There's a new website that's captivating the city's creative underclass, ReadySetBYT. We sat down with the founder of RSBYT, Ryan Mitchell, to discuss the origins of his online cultural sensation: Thai hookers and Jennifer Aniston.
BYT: So how long have you been doing ReadySetBYT?
Ryan Mitchell: I’ve been doing it for about a week and a half, maybe two weeks.
Share with us the creation story of the website.
Yea, you know, Ryan Wakeman of the Crab's Claw House sent me a text message asking me to make a blog so he could find out what was going on in the city. Because, you know, there is no website to find out what’s going on in the city or what’s really going on in the city and mind because Ryan Wakeman doesn’t know anything about what is going on in the city.
He has no friends.
No, he doesn’t. So Ryan Wakeman [said to me], “Ryan, you have all the connections in DC, you know what is going on… You know a lot of people. You run DC. You need to make a website.”
I was already at my computer—it takes about 15 minutes to make a blog—I typed “blog” in Google and there you go!
Is it just you that is writing for RSBYT?
I have a lot of contributors, but it is mostly me. I’m trying to be multicultural—just like DC – so, I have a British guy writing who just hates everything America. He just rants about America. Then, I recruited my own Svetlana.
You do have your own Svetlana!
She is from Ukraine, I mean she's Jewish. She doesn’t like being called Ukrainian, she was born in the Ukraine but hates Ukrainians.
RSBYT Svetlana; BYT Svetlana.
Does anyone else write for you?
David Cabrera from Firefox Safari. He definitely wants me to leave him out of this, but I won’t. He is a contributor now. He did a great story about this new dance club called the Dance Institute on 14th street.
What’s the first story that you wrote?
Oh, it was that story about bumping. Everyone thought we were talking about coke, but we were really talking about iPhones.
What’s the most popular story that's been on your website?
Hmm…I would hope it would be the one making fun of the “Art of the Party" called "My House Parties Are Art" .
Speaking of parties, are you guys going to throw a launch party?
Yea, we’re taking over the house I live at and we are going to name it something. It’s either going to called, ‘Uncle David” or “Ladies”… Everyone was thinking April 1st for the launch party.
Is there like a RSBYT crew house?
Yeah, that's where the launch party is going to be. I live with three old ladies. That’s why I’m naming the house “Ladies”.
Do you have any sponsors for the site?
Yea. We've picked up a few sponsors. So far, our main sponsor is Heroin.
It’s making a comeback I hear.
Yea.
So how do you integrate blog posts about Heroin while letting people know that it's sponsored content?
Well, under our sponsors list all it says is “Heroin.”
When did you realize that RSBYT wasn't just a one-off joke blog and that you were going to keep it going for two weeks. What was the tipping point?
Yea, at first I was like, “Eh, I’m just going to name drop everyone who I saw at that Pho restaurant.” Then I was like, “Well, people thought that was funny, maybe I will do another one.”
Tell me the philosophy behind the content on RSBYT.
I don’t really read blogs but I always feel that they are always about “I was at this” or “we did this”. It’s never news. It’s like when BYT['s] Jeff interviews a band, it’s always a picture of Jeff with the band. You guys basically make fun of yourself. I guess that is what blogging is. It’s not news, its actually someone covering something. I want to do that.
Jeff interviewing Gwar; Jeff interviewing Lenny from Motorhead; Jeff with Kid Congo Powers interviewing Slayer;Jeff with Miho Hatori and Sean Lennon; Jeff interviewing Chuck D; Todd Barry with Jeff.
It really makes you think about how the old media establishment really controlled what ever we do, and now these smaller groups based on their own self-interests can now decide what is news. Then you get these perverted ideas about relevancy.
I think I’d be more prone to my own criticism even if, I did any kind of blog postings that were realistic. Even if, I thought I was doing a good job, then you are up for criticism, but if I don’t do that.
Traditionally BYT has gotten really really bad comments. I feel like for awhile every comment used to be people just dissing Cale on posts just calling him this gay 80’s dude.
I mean…you’ve seen him right? He definitely looks like a gay 80’s dude. Like he’s the prettiest man gay 80’s dude. I mean I was kind of turned on by him until I found out he was straight.
What kind of blogs do you read?
The Onion. Is that a blog?
How much time do you spend on the Internet?
Much more now. Some times I won’t be on it for a week and then other time I will be on it four times a day. Now that the weather is nice I won’t be on it as much. Also, now my battery is dead so every time it is unplugged it just turns off. This blogging takes up hours.
Do you have any goals for the website?
Yea, to interview Jay-Z and Owl City, who does that “Firefly” song. He’s like what ReadySetDC is to BYT, but he’s that to the Postal Service. I think in more ways than one. He probably lies about his age and makes you want to defend Ben Gibbard—which is something I don’t do often.
