rcade being interviewed about popesquatting on NBC Today

April 21, 2005 7:49 AM

I just caught the end of rcade being interviewed about popesquatting on NBC Today! He was funny and you could hear the studio cracking up. Nice one!
posted by carter to MetaFilter-Related at 7:49 AM (87 comments total)

rcade must have a video clip. Linky linky!
posted by Mid at 8:00 AM on April 21, 2005

Relevant Blue thread here.
posted by terrapin at 8:14 AM on April 21, 2005

rcade: God's domain rottweiler
posted by quonsar at 9:06 AM on April 21, 2005

I applaud rcade.
posted by nthdegx at 9:06 AM on April 21, 2005

cool! i want to see--is there video yet?
posted by amberglow at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2005

Must! Have! VIDEO! Come on, the demand is *clearly* here. Why will no one post?

Popesquatting is the greatest word ever, BTW.
posted by absalom at 10:10 AM on April 21, 2005

This thread is worthless without [media].
posted by recursive at 12:02 PM on April 21, 2005

still no link? what's the hold up?!
:)
posted by mdn at 12:02 PM on April 21, 2005

Here are some links, courtesy of Google News. No NBC link, though.
posted by me3dia at 12:22 PM on April 21, 2005

I wish I had an excuse to go to a Florida meetup and meet rcade.
posted by Plutor at 12:33 PM on April 21, 2005

Must! Have! VIDEO! Come on, the demand is *clearly* here. Why will no one post?

No one tapes "Today". You won't find it on P2P or bittorrent.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:23 PM on April 21, 2005

If papal officials asked him to hand over the site he would demand "two nights at the Vatican hotel, one of those hats, complete absolution and world peace."
The hat... The hat.... great stuff rcade. Complete absolution... what have you done to ask for this? Shouldn't we know?
posted by adamvasco at 1:26 PM on April 21, 2005

White smoke for rcade.
I want an illustration of Popesquatting. Anyone?
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:43 PM on April 21, 2005

I, too, saw it. It was hilarious. One of the funniest guest segments I've ever seen on TV.

Best part: At the end of the interview, he segued back to Katie Couric by saying, "Katie." Couric was thrown and stammered a bit until he added, "I've always wanted to do that."
posted by ColdChef at 1:54 PM on April 21, 2005

WNBC 04/21/05 07:37:56: ...>> no, i have not contacted the vatican. if the pope calls and ask or the vatican calls, i have to say yes. it's like batman asking you to join the justice league. >> [laughing]. >> my options are limited. i don't want to lower my asking price, but really, i mean. >> i understand. >> what can i do? >> what can i do? >> rogers cadenhead, thanks for talk with us. i think you will get a few more hits on that website today. >> katie. >> okay. >> i just wanted to say that. >> [laughing]. >> if the guy had to score the domain name, it's a guy with a sense of humor. >>> now al with the weather. >> ""today""'s weather is brought to you by: >> good morning, everybody. a little brisker in the northeast. good looking family. where you from? >> massachusetts are the spokesman? >> yes. >> where is mom? >> in the caribbean. >> she's smart. let's check the weather. for today, afternoon temperatures. it's still toasty in the gulf coast and the southeast. temperatures 80s. some 90s as well. and the northeast chillier. and severe storms in the mid section of the country. again some showers in the pacific northwest. and we expect sunshine alo the eastern seaboard and american girls here including i love this. your girl has your glasses. that's pretty good. where y >>hat's the weather. katie. >>> matt, some people were asking what fellow, rogers cadenhead did for a living. he writes computer books. he had a lot of experience and knew how to pick the right domain. >> and he will be in the poconos this weekend. >> his hair looked like jay leno's? >> yes. >>> up next how some communities are trying to buy off the sex offenders living in their neighborhoods. later, jumping for joy....

and from earlier in the interview:

>>> now from virsions of the virginia mary to the new pope. if you want to learn about pope benedict xvi don't go to benedictxiv.com on the internet. that name belongs to rogers cadenhead. it's very appropriate he comes to us from saint augustine, florida. >> good morning. >> tell me how this came about and why you were so interested in selecting a website with the new pope's title? >> well, i grew up catholic. i was always interested in how popes like rappers and actors get to pick a new name. when it became evident we would have a new pope, i did some research. there have been 8 different pope names used over the last 3 centuries. someone beat me to john paul and to john. so it was like playing roulette. i put a chip down on benedict and clement and the others. i really didn't have any goal other than i figured se idiot would get them and i told my wife, why note? >> you registered for a variety of potential pope names? >> i conferred -- covered 6. >> some people say you were pope squatting? >> yes, people are calling me. that i am not comfortable with that term. >> all right. what was your reaction when you realized that in fact, i hate to say it, but you hit the jackpot? >> i was driving home with my son and listening live. when they said his name. it was like the kentucky derby. come on benedict! >> [laughing]. >> then it came true. i was like oh, no, what do i do now? i went to set the server up. i got 120,000 people at my website yesterday. i expect smoke to come out of the machine. >> i know you did this with a good sense of humor and respect and you don't wt to be sacrilegous and there are certain things you will not do. there are certain companies you won't sell your website to. i am greatly relieved you won't sell it it pornographers? >> right. my biggest goal is i don't know what i will do. but i don't want 1.1 billion people mad at me and my grandmother. >> you said you won't sell it to an online gambling site, correct?...
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:09 PM on April 21, 2005

