Regarding the Pope

Missing Performances

2010-02-22T00:48:00.002-05:00

So my 15th, 17th, and 19th Performances will not be online for various technical and talent malfunctions. But you know what, I owe you nothing, so be happy I've given you the gifts I have.

20th Performance

2010-02-22T00:47:00.001-05:00

Feb. 20, 2010 Enjoy

18th Performance

2010-02-22T00:44:00.002-05:00

Another Rubinton classic.

16th Performance

2010-02-22T00:42:00.002-05:00

Here's one from a while back. I hope you enjoy.
BTW, I recorded my 15th performance on my phone, so that's not going online.

Remember Me?

2010-02-22T00:40:00.001-05:00

I do! There was a really long House Hunters marathon on, so I haven't posted in a while. I'll try to post some stuff to make up for it.

Why Social Media is a Worthwhile Investment

2009-12-23T01:20:00.004-05:00

Much like the Americas in the late 1400s, social media is new and mysterious. So much so that its value has not had enough time to enter into common knowledge. If you look at some past examples, however, it is clear why social media is important.

People can say whatever they want about your brand

Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.
-Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon

This is a common quote among social media practitioners because it is true. The age of authoritative ads telling people about their products is ending. Social media has given people a platform to tell others how they feel about a brand or product. (see: I Hate Dell)

People don't relate to corporations
For years, many brands have been faceless corporations. Companies like McDonalds use characters like Ronald McDonald to give their brand a face so that people can relate to it. Social media functions in the same way by giving your brand a voice so that they can talk directly to their consumers. (see: JetBlue)

People DON'T want your product

"If I tell my Facebook friends about your brand, it’s not because I like your brand, but rather because I like my friends." - Mike Arauz

They want the benefits that your product will give them. Social media allows you to sell them on a product, not just sell them the product. Interacting with the client when they're still contemplating a purchase or following up post-purchase shows them that there is more to your product than just the physical object. (see: Zappos)

People want to be part of the solution
Social media can be used much like a secret shopper: letting average people inform a company on how well they are doing. Customers want better service or products, and companies want happier customers. Twitterers and Facebookers would be glad to help out a company if it meant a better experience in the future. Plus, they'll do it without even knowing it, and they do it for free. (see: Customer Service)

People are in charge
You may have spent years building your company from scratch, putting in long hours, ignoring life at home, finally becoming a success, but guess what-It isn't your company any more. The people control their purchasing power, they control the media they consume, and they can control how others feel about you. Working with them helps you work with them, not for them or against them.

How to do social media

View more presentations from McCann Sydney (McCann Erickson, MRM Worldwide).

Where did the time go? Oh, right, behind us.

2009-12-22T22:36:00.006-05:00

As the year draws to a close, so do many other things. It is the end of the decade, the end of the semester, and the end of of Chuck Norris jokes, hopefully. (Did you know that underneath his beard is a washed-up has-been?) It is time to reflect back on social media in the last few months.

I've covered a wide variety of topics on this blog. I've offered my exertise on a variety of subjects. If Frisbees wanted to enter the digital age, they "could set up a microblogging site called Frisbeer, where people could quickly share info on Frisb-ups. People could use the hashtag #frisbee to find people looking to play or discuss Frisbees." I've offered my fellow comedians some advise on how to promote themselves via this crazy media we call social. They need to remember that "it is...important to see that these comedians are real people.". It's not all fun and games around here, though. I've done some serious reviews of things like crowdsourcing and some major blogs. I've even had to expose the mistakes of some of my favorite companies, like Sony. For one of there viral marketing campaigns, "not only was the site and its contents fake, but so were many of the comments on the site as well as the Diggs promoting it." My Playstation doesn't seem to hold it against me, though, so I can sleep well at night. And Sony, if you're listening, I would love to help you use social media in a more effective way.

I know what you're thinking:

"Wow, this guy knows so much about social media, AND he's devilishly handsome."-Your mind

You're only half right. I've still got a lot to learn about social media, as does everyone. It is still growing, finding its audience. Sure, social media matters, but why? In a recent tweet, I attempted to answer this. It seems like so much of the discussion on social media is being done by social media practitioners. I'd love to hear people's thoughts on how it has affected them and where they think it will go. If you would like to talk, I can be reached numerous ways. You can find me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or even by simply commenting here.

Ed Boches vs. Chris Brogan vs. Predator

2009-12-13T23:36:00.003-05:00

For my Emerson Social Media class, we were asked to compare and contrast Social Media/Blog superstars Chris Brogan and Ed Boches. They will probably get dozens of pings this week, so if either of you are reading this, that's why we are all writing about you. I've decided to spice up the comparison, though, by throwing the ultimate competitor into the ring...

Here is the Predator in his LinkedIn profile picture

Round 1
Target Audience
Boches and Brogan write to similar audiences. They both appeal to everyone from individuals trying to learn about marketing and huge companies that want to improve themselves in inexpensive ways. The two differ mostly in content. While Boches writes about trends, events, news and his opinions on social media, Brogan often does the same thing, but gives detailed instructions on how to one's improve social media presence. Boches is equally informative, but the lessons are learned from reading the stories of his posts, not through straight-up lessons, though he does do this from time-to-time. That isn't to say that Brogan is dumbing his blog down. His pieces are incredibly well written and feature information that many would pay large sums of money for. Basically, both blogs are informative, speak to people in marketing and/or social media, and are full of great information. People should try out both blogs, and whoever's opinion they most agree with should be their blog of choice. Of course, they could always read two blogs and get a balanced view. They have the technology to do that now.
The Predator could learn a lot from these two. His online presence is seriously hurt. He does not own his name as a Web site, he hardly blogs, and when he does, it is not in English, except when he includes audio clips of his victims. When it comes to Target Audience, it is like he doesn't even care. There seems to be more emphasis on actual targets.

This round goes to Brogan and Boches.

