Pitch It To Us - New video series contest
17Do you ever watch our front page videos and think “Wow, I could do better than that”? First, I think you’re grossly underestimating the amount of work it takes to create anything every day, and second –hey that’s kinda rude…and third, now’s your chance to prove it!
Pitch us your brilliant idea for a 6 episode video series and we’ll pick the best one and actually make it! You’ll see your creative genius brought to life on the front page of Meh.com! The more I type this out the more I wonder what we're thinking!
Try to keep it short and sweet, if your pitch is so complicated that it requires multiple paragraphs it's probably beyond the scope of what we can do. Keep it short, sweet, and snappy.
The Fine Print
- Keep it doable and limited in scope – we’re just a humble ecommerce startup with limited budget, this ain’t no Michael Bay movie
- Nothing overly vulgar – if your entire concept is full of nudity and violent deaths it probably won't be selected
- Easily repeatable – we move fast in this business so we might need to churn these out so make them able to be completed fairly quick
- We have the final say on who wins and why. If you don't like it blame @matthew.
Stars will be noticed and appreciated, but may ultimately be ignored due to logistics/other concerns.
Good luck, pitches!
- 86 comments, 110 replies
- Comment
A "will it fly" series, where you tie the item of the day to a helium balloon or drone and send it out into the air of Texas. If using a balloon, you can leave it to fall on some unsuspecting fool, and get you pollution fines along the way.
@dis_member Or just throw it across the room
I'm still a huge fan of @Harrison 's demolition videos. That'd be a sweet series to do quality control videos on some of mehs products!
It could even branch off into..."other uses for today's products". You could even have people post pics and vids of them multipurposing products.
@studerc starring this post because i have no humility
@harrison Starring your comment because I admire your honesty.
@harrison starring your post because your awesome and i want to see more of your antics!
@studerc I guess I repeated your second idea here without realizing it. Sorry about that. To clarify, I'm less interested in the outright destruction or misuse of things as in their being repurposed per se (ideally, productively; at least hopefully--in the less colloquial of that word's meanings).
@joelmw you misinterpret the "demolition". In the videos @harrison basically dismantled and broke apart a wide variety of products to reveal their inner workings and what pieces could be reused. i.e. the auto soap dispensers can yield some decent motion sensors.
@studerc Okay, but I'm not sure I'm the one misusing the word "demolition." ;-)
Moreover, I'd prefer repurposing without the dismantling. Not that I'm opposed to the latter (and I'd even agree that it has a place in the meh video future); I just prefer the former.
@joelmw Touche...the word i should have utilized is...deconstruct.
Appreciated,
@studerc
@studerc I actually meant to add: "I don't mind the word being used that way." I do agree that "deconstruct" is more precise, but it doesn't bother me per se. I just hated being called out for misinterpreting--but even that was mostly joking.
What's funny is that I have a running, mostly lighthearted, disagreement with a coworker about his overuse of the word "utilize," when "use" usually works better. Yeah, it's true: I actually prefer the simpler way of saying things. If you can believe it. And I'm not sure I'd believe it if I were you. I'm not sure I believe it and I'm me.
The evils of owning a speaker dock. The unusual ways in which one can hurt you or otherwise be a nuisance.
A day in the life of Meh.com or a Meh.com employee.
@Willijs3 YES!!! Promises were made and broken
"How far would you go?" series.
Meh employee of the video-day goes as far as they're willing to doing _ _ _ (whatever).
Meh community responds with evidence they went farther/further.
@RedOak I think this should start with seeing if @Dave would ever be willing to eat meat again.
Random employee presented with a random question (How are rubber bands made? Where does bubble gum flavor come from? Can you name the shades of purple? etc.) with 20 seconds to answer it.
@rockblossom Ask several employees the same question, have the video cut for fluidity and brevity.
Meh Walking. Meh employee out and about offering the day's product to someone if they share a Meh.com link on twitter and/or facebook.
My Three Words.
Ask users for three words that best represents them, or some message they'd like to get across. Then you, the creative types, create a small video segment to visualize that message. But funny.
@ACraigL I like this. And it could actually be simple/subtle. Like showing how someone's workspace reflects one or more of their words.
Take a product to a busy intersection and try selling it to people walking by. I'd especially like to see that smooth talking @jasontoon peddling those animal clocks from a while back.
