Slacktory.com

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Beat the Heat, Watch on Repeat

As we inch into mid-July and the gunpowder from Independence Day fireworks finally dissipates and settles on the ground like an ashy, foul-smelling snow, it comes time once again to face the fact that, like it or not, it's Summer.  For some, summer means long, lazy days spent at the beach or in the park, full of barbeques, bikinis, and melty ice cream cones.  These people are are insane madmen who are not to be trusted.  For the rest of us, summer is a time to stay indoors and near the air conditioning, cowering away from the sun like it was some kind of vengeful God.

Point is, it's hot out there.  Why not stay indoors and expand the depth and breadth of your pop culture acumen by doing a few complete-series re-watches of your favorite shows?  And sure, you could plow through your box set of 'The Sopranos' or 'The Wire' for the umpteenth time, but given the brain-boiling heat outside, wouldn't you prefer something a little more... digestible?  Might we suggest starting with Season One, Episode One of Wainy Days and working your way through the entire series?  Or Pilot Season?  Or Back on Topps?

It's easy, just pour yourself a nice cool glass of Four Loko, aim that oscillating fan at your genitals, click play, and check another one of your life's goals off the list.

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Book of Mormon Sweepstakes

So if you're here on My Damn Channel reading this blog, then you're OBVIOUSLY in the top 1% of cultured Americans, fingers no doubt coated with ink from the latest New York Times book review, the scent of a well-aged Malbec still lingering in your nostrils from last night's upscale wine tasting.

And you're undoubtedly a lover of the finer things in life: air travel, social satire, Broadway musicals.  Lucky for you, we've rolled all of your interests into one amazing sweepstakes opportunity.  In honor of My Damn Channel's new show Gigi, we're flying one lucky winner to New York to see the new hit musical The Book of Mormon, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and starring Gigi himself, Josh Gad.

So put down your Chaucer, readjust your monocle, and head on over to our Facebook page to enter for your chance to win.  And what the hell, here's the Gigi trailer again.  YOU'RE WELCOME.

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Nice Try, Academy

As we already pointed out a couple days ago, this year’s Oscar nominations were announced this week, sending pop culture dorks the world over into a frenzy as everyone scrambled to figure out who was superior to who -- the douchebag computer programmer, the stammering king, James Franco’s gross-ass arm, etc. But c’mon. We all know the Oscars are a sham created by Free Masons to launder money from their cockfighting ring (thanks, Wikipedia!). Who cares who did the best job ugly-ing themselves up for a role, or which hairpiece was the least ridiculous? The really impressive filmmaking achievements are all right here, on My Damn Channel…

Best Tapestry of Lies and Deceit, Horrible People Murder, alcoholism, infidelity. General rudeness. It’s all par for the course for A.D. Miles’ soap opera. Who needs subtle and naturalistic performances when arched eyebrows, leering, and melodramatic pauses will get the job done just as well? Just watch your back. Somebody’s probably waiting to stab you back there.
Best Tilapia, Cookin’ with Coolio Coolio is a man of many talents. Rapping, acting, gravity-defying braids. But did you know he’s also an accomplished chef? Well, you do now. And while he may not headed on Top Chef any time soon, but hey, he’s the “Fantastic Voyage” guy! Teaching you how to cook! ‘Weird’ Al never did a parody of anything Emeril Lagasse ever did. Just sayin’.

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Mark Malkoff Will Spend Five Days in the Bathroom

Mark Malkoff is worn out.

Mark texts. Mark tweets. Mark emails and Facebooks and YouTubes and iPhones and does a million other brand-name things that popular culture has turned into verbs. It is a lot of work to stay connected to everyone all over the world wide web at one time, and Mark is starting to find it all a little taxing.

So he's going to check out for five days in a place where no distractions will get to him: his bathroom.

Sounds like a good idea, right?

