Closed for Repairs (but in the meantime…)
Folks, I’m in the midst of a LONG-OVERDUE overhaul of kengrobe.com. If you’re here to:
SEE MY PORTFOLIO (best stuff) (exhaustive).
Thanks,
–Ken
Holiday Video: The Human Centipede’s Holiday Wish
Brace yourself. This one features The Human Centipede, it of the gruesomest horror movie of the year. But I swear this has no gore, and almost nothing that would otherwise nauseate you assuming you’ve recovered from the concept of a “human centipede.”
Produced for the Killing My Lobster/Z Space show, KMLZ Holidaze.
I put this one together myself, right down to the festive ending. See you in hell!
Latest video: PLANET OF THE APES ORIGINAL ENDING
Written for the Fall Killing My Lobster show, the Sci-Fi-themed Killing My Lobster Conquers The Galaxy. I’ve always gotten a kick out of the bombastic Mr. Heston, and besides, why should the Statue of Liberty get all the props?
We had a hell of a time matching the classic footage, and getting the audio on a beach where f**king cargo ships blare their horns every ten seconds. But I’m over the moon with the results.
Acted by the ever-charismatic Calum Grant, shot by the excellent Jon Burton, and written & directed by me. But watch it anyway, won’t you?
New video: SKETCH WARS 2
Done for my sketch comedy compatriots Killing My Lobster. A long day but the results are just damn funny.
Sketch Wars 1 was executed by rival gang PianoFight, but I think we out-did them. Thanks to MURDER.
Shot by Jon Burton with awesome new DP Paul Burke. Acted by some of my faves. Idea by Chris Parisi (who also donated his truck) & Miriam Wild-Smith (who did the FX makeup). Written and directed by some hack.
Video: David Bowie Enters the Andromeda Galaxy
Or as Coilhouse put so beautifully: Ground Control to Major Tom: You’re a Dipshit.
Script by Miriam Wild-Smith and myself. Images by Gregory Wild-Smith and myself. “Animated” by me. The voice that is not Mr. Bowie is Yours Truly as well. This one also got props from Sci-Fi blog leaders iO9, bless ‘em.
Engines on!
I’m a Wedding Writer!
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
National Debt Fun Quiz Time!
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:
| QUESTIONS: | ANSWERS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Who was the first woman featured on a US postage stamp? | uoʇƃuıɥsɐʍ ɐɥʇɹɐɯ (Source) |
| 2. | Which Shakespeare play mentions America? | ˙(ıı ǝuǝɔs 'ııı ʇɔɐ) sɹoɹɹǝ ɟo ʎpǝɯoɔ ǝɥʇ (Source) |
| 3. | How many stories tall is the White House? | xıs (Source) |
| 4. | What did Abraham Lincoln invent? | ˙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: | ANSWERS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Where does the term “blue chip” for stocks come from? | ˙ǝuo pǝnlɐʌ-ʇsǝɥƃıɥ ǝɥʇ sɐʍ dıɥɔ ɹǝʞod ǝnlq ɐ ˙ƃuılqɯɐƃ ((Source) |
| 2. | What stock had GRRR for its stock symbol? | ˙ıɹɐɟɐs ʎɹʇunoɔ uoıl (Source) |
| 3. | What was the original name of the American Stock Exchange? | ˙qɹnɔ ǝɥʇ uo ƃuıpuɐʇs sɹǝpɐɹʇ ʎʇıɔ ʞɹoʎ ʍǝu ʎq pǝʇɹɐʇs ʎllɐuıƃıɹo sɐʍ ʇı ǝsnɐɔǝq 'qɹnɔ ǝɥʇ (Source) |
| 4. | Which of these is or was an actual stock symbol? A. LUBE B. GEEK C. LADY D. AMEN E. All of them | ˙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: | ANSWERS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Where did the term “bread” come from as a nickname for money? | ”˙ʎǝuoɥ puɐ pɐǝɹq“ ɹoɟ ƃuɐls ƃuıɯʎɥɹ ʎǝuʞɔoɔ s’ʇı (Source) |
| 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 | ˙p (Source) |
| 3. | How much do Americans owe on student loans? A. $114 billion B. $275 billion C. $559 billion D. $875 billion | ˙p (Source) |
| 4. | What is a “zombie” in the financial world? | ˙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: | ANSWERS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Who are more likely to attempt suicide: men or women? | uǝɯoʍ (Source) |
| 2. | Who are more likely to SUCCESSFULLY attempt suicide: men or women? | uǝɯ (Source) |
| 3. | When are suicide rates highest in the U.S.? A. Spring B. Summer C. Fall D. Winter | ƃuıɹds ˙ɐ (Source) |
| 4. | Which country has the highest suicide rate? | ɐıuɐnɥʇıl (Source) |
New Video: “The Phone”
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
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
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.