Two years ago, on 7/31/07, we declared independence from everything old. We launched our new show business battleship on a mission to deliver the best original video series to your fingertips n’ eyeballs. We set sail for a new world free from the ridiculous, red-tape creating ways of radio, TV, & film.
In two years, we’ve built a new studio to produce the entertainment – a network to showcase the goods – and a syndication business to help it all fly far and fast.
We knew if we avoided idiotic start-up mistakes, we’d have a shot at building a creative and financial win. The past two years have been about building our brand, signing talent, co-creating hit series, finding a mass audience, and finally making real revenues from multiple streams.
Our advertisers keep fueling this fun because they know that we’re one of the new companies who can deliver three essential must-haves for new media messaging to make sense for brands:
1) highest-quality, star-driven entertainment
2) customized distribution to any digital platform
3) guaranteed traffic
As we start our next trip 'round the sun thanks go to our ARTISTS. The musicians, comedians, filmmakers, actors and revolutionaries who believed in us when we were schmucks with a PowerPoint now have a safe haven to produce and distribute video directly to fans. Most of our first famous friends are all still here. And thanks go to the newest members of the My Damn Channel line-up for signing on to put us to work on their behalf. We’re getting ready to announce a handful of mind-blowing deals with more stars from da movies and da teleevision.
Special thanks to every one of you who watch and share My Damn Channel videos. The minute we start screwing up, you stop watching, and it’s game over. Thanks for teaching us how to serve at your pleasure.
If you’ve worked inside our small, determined crew, please accept a personal thank you for putting in the brains, sweat and passion to prove this all works. Warren and I are forever mindful of what you’ve brought to this picnic.
Warren Chao is the Co-Founder & COO of My Damn Channel turning ideas into action. I’ve never seen anyone combine so many skills to make up the super-human-management sensation that Warren embodies. The man is awesomely inspiring and the essential ingredient inside this thing.
We share our My Damn Channel birthday with Mark Cuban, J.K. Rowling, and a visionary named Marc Averitt. Marc is our Board Director, and the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Okapi Venture Capital. We pay tribute to the man who first believed in our vision. And we mark our two-year milestone honoring every investor who helped put technology to work for our content creators, our audiences, distribution partners, and advertisers.
We’re about to make an announcement about new investment, new revenue deals, new series from our current stars and a few jaw-droppers if tonight’s midnight emails are to be believed.
Our next new pilot may be live within hours of this post…
Thanks for being here.
Rob Barnett
Rob@MyDamnChannel.com
Posted in
Pilot Season on 7/24/2009 1:16:11 PM by Rob Barnett
Pilot Season, featuring Emmy nominated Sarah Silverman, continues to roll as the series nears 4 million views around the web. That's 8 million eyes... which... is kinda creepy if you think about it that way.
The series is just hitting its stride and only gets better from here. New episodes continue to premiere every Monday. If you have issues with remembering things, just sign up for
video alerts and we'll send the videos to you.
Posted in
Animation on 7/23/2009 7:01:42 AM by Rob Barnett
The 6th annual Animation Block Party is this weekend, July 24-26 in Brooklyn.
Go to see the sequels to
Lotions Eleven and a brand new
Chef Barry. Plus nearly one hundred other animated shorts from all over the world.
Friday July 24th - At Rooftop Films
Starting at 8pm
"The evening will feature live music from Teengirl Fantasy, followed by
a diverse screening of world premieres, international cartoons and fan
friendly blips."
Saturday July 25th - At BAMcinématek
Program One (2pm and 6:50pm) Program Two (4:30pm and 9:15pm)
"Program One will feature experimental animation, fresh music videos and
subversive design works, while Program Two will showcase exceptional
student films, professional content and narrative shorts."
Sunday July 26th - At BAMcinématek
Program Three (2pm and 6:50pm) Program Four (4:30pm and 9:15pm)
"Program Three will feature award winning independent shorts, studio
animation and other standout works, while Program Four will mix global
films with New York premieres and local animations."
Click
here for more information. Also, keep coming back. Season 2 of Animation Block is coming with promises to bring more of the most effed up animation on the web.
