Rocketboom Crash Landing

I'm of the opinion of that this is a very good attempt at a clever "mia culpa" by Rocketboom. Unfortunately I also hold the opinion that everyone waiting oh so patiently for oh so anticipated revealing of Rocketboom 2.0 will be waiting past tonight. Notice that the time and date for a new episode have both been removed from the site.

What I wonder though, is a change in anchor really enough to call this a whole new version, or is this merely an upgrade from Rocketboom 1.0 to Rocket boom 1.5? Or is that what is taking so long? Perhaps Drew had an moment of genius and Rocektboom will come back as so much more than the same show with a new face.

If that is the case what, is the plan? I still think that there is only a small window of opportunity to capitalize on any hype and time is ticking away. Or perhaps Andrew Baron is still waiting to see what became of Amanda's interview on Scarborough country.

Rocketboom still dominates web searches, but blog mentions are waning significantly, at least when you look at Technorati's sidebar. Too much longer and Andrew may need to become the baron of PR to generate much interest in the final release of his new star JoCo.

So here's to the Little Red Rocket That Could... and let's hope it can real soon. I'm still pulling for you Andrew, but you need to step up to plate soon.

Questions, Questions, Everywhere

Another day? We have to wait another day? I fully understand that the unexpected happens but I don't like the smell that the delayed highly anticipated return of Rocketboom has. Something is fishy. My objective observations still lead me to believe that Andrew "The" Baron is a good guy, but I really wonder about this move.

Perhaps he is just waiting to see what Amanda has to say for herself and is reserving the option for some last minute edits? Or maybe he has two episodes ready to go, one which villifies Amanda, the other which praises her and laments her departure? Or maybe his hard drive crashed and they want to make sure none of the files are corrupt and that will take all night?

We'll just have to wait until tomorrow night to find out. I hope for his sake this is worth the wait.

....Thanks for standing by

Rocketboom's new episode? None yet. We're just told to be patient. So the question becomes: what is the hold up?

Is this intentially building tension? That could be a decent strategy. The risk is that a new one won't be released in time to capitalize on all the attention and curiosity. Manipulating publicity can be a dangerous stunt. It would be a shame if this is all a ploy that comes back to bite Rocketboom.

Is this because there isn't an episode? That is also a strong possibility. But then one has to ask: "Andrew knows the web and apparently understands Web 2.0 and the social internet. Of all people he should realize you gotta be honest and communicate. The biggest way to make enemies, or even worse, create apathy, is to not communicate the truth."

Are they waiting for Amanda's interview of Scarborough Country? Now this is an interesting question. Could they be waiting to see what Amanda says on MSNBC before they release the latest episode? It is possible. Searches for Rocketboom will definitely be up.

Regardless, the lack of a Rocketboom episode at the appointed time certainly raises questions. And just when we thought we might find some answers...

Andrew "the" Baron of Rocketboom speaks

or...Finally from the horses mouth

As funny as it may be, I'm glad that, as this video shows, Chris' "interview" with Andrew Baron on Relev8 was a parody.

This is very interesting, and I gotta say that I'm nearly convinced now to side with Andrew Baron. But watch if for yourslef before you read any analysis lest you be jaded.

Rocketbooming

Or.... How Andrew Baron may be the smartest man in vidcasting/vlogging

My Relev8 buddy Chris showed me this a little earlier today. Of course this is all unconfirmed, but I'd put my money on that horse just about any day (and here comes unconfirmed rumors around the final bend with a full 2 length lead on publicly stated). And Andrew [the] Baron of Rocketboom is brilliant if he plays this one right, effectively relegating Amanda Congdon to the role of whiney twitt.

If Joanna Colan is the girl for the job, or even if she isn't, Andrew has one shot in a million on Monday. If all goes well Rocketboom will be launched into territory in 1 day that would otherwise take many moons with Amanda Congdon happily at the helm.

This is no jab against Amanda, she's a beautiful, charming, talented (if not a little ungracious) woman. But I predict the largest Rocketboom audience ever will be waiting for the release of the new broadcast on Monday. Some will be watching in hopes of a flaming collapse, but most will be watching out of pure and simple curiosity. Curious to see who the new face is, curious to see if Amanda can be replaced, curious to see what this Rocketboom site they've been reading about in blogs all week long is about.

And that is what makes Andrew so smart, his silence on this whole matter. Let the world of Web 2.0 work itself into a frenzy about Andrew v. Amanda and just give them something to watch come July 10. If he were responding tit for tat how curious would we be? How sick of it all would we already be, and how many of us would really care on Monday?

