About Barely Political
Barely Political was launched in June 2007 with the debut video “I've Got a Crush on Obama,” featuring soon-to-be icon Obama Girl. That video quickly became one of the most talked about and blogged about comedy videos of all time. Since then Barely Political has become one of the most popular comedy networks online. The YouTube channel alone has now been viewed over 1 billion times, making it one of YouTube's top 10 most viewed channels ever.
In 2009, Barely Political expanded beyond the political realm with the comedy network Barely Digital -- a comedy network devoted to parodying digital and pop culture. Combined, these networks have now been viewed over 900 million times and are home to such hit shows as the Obama Girl series, Tech Know, Autotune the News, and the Key of Awesome. The Key of Awesome is currently the 2nd most popular web series on the internet according to Mashable. And President Obama himself called Barely Political videos an "example of the fertile imagination of the Internet." We love making videos -- thank you for watching them. Want to contact Barely Political? Send emails here.
About the Team
Ben Relles
Email
Ben Relles is the founder and creative director of the comedy networks Barely Political and Barely Digital. Combined videos on these networks have been seen over 1 billion times and viewed on news programs and television networks around the world. Ben created the national phenomenon "Obama Girl" in 2007 and co-created the comedy series "The Key of Awesome" in 2009, which is one of the most watched online comedy series of all time. Ben received his MBA from the Wharton School of Business in 2004, and was a founding partner of MarketVision, Inc.. He lives outside Philadelphia with his wife and their twin children. Ben can be reached here.
Tom Small
Website
Tom has directed plays in New York, Chicago, and London, including: The Iliad, The Oresteia, Julius Caesar, and Much Ado About Nothing. He has directed dozens of short films and three full-length features; his prize-winning adaptation of Macbeth was shown on the BRAVO channel. He has edited two full-length docs: We Also Dance, currently on PBS, and Live From The Hook, about the Virginia music scene and Dave Matthews Band. He shot and edited the 2008 official podcast of the NYPD. See his work at tomsmall.net. Now that he works for Barely Political he takes himself far less seriously.
Mark Douglas
Since arriving in New York to study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Mark has been an actor, songwriter, stand-up comic, sketch comedian, and has played Hamlet completely drunk. http://tinyurl.com/nylt6y.
For seven years Mark was half of the musical comedy duo “The Rob and Mark Show” which released their CD, “The 3rd and 7th Hardest Working Men in Show Business” in 2006. TheRobandMarkShow.com Mark co-hosted the show “Geek-Ray Vision” on Spike TV, and was a cast member for the hilarious faux variety show Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions and Also There is a Game.
Jake Chudnow
Website
Jake Chudnow is a Brooklyn-based programming strategist at YouTube's Next Lab. Over the last four years he created music, edited videos, and produced innovative content for barelypolitical's Obama Girl and The Key of Awesome. In that time, Jake has become a crackerjack at all things YouTube. He now works with YouTube creators to help them build community and develop their content strategy.
Todd Womack
Todd Womack is a writer and performer on the BarelyPolitical Youtube channel, home of "The Key of Awesome," one of the most popular web shows of all time. He's a veteran stand-up comedian in NYC who has been seen at the HBO/Aspen Comedy Festival & Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Todd's TV credits include ABC’s Good Morning America, Comedy Central, the Bravo Network, VH-1, HGTV, and TNT. In 2011, Todd won a Webby Award (Best Writing) and was featured on ABC's 20/20 and in Esquire magazine.
Michael Stevens
Before joining the Internet, Michael directed for the stage in Chicago. His first major dive into online video began with CamPain2008, a series of remixed political videos focusing on each of the contestants in the 2008 election. Be sure to ask him about his leopard-print robe.
Amber Lee Ettinger
Twitter
After rising to online fame as BarelyPolitical's "Obama Girl", Amber Lee Ettinger was named #1 Hottest Woman of the Web in 2008 by E! Television. She has appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and is a regular guest on Fox News and MSNBC. Amber has appeared in GQ, TIME, People and Wired, among other publications and her online videos have been viewed more than 110 million times globally. Barack Obama called her "clever". Amber has a Jewelry Line called "Inspired by Amber".
Rusty Ward
Website
A New York City based comedian and writer, Rusty has performed at clubs and colleges across the country, as well as on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. He currently lives in Brooklyn and released the live performance CD, "Learning To Touch Yourself" in 2006.
Mike Gregory
Michael Gregory is a frequent contributor to Barely Political with his "Auto Tune the News" series. The Gregory Brothers are an all-family outfit and frequent contributors to BarelyPolitical.com.. Brothers Evan, Andrew, Michael and Evan's wife Sarah have traveled the country together singing and playing. Now they reside in Brooklyn where they produce music and video antics to the delight of shawtys everywhere.
About Next New Networks
Next New Networks is TV for the Internet. As the leading independent producer of online television networks Next New Networks creates, packages, brands, markets and syndicates some of the Web's most popular regularly scheduled and episodic programming. Since its inception in March 2007, the company has launched sixteen networks, and its programming has been viewed nearly 2 billion times. For more information, visit www.nextnewnetworks.com