@beachbum I really like the 'man on the street' idea.
@beachbum Along this same idea, I'd really like to see a video of @jasontoon doing an extemporaneous product write-up.
Completely off-the-cuff, no time to think and craft his words; just verbal vomit to sell Meh's mysteries.
@beachbum Um, it's hot in Texas in the summer... Anything outside doesn't sound very fun.
Dramatic readings of support emails by @moose.
JonT 's Jaunty Side. (notice the clever use of homophones).
@JonT in a different hat every time. Then we vote. But funny.
@ACraigL If you check out his twitter page, you will see you are late to that particular homophone party.
@curtise In terms of a homophone party, I'd say I was fashionably late.
Public Service Announcements from Meh. PSA parody from Meh. Could be a parody/recreation of an old PSA. (Irk crying from roads littered with speaker docks?) or a new made up one. The dangers of first world problems?
Blind product testing. (Pick a staff member to annoy, blindfold them and have them try to test a product.)
Irk and Glen (or new creations) Interview the item on sale. (i.e. Sifl and Ollie or Space Ghost Coast to Coast style)
how about a "This is my stupidest talent" series? pick an employee each week and have them show their stupidest talent. they can say how they discovered the talent, if they had to practice, if the talent is actually useful for anything, etc.
@carl669 you mean "stupid pet tricks" but w/ meh employees instead of pets ?
@ceagee well... yes.
@ceagee @carl669 **Stupid Hu
manmehn Tricks" is a thing.@ceagee @carl669 But I like it.
My favorite part of last night's Periscope was when @JonT showed us his fridge, so I would like to see six episodes of "What's in a Meh Employee's Fridge?"
Ideally there'd be something of a surprise component to this, because otherwise the vict-- stars could game it. But it is fair to give a little advance warning, too. Maybe half a dozen employees could sign up for it, and the shooting order would be decided, but each episode would have a window of a few evenings where the knock on the door could come at any time. (The advantage of that advance warning is that people could game it in pretty awesome ways. Maybe a whole flotilla of mini drones?)
I'm thinking it starts off with a dev or two, wanders through customer support, maybe there's a remote segment starring Mr. Toon but maybe not, but concludes with @snapster, who I assume has a refrigerated 18-wheeler stuffed with rare perishables from around the world outside his media room. (Many of which were bought back when wine.woot sold cool stuff like that.)
(Special bonus segment: "What's in a Meh Employee's Nightstand Drawer?")
Throw stuff off the roof of your building
Watermelon, electronics, stuff on fire, explosions, bouncy balls.
@Kevin I do like some 'splody shit.
I grew up on Gallagher, so watermelons busting open are what I am all about.
(Here's a @hollboll link for anyone too young to know who Gallagher is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallagher_(comedian) )
@pepsiwine I thought throwing stuff off the roof was more a Letterman thing. Gallagher used a giant mallet.
@jqubed Yep. The Smash-O-Matic. But I was watching Gallagher smash watermelons long before Letterman started tossing them off the roof.
Either way, let's smash some watermelons!!
@pepsiwine ... thaaaaaaanks.
@pepsiwine haha, that's fair. ;)
@hollboll Hey, if we're not givin' ya shit, then it probably means we don't like you. ;)
A video series on how to make it look like you are working, when you are really browsing meh all day.
Drone.Horse Series: Stick a GoPro on a drone, and hover it around people while they are actually trying to work, fly it around the warehouse, cubicles, lunch area etc.
Tips from the buyers. What they look for, what they pass on, etc. But funny.
@ACraigL I like this one. When Woot did this it was a hilarious and catchy song that every now and then pops into my head to this day. Making fun of dumb products has infinite possibilities.
"Pro Tips from Meh!" Have someone deliver some "pro tips" in a sarcastic, condescending tone. Things could be meh-related like forum usage tips or how to use a product or just general "pro tips" for life.
Irk asks, Instead of questions from meh.com users Irk asks us something and expects answers, They can be 2 parters... One where he asks a question and the 2nd where he reads the responses....
A day in the life... What it entails to actually run Mediocre by following 6 people in their unique positions. Show us a glimpse of what they're actually getting paid for. Customer service, buyers, warehouse, administrative support, etc...
How Many Layers Of XXXXXXX Can You Wear At Once?
Where XXXXXXX = t-shirts, socks, hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, leggings (or maybe do one with underoos). There you go. Six episodes in the box. You're welcome.
