Archive for 2008:

YouTube Sketchies – Take Two

Last July, Payman Benz and Sean Becker of LA-based Awkward Pictures beat out roughly 5,000 other hopeful sketch comedians to take home the grand prize package from YouTube’s aptly-dubbed sketch comedy contest, the Sketchies.

After making it through the first two rounds, an ill-tempered pug cohabitating with a self-proscribed anger manager is what won the duo a meet and greet with internet-turned-SNL stars The Lonely Island, an all expenses paid trip to the premiere of Andy Samberg’s forgettable flick Hot Rod, an opportunity to shoot a commercial spot for contest sponsor Sierra Mist, and some production bells and whistles including a Panasonic AG-HVX200. Not to shabby a take home. This year it’s a helluva lot nicer.

Showing just how far the YouTube and this whole web video thing have come in the past 10 or so months, the Toyota Corolla-sponsored Sketchies II is giving away $15,000 in production gear and $25,000 in cash to one lucky winner. Payman and Sean, colored jovial with a shade of resentment because this prize pack is way more better than the one they received, explain the rules:

Or, if you prefer hearing instructions from females, here’s Lisa Nova telling you what’s what (she’s also resentful, but because her orange-faced, Orange County republican didn’t win Sketchies I).

Regardless of who’s explaining, the key takeaways are the same: Submissions are due by March 3rd. Videos must be roadtrip themed and must contain at least one musical instrument. An “expert panel” will select the top 20 and the YouTube community will select the top 10. Those 10 finalists will create another video and the YouTube community will vote on the winner. Given that $40K in cash and prizes is up for grabs, the quality of the competition should be entertaining.

How to Beat a Case of the Mondays

After a long weekend of whatever it is you might get up to on the weekend, there is a certain amount of disappointment that is inevitable on a Monday morning. Beyond the simple Garfield-esque hatred of Mondays lies a sort of existential dilemma.

The fun is over, you return to your job (or lack there of), the whole week stretches before you like some lonely track of desert highway and you think "Why am I doing this again?" Before you know it you are pondering what nothingness is made of and arguing with the Jehovah’s Witness who shares yours cubicle about whether Heaven is "full" or not…or something like that. In other words, Mondays can suck pretty bad and it would help to have something more than aderal and "Hang in there!" posters to get you going.

Fear not ye crest fallen rat race contestant, Nic Askew has a little inspiration for you (rhyme intended).

His site, monday9am.tv , delivers a fresh new "film" every Monday at 9 am, right when you could most use a little purpose. The films, which are mostly just short interviews inter-cut with title cards written by Nic, tend to focus on the uber-positive: self-awareness, curiosity, embracing life, over coming fear, and other hits from the self-help section.


Now don’t get me wrong. I’m as cynical as a blind man at a strip club most days but remarkably, these normally butt clenching topics are handled in an honest sincere way that doesn’t make me want to pull an Oedipus (gorging out eyes, not sleeping with mom).

###Nic is able to take a snapshot the soul of an interviewee in only a few minutes. While the sentiments expressed on the title cards are a little heavy handed, Nic keeps himself completely out of the interview. This simple format allows the subject to be the entire soul of the piece with Nic’s written thoughts working as a guide for the intellect.

I heard about the site from a very new-agey friend and was surprised such a hippy was sending me a video of Seth Godin, the renowned marketing guru. But the video, simply entitled ‘curiosity'(sic), felt more Dahli Lama than Tony Robbins. The idea that curiosity is the antithesis of fundamentalism is an interesting way to look at the Yin and Yang of things.

After watching the entire video I found myself wondering how I could be less dogmatic in my own life. I wondered what things I had let myself ‘believe’ without ever challenging. I wondered how I could do better. Then it hit me: That film just inspired the shit out of me.


Nic, a 43 year old Engishman living in the states, interviews anybody he feels might have something to offer. There are holocaust survivors, famous musicians, cancer patients, reality show contestants, even random people on the street, and focusing on the aspect that comments on the human condition.

