Rhett and Link
Encyclopedia
Rhett and Link are the comedy
, filmmaking, musical and advertising duo of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. They star in the television show Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on the Independent Film Channel
. They are known for their videos, songs and commercials and are one of the most subscribed channels on YouTube. Their videos have been seen over 110 million times and have been featured on Lopez Tonight
, Last Call with Carson Daly
, Jay Leno
, Conan
, NPR
, CNN
and Time Magazine.
, North Carolina
, and have been best friends and collaborators since meeting in first grade. Rhett and Link met on the first day of first grade in Buies Creek Elementary School, after their teacher Ms. Locklear made them stay inside during recess for writing profanity on their desks. They became best friends after they were forced to be quiet and color pictures of Unicorns. At age twelve, they wrote a screenplay entitled "Gutless Wonders." In high school, Rhett was on the basketball team, while Link competed in multiple science competitions. Later, they were roommates at North Carolina State University
where they studied engineering. They taught themselves filmmaking and are known for low-budget, DIY productions.
. The success of Rhett and Link's commercials have garnered the attention of major advertising publications such as Advertising Age
and AdWeek
. Their commercials have also been featured on CNN
, NPR
, The New York Times
, Forbes
, and TMZ
.
Rhett and Link's music videos, such as the Facebook Song, the American Idol Song, The Epic Rap Battle, the S.E.T.I. Song and T-Shirt War have proven to be among their most popular videos. In December 2010, Rhett & Link’s 2 Guys 600 Pillows video was named to Time's 2010 List of the Top Ten of Everything, and the same video won two 2011 Webby Awards, including the Best Editing category as well as a Peoples' Voice Award. In February 2010, their Fast Food Folk Song won the Contest of Awesome for the Best Comic Music Video of 2009. The contest awarded them a trip to Los Angeles and a cameo in a Weezer music video.
Additionally, Rhett and Link have created a series of extremely popular free local commercials for businesses throughout the U.S. For their "I Love Local Commercials" web series, sponsored by Microbilt, they conceived and produced viral commercials like "Red House Furniture" with the controversial jingle "Where Black People and White People Buy Furniture". Other well-known commercials include ads for Cullman Liquidation Center, which won Best Local Commercial at the 2010 Ad Age Viral Video Awards, and TDM Auto, featuring Rudy, the Cuban Gynecologist. The success of the web series led to Rhett and Link's television show, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on IFC.
Rhett and Link make a living through sponsorship of their web videos. They have created web videos for McDonald's
, Coca-cola
, Taco Bell
, Alka-Seltzer
, Food Network
, Microbilt, Sanyo
, Kotulas, TV Guide
, Baby Ruth
, Starburst
, Hummer
, and Cadillac
, as well as integrating smaller brands such as Smule, AJJ Cornhole, and iRESQ. They have partnered with General Motors
, serving as web correspondents for IGotShotgun.com, one of GM's internet marketing strategies.
In 2008, they spent the summer releasing videos for the Alka-Seltzer
Great American Road Trip. The series won the Gold award in the Consumer Goods category at Advertising Age
’s 2008 W3 Awards, as well as best online campaign at Adweek
’s 2008 Buzz Awards. The series also picked up two Golds (Best Campaign, Best Single) and a Craft award (Music) at the 2009 Bessies. and received two golds in the interactive category for Viral Marketing and Business to Consumer website at the 2009 Advertising & Design Club of Canada Awards.. In September 2011, their commercial of Chuck Testa spawned another internet meme primarily through the website, Funnyjunk.
. In April 2007, Rhett and Link placed 3rd in the TurboTax
TaxRap Contest, a contest judged by Vanilla Ice
. In 2008, Rhett and Link independently released Websongs Vol 1, an online album featuring "Facebook Song", "Cornhole Song" and "Velcro Song". On February 1, 2009, Rhett and Link independently released "Secret Songs", a collection of songs that were previously only available to winners of their monthly "Community Building Exercises", a part of their "Quest for the Seven Keys" contest.
