And that's really what it is, isn't it?
We're all sitting here, staring at our iPhones in disbelief. Finding comfort in one of the tens of thousands of songs on our iPod. Searching the internet to share in the mourning en masse on our MacBooks.
After we're done here, we'll edit some videos using Final Cut Pro. While we listen to a playlist we made on iTunes. When we get hungry later, we'll use an app on our iPhone to figure out a good place nearby to eat. When we get home, we'll iChat with our parents across the country and tell them what we've been up to. Hell, even one of our most popular videos took place in an Apple Store.
For so many of us who never even met the man, we can't imagine what our lives would have been like without him.
The real brilliance of Steve Jobs's vision is that he believed we all deserved to live the lives of our dreams, and he gave us as many tangible tools as possible to try and do just that. How many of us began vlogging because we were experimenting with our iSights? How many of us became interested in telling stories because of iMovie? How many of us now see the world refracted through Steve Jobs's lens?
We're not the first to post this video, but its message bears repeating, even on days when it isn't almost painfully poignant:
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Thanks for believing in all of us, Steve. You have to have known that you made a difference.
(Image via Jonathan Mak)
Posted in
Hollywood,
Matt Warren,
Paul Rudd,
Rashida Jones,
Twitter,
Wainy Days with tags
Our Idiot Brother,
Paul Rudd,
David Wain,
Elizabeth Banks,
Rashida Jones,
Twitter,
movies,
Hollywood on 8/26/2011 12:21:26 PM by Matt Warren
The new Paul Rudd-starring "Our Idiot Brother" opens in theaters this weekend, gifting America with the genial tale of a simple-minded fuckup (Rudd) and his exhasperated extented family. I haven't seen it yet, but David Wain has...
And while he's undoubtably correct, Mr. Wain may not be the most impartial critic. The "Brother" cast list reads like a who's who of Wainy Days All-Stars. Aside from Paul Rudd, there's Rashida Jones, Elizabeh Banks, and, let's see... looks like that's it. But hey, three's a lot! Besides, would David Wain ever steer you wrong?
Posted in
Emmys,
Wainy Days with tags
Elizabeth Banks,
Wainy Days,
Emmy Awards,
Television on 7/15/2011 8:30:00 AM by Josh Meisel
Congratulations to
Elizabeth Banks for her Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series! In case Thursday is your bowling night, Elizabeth Banks plays Jack Donaghy's baby's mother Avery on NBC's
30 Rock. She also plays
Wainy Days' Shelly, who shattered the web series' records by dating the fictionalized Wain in three separate episodes! Check them out
here,
here and
here.
There'd be NO My Damn Channel if David Wain hadn't said YES to being one of the first artists that launched with us here on "day one" (7/31/07) with the very first episode of "Wainy Days" starring David & Elizabeth Banks.
4 seasons and almost 4 years later - there are 32 awesome episodes (so far) and this morning another well-deserved kiss:
"Wainy Days" has just been selected as an Official Honoree for Comedy Series in the 15th annual Webby Awards.
Congratulations to David, to our most awesome Producer, Jon Stern, and to every collaborator and fan supporting one of the best comedy series ever.
We promise MORE...and work has just begun on a "Wainy Days" DVD coming out later this year near the release of David's new feature film comedy, "Wanderlust."
Posted in
My Damn Channel with tags
My Damn Channel,
Big Fat Brain,
The Landlord,
Harry Shearer,
Don Was,
David Wain,
Wainy Days,
Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music,
Jill Sobule,
San Francisco,
Elizabeth Banks,
Troy Hitch,
Matt Bledsoe,
Funny or Die,
Dick Cheney,
Scooter Libby on 6/29/2010 2:29:48 AM by Rob Barnett
Good things come in 3's.
3 years ago, a small band of true believers were readying the launch of My Damn Channel: 7/31/07.
Here are the inaugural videos from the first 3 artists we signed.
David Wain came in with the world's fastest pitch for Wainy Days: (paraphrasing) "I want to make out with the hottest women in the world and every date goes horribly wrong."
His first episode (a 3-parter) co-stars Elizabeth Banks as Shelly:
David Wain as David Wain, Elizabeth Banks as Shelly.
Harry Shearer was the first hero we signed. He sat in prosthetic makeup for over 4 hours to become Dick Cheney, singing sexy for Scooter Libby:
Harry Shearer as Dick Cheney.
We wanted music to marry comedy in our company from Day One. We turned to another brother and one of the best musicians and producers on the planet, Don Was.
Don's "Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music" is an earful of the best music you can't get anywhere else.
