Ross Martin and I had drinks w/ Merton of Chat Roulette fame tonight.

What a great guy.  He’s most certainly not Ben Folds, although he is a fan.  (Aren’t we all…)

I’ve always been a huge fan of Tom Lehrer, who’s satirical songs were hugely popular in the 50s & 60s and who inspired half of what you may have heard on the Dr. Demento if you were listening in the 70s & 80s.

To me, Merton is like the Tom Lehrer of the social media age.  Only he doesn’t sit down and record a song based on a current event to some tune that you might know. Merton’s magic is improvised.  It’s real time.  It’s part of the stream.  It’s about you.

Sometimes he’ll play a popular tune (“name a song, any song”) and sometimes sing about news events (Bill Clinton, etc.) but only if you requested it.  Because at the end of the day that’s what the real time social web is about.  

Looking forward to his next video.