On 4 December 2009, Rhett and Link teamed up with DFTBA Records and created a new album called Up To This Point.
original series, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings. The show chronicles the quest of Rhett and Link as they travel the country making local commercials for small businesses. It premiered Friday, June 24 at 10:00pm ET/PT on IFC, this ten-part docu-comedy is based on their successful web series I Love Local Commercials and features Rhett & Link helping local businesses achieve their goals by creating eye-catching local commercials using local talent.
Rhett and Link are among the first group of internet personalities to make a transition from the internet into network television. In 2007 Along with Stevie Ryan and Joy Leslie, Rhett and Link hosted the short-lived series Online Nation
, a show that featured the best viral video
s from the internet, part of the 2007 fall lineup on the CW Network. The premiere episode was seen by 1 million people, but the show was cancelled after only four episodes. As the hosts, Rhett and Link responded with an internet video.
They appeared as guests on "Lopez Tonight
" where they were interviewed, made a commercial for George's favorite donut place, and were back-up dancers for the remainder of the show after their interview. They have also appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly
and Leno
Rhett and Link served as musical correspondents for Brink, hosted by Josh Zepps, on the Science Channel. They wrote and produced three music videos including "My Robot Girlfriend", "Space Junk", and "The S.E.T.I. Song".
Rhett and Link’s first short film, "One Man’s Trash" won best North Carolina Comedy at the 2007 All-American Film Festival. It was also an official selection at the Carrboro Film Festival, the Carolina Film and Video Festival, the Lake County Film Festival, and the Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival.
In 2006, Rhett and Link began work on a documentary about their search for their first grade teacher, Ms. Locklear, entitled Looking for Ms. Locklear. The film released in 2008 and won the Southern Lens Award from South Carolina Public TV, which led to the film screening on PBS in South Carolina. The film also won audience choice awards at the ACE Film Festival and the Secret City Film Festival, and won 2nd place documentary at the Secret City Film Festival. The documentary was an official selection at the Real to Reel Film Festival, the Landlocked Film Festival, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, BendFilm Festival, Asheville Film Festival, and the Cucalorus Film Festival. On September 9, 2009 the duo released the movie on DVD, distributing it over the internet.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
, filmmaking, musical and advertising duo of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal. They star in the television show Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on the Independent Film Channel
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
. They are known for their videos, songs and commercials and are one of the most subscribed channels on YouTube. Their videos have been seen over 110 million times and have been featured on Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
, Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
, Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, Conan
Conan
-People:* Conan O'Brien , American talk show host* Saint Conan , bishop of the Isle of Man* Conan I of Rennes , king of Brittany* Conan of Cornwall , medieval bishop...
, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and Time Magazine.
Early years
Both Rhett and Link are originally from Buies CreekBuies Creek, North Carolina
Buies Creek is a census-designated place located in the Neills Creek Township of Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,215 at the 2000 census.-Incorporation:...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and have been best friends and collaborators since meeting in first grade. Rhett and Link met on the first day of first grade in Buies Creek Elementary School, after their teacher Ms. Locklear made them stay inside during recess for writing profanity on their desks. They became best friends after they were forced to be quiet and color pictures of Unicorns. At age twelve, they wrote a screenplay entitled "Gutless Wonders." In high school, Rhett was on the basketball team, while Link competed in multiple science competitions. Later, they were roommates at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
where they studied engineering. They taught themselves filmmaking and are known for low-budget, DIY productions.
Internet & Advertising
They are among the top YouTube channels with more than 810,000 subscribers and with more than 110 million video views, earn over six figures a year in advertising revenue. In 2011, Rhett and Link made a commercial for Ojai Valley Taxidermy, owned by Chuck Testa. The commercial was created as part of their TV show, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings. After the episode featuring the commercial aired, Chuck Testa uploaded the commercial to his company's YouTube channel. The ad went viral, topping 7.6 million views (as of 14th November) and spawning the "Nope! Chuck Testa" Internet meme. In 2010, they were called the "undisputed masters of bad local commercials" by George LopezGeorge Lopez
George Lopez is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host. He is mostly known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including the Mexican American culture...