If the new host is indeed a star Rocketboom is suddenly sitting on a huge new hooked audience, and Andrew becomes a very rich man indeed.

So best of luck to you Andrew. And best of luck to you Amanda... just remember there comes a day to stop licking your wounds and make a new name for yourself in case the old one just doesn't resonate as well any longer.

Unboomable?

Might Amanda actually be unboomable? At least one fan of hers certainly seems to think so. I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

But that's also one of the problems with taking the highroad, or at least taking the quiet road in the world of Web 2.0. Who's setting up a fund to help Andrew find a new Amanda Congdon. Who's publicly volunteering to help fill in the gaps to get these new plans for Rocketboom launched?

Andrew may not need any help in reality. He may be home hung-over from too much partying over Amanda's departure or maybe he's trying to recover from a nervous breakdown after reading her public disclosure of "private" dealings. But one thing is for sure, at least his lack of public antics isn't inspiring the one-sided, half-blinded stupidity showing its face in Amanda's camp.

I suppose I shouldn't be amazed though, people are dumb, and the web just reiterates that on a daily basis.

Unboomed or Overboomed?

Buisiness is booming for Amanda Condon, the overnight internet sweetheart-turned-vixen of Rocketboom fame (we're playing with a new "voice" — do you like?).

The offer on the communal table is pretty sweet, all the cash she needs plus the rights to the finished products. If only the record companies would realize that wisdom and pursue a similar avenue with new bands instead of screwing them for everything they can get, I may be little more inclined to buy their CDs and little more simpathetic to their piracy plights.

I believe there's just a little unwritten caveat to such offers; Amanda, it may be time to play nice and sound a little less victimized on your blog. If you sling mud too long you're likely to lose friends and new ones will stay away for fear of getting dirty. You might be wise to just make the departure clean.

The way I see it, this whole thing is playing out like a bad break-up. It makes all the friends a little unneasy and yet fulfills some primal urge to see blood. But in the end this kind of feud either splits friend groups into his and her camps, or one or even both parties of the break-up are ostracized by friends tired of bickering and they are each forced to find new playmates.

For the moment Andrew seems to be taking the high road, not feeling compelled to rebutt Amanda openly. Of course the drama wouldn't be nearly so if Amanda followed suite, but would that be best for everyone in the end?

Two different strategies

Wow, after a lot of digging, a single comment on AmandaUnboomed has finally been found that shows that there is at least one adult out there reading and posting, either that or Amanda is censoring all the adult comments?

Please don't hate me, but...

I understand the feeling to asplode the dirty laundry, but even though I'm a tremendous fan, I gotta say that the fight that's staring here is not professional.

This is why you have a mediator. Keep this away from the fans. RB will go on for a while with in interem host, fans will probably send in material to cover for you, and the show has to go on regardless of the current situation.

Amanda, to be blunt, quit acting like a dumped teenager. Stop telling the world Andrew is lying, even if he's making it all up, and take the high road. Figure this out privately, work out some type of PR arrangement, make a quick joke about it, and move on.. it worked for Norm McDonald and SNL!

PS. Please don't work exclusively on Television. I think everyone here loves you on the Internet.

-Matt Baker

Where are the other adults? I'm asking the same question. I know for a fact that at least on other very intelligently written comment was not posted to her blog, and yet over 100 raving "Amanda we love you" comments have been.

Is Amanda a bad person for blocking critical comments? Heck no! It's her perogative, this is a free Internet. What is bad is her approach, a strategy that is hardly beyond reproach. In guise of taking the high road she airs out dirty laundry all the while stating that doing so is exactly what she doesn't want to do... maybe a Romans 6:14-20 moment? Possibly and who am I to judge her motives, but I can tell you it doesn't look so altruistic.

Where is Andrew in all this? I suppose it is possible that he's hunkering down hoping beyond hope it will all blow over. Silly man, doesn't he realize this is Web 2.0... hardly anything blows over.

I suspect though that he's keeping his keyboard quiet because Amanda isn't. I believe he will be the winner in all this (regardless of how much truth Amanda is telling) just because he isn't digging a grave.

So I say, smart move, as much as I'd like to hear what you say I'm glad someone appears to be acting like an adult.

Rocketboom: Who should win

...or Is there a winner to be had in this?

My buddy Chris over at Relev8 thinks the web should mediate the growing feued between Andrew Baron and Amanda Congdon over Rocketboom's skeleton inhabited closets.

He would argue that all this Web 2.0 gadgetry places the masses at the pinacle of justice able to rule on the dispute through the use of YouTube, MySpace, and Flickr.

His argument is compelling. What do you think? Should society step into a family matter? Or does the web make us all family? What's the worst that could happen?