In one video he interviews a man who speaks no English to prove that there is some sort of universal language. Watching this old grizzled Guatemalan tell stories about his bad eye and the difficult life he lead, I was surprised to find myself following every bit of his story even though my command of Mayan dialect is a little rusty.


Nic will soon be starting another web site called SoulBiographies.com. Monday 9am will still exist, the film maker just plans on expanding his scope. in his own words: "The style may evolve, the places to see widen, and they may include many characters who we presume we already know – but I suspect that we don’t." Sweet.

Nic’s bumper cards ask pointed questions like "Do you need someone else to feel complete?" and "What do you see when you look in the mirror?". In any other circumstance questions like these would best be answered with a jab to the nose. But watching these people as they unfold themselves for Nic can help even the most cynical of us get over our case of the Mondays.

Who is Donnie Hoyle?

Donnie Hoyle: Misunderstood Employee, Committed Husband, Photoshop Grand Master.

Today, the aforementioned poobah of graphic design has released his sixth installment of My Damn Channel’s cult tutorial, You Suck at Photoshop, which unlike other channels that have prominent placement on Damn’s homepage, is buried for only the most hip of web-vid aficionados to find.

In his latest episode, Hoyle employs the use of the filter tool. Guided by his own need to use the restroom after ninety-six hours of holding it in, he messes with a semi-headless picture of his boss, Jeff Swanson, “accepting an award he didn’t deserve.” Donnie makes the man look as bloated as he himself feels. In other words, this is stream-of-consciousness retouching at its most outrageous.

At face value, Donnie Hoyle is the worst kind of loser. He’s the equivalent of an angry son borne of Michael Scott and Comic Book Guy using Photoshop as a means of figuratively rectifying the problems he can’t address in real life. Fortunately, it would also appear that “Donnie Hoyle” is a joke. But then, who is he?

Read On…

Yahoo Video Redux

Once upon a time, Yahoo looked poised to re-invent entertainment on the Internet, what with Hollywood veteran Terry Semel at the helm.  Then came YouTube and Yahoo’s abysmal video offering, which lacked just about everything.  Yahoo never really made a dent in the space, but their new video platform, and the announcement their acquisition of Maven Networks, might signal a new big-time entrant to the online video world.  

From Maven’s Blog:

“The combination of Maven Networks with Yahoo!’s own vast technology resources, deep industry relationships, and huge global audience will deliver an unrivaled video publishing, syndication and advertising solution.”

I’m not sure if Yahoo’s new video effort is directly related the the acquisition of Maven, but it looks to be a big step in the right direction.  The new video player is (finally) easily embeddable with seamless full-screen toggle and an overall elegant interface, but the cornerstone of Yahoo’s new video strategy seems to be exclusive, populist content.  Nothing drives traffic better.

Yahoo’s video strategy won’t have a major impact on the market for independent producers–though being featured by Yahoo is certainly a valuable promotional tool — but this will likely impact the way traditional media convert their assets for the web.  Yahoo seems to be positioning itself to manage and distribute online video for major media companies, a strategy that’s occurred to at least a few others…

Hulu? Brightcove? YouTube? Yahoo?  How’s this gonna shake out?

There Aint No Party Like a YouTube Videocracy Party

An upfront is a self-indulgent lovefest. Major television networks invite advertising, marketing, and industry suits to fancy-pants locations and put on choreographed, infotainment showcases of their upcoming content offerings. Network bigwigs and celebrities do a little song and dance (We have Sunday Night Football this year! Here’s Patrick Dempsey of Grey’s Anatomy to talk to you about the new season! 85% of viewers don’t Tivo through our commercials! Look at these successful ad campaigns from last year! Etc.!), Madison Avenue oooos and ahhhhs and begins to think about the checks they’ll be writing in exchange for TV ad space, aspiring models and actors serve gourmet finger food, and everybody gets drunk.

Kinda awesome. At least that’s what I’m told. I’ve never been to an upfront for a major television network, just an upfront for YouTube, which, actually, was kinda awesome.

