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Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 – running time 09:36
Interview with Mathew Honan, the man behind the site and new book Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle.

Barack Obama came to see your play. Barack Obama left a comment on your blog. Barack Obama smiled when he heard me mention your name. And Barack Obama is your new bicycle.

In this episode of Internet Superstar, Martin interviews Mathew Honan, the man behind the meme Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle and the new book of the same name.

Highlights
new book ( 0:56, 3:49, 0:56, 3:49 ) Martin Sheen ( 2:14, 2:14 ) Chuck Norris ( 1:18, 1:18 ) Barack Obama ( 0:24, 0:28, 0:30, 0:33, 0:41, 1:27, 2:01, 2:05, 2:11, 2:54, 2:58, 3:06, 3:29, 3:30, 4:57, 7:39, 0:24, 0:28, 0:30, 0:33, 0:41, 1:27, 2:01, 2:05, 2:11, 2:54, 2:58, 3:06, 3:29, 3:30, 4:57, 7:39 ) new book ( 0:56, 3:49, 0:56, 3:49 ) Martin Sheen ( 2:14, 2:14 ) Chuck Norris ( 1:18, 1:18 ) Barack Obama ( 0:24, 0:28, 0:30, 0:33, 0:41, 1:27, 2:01, 2:05, 2:11, 2:54, 2:58, 3:06, 3:29, 3:30, 4:57, 7:39, 0:24, 0:28, 0:30, 0:33, 0:41, 1:27, 2:01, 2:05, 2:11, 2:54, 2:58, 3:06, 3:29, 3:30, 4:57, 7:39 )

Automatically Generated Transcript(may not be 100% accurate) ( more )

" War. This episode of Internet superstar -- you -- GoDaddy got cops yeah. Yeah hello and welcome Internet superstar of the show that covers the most intriguing and important and just plain bonkers people and things online. Time internet's Martin Sargent. Barack Obama left a comment on your block Barack Obama has a balloon for you Barack Obama came to see your place. And Barack Obama is your new bicycle that's right today -- Internet superstar is none other than the man behind the wildly popular site Barack Obama is your new bicycle with just came out in book form here is Matthew -- in the want to be on the show thanks for having me congratulations. On the new but managers like every one of his got a website nowadays is coming out an offense that the new book. "

" Everyone and if you actually go to the Google index now he and -- you can find Emerson personable his website so -- like the trillions and trillions governments are truly hurts me. I'm sorry and hooked -- I don't know -- that -- maybe you should talk to my -- his agent zero zero it was an adoptive right there -- aren't the Gotham has done the law -- book Chuck Norris facts book they did I'm forgetting something that it cannot have an Internet superstar but I thought that was tell what the back story is behind. Barack Obama is your new bicycle. Well it's."

" It starts my wife -- in my life is a she's a really avid cyclist is you know big mountain -- she's a bike commuter she she has the axiom. Mountain -- road -- of electricity like it's just a clunker you know when she. Just constantly. Messing with them working on them talk about them talk them. All the time and I -- all the time and in. It is is is that if you know their obsession and in. That your carrier's. Maybe January actually she disputed that she kind of change gears and went all Barack Obama all the time and like every conversation again with -- you know the Barack Obama is you know. Whatever and I started kind of making fun of her about it just like a Barack Obama's your bicycle like you know like you know Martin Sheen is your boyfriend is terrible but. You know saying saying that Chernin you'd make a kind of laugh whenever whenever you start talking about on the line and started saying it. To her promise of our friends and made them laugh also. And I just I just thought it would be kind of a funny domain name and there wasn't taken that there are taken right out yet say exactly hit it was not taken. And so I acted eastern German registered actually sentences -- international's globalism and -- and and so by yeah -- that a -- put up fifty some 58 these little phrases Atlanta's."