Mark's even gong to try to be productive during his Week With No Internet. He's going to try and finish that book he's been meaning to read. He's going to learn that song he's been meaning to play. He's going to write that poem for his wife he's been meaning to write. Aw. That's sweet. And all the while, he's going to shoot footage and put it all into one awesome video, which we can all watch on his channel at MyDamnChannel.com/MarkMalkoff on September 8th.

We're pretty excited to have Mark Malkoff on our team. After all, anyone who can visit every single Starbucks in Manhattan in a single day is a friend of ours. And since he lived in a New Jersey IKEA for a week, he'd probably know better than anyone how to wield a an allen wrench. And, he knows Lisa Loeb, so, you know, bonus points:



To be honest, we're jealous. We wish that we could check out for five days. We wouldn't talk to ANYONE. Except we wouldn't do it in our bathroom. We'd do it on an island somewhere, and, okay, so MAYBE we'd talk to someone... but it would be because he was the bartender and we had to tell him what kind of wonderfully fruity drink to bring us. But other than him, no one.

Good luck, with this one, Mark.  We think you're gonna need it.

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More Channels for My Damn Channel

Announcing: New Channels for My Damn Channel!

Would you like to read the longest press release ever written since it describes in detail each and every one of the shows we're launching today? 

Would you like to read it since it describes shows from pop culture performance artist Mark Malkoff, Sopranos star Will Janowitz, former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield, as well as more about our Childrens Hospital and Dinner For Schmucks channels?

So do you want to read it or what?

"YES."

Really?

"The answer is YES.  Of COURSE I would like to read the longest press release ever written.  I woke up at 6am eastern time today, waiting with bated breath for all of these big announcements of all of the new channels and shows that you've been promising me for more than  a week so YES.  JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN PRESS RELEASE ALREADY.  You're such a g**damn tease sometimes, My Damn Channel.  Next time you make a big announcement, do us all a favor and just have a live televised show on ESPN or something.  Sheesh."

Oh.

Fine.  Here.  Read it.  And stop saying "sheesh."  And, yes, we bolded the names of all the new shows for all of the TL;DR whiners out there.  Assholes.

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TO PRAISE WBCN

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. 

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Farrah, Michael & Peter

Yesterday's news was so sad. Thinking about the price some pay for fame and the toll that takes on the souls of our entertainers.

I just got the news that an amazing friend and fan of this community died late yesterday.

Peter Kuhn was one of the most soulful, loving and fun friends I know. Always there to support and cheer us - in spite of whatever hard times he faced.

He wrote fan letters regularly for our videos. This last volley of emails about WAINY DAYS was so good and funny that I sent them to David Wain and David (a mensch like Peter) responded immediately - asking me to tell him: "I love your friend's POV!"

- - -

Here's an exerpt from Peter's emails this week:

He wrote notes about "....Mr. Wain's extraordinary ability to get so many talented, beautiful women to make out with him on a regular basis regardless of the fact that it virtually always ends in disaster. At this point in my life I would be willing to trade a great deal for that kind of weekly scenario.

In stark contrast, and historically, Woody Allen has had to woo, hire, date, marry and then divorce his women taking many years and much cash to do so. Wain does it in 5-8 minutes every week, amazing!"

- - -

I cried like a baby when I got news of Peter's death this morning. First thoughts were for how sorry I am for the 4 ladies he leaves behind. Their loss is too sad to know. I'm crying for the fact that Peter's friends all don't get to love him back here as much as he loved us.

Then I turned back to thoughts of how fast, immediate and final his last seconds must have been - doing what he loved - body surfing on LBI - surrounded by friends who love him in my family - catching waves one minute -then without warning .... drowned and not revivable a minute later.

Peter went out in style as the answer to "who would be third?" - the same day as Farrah and the King of Pop. I absolutely KNOW he loves this badge of honor bestowed upon him.

I think he's telling us all a lesson learned right now - I imagine he's saying that all the hardship and all the bullshit we all experience - and sadly sometimes create - is meaningless. All that means anything is love and friendship and family and doing as best as we can to work and contribute - and especially this....to make as much fun as we can while we're here.

