Photos
First of all, we’d like to thank you for the huge response to our performance review. It is very helpful for me, as a new addition to Videogum, to hear about what you’ve appreciated here in the past and in which directions you’d like to see Videogum head in the future. Because I will be a part of that (very exciting!) future. There were a lot of great ideas mentioned and we have a lot of great ideas ourselves, and I think putting all of our ideas together will really bring Videogum to “a whole ‘nother level,” and there I would like to link to a supercut of people saying that phrase but that supercut does not exist as far as I know.
In any case, it’s a very exciting time here. I’m here. You’re here. Gabe’s here. Birdie’s somewhere. It can only get better. “We so excited.” (Quoting that a lot more was a suggestion lots of you had, right? Great, I think I have a very good handle on this. I’ll take it from here, Gabe.)
After the jump, the five Highest Rated comments, as voted on by you, the Lowest Rated comment, the New Turtle Caption Contest winner, the Associate Editor’s Choice, and the Editor’s Note.
This Week’s Highest Rated Comments
| #5 |  |
huckabeast | May 27th | Score:54 |
|
If this is a “short film” then the Windows start-up sound is a “song.” |
|||
| Posted in: Well, This Lindsay Lohan “Short Film” Is Terrible | |||
| #4 |  |
principal enchman | Jun 2nd | Score:59 |
|
Gabe’s getting paid, right? |
|||
| Posted in: The Videogum 6-Month Performance Review | |||
| #3 | |
huckabeast | May 31st | Score:68 |
|
Sufjan really dialed back the scope of his 50 State Project. |
|||
| Posted in: United Stereotypes Of America | |||
| #2 |  |
Capu Flapu And The Spasmatic Pentagrams | Jun 2nd | Score:74 |
|
I haven’t used Videogum very much over the last six months. I used it consistently in 2010 (get to the point Grandpa), probably reading every post and rarely going a day without contributing. And since New Year I’ve barely made a post. I don’t think anything has changed on Videogum, but I no longer get the kind of excitement I used to get that a post was imminent. It could be that there’s more focus on American culture/TV shows recently, and as a Brit there’s no real in-road where I can comment. It could be a little bit to do with the favouritism amongst certain commenters, leaving comments unrelated to the article as if trying to exclude other people (Videogum is not a special place just for you to make your tiresome repetitive jokes, it is a place for EVERYONE). It’s maybe a little to do with some of my favourite columns morphing into the same old thing every week, The Hunt is suddenly Gabe exaggerating the flaws of average films every Monday, WUWTG has disappeared. Guest weeks keep popping up and, whilst entertaining, just don’t have the same standard of writing I’m used to. I’m not trying to knock Videogum here, I’m just saying the little spring of excitement I used to get at about two minutes to the hour has dried up and I’m sad it has. This is still a great place for funny, smart writing not just from the article writer themselves but from the comment sections (the best comment sections on the internet? The best comment sections on the internet) but somehow, what was once a need for Videogum has dried up to be an idle interest. Just me, maybe. Don’t know if all that’s at all relevant to your six month review but I loved the few months I was commenting and my interest waning is a sad event. You monsters rock. Keep it up. tl;dr I don’t know what I’m talking about |
|||
| Posted in: The Videogum 6-Month Performance Review | |||
| #1 |  |
Patrick M | May 31st | Score:76 |
|
This is pretty much a glimpse into the future of America: just small groups of like-minded people, cordoned off with portable fences, yelling at each other. |
|||
| Posted in: The Ku Klux Klan Protests The Westboro Baptist Church, OBVIOUSLY | |||
[Assoc. Ed Note: Good job this week, everybody. Lots of thoughtful comments. And a special congratulations to Patrick M for getting this week's top spot. Great job!]
This Week’s Lowest Rated Comment
| #1 |  |
eega | Jun 1st | Score:-17 |
| This kid needs to believe in some speech therapy. | |||
| Posted in: If You Believe In Yourself, You Will Know How To Ride A Bike! | |||
[Assoc. Ed Note: No! We all love him!]