" A little -- these things like we're real Barack Obama carry your groceries up four flights of stairs just little Barack Obama untangle your hair -- spent all afternoon in the -- this -- the heart it's the public perception in many people's minds of what Barack Obama isn't -- we had a nice wonderful compassionate. Savior."

" He's a human are exactly exactly and he's you know I mean it's. It to in my mind and they're also things that like any. You know you're you're best friend or your girlfriend or your you know you -- your parents or something might do for you and that sort of my criteria for what if -- you have a favorite thing the Barack Obama did for you. Barack Obama pretended not to notice when he's sort of car."

" Obama would do no evil argument and just changed that he loved acting alone he would rolled out the window in her decision and not so how's your is that -- is -- February 13 113 is the OJ Valentine day for for the why exactly you got the new book to get that yet wedded wife to get everything going out. So certain that there. Yeah you publish this versus decisive and start to go big."

" How that happened so I pushed it lies that nine. And so not writing about is not -- I'd died and nationals on yeah passion and don't threaten Bustamante and if the site. -- humans since we don't twitter about it and Anil dash yeah from Six Apart from -- very casual -- there. He -- something about it and he. Posted something twitter his twitter feed about it and I woke up the next day and handles email about it which is we accidentally noticed an obvious place -- like look at the source code on my email address and when it happens like Andrew Sullivan at CNET Anil -- is twitter and it's -- very popular political congress. As you Pontiac in time magazine. Depicted up from his twitter does look like over that I overnight yeah and you know I mean in their on the east coast and saloons. You know they've seen -- before -- and will -- morning sort of nothing to do it like Barack Obama people doing searches on Google Barack in the bombing. Knight was a complete surprise -- expecting like. You know maybe five or six people including my wife and me you know -- and maybe all told I thought maybe hundred people might -- is a comedy hits did you get. With the first couple days. There were I think the first days of like 20000 people saw the person for 24 hours and it doesn't."

" The real simple like I don't hear -- you right through for wired magazine among other others agree. Books and journals out there. But yeah you're like -- I think you probably put some stuff out there do you think it's gonna go huge -- right this little thing as well again and again and -- why yes crazy you know Austin. Weeks you know what were -- a few months -- article. We're working on you know -- nobody cares about what had just doesn't mean there -- a -- yeah he's talking about it yet you know it and and liked the New York Times they had something about it with that we can it was just it was it was really hit you know that something is really you know getting out there when there's there's copycat site. His -- about the that we have like Steve Jobs if you -- go with things like Steve Jobs the leader -- about. And I'm Michelle Obama is your new vice coated like Michelle Obama on roads -- freeze tag rotten apology new -- it's my favorite. Into the -- well yeah that's again gets misperception that Ron Paul the third this -- put up by Ron Paul Ron Paul wants to sell you gold. He hit it you don't rob Paulette Goddard thirteen at the comments on your blog about it the -- there it's it's really that if you look at the site this little asterisk by every every. Ron Paul's statement the Damascus it'll take you do to. A news article that sort of back -- what that. What you say that there wasn't Hillary Clinton is gigabytes -- they -- they sold that domain name and out of the some. It -- some political elections slaves -- realize how much money they got that domains and I don't know -- announcement for mine I didn't so now you're ready yet -- we constantly get this this kind of follows -- this this new tradition of the single servings sites yet that's what that's -- you dubbed. Sometimes red sometimes bizarre thing that's one of my favorite to go to the site sometimes the threat sometimes that splits that it popular site."

" My friend and on meritorious of the cycle -- net yeah it always does is it just it just you use it gives you the I think is that excludes were right regular. And and that was kind of that was when posting when -- published a site was was that -- in particular and -- you know it's really easy -- have -- from -- only -- such as a little you know little phrase from database and and that's it on me and undo -- about this all wrong -- go about your perfect Barack Obama. I -- not which is. Not really that surprising but he. He did favorite one of my photos on his -- in Flickr stream which was of course of course -- he's a good guy which is one of the things from the website that brought -- to act I think I assume that somebody from his campaign I can't imagine he's got enough time now that was -- yes it's about time you think about time for all of us. Yeah elegantly as in the Senate also so you know I mean they they do kind of thing it seems important."