Thanks for posting the closed captioning, Matt!
posted by rocketman at 2:20 PM on April 21, 2005

Yup thanks for posting that, Matt. I was just passing through with my morning cuppa when I saw the interview, and was too dumbfounded to look for a tape. I did search around NBC but couldn't find any clips or transcripts. Hopefully they gave him a copy. That final "Katie? ..." *was* pretty cool.
posted by carter at 2:29 PM on April 21, 2005

I got the full interview!

Rogers was hilarious.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 2:40 PM on April 21, 2005

That is brilliant! I vote for rcade to take over when Letterman dies.
posted by sveskemus at 3:07 PM on April 21, 2005

Retires! When Letterman retires.
posted by sveskemus at 3:08 PM on April 21, 2005

That...was awesome!
posted by horsewithnoname at 3:14 PM on April 21, 2005

rcade you owe me a keyboard after I heard your goal; "some idiot was going to get them, as I told my wife, why not me."
Very Enjoyable interview.
posted by thomcatspike at 3:21 PM on April 21, 2005

That's awesome. And thanks, Matt, for capturing it for us.
posted by raedyn at 3:37 PM on April 21, 2005

Fantasmagoric. Thanks for posting that Matt and thanks for making the hated Katie fumfuh rcade.
posted by CunningLinguist at 3:42 PM on April 21, 2005

I loved the Mitre demand (sorry, sorry, request...)

K: "One of 'em is a Mitre, right?"
R: "No... is that what the hat is called?" [gestures in pointy hat manner]
K: "Yes it is..."
R: "Ok yes, if there's no ecclesiastical reason why I couldn't have one... that's the only deal breaker... the others are flexible..."

If only you'd had a Mitre back in March of '87... I'm pretty sure anything you do in the Pointy Pope Hat gets absolved.
posted by togdon at 3:57 PM on April 21, 2005

Sacrelicious!!! : >

I vote that rcade become the official MeFi TV spokesperson.

(and don't they cover any real news on the Today show anymore? virgin mary apparitions, a website...)
posted by amberglow at 4:04 PM on April 21, 2005

On top of clever and foresightful, rcade is pretty hunky-looking, too.
posted by matildaben at 4:15 PM on April 21, 2005

rcade wins Best Public Appearance by a MeFite Ever.
posted by Mid at 4:23 PM on April 21, 2005

Enjoyable and amusing. But, not Letterman. Leno, maybe, but that's a low hurdle.
posted by found missing at 4:29 PM on April 21, 2005

mathowie's screenie makes it looks like rcade owns benedictxvi.com AND civil unions between same sex partners.

Now THAT's hedging your bets!
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:30 PM on April 21, 2005

rogers rocks. I wish to confer on him an honorary wonderchickenship, should he choose to accept. No funny hats. though.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:32 PM on April 21, 2005

Great interview, rcade. I'm keeping my fingers crossed in the hope that the Justice League gives you a call.
posted by Galvatron at 4:38 PM on April 21, 2005

BenedictXVI.com now redirects to modestneeds.org. Class act, rcade. And nice interview - I myself wouldn't have been able to put up with Katie's chirpy bullshit for five whole minutes.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 4:41 PM on April 21, 2005

Is there any reason we can't have a Metafilter TV show with rcade as host? I mean, really? Any good reason at all?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:41 PM on April 21, 2005

Is there any reason we can't have a Metafilter TV show with rcade as host? I mean, really? Any good reason at all?

If you've ever seen VH1's Best Week Ever, you'd know that it's totally possible. They basically run a blog and then talk about the funniest stories at the end of the week.

Rogers was great on TV and I've toyed with the idea of doing a basic cable access show around MetaFilter, but Rogers reading goofy headlines would be supreme. I would totally get behind a MeFi TV show if Rogers got to host.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 4:46 PM on April 21, 2005

redirecting to Safer Sex info would be helpful too.
posted by amberglow at 4:47 PM on April 21, 2005

Nice, rcade! Excellent work.
posted by graventy at 4:55 PM on April 21, 2005

I've always thought of MeFi as a really interesting talk show anyway, one that happens to exist only in transcript form.

