Idea Czar

I’m a Wedding Writer!

kengrobe — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:06:11 +0000

I’ve been living up to my multi-hyphenate hype more then ever lately. Over the past year, I’ve written several pieces for the gorgeous glossy Weddings In Houston Magazine. It’s no secret that weddings are a boom industry, and few places more so than Houston.

I’ve had the opportunity to write several fashion profiles and a wedding photography primer…with more pieces on the way. Check ‘em out if you’re of a mind!

Profiles in Elegance: Judd Waddell

Profiles in Elegance: Reem Acra

Profiles in Elegance: Monique Lhuillier

National Debt Fun Quiz Time!

kengrobe — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:50:18 +0000

A series of four quick, fun quizzes to take your mind of our country’s crippling financial debt! Answers are uʍop ǝpısdn to prevent cheating!

QUIZ #1: USA TRIVIA

Sure, we’re deeply in debt and risk a nation-wide financial default. But we’re interesting! Distract yourself from our national dilemma by answering these questions:

QUESTIONS:
1. Who was the first woman featured on a US postage stamp?

2. Which Shakespeare play mentions America?

3. How many stories tall is the White House?

4. What did Abraham Lincoln invent?

ANSWERS:
1.
uoʇƃuıɥsɐʍ ɐɥʇɹɐɯ
(Source)

2.
˙(ıı ǝuǝɔs ‘ııı ʇɔɐ) sɹoɹɹǝ ɟo ʎpǝɯoɔ ǝɥʇ
(Source)

3.
xıs
(Source)

4.
˙ʇuǝʇɐd ɐ pǝʇuɐɹƃ ɹǝʌǝ ʇuǝpısǝɹd sn ʎluo ǝɥʇ sɐʍ uloɔuıl ˙slɐoɥs ɹǝʌo sdıɥs ʇɟıl oʇ ǝɔıʌǝp ɔılnɐɹpʎɥ ɐ
(Source)

QUIZ #2: STOCK MARKET TRIVIA

Severely broken financial system troubling your pretty little head? Take your mind off our current crisis for a split-second with these adorable bits of stock-focused trivia.

QUESTIONS:
1. Where does the term “blue chip” for stocks come from?

2. What stock had GRRR for its stock symbol?

3. What was the original name of the American Stock Exchange?

4. Which of these is or was an actual stock symbol?
A. LUBE
B. GEEK
C. LADY
D. AMEN
E. All of them

ANSWERS:
1:
˙ǝuo pǝnlɐʌ-ʇsǝɥƃıɥ ǝɥʇ sɐʍ dıɥɔ ɹǝʞod ǝnlq ɐ ˙ƃuılqɯɐƃ
(Source)

2.
˙ıɹɐɟɐs ʎɹʇunoɔ uoıl
(Source)

3.
˙qɹnɔ ǝɥʇ uo ƃuıpuɐʇs sɹǝpɐɹʇ ʎʇıɔ ʞɹoʎ ʍǝu ʎq pǝʇɹɐʇs ʎllɐuıƃıɹo sɐʍ ʇı ǝsnɐɔǝq ‘qɹnɔ ǝɥʇ
(Source)

4.
˙ǝ
(Source 1) &
Source 2)

QUIZ #3: FINANCE TRIVIA QUIZ

Who says debt and bankruptcy can’t put a smile on your face? Check out this fascinating trivia quiz about money and not having any!

QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the term “bread” come from as a nickname for money?

2. Which film saved its respective studio from bankruptcy?
A. Star Wars
B. A Nightmare on Elm Street
C. The Sound of Music
D. All of the above

3. How much do Americans owe on student loans?
A. $114 billion
B. $275 billion
C. $559 billion
D. $875 billion

4. What is a “zombie” in the financial world?

ANSWERS:
1.
”˙ʎǝuoɥ puɐ pɐǝɹq“ ɹoɟ ƃuɐls ƃuıɯʎɥɹ ʎǝuʞɔoɔ s’ʇı
(Source)

2.
˙p
(Source)

3.
˙p
(Source)

4.
˙ʇdnɹʞuɐq s’ʇı ɥƃnoɥʇ uǝʌǝ ǝʇɐɹǝdo oʇ sǝnuıʇuoɔ ʇɐɥʇ ʎuɐdɯoɔ ɐ
(Source)

QUIZ #4: SUICIDE TRIVIA

Crippling financial debt got you down? WAY down? Why not distract yourself with this creepily foreshadowing quiz about suicide?

QUESTIONS
1. Who are more likely to attempt suicide: men or women?

2. Who are more likely to SUCCESSFULLY attempt suicide: men or women?

3. When are suicide rates highest in the U.S.?
A. Spring
B. Summer
C. Fall
D. Winter

4. Which country has the highest suicide rate?

ANSWERS
1.
uǝɯoʍ
(Source)

2.
uǝɯ
(Source)

3.
ƃuıɹds ˙ɐ
(Source)

4.
ɐıuɐnɥʇıl
(Source)

New Video: “The Phone”

kengrobe — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 20:41:45 +0000

Don’t worry, I didn’t direct this one. Fellow Killing My Lobster-ites Chris Parisi & Damon Brennen asked me to play “a surly scientist” in this video, and as they make killer vids, I rushed to accept.

