Saturday, April 30, 2011

Andy Samberg in the "What's Your Number?" Trailer

What's Your Number?



Or view it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NSM0YCDr1o

It looks like Andy's only on briefly, but he's pretty funny. Hopefully Andy will get more supporting roles like this!

Enjoy!

Friday, April 29, 2011

Andy Samberg Wants To Special Order a “Bejeweled Chastity Belt”

Andy Samberg and Joanna Newsom are still together this week! I know you want to constantly know, so now you do! They were seen at a diamond collection on Wednesday.
===================

Former CFDA fashion funder Irene Neuwirth debuted her first ever diamond collection on April 27th at Barneys...

Unfortunately, no Andy pics:



Several of Neuwirth’s super hip celebrity friends were on hand to help her celebrate her “couture moment” including Michelle Williams, Joanna Newsom, Busy Phillips, Harvey Weinstein and SNL‘s Andy Samberg. If you read Andy Samberg and thought, “Wha? What’s he doing there?” he goes way back with Neuwirth–all the way back to what he called “unofficial Jew camp” (that, and he dates Newsom). Neuwirth confirmed “It was called Camp Skylight.”

But Samberg is also a fan of Neuwirth’s creations, so much so that he told us he’s special ordered a “bejeweled chastity belt, mission impossible style.” Wonder how Newsom feels about that…

From:
http://fashionista.com/2011/04/andy-samberg-wants-to-special-order-a-bejeweled-chastity-belt-from-designer-irene-newirth/

Enjoy!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Why doesn't The Lonely Island do a summer tour?

Answer: Because they're so busy!



At first thought it might make sense for The Lonely Island to go on a tour for the summer, since they're on a break from SNL. But Andy Samberg's just starting to get regular supporting roles in movies (What's Your Number, Friends with Benefits, and The Hand Job), and he's got his first starring role coming up in an Adam Sandler film (I Hate You, Dad), so you know it's going to be a hit!

Akiva's been talking about directing another film. What I would love to see is if The Lonely Island had a TV show or a feature film they were cooking up on their own.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Rayannas videos of Andy Samberg & TLI

You can view the playlist here:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=885EE5D6D2D66047

Or watch them here!

This was her first video that we already showed:



Rayanna says:

Sorry, it can be shaky at times. I was nervous and extremely excited... wouldn't you be?



The Lonely Island at Amoeba In Berkeley



These last two are short clips:





Thanks to Rayanna for uploading all these vids and letting us know (and for sharing the previous posts we made about her experience)!

What was your favorite part of this Q&A panel?

Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Andy Samberg voices Sprint commercial

Sprint - All. Together. Now.



Unlimited is good. And thanks to Sprint, you can talk, text and post as much as you want. For no extra cost. So go ahead world, Unlimit yourself. Sprint. America's Favorite 4G Network.

Thanks to Anony for the scoop!

Enjoy!

Invincible Dogons! ID Crew Stockwell Savannah Easter 2011 Wall


Invincible Dogon Characters by The Kool Skool's Shucks One ID/UZN

This Easter Shucks One, Wisher, Tizer, & Math of the Idiots Crew painted a production based on the a tribe of people called the Dogon from Mali, West Africa. The Dogon are believed to be of Egyptian decent and their astronomical lore goes back thousands of years to 3200 BC. was examined in Author Robert Temple in his fascinating book THE SIRIUS MYSTERY
For a brief article on The Dogon, the Nommos and Sirius B go here


Robert Temple on Coast To Coast AM The Dogon & the Sirius Mystery
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4


Before


Shucks One, Wisher, Tizer & Math ID "Invicible Dogons" Wall Easter 2011


African Queen by Tizer One ID


Wisher ID - "Expensive S**t"


Tizer ID £Shop Black fill detail


"Put a Zee on it!"


Math ID Character


There were a lot of people burning in The Stockwell Savannah!


Crome Represent


Love Pusher
/Remember Jesus - Pushing The Love


"Agents Of Change" - Dondi, Basquiat & Ramellzee By System & Rough of Iconoclast


Demo UA - Giza Style


So hot tins popped!

Stockwell /Brixton Hall Of Fame Flickr Group

Vast Aire - New Album, Wu-Tang collabos European Tour & Nomad" (Official Video)


"Nomad" is the first single taken from the new album "Ox 2010 : A Street Odyssey" out in the summer on Man Bites Dog/Fat Beats. Future singles will also feature Raekwon, Vordul Mega, Guilty Simpson, and look out for new special tracks featuring UK artists including Loudmouth Melvin, Skillit, Dream McLean and more very shortly. I Dont Care ft Cappadonna Prod by Kount Fif & also the remix of "Profiling" which also features Dame Grease, Haze from Eurogang and Meeno. Vast Aire will be due in the UK & Europe in the autumn on tour.