. The success of Rhett and Link's commercials have garnered the attention of major advertising publications such as Advertising Age
Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
and AdWeek
Adweek
Adweek is a weekly American advertising trade publication that was first published in 1978....
. Their commercials have also been featured on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
, and TMZ
TMZ.com
TMZ.com is a celebrity news website that debuted on November 8, 2005. It was a collaboration between America Online and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. However, it is still affiliated with AOL News and has the AOL News logo affixed in...
.
Rhett and Link's music videos, such as the Facebook Song, the American Idol Song, The Epic Rap Battle, the S.E.T.I. Song and T-Shirt War have proven to be among their most popular videos. In December 2010, Rhett & Link’s 2 Guys 600 Pillows video was named to Time's 2010 List of the Top Ten of Everything, and the same video won two 2011 Webby Awards, including the Best Editing category as well as a Peoples' Voice Award. In February 2010, their Fast Food Folk Song won the Contest of Awesome for the Best Comic Music Video of 2009. The contest awarded them a trip to Los Angeles and a cameo in a Weezer music video.
Additionally, Rhett and Link have created a series of extremely popular free local commercials for businesses throughout the U.S. For their "I Love Local Commercials" web series, sponsored by Microbilt, they conceived and produced viral commercials like "Red House Furniture" with the controversial jingle "Where Black People and White People Buy Furniture". Other well-known commercials include ads for Cullman Liquidation Center, which won Best Local Commercial at the 2010 Ad Age Viral Video Awards, and TDM Auto, featuring Rudy, the Cuban Gynecologist. The success of the web series led to Rhett and Link's television show, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings on IFC.
Rhett and Link make a living through sponsorship of their web videos. They have created web videos for McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Coca-cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company. It was developed by Treneer in Elkhart Indiana. Alka-Seltzer is marketed for relief of minor aches, pains, inflammation, fever, headache, heartburn, sour stomach, indigestion, and hangovers,...
, Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
, Microbilt, Sanyo
Sanyo
is a major electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan. Sanyo targets the middle of the market and has over 230 Subsidiaries and Affiliates....
, Kotulas, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, Baby Ruth
Baby Ruth
Baby Ruth is an American candy bar made of peanuts, caramel and chocolate-flavored nougat covered in chocolate.In 1921, the Curtiss Candy Company refashioned its Kandy Kake into the Baby Ruth. The bar was a staple of the Chicago-based company for some seven decades. Curtiss was purchased by Nabisco...
, Starburst
Starburst
Starburst may refer to:*Starburst region, a generic term to describe a region of space with a much higher than normal star formation*Starburst galaxy*Starburst , the breaking up of a large company...
, Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
, and Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
, as well as integrating smaller brands such as Smule, AJJ Cornhole, and iRESQ. They have partnered with General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, serving as web correspondents for IGotShotgun.com, one of GM's internet marketing strategies.
In 2008, they spent the summer releasing videos for the Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company. It was developed by Treneer in Elkhart Indiana. Alka-Seltzer is marketed for relief of minor aches, pains, inflammation, fever, headache, heartburn, sour stomach, indigestion, and hangovers,...
Great American Road Trip. The series won the Gold award in the Consumer Goods category at Advertising Age
Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
’s 2008 W3 Awards, as well as best online campaign at Adweek
Adweek
Adweek is a weekly American advertising trade publication that was first published in 1978....
’s 2008 Buzz Awards. The series also picked up two Golds (Best Campaign, Best Single) and a Craft award (Music) at the 2009 Bessies. and received two golds in the interactive category for Viral Marketing and Business to Consumer website at the 2009 Advertising & Design Club of Canada Awards.. In September 2011, their commercial of Chuck Testa spawned another internet meme primarily through the website, Funnyjunk.