Round 2
Interesting Points

Boches had a recent post that wisely talked about social media as a tool, not a medium. I know this isn't an original idea, but the way he described it seemed to be a perfect way o explain it. Too often, I feel like companies simply use social media because they are supposed to. Social media has uses, and the post explains exactly what companies may be looking for, and why it would benefit them to use social media.
Brogan also wants companies to be smarter with their social media. He wrote that social media should not be one person's job, but rather a product of an entire staff or company. When everyone is on the same page, the results are much stronger.
The Predator also has some interesting points. Mostly, I agree with his views on respecting others. If you help him, he will help you, and he shows this by burning a symbol into you with acid.

Best Friends Forever

Round 3
Controversial Views
Boches wrote a recent piece that describes print ads as old. I understand what he is trying to say, but I feel like many times, social media mavens tend to see new media as the only worth-while media. Fewer people read magazines, but print media is not dead. The example he uses is a competition to make Detroit look hip by making a good print ad, but Boches sees this as counter-intuitive. I feel that depending on the creativity of the ad, it can be just as powerful as any other ad.
One of Brogan's articles that I take issue with is about how much time should be spent on social media and how it should be divided. He clearly states that it his his view on it, and it is for business, but that won't stop me from nit-picking! He clearly defends his opinion, but I feel that, seeing as social media is about interactions, it should vary depending on the conversations. Besides, if you want to interact, ask your followers what they want more or less of. One of the issues that social media is supposed to address is the authoritative tone of traditional media. There should not be a defined schedule for interacting, it should be natural.
My issue with the Predator is his distorted views on pride. We've all seen is trophy collection, he has far more skulls than I will ever have. So why, even though we all acknowledge that he is a great hunter, he feels the need to nuke himself and the surroundings if he is defeated. I think that is a little extreme, but who am I to question our cultural differences.

In conclusion, both Ed Boches and Chris Brogan are excellent bloggers with terrific insights to the world of online media, but are lousy hunters that would never hold their own in a battle with a Xenomorph. They seem like nice people, and I hope that they never have to fight off these alien beasts alone. Perhaps if they crowdsource, they will be able to take one down. I'd love to see them blog about that experience

Re:Funny or Die

2009-12-04T14:40:00.004-05:00

Videos on the internet are everywhere. Youtube is a great site to host them so that the videos can be seen and shared. However, it works best as a tool and not a channel. Funny or Die, on the other hand, is great as a hub for comedic videos on the internet.
Youtube has millions of great clips like the Mega Man rap below, but is cluttered with emo kids making videos of themselves being emo.

FOD has a dedicated focus, comedy, that allows all the videos to stay on message, which makes the comments much more relevant and engaging. It also has exclusive videos, often featuring celebrities. Almost everything on FOD has the potential to go viral, whereas Youtube has a very small percentage of unique content that's even worth watching.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns

Considering how useful Youtube is for creating popular videos, it is strange how little emphasis they put on sharing their videos. Under the video info, there are links to embed the clip and the URL. The links to directly share the videos are placed in a grey box below the video. Expanding the box brings up more bland links in a larger grey box. It is boring and allows the sharing feature to be easily overlooked.

FOD makes their buttons much more visible and exciting. First off, all the sharing tools are together, including the embedding, e-mailing, and social media tools. Plus, everything pops against the black background.

FOD is much newer, and it shows. Youtube should seriously invest in a make-over. Considering they are owned by Google, it is very odd that they would not fit with the rest of the family.

Using Social Media to Increase Sales

2009-11-30T22:50:00.004-05:00

Target has found a great way to turn their social media presence into a clear system to bring in revenue. Using Twitter, Target has set up a page for daily deals. It allows followers to find out about exclusive deals and links directly to them.

These quick, micro sales are perfect for social media. They require zero advertising and can be constantly updated.

Emerson College's Social Media Degree Audit

2009-11-20T14:21:00.007-05:00

Before I start, I would just like to say that I love Emerson College. I am having the time of my life, and I look forward to practicing the secret Emerson handshake at business meetings and networking events. Already, I have had so many opportunities to do great things, like start performing stand-up. However, I, along with every other Emerson student I know, think our school's online presence "sucks."

Emerson has a terrific marketing program, but it is in danger of becoming outdated. Whether you think social media is a fad or not, it is successful, and if Emerson wants to get students jobs now, it needs to embrace social media. Sending students out into the job market unprepared will make Emerson look bad and eventually hurt enrollment.

It is easy to simply complain though, so I will try to help Emerson out.

No Centralized Presence

Emerson has a Twitter account with over 500 followers! However, it doesn't have a single tweet.

There is also an account for Alumni, another for Journalism, and yet another for Marketing Communication. I have no problem with multiple Twitter accounts, but they all seem so independent from each other. The existing Emerson College account should be a hub to direct current and potential students to these pages. The pages themselves are impressive, but no one really knows to check if @EmersonMarComm has an account. These are helpful tools, but only if they are put in people's hands.

Facebook?

While working on this post, I discovered that Emerson College has a Facebook page, and in fact it has quite a bit of content. That is pretty nice, but I have been here almost 2 and a half years, and I did not know about it. I have never been invited to the page, I have never heard students talk about the page, and I haven't found links to the page. Like the Twitter accounts, there are also pages for departments and specific projects, but they too will fly under the radar unless they are publicized.

Integration Frustration

On the Twitter pages, the websites lead back to Emerson's Web site.

The same is true for Facebook. Normally, this is a pretty good method. Companies should lead you back to them in some way. Social media can be very different though. It's all about communication and discussion now. Emerson should follow Boston University's example and have their Twitter lead to their Facebook. This allows the conversation to continue and seems more genuine. Emerson is not a corporation, it is a home to thousands of young adults. Not only should it let them play, but it should encourage them to do it.

