Life, Love, and Donkey Kong: An Interview with Todd Michael Rogers
by Dan Landis on October 30, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Some of you may remember the Donkey Kong rap we featured approximately 91 days ago, most likely because the song has been stuck in your head ever since. If not, watch it now. Go ahead, it’ll make you more cultured.
Anyway, one of the dudes behind its creation was Todd Michael Rogers. He’s what you would call a ‘writer’. He may also be considered a genius since he is part of Team Genius, and I would assume you have to meet some kind of criteria to get accepted, right?
We got in touch with Todd (not physically) to see what he’s been up to since creating the best videogame-family-of-apes-and-the-inherent-difficulty-surrounding-thorny-vines song ever. Interview follows (read it or P. Diddy will shoot you).
Dan: So, Todd, can I call you Todd?
Todd: I’ve been called worse.
You were the creative force behind the web series Boy Friends. Is that over or are you making more of those?
Its over. Although, I DID just move in with Matt Elam and the rest of the former Team Genius, so I guess the antics will continue, camera or not…
How hard was it for people to understand that you and Matt in Boy Friends weren’t gay, or do you just consider those people to be immature and move on?
Well, there is that space between the word “Boy” and “Friends”, which I think was mostly Robin and Joey’s doing. So yea, it’s a grammar joke. We’re not really gay. Though, again, I DID just move in with Matt, so we’ll see if any magic happens.
The episode that caught my attention and ended up featured on Ripten was the one with your Donkey Kong song. I’m assuming the inspiration for the song was Donkey Kong Country 2, but I’ll ask anyway: What was the inspiration for the song?
Oddly enough, Wave Race 64. No, one day in Summer of ‘07, I was sitting in the Team Genius living room, trying to find the track from Bramble Scramble, because, like so many other video game compositions, its one you just need to hear sometimes. I played it and begged Matt to write a rap to it. Eventually, like in January, we did it.
As of now, have you still not beaten the game or have you finally overcome that life hurdle?
I did beat it. I threw controllers, made up curse words (murderfocker) and sold parts of my soul to a thing called Jeru’nezob. But I beat it. That being said, a pirate? and he shoots blobs? that reverse your controls? Really? ….Fuck you Rareware.
For reals. Did you actually sing in the song or did you just help write it? Matt did the main rap part, correct?
Matt is what you would call, uh, a horrifically good rapper. He spits out weird lines and catchy phrases, even his jokes are haunting. (I guess what I’m trying to say is he’s evil).
He did all the hard work, all the writing, but I tried to make sure the song felt like a weird feeling between life never getting easier, whether you’re an adult or a child with a ‘game over’ screen. Also, no gangster rap. Thats too easy to ridicule (please don’t kill me gangsters).
At what point did you realize that you had created the best song in music history?
Pretty much as soon as I traveled back in time and said “Hey, Rick Springfield. Jessie’s got a girl….and your jealous. Write that shit.”
You obviously love the classics, so let me ask you this: What is your favorite game of all time?
Final Fantasy 7. Easily. EASILY. A close second is Final Fantasy 8. I want to be Squall so bad it hurts.
And how about the new generation, what are your feelings there? You at least have a Wii since it’s in the video, right?
Alas, I’m too busy writing things for your future. I miss World of WarCraft. Oh, and it’s Joey’s Wii, though it hasn’t seen much play since Robin bought The Force Unleashed. Shout out to Kevin Daily, who couldn’t bring down a Star Destroyer if he was Yoda and someone threw him a toy vehicle from across the room.
Are you planning on creating any other game-inspired songs anytime soon?
Well, we had an idea for a Transformers-inspired rap, sort of a spiritual sequel, Matt is still up for it, so who knows… I will say this: I hope The Duck Hunt sketch I wrote somehow sees the light of day…
So then what are you working on now?
So much. I have a really cool comic book being readied for a pitch, my friend Weshoyot is just finishing inks on the first few pages. Um, I spent the Summer writing three screenplays, which I hope to sell to a few production companies, that way Sarah (my girlfriend) and I can go Paris and etc. Sarah and I are working on our next big comedy thing. It’s a website that’ll hopefully work like a sketch comedy live action web comic, so we’ll see. Oh, and we’re shooting a short film this month with my pal Denver. I wrote it just a few months ago on a whim, so I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Other then that? I have a few short stories I’m messing around with, and a novel (or two)… and uhm, oh! I have a comedy blog I update weekly at: thoughtsthatihavehad.com
Other than that, I’m gonna finish this here apple cider Sarah just made me.
Wow, that sounds like some… wait, your girlfriend actually made apple cider?
Well, it was instant. But she DID make it. Especially for me.
Well, that’s cool of her. Is there anything on your site thoughtsthatihavehad that are actually thoughts that you personally didn’t have?
Well, there are some thoughts that are never personal. Thoughts we all share, as one society. For example, I’m pretty sure we’ve all had thought of this.
Oh yeah, totally. What the fuck is up with manta rays? And what about this comic book, what is it about?
It’s the best thing I’ve ever written. It’s a six issue fantasy with magic revolvers, a sombrero, devils, a magical library, and a pocket watch of doom. I’m hoping desperately to get it published in the next few months. I’m so tired of no one else knowing the story.
If you were to create a mascot for Ripten, what would it be?
A Buster Sword stuck in stone. Only, the stone is a Goldeneye 64 Game Cartridge.
Does any of the stuff that you are working on feature someone hopping on goombas?
Not yet. But seriously, I wrote like the best Duck Hunt gag ever. EVER. Hopefully someday soon it’ll see the light of day. As of right now, though, I’m so busy with the upcoming secret comedy site… and the short film… and as of today I’m now actively writing two different books… So no, no goombas.
But, fun fact, when I was a child I decided to dress up as a Goomba for Halloween (which was a holiday we didn’t celebrate) and was shot down because (obviously) “Goombas are evil.”
Which, you know… it’s things like that which fuck you up for life.
Wow. Sorry, Zungre, nobody gets to hop on any goombas. Anyhow, thanks for taking the time to talk with me today, and we look forward to seeing your new stuff whenever you release it.
Thanks for doing this Dan, it’s been awesome!
Photos courtesy of Sarah Kachevas & The Olive Library
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4 Comments » |
on October 31, 2008 12:13 am
Sweet interview Dan although you should have titled this “Life, Love, and Donkey Kong Gimped on the PS3″
C-
on October 31, 2008 12:15 am
I considered that, but the PS3 game case specifically said “Not Gimped”. It was a pretty big sticker.
on November 1, 2008 2:23 am
I think you may have looked at it wrong.
on November 1, 2008 8:43 am
Cookigaki wants to know why there is no Ninja Gaiden rap song. Or at the very least, why does the Donkey Kong rap not have any ninja or boobs or leather? Why did you not ask that, Daniel-san? Until you get me some answers, Cookigaki does not approve!