I'm praying for his family for our pal Peter.

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WAINY DAYS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

MY DAMN CHANNEL LAUNCHES SEASON FOUR OF “WAINY DAYS,”

2009 webby award official honoree and 2008 WEBBY AWARD WINNER OF “BEST COMEDY SERIES”  

 

DAVID WAIN TO STAGE FIRST-EVER LIVE PERFORMANCE OF “WAINY DAYS” AND SNEAK PEEK OF UPCOMING EPISODE AT 92YTRIBECA ON THURSDAY, MAY 7^TH

 

NEW YORK, April 23, 2009 - My Damn Channel (www.MyDamnChannel.com), the entertainment studio and new media platform, today announced that one of its most popular original web series, “Wainy Days” (www.MyDamnChannel.com/WainyDays), is returning for a fourth season on Thursday, May 7^th.  

“Wainy Days” is the brainchild of its creator, writer and director, David Wain (writer and director of last year’s hit film “Role Models” starring Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks and Christopher Mintz-Plasse).  The comedy series, developed and produced exclusively for My Damn Channel, follows the romantic misadventures of Wain and has featured past celebrity guest appearances by Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Elizabeth Banks, Lee Majors, A.D. Miles, Rob Corddry, Jason Sudeikis, Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, Ed Helms, Joe Lo Truglio, Janeane Garofalo and Alicia Witt.  A recap from David Wain of the past 3 seasons of “Wainy Days” and a tease of the new episodes can be viewed at www.MyDamnChannel.com/WainyDays. 

In the new season of “Wainy Days,” the cast of name co-stars from film and television includes Amanda Peet, Lake Bell, Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married, Mad Men), Michelle Federer (Wicked), and Frederick Weller (In Plain Sight).  In the first episode of the season, David meets a sexy woman, Jill (played by Amanda Peet), who appreciates him for all that he isn’t.    

On May 7, 2009 at 9:00PM, at 92YTribeca (located at 200 Hudson Street in New York) My Damn Channel will be presenting “Wainy Days LIVE,” a Wainy-themed comedy/variety evening.  The event will hosted by David Wain and will feature live musical performances from past and upcoming episodes.  Michelle Federer, Amy Miles and Ben Shenkman will be on-hand to help Wain with this feat as well as the recurring cast of the series (Zandy Hartig, A.D. Miles and Matt Ballard).  There will also be a showing of the premiere episode as well as a sneak peek of an upcoming episode.  (Tickets are $15 advance/$18 door and can be purchased at: http://www.92ytribeca.com/ or by calling 212,415.5500.

Wainy Days has been viewed over 9 millions times on My Damn Channel and throughout its syndication network, was just named an official honoree for "Best Comedy Series" for the 2009 Webby Awards, was the winner of the 2008 Webby Awards' "Best Comedy Series" as well as the 2009 Streamy Awards' "Best Guest Appearance" for Paul Rudd, and has been called "an unmissable Web series by the Associated Press. Wainy Days is produced by Jonathan Stern.

"I love that the world keeps wanting to follow my pathetic (albeit fictional) quest to meet women,” says Wain.  “As long as the audience demands it, I will continue to hire actresses to make out with me and put it on the web."

“If My Damn Channel is a new world version of an old NBC, then David Wain would definitely be our ‘Seinfeld,’” says Rob Barnett, Founder/CEO. “David continues to earn all the accolades that ‘Wainy Days’ has won by topping himself every season. His series turns sexual angst into uniquely twisted comedy.”

About David Wain
David Wain is a director, writer, actor, producer and comedian. He co-wrote and directed the recent major motion picture "Role Models" starring  Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, now on DVD. As a founding member of the comedy troupe, "The State," he co-starred in an MTV series in the 1990's (coming to DVD in July). Wain's web hit, live show and Comedy Central series, "Stella," is an ongoing collaboration with his longtime collaborators Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter. Wain also co-wrote and directed comic cult classic features "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The Ten." For additional information on David Wain, visit www.davidwain.com.