Emerson has so many students who care about the school and would love to help out. Unofficially, Emerson has a great Social Media Presence. RAs start Facebook groups for their floors. Clubs and Organizations have their own pages and Twitters. Emerson Should tap into these students to help make the official presence higher. Emerson should have a Web site for students to upload and show off their films. Instead,this is how Emerson is represented on the Web:

14th Performance

2009-11-19T22:39:00.003-05:00

I did my first show outside of Emerson tonight, and I think it went pretty well.

Thanks to Sam Crimmins and Tommy's Comedy Lounge for putting this on. I had a lot of fun.

Re: Performing

2009-11-16T01:56:00.002-05:00

I will be doing my first off-campus show this Thursday at Tommy's Comedy Lounge in Boston, MA. Come one by at 8:30. There's an $8 cover, and it will be 18+, so don't bring toddlers or anything, unless they have a fake.

13th Performance

2009-11-16T01:49:00.002-05:00

This is my performance on Nov. 15, 2009. I think it went really well. Everyone that night was great.

12th Performance

2009-11-16T01:47:00.001-05:00

This is my performance at the Eddie Brill Workshop on Nov. 8, 2009. It was a lot of fun, but not my best performance by a long shot.

Re: Crowdsourcing

2009-11-06T13:28:00.005-05:00

For those who don't know, crowdsourcing is a collaborative effort, like Wikipedia, that allows people from all over to create something piece by piece to create something whole. It is sort of like a giant jigsaw puzzle, with each person controlling just one piece. Today it is somewhat of a buzz word in marketing, as companies are relying on Web 2.0 sites to help market their products for them, and in many cases it's working.

I recently found the website Cameesa, whose motto is "Crowdfunding Fashion." Cameesa makes users created t-shirts, much like Threadless, but instead of voting, Cameesa asks you to fund the shirts. It takes $500 to get a t-shirt made, so if you want a certain shirt, you put down anywhere from $10 to the full price in the hopes that it gets made. If not, you can use that money towards another shirt. This system makes sure that there is a market for each shirt before investing any money into its production. By eliminating overhead costs, it allows for the company to guarantee they turn a profit. Threadless measures votes, which may or may not turn into sales, but Cameesa basically takes pre-orders, so they know they will get their money.

This method could wisely be applied to comedians just starting out. Having a CD or a DVD is a great way to promote yourself and make some money, but it requires investing money without the guarantee of returns. By letting fans on your website, Twitter, Facebook, or any other site you want to use invest in your products and help pick out what bits and acts they want you to include, you can make the ideal product, as well as find out what your audience is interested in hearing about. This can help turn you from a starving comedian into a thriving comedian. Plus, if you are one of the first to do so, it will be newsworthy, and there is a good chance people will talk about your innovative methods, further raising your profile.

11th Stand Up Performance

2009-10-30T17:04:00.002-04:00

Here I am at the Multipurpose room on Oct. 29th. Thank you Girlie Project for putting the event on.

When Comedians Should Twitter

2009-10-30T16:20:00.004-04:00

Dear Famous Comedians,

The Internet is a great place to interact with fans, share your work, and to promote your performances. Twitter and Facebook are both powerful tools for promotion, but it is important to know when to use each. For this lesson, I will simply discuss status updates. They're short, sweet, and to the point.

As Dana Boyd points out on her blog, a major difference between Twitter and Facebook is audience. Facebook is a two-way street primarily, relying on a relationship between users. Twitter, on the other hand, allows you to speak out to all of your followers, but does not require you to listen back. For this reason, Twitter is probably the best choice for promotion. If you have a gig coming up, tell people. Some comedians are great at this. Mike Birbiglia and Bo Burnham both tweet about each of their shows, while comedians like Dave Attel post once every few months, and therefore has less of a Twitter presence. If comedians have fan pages, they should promote their events there too.

new york show sold out except for single seats. but they're very good single seats. could be a great singles event? - Mike Birbiglia

When it comes to random thoughts, either platform will do, though again, it is important to remember audience. I follow a lot of comedians on Twitter, just for their funny tweets. Michael Ian Black recently tweeted

"Worst decision I ever made: Getting that cosmetic C section scar."

Comedians don't often have the same sort of coverage that musicians do, so you won't see music videos or hear their songs a lot. Instead, tweets can be a great way of keeping large amounts of fans entertained between events, which are pretty infrequent. If I didn't follow Michael Ian Black, I probably would not have any new material from him until the next season of his show, but instead, I get stuff a few times a day. Facebook can also be good for these to keep closer friends entertained, or for fan pages.

It is also important to see that these comedians are real people. It is always fun to see comedians I follow tweet back and forth with other comedians or with fans. Suddenly these comedians are not these unreal celebrities, but actual people, sitting at a computer or on their phone, living real lives. Interacting with friends and fans is always helpful for making people care about you, and in general, they make people seem really nice. This is where both Facebook and Twitter have strong purposes. Either one allows for personal conversations, but on twitter, it seems to allow for more public conversations, which shows off how friendly a comedian can be.

RT @RealJeffreyRoss: Break a firm tan leg. RT @thomaslennon: Have landed at Largo for @sarahksilverman and friends! - Thomas Lennon

My 10th Performance!

2009-10-27T02:52:00.003-04:00

Here's me on October 24, 2009 at the Cabaret. It went much better in retrospect. I was so nervous and thought I bombed, but it went alright. Thanks to everyone who showed up.

The Frisb-e

2009-10-23T15:02:00.005-04:00

Imagine that the Frisbee was just being released. There would be a few early adopters, but it might take a little while for it to really catch on. The Frisbee barely works without two or more people using it, so it may be a hard sell. In today's world, it would be useful to build a network of Frisbee users around the world to help improve the experience and grow the brand.

At first, it might just start out with some Craigslist-type site. People with frisbees could post wanted ads like F4F, or even F4NF if they want someone without a Frisbee. This would help set up single Frisbee users with people curious about trying Frisbees.

It could develop into a social network of people sharing their experiences and interest in Frisbees with people all over the world on MyFrisb or Frisbook. People could post pictures of themselves and friends using Frisbees, comment on other Frisbee user's experiences, and just network to meet other Frisbee enthusiasts.

