Comedy in IT: How I Became a Soundcloud Rapper
Anyone who works in IT, Engineering, or Technology knows the look: the slightly furrowed brow and glazed expression of regret.
That's what we see when we answer the customary question, "What do you do for work?"
It's not that the polite conversationalist, be it another parent at Open House Night or a distant cousin at a wedding reception can't understand the technology-- They just don't want to.
It's boring to most people.
And moreover, those of us in Silicon Valley who are enthusiastic about digital twins, data fabric, or cybersecurity mesh aren't famous for being fun.
As a creative professional, this dry desert of entertainment in the technology industry is not only what keeps me employed but also keeps me excited to go to work every day. The tech industry is a largely untapped comedy goldmine.
Hold up, don't start furrowing your brow, because I'm a SoundCloud artist and you're going to want to hear all about that--- wait! Come back!!
I'm part of a production team behind the podcast Seeking Truth in Networking. You won't hear me discussing the VXLAN scalability challenges or innovative ways to deploy a Kubernetes CNI* on the air with Derick and Brandon. My main function is creating the spoof 'sponsor' commercials that run before/after the episode. [its_not_much_but_its_honest_work.jpg would go here if that meme was still socially relevant]
You think network switch power supplies can't be funny? They can be!
I moonlight as an artist and a comedian but my day job is still digital marketing and advertising and the data is in: no one wants to be bored. Engineers, developers, architects--- everyone wants to hear a good story, be entertained, and have fun.
In honor of April Fool's Day today, I hope you'll listen to a few of my tracks (featuring electrical engineer and aspiring voice actor Brandon Elliott). And, if you're in networking listen to a full episode or check out the innovative tech company that sponsors the podcast.
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*If anyone tries to seriously discuss Kubernetes CNI* with me, I will fake a phone call and flee the room. Please don't.
{Special thanks to Aditya Chakraborty, the world's-most-patient editor and producer who expertly mixes all my ridiculous clips.}