"Meh on the Streets": Take a product out on a street and try to convince people to buy it, using the most underwhelming sales pitches possible.
@dis_member I really like this idea. "I'm selling speaker docks today. They're brand new in-box and work perfectly, but are absolutely terrible. Really, there's no reason you should buy one, however the're only $3. Whaddya say, want a nearly useless speakerdock for your iphone at the barely plausible price of $3?"
@dis_member @DaveInSoCal I think they've already made this series. It runs every...single...day...
@cinoclav They don't do it in person and film people's responses. Not that it matters...upon further review I essentially stole @beachbum suggestion. Unintentionally, but an idea-theft nonetheless.
@cinoclav @DaveInSoCal @dis_member How about they go to someone on the street and offer them a free whatever it is if they can convince someone else to buy it, just to see what they come up with totally on their own (though they could be handed a set of suggested talking points, that could be either or both serious or comical, kinda like the current specs)?
@dis_member Great minds think alike!
@joelmw what if a stranger were asked to try to sell the product to US and say how wonderful it is. There is a radio station that does something similar about fake products.
How about a series concerning warehouse and office operations? Everything from Meh's style of pick and pack, to the creation of a Fuku.
Might be too vulgar, but a series about the goings-on-behind-the-scenes of the writers would be awesome.
A 6 episode 'Battlebots' style tournament pitting speaker docks versus roombas, knives, copters, internet cameras & such, fighting to the DEATH. Craftily animated by puppeteers or something climaxing in a final WWF worthy Meh-Mania event...
@UgaDogCH You know the fix would be in so a speaker doc would somehow win...
Can it be black & white? I'd be happy to write a gritty film noir. The Mediocre Mehsteries.
A drama/action/soap opera series in which the puppets must team up to stop a threat, such as Mediocrebot.
Olympic style office events
Instead of Earthworms, use Red Wiggler worms. It'll be a whole new series, whole new cast. It's a Red Wiggler Dance party! prepares to be bashed
Alternately, use Maggots. You can buy them at most Wal-Marts, too.
It's the Maggot Mash.
Acquire 6 weird and unusual items. Have about 5 employees attempt to describe what the item is and what it is used for. Only 1 employee actually knows what it is and describes it along with the others. Then a 6th employee attempts to figure out who is telling the truth about what the object is.
Like this, for example. What is it and what is it used for?
Next episode you round-robin the person trying to guess the correct answer.
@cengland0 the balderdash of things?
@katylava never played that game so I don't know.
@cengland0 @katylava Balderdash is awesome. Actually, back in the day, I played a similar word nerdy game called dictionary (find a word in a dictionary and, well, basically like Balderdash).
@cengland0 I almost feel like taking that star back given this information. But I won't. But you should really, really play Balderdash.
@cengland0 BTW, that's a postal bag holder. Tell him what he's won, Johnny!
@gregormehndel It's actually a bike chain removal tool.
@cengland0 Actually, it's a floor wax AND a dessert topping.
@cengland0 Although I'm sure that's a fine dual purpose for the thing, I think the US Postal Service would disagree with you on it's intended purpose. I can't find any tangible interwebs evidence to support my claim, but the hole slides over a bar, and the "dangle" part is a weight to hold the hook at the proper attitude to accept a mailbag cord. From personal experience. Wish I had one!
@gregormehndel It's one of four cogs in an old Oyster brand ice cream maker that stirs up the ice around the bucket.
@cengland0 So, you use a mailbag hook to remove bicycle chains and make ice cream? You truly are adaptable! Kudos.
Whats in and on my cubicle. Described while dressed as a historical figure.
I'd have a lot of ideas if it wasn't for the not-much-nudity rule. Just look at these lovely series ideas I can't use!
Bend Over Miami - With time running out and the world on alert, the president sends a young CIA intelligence officer on a vital covert mission: to find Florida's most impressive anus during a wild Spring Break weekend. In a sticky situation, he'll have to push his mission through and save the country he loves, no ifs, ands, or butts.
Taint Misbehavin' - A research scientist makes the discovery of the century when he inadventantly discovers alien life. The only problem is the key to understanding their strange language is located in a place both mysterious and ticklish... his own taint.
Scrotum If you Got 'Em - basically just balls
@Starblind Just The Tip - A gameshow where contestants have to try and fit things inside of other things.