Eventually, Frisbee could set up a microblogging site called Frisbeer, where people could quickly share info on Frisb-ups. People could use the hashtag #frisbee to find people looking to play or discuss Frisbees.

RT@UltimateFrizB Anyone in Boston wanna toss a Frisbee at 3? meet by Park st #frisbee #paranormalactivity

All of these methods would allow people who want to get the most out of their Frisbees to meet other people as enthusiastic as them. Also, it would allow people who do not have Frisbees to learn about them and consider buying their own. Besides, this doesn't even take into account the artists who would share their work customizing their Frisbees. Frisbees could have an internet of thei own, but for now, they would be smart using the tools already available to them.

Re: The Viral Garden

2009-10-16T13:45:00.005-04:00

The Viral Garden is a great source of social media inspiration. Written by Mack Collier, it is filled with a wealth of content designed to inform and enhance marketers. Besides having a great domain name, MoBlogsMoProblems.blogspot.com/, it is also a very handy tool to have on hand.

Posts range from news to tips to opinion pieces, but each is just as informative as the last. Social media is still new, so having someone like Collier to break it down for marketers is very helpful. For example, last month, Collier posted a piece explaining the importance of understanding why your company should even be on Twitter or Facebook before blindly joining in.

They assumed they had to be on these sites, and once they were there, had to scramble to figure out how being there was going to help their business.

Another great post of Collier's is about making interesting Powerpoint presentations. It is very informative, but part of what makes it so great is the level of humility that Collier brings to it by admitting how much he has grown as a presenter. He does not post as an authoritative figure, handing down decrees about Powerpoint, but instead as someone who has also had to learn the hard way and with a clear understanding of the benefits these changes can bring.

3 - Use quotes and key facts or stats to back up your points, and then use pictures with them. In the What Rockstars Can Teach You About Kicking Ass With Social Media presentation I gave at Social South recently, I wanted to add a quote from Sarah McLachlan. I could have gone with a cookie-cutter slide like this:

But instead I went with this:

See the difference? And here's another tip; notice that's a LONG quote. So I bolded the key words that I wanted to focus on, and didn't read the whole quote to the audience, just pointed out the two bolded phrases.

A recent favorite of mine was a post on blogs and their call to action. In marketing, the call to action is one of the most important features of any campaign, but beyond that, the call to action seems to just disappear. Sparked by a comment by @wilsonellis, this post explains how to add a call to action to any blog post. Often it is as simple as asking for comments, but other times you can ask people to subscribe, purchase, or even consider you for a job. It is a recent article (Tuesday Oct. 13), but looking back at Collier's older posts, he has been hyping his own consultations quite regularly, hopefully to great effect.

Collier is a very knowledgeable blogger, and seems like a genuinely nice guy as well. He has an eclectic knowledge of presentation and blogging expertise, so if you are a company in need of some help, reach out to Mack Collier. Just check his posts; he's given you plenty of incentive to work with him. Overall, The Viral Garden is a fun and informative blog filled with anecdotes, interviews, and tips that can really help companies and marketers. What do you think?

The truth comes out

2009-10-10T23:11:00.000-04:00

Having tried to shield my eyes from her for years, I have finally seen Tila Tequila, and realize that I have known her for year.

Tila Tequila is, in reality, none other than Yoshi from Super Mario Bros The Movie!

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

A Hot Company Blog

2009-10-09T13:10:00.002-04:00

Though it doesn't come up very often on this site, I am a huge nerd. Sure, I like comic books and getting swirlies in the High School restroom, but who doesn't? Where I really stand out is that I still like toys. I'm not talking about G.I. Joes or anything, though. I like high quality collectible figures, particularly those made by Hot Toys. They make some of the greatest looking figures I have ever seen, but they come at a hefty price. With products constantly coming in at over $100, it is important to keep your dedicated fans involved in the behind-the-scenes work, so they know they are getting the best.
Hot Toy's blog does not update very often, maybe once every two weeks, but when it does, it is often something fans will really care about. Recently they showed off the final headsculpt for their new Dark Knight Joker figure.
For people paying nearly $200, this is something very important.
They also show off important new features.
Hot Toys does more than just promote their products, though. Recently, their John Conner figures shipped with headsculpts that were nowhere near as good as early photos indicated. They announced that not only would they replace any sub-par head, but that from then on, they would make all headsculpts out of a different material, that would allow for more accurate portraits.
When working with high-end figures, it is important to keep fans happy, and Hot Toys knows how to do just that.

When Good Marketing Goes Bad, or rather When Bad Marketing Gets Found Out

2009-10-02T13:37:00.002-04:00

The year was 2006. Google had just bought Youtube for a ridiculous amount of money, Borat quotes were still relevant, and a little company named Sony was preparing for the holiday season. Luckily some of their fans were helping out. A website called www.alliwantforxmasisapsp.com, which is no longer up, was launched by a group of fans to help convince parents to buy their children Sony PSPs. Video game news sites picked up on the story and helped spread the word.
The site was filled with lots of fun little things, including a video of someone rapping about the PSP.
There were also some fan-made print advertisements that were available for download. They looked terrific. Too terrific. Readers began to get suspicious of the site and its high production values. The site also referred to the PSP product in oddly specific and technical ways, rather than how an obsessed fan would simply talk.
It quickly came to light that the sight was not made by fans, but instead by a buzz marketing firm Zipatoni on behalf of Sony. Not only was the site and its contents fake, but so were many of the comments on the site as well as the Diggs promoting it.
Sony became a laughing stock on the internet and grew much criticism for their deceitful act. Even so, Sony is still a major company with very high sales, even with this slightly tarnished image.

My 9th Stand-Up Performance

2009-09-27T22:14:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone who showed up. Here's the video for those who couldn't.