About My Damn Channel
My Damn Channel is an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower comedians, musicians and filmmakers to co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video. Artists create content for the My Damn Channel website and for syndication on the most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. The network has aired some of the most successful professionally-produced comedy series on the web, including You Suck at Photoshop, Wainy Days, Horrible People, and videos by Harry Shearer.  My Damn Channel has been selected for 4 official honoree awards and nominated for one 2009 Webby Award, won 7 accolades from the 2008 Webby Awards, garnered worldwide media coverage, secured major national advertisers, earned 50,000 subscribers on YouTube, racked up a bazillion views on My Damn Channel and in syndication and blah, blah, blah…Are you still reading?  Stop now and start exploring: www.MyDamnChannel.com. 

 

About 92YTribeca:

92YTribeca is the 92nd Street Y’s new downtown arts and culture venue in New York City . Opened in October 2008, 92YTribeca presents music, comedy, film, theater, talks, classes, Jewish community and holiday programs, and family events; the venue also houses an art gallery, lounge, bar, and cafe. Among the talented performers who have graced its stage are Zach Galifianakis, Will Arnett, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Adam Yauch, Dustin Hoffman, Janeane Garofalo, Chairlift, Charlie Louvin, Q-Tip and Questlove.  Time Out New York named it the Best New Comedy Venue in 2008, and New York Magazine ranked it as “Highbrow and Brilliant” in their Approval Matrix.  For more information, visit www.92YTribeca.org.  

TO REQUEST REVIEW COPIES, INTERVIEWS WITH DAVID WAIN, TICKETS TO THE MAY 7^TH 92YTRIBECA EVENT, INTERVIEWS WITH THE CEO OF MY DAMN CHANNEL, PHOTOS OR VIDEO CLIPS FROM THE SERIES OR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

 

Marnie Black

(917) 828-7308

marnieblack@yahoo.com

 

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NEW NEW & NEW

We started My Damn Channel in the wake of an earlier round of big corporate layoffs as traditional media tried to wrap its arms around the intense insurgency of online video.

Many major media companies took a shot at chasing YouTube's brass ring, but they couldn't ride their horses fast enough to get into the lead ahead of all the upstart brands racing onto the field.

We ran fast in our first year. Some of our best competitors like Super Deluxe didn't make it. We loved their work.  We stayed determined to keep costs low, but still bring the best talent - treat them well - and let them deliver quality, original web video which is getting seen by an audience growing faster by the second.

In the past 24 hours, we've had the #1 video on all of YouTube - thanks to Big Fat Brain, creators of "You Suck at Photoshop" and their NEW web series, "Agency of Record."

This week, TIME Magazine honored us in their Top 10 Everything of 2008 - twice!  They put YSAP in the Top 10 TV Episodes of the year next to Lost, Mad Men, 30 Rock & Colbert. And they honored Sir Harry Shearer for one of his Katie Couric Open-Mic Moments that we call "Found Objects." 

Maria on our team just told me we passed 42 million total views yesterday.

This week, we added Suhaila Suhimi to lead the advertising team bringing more top brands in to sponsor all of our new programming.

Here's a list of what's NEW & what's coming for the year ahead with immeasurable thanks for every second you've stopped your world to take a look at www.MyDamnChannel.com:



Flight of the Conchords HBO premiere episode next week on My Damn Channel - 3 weeks before it airs on HBO !

STELLA - new channel just launched

GraceNMichelle - new channel just launched

Agency of Record - new episode tmrw/Fri

Heather Fink channel

new episodes of LAPDANCE with KURT LODER

new videos from atom.com

new episodes of BACK ON TOPPS - every Tuesday

new episodes of FACETIME

and a lil tease of more/new magic wonderments:

ED HELMS
KERRI KENNEY-SILVER
SAM SEDER
SARAH SILVERMAN
DAVID CROSS
ANDY DICK
ISLA FISHER
A.D. MILES
MARK MALKOFF
and....

S P I N A L   T A P   2 0 0 9
    

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