This Week’s Caption Contest Winner
 |
Frank Lloyd Wrong | May 31st | Score:76 | |
| Posted in: The Videogum Why Don’t YOU Caption It? Contest: New Turtle | |||
[Ed Note: Congratulations, Frank Lloyd Wrong! You earned it.]
This Week’s Associate Editor’s Choice
 |
sam | Jun 1st | Score:17 | |
|
Kielbasablanca |
|||
| Posted in: Best New Party Game 55: Movie Food Trucks | |||
[Assoc. Ed Note: Now, there were a LOT of great and very thoughtful comments this week. Too many to even think about picking a favorite. So instead I picked my favorite Best New Party Game reply. Let's hang loose, shall we? This one was so good. I told people about it later that night and everyone liked it.]
This Week’s Editor’s Note
[Ed Note: So, guys, I read all of the comments on yesterday's Quarterly Review post...well, not all of the comments, there are so many comments! But most of the comments. And I have a few things I would like to say. I mean, I have a lot of things I would like to say, but a few that I'm going to say now that are particularly relevant for the Monsters' Ball and OK let's just cut to it already: Videogum's community, as if I need to remind you, is wonderful. And important. So let's keep it that way. I think there have been some lapses both on my/our part in recent months, as well as some lapses within the community. We have no desire to overly-monitor or police the comment threads, but we also agree with many of the users that Videogum should be a place where everyone's opinion is accepted, even if it is vehemently disagreed with. This doesn't mean we don't make counter-arguments or debate the ISSUES, but it does mean that we are welcoming to new members, and welcoming of people who have the courage and intellectual engagement to offer up an opinion that they very often know themselves will probably result in some disagreement or downvoting from others. (The downvoting is a whole other thing that I'm not sure, at this point in time, how to resolve. But downvoting is not intended for use against a well-crafted and thoughtful comment that you happen to just disagree with. It is for things that you find abusive, or offensive, or stupid, or trollish, etc. Again, we are not going to be policing how the downvotes are used, but think about why you are using them maybe! On the other hand, I know that some people see the upvotes/downvotes system and the Monsters' Ball itself as the source of Videogum's commenting community failings. I understand that. I'm not sure I entirely agree with it, I need to think about it some more. But for the time being let's accept that this is the structure that we have to work with and do our best to make this place better an stronger WITHIN that structure. I mean, at the end of the day, the Monsters' Ball is NOT AN ACTUAL MEANINGFUL CONTEST, sorry, should have probably put that in the legal fine print. Surely we are all getting more out of these threads than just seeing who gets listed at the top of this page each week? I hope?) To some extent what this means, if you want to strengthen and grow the community, which I think many of you do, is that you are going to have to do this work amongst yourselves, and I genuinely hope that you take on this task. This means that if you want the comments to be genuine discussion threads and not just animated GIF one-upsmanship, you are going to have to engender actual discussion, and you are going to have to support people offering their opinions, even if you don't think they did it in a clever enough way, or if you don't subscribe to their politics/viewpoint/whatever. It means being a real community, with all of its problems and differences and friendship and support. I think that together we can do it, but we absolutely cannot do it if it's not together. So please help out. Thanks.]
 |
 |
Howdy Monsters!!!! I’m excited to announce that there are a bunch a meetups coming up across the USA. TWO of which are this weekend? Yes. That wasn’t a question.
Chicago Monster Karaoke 3: Revenge of the Fallen
Friday, June 3rd. 8pm-11pm
Los Angeles Meet-Up – Roller Derby Edition 21+
Saturday, June 4th. 6pm-6am
Philadelphia Monster Meetup & Rain Birthday Celebration
Saturday, June 25th. 8pm-12am
See. 3 different cities. A whole lot of meeting. And please be aware you can always keep up with meetups and all monster knowledge (Etsys, Words with Friends, XBL/PSN, Tumblrs) on MOBFD. A place that has way more than you wanted to know.
Thank you.
Chicago has Monster Karaoke?! WHAT?! Sometimes I think karaoke and Videogum are the only two constants in my life, and to combine them, well who can even say what magic awaits in that dimension.
Minneapolis, why don’t we do that? Any other Twin Cities monsters around? We have the best karaoke dive bars to take advantage of, that’s for goddamn sure.
