3 Years Ago: Launch Mode

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

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Don Was & the 2009 Detroit All Star Revue

Let the colors of the Wasmopolitan Cavalcade fly over Detroit!

Every Tuesday for the next 12 weeks Don Was and My Damn Channel will present "The Detroit All Star Revue," performances filmed at the 2009 Concert of Colors, metro Detroit's annual diversity festival and celebration of music.

We kicked it off with The Layabout's "Monkey See, Monkey Do" and will continue next week and right on into the new year with perfromances from the Donfather and legendary Detroit artists:

Sir Mack Rice
? of ? & the Mysterians
Mick Bassett & the Marthas
The Upscale
Blanche
Scott Morgan & Powertrain
The Go
Gorvette
Thornetta Davis
Teagarden & Van Winkle

Next week Sir Mack Rice performs "Mustang Sally," his rock 'n' roll classic.
    

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MY DAMN CHANNEL FLAUNTS "NEW FALL SEASON"

 

Those 3 tired words are decades old but Hollywood hopes they help you fall in love with new shows.

We put quotes around our "new fall season" - knowing we can't fool you into love - but hoping it feels just a little funnier that way.

In two years, we’ve birthed 25 channels of music and comedy…working with artists we love. We think you’ve taught us how to get talent and new series worthy of your evil eye.

Help us buy another bag of chips for lunch! Share the full press release. Share these links to our New Series:

 

Spärhusen

Easy To Assemble: Co-Worker of The Year

Knight Shift

RAMP (Radio And Music Pros)

Harry Shearer: Greed and Fear

Don Was: The Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music (Season 3)

Stella Live in Boston

Unwigged & Unplugged: An Evening with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer

Animation Block (Season 2)

Grace Crashers Presented by Southern Comfort

 

New Stars:

 

Illeana Douglas

Keanu Reeves

Ask A Ninja 

Sir Paul McCartney

Rob Mailhouse

Sir Sean Connery

Todd Spahr

Sir Richard Branson

Wallace Langham

Ryan Hunter

Taige Jensen

Sir Ben Kingsley

Jeff Goldblum

Stephen Hawking

Brad O’Farrell

Justine Bateman

Tom Arnold

Sir Elton John

Kevin Carter

Keith Berman

Steve Resnik

Prince William

The Queen

Ed Begley Jr.

Craig Bierko

Kevin Pollak

Sidney Poitier

Jane Lynch

Cheri Oteri

Ricki Lake

Tim Meadows

Dave Ahdoot

Daryl Sabara

Eric Lange

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FREE COUNTRY, FREE MUSIC

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.

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DON WAS TURNS AN IDEA INTO ENERGY

Don Was is the man behind our music on My Damn Channel.

The Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music is the place where Don brings you music you won't hear anywhere else.

Our Donfather called a few nights ago, with an inspired idea.

The result & the video is on your screen now.

Please share this - post this - email this link.

No money is being made on this & you can get a free mp3 download on Don's channel too.

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THE CAVALCADE IS COMING

We're presenting all new music produced by the head of heart of Don Was.

Don is featuring live music every Monday - every week - for 13 weeks - right into December.

The Detroit All Star Revue was filmed exclusively by My Damn Channel at the "Concert of Colors" this summer. 

First up: Legendary Motor City soul singer, Mitch Ryder!



The Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music is always open for your ears & eyes - over 50 original songs/videos are there for you & yers: here.

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THE NIGHT FEED for real

Our twins are 10 months old. This blog was named "The Night Feed" and launched last November at a time when sleep was a nickname for 90-minute naps in the middle of the night, between feedings. We all sleep like humans now, but not tonight.

It's raining hard. A Hard Rain.... Head running. Sleeptalkin. Re-inspired. The second year of My Damn Channel begins. 

