Rob Lathan's Blog
First of all, I'd like to thank Funny or Die for asking me to be their guest blogger this week. Funny or Die has been very good to me. I check out their site obsessively each and everyday - way more than I should - and there's always great stuff. Just take a look at this gem.
I'd also like to give a shout-out to the multi-talented actor/comedian/real doctor, Dr. Ken. I remember when Dr. Ken was the guest blogger, he gave a special shout-out to Permanent Nutface Gary. So I'll return the favor and tell you to please watch What's It Gonna Be?
As for me: what are my plans for the year? Well, I plan to continue making videos with the likes of Brandon Bassham, Pete Schultz and Ryan Schultz - this time under the sketch group name: Bobby Chicago. One series we did called Nightswimming with Mark Spitz has apparently been watched and praised by Mr. Spitz himself. Look out for more good stuff from Bobby Chicago.
I'll also be participating in future missions with Charlie Todd's Improv Everywhere. IE is getting huge. Their latest No Pants mission had over 2,500 participants in over 22 cities. Here's a pic of me practicing for the No Pants mission in my apartment.
If I'm lucky I might make a video or two with one Will Hines. That guy is good. Hopefully you think the same of, uh, that guy.
And what about Mitch Magee you might be asking? Well, when he's not busy collecting things, I'd be happy to say, "Yeah!" for him.
And finally, if all else fails, I can always go back to delivering cakes.
Seriously, I might have to go back to delivering cakes... Get your orders in now...
I'd also like to give a shout-out to the multi-talented actor/comedian/real doctor, Dr. Ken. I remember when Dr. Ken was the guest blogger, he gave a special shout-out to Permanent Nutface Gary. So I'll return the favor and tell you to please watch What's It Gonna Be?
As for me: what are my plans for the year? Well, I plan to continue making videos with the likes of Brandon Bassham, Pete Schultz and Ryan Schultz - this time under the sketch group name: Bobby Chicago. One series we did called Nightswimming with Mark Spitz has apparently been watched and praised by Mr. Spitz himself. Look out for more good stuff from Bobby Chicago.
I'll also be participating in future missions with Charlie Todd's Improv Everywhere. IE is getting huge. Their latest No Pants mission had over 2,500 participants in over 22 cities. Here's a pic of me practicing for the No Pants mission in my apartment.
If I'm lucky I might make a video or two with one Will Hines. That guy is good. Hopefully you think the same of, uh, that guy.
And what about Mitch Magee you might be asking? Well, when he's not busy collecting things, I'd be happy to say, "Yeah!" for him.
And finally, if all else fails, I can always go back to delivering cakes.
Seriously, I might have to go back to delivering cakes... Get your orders in now...
Now that Obama is inaugurated it's time to...say it with me...Get Psyched!
But we still face a lot of problems, don't we? We all have problems. For some reason, I tend to create my own problems. Just take a look at a few instances in which I behaved like a complete jackass - in a segment made popular on the internet called:
Five Random Facts About Me
Daily Psychazoid: Circles
Daily Psychazoid: Take the Plunge
Hopefully these Psychazoids can help prevent you from throwing a toilet out of a window. Or if your toilet isn't working, they'll inspire you TO throw it out. Either way, you can celebrate by yelling out...Get Psyched!
But we still face a lot of problems, don't we? We all have problems. For some reason, I tend to create my own problems. Just take a look at a few instances in which I behaved like a complete jackass - in a segment made popular on the internet called:
Five Random Facts About Me
1) During my first two years with a driver’s license I was pulled over for suspected drunk driving 11 times. I was completely sober each time.
2) My senior year in high school, I peed in the fountain of the Georgia Governor’s Mansion. It was for a scavenger hunt. This earned my team 50 points. Amazingly, no security guard tackled me as I stood there staring right into the Governor’s bedroom window, pissing away.
3) My freshman year in college I threw a toilet out of my dorm-room’s 2nd floor bathroom window. I was drunk and it seemed like a good idea at the time. The next day, school officials held a meeting with everybody in the dorm. I did not attend, but later inquired what went down. Apparently, the words “fingerprints”, “DNA testing” (there was blood on the toilet), and “expulsion” were all mentioned at the meeting. I laid low for a while and decided against throwing out any more toilets.
4) Also during my freshman year in college, I had a blood alcohol level of .607 (apparently the highest level ever recorded in the state of North Carolina). No, it's not something I'm proud of (yes I am.)
5) At my job at BBDO Advertising, I shut down the entire Detroit and Chicago offices by sending out a mass email to everybody in my address book with over 50 songs attached that I had downloaded from Napster. The IT department threatened to have me fired.