Vast Aire "Nomad" 1st Official Video from the up[coming "OX 2010 A Street Odyssey"
"Knowing is 1/2 the battle"

The Universal Zulu Nation UK Documentary Film Screening 2010 HIP-HOP History Month *Update*

(Left to Right) Shucks One The Idiot, Shaka Zulu Sifu Zhi Boa Aleem, TJ Chill (Zulu Nation Rap Show), Iron Braydz, Legendary UK Film Maker Dick Fontaine (Rocking his original Zulu Pendant), Real South African Zulu, Lady Paulette, Zulu King Dapo & friend


The flyer designed by Shucks One ID


On Wed. 24/11/10 2010 MEE & The Village Productions Intl. in association with Universal ZULU NATION UK presented for HIP HOP History Month 2010: FILM & CABARET ON THE BROADWAY. New and Classic documentary films were screened,
Beat This! "A Hip Hop History" the Legendary New-York Hip-Hop film by Dick Fontaine
Stay Sailing - "The Future of Pirate Radio" a new Documentary discovering the world of Pirate Radio in the UK by Furious (Itch FM/Wilderness Pictures
Out 4 Fame a new UK Graffiti Documentary by cansproductions.com.
Live performaces by Iron Braydz, HKB Finn (from Legendary UK Hip-Hop group Katch22), and a Martial Arts display by Sifu Zhi Boa Aleem (Shaka Zulu), entertained the crowd.


Lovely Lady Paulette building from the ground up!


Beat This! "A Hip Hop History" the Legendary New-York Hip-Hop film by
Dick Fontaine The Director came to the Film show, screened the film and answered Questions from the audience

Also, U.K. film maker Menelik Shabazz has screened several of his documentary films, and recently "Burning An Illusion" exploring the rise of U.K. Reggae genre - Lovers Rock.

Check out "The Black Film Society" blog here



On a side note, the Flyer was also invited to feature in The Secret Egypt Exhibition at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, an Exhibition looking at popular takes on Ancient Egyptian culture.


The flyer in situ within the Exhibition


http://secretegypt.org.uk

Included in the exhibition is a mummy from the Manchester Museum, a never-before displayed portrait of Queen Nefertiti from the Ashmolean and a granite colossus of Ramesses II. The Herbert will also be re-creating a tomb within the exhibition for visitors to walk through and experience a representation of the journey to the after-life.
Secret Egypt: Unravelling Truth From Myth exhibits at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum between 11 February and 5 June 2011.
For further information and details on our FREE events, exhibitions, talks and activities or to join the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum’s mailing list, visit www.theherbert.org.

"Rap Is Under Contol" - G.T.F.O.H.!!!!! Part 5 (Video)





Raymzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


There isn't nearly enough already...


Tony Yayo Ft Uncle Murda & Lucky Don - Tiger Blood [2011 Official Music Video]
"I don't care if his moms with him"


"My Dumb-Dumb arsenal"

Monday, April 25, 2011

Turtleneck & Chains lunchbox and posters!

Get your Turtleneck & Chains stuff!



The Lonely Island collectible lunchbox features Turtleneck & Chain album artwork. Lunchbox w/ Thermos will ship June/July.

Lunchbox w/ Thermos - $34.99




• Autographed 180 gram gatefold vinyl w/digital download card
+ DVD featuring 9 music videos from The Lonely Island
+ 24"x36" folded "Ghost Butt-sters" poster
• Your choice of one movie 27" x 40" poster printed on premium paper with gloss sheen




$20 - Your choice of one 27" x 40" movie poster printed on premium paper with gloss sheen: The Lonely Island, Ghost Butt-sters, or Trouble On Dookie Island


Purchase here:
http://store.umrg.com/thelonelyisland/

Thanks to Rayanna for the scoop!

Enjoy!

Andy Samberg podcast - Nerdist

Thanks to Amy for the scoop!

Nerdist Podcast #79: ANDY SAMBERG
by Chris Hardwick



Andy Samberg

Cross-platform alert! I wrote the cover story for the May issue of WIRED which is an interview with Samberg about the evolution of comedy in the Digital Age. While the magazine just plucked a snippet of our chattings, THIS IS THE FULL UNEDITED AUDIO! Just for you! You can see some of it with your eyes and then absorb the rest of it with your ears! Andy is a solid dude. It was a genuine pleasure to sit down with him and trade words.