I’m going to be interviewing a group called the TPC, and they have a lot of pride about being uncircumcised.
Are you a member of this uncircumcised club?
I was a member of the TPC L.A. Chapter. But apparently there are chapters in Virginia and DC.
If you could have any celebrities at the launch party who would you bring?
Besides Cale? Kate Moss, because she’s down for bumping. Um, Christopher Hitchens, the renowned atheist. I wanna be his friend. I don’t know who else I would bring…who is really big right now? Miley Cyrus. She would totally be down for it. You know, I would pop on Twilight and some Postal Service and finger her in the bathroom. I also love Jennifer Aniston. So much.
Gay 80's Cale; 90's Jennifer Aniston.
She's probably soooo into fingering.
I heard that on Perez.
Has he linked you yet?
Yea, he’s a follower.
What were you up to before RSBYT?
Traveling in Vietnam and Thailand. They have great prostitutes and heroin.
Are you trying to parlay those contacts into sponsorship opportunities?
Yea, I was trying. I was trying to get he Vietnamese authorities to sell me a child, but they wouldn’t.
Are you trying to adopt a baby?
No, no! Like, a 14 year old boy. I don’t want kids.
You don’t want kids, but you want a kid?
Yea, exactly. More like…what do you call them…oh, slaves.
Do you want your own children some day?
Hell no.
Never?
I do legitimately feel that I will have a daughter and she will fuck some football guy, and if I have a son he’s going to be a football guy fucking someone else's daughter.
If you could start a ReadySetBYT anywhere else, where would you franchise it? Where would you go?
I mean, besides the fact that I don’t want to be in Los Angeles, it would be so easy to make fun of people in L.A. That would be the ripest. San Francisco? I love making fun of San Francisco.
What are the things about San Francisco do you not like?
They are all mean, and politically correct, and so liberal. You can’t even make rape jokes around them.
Oh, I bet they HATE rape jokes.
Yea, they hate it. Once, my ex-ex girlfriend was like, “ [redacted] is so hot, I don’t care if he rapes me,” and her friend was like, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
And then they probably organized a benefit concert. Have you ever been raped- are you trying to reclaim the title of "rape victim" with these jokes?
Um, I wouldn’t mind if a girl raped me. But my philosophy is that it isn’t rape if you kill them. They may end up liking you, but how do I know if you can actually trust them to like you?
As someone who really has their finger on the pulse of D.C.'s youth, what are your predictions for summer trends?
You are going to see people going to Little Mrs. Whiskey’s and Sticky Rice for authentic Japanese food. There are deaf people there. Other trends, Diane Rehm is going to get really big. If you guys get lucky you might survive the recession.
What about summer fashion trends?
People are going to wear V-neck tees and sleeveless tees. Girls are going to start wearing leggings.
What about summer party trends?
Black Cat is going to blow up. It’s probably going to re-launch. But there will still be dick head bouncers at the door.
Who is your least favorite person in DC?
The US Royalty—as a whole. Oh, and Andy Fountain- worst person in DC.
Previously in I Heart DC:
- 5/24: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/23: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/23: BYT Patio and Outdoor Dining Guide - Spring/Summer 2012
- 5/22: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/21: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/21: PHOTOS: Artomatic 2012 Opening
- 5/18: DC NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/17: DC News You Can (Maybe) Use
- 5/16: D.C. NEWS YOU CAN (MAYBE) USE...
- 5/16: Photos: Dance In The Circle @ Dupont Circle
God loves a cheerful giver.
Hopefully your sponsor will kill you, Stuart Lupton and all the idiots of dc.
sweet frat-boy level rape jokes
What a self-referencing, star-fucking, megalomaniacal, narcissistic sycophant that BYT Jeff is. He probably refers to himself in the third person.
In case you guys were wondering, this is the kind of thing people who hate BYT are talking about.
Senses of humor are available in the aisle towards the exit.
"people who hate BYT"
Really? That exists? Those people actually live? They hate a thing that they can simply ignore? Amazing.
You know what I hate? I hate people who support the new health care bill (it will be struck down for its unconstitutionality). I hate cutting my fingers open while trying to remove the fan on my 1970 pick up because it's something I could control. I hate that I can't say no to alcohol once I'm drunk and end up sleeping gorgeous days away, and having a headache on top of that. I don't hate TMZ or the people who watch it, but I find them ludicrous and wouldn't want anything to do with them. I hate people who lie.
But hating a website/blog/whatever? That's just really really fucking stupid.
Don't read it. There, one less thing in your life to hate, I just lowered your blood pressure, and I realigned your thought processes. You're welcome. Hate me too but I'm taking off work early to go beat off to porn, which I do not hate.