At three-story club/concert space Terminal 5, Google hosted Vidoecracy, a “deep-dive, Cliffs Notes, YouTube 101 education” for potential advertisers, mostly pitching them on the idea that the video-sharing site is about more than just videos. It’s a social experience that’s capable of producing stars and events palatable to a number of mainstream demographics.

Anderson Cooper, Esmee Denters, Lisa Nova, Soulja Boy, the Pachelbel’s Canon guitar dude, the Will it Blend? guy and others took the center stage. More online content creators like Threadbanger, Ford Models, and James Kotecki were positioned between build-your-own smores stations and open booze bars. A couple thousand advertisers and new media studio execs mingled and checked out the talent.

If you weren’t there, here’s an overview I shot of the scene:

One surprise. For a site populated by millions of homemade movies, what was missing from its party was cameras. Read On…

Valentines Video Goodness

This Valentine’s Day, along with a mixed bag of lovesick and lovelorn friends and acquaintances who all think Chaucer was a hack, I’m catching the sequel to one of the best flicks of 2006, Step Up 2: The Streets. It ranks medium on the Metacritic scale, low on the romantic scale, but is through the roof on the hip-hop-dancing-movies-are-totally-effin-awesome scale.

I’m forgoing the flowers, cards, <3-related paraphernalia, and eco-friendly, sexy gifts of the real world, but I’m consuming my fair share of Valentine-inspired ephemera online. Here are the videos I’ve been most attracted to:

Corky Quakenbush – Cupid Busted!

 

###Brad Neely – A Valentine from Eva

Even before Mel Brooks penned Springtime for Hitler, American-produced WWII propaganda ensured that making fun of the Fuhrer would always be in fashion. From Benigni to mad libs of The Downfall I don’t think anyone’s done it better than creased comic Brad Neely. His love letter to Adolf from Eva embodies the caustic, furious, insane, unpoetic infatuation I’d expect from German poetry during the Third Reich.

Black 20 – Cupid’s Bloody Valentine

Like Quakenbush, Black20 founders J. Crowley and Neil Punsalan have gained internet notoriety by depicting characters that don’t exist. Created when they were employees at NBC, The Easter Bunny Hates You caused such a stir that it prompted the duo to jump corporate ship and try this web video thing out on their own. In this oldie but goodie, Cupid embodies a violent interpretation of the adolescent babe slinging arrows dipped in romance, though he still wears a diaper.

 

Ben Schwartz – Valentine’s Break-Up


Ben Schwartz is funny when he’s telling jokes that suck. When he’s acting out a sketch that has actually gained the approval of his producers, he’s hysterical. Here, his comedic and romantic timing are inversely proportional.

Happy V-Day to you and yours!


Corky Quakenbush
’s stop-motion claymation is possibly more funny, ridiculous, and absurd that Corky Quakenbush’s name. His moldings have taken the shape of fictional characters including Leprechauns and Santa Claus and appeared on television programs like Mad TV. Here, Officers Nick Wallace and Peter Gromit (a less than subtle nod to the masters of the genre) take out a male, Caucasian suspect, 10-12 months old with wings, and wearing a diaper.

Top 10 Videos from the Writers Strike

It’s official – Hollywood’s writer strike is over. 100 days after the Writer’s Guild of America threw their picket signs up in frustration against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’s stance on DVD residuals and compensation for “new media,” on Tuesday the two parties came to an agreement.

Los Angeles economists estimate that it caused the loss of $733 million in production spending and another $1.3 billion in ancillary services (caterers, florists, valets, restaurant workers, etc.). But despite the devastating financial impact, it generated some fantastic online videos.

In between protests, with no films or television shows to pen, writers created content for the same medium they were fighting to get a piece of. In between not crossing picket lines, with no films or television shows to star in, actors looked to the web as an outlet for creative expression. And, in between not watching their favorite shows on television, new media stars weighed in on the process.