Go here to listen to the podcast:

http://www.nerdist.com/2011/04/nerdist-podcast-79-andy-samberg/

Thanks again to Amy for the scoop, and...

Enjoy!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Justin Timberlake & Lady Gaga to host SNL Season Finale!

Also, Tina Fey and Seth Green coming in May!

By episode number:

700 "Tina Fey" & Taio Cruz May 7, 2011
701 "Seth Green" & Big Time Rush May 14, 2011
702 "Justin Timberlake" & Lady Gaga May 21, 2011



Justin Timberlake is ready to flex his live acting chops. The entertainer has reportedly been tapped to host the season finale of 'Saturday Night Live' on May 21, according to a tweet from the official 'SNL' Twitter account. Though the tweet was quickly deleted, the message was in response to a fan asking who would serve as master of ceremonies during Season 36's last episode.

"I didn't realize that @nbcSNL isn't back until May 7th!!! What am I going to do!? Is Tina Fey the season finale!"' the fan wrote. "Nope! We have Timberlake after that," responded a rep using the 'SNL' Twitter page.

This marks the first time that Timberlake has hosted 'SNL' since May 9, 2009. His past appearances have been wildly popular thanks to his viral videos for '$ in a Box' and 'Motherlover,' earning a Emmy Award [for Junk in a Box in 2007 and again] for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2009. He made his first hosting appearance in 2003, and also served as musical guest, reprising his hosting duties two more times since then.

Timberlake has been focusing more on his acting career since the release of his 2006 sophomore album, 'FutureSex/LoveSounds.' He will next be seen in the raunchy comedy 'Bad Teacher,' co-starring ex-girlfriend Cameron Diaz. The film lands in theaters on June 24.

From:
http://www.theboombox.com/2011/04/20/justin-timberlake-to-host-snl-season-finale/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter

From Freya:

Timberlake and Gaga will be the last host & Musical Guest of the season. Haha i knew that Akiva had accidently let the cat out of the bag on the Comedy Awards red carpet!

Thanks to Freya for the Timberlake scoop!

Seth Green? What do you think of that?

So did Seth Meyers slip on the host a little early (or whoever tweets from that account)? (Seth tweets from a few SNL-related accounts, so I just assume he does most of the SNL tweets.)

How about a new musical digital short with Andy and Justin? How sweet would that be? Plus it gives TLI an automatic hit to put on their third album. =^)

Happy Easter!

Enjoy!

Andy Samberg hosts Shark Week on Discovery Channel

Thanks to Sarah J for the scoop!

SNL's Andy Samberg wins CSO position for Discovery's Shark Week


Andy Samberg - Nokia Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

The position of Chief Shark Officer has been filled by Discovery.

SNL star Andy Samberg won the position after a long and arduous process of blood typing, insurance verification, and wetsuit fittings.

Discovery Channel today announced the appointment of its first ever Chief Shark Officer (CSO), Andy Samberg.

As CSO, Samberg will host the network’s 24th annual Shark Week celebration, cable’s longest running programming event and the official mark of summer. He will film on-air wraps for the weeklong event, host a Shark Week special and may even take the plunge and dive with the apex predators.

“Shark Week is a summertime celebration. It’s about being scared out of your swim trunks but it’s also about being entertained and learning something new. Andy Samberg, a comedian and innovator, is the perfect person to bring those elements together and represent Discovery for our biggest week of the year,” said Discovery Channel President and General Manager Clark Bunting.

Said Samberg: “I’m overjoyed about being appointed CSO. Everyone loves Shark Week. It’s the Bill Cosby of week-long television blocks dedicated to sea animals.”

Shark Week is a ratings apex predator in the summertime, and was watched by almost 31 million people last year, Discovery’s highest rated to date.

The event has become a pop culture phenomenon. In the immortal words of 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan: “Live every week like it’s Shark Week.”

Samberg can also be seen this summer in Will Gluck’s "Friends with Benefits" opposite Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis and Mark Mylod’s "What’s Your Number?" opposite Anna Faris this summer.

Samberg is currently in his sixth season as a cast member on Saturday Night Live.

From:

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1634247.php/SNL-Andy-Samberg-wins-CSO-position-for-Discovery-s-Shark-Week

Thanks again to Sarah for the scoop!