So you can see, I've got problems. But what about you? How do you solve YOUR problems? A good friend of mine named Dr. Lanny Latham has the answer. It's found in two simple words...say it with me now...Get Psyched!
All you have to do is Get Psyched, and all of your problems will go away. During these past few weeks, Dr. Lanny has taken his Get Psyched philosophy a step further by introducing you to some of his Daily Psychazoids. Here are a few of those psychazoids:
Daily Psychazoid: Circles
Daily Psychazoid: Take the Plunge
Hopefully these Psychazoids can help prevent you from throwing a toilet out of a window. Or if your toilet isn't working, they'll inspire you TO throw it out. Either way, you can celebrate by yelling out...Get Psyched!
Happy Inauguration Day! It is a very historic day indeed. In order to get to know our past Presidents a little better, here is a little segment titled:
Little Known Presidential Facts:
1. After serving two terms, Andrew Jackson retired to the mountains of Tennessee and created his own paintball league.
2. George Washington had an extensive collection of giant Afro wigs - though he’d only wear them out to special occasions, such as ’70’s Parties.
3. William Henry Harrison had a “trick” knee he’d always complain about.
4.Thomas Jefferson still holds the world record for running a mile backwards - with a time of 6 minutes and 13 seconds.
5. Grover Cleveland was terrified of clowns.
6. William Jefferson Clinton was in a Procul Harum cover band in college.
7. The “S” in Harry S Truman actually stands for “Sssssss” (like the sound a snake makes).
8. Rutherford B. Hayes always referred to himself in the 3rd person - like, “Rutherford B. Hayes don’t like that Senate bill! Rutherford B. Hayes best B. makin’ sure it don’t pass!”
9. William Howard Taft was a popular pro-wrestler in the Mexican League - both before and after he served as President.
10. Warren G. Harding came up with the popular jingle, “Who’s that kid with the Oreo Cookie?”
11. Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, used to snuggle together during times of crisis.
12. George W. Bush was the San Diego Chicken for 3 years in the early ’80’s.
13. Abraham Lincoln could dunk a basketball.
14. Gerald Ford used to annoy his aides when he’d interrupt important meetings to practice his air-guitar.
15. Franklin Delano Roosevelt won a gold medal in javelin during the 1932 Wheelchair Olympics.
16. Richard M. Nixon used to shoot tourists who happened to be walking by the White House with his Red Rider BB-Gun just to “fuck with them a little.”
17. George H.W. Bush used to give a mean back-rub.
18. Millard Fillmore founded the famous concert hall, The Fillmore West. But not The Fillmore East. That was founded by his brother, Gary Fillmore.
19. Jimmy Carter won the Baja 500 Off-Road Challenge four years in a row.
20. Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America.
Little Known Presidential Facts:
1. After serving two terms, Andrew Jackson retired to the mountains of Tennessee and created his own paintball league.
2. George Washington had an extensive collection of giant Afro wigs - though he’d only wear them out to special occasions, such as ’70’s Parties.
3. William Henry Harrison had a “trick” knee he’d always complain about.
4.Thomas Jefferson still holds the world record for running a mile backwards - with a time of 6 minutes and 13 seconds.
5. Grover Cleveland was terrified of clowns.
6. William Jefferson Clinton was in a Procul Harum cover band in college.
7. The “S” in Harry S Truman actually stands for “Sssssss” (like the sound a snake makes).
8. Rutherford B. Hayes always referred to himself in the 3rd person - like, “Rutherford B. Hayes don’t like that Senate bill! Rutherford B. Hayes best B. makin’ sure it don’t pass!”
9. William Howard Taft was a popular pro-wrestler in the Mexican League - both before and after he served as President.
10. Warren G. Harding came up with the popular jingle, “Who’s that kid with the Oreo Cookie?”
11. Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, used to snuggle together during times of crisis.
12. George W. Bush was the San Diego Chicken for 3 years in the early ’80’s.
13. Abraham Lincoln could dunk a basketball.
14. Gerald Ford used to annoy his aides when he’d interrupt important meetings to practice his air-guitar.
15. Franklin Delano Roosevelt won a gold medal in javelin during the 1932 Wheelchair Olympics.
16. Richard M. Nixon used to shoot tourists who happened to be walking by the White House with his Red Rider BB-Gun just to “fuck with them a little.”
17. George H.W. Bush used to give a mean back-rub.
18. Millard Fillmore founded the famous concert hall, The Fillmore West. But not The Fillmore East. That was founded by his brother, Gary Fillmore.
19. Jimmy Carter won the Baja 500 Off-Road Challenge four years in a row.
20. Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America.