We're regularly attacking ourselves and creating more reasons for you to get into it, to spread it, or to slap us senseless. emails welcome......rob@MyDamnChannel.com:

- register and customize your own profiles

- sign up for Video Alerts for new premieres  

- we're no Facebook...but we've got Friending

- more NEW premieres every week

- new Daily Grace....daily

- new Wainy Days episodes on now & season 3 finale 8/25

- all new YSAP premiering every other Friday - next one 8/22

- all new Harry Shearer videos from Songs of the Bushmen premiering now

- new sports & music series FACETIME presented by Puma (pilot is live now)

- Season 2 of all new music from Don Was on the Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music

- Lapdance with Kurt Loder: Saving the World One Interview at a Time (in production)

- new summer sponsors include: Southern Comfort, Puma, HBO

- email directly if you want to help build the new PILOT CHANNEL (& give it a better name)

- one more thing.....please STOP doing what you're doing:

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CELEBRATING OURSELVES

MY DAMN CHANNEL CELEBRATES ITSELF

First Birthday Stats and ‘Terrible Two’ Plans Revealed

NEW YORK, July 31, 2008 - My Damn Channel (www.MyDamnChannel.com), the entertainment studio and new media platform, today celebrates its first birthday by revealing year one statistics on traffic and revenue, and announcing new community features and a full development slate.

My Damn Channel has built a brand that empowers professional filmmakers, actors, comedians, musicians, and athletes to co-produce, mass distribute and monetize original, short-form video.

My Damn Channel has produced over 325 original videos viewed over 29 million times in the past year. The company created a studio, a destination site, syndication network, and branded entertainment exchange to match advertisers with top talent who deliver high-quality, episodic content.  

Today, the channel celebrates itself and the first 9 channels co-created with Harry Shearer, David Wain, Big Fat Brain, Don Was, A.D. Miles, Andy Milonakis, Grace Helbig, Steve Kerper, and Coolio.  

Watch our Birthday Meltdown

Watch 07-08-Oh-No

Twenty-two original series have featured over 120 professional artists including Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Rob Corddry, Janeane Garofalo, Kristen Schaal, and Elizabeth Banks.    

My Damn Channel currently reaches over one million unique viewers monthly. Major brands including Lincoln, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, Southern Comfort, Puma, and HBO have signed on. Revenue is pacing to exceed $1 million by year’s end.

A low-cost model eliminates multi-layered management tiers found in traditional media and puts artists in direct contact with their fans. My Damn Channel founder and CEO Rob Barnett said, “Our team and our talent are inspired by cynics who say you can’t build a brand and create the traffic and revenue needed to succeed with original video. Our birthday blood sugar rush is strong enough to keep us laughing and beating projections in year two.”     

A new syndication deal has just been signed with a major portal and will be announced and launched in August. New community features on the destination site include video alerts via email for premieres and featured clips; customizable profiles; friending; and favorites.

The development slate of new My Damn Channel programming includes:

•    “Pilot Channel” (working title) – content creators get full access to the company’s branding, technology, community, syndication, promotion, and revenue. Advertisers bid to sponsor new series through a branded entertainment exchange that guarantees placement and distribution throughout our network.                             
    
•    “Lapdance with Kurt Loder: Saving The World One Interview at a Time” – Author, journalist, MTV anchor, movie writer and former Rolling Stone senior editor Kurt Loder interviews filmmakers, musicians and anyone else who’s around, anywhere in the world, via iChat.  The first episode with Harry Shearer premieres in August.

•    New Big Fat Brain series – the creators of “You Suck at Photoshop” will “tweak the geeks” once again.

•    “Face Time presented by Puma” – athletes and musicians interview each other to find out where they get their inspiration.  Three 6 Mafia and Terrell Owens star in the channel’s first sports series.

•    “My Damn Channel Music Nights presented by SoCo” – Grace Helbig, host of the channel’s “Daily Grace” hits the highway this summer with Southern Comfort for 12 weeks of programming starring fans and artists including Common, The Black Keys, and The Roots, filming in NY, CA, AZ, and WI.

•    Harry Shearer – the Sultan of political satire has just released a new album, “Songs of the Bushmen.” New videos from the album include “Turd Blossom Special” (Shearer as Karl Rove) and “Gym Buds” (Judith Owen as Condeleeza Rice). Shearer continues to produce “Found Objects,” featuring news anchors and newsmakers in unscripted moments captured on film.

•    Don Was – the creator and host of My Damn Channel’s Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music is producing a second season of all new music. Don and his Cavalcade just filmed over 55 musicians live in Detroit at the “Concert of Colors” diversity festival.