And this quote is from Anony (also sent us the scoop):

[This] is weird, because [Andy] said that the most terrifying thing he’s seen is a slow motion shot of a shark eating a seal on the Discovery Channel’s show Planet Earth. So... yeah.

Hahaha. Gotta love this quote from Andy:

“I’m overjoyed about being appointed CSO. Everyone loves Shark Week. It’s the Bill Cosby of week-long television blocks dedicated to sea animals.”

Are you going to watch Shark Week? What do you think Andy's going to do on it?

This is Andy's third hosting gig; he hosted MTV Spring Break and the MTV Movie Awards.

Happy Easter!

Enjoy!

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Andy Samberg in The Times

Happy Easter Andy Samberg fans!



Freya reports that Andy Samberg is in The Times...

My heart just skipped a beat! There I am flicking through my parents copy of The Times 'Magazine' supplement and there's Andy Samberg in Natalie Raps! I flick back a page and it's only a whole... article on them!

"Take three geeks, add some cheap special effects, and a couple of hollywood celebrities now watch as your videos become and online phenomenon.... How Lonely Island made the internet a funnier place"

Click here for the article:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/sitesearch.do?querystring=lonely+island&p=tto&pf=all&bl=on

Freya says:

You can read it here but you have to pay to sign up. I'll see if I can get a snap of the picture and get round to typing it up at some point!

Enjoy!

Andy Samberg and SNL Panel - Hallway Interviews

Interviews with Andy Samberg, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon & Kenan Thompson



Thanks to Anony for the scoop!

This is from the SNL panel in spring 2010.

Enjoy!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Turtleneck & Chains collaborators listed!!!

The Lonely Island collabs have been announced for their upcoming CD, "Turtle Neck and Chains."

Thanks to Freya for the scoop!

TURTLENECK & CHAIN COMING MAY 10

Collaborators include the following:
  • Michael Bolton (Jack Sparrow)
  • Snoop Dogg (Turtleneck & Chains)
  • Beck (Attracted To Us)
  • Santigold (After Party)
  • Justin Timberlake (Mother Lover)
  • Akon (I Just Had Sex)
  • Rihanna (Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie and Clyde)
  • Nicki Minaj & John Waters (The Creep)
  • Kenan Thompson (Reba/Two Worlds Collide)



Our second album. Featuring Akon, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and other special guests. Stay tuned!

1 We're Back! 1:50
2 Mama
3 I Just Had Sex (feat. Akon) 2:48
4 Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton)
5 Attracted To Us (feat. Beck)
6 Rocky
7 My Mic - Interlude
8 Turtleneck & Chain (feat. Snoop Dogg)
9 Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde (feat. Rihanna) 2:27
10 Trouble On Dookie Island
11 Falcor vs. Atreyu - Classy Skit #1
12 Motherlover (feat. Justin Timberlake) 2:50
13 The Creep (feat. Nicki Minaj & John Waters) 2:40
14 Watch Me Do Me - Classy Skit #2
15 Threw It On The Ground 2:39
16 Japan
17 After Party (feat. Santigold)
18 No Homo
19 No Homo Outro
20 Reba (Two Worlds Collide) (feat. Kenan Thompson)

From:
http://www.thelonelyisland.com/music
====================================

Thanks go out to Freya again for the scoop!

So no new women collaborators, but there are two on the album we've already heard/seen (Nicki Minaj and Rihanna). I think the Michael Bolton collab is hilarious! Snoop Dog would also be interesting to check out. I hope they do videos for both those songs!

Which collaboration are you the most excited to hear?

Which songs do you want to see as skits?

Enjoy!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Parks and Recreation - On Set Interview with Andy Samberg

SNL's Andy Samberg guest stars as Carl in Park Safety.



This is from 2010. We posted the NBC version, but this is for those folks who can't see that one.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Rashida Jones picks Andy Samberg

As we mentioned before, Rashida co-wrote Celeste and Jesse Forever, and so she got to pick her co-star. She has appeared on SNL (Rainn Wilson episode in February 07), co-starred with him in "I Love You Man" and did a few MTV promos with him...



Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones are set to star together in the dramedy “Celeste and Jesse Forever”. Written by Jones and her writing partner Will McCormick, Celeste and Jesse Forever follows a couple who attempt to remain friends while undergoing a divorce. Lee Toland Krieger will direct.

