Chris Hardwick
Subtitle:
Chris Hardwick is the host of G4's 'Web Soup'—a half-hour long show that gives the viewer the best in viral videos accompanied by hilarious commentary, and the weekly fix that every internet junkie needs. A writer, comedian, and proud Nerdist, Chris shows that there is always something funny, or at least interesting, to be found on the web. He spoke with TheCelebrityCafe's Alexia Nader about 'Web Soup' and the going-ons of the Internet.
Alexia Nader: So 'Web Soup' has returned with new episodes on the G4 network on Tuesday at 8pm. Do you have anything new planned for these episodes?
Chris Hardwick: We are about to shoot an hour long special on the field. We are going to get celebrity cameos. This is a really good year, we are excited to mash up a lot of stuff.
AN: Considering the show airs on G4, a network largely devoted to the world of video games, can you describe to me who you imagine to be your typical viewer?
CH: In my estimation at least, the G4 network is basically a geek version of E! Its audience, I assume, is pretty much anyone who likes anything nerdy. The 'Web Soup' audience could be a little broader because ultimately we're making fun of internet content and web videos. I don't think there's any age limit to people who could be entertained by, for instance, a giant polar bear crapping in a pool.
AN: Even a 60 year old?
CH: I think a 60 year old could certainly enjoy seeing a polar bear crapping in a pool. I think an older person would relate to that.
AN: What is your favorite segment in the show? I'm going to guess that it's the Don't Try This at Home segment, am I right?
CH: It hard not to love 'Things You Can't Un-see,' which is our weekly segment of things that are truly horrifying to watch, something that you really can't scrape out of your brain with a spoon. It's the sort of train wreck segment that you don't want to watch but can't help but watch. It really typifies what has made the internet as popular as it is.
AN: My guess was the 'Don't Try This at Home' segment.
CH:Yeah, we constantly have to tell people not to try stuff at home and I think we're glad to know that even with the segments that we show, it seems like no one gets seriously injured. No permanent tissue damage.
AN: You could be considered a kind of internet video expert. What is the craziest internet video you've ever seen?
CH: I see a lot of insane stuff but it's hard not to go back to Cake Farts, which is a Not Safe For Work website where a half-naked woman squats on a chocolate cake and then farts on it. I've seen worse stuff but I think the reason that I keep going back to that one was because it's kind of like who knew that was a thing? But it's some weird fetish. And the whole site is just that one page.
But then obviously the really out-there stuff we pull from our good friends in Japan.
AN: For example?
CH: There's a commercial for cheese curry which, by itself, is a weird product. Then the commercial is this weird superhero, with a cheese block for a head, shooting cheese lasers into people's curry. Then, from what I can tell, he has an arch-nemesis that's an onion head that shoots onion flakes out of his hands into people's curry. Then near the end of the commercial, they start a hip-hop concert. Really weird but I think pretty par for the course for Japan, which is why we love them so much.
AN: Much 'Web Soup' is devoted to mocking 'You Tube' videos, but have you ever read the comments written about the You Tube videos posted of the show?
CH: I try to never read comments because you can read 10 good comments and then one comment where someone tells you that you should die. And then I just focus on the comment like why does that person want me to die, what did I do? In general I find that there is enough poison in comments whether there's one or a hundred of them, they just crawl under your skin.
AN: I'm going to guess from your website Nerdist.com and the upcoming Nice Tweets Tour you're more of a fan of Twitter than Facebook, (but you do have a 407 count fan following on Facebook). What does Twitter have that Facebook doesn't?
CH: Wow. I didn't even know I had a fan page on Facebook. I'm more of a fan of Twitter because of the immediacy and the way it handles and delivers information. Facebook, to me, is just sifting through a lot of stuff before I can get to information that's relevant. I have way more people following me on Twitter than on Facebook, yet the information is easier to manage.
AN: As a self-proclaimed Nerdist, how many hours do you spend per day in front of the computer?
CH: Oh my god! If you want to count being on my iphone as well, it is an alarming number of hours. If there were some way I could just graft it to my chest and have the monitor right in front of my eyes, that would be great.
AN: You know that there is a treatment program right now for people who are addicted to the internet, right?
CH: I don't want it. I don't care, I don't want it. The first step is that you have to want to be helped and I don't.
