True Gritz Videoblog a Comic Fave Among Friends

So this is how you win elections in the South. I asked MediaShift readers to name their favorite sites for comic relief or work breaks, and the True Gritz video blog won in a landslide of 11 votes. But upon further review, two of the votes came from the True Gritz videoblog’s stars, Jen Gordon and Grayson Hurst Daughters, with another vote coming from the show’s lighting person, Danielle Ayan.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Self-promotion is a necessity for an independent production like True Gritz, and any open vote on the Internet is subject to people organizing vote drives. “Go vote for us at MediaShift!” I guess I’m honored that someone would take the time and trouble to get people to vote on this blog for anything.

But then again, if you’re going to vote for your own show, at least be honest about it. I give props to Mark, who voted in this satirical way: “I read Office Pirates at least a dozen times a day and it never fails to ‘tickle my funny bone.’ Also, I am an editor at Office Pirates.”

OK, True Gritz, you got my attention, so I watched the last few episodes of the self-described “Southern culture variety show” vblog. Very nice production, well designed site, but not so funny — at least to me, a Northerner and someone who was raised in a border state, Missouri. Episode #7 is a funny visit to Atlanta’s celebration for its 10 year anniversary of the Summer Olympics, but the show gets bogged down in random people hyping — you guessed it — True Gritz.

But why trust my opinion, when the friends and family and viewers of True Gritz offered so many nice complimentary nuggets, perfectly written for promotional blurbs:

• “If you are ever in need of a good laugh or a fresh southern perspective on life, True Gritz is the site to visit!” — Andrea Brazell

• “True Gritz has to be one of the best places for me to go to get a quick laugh!” — Chrysti Miller

• “TrueGritz. It’s better than the Daily Show and it’s online. Witty, sexy, fun.” — Stephen Cox

• “TrueGritz ROCKS!!! It ranks right up there on the ‘hilarity scale’ with Hee Haw (only a little more refined).” — WT

• “TrueGritz.com makes me guffaw every time.” — Suzan

I’m still wondering if the comparison to the old “Hee Haw” show was trying to be complimentary or ironic…

Other than the mega-votes for the Southern fried videoblog, you all mentioned a wide range of options for humor online. Here’s the total tally in this very unscientific poll (keep in mind people could vote for more than one site):

[Warning: Many of these sites contain adult material.]

True Gritz: 11
Uncyclopedia 2
Wikipedia 2
Boing Boing 2
Valleywag 1
Dvorak Uncensored 1
Home Depot Bet Blog: 1
eBaum’s World 1
Office Pirates 1
Break.com 1
YouTube 1
Salon VideoDog 1
Fark 1
Something Awful 1
Engrish 1
Sensible Erection 1
VideoSift 1
Slate 1
Dinosaur Comics 1
The Onion 1
Rocketboom 1
Little Man in a Toque 1
Dullest Blog in the World 1

Obviously you all have a taste for video silliness as well as satire and spoofs. I like that Wikipedia and Slate were mentioned as good time-wasters — not what I would have predicted, but true enough.

Personally, I’ve always been someone who grits their teeth when I get a forwarded joke in my email inbox. Too many of them have been disappointments. But I’m willing to try some of your suggestions and check out these sites, especially VideoSift if it can really bubble up good viral videos. My biggest complaint about YouTube and other video sites is all the empty calories from random surfing and tangents.

As for True Gritz, I wish the ladies all the luck in the world, and appreciate the attention they’ve paid us here at MediaShift. Every little bit counts in the battle for attention online.