With such easy access to the means of production and distribution, technologically speaking, it was a great time to be a strike. Here’s a look at some of the best videos that cropped up while the cogs that keep Hollywood turning were at an standstill:

WGA – Why We Fight

First, a primer. The WGA explains why they’re fighting, who they’re fighting, and what they’re fighting for. Educational, not entertaining, but a good a starting point for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the situation and lends to a greater appreciation of the following vids.

###Ask a Ninja – Special Delivery Writer’s Strike

Wielding his characteristic sharp-witted metaphors, the Ninja gives the writers advice in their battle against AMPTP – “a giant behemoth in a really nice suit that eats prophets profits.”

The Daily Show Writers – Not The Daily Show, With Some Writer

Jason Ross, one of 14 scribes on The Daly Show writing staff does a DIY version of the program that would make Bre Pettis proud. A makeshift set and poster board accent Ross’ spot-on delivery and beg the question, “Why don’t these guys start their own show?”

oren film – WGA Strike Gets Violent!

Created by Oren Kaplan and commissioned by a “top Hollywood writer,” this short depicts a Gestapo-like Writer’s Guild Police, patrolling coffee shops filled with possible pen pushers in a Hollywood where everyone’s secretly writing something.

Alex Perez – Hollywood Scab Writer

During the 1994 Major League Baseball Strike, there were a few dozen players who crossed picket lines for their cup of coffee in the Big Leagues. In the 2007-2008 Writers Guild Strike, there was Alex Perez. Walking the fine, funny line of hoax and legitimacy, Perez appeals to studio execs that he’s just the right scab for the job.

Residuals Video – How I Spent My Digital Download Residuals

Studio execs claim that there’s a lot of money in new media and that writers are currently getting a cut. Here, striking writers show you exactly what they’re buying with all that cash.

Fed Armisen – Thunder Ant

SNL cast member Fred Armisen and singer/guitarist Carrie Brownstein used the strike downtime to create Thunder Ant, a series of esoteric skits that are more “kind-of comedy than actual comedy.”

Wainy Days – The Pickup

David Wain told the New York Times that the strike has made actors a lot more willing and accessible to participate in his MyDamnChannel online series, Wainy Days. When he needed someone to portray a lothario of Mystery proportions, Paul Rudd was peacocking and neging skirts in no time.

Irving Brecher – Same Old Story

Irving Brecher is 94 years old. He wrote Meet Me in St. Louis in 1944 and Bye Bye Birdie in 1963. He refers to the 2007 WGA strike as “the strike of aught seven.” He joined the Radio Writer’s Guild (a WGA predecessor) in 1938, and he’s been pissed off ever since.

Jerry O’Connel – the parody video Tom Cruise WANTS you to see!

Nick Denton gave the finger to the Church of Scientology’s army of lawyers when he posted this video of Tom Cruise waxing crazy on the religion. Jerry O’Connell, looking for something to do while production for ABC sitcom Carpoolers was on hiatus, ended any past/present/future working relationship with the silver screen’s L. Ron Hubbard in this picture perfect mockery of the cackling star.

Ze Frank also came out of hiding and dirctor/writer George Hickenlooper and write Alan Serebof showed us a Hollywood without words. Over the past 100 days it’s been interesting to see so many creative talents express their discontent and fill up their free time with online video. Some liked it so much they might be even be setting up shop in cyberspace.

But now that all’s said and done and the web won out, if you’re still into traditional television, feel free to return to your regularly scheduled programming

A Video Player for the Global Marketplace

 

A Show That's Totally Rad

“Man, it’s good to be a geek,” sings Deaf Pedestrians on episode 19 of The Totally Rad Show, and this line pretty much sums up the entire premise of this weekly Revision3 series. Every Tuesday three dudes, Alex Albrecht, Jeff Cannata, and Dan Trachtenberg chatter away on recent movies, TV shows, video games, and comic books. It’s kind of like a boys’ version of Girls on Film (Tilzy.TV page) – and almost just as giddy at times.