About My Damn Channel

My Damn Channel is an entertainment studio and new media platform created to empower professional filmmakers, actors, comedians, musicians and athletes to co-produce, distribute and monetize original, episodic video. Artists create programming for the My Damn Channel site and for syndication on today's most heavily-trafficked online communities and social networks. My Damn Channel delivers creative control, funding, distribution, and revenue to co-conspirators including Big Fat Brain, Coolio, Grace Helbig, Steve Kerper, A.D. Miles, Andy Milonakis, Harry Shearer, David Wain and Don Was. The company is supported by an advertising revenue model, and by licensing the studio's entire portfolio of content across all forms of digital distribution.

Media Contact:
Maria Diokno
866.424.8864
Maria@MyDamnChannel.com
 

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DON WAS DELIVERS

Don Was                         Todd Snider                      Dock Ellis

Click Don to get the intro.

Click Todd to get the video.

Click Dock to get more.

Experienced an honor & a thrill a few weeks back in LA. Don Was invited me to visit one of his recording sessions at Henson Recording Studios in LA. The Muppets lair is the former home of the old A&M Records. The site was first known as Charlie Chaplin's movie studio at the turn of the last century.

The Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music is the My Damn Channel house that Don Was built. We're incredibly lucky bastards to have this man creating new music for your ears and eyes.

Today's brand new music is featured on our home page is from Todd Snider. If you're uninitiated, get to his music & his live shows.

We're on the road this weekend with Brother Don to film on location at Detroit's Concert of Colors. Check back here this summer for this live music supporting a most worthy event.

If you're in the Detroit area, or can get there - this weekend's shows are all free.

Don Was Detroit Super Session is LIVE this Sunday night at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit.

7:15 - 8:30 pm

Don Was Detroit Super Session Featuring the house band: Don Was (bass), Luis Rusto (keyboard), Randy Jacobs (guitar), Terry Thunder (percussion), David Was and special guests MC5 guitarist, Wayne Kramer, John Sinclair, Mitch Ryder, Lola Morales, The Muldoons, Sisters Lucas, members of Dirtbombs, Detroit Cobras, Black Bottom Collective, The Ramrods, Black Merda and other very special Detroit Superstars Motor City Rock, Funk, Jazz, Pop, Soul (USA) A once-in-a-lifetime event! Native Detroiter Don Was returns to lead an all-star cast of high-energy, only-in-Detroit talent. Fresh from the recent Was (Not Was) tour, Don Was (aka Don Fagenson) orchestrates a funky, jazzy, rockin’, soulful musical meltdown in historic Orchestra Hall, featuring John Sinclair, Lola Morales and members of Black Bottom Collective, Sisters Lucas, Detroit Cobras, the Dirtbombs and surprise special guests. Was is a master collaborator, best known for producing mega-watt musicians including Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson and Bonnie Raitt, whose Was-produced Nick of Time scored the 1990 Album of the Year Grammy Award. Was also took home the 1995 Grammy for Producer of the Year. Guaranteed to thrill!

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WAS (NOT WAS) - THE NEW ALBUM IS OUT

Boo! is the brand new album from Was (Not Was).

Quit working for a second & picture this:

You're walking down a dark road - there's a thumping sound ahead somewhere in the distance - you shuffle a little bit faster towards the sound. A light shines in the night to guide the way.

You're closer - you hear music playing louder. You see a church with a long name that doesn't sound like it belongs to any particular denomination: "The House of the Happy Redemption"

Open the door & the preacher's voice is booming : "If life has left you a little too filled with fear, worry, loneliness, forgetfullness, and despair.....then stand up and let the music back in through the bottom of your feet to the top of your aching head."

Remember how you used to feel before you had hard times invade your brain? Go get some musical medicine & a long tall glass of some "Crazy Water."

We're honored that Don Was decided to reimagine music distribution on My Damn Channel. Checkout the Wasmopolitan Cavalcade of Recorded Music - where Don has produced over 50 NEW tracks and videos - all there for you - for free.

Here's more: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/don-was-mixmeister-flash-805742.html

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