"Hopefully your sponsor will kill you, Stuart Lupton and all the idiots of dc."
Well, that's one way to start off the comments. I'm honestly just that impressed anyone could be that much of a bitter prick before 10am. How does that even happen?
I mean, have you seen a Stewart Lupton show?
But in all seriousness, folks. My point was that this is a bunch of inane cutesy in-joke bullshit that 95% of everybody doesn't care about.
love the hype
stewart lupton is my personal heroin
INBREED
Here's what will happen with Stuart Lupton: No one will care about him for another year or so except 90's rock fashion obsessed women *coughsvetlanacough*. He'll then get written up in brooklynvegan for banging Eleanor Friedberger in the bathroom at Williamsburg Hall of Music, parlay that publicity blip into a failed US tour, then make a duet acoustic album with Karen O which goes unreleased until after he dies in obscurity in 2020 of an overdose at which point he'll be remembered as an inspirational hero that every indie rocker will pretend to have always idolized.
Super nice guy though, when you can understand what the fuck he's saying.
That's pretty funny, Honest jerk. But let me be the first to say that, should your prophesy not come to pass, I still consider Stewart an "inspirational hero" as you say. Few people when they write about him ever talk about his music, perhaps because few of his detractors actual listen to it. Jonathan Fire Eater's 'Wolf Songs for Lambs' is simply incredible. I'm still baffled the world hasn't retroactively picked up on this genius record, especially after his former band (now the Walkmen) have made a living off of biting his sound.
I had everything Jonathan Fire Eater ever released and still consider it an honor to have a man of his talent living in this city.
@Ryan:
Not to butt into the discussion here, but...
I'll agree, JFE was a great band, and that's all well and good, but that was over a decade ago, and the music he's making now is just... not... on par. I want to like it, because he's such an interesting dude and everything, but... I've seen at least three shows, maybe four, and none of them were enjoyable. All these long, sprawling, songs with no hooks. To say nothing of the stage antics. It's just sad to me.
that's funny, that''s exactly what the punters used to say about Jonathan Fire Eater. No one like you got them until they were gone just long enough to become cool again. Listen harder. When he misses, he misses. When he hits, he HITS. Hopefully you'll get hit soon. It might help not to show up expecting an Andrew Lloyd Webber recreation of Alphabet City in the early nineties. Or u could just stay home and HONESTLY JERK off to the Walkmen in the dark. And dear HONEST JERK, if I were that "Super Nice Guy" you lead us to believe you know so well before damning the man's present / future capacity and condemning him him to death by an addiction he overcame years ago, I'D kick yr fucking teeth in. But thats just me.
And half of d.c.
The better half, needless to say.
And I would watch your ass.
The man didn't name his new EP
The Beatin's -A Little Give and Take
for nuthin.' you punk ass fools gonna eat your words
I just hope he drops the "Super Nice Guy" phase in time to spoon-feed then to you personally.
that's funny, that's just what the punters used to say about Jonathan Fire Eater. No one like you got them until they were gone long enough for them to be cool again. Listen Harder. When he misses, he misses. When he hits, he HITS. And it might help if you didn't come expecting an Andrew Lloyd Webber recreation of pre-strokes Alphabet City. Or you could just stay home w/ Honest Jerk and HONESTLY JERK off to the Walkmen in the dark. And Re: Honest Jerk....If I were this "Super Nice Guy" that you lead us to believe you know so much about only AFTER damning the man's present/future capacity for jaw dropping, recently documented performances/recordings herein as well as countless other sources , and THEN condemning him to DEATH from an addiction he overcame years ago, I would kick your f"in teeth in. But that's just me.
The Other Half Says:
And half of d.c.
The better half, needless to say.
And I would watch your ass.
The man didn’t name his new EP
The Beatin’s -A Little Give and Take
for nuthin.’ you punk ass fools gonna eat your words
I just hope he drops the “Super Nice Guy” phase in time to spoon-feed then to you personally.
Great site. Check out a few other sites I found for just about everything awesome, or just if you're bored...
condemning any person (or artist for the matter) to death is straight out of a fascist playbook. very sad state of affairs. terrifying.
This is artis and i got a jerk crew and i wondered if you can find me a sponsor i realy need your help! If you can get me a sponsor i appreicate it the help thanks alot and we got a couple videos on youtube.com, its called DC COMICS but them videos are old that was when we didnt know how to jerk. But now we are so good it will blow your mind!
This is Artis Black and im a jerker and i got one of my crew and we got a couple videos on youtube.com, that was when we sucked! But now we are so good it will blow your mind! My crew is called Saints [E.N.T] but our video name is DC COMICS watch it! I was wondering if you could get us a sponsor we realy need it i hope you can get if you do it, but anyways my number is 330-784-1546 and if you get me a sponsor i real appreicate it!