Anybody interested in a New England/Upstate NY meetup? I feel like too many of the monster meetups are in far-away cities and we in the hinterlands could use some Videogum monster parties of our own.
Interested? Yes. Is it likely I’d actually make it? Considering that I’m lazy and don’t generally like to leave Vermont unless it is for a long adventure, maybe no so much. I could, however, be persuaded.
We have at least 2 Vermonters here. Pt, wasn’t there someone else before too? Anyway, I would like a New England meet up – I’ve though about going to one of the NYC ones, but honestly I am not cool enough to go to a bowling alley in Brooklyn. Not even close.
TGIF! you guys! Guess what? I got a new job! I’m not sure what that’s going to mean for my VGum commenting future, but rest assured, if things go quiet, I’ll always be lurking in your HEARTS!
P.S. If you see me out this weekend, drinks are on me!
Gif time? Gif time!
Wow, congrats on the job, that’s awesome! (Where will you be hanging out this weekend? I want to cash in on the free booze.)
I’m by the seat of my pants kind of guy (so cool, I know), but I’ll be at Arlene’s Grocery in NYC tonight.
Dang. Atlanta to NYC is a little too far for a night out. I’ll take an IOU.
Gabe, I just wanna say that I think its awesome that you gave us a quasi-official space to make our suggestions and air out our grievances. Its not easy to hear a lot of criticism, so doing so was a classy move and it was heck of a lot better than waiting until issues boiled over.
That said: IT’S FRIDAY. WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!
Just a reminder, the L.A. Monsters (21+) are meeting up tomorrow (Sat June 4th) for a night of Roller Derby & Drinking.
Derby Dolls
The Doll Factory
1910 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA
Doors are at 6. The matches run from 7:45-10.
I’ll probably get there around 7:30.
For those of you who can’t make the match, we will be meeting up for drinks after the derby (~10:30ish) at:
La Cita Bar
336 s. Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Hopefully, I’ll see you there!
Just a reminder, the L.A. Monsters (21+) are meeting up tomorrow (Sat June 4th) for a night of Roller Derby & Drinking.
Derby Dolls
The Doll Factory
1910 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA
Doors are at 6. The matches run from 7:45-10.
I’ll probably get there around 7:30.
For those of you who can’t make the match, we will be meeting up for drinks after the derby (~10:30ish) at:
La Cita Bar
336 s. Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Hopefully, I’ll see you there!
Let’s dance.
http://videogum.com/313401/this-week-in-gifs-2/webjunk/
::eyeroll::
Sorry, my comment was a tad mean.
I know I want to dance!
Wow, really well-said on Gabe’s part. Made me really consider my role. I vow to do my best to keep Vgum great!
I’ve decided to follow in Gwyneth Paltrow’s footsteps and join twitter. So if you ever wanted to read the thoughts of a 13 year old, today is your lucky day.
Twitter.com/sonofgabe
I just followed you and now I feel like Chris Hansen is about to come knock on my door.
About the editor’s note- Yes! I’m all for more meaningful discussion.
…so you guys gonna talk about science with me, or what?
I believe we should discuss the use of children as symbolism in the works of William Faulkner.
Just know if you were older I would be rolling more of my eyeballs because this comment than how I feel, which is impressed. Upvote.
It’s not impressive. That was actually Conan O’Brien’s Harvard thesis.
Do you want to talk about how your mother is a fish?
I know someone who’s always down for a science discussion:
you’ve been farted on?
Nnnnnnooooooo videogum has always been a safe place from science!! Without it I am in a no win situation, where I either comment and am a pedantic asshole or don’t and then lay in bed at night going “god those people were all so wrong!”.
Did anyone else get so much anxiety while waiting for the closing parentheses? PHEW.
Yes!
Your avatar is the best!
Very happy to report that I got a job! So I may or may not be commenting less but Videogum will still be my fav place on the internet!
P.S. It’s in a Penthouse on Wall St and I’m not doing anything kinky!
Congrats on the job!
Congrats! We’re job finding buddies!
Yay for jobs!
Congrats, buddy!