In an interview with 24 Frames, Jones compared the film to Blue Valentine and When Harry Met Sally -

“Our movie is about two people who love each other a ton but they don’t know what to do with that love, and how do you let that person go. It’s very different from: ‘I like having sex with this person because I’m so modern but then, ooh, maybe I like them.’ I’m less interested in that story. It’s the version of When Harry Met Sally 20 years later, or Blue Valentine. It’s really about how you break up with someone.”

Count. Me. In.

From:
http://fuckyeahandysamberg.tumblr.com/post/4047787444/saturdaynightlive-andy-samberg-and-rashida#notes

Enjoy!

Rayanna's adventure to meet the Dudes

■ 5:50 PM - We walk to the line in front of Amoeba.

■ 6:00 - 7:00 PM - We anxiously wait for them to let us in

and I saw this awesome kid:



■ At about 7:05 they LET US IN. Desiree and I got pretty good standing views since we were in the front of the line

■ 7:30 - THE DUDES CAME OUT AND WE WERE ALL FREAKING:



■ 8:15 PM - The Q&A was over and it was time for the Dudes to sign everyones [stuff]. We were supposed to like.. go in the back of the line basically, but everything was so unorganized everyone just kinda cut.

■ Around 8:30 - IT WAS OUR TURN. I was like waiting there even though Jorma had a spot open for someone to come up. I was so scared. I remember the security dude telling me, “Calm down, don’t be nervous!” But I was shaking.

More pictures and story here:
http://goddamnedcolleen.tumblr.com/post/4731089879

Thanks to Rayanna for the great story! Go read the rest!

Enjoy!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Andy Samberg & TLI - Interview panel at Berkeley

The videos of the Dudes in Berkeley

First scoop comes from George:



The Lonely Island came to AMOEBA records in Berkeley for some Q&A from fans.

And here's video #2 from Rayanna:



The creators of this second vid (Rayanna) currently plan to delete this when they upload a longer version with all their footage. Rayanna, could you let us know when you upload the full vid?

Thanks to Anony for the scoop (and Rayanna for the comment)!

Anony said, "I think the reason they did it yesterday at Amoeba Records had somehting to do with the fact that it was Record Store Day yesterday."

Enjoy!

Andy Samberg & TLI - YouTube Q&A Video

So given Andy Samberg's Wired interview, the Dudes are thinking about how they can upload YouTube videos more often (and maybe make those profitable).

The dudes getting Comedy Central's permission to upload their live performance with Akon is a good example.

And now they plan to do a Q&A video!



Heads up! The Dudes are going to record a Q&A video at YouTube HQ, vote & ask questions on the YT channel (deadline is Monday morning):
http://youtube.com/thelonelyisland

From:
http://thelonelyisland.blogspot.com/2011/04/ask-dudes-anything.html
==============

Monday morning is right now! So go and submit your questions!

Thanks to Anony for the scoop!

Enjoy!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Andy Samberg video - behind the scenes of Wired photo shoot

Special thanks to Juliette for the scoop!

I Can Haz Andy Samberg?



A behind the scenes glimpse at SNL's viral video king prepping for the Wired photo shoot.

Enjoy!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Turtleneck & Chain Q&A in Berkeley today?

Freya mentioned that there was a Turtleneck & Chain Q&A in Berkeley today.

Did anyone attend?

Shoot us a comment if you did, and include some details! =^)

Thanks!
I Just Had Sex - Live with Akon and The Roots - from the Comedy Awards



The Lonely Island with Akon and The Roots performing I Just Had Sex on the Comedy Awards!
Original Air Date April 10, 2011.


Footage courtesy of Comedy Central.

So this version is going to stick around. Yay! Thanks TLI for getting permission from Comedy Central.

What do you think? Is it lip synced? It's far higher quality than their other live stuff, but there are parts where it's obviously not lip synced, like Andy saying, "Comedy!" at the end. Thoughts?

Enjoy!

Friday, April 15, 2011

Andy Samberg - Wired Interview

Q&A with Andy Samberg, Viral Video King

Thanks to Freya for the scoop! After you get past the interviewer's setup, this is an AWESOME interview! Andy talks shop about YouTube frustrations, Jay Pharoah, his SNL inspirations, how viral videos on the Web work, and more! Kudos go out to the interviewer, Chris Hardwick.

Pillow talk with Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg:



OK, sure, the Internet represents the largest paradigm shift since the Industrial Revolution. And it toppled totalitarian regimes, crippled the music business, and neutered the porn industry. But it has also completely changed the landscape of comedy.