Happy MLK Day. Believe it or not, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and I have a little bit in common. We both got our start in Atlanta, GA. But while MLK Jr. started out as a preacher and eventually became one of the most influential and well-respected leaders of our time, I started out as a cake deliverer and eventually became a scorned audience member of a political talk show.
It all began when I made a cake delivery downtown to the CNN Center. After I dropped off a few Red Velvets at a company party, a producer asked me if I wanted to be an audience member for CNN's now defunct Talk Back Live. She explained that members could ask anything they wanted to a panel of experts about that day's topic: the OJ Simpson Civil Trial. It was a pretty easy sell for me. So I sat in the audience and asked my question (in an exaggerated Southern accent.)
At the next commercial break, two security guards kicked me off the set. But that didn't stop me from going back. Two days later, while on my cake delivery route, I went back to the set of Talk Back Live - this time in disguise. Of course the producer still recognized me and said I wasn't allowed back on. After much pleading, she finally relented under the condition that I ask no questions. I obeyed, sitting through the entire show speechless (but still in disguise). See if you can spot me.
For the next month or so, I veered off my delivery route and visited CNN Talk Back Live almost daily, each time with a new costume. Finally, the producer had enough and informed me that I was officially banned from the premises. My career as a professional audience member for political talk shows was over. But that miniscule taste of showbiz was enough for me to keep going for my dream. Just like MLK. Right?
I figure I'd start things off with a bang by posting an old video that was once banned from YouTube. I think it will have a safe place here at Funny or Die. Let me give you a little back story about the video.
It all started when I made a live appearance on the Today show. In order to help promote the launch of America's Got Talent, I performed the Electric Slide on stilts in front of a confused Regis, Piers Morgan, Brandy, Hasselhoff and Matt Lauer.
Although the judges weren't impressed with my performance, I still posted a clip of it on YouTube. A few days later my video was taken down by a third party. I figured this third party must be either NBC, Regis, or maybe even Hasselhoff. But it was actually done by the guy who invented the Electric Slide: Ric Silver.
As you can see from his website, Silver means business. After blogging about my Electric Slide fiasco, I immediately received several comments from people who had suffered the same result. Silver had single handedly shutdown all videos on the internet that featured "his" dance, including those from weddings, dance recitals and even children's birthday parties.
My fellow Electric Slide rejects and I rallied around each other. But we quickly realized we were up against a formidable foe. In fact if you visit his other site (scroll down to the bottom) you'll see that Silver is also the inventor of several other notable dances, such as "Lockin'," "The Weeble," "The Robot," and of course, "Breakdancing."
In the end Silver won out. It's tough enough to battle the inventor of the Electric Slide, but to also go head-to-head with the same guy who came up with the choreography for "The Robot'? Forget about it.
But I think it's high time to put the video back on Funny or Die. So here it is.
Let's see if Silver takes it down again or at the very least accepts my challenge to an Electric Slide dance-off: he on foot and me on stilts. Bring it on, Silver. I'm taking your little pip-squeek Electric Slide dance to a whole new frontier. Three feet high and rising.
It all started when I made a live appearance on the Today show. In order to help promote the launch of America's Got Talent, I performed the Electric Slide on stilts in front of a confused Regis, Piers Morgan, Brandy, Hasselhoff and Matt Lauer.
Although the judges weren't impressed with my performance, I still posted a clip of it on YouTube. A few days later my video was taken down by a third party. I figured this third party must be either NBC, Regis, or maybe even Hasselhoff. But it was actually done by the guy who invented the Electric Slide: Ric Silver.
As you can see from his website, Silver means business. After blogging about my Electric Slide fiasco, I immediately received several comments from people who had suffered the same result. Silver had single handedly shutdown all videos on the internet that featured "his" dance, including those from weddings, dance recitals and even children's birthday parties.
My fellow Electric Slide rejects and I rallied around each other. But we quickly realized we were up against a formidable foe. In fact if you visit his other site (scroll down to the bottom) you'll see that Silver is also the inventor of several other notable dances, such as "Lockin'," "The Weeble," "The Robot," and of course, "Breakdancing."
In the end Silver won out. It's tough enough to battle the inventor of the Electric Slide, but to also go head-to-head with the same guy who came up with the choreography for "The Robot'? Forget about it.
But I think it's high time to put the video back on Funny or Die. So here it is.
Let's see if Silver takes it down again or at the very least accepts my challenge to an Electric Slide dance-off: he on foot and me on stilts. Bring it on, Silver. I'm taking your little pip-squeek Electric Slide dance to a whole new frontier. Three feet high and rising.
