Interview: Mike Nelson

MIKE IS BETTER THAN JOEL IS BETTER THAN MIKE IS BETTER THAN JOEL IS BETTER THAN TRENT REZNOR IS BETTER THAN BOSE After moving on from MST3K, Mike started up a company called "Rifftrax," dedicated to carrying the torch they lit into a brand new medium. However, instead of mercilessly picking apart obscure, unknown, sub-B movies, Mike and crew now hammer on Hollywood hits, skewering blockbusters like "Star Wars," "The Matrix," and... uh... "Point Break," all for the low price of $2.99! It's like classic MST3K, only without the pointless, forced plotlines the evil Science Fiction Network forced into each show.

Since I am both highly unprofessional and both highly incompetent, I recorded our interview through Skype, and the resulting audio quality reminded me of something you'd hear from a CD stuck in a garbage disposal for several decades. Sure you can understand about 99% of the words flowing from Mike's robotic, muffled, metal throat, but there are additionally all kinds of weird echoes, feedback blares, and coded transmissions from other dimensions intent on invading our planet. Of course this all balances out, since I have the cracking, pre-pubescent voice of a child who has been kicked in the groin for half a decade. So please accept my apology for the terrible audio quality, and if you find yourself unable to forgive me, then remind yourself of one fact: THIS IS FREE ENTERTAINMENT, YOU BIG JERK.

Without further ado, I present to you: My interview with Mike Nelson of Rifftrax! (right click the link, choose "save as"; it's 24 megs in size)

TRACK LISTING (51 minutes total):

1:00 - "Troll 2."
2:51 - "Manos" and judging how bad a movie *really* is.
5:50 - Mike's brain.
6:41 - The process of Rifftracking.
8:09 - Mike reveals the next Rifftrax, their biggest movie to date: "비행 창조물과 원형"
10:08 - Easiest and hardest movies to Rifftrack.
10:56 - "Roadhouse"
11:51 - Preparing for Rifftrax.
13:19 - How MST3K found their bad movies.
15:38 - Lambs to the slaughter?
16:29 - Movies on the MST3K cutting floor.
17:25 - Movies Mike wanted to do, but never got the chance.
18:50 - Trapped on an island.
20:10 - Is Mike going to write more books?
20:55 - Mike... ON THE INTERNET?
21:50 - Limitation of the Sci-Fi Network and Comedy Central.
22:48 - Did MST3K leave on Mike's terms, or Sci-Fi's terms?
25:24 - LANCE LUNCHMEAT!!!
26:02 - Regrets.
27:10 - What happened to the SoL set?
28:41 - Rifftrax on TV shows, specifically "Lost."
29:05 - Rifftrax's business model on the Internet.
30:42 - Mike vs. Joel... on Usenet.
32:50 - Mary Jo Pehl.
33:42 - The Internet now hates you, Mike.
35:00 - Is anybody in Hollywood mad at Mike?
35:28 - Would Joel come back and do a Rifftrax with Mike?
36:49 - Has Mike's sense of humor changed since moving to California?
38:02 - The obscure jokes in MST3K.
40:36 - If Mike could make a movie, what would that movie be about?
41:44 - What is the worst movie ever made? EVER? MIKE? WHAT IS IT?
44:10 - How easy it is for Mike to get into his persona.
45:16 - Typecasted?
47:01 - Frustrated by the MST3K hardcore fan base?

Insult and send all death threats here:
- Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka

– Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka (@TwitterHasBannedAllMyAccountsEver)