Boob! - yes.
@Starblind You really need help. I hope you never get it, it'd ruin the fun.
@Starblind I starred you for the balls.
But it'd be even better if they were space balls.
[Product of the day] or Melon?!
(Will not work on days where product for sale is a melon.)
"As Seen On Meh!" commercial.
@Teripie Ronco style.
@joelmw Ron Popeill. Good times. The pocket fisherman, spray-on hair, food dehydrator.
I still often use his catchphrase, "set it and forget it".
@pepsiwine Or, "Hey Good Lookin'..."
@gregormehndel Oh my gawd, I totally remember that. And it's even more ridiculous now than it was then (oh, it was ridiculous then). Thanks for the LLOL.
@joelmw Ha. Glad to. I've been quoting that for years, except this instance taught me that he says "Good Looking," but I've been saying "Beautiful." 'Good Looking' is even more cheesy and ridiculous!
@joelmw I had to post the entire commercial. Hysterical flash back.
Aeronautic Olympics - Build an obstacle course and fly various helicopters and drones through it. We can bet on winners.
Puppet theater reenactments of the greatest and most cringe-worthy moments in meh, using puppets made with things from around the office/warehouse.
Wheel of Toon.
Just @jasontoon spinning on a wheel.
@ACraigL Name that Toon. Intriguing video clues prompting viewers to "name that Toon". Hint: it's always @jasontoon.
@medz Ha. I was thinking along those lines... "Toon In, Tune Out": Jason Toon talks until there are zero people watching.
Habitat For Humehnity - Stack a bunch of boxes in an empty space. Set a time limit, and have you guys build the coolest fort/house/structure you can in a set time frame (10 minutes or so). Show it as a time lapse video, with the audio replaced by an amusing sound track.
Meh. The Musical.
A Broadway style musical telling the meh story and/or daily goings on, but where people unexpectedly or inappropriately burst into song & dance, along the lines of "Oklahoma," "Camelot" or "West Side Story." It's got to have a good plot and (hopefully) a romantic or epic backstory, but any real action is optional.
Maybe "Little Shop of Horrors" is closer to meh.
I love a good musical.
@2many2no or perhaps a weekly Opera day for 6 weeks would be better ? Everyone has to sing everything. No talking for day. Out takes on video.
(subtitles can be added just like if you are watching opera in another language on PBS)
What's Up, Speaker Doc? - a zany challenge where, with only a YouTube video for reference, a Meh staffer plays doctor for a day and performs a minor medical procedure on another staffer, such as a nose job. Too easy? Before they can get their hands on the scalpel, they get spun around on an office chair a dozen times! For being a good sport, the "patient" (or their surviving family) gets a nice prize from the Meh warehouse!
No real idea yet, but some random thoughts...
Who's My Butt Twin!? Meh employees switch chairs with each other for a day, desperately trying to find their butt twin.
@brhfl This cracked me up something fierce. (Sadly, the only twin for my butt is my cat, who fights for that spot at home.)
@editorkid Ahh, yes, a cat will mold their butt into any form necessary to become someone's butt twin, and lay claim to their chair.
Hostile Work Environment a tense yet cathartic bit of japery in which several assembled staff members are told increasingly uncomfortable and risqué video ideas until one of them threatens to quit. Suddenly a team of lawyers bursts into the room and shouts, "Let's run this by our legal team," before bursting into a blistering, red-hot striptease to the tune of Basement Jaxx's "Cish Cash". In the end everyone has a good laugh and enjoys hot cocoa and an erotic cake shaped like boobs.
@Starblind
@Starblind You're on a roll today, aren't you?
Meh staff vs. Olympic athletes in sports
Meh Office Pranks
@mediobarkre yes. You can get mediocrebot to do those pranks and call it "Mediocrebot is an asshole." Oh, wait. . .
Winking terrible with meh. Various people weirdly winking.
Alternately, Eating terrible with meh. Building sandwiches in @Matthew's inimitable style.
@Moose on the Loose
A series of 'man-on-the-street' style interviews wherein @Moose learns about issues or events in and around Meh and Meh culture. But funny.
@ACraigL I love that all of your ideas end with "But funny."
(Imagine what I just said, but funny.)
Irk cosplay. Irk dresses up in costumes and performs a short scene.