" Yet what the book is bad that the the slightest bad that that you guys it just came out you gotta go pick up New York copy. -- You could pick up a copy of the book on Amazon. Excellent you know that all right join and I tomorrow when we play they hit you in that game. Trends or -- Right here on Internet superstar with the of that."

" Yeah. Yeah. Yeah yeah."

" Ticket driven Internet superstar if you want to make that impact on -- godaddy.com. Had what you need. I've gotten and -- what. What a world class don't think it's amazing website buildings and much more. Coast -- one when he checked out and said that additional. Opted to order. With drinking supplies is that -- the death penalty for the and that again it goes -- died."

" War. This episode of Internet superstar -- you -- GoDaddy got cops yeah. Yeah hello and welcome Internet superstar of the show that covers the most intriguing and important and just plain bonkers people and things online. Time internet's Martin Sargent. Barack Obama left a comment on your block Barack Obama has a balloon for you Barack Obama came to see your place. And Barack Obama is your new bicycle that's right today -- Internet superstar is none other than the man behind the wildly popular site Barack Obama is your new bicycle with just came out in book form here is Matthew -- in the want to be on the show thanks for having me congratulations. On the new but managers like every one of his got a website nowadays is coming out an offense that the new book. "

" Everyone and if you actually go to the Google index now he and -- you can find Emerson personable his website so -- like the trillions and trillions governments are truly hurts me. I'm sorry and hooked -- I don't know -- that -- maybe you should talk to my -- his agent zero zero it was an adoptive right there -- aren't the Gotham has done the law -- book Chuck Norris facts book they did I'm forgetting something that it cannot have an Internet superstar but I thought that was tell what the back story is behind. Barack Obama is your new bicycle. Well it's."

" It starts my wife -- in my life is a she's a really avid cyclist is you know big mountain -- she's a bike commuter she she has the axiom. Mountain -- road -- of electricity like it's just a clunker you know when she. Just constantly. Messing with them working on them talk about them talk them. All the time and I -- all the time and in. It is is is that if you know their obsession and in. That your carrier's. Maybe January actually she disputed that she kind of change gears and went all Barack Obama all the time and like every conversation again with -- you know the Barack Obama is you know. Whatever and I started kind of making fun of her about it just like a Barack Obama's your bicycle like you know like you know Martin Sheen is your boyfriend is terrible but. You know saying saying that Chernin you'd make a kind of laugh whenever whenever you start talking about on the line and started saying it. To her promise of our friends and made them laugh also. And I just I just thought it would be kind of a funny domain name and there wasn't taken that there are taken right out yet say exactly hit it was not taken. And so I acted eastern German registered actually sentences -- international's globalism and -- and and so by yeah -- that a -- put up fifty some 58 these little phrases Atlanta's."

" A little -- these things like we're real Barack Obama carry your groceries up four flights of stairs just little Barack Obama untangle your hair -- spent all afternoon in the -- this -- the heart it's the public perception in many people's minds of what Barack Obama isn't -- we had a nice wonderful compassionate. Savior."

" He's a human are exactly exactly and he's you know I mean it's. It to in my mind and they're also things that like any. You know you're you're best friend or your girlfriend or your you know you -- your parents or something might do for you and that sort of my criteria for what if -- you have a favorite thing the Barack Obama did for you. Barack Obama pretended not to notice when he's sort of car."

" Obama would do no evil argument and just changed that he loved acting alone he would rolled out the window in her decision and not so how's your is that -- is -- February 13 113 is the OJ Valentine day for for the why exactly you got the new book to get that yet wedded wife to get everything going out. So certain that there. Yeah you publish this versus decisive and start to go big."