The unceremonious pop that signified the end of the 1980s took with it dozens of televised stand-up shows, their brick backdrops crumbling into metaphoric rubble. In the ’90s, a comedian would tour, and if that person were lucky, he might get a deal for a sitcom that would either never get made or enjoy a swift cancellation.

And then: broadband. YouTube turned all of civilization into a reality show. I can barely remember a time before its voyeurism, nut shots, kitten yawns, and sad-larious shenanigans made the TV show I host, Web Soup, possible.

But it’s not just video. Like all comedians, I have a podcast. Mine is called the Nerdist, and starting it was my single best career decision ever. Doing a weekly show let me burrow into a niche and connect with like-minded nerds. Plus, it has done more to increase attendance at my live shows than all of my TV projects combined. Sketch comics, once constrained to Saturday Night Live, now have entire channels, entire sites, devoted to them. As a result, comedians, in addition to barely handling the pressures of being hilarious all the time, also have to understand marketing, delivery systems, and social media.

Few comics do this better than SNL’s Andy Samberg. His group, the Lonely Island (with Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone), has been making web videos since 2000—to the tune of 440 million YouTube views. If you’ve enjoyed the Chronic-WHAT-cles of Narnia, been On a Boat, or presented your Di$$ in a Box to a young lady, thank these guys.

Samberg and I sat down in New York for an in-depth discussion about comedy on the digital stage—and what it means when performers can become known commodities in a matter of hours. Get ready for serious talk about the business of web comedy (mainly because Wired made me cut out all the va$ina jokes).

Hardwick: You guys really were pioneers on the Internet. The stats on your YouTube channel are insane: 65 videos, 894,000 subscribers, 440 million views. [Man]!

Samberg: People like jokes about ji$$.

Lonely Islanders: (from left) Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone...



Hardwick: Clearly. But do you actually make money with the YouTube channel, or is it more about awareness?

Samberg: We’re trying to make it more the former. So far it’s been really good for awareness.

Hardwick: Why do you think it’s so hard to spin YouTube into cash?

Samberg: Well, we started through NBC and SNL, and weirdly, when the stakes and production value get higher, it is less profitable. If you want to make YouTube your sole place to make money, you have to strike a balance between spending less and producing more. Because the more you produce, the more followers you gain. It’s a more intimate relationship between the creator and the viewers than on TV.

Hardwick: When I started doing my podcast a year ago, I said it just has to be consistent every week. But that’s harder when you’re making videos.

Samberg: It’s especially hard because we’re already making videos every week at SNL. And we can’t put those on YouTube, because NBC Universal has their deal with Hulu and NBC.com. For us it started when we did “Lazy Sunday” with Chris Parnell. It was on YouTube immediately, because no one had really heard of YouTube yet. It became a big thing, but then it got yanked off. When we did the one with Natalie Portman, the same thing happened. We did “Di$$ in a Box,” and the same thing happened. It got really frustrating, because we knew there was an audience beyond the show. So for our songs and music videos, with the involvement of Lorne Michaels and NBC, we struck the record deal. That’s why videos like “Ji$$ in My Pants” and “I’m on a Boat” live on YouTube and have those gigantic view counts.

Hardwick: When did you first think, oh, comedy is a thing I would like to do?

Samberg: I was 8 years old. I would sneak into the TV room and watch SNL.

Hardwick: Which cast?

Samberg: Lovitz, Carvey, Hartman, Jan Hooks—that era. The only time it ever dropped off a little for me was the beginning of the Ferrell-Oteri-Shannon era. But then I got into that really hot as well. It was just that, you know, in your first two years of college you stop watching SNL a little bit, because you’re going out, and there was no TiVo then. Akiva and I were recording SNL on VHS until 2004.

Hardwick: Wait, are you saying you weren’t able to just consume media whenever you wanted?

Samberg: That was the case. When we met Ferrell and Fred Armisen and Will Forte, we were like, “We watched your sketches on VHS over and over till we memorized them.” They said, “That was like last week.” All I could say was, “I know, but they weren’t online.”

Hardwick: OK, that’s one way the Internet has changed comedy: access. What else do you think has changed?

Samberg: I don’t think that the actual quality or content has changed. It’s just that now there’s another way for you to find it. Like one of SNL’s new cast members, Jay Pharoah, is a killer impressionist. And he was basically found on the Internet. I mean, I know he did stand-up and stuff, but they told us, like, “Oh yeah, they’re considering this guy. Take a look at his YouTube video.” It was literally just him in his bedroom doing a bunch of impressions. And he was super-talented. You can get discovered a new way now is really my only point. You know, one of the common misconceptions about the Lonely Island is that we were discovered on the Internet. We actually weren’t. A hand-off of a VHS tape is how we got agents, and working on the MTV Movie Awards with Jimmy Fallon and producers Mike Shoemaker and Steve Higgins is how we got recommended to SNL.