Somebody in Hollywood needs to get in the mathowie business. There's enough interesting content/people on this site to drive a lot of programming, provided somebody comes up with the right format/host.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:09 PM on April 21, 2005

rcade was just on with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. Besides the pope site, he got a plug in for drudge.com.
posted by SteveInMaine at 6:06 PM on April 21, 2005

found missing writes "Leno, maybe"

Leno is so boring and PC. Conan, then?
posted by sveskemus at 6:08 PM on April 21, 2005

Hmmm, MefiTV....

A Good Living segment, hosted by Migs in full smoking jacket canonicals.....Your Music Sucks with Jonmc....Is This Republican Gay? with Amberglow....Injokes & Sexjokes brought to you by the #mefi crowd.....the Weekly Banhammering with a Pythonesque foot thing crushing some deserving shill....
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:16 PM on April 21, 2005

I could run for decades with that topic, Cunning.

I want to be on the Crossfire/McLaughlin Group clone, too.
posted by amberglow at 6:34 PM on April 21, 2005

Hey rcade and I have the same glasses. I feel special. Awesome clip.
posted by FlamingBore at 6:54 PM on April 21, 2005

Brilliant. My *mom* brought this up to me after seeing it this morning. She said she was laughing hysterically.
posted by sugarfish at 7:03 PM on April 21, 2005

That's rcade? I pictured him much younger. He's definetely working that distinguished older guy thing. Had I known I would've tried to piss him off less.
posted by jonmc at 7:06 PM on April 21, 2005

I have an new epithet, you popesquatting nunshitters! Thank you.

I've always wondered how much the better and funnier parts of the web were driving (better and funnier) TV comedy, and how tight any such feedback loop is, and how we might all be making up our own funny and having it fed directly back to us - along with advertising. (The whole viral marketing / trend sniping thing is a whole different - and well known - ball game, however.)

Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. Subvert 'em through assimilation, and better jokes.
posted by loquacious at 7:08 PM on April 21, 2005

My wife has long viewed Mefi as the bane of my free time. Your interview today, rcade, has given Metafilter inestimable cachet. Thank you, man - hilarious.
posted by brheavy at 7:52 PM on April 21, 2005

Is there any reason we can't have a Metafilter TV show with rcade as host?

Because sportsfilter has rcade under contract, and I don't think mefi has much to trade.
posted by justgary at 8:01 PM on April 21, 2005

That interview was great - well done, rcade!

btw, who says no one tapes "Today"? I have a Season Pass for it on my TiVo. I don't have to get up at 7 in the morning to watch it and can watch the whole 3 hours in less than an hour by skipping all the commercials, local news, weather and other stuff of no interest.
posted by garypratt at 8:06 PM on April 21, 2005

they were discussing rcade on WAY-FM (low power christian rock station) thismorning. they were concerned for his spiritual condition.
posted by quonsar at 8:13 PM on April 21, 2005

That was hilarious!!! Thanks so much for posting the interview Matt. Enjoy your 15 minutes rcade!
posted by jasper411 at 8:41 PM on April 21, 2005

'low power christian rock station' is an amusing phrase.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:59 PM on April 21, 2005

That's rcade? I pictured him much younger.

Rogers was famous on the first internet. You kids.

'low power christian rock station' is an amusing phrase.

Not so much.
posted by dhartung at 9:02 PM on April 21, 2005

That was *outstanding*, and as a supporter of modest needs, all I can say is bravo rcade. Nicely done.
posted by Space Kitty at 9:08 PM on April 21, 2005

So gold!
posted by shoepal at 9:41 PM on April 21, 2005

Not so much.

*cries*
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:55 PM on April 21, 2005

rcade -- if you can read this, know that you are awesome.
posted by Hildago at 10:12 PM on April 21, 2005

Yes, rcade, great interview!
posted by sbutler at 11:21 PM on April 21, 2005

Nice job, rcade. Keith Obermann shoulda stuck to sports, though.
posted by fixedgear at 2:41 AM on April 22, 2005

posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:17 AM on April 22, 2005

I pictured him much younger. He's definetely working that distinguished older guy thing. Had I known I would've tried to piss him off less.

We've got something special going on, Jon. That doesn't have to change just because I'm now a television personality.
posted by rcade at 4:32 AM on April 22, 2005

there are certain companies you won't sell your website to.