How Facebook Can Promote Comedians

2009-09-25T00:54:00.003-04:00

Becoming a professional comedian is hard, and like most things that are enjoyable, it can take a while to get right. Aside from being funny, promoting yourself is probably the most important thing to do to stop being an up-and-coming comedian and become a star. I don’t claim to be an expert, as you can tell by my lack of an entourage, but I have some tips that might help others looking to get big.

Promote
If you are serious about becoming a comedian, you’re probably going to have a few gigs planned every now and then. Reach out to your friends on Facebook and ask them to come out and see you. They can help build word of mouth, and hopefully they already like you, so you barely have to win them over.

ex. I’m gonna be doing some new material this Friday the 25th at 80 Boylston St. around 8pm. Please come on by.

Take Comedy Seriously
People tend to remember bad things far better than good things, so when you try to be funny, make sure you are funny. You’re typing things out, so hopefully you have time to stop and plan your jokes.

Groups
If you have, or want to have, a dedicated group of people who like going to your shows and following your career, start a Group that will allow you to message your followers and keep them updated.

Fan Page
Until you actually have followers, it might seem pretentious to start a Fan Page. If you happen to have enough of a following, or ego, these can be used like more professional Groups.

Profile Picture
Make your profile picture reflect your interest in comedy. Make it something intriguing even when small that will make people want to further investigate it. If you can have a picture of you performing, it can help attract random Facebook friends that don’t even know you perform.

Link
Hopefully by now you have a Twitter account. They’re great for posting small, simple jokes, or even just humorous observations. Let people on Facebook know about it. Post links to your Twitter, blog, youtube channel, etc whenever you can. Give people as many opportunities to find you funny as possible.

ex. www.twitter.com/d_rubes

Show Your Stuff
If you have any videos of performances, post them. This is probably the easiest way to disseminate your stand-up, skits, etc.

Be Genuine
Remember, you’re a comedian. Be funny and be likable. It’s great to promote yourself, but remember to be a respectable Facebook user as well. Don’t spam your friends, simply keep them informed.

Update
It is very important to stay relevant. Any time you have something to new, be it a gig, video, joke, whatever, tell people. Your fans will care, and if they don’t they probably weren’t very big fans. Remember to keep at it, and don’t give up.

Upcoming performance

2009-09-24T03:32:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. Just wanted to inform you that I will be performing this Friday, the 25th at 80 Boylston Street in The Cabaret. Bring all your friends, please. I plan on doing mostly new material. I'll try to post the video after.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

The Business of Being Social

2009-09-21T14:24:00.004-04:00

This post is a response to http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/myspace_now_syncs_status_updates_with_twitter.php

If you have been near an electronic devise in the last few years, you have probably seen how social media is becoming a major part of life. You can tweet from your TV, phones have access to youtube, and my toaster has more friends that I do on Facebook.

Now MySpace, the former king of social networks, is syncing Twitter updates to be displayed on TheirSpace. What could once be seen as a competing service are now accepting the fact that they are complimentary services, and together they can better serve a user. If you look to the right of my blog, you will see that I have my tweets streaming. Twitter is the current wave of the future, and MySpace was smart to latch on.

I believe that in the future, all of our favorite communities will be connected with a nice interface allowing users to update everything at once. At this point, however, people will not spend all their time on social networking sites. People will no longer be addicted to Facebook or MySpace or whatever the next generation is. People will be tired of constantly interrupting their lives to explain what is going on in their lives. Celebrities will give up on Twitter, at least personally, and a large part of users will migrate away. Instead, social media will likely be an open-source search engine. Need some info on a friend? Look it up. Same with info. Someone will have written about it sometime.

RE: Marketing Posts

2009-09-21T14:21:00.002-04:00

To my loyal reader (Hi Dad),
Over the next semester, I will be posting from time to time about social media for a class of mine. I will try to make these posts funny to fit in with my current style, but they might not. In that case, suck on it internet.
(Bye Dad)

Re: Entertainment

2009-08-18T11:43:00.002-04:00

It may be too early to call it, but I believe "No One's First, and You're Next" is the best Modest Mouse EP of the month.
Speaking of music, it seems like Michael Jackson hasn't done anything in a while. He's due for a comeback.

Re: Comic Books

2009-08-12T22:17:00.005-04:00

As people I'm not trying to score with know, I like comic books. Lately I have really been getting into Green Lantern and its Blackest Night story-line. for those that don't know, Blackest Night is an overarching event about apocalyptic war and zombie superheroes that is being felt all over the DC Universe. Obviously, events like this are very dark and serious. As is Dark Reign. And Final Crisis. And Secret Invasion. And Civil War. Basically, every event in superherodom is dark. I like them and all, but it gets a bit repetitive. Everyone comes together for a cause, then goes their separate ways after about 7 issues.
I'm anxiously waiting for someone to announce a major crossover event in which a team of superheroes goes to Six Flags or something. Or how about JLU:Free Comic Book Day. The entire Justice League heads to the local comic shop one nice May afternoon to pick through the racks and get some free new comics. he Flash could read a comic so fast it would still be considered mint condition. Green Lantern can create a good issue of Marvel Noir for the first time ever. Martian Manhunter, may he rest in piece, can morph into a nerd who only has a little bit of acne, therefore becoming the envy of the comic store. Just a thought.

While I'm on the subject of comics, allow me to complain about Marvel Zombies. The first series was awesome and funny, plus it had terrific covers. Who wouldn't want to see their favorite superheroes shambling along in search of food? Then came the sequel, which was also good, but provided an end for the undying characters. After that, the writers at Marvel decided to go in another(stupid) direction. Instead of cool covers, funny dialogue, and classic characters, they used generic covers, crappy dialogue, and D-list characters fighting generic . Aaron Stack is only cool in the Earth X trilogy. Then, to follow that up, In Marvel Zombies 4, they used crappier characters with writing to match. I was just about to give up on the series, but then they announced that 5 is going back to basics with the good character. It shouldn't take a genius, and 2 miniseries, to realize that people don't want Kathy Griffin-level zombie fighters trying to cure a virus strain. We want cool, super powered zombies looking for food! Anywhooo, rant over.