Hardwick: What was your audition for SNL like?

Samberg: It was very silly. You’re supposed to do impressions and characters, and I basically had none. So I did a lot of stand-up and tried to show how I was a dumbass.

Hardwick: Did you have music?

Samberg: I recorded a song and played it before I did one character, and it did not work. It was a perfect way of describing how I’ve managed to work at the show, which is like, well, let me just show you what I mean by doing this video with my friends.

Hardwick: So who came up with the idea of framing you guys as the makers of viral videos? Because digital shorts are essentially the smart way to hybridize Internet and television.

Samberg: The producers, Higgins and Shoemaker, told us they were always looking for pretape material to change over the sets and costumes. We went out with Will Forte and did the first digital short, which was “Lettuce,” basically a very dramatic conversation conducted while really vigorously eating giant heads of lettuce. We brought it in, showed it to them, and they said, “Yeah, maybe.” They put it in dress, it got laughs. Then they put it on air. For them, it was incredibly cost-effective, and it filled that gap. So then we did the second one, “Peyote,” which didn’t air that week because it was too similar to “Lettuce” but aired toward the end of the season. And then the third one was “Lazy Sunday.” After that, they were like, “Yeah, keep making them.”

Hardwick: “Lazy Sunday” is so much fun to watch, but something you don’t get on the Internet is the experience of listening to the SNL audience go fu$$ing berserk.

Samberg: It’s crazy, man. Watching the shorts in the studio when they work is the most exhilarating feeling I think I’ve ever had in comedy. I’ve had some really good nights of stand-up, and I’ve had some really great moments live at SNL. But I still haven’t had a feeling comparable to right after “Di$$ in a Box” ended.

Hardwick: It crushed. And you won an Emmy. The only problem that you may have is dudes running up with their di$$s in boxes, saying, “Hey, remember when you did this thing?”

Samberg: I’ve had one, but it was not his actual di$$. One Halloween a guy saw me in a bar and was like, “Dude, check it out!” He lifted up the box and there was a giant dildo in it. And I was like, “Yeah, you’re not showing this to people, right? You’re going to get arrested.”

Hardwick: Which is worse: something that doesn’t work online or doesn’t work on television?

Samberg: It hurts more for me when it doesn’t work on SNL, just because you can hear it not working. On YouTube it’s a low view count, but you know that it’s still finding people who like it. I mean, there’s certainly the thing with SNL that our favorite sketches are always the last two of the night, the ones that were super-crazy-balls, that the audience was silent through. I think it’s important to do whatever’s making you laugh that week, you know, instead of always trying to make the biggest thing ever.

Hardwick: Between that and the time constraints, I wonder whether SNL is the most Internet-like show on television.

Samberg: It’s certainly geared naturally to the Internet, because it’s so modular. The things that work on the show are allowed to have this great afterlife online. Like, there’s this Nintendo Wii sketch that they did a few seasons ago with Alec Baldwin, where it looked like they were jerking off. It was really late in the show. We all loved it, the crowd really went for it, but it was an end-of-the-show kind of a sketch. And that was one of the most viewed sketches on Hulu.

Hardwick: Does the fact that the sum total of human comedy is available at all times force you to be a little more competitive?

Samberg: There are a lot of people trying to do comedy. People are going to have the same ideas. But there’s so much content being produced that even if something is really popular, there’s only so much of a cycle that an Internet video can have. I think it gets shorter and shorter because there’s more and more content. Even things that people love—when something reaches a certain level of success online, everyone turns on it.

Hardwick: Do you think that the trappings of traditional media make online comedy less funny?

Samberg: When we do the music videos now, it’s the most we spend. Which is kind of ironic, because in the beginning it was like, look how cool we can make it for cheap. But you know, we have a record deal, so we’re trying to compete with the biggest videos. Such a huge part of our joke is having it feel like modern pop or modern rap or modern whatever genre. But a huge part of that is mimicking the style of the videos, the excitement and glossiness. We learned that on “Ji$$” and “Boat” especially.