Yay for Fulton Street!
If this is a breach of etiquette to not direct this toward the performance review, I apologize, but I would be unhappy if we lost the upvote/ downvote system, if only because it allows people who can only devote a relatively few minutes a day to read the (usually) funniest comments in a jiffy. If anything, I’d like to be able to sort comments by score.
Sorting by score would most definitely not help solve the concerns over comments being too much of a competition for LOLs. (Is that even a real sentence? What a mess.)
That said, I don’t want to lose the upvote/downvote system either. And as a lowly lurker, I have to admit I am guilty of blowing through caption contests and such by looking mainly for the most upvoted comments.
I really enjoyed the candor in the Performance Review this week, gang. The very fact that Gabe and Kelly set something like that up, the attention they give to us Monsters, is part of what keeps this place trucking. And, speaking of, I’m gonna go move into my new apartment now. Have a great weekend, everyone! Huckabeast, OUT!
WE’RE moving?
Wait till you see it, Cake. You’ll love it.
Are you moving in with Timothy Olyphant?
Can I?
Chicago Monsters: I will see you tonight at karaoke where I will be celebrating my victory in NOT AN ACTUAL MEANINGFUL CONTEST
Nothing really matters.
Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Body’s aching all the time
Goodbye everybody – I’ve got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, ooo – (anyway the wind blows)
I don’t want to die
I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all
I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouch, scaramouch will you do the fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning – very very frightening me
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo Figaro – MAGNIFICO!!!!!!
silent internet karaoke is one of the best kinds of karaoke.
Shellbomber and I ruled that song last night
Chicago Monsters: I am moving to your city in August!
I’ve also just started reading “The Devil in the White City” and am now terrified to move to Chicago.
Lolapalooza meetup is in August.
That happened like 100 years ago, there’s no more crime in Chicago anymore.
Oh Lola, how I wish you weren’t so expensive.
The meetup is actually an After-palooza meet-up, so you can still come. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203968176301467
woohoo! This seems fun. You seem nice. I guess I could come.
I tried to read “The Devil in the White City” and it was too much for me, I had to quit. And I love true crime.
I am actually way more interested in the World’s Fair part of it, because I am a nerd. The murder stuff is interesting, but not as cool as the architect catfights that happen.
The World’s Fair parts were crazy interesting–I was sorry to have to give it up.
The World’s Fair part is far more interesting than the Holmes storyline by the second half of the book, imho. The first half I was like “yeah yeah yeah, meetings! Where’s the killer guy?” and the second half I was all “blah blah blah murder BUT HOW WILL THE FAIR EVEN HAPPEN?”
That second half will also make you un-terrified of moving to Chicago. I grew up there, and it really is a lovely place. Except in February, but that’s what Netflix is for.
“Be the change you want to see in the blog.”
- Ghandi
On the real though, conversation is great, even if it’s uncomfortable. That’s what catharsis is all about.
I believe firmly that you shouldn’t just complain about something without offering constructive advice about how to solve the problems you see, and I feel like most of the people in the Performance Review were extremely constructive in their criticism. Those who were just complaining were rightly called out on it, because what are we going to do with that? I feel like we’re all growing up. I hope everyone else feels like that, too.
I am always impressed that the majority of Monsters are able to have civil disagreements, and try to see the other point of view. Today digtochina and I had a really nice discussion that might otherwise have been a brawl.
Hey guys! I’m back in America and am happy that I can comment at normal times and attend Monster Meet Ups! I’ll be able to show up to either Philly or NYC parties now too. I’m excited!
Hey Monstars/Nerdlucks! I recorded some songs with my band Andy’s Tea Party (no relation) (and which Herbert’s Booty Surprise is also a member of!) and Chris Trash mentioned it on MOBFD today, so I thought I’d share a coupon code with you guys should anyone be interested. You can also just download it for free! Especially if you like moody songs named for spinoffs of the Golden Girls!
But if you go to http://andysteaparty.bandcamp.com, and decide that you would really like some vinyl with a picture of Bea Arthur’s ghost on the back cover, then you can type in monstertown, and get it for 50% off!
