Arija and me about our site. I also got asked to write something funny down for these guys. I give myself a 4 out of 10.

The biggest fun of the weekend, other than watching as 500 + sat down to watch our silly panel on stupid cat graphics was meeting with the JibJab guys.
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photo: stella kevlar

They were totally awesome and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a little gay for them both. My love of fake mustaches is well known, and these guys came correct.

Stuff I Want You to See

April 24th, 2008

I’m just hours away from heading to ROFLcon for the weekend. This page has been set up to make showing all my various projects to people there quick and easy.



A highly re-cut and totally re-dubbed episode of Captain Planet
Featured on Collegehumor.com



Part of my Baby In Danger series. There was a lot of debate online about the reality of the gun. It’s fake. The muzzle flash is digital.



Risky McGuinness.

The rest of my videos can be seen here.

Here is a proposal for a live theater piece based on Popeye cartoons that I’m currently shopping around NYC.

Here are some outdoor art installations.

The reason I’m at ROFLcon in the first place = LOLSECRETZ.

These are some favorites that I wrote myself.

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Hope you liked my stuff. Drop me a line in the comments!

Absolutely Complicated

April 14th, 2008

Mexican Absolut Ad

So this is an ad for Absolut Vodka that ran in Mexico City, depicting a redrawn border between the US and Mexico where most of the American Southwest is under Mexican rule. (These were actually location of the national borders until the Mexican-American war and fight for Texas independence in 1848.) When I was like, 16, I thought the Absolut ads were cool, and although I’m past that now,every now and again they still surprise me. This one, for instance, was one hell of a surprise. Just looking at this ad, the first thing I think is “public relations imbroglio.” I suppose there’s no Swedish concept for “big stink” or “imbroglio,” because I can’t imagine how they would okay these ads otherwise. Oh wait, yes I can. They did it because the people who are in charge of Absolut are almost certainly over 50, and therefore still believe that there are regions to marketing, and that regional marketing will never be seen by anyone outside of the intended region. Also, being Swedish, they’re probably rational people who couldn’t imagine that an ad like this could piss so many people off in border states in the US.

Personally, I love this ad. I love that, in spite of what was said in Absolut’s apology, this ad is obviously a reaction to the the Mexico/US immigration issue, and is intended for people on the South side of that border to see, nod their heads and go, “yeah, that’s the way it’s going to be!” They think it’s clever and fun. And for its intended audience, it is. While for some of us North of that border, it’s an outrage. But, can you imagine what a kick out of this ad people who hate it in its current form would get if it depicted a map of Iran with US borders pushing in from Iraq? It’s amazing to me that some people simply can’t see the other side of things, they’re so furious over their own pet grievances the whole time.

It’s really too bad that Absolut decided they had to apologize and pull the ads. This is the kind thought-provoking, dialogue-starting ad that other companies would kill for. (Until a dozen people on a conservative blog complain about it.)

However, one clear winner in all of this is Skyy Vodka, who wrote an absolutely hilarious response to this ad. It is excerpted here:

“In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-America War (1846-1848). With the signing of this treaty, the United States gained control of what was to become the Golden West, including California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. Today, SKYY® Vodka, the number-one vodka produced in the United States, spoke out against suggestions by Absolut® Vodka to disregard that treaty, as well as the joining of Texas to the Union in 1845, as depicted in Absolut’s recent advertising.”

In the response, a Ssky representative goes on to say,

“Don’t get me started on the Gadsden Purchase. I think the folks in Tucson and Yuma would be rubbed the wrong way if they hear this landmark deal was somehow nullified as suggested by Absolut, a Swedish-owned brand.”

So, kudos Skyy Vodka. You really made my day, and I didn’t even have to drink you.

I am left with one question though… If this ad was intended for the Mexican market, why is it in English?

More Planet Shenanigans

April 13th, 2008

For those of you who came here after seeing the Captain Planet video “The Power is Yours!” Thanks, and welcome. Jon and I are working on the next installment. In the meanwhile, here is a teaser to get you excited for more environmental shenanigans.


(Note, much as they do in Arrested Development, don’t actually expect to see this clip in the next episode.)

Future Bathtime Horror

April 1st, 2008

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Anyone who knows me knows that I like to toe the line as to what’s okay for kids and what’s not… I do think that as a society we’ve become incredibly scared and overprotective of our children … while totally forgetting that little kids have a huge capacity to understand the bizarre and transgressive, moreso in fact than many adults, since their concept of what’s “normal” is still so undefined and malleable. That said, this monstrosity hanging in Duane Reade today gave me pause. It’s a “Terry Bath Glove,” for bathing youngsters. Putting aside for the moment that no one needs a glove to wash their children, this thing is so beyond the pale of weirdness that I can’t imagine anyone, even someone like me, wanting to expose their child to it. Here you go, little buddy! It’s bath time … time for the MUTANT SOAP BUNNY!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Tremble in fear at its pitiable countenance and wonder whether it’s something in your bathwater that created this horrible affront to nature! Are your child’s tears those of humanity’s first confrontation with its limits and the dark abyss staring back at them? Or is it just that they got some soap in their eyes?

The Power Is Yours!!

March 28th, 2008


Space Agent Dash

March 20th, 2008

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I didn’t put the boy up to this, I swear. This gorgeous cliche and future fuzzy memory actually happened spontaneously. I’m constantly amazed at how universal specific childhood discoveries like this are. Everyone’s taken a moment to look at the world through a sieve, and therefore just about everyone can relate to this photo. It’s no wonder formulas and specific story structures continue to hold popularity… so much of what we experience culturally really is universal.

More FOREIGNERS – They’re Just Not Like Us!

March 10th, 2008

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THEY RIDE TANKS AROUND TOWN!
Whoa, Bad Eco-drama, guys! Any of you ever heard of a Prius™?

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THEY EAT MICE ON STICKS!
Ew. Oh my God. Ew. What are they, like the poorest people on Earth?

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THEY ENJOY SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!
Good for them! You GO, Danish!

Not Just Like Us

March 7th, 2008

So you’ve probably seen US Weekly’s popular feature “Stars — They’re Just Like Us!” where they post banal photos of celebrities doing absolutely nothing of interest, and gawk about how that’s so awesome, because we the readers also do nothing of interest most of the time. See, Brody Jenner? We’re not so different, you and I. But do you know who IS, like, TOTally different than the readers of US Weekly? People from other countries they’ve never been to and know nothing about!!!

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FOREIGNERS – They’re Just Not Like Us!

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THEY CARRY THEIR THINGS IN CRAZY WAYS!
Hey, get a Baby Bjorn, will you?!

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THEY DON’T WORK OUT!
Do some ab crunches, Tubby!

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THEY DRINK COFFEE DIFFERENT THAN WE DO!
Get a bigger mug, homo!

(Special thanks to Jon for some help with punchlines.)