Posted in
Back on Topps on 7/22/2009 9:32:48 AM by Rob Barnett
The
Back On Topps season two opener is a hit, its a grand slam, its a real crowd pleaser its a ...uhhh... uhh... let’s leave the sports comedy to the Sklar brothers. They’re much better at it than we are and the internetz agree.
In its first week, the season two premiere,
Rejuvenate, has over 100,000 views on the web. We post new episodes every Tuesday, so keep coming back for the good stuff.
Thanks to our friends at
BaseballMusings.com,
The Best Damn Sports Comedy, and
The Cardboard Connection for supporting the show in their blogs.
Posted in
Radio with tags
WBCN,
radio,
My Damn Channel,
Boston on 7/18/2009 5:34:21 AM by Rob Barnett
Famous deaths surround us these past few weeks. The nature of heat and fame create imagined personal connections to a legendary news oracle, to a Pop King, or a Pin-up angel. But this time, it's personal.
The death of WBCN is a painful loss felt deeply by everyone of us directly influenced by its greatness.
Every music fan whose ears and taste were shaped by the artists, songs and albums heard on 104.1 lost a friend.
Don't believe everything you hear from Spinal Tap. Boston IS a college town. If you've ever called this city "home," you owe respect and appreciation for the fun, the spirit and the sounds that BCN put into Boston.
My first college internship was at BCN. I remember the intense electric feeling as my heart beat way too fast on the first night inside that studio. That internship was the first step onto a path chasing dreams. I'll always be grateful.
If you're a fellow mourner, do you accept all the nice nice talk about change being inevitable, or can you imagine a new kind of radio powerful enough to make hearts beat way too fast?
Seth Godin once said that one of the problems with radio in the modern age is that it should no longer be called "radio."
What would we call it?
How could we forge a new model for "radio" with the honesty, passion, brains and balls to a co-create a business too powerfully protected by its fans and artists to be stopped?
Where would you launch such a thing?
Just asking.
We hate when people make announcements and always say they're "thrilled."
We're PSYCHED to announce the Season 2 premiere of "Back on Topps."
New episodes premiere Tuesdays at: http://www.MyDamnChannel.com/BackOnTopps
Our fave sports comedy series stars The Sklar Brothers, Randy and Jason as Leyland and Leif Topps, heirs to the Topps Trading Cards fortune until their uncle sold the company to Michael Eisner.
The series is directed by one of our favorite humans, Michael Blieden.
Actors include My Damn Channel co-con, Jason Nash (Reno 911), Phil LaMarr (MadTV, Family Guy, Pulp Fiction) and Janet Varney (Entourage, How I Met Your Mother).
Big ticket cameos have included Dennis Rodman, Julio Franco, Russell Martin, David Robinson, Baron Davis, Kevin Millar, Jim Palmer, Juan Samuel, Rudy Gay, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, Evan Longoria, Matt Holiday and Kevin Love.
Posted in
Don Was,
Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music with tags
Don Was,
Nicole Sandler,
Stand By Me,
Air America,
Radio or Not,
Was (Not Was),
Andy,
Jon Bon Jovi,
Richie Sambora,
John Shanks,
My Damn Channel,
Ben E. King,
Wasmopolitan,
July 4th on 7/4/2009 6:50:15 AM by Rob Barnett
Happy 4th!
The method to our madness at My Damn Channel has always been simple. We put independent artists we love & trust in charge of their own channels to bring you free comedy & music.
Don Was conjured up mighty free magic with the release of "Stand by Me," a new version of the Ben E. King classic - made for the people of Iran - by Iranian superstar Andy, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, John Shanks, Don Was & friends.
"Stand by Me" is only one week old today and we're closing in on the first million views worldwide! THANK YOU for sharing this song and video and free mp3 and for moving it across continents and into Iran.
Here's the first, in-depth interview with Don about how this all came about by Nicole Sandler. (giving me trouble on IE - fine on Safari?! - must need more beer)
Nicole has one of the most impressive careers in radio. She's broadcast on some of the best music radio stations across the country. A true music fan with fine taste. You can find Nicole talking music, politics and more on Air America and we also recommend her blog at RadioOrNot.com.
Nicole spoke with Don Was about putting together the "Stand by Me" project - about Was (Not Was) - and about creating, producing and curating the Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music here on My Damn Channel.