PODCAST: Winnebago Man (Ben Steinbauer and Jack Rebney)

It might seem counterintuitive to craft a feature-length documentary around a viral clip concerning one man's explicit outtakes during a 1989 industrial video production, but Winnebago Man director, producer and cowriter Ben Steinbauer has truly made an entertaining portrait with a complicated range of emotions:

Jack Rebney is the most famous man you've never heard of—an RV salesman whose hilarious, foul-mouthed outbursts circulated underground on VHS tapes in the '90s before turning into a full-blown Internet phenomenon in 2005. Today, the "Winnebago Man" has been seen by more than 20 million people worldwide, and is regarded as one of the first and funniest viral videos. Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer goes in search of Rebney—and finds him living alone on a mountain top, unaware of his fame. WINNEBAGO MAN is a laugh-out-loud look at viral culture and an unexpectedly poignant tale of one man's response to unintended celebrity.

While in New York for the film's premiere, I sat down with Steinbauer at the Ace Hotel to discuss the film's themes, what can happen to analog recordings in the digital age, and who will play his subject in the inevitable Hollywood remake. As a bonus, the Winnebago Man team invited me to have a post-screening chat with the man himself, Jack Rebney. It seemed timely to discuss Mel Gibson's recorded outbursts before allowing him his soapbox to address all you %#$@ers directly.

To listen to the podcast, click here. (21:21)

Podcast Music
INTRO: Dead Kennedys: "Winnebago Warrior"
OUTRO: Band of Horses: "The General Specific"

[Winnebago Man is now playing in New York, and will open in nearly 30 cities throughout the summer. For more information, please visit the official site.]



Posted by ahillis at July 12, 2010 7:26 PM