What inspired so much enthusiasm – and led to the birth of the show – was a deep and shared fascination with all forms of geekdom entertainment. According to their website:

“TRS was born in the depths of geek culture, at an epic game of Dungeons and Dragons in 2006. Alex Albrecht, host of Revision3’s Diggnation, and Dan Trachtenberg, former host of Revision3’s Geekdrome, met Jeff Cannata, former video game columnist, at the D&D table, and became fast friends. Intense debates over Star Wars characters, late night frag-fests in Gears of War, Heroes- and Lost-watching parties, and the sharing of dog-eared copies of Preacher graphic novels followed, leading the guys to one clear realization: This is the stuff we love. This stuff is totally rad.” 

The three teamed up with videographer Steve Koncelik, set up a green screen in a garage, and launched the show on March 27, 2007.

Everything from the depths of geekdom, as well as a smattering of mainstream pop culture, is fair game for Albrecht, Cannata, and Trachtenberg to review. ###They’ll chew over thoughts on Oscar contenders like Atonement, debate the merits of Guitar Hero 3 v. Rock Band, or offer up news on a Watchmen movie while browsing a Comicon extravaganza. There are also occasional shorter, non-review, unintentionally comedic segments like “Dan Becomes a Man.”

While the three will often gush about their mutual excitement over a movie or game, The Totally Rad Show gets the most interesting when we see a little disagreement. Amid the friendly bickering and sometimes-heated debates, in-depth and insightful commentary emerges as each guy is forced to justify what he believes. It’s also when we see each of their personalities unfold most clearly in light of their backgrounds – Albrecht as an improv comedian, Cannata as an actor from California, and Trachtenberg as a director.

Their chatty discussions and overall group chemistry have won them many fans, but I suspect most of them are geeks themselves. And that’s perhaps the biggest point about this show: You kinda have to be a geek to enjoy it. If you simply aren’t familiar with or don’t particularly care about “geeky” topics, their enthusiasm won’t be very contagious, the rapid-fire references will be lost on you, and the one-hour show will seem staggeringly long.

To their credit, everyone on the show tries hard to make TRS more than just three talking heads. Thanks to the green screen, their studio background constantly changes (and can frankly be more interesting than their conversations), and they always come up with introductory segments of film spoofs and spiffy transitions among topics. But often times, a good 4-5 minutes will perplexingly go by after the start of an episode before they finally get to the nitty gritty of their reviews. Trimming just a little fat could do the show some good.

If you’re a geek who enjoys sitting through a long simmer of geekdom chatter, watching The Totally Rad Show should feel totally right on.

Mr. Glasses, Majestic Dragon, Defenders of Stan

Channel 102 (Tilzy.TV page) is the New York City version of LA-based Channel 101 (Tilzy.TV page) – Don Harmon and Rob Schrab’s monthly, online/offline, competitive comedy film festival of internet awesomeness. If you’re not familiar with the concept, here’s an exemplary how-to from veteran 102ers, Jon and Jess (NSFW – language).

Organized by Tony Carnevale with the blessings of the creators of the original, the first screening took place in February 2005. Since then, Stephen Levinson has taken hold of the film reels and Channel 102 has projected its fair share of classics. Awesome Dreams’ The Rewinder, Kirk Damato and Dyna Moe’s Cakey, and Human Giant’s Shutterbugs are but a few.

After a holiday hiatus and the end of a relationship with Tribeca Cinemas, the monthly screening kicked off again last Monday in the back room of a packed Pianos. Here are the episodes that a discerning audience of intoxicated friends, filmmakers, and Tilzy.TV contributors voted into the top five:

Mr. Glasses – Episode 2

Mr. Glasses was conceived by comedy writer/actor and UCBer Mitch Magee. The series follows the trials of a bespectacled Modernist architect who, ever since his architectural style lost favor, builds benevolence instead of buildings. Like the unadorned structures he used to create, the black and white production and robotic script has no frills beyond Mr. Glasses’ one-dimensional companions. In this installment, they help Billy Chestnut find true love through awkward, romantic conversation and, of course, architecture.