Rogers, if you're reading this -- you're the classiest class act ever. really. hats off. I'm humbled. lesser men would have just ran with the (big) money. and you were also extremely funny -- thanks for the video Matt! (I might add that I've been for years desperately in love with Katie Couric, so that was a big bonus!)
posted by matteo at 5:06 AM on April 22, 2005

I've been for years desperately in love with Katie Couric

*loses all respect for matteo in single rush, transfers hopeless mefi crush to rcade*
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:33 AM on April 22, 2005

you say that only because you've never seen her wearing strappy red velvet Louboutin stilettos
posted by matteo at 5:36 AM on April 22, 2005

Hm. Looks like the site's not pointing to his blog anymore. Modest Needs seems to be a good choice, though.
posted by Karmakaze at 6:28 AM on April 22, 2005

yep, nicely played, rcade. funny and classy.
posted by mdn at 6:46 AM on April 22, 2005

rcade: was it rehearsed at all? Katie seemed kinda scripted. Did you have the whole conversation beforehand?
posted by Mid at 7:02 AM on April 22, 2005

you say that only because you've never seen her wearing strappy red velvet Louboutin stilettos

No. We say that because we have seen the inside of her colon.
posted by terrapin at 7:13 AM on April 22, 2005

Katie seemed kinda scripted.

Duh, she's a news anchor for one of the major broadcasting companies.
posted by rocketman at 7:25 AM on April 22, 2005

Anyone have the Olbermann interview to share?
posted by zsazsa at 7:26 AM on April 22, 2005

Scripted? Clueless, more like. rcade was very patient with her, I thought. I hope I'd have resisted the urge to play the pedant in his shoes.
posted by nthdegx at 7:28 AM on April 22, 2005

Anyone have the Olbermann interview to share?

Yep.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 8:05 AM on April 22, 2005

Olbermann (chuckling): "My purpose and presence here would seem to be superfluous. He can come and do the show by himself tomorrow night."

Bravo, Rogers -- well done, funny and classy. And thanks for finding and sharing these, Matt.
posted by pmurray63 at 8:54 AM on April 22, 2005

Hey, both of those wmv files go into endless buffering in the middle. Fun stuff for a minute there though....
posted by spaghetti at 10:20 AM on April 22, 2005

Worked for me, spaghetti. Try downloading them to play. Thanks Matt!
The worst joke is taken, as well.

Rcade really did rock the house on this.
Meanwhile, matteo revealed the sad unreturnable TMI
posted by Peter H at 10:24 AM on April 22, 2005

Also, DRUDGE RETORT, Ha! (didn't know about it)
I'm really bummed the eggsbenedict site is taken. As a non-catholic I tried to find it with filthy dollar signs in my eyes. There'd be money in them eggs, I just know it. I would sell those eggs to porn, or to gambling. I would sell those eggs to anyone.

But enough about that, both the Today intvw and the MSNBC one are great! I'm especially impressed that Olbermann and Couric both seem schooled in the end there. "good grief, where'd this witty motherf-cker come from? I mean we're the professionals" look on their faces. Ha.
posted by Peter H at 10:29 AM on April 22, 2005

Google: Results 1 - 10 of about 120 for popesquatting.
posted by grouse at 11:05 AM on April 22, 2005

yeah, spaghetti, try downloading - I had the same problem until opening them from my hard drive.
posted by mdn at 11:05 AM on April 22, 2005

Hildago: "rcade -- if you can read this, know that you are awesome."

Wow. He's accomplished so much, and he can't even read!

Okay, okay, so the poor guy can't read, will ya get off his back
already?
posted by graventy at 1:10 PM on April 22, 2005

fwiw, i'm not particulary comfortable with the term 'popesquatting' either. [shudders]
posted by garfield at 1:20 PM on April 22, 2005

What do you think those pointy hats are for? Your personal comfort?
posted by loquacious at 1:24 PM on April 22, 2005

You crazy kids know all the tricks. Thanks, that worked.
posted by spaghetti at 3:32 PM on April 22, 2005

"Hi honey!"
posted by anthill at 2:03 PM on April 23, 2005

cool.
posted by blacklite at 2:37 AM on April 24, 2005

Awesome. Rock on, rcade.
posted by DyRE at 3:41 AM on April 24, 2005

Thanks, folks! Not sure how all of that happened, but I milked my 24 hours of fame like the runtiest pup in the celebrity litter.

was it rehearsed at all? Katie seemed kinda scripted. Did you have the whole conversation beforehand?

I was pre-interviewed the day before, but the conversation with Katie -- note we're on first-name basis now -- was fresh. I had to look into the camera and pretend it was her. You'd be surprised how natural that feels.
posted by rcade at 8:03 AM on April 24, 2005

That is so neat. I would have lost my shit but that was funny.

Nice one. And thanks for the captures.
posted by bdave at 10:56 PM on April 24, 2005