His first My Damn Channel production starred one of the smartest singer/songwriters we know, Jill Sobule:
Don Was, Rob Barnett, Jill Sobule, Warren Chao at the My Damn Channel west coast launch party, 2007.
Here's a rare, bonus video from the archives. Day one back on 7/31/07 also starred Big Fat Brain, the geniuses behind You Suck at Photoshop, and the web designers of all things DAMN. One of our only spoof vids looked 20 years into the FUTURE and poked our pals at Funny or Die, who had launched a few months earlier:
Matt Bledsoe, Troy Hitch
Posted in
My Damn Channel with tags
My Damn Channel,
interns,
jobs,
new media,
fun on 12/29/2009 6:56:05 AM by Rob Barnett
Starting Monday, we wake from vaca, check our inbox, and see if you want to be INTERN OF THE DECADE.
Wanna be David Wain's wingman on a date?
Wanna help constantly uncurl and re-curl Grace's hair?
Wanna review hundreds of mildly amusing pitches for the next great web series?
If you live in New York and can somehow afford to be an intern, let us know.
Here's the shazizzle: We're seeking new interns in the NY office to bathe in the warm waters of content development, site programming, marketing, promotion, social networking and operations.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Reviewing content submissions and pitches
- Assist with video archiving
- Assist with site programming
- Prep videos for syndication
- Assist with marketing and promotions
- Social networking outreach
- General office assistance
- Opportunities to conceive and produce short-form video and graphic content
ABOUT YOU:
- Exceptional communication skills
- Highly motivated
- Detail oriented
- Quick learner
- Ability to prioritize multiple projects and tasks
- Ability to manage deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Sense of humor (or more than a sense)
- Social Networking Nutjob
- Entertainment Junkie
- Knowledge of Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, HTML desirable
BENEFITS
- Learn multiple disciplines inside a leading new media company
- Dramatically increase your contacts in all areas of entertainment and new media
- Possibility for future employment (no...really)
INTERESTED?
Send the world's most convincing cover letter, plus resume, and specific availability (3 days per week minimum) to: info@MyDamnChannel.com
Brad O'Farrell gave our almost official mascot the Labor Day treatment. Njoy. He's linked to one of our happiest videos of all-time.
New unemployment stats are the worst in 26 years. If you're like any of the dreamchasers at My Damn Channel, it's a fair bet you're no stranger to losing a gig in TV, radio, music, or the arts & little sciences.
"Go Your Own Way" may be a lame, overplayed, 70's sing-along...but it's also fine solution for what to do after getting tossed out of a gig.
We're raising a glass to everyone with the brains and the backbone to embrace a new way to get your work seen by an audience large enough to actually make you money.
One last-ever reference to Fleetwood Mac...
We got some sad news over the weekend, that one of our best co-cons at My Damn Channel is moving on. Vivian Kyinn provides much of the mystical glue that holds this house together. She wrote and co-produced a film called White Wall which got her to Cannes and now she's decided to get after her movie-making passions full-time. BIG THANKS & BIG LOVE to one of the better humans we know.
Warren Chao posted the replacement gig based in our LA office this weekend. Economic insanity created hundreds of candidates in hours. If you're read "The Night Feed" and know the best human for this gig - email: Jobs@MyDamnChannel.com
Posted in
My Damn Channel with tags
Jobs,
Hiring,
My Damn Channel,
Ad Sales Associate,
Recession on 3/26/2009 3:56:48 PM by Rob Barnett
My Damn Channel is turning "TWO" this summer - we're continuing to attack the recession by growing this sucker with more humans like YOU.
See blog post below (find the gorilla) - the Content & Video Manager gig is still LIVE.
We're adding another new job right now...the scintillating Job Description is here:
ad sales assoc 309.doc
Send resume & world's best cover letter to: jobs@MyDamnChannel.com
Amen.
Our wonderful, loyal pilot who flies the My Damn Channel plane is
Lauren Galanter. Lauren is headed to a big gig at Comcast in Philly - making room for you - or someone you know... !?
We're hiring a new My Damn Channel Content & Video Manager.
Want a great, fairly-paid, healthcare-covered gig at... well...
here!?
Posted with tags
H.S.M.,
jobs on 9/24/2008 6:46:38 AM by Rob Barnett
Experienced a "Holy Shit Moment" (H.S.M.) on the way to work this morning.
An insanely rare realization: "I Love My Job"
Took years to get here. Many stumbles along the way.
The radical idea to CREATE your own job beats the hell out of working for the big companies that can erase your work reality in a heartbeat. Likely to be a lot of that game about to go down elsewhere in the next weeks & months ahead.
Got feedback yesterday from a new My Damn Channel co-con who said he saw that 3 of us here were totally in love with what we're doing. Holy Shit.....we are.