" How that happened so I pushed it lies that nine. And so not writing about is not -- I'd died and nationals on yeah passion and don't threaten Bustamante and if the site. -- humans since we don't twitter about it and Anil dash yeah from Six Apart from -- very casual -- there. He -- something about it and he. Posted something twitter his twitter feed about it and I woke up the next day and handles email about it which is we accidentally noticed an obvious place -- like look at the source code on my email address and when it happens like Andrew Sullivan at CNET Anil -- is twitter and it's -- very popular political congress. As you Pontiac in time magazine. Depicted up from his twitter does look like over that I overnight yeah and you know I mean in their on the east coast and saloons. You know they've seen -- before -- and will -- morning sort of nothing to do it like Barack Obama people doing searches on Google Barack in the bombing. Knight was a complete surprise -- expecting like. You know maybe five or six people including my wife and me you know -- and maybe all told I thought maybe hundred people might -- is a comedy hits did you get. With the first couple days. There were I think the first days of like 20000 people saw the person for 24 hours and it doesn't."

" The real simple like I don't hear -- you right through for wired magazine among other others agree. Books and journals out there. But yeah you're like -- I think you probably put some stuff out there do you think it's gonna go huge -- right this little thing as well again and again and -- why yes crazy you know Austin. Weeks you know what were -- a few months -- article. We're working on you know -- nobody cares about what had just doesn't mean there -- a -- yeah he's talking about it yet you know it and and liked the New York Times they had something about it with that we can it was just it was it was really hit you know that something is really you know getting out there when there's there's copycat site. His -- about the that we have like Steve Jobs if you -- go with things like Steve Jobs the leader -- about. And I'm Michelle Obama is your new vice coated like Michelle Obama on roads -- freeze tag rotten apology new -- it's my favorite. Into the -- well yeah that's again gets misperception that Ron Paul the third this -- put up by Ron Paul Ron Paul wants to sell you gold. He hit it you don't rob Paulette Goddard thirteen at the comments on your blog about it the -- there it's it's really that if you look at the site this little asterisk by every every. Ron Paul's statement the Damascus it'll take you do to. A news article that sort of back -- what that. What you say that there wasn't Hillary Clinton is gigabytes -- they -- they sold that domain name and out of the some. It -- some political elections slaves -- realize how much money they got that domains and I don't know -- announcement for mine I didn't so now you're ready yet -- we constantly get this this kind of follows -- this this new tradition of the single servings sites yet that's what that's -- you dubbed. Sometimes red sometimes bizarre thing that's one of my favorite to go to the site sometimes the threat sometimes that splits that it popular site."

" My friend and on meritorious of the cycle -- net yeah it always does is it just it just you use it gives you the I think is that excludes were right regular. And and that was kind of that was when posting when -- published a site was was that -- in particular and -- you know it's really easy -- have -- from -- only -- such as a little you know little phrase from database and and that's it on me and undo -- about this all wrong -- go about your perfect Barack Obama. I -- not which is. Not really that surprising but he. He did favorite one of my photos on his -- in Flickr stream which was of course of course -- he's a good guy which is one of the things from the website that brought -- to act I think I assume that somebody from his campaign I can't imagine he's got enough time now that was -- yes it's about time you think about time for all of us. Yeah elegantly as in the Senate also so you know I mean they they do kind of thing it seems important."

" Yet what the book is bad that the the slightest bad that that you guys it just came out you gotta go pick up New York copy. -- You could pick up a copy of the book on Amazon. Excellent you know that all right join and I tomorrow when we play they hit you in that game. Trends or -- Right here on Internet superstar with the of that."

" Yeah. Yeah. Yeah yeah."

" Ticket driven Internet superstar if you want to make that impact on -- godaddy.com. Had what you need. I've gotten and -- what. What a world class don't think it's amazing website buildings and much more. Coast -- one when he checked out and said that additional. Opted to order. With drinking supplies is that -- the death penalty for the and that again it goes -- died."