(June 16, 2002)
SomeIdiot.com is one of the all-time e/n sites (everything/nothing), a genre that preceded camgirls, blogs and the rest of the current popularity-seeking online ventures. e/n sites came complete with links to video of bicycle accidents, photos of drunks and links to news about served penises. And did we mention the porn? Along the way someone figured out that posting photos of "authentic" naked cheerleaders drew more traffic than exploded heads. And some really got carried away, acting like Bob Guccione with an FTP server.
SomeIdiot.com juggled these talents as well as any site, becoming a team project along the way. This week we talk to the head Idiot about the history of his site, the endangered e/n scene and his site's mention on the Howard Stern show.
Site: SomeIdiot.com
Description: Home of the 100% non-original content
Webmaster Name: Idiot
Webmaster E-mail: Someidiot@someidiot.com
Birth Date of Site: Can't remember
Traffic Data: Approximately 1 million per month
1. Why did you start SomeIdiot.com?
Well, it started out as a joke. Would go and rip other people's stuff, hotlink it and shit. They would get pissed, bitch about it in their post and link back. "Someidiot ripped me off." Traffic went through the roof. And hence the site's logo.
2. I would classify SomeIdiot.com as one of the orginal e/n sites. Could you give us a
little history lesson on that genre?
It was weird, the entire e/n era. A few people started sites to get their message out. I really don't think that anything was really ever said. Some people got off on hearing about other people's miserable lives and how fucked they are. Then came the porn. If you can't think of anything else to say, post porn. Soon, it seemed everyone jumped on the bandwagon. As with everything, too much of one thing and the value goes down.
3. When did you first recognize that your site has some clout, when other sites started
kissing your ass in order to get traffic from you?
Actually, that took me by surprise. I didn't actually pay any attention to site stats for a long time. I started getting loads of e-mails asking me to check out their sites and link them. I wanted to be the nice guy, but shit, I get about 50 a day asking. If I linked everyone, the site would be nothing but links to other sites.
What got me to realize the site had some clout is when I would change something and get boatloads of
e-mails ripping my ass about it. I was in awe that people actually gave a crap.
4. It seems that many e/n sites sold out when they achieved a level of popularity: displaying
porn ads, linking only to sites that would throw traffic back to them, etc. Do you think there's
such thing as being too popular?
Sell out? NEVER! Too popular ... maybe. I found that just myself posting on SomeIdiot.com was taking up a huge amount of my time. I couldn't do it anymore. I was getting e-mails yelling at me to post. I needed help. Just finding content to post was beginning to be harder than hell. I found one guy, Vito, and we shared much the same taste and humor. It is hard finding the personality match. Then it seems everyone wanted to write for SomeIdiot.com to jumpstart their own sites.
5. Do you make any money off this gig?
This is the first year that I made anything. The Sony PS2 game company, Rockstar Games, hooked me up.
I reinvested it in the site for advertisement, though. We sponsored the Vans Warped tour in southern California. That was pretty killer.
6. To how many people did you give the keys to update SomeIdiot.com? Are you ever concerned with the posts being too long, unfunny or too pornish, or are these guys right on par with what you want on the site?
Well, I gave a ton of people chances to post. I lost count. What I was doing is trying to find a core set of people to keep and boot the rest. I am looking for people that share the humor, and will post fairly regulary. My job takes me out of town nearly five days a week and I want to keep the site going. I figure with four or five people, that should be good.
Concerning the content, I don't really like long posts. I personally don't read them. Short, sometimes misleading phrases and a link to something is what I am looking for. I was told by a reader that SomeIdiot.com is like an Easter egg hunt with the plastic eggs. You have no idea what the hell is behind that link. That sums it up and that was exactly what I was aiming to be. With some of my writers now, that philosophy isn't there. Reform is in the air...
Some of the rules that I try to abide by is little or no hardcore porn. Only beautiful women. No gay porn unless it is two women. Which is what SomeIdiot.com is known for. Half of the readers of SomeIdiot.com are females. The demographics are all over the place in terms of age and walk of life. I want to keep the site light hearted, funny and pretty.
7. Porn = traffic, that's obvious. But why is it the right traffic for SomeIdiot.com?
I don't like to think that porn is the only reason people visit. But if they come to get a laugh why not get some eye candy, too?
8. What are some of your all-time e/n sites and why?
Actually, I dig your site. I believe that we have been talking for a couple of years now. Good taste
and humor. And what ever happened to PlanetPuck? Snowsurfer always was fun, too. Dragonfly Experiment, School of Ass (now Think Attack). Tough question ... too many classics to list.
9. How many women have sent you pictures of themselves naked in order to get promotion from SomeIdiot.com?
I never really got sent that many. I wasn't really into the whole fan sign thing but for a little while. I don't like to be on that bandwagon that everyone else is on. The way I see it, is if I never change, I'll eventually be alternative again. Everything comes full circle. I haven't changed much over the years. My traffic is always increasing so, I suppose something is right.
10. When you read e-mail from SomeIdiot.com fans, do you fear for the future of civilization?
Oh God yes. I can't believe that for a simple site, it is so increadible popular. I am worried for my children.
11. Ever get into any legal trouble over your site's content?
Once, sorta. I got an influx of e-mail saying that I was mentioned by the FBI in some local news in Indiana or some place. But that same day, Howard Stern mentiond my site. So it was all good.
12. A lot of e/n webmasters are anonymous and vicious. What percentage of these guys do you think are truthful on their sites, and what percentage do you think are teenage virgins who aren't half as cool as they think they are?
I would dare to bet that most were kids. If they weren't, they weren't functional adults anyhow. Do we really need to amuse ourselves with degenerates? Apparently so.
Thanks to Idiot for taking us to the corner of the e/n universe, exposing us to its truths and myths, and for not littering his site with a million pop-up ads like so many of the sellouts.
Head on over to SomeIdiot.com to see what crazyness the boys have found today. Just be careful if you're surfing around at work. Or if you're under 18. Or 21. Or whatever. I'm not your father.
Oct. 6, 2002 — TracyLines.com — Model/actress Tracy Lines
Sept. 17, 2002 — JumpTheShark.com — Jon Hein on his popular site and new book
Sept. 17, 2002 — idreamofkerri.com — Atlanta model Kerri
Sept. 2, 2002 — LisaMenuto.com — Model Lisa Menuto
July 21, 2002 — Kelli Graham.com — Model/actress Kelli Graham
July 14, 2002 — YourDreamModel.com — Detroit babe Chrissy
July 14, 2002 — WhosNYC.com — The craziest bar on Manhattan's Upper East Side
June 30, 2002 — RoundCardGirlz.com — Boxing and babes. We like the babes better
June 16, 2002 — SomeIdiot.com — A longtime leader in the e/n scene
June 9, 2002 — SportsByBrooks.com — Sports, beer and babes in Los Angeles
June 2, 2002 — MurphGuide.com — Connecting fun people through parties and events in NYC
May 26, 2002 — Honeygirlx.com — Blonde bombshell makes your fantasies come true on posters
May 19, 2002 — MirandaRox.com — Michigan model and Playboy hopeful Miranda
May 12, 2002 — CamGirlDirectory.com — A directory for camgirl sites, sortable by popluarity and location
May 5, 2002 — GoShannon.com — Model/actress/entrepreneur and overall hot babe
April 28, 2002 — NYCBP.com — Pictures and stories of New York city bartenders and patrons whooping it up
April 21, 2002 — GuyCritical.com — Where women ask men anything and have it answered anonymously
April 14, 2002 — Networkinggirl.com — A singles-event planner in New York City
Want to be interviewed? E-mail Paul.