###Defenders of Stan – Episode 12

A day before Super Tuesday, the twelfth installment – yes, it’s been voted back every screening for the past year – of Channel 102 favorite, Defenders of Stan had an appropriate election theme. Dirty politics run rampant. The best bits are the surprise ending and the ad campaign where big brother Captain Ultra dons a fake beard to spoof the spot of his younger brother/non-super powered opponent.  

Majestic Dragon – Episode 1

There’s not much to the simple, strange, crudely drawn Majestic Dragon. He’s a dragon, he flies, he apparently likes love and hugs, and doesn’t really make any sense. But that’s why it works.

Welcome to Our House – Episode 5

Julie Klausner and Jackie Clarke continue their roles as Natalie Hammer and Nina Hammer-Ortiz in the glam, 1987 women’s how-to, Welcome to Our House. The Sex Offender Registry joke got me chuckling, but the rest of the drug-induced, pre-date trip backed up by Jefferson Airplane seemed to drag.

Police Procedures: NYC Casting 

Acceptable.TV’s (Tilzy.TV page) Law and Order: TV Production Unit showed us that taking a closer look at the production processes of television crime dramas can be very, very funny. Police Procedures: NYC Casting is just as good. In this episode, casting blames wardrobe for an onscreen disaster, wardrobe blames casting, and hilarity ensues.

The fact that Jack of All Trades didn’t make the cut, shows that quality isn’t necessarily what’s measured by a live voting audience, but that’s part of the fun. The next screening is Monday, March 3rd at 7PM with another following at 8:30PM. If you’re in the NYC area, swing by, and say hey.  I’ll be watching.

 

Lost in Francelation

In the past three months, both the Queen of England and the Japanese Prime Minister have launched government sanctioned YouTube accounts.  While interesting for purposes of disseminating political rhetoric and culture, they do little for would-be tourists.  Videos produced by the U.S. departments of State and Homeland Security don’t do any better.  Their recent, Disney-produced propaganda piece, ‘Welcome: Portraits of America‘ offers foreigners little more than visual platitudes and is memorable only due to a case of mistaken geography. 

The best tourist vids I’ve seen watermarked with the official stamp and seal of government production have come from the country that popularized cinema verite, fried potatoes, and kissing with tongue. 

Launched by The French Government Tourist Office – aka Maison de la France – in late 2006, Lost In Francelation is a travel vlog series on all things French for the Europe-inclined American traveler.  ###In an effort to incorporate video content into the rather institutional experience the rest of their site provides, Maison de la France began co-sponsoring episodes with French tourist boards and companies that both showcase a region, service or location as well as explore the cultural and linguistic idiosyncrasies that exist between France and the US.

The kooky series of sporadic episodes seems to still be coming together, currently covering a random cross-section of what France has to offer; including two episodes shot in Paris and two in the Loire Valley (the episode shot in Martiniqu – the French Caribbean – is of course a must-see for anyone feeling winter in their bones…or maybe you should avoid watching because it looks glorious). 

After a fun opening (the tune is catchy even if it’s in French), one of the two hosts, or ‘Francelators’, present a new location and begin exploring.  There is more than a slight Jacques Cousteau investigative feel – whether it’s to uncover cliches in Paris or find the stars in Cannes – which makes the whole project feel less ‘tourist-y’ . France from the American perspective has always been amusing; watching it through the eyes of these Americans, who know and love the country, is refreshing. Also find on the episode pages several ways to interact: post your own comments, photos, or videos, or vote on your preferred episode. 

Whether you’re a Francophile, traveling, culturally curious, or Representatives Robert W. Ney or Walter B. Jones, give the series a watch. 

My Damn Channel Debuts 'Coolio,' 'Carnival,' and 'Horrible People'

My Damn Channel, the site with original programming that got off to a sleepy start last year with content by Harry Shearer and Paul Reiser, and that eventually picked up traction with David Wain’s  Wainy Days and Don Was‘ insight into the music industry, premieres three raunchy, funny new channels today.

