The Origins of Robot in the Corner

From a blog Dean wrote in September 2010:

Earlier this year, my friend, Titus, told me about a few gaming podcasts, and I got hooked. Currently, I listen to four different gaming podcasts on a regular basis (including the Game Informer Show.) However, I'm sad to say that my favorite video games podcast will be ending after their next episode. The Hardcore Christian Gamer Cast was the first gaming podcast I was introduced to, and it's the podcast that inspired me to try and do one of my own. (I'll miss you HCG!) I'm not much of a risk taker, but this is something I really want to do, so I'm going for it. I have no desire to do a one man show, so it's great to have friends that are willing to help me make this happen. I'll be doing the show with two of my closest friends (and fellow gamers), Titus and Wes. 

"Currently, I listen to four different gaming podcasts on a regular basis (including the Game Informer Show.)" Speaking of the Game Informer Show - Gamer Gorilla Radio is probably my favorite name for a video game podcast, EVER. HAHA! Seriously though, I really like the name, and I always enjoy those episodes. Please don't let it die, McNamara! :)


Though we're still working on the format for the show, we do have a key element nailed down: the name. Our podcast will be called, "Robot in the Corner." Robot in the Corner?!? What does that mean? Here's my summary of Titus' explanation for how he came up with the name:

Like a joke not told correctly, I've been thinking about the show and how it might flop. Have you ever messed up a joke by jumping to the punch-line and forgetting a key piece of information? Example: You're telling someone a pirate joke and you say, "Arrr! It's driving me nuts!" Everyone stares at you with a confused look on their face, and they don't get the joke. Then suddenly, you remember the part you left out, so you say, "Oh, did I mention he was wearing a belt buckle with a steering wheel on it?" After that, you get a few laughs and manage to salvage the joke. Now imagine that you just told a joke, but you don't remember what you missed, and you're in that awkward moment right after the premature punch-line, so you just say something non-sensical, like, "Uhhh... did I mention there was a robot in the corner?" You didn't really salvage the joke per say, but you did manage to save yourself from the awkward silence and you got a few, "What the heck?!?" laughs. Crisis averted.

I really like the idea. It's not too formal and certainly not boring and/or unoriginal. I also like the non-sensical aspect because it conjures up curiosity. In my opinion, podcasts seem to gain popularity by word-of-mouth so I'm not concerned about having a name that clearly communicates the purpose of the podcast.