Hardwick: We got so Charlie Rose there for a second. “When you were working on ‘Ji$$’—”

Samberg: Oh, man, that was like the episode of Inside the Actor’s Studio with Dave Chappelle, when James Lipton plays a clip from Half Baked and says, “That was a remarkable piece of acting.” Chappelle just dies laughing. That was my favorite thing ever. There’s no way to talk about comedy seriously without sounding like a di$$head.


From:
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/04/ff_samberg_qa/

====================

Once again thanks go out to Freya and Juliette for the scoop!

Well, in the beginning, the interviewer failed to mention one important thing... Andy Samberg & TLI were so successful on YouTube BECAUSE of television and SNL, not the other way around. Both are important, but YouTube is not a replacement, and TV offers a lot more money and "stability". Fortunately, that became clearer when Andy told him in the actual interview. Either the interviewer wrote the intro before he interviewed Andy, or he simply wasn't listening to Andy or care about what Andy said. Weird.

This was a GREAT interview.

Learn anything new in this interview?

Enjoy!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Andy Samberg, TLI, & Akon - I Just Had Sex BEHIND THE SCENES



Thanks to Freya for the scoop!

This is pretty cool. Usually TLI does these short 1 minute behind the scenes videos that are set to music and you can't really hear anybody. So this is kind of cool to see one from Akon's perspective.

What do you think?

Enjoy!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Cozzabags - Boganics Mixtape (Video & Free Download)


Cozzabags MC, Producer & SDM Family member, has dropped a hiilarious concept album mixing new production, some well known beats, samples and Aussie referances! Check out the the Cozzabags - Boganics Mixtape on Bandcamp. Your not ready for Boganics - the Aussie Ebonics!!!!

Cozzabags - Boganics Mixtape
http://cozzabags.bandcamp.com/album/boganics
"This is a concept album, in the sense that I've used Samples from music and comedy I grew up with, so it's a tribute to all 80s and 90s stuff. I have an album coming out later in 2011 that will (hopefully) move forward from this and into the new millennium!" - Cozzabags

1. Rude Intro 00:39
2. Fire (Burn the house down, original version) 03:52
3. Rude interlude 1
4. Righteous Indignation
5. Better than you
6. Rude interlude 2
7. Crappin on till the break a dawn (130 Bars)
8. Rude interlude 3
9. Boganics (Real men don't eat Quiche, original version)
10. Rude interlude 4
11. Fire (Low level flame, radio version)
12. Boganics (Quiche eater friendly, radio version)
13. Young dero shout outs


There's the first vid here, others to come:
http://www.youtube.com/user/cozzabags

And the other bits:
Website:
http://cozzabags.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/cozzabags
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cozzabags/147524675304472

Andy Samberg's Hugh Jackman (his other two skits from this week)

Unfortunately, Andy was in two other skits this week that NBC did not put online (I already skimmed the full episode and made sure they were cut out of that as well). The reason is usually that they used music in the show that they don't have the rights to. Come on, NBC! Step up your game!

Don't make Wolverine Andy angry:



And here's a little info about the two skits...

Monologue

Helen Mirren
Paul Brittain
Bill Hader
Taran Killam
Bobby Moynihan
Andy Samberg
Kenan Thompson



Apparently the SNL dudes were a bunch of sailors. =^)


Show - The Best of Both Worlds



Helen Mirren ... Julie Andrews
Bill Hader ... announcer (voice)
Taran Killam ... Gerard Butler
Bobby Moynihan ... Richie
Andy Samberg ... Hugh Jackman
Kenan Thompson ... Ice Cube



This is the first time Andy (and anyone on SNL) has done Hugh Jackman. It looks like Andy's Hugh was the host (which makes sad Andy even sadder).

I think it's hilarious that Andy's Hugh Jackman is a combination of Wolverine hair and Hugh's tux. (Reminds me of how Taran did his Ian McKellan impression as Ian dressed as Gandalf.) In fact, Taran does a similar thing in this skit with his Gerard Butler impression, dressed as King Leonidas from 300. Hilarious!



First time that Ice Cube (by Kenan Thompson) was done on SNL.



And it's the first time that Taran Killam (or anyone) played Gerard Butler. Although Gerard himself was on SNL and played a parody of his King Leonidas character.



Helen Mirren played Julie Andrews. Julie has only been parodied directly once on SNL by Christine Baranski back in 1996, on Molly Shannon's Courtney Love show:



Although Ann Hathaway played Mary Poppins a few years back.

==============

Anyway...

What do you think of Wolverine Andy? Is he cute? Here he is again...



Oh, and did anybody see the episode and want to fill us in more about those two skits? Thanks!

Enjoy!
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