Under the heading “If Only VH1 Did Cooking Shows Too,” the site is launching a foodie destination with hip-hop superstar Coolio.

In Cookin’ with Coolio (NSFW – language), the revered 90s rapper, who also had TV stints with Celebrity Boot Camp and Celebrity Fear Factor, will be whipping up affordable, tasty, healthful soul food, along with his two sexy sous chefs, “The Sauce Girls.” In ep. 1, the Ghetto Gourmet makes a lovely Caprese salad for those times you have to cook for one of those “salad-eatin’ bitches.” Truth be told, the finished product does look “better than yo mama’s tits.” Seems like somebody’s giving Paula Dean a run for her money.

From HBO’s Hardcore TV, Steve Kerper has created Carnival of Stuff, which is debuting as My Damn Channel’s first animated series. ###

In Invasion, written by Kerper and directed and animated by Asterisk (SNL’s TV Funhouse), two small but resolute aliens try to conquer Earth with anal probes but accidentally step in cow pies coming down the landing pad. In March, Kerper’s destination will premiere another show called “Bedtime Stories,” featuring YouTube cult personality Grace Helbig, based on traditional children’s fables retold with racy illustrations.

In a press release by My Damn Networks, Kerper commented, “I’m so excited about working with My Damn Channel that I’m even thinking about getting a computer so I can watch it.”

The show premiering today that I’m most jazzed about is A.D. Miles’ Horrible People (NSFW – language) a new evil soap opera (yes, soap opera) that takes place entirely at a never-ending cocktail party. Miles (Wet Hot American Summer, Man Bites Dog, Reno 911), who has written and directed Horrible People, also stars in the show with Mather Zickel, Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords), Joe Lo Truglio, and Joy Franz.

I asked Miles if he was always a soap opera fan and how he decided to create the darkly comic Horrible People. “[Making a soap parody] was more abstract at first and then we said, ‘let’s just make a regular soap opera.’ Obviously, we’re all dirty nasty comedians and have to push things a little further, but it became much more fun when we actually had to work within the confines of a soap opera.” Miles, who never really watched any ‘stories,’ was suddenly researching soaps of all kind – the American standbys, British soaps, and even Spanish soap operas, which still had their value for Miles, even though he didn’t exactly understand them.

As a lampoon, Horrible People invokes the most annoying and baffling conventions of the soap genre and subverts them to a whole new level. The premise – that a number of lives intersect and unravel in a web of secrets and betrayals within the confines of a single cocktail party – plays with the inexplicable passage of time in soaps. If he sat down and really figured it out, Miles thinks that the narrative of Horrible People probably takes place over the course of a half hour, but with the way that soaps expand time, the material covered in the show actually fills ten episodes, and according to Miles, could go on forever.

The other bizarre conventions that work their way into the series are the way characters are “always talking into thin air at the end of a scene,” ominous piano music, and how little action ever happens. “[Soap characters] are endlessly talking about what they’re about to do or what they’ve just done, but you never actually see them doing anything.”

The one star of Horrible People that Miles says to watch for is Joy Franz who plays “Mother.” Franz, who Miles found in a casting session in New York, gives the show its soap authenticity. “She delivers the best lines with such utter sincerity that I’m crying in the edit room,” Miles said. For example, in the premiere, “Mother” turns to her son who is announcing his engagement at the party, and asks with the seasoned and dignified air of the most aristocratic of soap matriarchs, “Did you remember to wax your asshole?” As you can imagine, it’s pretty amazing.

In the event that Horrible People does go on indefinitely, I asked Miles which real soap star he would like to cameo in the show, to which he replied that the icon of all soap icons, Susan Lucci, would be his top choice. And yet, somehow, I have a hard time imagining Lucci delivering the line “A waxed asshole is the window to the soul.” But, hey, you never know. Sometimes life is stranger than really bad fiction.