Also, Marvel Noir sucks. I swore them off right before they come out with Noir: Punisher! Oh well, I just take solace in the fact that it will probably suck.

Re: Lack of Updates

2009-08-12T22:03:00.002-04:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately, i.e. the last month. Basically, I couldn't think of anything that needed to be said that was longer than 140 characters. Also, I have been far too busy updating The List. I would promise to blog more often, but I can't guarantee that I will.
I have a few ideas of things to do in the future of this site, but nothing is ready yet. I'm seriously tired of wanting to have a comic strip, but not actually having. I have considered my many options to relieve this situation and have arrived at two final options, either make a comic, or get a lobotomy and forget that I ever wanted a comic as well as soiling myself regularly.
Also, when I get back to Boston, I plan on doing stand-up again. I have been working out some new material lately, and my mind isn't a satisfying enough audience, so I will have to share it publicly. I'll try to keep everyone, meaning the few people who have heard of this site, informed about my upcoming gigs. And as usual, I'll try to post a video afterwards, or beforehand if I can figure out the time-flux equation that has been challenging me for the last few weeks. Emerson students are notoriously bad at math, but I refuse to outsource the work, lest they name the time-flux solution after someone else. But I digress.
Anywhooo, hopefully this update will shut up the relentless fans. You know who you are. And I know who you are. And I WILL find you.

Potential Gig

2009-07-06T01:18:00.002-04:00

This Wednesday, I might be appearing at the Speed of Thought Players Cafe. Open Mic starts @ 8:30. I dunno if there's a charge. If you're in the area, possibly come by. Thanks.

Speed of Thought Players Cafe
39 North Washington Street
North Attleborough, MA‎
(508) 809-4699‎

Back in America

2009-07-06T01:07:00.003-04:00

While I was away, I realize that some celebrities have passed away. Due to my List being set for standard deaths, and not metric deaths, which is what England uses, I was not able to correctly read who was going to die. Do not see this as a fault of either mine or the List's. Instead, I implore my readers to please, above all else, blame the Jews.

In memory of:

Michael Jackson, noted black child star
another, clearly different Michael Jackson, noted white child-molesting star/songwriter
Farrah Fawcett, former Charlie's Angel, current Angel (or hellspawn, she may have been a horrible person for all I know)
Billy Mays, who is to be buried with his family, but if they act now, we'll throw in an extra body for free. Just pay shipping and handling.
Karl Malden, apparently a famous person

Re: Ed McMahon

2009-06-23T13:10:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that Saturday Night Live has called off their search for someone to replace Phil Hartman for their timely Carson/McMahon skits.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

The List scores again

2009-06-23T12:29:00.000-04:00

I don't want to freak anyone out, but just the other day, I predicted two of these three entertainment stories. I would get on my good side now, before I become too powerful.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Evidence of my power

2009-06-23T01:53:00.000-04:00

Normally, I try to stay humble, but I would just like to say that I accurately predicted the separation of both Jon and Kate. While the world was busy focusing on the hootenanny in Iran, I was following the story that matters most. You're welcome.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Regarding the Popecorn-Summer movie roundup

2009-06-22T02:25:00.004-04:00

Of the films I have seen his summer, there have been many good ones, and few not as good ones. So here are the Popees for Summer 2009

Most awesome- Terminator: Salvation
runner up - My memories of Terminator: Salvation
Most Fan services - Star Trek
runner up - Wolverine
Best destruction of history - Year One
runner up - Star Trek
Most Over-rated - The Hangover
Most Under-rated - Taking of Pelham 123
Most Likely to suck - GI:JOE
Best Product tie-in - He's Just Not That Into Blue Rassberry Slurpie

Re: Jon and Kate Plus Separ8

2009-06-21T03:33:00.003-04:00

I'm adding their marriage to The List.

RTP is going international!

2009-06-21T02:32:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, I am leaving for London, Earth. While there, I am scheduled to see a stand-up performance or two. And, if all goes as planned, I may even have the opportunity to perform. I'll try to remember to post afterwards about my experience. As a liberal college student traveling abroad, I am sure to discover new things about life outside of our capitalist society, so hopefully I can enlighten my followers about the arrogance of the United States.

Updated list

2009-06-21T02:22:00.003-04:00

As many of you know, I am the keeper of The List. On the sacred scroll, I keep track of all those who will die in the upcoming year.
In my absence, I forgot to predict that David Carradine was on the list. I think we were all expecting that one. Also on the list:
Mousavi
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Chastity Bono's vagina
Ed McMahon
George Steinbrenner

Again, I implore my followers to write in and tell me who they sense is on the list.

Did you know I have a blog?

2009-06-21T02:07:00.004-04:00

Apparently I didn't. My last post was about the X-men after I saw Wolverine. Wow. In the long time since I last posted, many things have happened. Due to my lack of updates, the Iranian people were thrown into a frenzy. Mousavi, who has on numerous accounts, claimed to be my biggest fan, has asked his followers to riot until I started blogging again. Well, tonight, with the Ayatollah's blessing, I have decided to end the turmoil and return to my blog.
Also, other events occurred. Not blog-worthy.

Re: X-Men

2009-05-03T19:38:00.004-04:00

I celebrated Free Comic Book Day by seeing Wolverine. I liked it. It was fun. And better than X3. But anywhoooo, it got me thinking about the ridiculousness of the X-Men and their names, so I decided to make a quick and crappy group picture of the Actual X-Men.

Pictured, from left to right: Storm, Beast, Phoenix, Nightcrawler, Bishop, Wolverine, Iceman, Angel, Cyclops, Colossus, and Cable. I forget if there was an invisible one, so if so, they're in there too. Not quite the crime-fighters we thought, eh?

I demand it!