Stock Video Product Descriptions
You have to describe the product of the day using stock footage that cannot contain the product or any variant of the product.
@PanicSwitch I wish I could like this multiple times.
@PanicSwitch And just to clarify, voice-over is allowed but not mandatory.
wine.woot labrat style video reviews from users who were sent the item for free ahead of time.
swipe and deploy....
Shock Value Give an employee an everyday object such as a stapler. Tell them it's a buyers' sample of a prank item that's set to give an electric shock randomly to whoever's holding it. However, it doesn't. While they're holding it, fire them.
What th' Cheese?! Fade in to macro shot of a cheese. Like, really get in there. Hold for 15-20 seconds. Enter frame right: @Kylethephotoguy's nose. Sniff. Sniff. Matter-of-factly, he states the name of the cheese. Fade to black. Fin.
What's in the box?
This is a "if you're brave enough to open the box, you keep what is inside" video series pitch.
Location: Any public place with heavy foot traffic
Talent: Any three Meh employees or actors.
Crew: 2 (camera A, B).
Props: Stuff you've already got.
Other participants: Passers-by, possibly extras volunteered from Meh staff or Meh staffer's families
Budget: Not much, considering the payoff.
Example: Two Meh employees or actors identified by lanyard and shirt are behind a table, near park bench, etc. with a Meh banner or signage identifying them as from Meh and explaining Meh is a "one deal a day" Website - on table/bench are three or four boxes, all are empty but one, which is filled with product from Meh's warehouse and special effects. Third Meh employee will be used to blend into passers-by that stop and participate to agitate participants. When someone comes by, 1 employee acts as hawker telling them there is a "give-away" - explain they keep what is in box if they are brave enough to open box. Wait for small crowd to form or use planted extras as crowd fill. Camera A is tight on primary participant(s), camera B offers overview of scene. Inside box is a Sphero that is remotely activated by third employee in crowd when participant attempts opening box. Participant is reassured, and attempts again. Add noisemakers that can be triggered remotely or have employee/planted extra in crowd jump back and discourage participant, carrying on illusion of danger. Use remote device to further agitate box (a few holes in box for air might not hurt - anything for effect).
Notes: Entire series can be taped in full in single day at single location with heavy foot traffic turnover, when one box filled with items is exhausted by opening, replace with another after crowd disperses and repeat after allowing sufficient time for those that witnessed the "trick" to have dispersed. Use third employee and camera B to help keep track to make sure people that have gathered have fully recycled. Appearing that the "promotion has ended" between tapings will further move onlookers along.
Obviously, this is filmed for reaction from participants. Could go viral if done well, there are many variations on how to dissuade participant from opening box. Children / young teens / mothers with children in tow would be excellent choices to have them attempt opening.
Obtain release in perpetuity of primary participant(s) in each segment in exchange for them keeping the items found within.
I've got more, but I'm late to physical therapy. Have fun!
@Pavlov I really think they could go somewhere with this - and there are variations they could play on the same / similar theme. Could be interesting / fun. My kids watch some damn practical joke guy on YouTube all the time and he does some outrageous crap - this could match that, and that guy gets views in the millions.
Maybe a box where it actually IS a puppy or kitten or some other animal, that would be priceless. And gif fodder galore with the reactions.
If they do more than one box per video, one of the boxes that someone opens could also have that day's featured product. They could capture product reaction too. I'd like to see it set up in a bar with drunken co-eds.
@Pavlov Old-timey in an Allen Funt Candid Camera kind of way but I agree it would be a blast and frankly, everything old is new again so why not throw a Meh reboot spin on this too? I'm betting some poor little kid would cry when the box jumps. That right there is worth the price of admission.
@trippymeh:
Really that applies to any of these ideas though, right?
Jesus, @Pavlov, why you gotta go showing us all up with your professionally-awesome ideas?! No fair, that you DO THIS for a living!
Alright then, Mr. Man, I think you should come HELP them film this. (Because it sorta kinda is a great idea.)
@pepsiwine I'm way behind in the vote count, so it is probably a moot point, but I'm still recuperating - but thank you! : P
@Pavlov Just glad to see you back here in the forums with your mojo intact.
@pepsiwine : )
Our Viewpoints / Irked!
