Blog Spotlight: An Interview with George “Maddox” Ouzounian
George “Maddox” Ouzounian is a best-selling author, Internet Blogger and also a comic book author. In between a busy work schedule and a now finished tour after promoting his first book, “The Alphabet of Manliness”, George took the time to sit down and answer a few questions I had compiled after perusing his Blog and website. What followed showcased a very professional side to him, without sacrificing any of his humor that he is reknown for.
RG: Let’s begin at the beginning. What originally spurred you to write the original 50 things that pissed you off list?
George: Originally it was love; I have a passion for bitching, and I turned that passion into something the world really needed back in 1997: people complaining about things on the Internet.
RG: Do you recall the top five in any order?
George: I don’t recall much of the list, other than Pringles commercials.
RG: Is that list available on your site or do you have any plans to post the original for those curious?
George: The list is not available for anyone to read other than myself, and even I’m barely worthy.
RG: You all the time mention hate mail, but what kind of fan letters do you get?
George: Fan letters fall into three categories: blind praise, exhaustive praise, and thoughtful. The latter is exceedingly rare, comprising less than 1% of all the email I get. The blind praise is just that: short, stupid and harmless. The exhaustive praise is fan mail I get about every single article I’ve ever written, separately.
RG: Did you ever wish to be a writer and comic book guy when you initially started the site?
George: I’ve always wanted to make comic books, toys, video games, books, movies, and everything I enjoy (except for porn, because I’m not blessed with the cock, and most porn stars look creepy). That wasn’t my goal with the site, but it was a creative outlet for me nonetheless.
George: I decided to do the book because I wanted a bit more clout and credibility to do other projects so that the people who care about that sort of thing would take notice.
RG: When AoM (Alphabet of Manliness) finally was released, did you get any offers for other books?
George: I was getting offers to do another book even before it was released. I’d always considered doing multiple books, but I’m not going to churn out garbage just to make a quick buck.
RG: Good Advise there. Did writing a book make you want to consider another someday or did it end your book-writing career?
George: I’ll only do another book if I’m inspired enough to write another one, despite the fact that I could be making a lot more money on my next title.
RG: When you initially started your site, how much per month did you pay? How much per month is your site costing you to maintain as of the present?
George: I originally paid about $20 per month for my site, including my ISP charge. I’m currently paying about $700 per month across three different hosts.
RG: Wow. Had you ever considered having advertising even once, even though you state you won’t have that?
George: I only seriously considered advertising on my site briefly a long time ago before I made a decision that my ability to bitch about anything I want is more important than the few bucks I’d make. Those few bucks have turned into tens of thousands per month, but I have no regrets. Or money.
RG: Have you received any contact from any of the celebrities you’ve written about? If so, who?
George: I got contacted by the guy from the original Fandango commercials from a long time ago. He was a pretty solid guy. I also got contacted by Dylan Avery. Does he count?
RG: Sure does. Who was your favorite to hear from (or least favorite) – and what did they have to say?
George: My favorite contact was from a VP at MTV who said “we know you hate us, but we still want to talk with you.”
RG: Continuing with the site.. How do you deal with ‘wannabe’ sites out there – those that rip you off of both entries as well as pictures?
George: I don’t have strong opinions either way. I expect people to be inspired by me, because people tend to be inspired by greatness, but I didn’t get here by mimicking anyone.
RG: What is your favorite thing about writing on your site? Also, what is your least favorite?
George: My favorite thing about writing on my site is the freedom I have. Nobody is paying me to write(or not write), so I’m not afraid of losing a source of income if I shit all over somebody. My least favorite thing about writing on my site is the time it takes to fully research a topic and write an article. I easily spend 16-32 hours on articles these days.
RG: Understood, fully. You state on your site you’re currently not single. Has that changed and if not, how does your significant other deal with your popularity?
RG: How did your family react to everything initially and have their opinions of you changed for the better or worse as your site gained popularity?
George: When I told my mom I got my book deal, the first thing she said to me is “when are you going to go back to school and get a real job?”
RG: Parents, gotta love ’em. So one final question: Tell me something about you that people generally don’t know about you.
George: I like to eat crab because it gives me time to think. People don’t take enough time to sit down, shut up, and think about things these days.
RG: Thank you for giving me a chance to interview you. It’s been interesting.
George: No problem.
It was a great, learning experience to hear how George responded to my questions. A concrete thinker, as well as a bit of a comedian – hopefully George revealed himself in a more professional manner to those who think he’s just some ‘jerk’ on a website.
Reference:
More information about George “Maddox” Ouzounian found on maddox.xmission.com