2009-04-28T03:43:00.001-04:00

From this day forth, I am to be referred to solely as Evvy-Nominated Comedy Writer Daniel Rubinton. Great job, fellow hyenites. God shall tell tales of your dickery for all the ages.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Re: Ads

2009-04-22T01:00:00.002-04:00

So I have these ads that appear on my site, and they appear based on the words that appear on the page. I wrote one post about snoring, and I have had so many anti-snoring ads ever since. Today though, I got one for The Beast, which appeared because I mentioned Patrick Swayze in the list of people who will die soon. I also got some for a Christian Comedy site, probably because of the comedy and pope stuff. Anyways, I just thought it was funny. There was an ad for FunnyOrDie.com, which so far is the only relevant ad I've found. Regardless, I have made almost $12 so far, so please, keep on clickin'.

Mega Man is My Homeboy

2009-04-22T00:58:00.000-04:00

The List

2009-04-10T01:55:00.004-04:00

My dad and I have an unofficial list in our heads of famous people who are likely to die in the coming year. I think it's about time to make the list official. And I'm not just posting this to take attention away from the boring resolution I made to myself last post. Anywhoozalbees:

Mel Brooks

Gene Wilder

Patrick Swayze

Ted Kennedy

And the surprise pick of the season... Tim Allen

If you have anyone to add to the list, post a comment.

Re: My Life

2009-04-10T01:41:00.003-04:00

I have to admit, I really enjoy having this blog, and I know I don't update it enough. I would like to make a resolution to post regularly, but I know I won't.

Instead, I am making a public note o myself to shape up and be more responsible. In the coming year or so, I plan to make many changes in my life.

- I would like to make this blog more than a pet project and get a few followers who have never met me, yet will still follow me regularly.

- I would like to turn my t-shirt business into a profitable, popular site for clever t-shirts.

- I would like to perform somewhere other than Emerson College on a regular basis.

- I would like to read an average of at least .78 books per year.

- I would like to have a job.

- I would like to have a job that will allow me to move up in rank.

- I would like to be a tour guide at Emerson College.

- I would like to make a series of short films, some funny, some not.

I know this isn't the funniest post of mine, but I think we can all agree that this is the second funniest post I've had.

Re: Twitter

2009-04-10T01:32:00.002-04:00

I have to admit, I am kinda warming up to the whole Twitter thing. Now that I actually have a bunch of friends on it, there are funny things to be seen and written. If you feel like adding me and seeing what I'm up to when conveniently around a twitter-enabled device, follow me at http://twitter.com/d_rubes

Besides, I am using it as research for my upcoming book, The Collected Tweets of William Shakespeare.

8th Stand Up Performance- Working now!

2009-04-06T00:18:00.012-04:00

I hope you enjoy this. I was convinced I was going to bomb, but I think it went pretty well.

Mostly, if not all, new material. And I mean NEW. Literally written a couple hours before

or ad-libbed. Also the first time I can think of where I acted out something.

Re: how to look like an idiot

2009-04-03T19:15:00.001-04:00

Practice a dance routine alone in the subway to the music on your headphones.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

The Academy Award for best picture goes to...

2009-04-03T00:41:00.000-04:00

Re: Regarding the Pope

2009-04-01T16:54:00.001-04:00

It has recently come to my attention that someone has started regardingthepope.wordpress.com

Not only that, but they started out by mocking the fine reporting I do here. Needless to say, this means war. In fact, Pope, I am declaring a Holy War! Yes, the Crusades are back.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Re: Lack of Activity

2009-03-31T14:49:00.003-04:00

Sorry about how little the blog has been updated recently. Personally, I blame today's media, with those short skirts and those Burger Kings. Its a slippery slope, I say. Oh, and the Jews.

Re: Ambrose P. Snore

2009-03-24T02:24:00.003-04:00

To the man who invented snoring,

Screw you.

P.S. Seriously dude

Steampunk Terminator

2009-03-19T00:56:00.002-04:00

Here's my in-progress picture of the steampunk Terminator

7th Stand Up performance

2009-03-17T01:41:00.003-04:00

Here I am at Emerson's Cabaret Theater for the 2009 Rooftop Comedy competition. It was my first time performing from memory, and I think I did pretty well.

Live from my bed

2009-03-16T02:02:00.000-04:00

I am 5 feet from my computer, but my phone's already in my hand, so I'm doing this mobile.
I'm watching the Roast of Larry the Cable Guy, and it has been pretty good so far. I know it's an encore, but I'm just watching it now, so no spoilers please. Gary Busey was surprisingly funny, but I'm still scared of him.
I noticed a big error in the cutting of the show, though. Jeff Ross was seen sans sleeves well before he took them off. I noticed this at a glance. How did the crew miss it? Oh well, not a huge deal...or is it? No, no it isn't.
P. S. ?*

* no

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Re: Updates

2009-03-09T03:55:00.002-04:00

I find myself checking my blog when I'm bored in hopes that it has been updated. Clearly, it won't update itself, so I'm often disappointed. I'm on vacation now, so I don't have much to talk about. Sorry.

Awesome

2009-03-05T16:43:00.000-05:00

I got my ticket for midnight!

Live from the Watchmen line

2009-03-03T03:53:00.001-05:00

Daniel's Journal
March 6, 2009
No way this can be better than Punisher: War Zone, I thought. I was wrong. Amazing film.

-- Pretentiously Posted From My iPhone

Re: Terminator:Salvation

2009-03-03T03:44:00.002-05:00

Here's the newest trailer for the new Terminator movie. Needless to say, it looks awesome. I hope you enjoy it too. If not, we need to have a serious conversation, cause this just won't work between us.

Re: Ads

2009-03-03T02:47:00.002-05:00

Hey, I started putting ads on the site in an attempt to make a little money. I'm not expecting much, but it couldn't hurt. I simply ask that you click on one from time to time, but don't click too much or else they won't count and I could lose my account. Thanks. I hope they aren't too obtrusive.

Stand Up 6th Performance

2009-03-03T02:30:00.003-05:00

So here's me at the multipurpose room at Emerson college doing a little vertical-posture-based humor. I tried out some new stuff and got a good response, but I need to memorize it by Wednesday night.

