Greetings My Space users!
Remember, those two kooky comedians Chris Kanik and Josh Spear, who went in search of Tom Anderson, the creator of My Space? Well, they are back and their trip will soon be available on film.
Though they were not able to meet Tom, they are currently in the midst of creating a documentary of their nationwide comedy tour, where they met many of their My Space friends for the first time.
“I have had nervous breakdowns in the last few months – all over finding Tom,” said Chris Kanik of Union City, who is editing the footage that was shot by his younger brother.
Although the initial intent was to prove the actual existence of Tom, the footage depicts the relationships the pair had established via the Internet.
“This whole concept of us going across country was [our attempt] to figure out this new concept of friendship in our society,” said Kanik. “They took us in, fed us, and treated us like people they had known for years.”
The tour lasted from March 23 to April 20.
Just like you and me
According to Kanik, the footage gathered of their My Space friends will show that they are normal people, rather than the stereotypical idea that some members are isolated, abnormal, or strange because they spend so much time on the web.
“I don’t think we are more isolated,” said Kanik. “You are interacting with people – just not face to face. I think it’s the evolution of the concept of community.”
“This was a sociological experiment of our society, and it doesn’t get anymore contemporary that My Space,” he added.
Kanik said he would spend more time with many of their My Space friends if they lived close by.
“Free time and loneliness ties everyone together, and we were able to fill [that void momentarily],” said Kanik.
One of the more “interesting” encounters was a My Space friend from Tampa, FL, who had turned out to be completely different than her photos posted on My Space.
They also spent some time in Cleveland, Miami, and a My Space friend in Arizona even put them up in a hotel for four nights and paid all their expenses.
“Then there was that stripper that tried to seduce me,” said Kanik. “Sex, drugs, and My Space! Rock and Roll is so 90s.”
True blue buds
Many of their My Space pals throughout the tour treated them like old friends.
“There was one girl in Orlando,” said Kanik. “We showed up at her vocational school, where her major is roadie. She treated us like she had known us for years.”
It was during that leg of the trip that the guys had some car trouble.
“She offered to drive us to the next stop in Kansas City,” said Kanik, who said they opted to replace the car instead.
The amazing aspect for Kanik was that their Internet friends welcomed them into their homes, allowed them to roam free in their personal space, and treated them like they were friends for years, even though it was their first face-to-face meeting.
“It’s not a crazy concept,” said Kanik. “It’s like when you used to have pen pals. My Space allows us to mirror ourselves, and put out our most ideal image.”
Kanik is currently represented by a new agent based in Los Angeles that works at ICM (International Creative Management), and is in negotiations with potential producers for the documentary.
“Everybody we met could be our friend,” said Kanik. “My Space is what turned out to not be our friend.”
Final destination
The original plan included the two comedians ending the tour at the doors of the My Space headquarters in Beverly Hills, and asking to speak with Tom.
According to Kanik, they had an unofficial agreement with the president and CEO of My Space, who was going to help put the footage of the trip on the My Space main webpage.
However, this did not happen, and in addition, security escorted them off the property after Kanik decided to sit outside the headquarters to wait for Tom.
They were forbidden from filming or showing any already gathered footage of the My Space headquarters. However, they did manage to get some footage, and ended the segment with Kanik saying, “I guess My Space really is a place for friends.”
The reason the pair couldn’t speak with Tom was because he was in New York on the day they were there.
Tom was also seen at the “Idol Gives Back” segment of last season’s American Idol, in one of Tom’s first public appearances since the creation of the network.
“Now he’s on TV, so the question of ‘Is Tom real?’ is irrelevant,” said Kanik. “Our trip was much more than a silly trip; it was an experiment of our world now. We have created a whole community on the Internet without walls and face to face contact.”
Not just an experiment
Along the way, Kanik and Spear performed stand-up at the Improv Comedy Clubs throughout the nation, where they opened up for nationally known comedians like Damon Wayans, Sarah Silverman, Charlie Murphy, and Tony Rock, who is Chris Rock’s brother.
“There are about 25 clubs across the country, and we did almost all of them except for one in Orlando,” said Kanik.
Kanik received a lot of positive feedback about his act.
“We are edgy. We killed the crowd,” said Kanik. “I saw a lot of hackie material, very trite. I think people out there are looking for a little more.”
“I think my humor is a little more intelligent and edgier. I don’t think I’ll ever be on a family show,” he added.
What’s to come
Since the end of the tour, Kanik has kept busy and is a semi-finalist for MTV’s next segment of the Real World, for which he submitted an audition video.
“I blew everyone away in my underwear,” said Kanik. “I said, ‘I want to bring character and integrity to the Real World.’ I also sent a video of me in my mom’s pantyhose, and said that I am comfortable in my sexuality.”
For anyone who would like to vote to get Kanik to the next round of the Real World log onto www.vote4chriskanik.com.
The link was actually made by their stripper My Space friend from Arizona.
“There you go,” said Kanik. “Friendships that last.”
“If I’m famous, I’m famous. If not, I will stay in Union City and become a homeless man, and a prophet to the young,” he said.
You can see some of the footage of the trip on myspace.com/ChrisKanik or go through www.chriskanik.com. Jessica Rosero can be reached at jrosero@hudsonreporter.com