This would need to be done as two segments: Our Viewpoints, would be billed as a chance to get employees to share their beliefs and get things off their chests by speaking for a minute or so about something they feel strongly about. However, the viewpoints are completely fictional and designed to rile people up. It's important to get the tone right--if it's too wild or obviously outrageous, like being pro-slavery or liking Woot more than Meh, then it won't really work. It has to be a viewpoint someone might conceivably really have but almost nobody would agree with, like "Game of Thrones is the worst show on TV" or "since everybody dies, governments should fund ghost research instead of health care". The speaker should seem sincere and even a little pushy, but not so much that it gives it away.
Segment two would feature Irk reading and making fun of the inevitable angry responses to the Our Viewpoints segment, and calling them out for general gullibility.
Since Irk is a troll, it would be nice to see him actually, y'know, troll somebody now and then.
@Starblind Phil Hartman on NAFTA
It's summer !!
Time for :
Platypus Platitudes & Pleasantries with Participants in Paleolithic Picnic Playground Pageantry
Platypus ( puppet or costumed Irk or person) MC’s fun w/ smart aleck comments.
Teams formed either within company or company team challenges teams of neighboring companies or vendors or whoever.
Think traditional picnic games:
potato sack races ,
three legged races
badminton
horse shoes
bocce ball
tetherball
red rover
watermelon seed spitting contest
pie eating contest
making s’mores
“one to the bone head” poker
etc..
Forum members make friendly non binding wagers on who will win the most picnic points and be the champs at end of 6 week contest.
Trophies awarded or not.
(Think macaroni glued on plates w/ gold spray paint or something equally wonderful made by participants and judged or not)
@ceagee
Similarly:
Daily Deal Olympics
For instance, meh staffers compete flying the helicopters. Even though I know @matthew hates that kind of "this guy's a little bit faster than that guy" competition. ;-p Cook-offs. Drinking competitions. Competitions, but using the day's deal.
This Isn't How This is Supposed to Work
Product demos are nice and I like them, but how about a series in which meh sale items are demonstrated doing things that they weren't necessarily designed for? These can be practical, even popular reuses or utterly ridiculous, like, idunno, turning a coffee maker into a fish bowl or some shit like that.
This could be a little like your theme of cutting the case off of a keyboard case, only, c'mon, damnit, be more creative.
@joelmw This was my initial thought as well, but I think @studerc posted it very early on.
link
@lichme Ah, I see that now. I confess that I glossed over the second paragraph, because I'm not so much of fan of the first (I mean, I think it's cool sometimes, but it's already a thing). Yeah, I do see that these are basically different approaches to the same idea. Thanks. :-)
Professional Advice / Educational Series
I'm all into helping y'all sell stuff. Another way to do that is have professionals (or, okay, maybe most of the time self-declared expert amateurs) talking about the aspects of a product or using a product that maybe people don't know much about (or as much as they think they do). This could include everything things bartending, knife maintenance, technical explanations and actual pro tips (though @medz's idea is cool too), cooking, wine or coffee connoisseuring, etc. The instructors could subtly highlight beneficial aspects of the actual products.
"Don't try this at home!" Featuring meh staffers voiding warranties, endangering their lives, and generally doing things that shouldn't be imitated.
@medz I especially like this idea on knife days.
@medz Yes.
@joelmw ah. yes, like yours but to the extreme!!!
80's Mysteries
Have various Meh staffers watch the first 10-20 minutes of one of the 80's mystery shows (Murder she wrote, Moonlighting, Hart to Hart, maybe Knight Rider, etc..). Then they guess the killer and why they did it. Bonus points for what they did to get caught. Best answer wins. The answer may or may not have anything to do with what actually happened at the end of the episode.
On a personal note, I would like them to review an episode of Street Hawk. It only ran one year, but was the coolest show ever to an 11 year old.
Where are Your Sympathies?
An intimate roundtable discussion where employees discuss their political beliefs in a lively and supportive environment. Everyone should be encouraged to be completely candid and share as much as possible. At the end, whoever's opinions are the most communist gets reported, followed by a brief clip of them being led away by police while the song "Moskau" plays. The reward money for turning them in could be used to buy nice things for the office. If nobody seems particularly communist, just report the one you like the least.
@Starblind I'd actually like to see sincere discussions of politics and religion. I mean, um, not to say that your idea isn't awesome and all.
BTW, I'm totally a commie. But I don't know that that counts for anything, because I'm not on staff. Sigh.