Speaking of which, come to the Cabaret at 8 on Wednesday night to see me perform for the Rooftop Comedy Nation College Comedy Competition. Please vote me on to the next round.

Boston doesn't quite get it

2009-03-03T02:13:00.002-05:00

Awhile ago, Boston police arrested artist Shepard Fairey for some outstanding graffiti charges or something. At the same time, the city of Boston allowed Fairey to hang a giant picture in Government Center. For those of you who don't know, that's our city hall. So, Boston hung a piece by arguably the most famous propaganda artist in the world on their government building. I love Fairey's work, but I don't think it was quite the right place to put it. If anything, it takes away from his message. I'm not usually one to complain about people selling out (because I'm busy complaining about other things), but this is borderline shark jumpage. Whatev, his stuff is still awesome and this doesn't ruin any of his older stuff.

The Lonely Island

2009-03-03T01:52:00.003-05:00

This past Friday, Newbury Comics hosted the hilarious comedy group The Lonely Island, who were in town to promote their new CD/DVD Incredibad. I was there for a great Q&A session. I actually tried live blogging from the line outside, which was huge and filled with idiots. Luckily a lot of the real fans had gotten wristbands earlier that allowed us to skip the line. Overall, it was handled pretty well and was generally awesome.

Watchmen + Futurama

2009-02-26T02:32:00.001-05:00

I didn't make this, but I like whoever did.

Re: Safari 4

2009-02-25T01:30:00.002-05:00

So apparently Apple released Safari 4 to little fanfare. And for good reason. Apple pretty much took all the features you loved about Safari that separated it from other browsers, such as the blue loading bar, and removed it. And as far as I can tell, you can't change it.

At least they did add some new feature, such as the ability to view the websites you already now about through an annoying, slow-loading Top Sites page. And they made a visible history list, which will surely make for some interesting, porn searching moments.

Maybe it will take some time to get used to, but this new update kinda irks me. I'm pretty satisfied with the way I've been surfing the internet for the last 13 years or so, and I don't think it needs much changing. If anything, make it more customizable, so we, the users, can decide what changes we want. Also, there should be a hamster instead of a cursor.

Term 1: Fight!

2009-02-24T00:36:00.004-05:00

In honor of Street Fighter 4's recent release, I watched the classic 1994 Street Fighter movie. I was shocked to see that Wes Studi, who played Sagat, looked amazingly like Barack Obama. These pictures don't even do it justice. In motion, he is a clone. Check it out and feel political.

D-Bag Du Jour

2009-02-23T01:11:00.007-05:00

I'm not saying that everyone that wears a fedora is a d-bag. That post is for another day. I'm merely saying that this guy is a dick. Not only did he have long hair, a fedora, and presumably self-esteem issues, but he had an UNO card in his hat.

I believe in freedom of expression, but not when it is stupid, i.e. now. Also, that means that there is an UNO deck out there somewhere missing a card. Way to ruin some kid's game night.

Re: My life

2009-02-23T00:36:00.003-05:00

I pretty much found an apartment! It is fairly sweet if I may say so myself. Unfortunately, move-in is Sept 1, so I have to wait half a year to get to live there.
I saw Norm Macdonald perform this weekend. It was inspiring. Even when he wasn't saying anything, the crowd loved him. His silences were hilarious. I wish I could have a conversational tone like him. The way his act just flowed was great. Funny guy.
I hit enter by accident, so this is an extra bullet point.
Money should be cheaper. That way I could afford to get some more often.

Stay tuned for more stuff.

Re: The Oscars

2009-02-23T00:12:00.004-05:00

Meh.

Hugh Jackman was surprisingly good for the few minutes he was on. The Wall-E and Pineapple Express bits were good too. The rest- not so much. I didn't see it, put apparently Slumdog was good, but enough is enough. Still, I would have preferred some surprises. Perhaps Chronicles of Riddick could have gotten a few Oscars. I know it isn't the most recent movie, but it was pretty sweet. Besides, it would have made the show exciting. No one would have seen it coming. Besides me. But even then, I'd be pretty shocked, as the Academy tends to snub action films that suck. They would have given it to Traffic again.

Also, how did The Fall not even get nominated for anything? Everyone I know who has seen it loved the visuals at least. It should have definitely gotten art direction and costume design.

Period pieces should not even be nominated, by the way. Unless that period is the future. Admittedly, I never saw The Duchess, so maybe it takes place in some neoclassical society where boring stories are considered popular. Last I checked (I haven't checked in a while, though), this is 1998, not some crazy future.

You've Read the Blog, Now Wear It!

2009-02-20T02:39:00.004-05:00

I've had a Re:Pope shop set up for a while, so I figure, why not hype it.

Which leads me to this

regardingthepope.spreadshirt.com

Plus more...

Let the purchasing commence!

Old Metal Gear Solid Comic

2009-02-20T01:40:00.003-05:00

A few years back, I had a little web comic about Metal Gear Solid, called MGS: Foxhunt. I had about 60 issues planned out, including an awesome story arc about Hydroelectric Panda. I didn't get very far into the actual comic, but here is is in its entirety.

I hope you enjoy/get the jokes, which you won't.

Stand Up (5th Performance)

2009-02-19T01:24:00.000-05:00

Thank you Girlie Project for hosting these stand up nights.

Stand-up (4th Performance)

2009-02-19T01:20:00.000-05:00

Not the best job I've ever done, but it was a good test of my ability to wing it.

It really inspired me to try harder.

Welcome to Regarding the Pope

2009-02-19T00:59:00.000-05:00

If you are reading this, I have probably told you to go to my website firsthand, or I am very popular in the future and you are looking to find out all there is to know about re:Pope. Or maybe a third option, but probably one of the first two. Stay tuned for comedy, humor, insight, links, text, thingamabobs, jigamawhoozits, Welshmen, anti-Semitic rants, and 3 other things!