I hope this isn’t too shameless, and if it is feel free to downvote away, but it’s like I’m a proud, and would like to share it with my monster family.
a proud parent! not a member of Disney’s Proud Family.
Yes! It’s my band too and we’re pretty good! 50% off is a steal!
a proud parent! not a member of Disney’s Proud Family.
oh how embarrassing
Speaking of Monster Meetups, are there any Canadian monsters that would want to have a Meet Up? I suggest Toronto, because a.) I live there and b.) It is the center of the Canadaverse.
I hear tons of Ontario monsters asking for a meetup, but it never gets past that. I say you guys make it happen already. if you need help planning it contact @werttrew on twitter or @mobfd
Yes, I endorse.
…the meet-up.
Canadian monsters? Is that a thing now?
What about Alberta monsters? Or do I just have to bathe alone in my pool of money and oil covered dead birds?
Just take one of the super Concords I assume every Albertan got from the Devil in exchange for getting Stephen Harper out of his tentacle-hair for a few years.
Ezra Levant is from Alberta, right? If you massage the definition of “Monster”, you two can have a meetup!
Whoops! Tried to cancel that first joke. UGH. INTERNET.
There are at least a couple of us Edmonsters up in here. Which small town in Alberta are you from, Son of Gabe?
Crowsnest Pass
Yessss, Toronto meetup. A+ let’s do this.
Yyyyes! Toronto meet-up! Let’s have beers! Or coffees! Whatever is age appropriate!
Oh wait a minute, I thought of a 6-month review type suggestion! Change the Monster’s Ball picture. I know it’s familiar, but the screaming kid is played. Pul-ae-eeyad! (or however you spell it phonetically to express attitude)
Hey Monsters!
I’ve been reading Videogum for about a year and a half now, but I never really got into the whole commenting thing (you guys are way better at it than I am), but my universe and Dimension VGum just done crashed into each other, and I had to tell you guys.
SO: Yesterday I was doing what I always do (wasting my life on the Internets for most the day) and my girlfriend saw a Spike Can Dance video video I posted on someone’s facebook (http://videogum.com/214022/spike-can-dance-floor-moves/instructional-videos/) and it turns out that they are HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS?!?!?!?!?! So my mind was basically blown. I mean, to everyone else, Spike Can Dance is just another Internet meme that the world might give a few minutes of attention to. But to me, Spike Can Dance is a part of my religion, a part of my family.
But then my girlfriend started checking out VGum, and she somehow came across the Christian Side Hug post (http://videogum.com/102851/christian_side_hug_by_popular/webjunk/viral-video/) and oh hey, one of the hip-hoppers in the video is her COUSIN?!?!?!?!
So basically, stop trying to infiltrate my (my girlfriend’s) life Videogum (but don’t because these last co
WHOOPS!
So basically, stop trying to infiltrate my (my girlfriend’s) life Videogum (but don’t because these last couple days have been SO FUN)!
I love you Monsters! Keep being the best (really, the best) and maybe I’ll start doing this commenting thing more often!
Um, am I the only one who apparently misunderstood the downvote? I had thought it was for disagreeing not condemning.
Though, don’t get me wrong, I only used it when I really really disagreed. Like if they praised Andy Rooney or something.
Hello! Long time monster, first time writer here. The reason why I’ve broken my commenting silence (apart from the crippling fear of being mocked until I’m forced to leave the internet forever) is for absolutely selfish reasons. I remember seeing the best video ever on here, years ago, and now can’t find it despite using really specific search words such as “dancing christians” and “really funny”, but I NEED to see it again, you guys.
It’s three zany Christians singing “Jesus is Just Alright” and in the middle of the song the guy breaks into a dance solo and does the cabbage patch dance, amongst other things (like winning my heart.) Does anyone remember it and can show me the way? As a thank you, I will tell you about the time I met the MILLIONAIRES.
Is this it? http://videogum.com/20461/bring_on_the_dancing_christian/music-related-content/
http://benzlogo.com
Fashion Female attire
Gold autumn, personality Men’s clothing + Shoes,
Travel bag that grabs an eye coat + Chao packet
Free transport