@joelmw Well, I dunno, it seems kind of mean to extend it to non-staff. That's basically how Red Channels got started.
@Starblind WOLVERINES!
@Starblind - Only with fire trucks on standby.
The Official Meh Sammich
Why ? Because we don't have one.
Appoint official judge(s)/taster(s) in the office.
Call out to forum for ideas. Have someone decide which ones to create. Remember -- these are mediocre. Something you will eat not serve Queen Elizabeth or the Pope or Bob Dylan. Take care not to confuse the props for this series w/ the ones for the possum head chronicles.
At the start of each week during the series — list some ingredients for forum members to have on hand.
A different creative tasty sandwich is made every week by a "chef" -- staff or surprise guest. The judge(s) tastes and rates. The forum tastes-- if they made their own. The Those in forum that watch but don't make can still rate(stars) based on how sandwich looks, sounds, and humor of video. A mediocre, but different and tasty sammie.
At the end of the 6 weeks there is an Official Meh Sammich . “yeah, I would be ok eating that sammich. It's ok. meh" A sammich slogan could be a side contest thing.
General Assembly
Put a staffer in a general costume. Staffer must assemble the product without instructions in 60 seconds or less.
@ Name Mutilation.
Create a thread where mehnions submit haiku poems or limericks about the daily sale items. Have Irk choose and read a couple of them.
The true objective is to hear Irk mispronounce the @ names.
Is There Pants?! Remember how you suckered a bunch of suckers into making videos, with the requirement that said suckers wear pants? Then you recanted and said that no, the suckers need not wear pants, but pantslessness must not be displayed in said videos? So we see a thirty second or so clip of a Meh employee, whose pants status we can't discern. Maybe they talk during this time so we have a chance to pick up on some pants tells, maybe not… the world is your oyster. Then at the end, it is revealed (verbally, pervs!) what the employee's pants status truly is. Sure, you could be opening yourselves up to some hostile work environment type law-em-ups, but you'll figure out the implementation. I'm just an ideas person.
I still think you guys need to Rube Goldberg some shit together and post video for our amusement.
(Here's the " @hollboll link " for anyone too young to know who Rube Goldberg is: https://www.rubegoldberg.com )
And I know @ChadP is still all about Frankenstein-ing some products into something awesome or creepy. So do that.
Hell, if you didn't want to lose the money from using actual Meh products for sale, you could always dig through your broken products and repurpose that detritus by Phoenix-ing it into something truly great!
(Complimentary @hollboll link for anyone too young to know of the clusterfuck that happened in Flight of the Phoenix or how those ingenious bastards dealt with it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flight_of_the_Phoenix_(1965_film) No link is included for Frankenstein since it likely passes the @hollboll test of societal awareness.)
You are welcome.
@pepsiwine
Team up with iFixit.com for cross marketing and let them do all your work for you in a meh appropriate way, and film tare downs of six products that have been sold on Meh. They have done some funny stuff and would be game for it (see the iFixit April Fools video on faxed instruction delivery). Imagine them doing a serious one on, say, Shake and go Tumblers. They actually do excellent repair videos, and it would be fun for both companies.
Irk Asks
Based on comments and content in forum, Irk asks a specific user a question in which the user will follow up in said thread. But funny.
Out of Context
Shot like a man-on-the-street local news interview segment. One side of the interview is given as serious questions about a topic, the other side is out-of-context quotes of sentences or phrases from the forums. Most be presented straight-faced for the humour to work.
Example [uses quotes from JUST ONE POST in this thread]:
Q: Have you heard the city council is considering cutting back on police funding?
A: "It's summer!"
Q: One of the initial concerns is that a lessened police presence may impact public safety. Is there anything you'll do differently?
A: "Make friendly non binding wagers on who will win the most picnic points."
Q: How do you think the mayor's office should respond to the council?
A: "Trophies awarded or not."
Q: There seems to be a lot of blame passed between the department, the council, and the the mayor on this issue. With whom do you feel the fault ultimately lies?
A: "Teams of neighboring companies or vendors or whoever."
Q: What do you think the police department should do in response?
A: "Potato sack races."
Meh Lip Reading. Like those popular Bad Lip Reading videos on the YouTube. Secretly video staffers talking from a distance then edit the video to add dialog to match their mouth movements. What hilarious things could they be talking about?!