Written & shot for the latest KML show, Killing My Lobster Reboots, here’s “The Phone”:

It’s been up for about four days and has topped 53,000 views as of this writing. No doubt as a result of my bravura performance. Enjoy!

The Lonely Venus Guide

kengrobe — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:37:47 +0000

My latest video is a collab with some great folks: Killing My Lobster writing compatriot Annie O’Rourke, actress Lauren Burns, and Adult Swim & Funny or Die staple Brian Burgoyne behind the camera. Produced by the effervescent Natacha Ruck, natch.

A parody of dating advice videos, it’s also the perfect way to ring in the first day of Spring! Enjoy!

The Lonely Venus Guide to Meeting Men in a Park by Ken Grobe & Annie O’Rourke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Want Magazine in Communication Arts

kengrobe — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 19:26:25 +0000

Thanks to the fine, discerning folks at Communication Arts for making Want Magazine their Web Pick of the Week! It’s always a pleasure to see a project you’ve put your heart and soul into get props.

Although sometimes I wonder what anyone who Googles me must be thinking: “Waitaminute…the guy getting press for interviewing UX legend Donald Norman and the guy getting press for making videos of talking burritos and hipsters getting punched…IS THE SAME GUY?” Yes he is, Google-stalker with bad grammar. Yes he is.

A Day Job and a Dream

kengrobe — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 06:34:21 +0000

This latest KML video has a special place in my heart–and not just because I co-wrote and co-produced it. It’s because I’ve spent the better part of my career juggling vocation and avocation. When I was an editor, I would write prose and comics scripts on nights, weekends, and, one very lonely Key West holiday. While in advertising, I performed weekly gigs with an improv troupe, wrote and produced a sketch comedy show, and played Joe’s Pub and CBGB with my comedy/rock band.

My point being, more often than not, I’ve used my day job to fund the stuff I loved.

That’s what inspired our second of the two “Feed the Lobster” campaign spots: There’s just too many of us out there with a day job and a dream.

Ably directed by the legendary Chris Parisi and my co-writer/producer, Miriam Wild-Smith. See for yourself, feel free to donate, and have a great 2011.

“Feed the Lobster” in the SF Egotist

kengrobe — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:41:10 +0000

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my comedy-rock-band days, it’s to be grateful for any press, good or bad. So I feel extremely fortunate that two of my KML videos received positive pixels within a day of each other!

The SF Egotist, my favorite resource for local Advertising industry news, just big-upped our Feed The Lobster year-end appeals campaign, calling us “a great tax deduction.” That’s miles better than what AgencySpy called me the other month over “Coffee Wars.” And no, I won’t link to it (although I’m still grateful for it!).

“Coffee Wars” in the Bay Citizen

kengrobe — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:54:02 +0000

From my flu-sick-bed, I sat–okay, laid down–for an interview with Thalia Gigerenzer of The Bay Citizen, a very cool and objective BA news source. She wanted to know about The Coffee Wars and how much it holds a mirror up to SF coffee culture. I was not at the top of my game, but my answers were surprisingly coherent, if a bit rambling. I’m a rambler. Read the article here.

The article, in turn, seems to be touching off another twitter-eddy (tweddy?) of activity about the video, which I hope leads to more YouTube views etc. It’s pushing 65,000 views as of this writing!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t lucid enough to plug my latest KML video, Feed The Lobster: Costumes, which could use more views, as we made it to generate donations to KML itself. See that vid here.

Thanks to Thalia and Queena Kim for their interest and for the coverage!

Feed The Lobster.

kengrobe — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 22:50:24 +0000

Folks, my latest video for Killing My Lobster is up and I’m proud as hell of it.

It’s an ad for, what else, KML. They’re a non-profit, after all, and they provide a valuable service for the Bay Area and beyond: make people laugh. If you’re down to donate a couple of bucks, please do.

Thanks to the fine folks at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, who loaned us their ArtWorks studio space, and GSP’s Eric Herron, who helped us out with equipment, elbow grease, expertise, and good humor.

Directed by me, co-written and co-produced by my buddy Miriam Wild-Smith, and costumed, acted, and edited with love by a plethora of Lobsters. Enjoy!

“Coffee Wars” boils over!

kengrobe — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 06:22:05 +0000

I’ve spent a sizable chunk of my spare time this past year writing and teaching for Killing My Lobster, the Second City of San Francisco. And while I feel like I spent the first few months making my bones, earning the respect of my talented co-writers and our equally gifted actors and directors, I like to think I’ve gone on to acquit myself over this year’s shows.

The latest, and possibly most satisfying, example of this is the film I wrote and produced for Killing My Lobster Holds the Mayo, their final show of the year. The film is called The Coffee Wars and it’s a Ken Burns parody, showcasing the rivalry between two of the best-known (and my favorite) artisan coffee brands in town.

It’s blown up beyond all (well, my) expectations thus far, garnering over ~~8,000~~14,000 hits in ~~less than~~ three days, and crazy amounts of Twitter chatter. It’s even attracted a hater or two, which is always a sure sign of online heat.

Kudos to director Rand Courtney, actors Fred Wickham and Sarah Mitchell, and the rest of the superb cast, crew, and musicians who made this film such a joy to make and, I hope, to watch. With apologies to Joan Baez.