Music
Rhett and Link are known to perform live musical comedy and have completed two albums. In 2001, Rhett and Link independently released Just Mail Us the Grammy, featuring the popular song "The Unibrow Song". In 2005, Rhett and Link independently released I’m Sorry, What Was That? (Live in the Living Room), a live album featuring "The Wal-Mart Song". The album is available at the iTunes storeITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
. In April 2007, Rhett and Link placed 3rd in the TurboTax
TurboTax
TurboTax is an American tax preparation software package developed by Michael A. Chipman of Chipsoft in the mid-1980s. TurboTax became an Intuit product as a result of the 1993 acquisition of its creator, San Diego-based Chipsoft. Chipsoft, now known as Intuit Consumer Tax Group, is still based in...
TaxRap Contest, a contest judged by Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...
. In 2008, Rhett and Link independently released Websongs Vol 1, an online album featuring "Facebook Song", "Cornhole Song" and "Velcro Song". On February 1, 2009, Rhett and Link independently released "Secret Songs", a collection of songs that were previously only available to winners of their monthly "Community Building Exercises", a part of their "Quest for the Seven Keys" contest.
On 4 December 2009, Rhett and Link teamed up with DFTBA Records and created a new album called Up To This Point.
Film & Television
Rhett and Link star in the Independent Film ChannelIndependent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
original series, Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings. The show chronicles the quest of Rhett and Link as they travel the country making local commercials for small businesses. It premiered Friday, June 24 at 10:00pm ET/PT on IFC, this ten-part docu-comedy is based on their successful web series I Love Local Commercials and features Rhett & Link helping local businesses achieve their goals by creating eye-catching local commercials using local talent.
Rhett and Link are among the first group of internet personalities to make a transition from the internet into network television. In 2007 Along with Stevie Ryan and Joy Leslie, Rhett and Link hosted the short-lived series Online Nation
Online Nation
Online Nation is an American reality TV series that premiered on The CW on September 23, 2007. Scouring the endless number of websites, blogs, and user-generated materials on the Internet, Online Nation featured everything and anything that has captured the attention of the online world. In...
, a show that featured the best viral video
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
s from the internet, part of the 2007 fall lineup on the CW Network. The premiere episode was seen by 1 million people, but the show was cancelled after only four episodes. As the hosts, Rhett and Link responded with an internet video.
They appeared as guests on "Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
" where they were interviewed, made a commercial for George's favorite donut place, and were back-up dancers for the remainder of the show after their interview. They have also appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
and Leno
Leno
Leno is the surname of Jay Leno, comedian and talk show host.Leno may also refer to:* Leno, Italy* Leno * Leno, a stock character in theatre of ancient Rome who is a slave dealer or pimpPeople with the surname Leno...
Rhett and Link served as musical correspondents for Brink, hosted by Josh Zepps, on the Science Channel. They wrote and produced three music videos including "My Robot Girlfriend", "Space Junk", and "The S.E.T.I. Song".
Rhett and Link’s first short film, "One Man’s Trash" won best North Carolina Comedy at the 2007 All-American Film Festival. It was also an official selection at the Carrboro Film Festival, the Carolina Film and Video Festival, the Lake County Film Festival, and the Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival.
In 2006, Rhett and Link began work on a documentary about their search for their first grade teacher, Ms. Locklear, entitled Looking for Ms. Locklear. The film released in 2008 and won the Southern Lens Award from South Carolina Public TV, which led to the film screening on PBS in South Carolina. The film also won audience choice awards at the ACE Film Festival and the Secret City Film Festival, and won 2nd place documentary at the Secret City Film Festival. The documentary was an official selection at the Real to Reel Film Festival, the Landlocked Film Festival, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, BendFilm Festival, Asheville Film Festival, and the Cucalorus Film Festival. On September 9, 2009 the duo released the movie on DVD, distributing it over the internet.