"I haven't read it" Book Reviews
Have a Meh staffer review a book they only have casually heard about or was recommended that they read, without much interest in actually doing so.
Opinions and plot lines based on cover art alone is highly recommended.
But funny.
@ACraigL Liking for the idea.
But also for the "but funny."
or with movies.
The @poppiart Story
Where did he come from? Where did he go? Did he ever sell those 30,000 speaker docks? Who got the diabetic casual men's shoes... and were they truly diabetic? What's in his fridge?
@JonT Anything ever come of this? Is it still open for suggestions?
@JonT...yea no joke. We all wanna see more @harrison demo videos!!
@ACraigL You can still toss your hat into the ring, but I need to collaborate with @matthew since this will ultimately be his project.
@JonT how about you collaborate with fedex so i can send you some beer?
@JonT How about sending me an e-mail I have a suggestion that I'd prefer not in the forum? :)
@sohmageek Considering some of the really x-rated suggestions I posted, I'm actually kind of curious to think what suggestions are so over-the-top they can't be posted here. I'm gonna just imagine it's like a 3-hour ultra-close-up view of somebody's butthole.
@Starblind Yes, but WHOSE?
@Starblind really??? Is this cause I wanted to take tiny tub mummy add butter and something else to make tiny tub smoothies of cardiac arrest +3???
it's nothing bad. Just something I'd like to do but if I say too much someone else may take it.
@JonT So matthew isn't retiring?
@medz WHAT!? Of course Matthew isn't retiring! That's a horrible thing to say! He's just going to a farm where he'll have lots of beautiful fields to run around in. NO, you can't go visit. You just can't. Because I said so is why!
@sohmageek So mean to want to blend and nom our tiny mummy friend. So mean. She is not a beverage.
@Starblind anything is edible with a good lemon butter sauce ;)
@Starblind If you'd like you may e-mail me at meh@(myusername).com I am not going to go after the TTM anymore... well unless you write it to make it too easy to suggest...
@sohmageek - Better not, or else TTM Protection Services will be summoned.
@Starblind Matthew's going to the farm? Please ask him to say hello to that puppy I had to give up years ago.
@ACraigL @JonT Anything ever come of this question asking what ever came of the end of this contest?
Meh-Guyvering. Taking today's daily deal and using it in new, exciting, and unexpected ways to solve puzzles, complete tasks, etc.
Cater the Larry King game to your audience.
Office murder mystery played mafia/clue style but, not too much effort
Foods shaped like dicks.
Have Glen eating them.
@HELLOALICE Here's what that would look like:
@Starblind this is one of the worst thing I have ever seen.
@HELLOALICE @Starblind @connorbush I'm sorry.
@Moose I feel like you just performed some sort of satanic ritual and cursed us for life.
Ever since the flavored goat salt block extra fuku item, I have wanted to see a video series called "Will JonT lick it?". The suspense builds itself.
@hallmike this entry is understarred.
@jont @dave, I have an idea. Run some sort of event that involves user broadcasted periscopes at midnight, when deals are released. Of course, they need to tag @wearemeh or whatever. Maybe you'll get some new visitors from the followers of your followers? Maybe the resulting video(s) can be used to supplement @matthew?
Just a thought.
Other than the unmentionable, I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the idea of a series of videos centered around the adventures of our Tiny Tub Mummy (pixelated or not):
It would be even better if you could talk @Starblind into writing the scripts, perhaps based on member suggestions.
So who won this thing? Any of these amazing ideas being worked on?
Since @matthew is all outdoorsy and likes shootin' stuff and all, why not do "Shootin' the Shit with Matthew!"
Video series could be different firearms and different targets. Sometimes the target could be a product meh is selling that day other times just something interesting to shoot. (ex: gallon jug of ranch dressing suspended in a huge Jello mold) High frame rate cameras preferred for super slow-mo action! What happens when you shoot a Roomba with a 12 gauge shotgun? Find out next time on Shootin' the Shit with Matthew!
It would be cool if you could take some sort of animal skull and show how to preserve it. You could call it the head skull story
Ok here's a serious one...
Mediocre Staff doing Professional things...
Need a “Where are they now?” series so we can find out what’s been going on with the meh staffers. I became accustomed to seeing the faces of hollboll, chadp, and moose. (and sorta mehcus)
With the lack of periscopes and all, I’m having withdraw.