Did Mefi make you fan of any of 'Mefi's Own' ??

February 4, 2015 6:14 AM

Have you discovered any artists / writers / musicians / insert-artform-here, via Metafilter who are bone fide 'Mefi's Own', that you are now big fans of?

Links to relevant user profiles would be useful (share the goodness!) but are not mandatory.

For example, I had heard good things about the works of author Charles Stross (cstross) but didn't actually read any of his work until after I read (and added to favourites) several of his comments on Metafilter. Now he's one of my favourite authors.

posted by Faintdreams to MetaFilter-Related at 6:14 AM (98 comments total)

I am a HUGE superfan of Antonio Lulic (MetaFilter's own armoured-ant.) I have bought all of his music that is available online, I've bought copies for friends, and I'm eagerly awaiting his next ep.
posted by ColdChef at 6:34 AM on February 4, 2015 [5 favorites]

I am a huge fan of PhoBWanKenobi's YA novels.
posted by BibiRose at 6:57 AM on February 4, 2015 [17 favorites]

And Max Sparber too. I am sure there are others; I just have these two in my Twitter feed and see them all the time. Hoping to find new ones through this thread!
posted by BibiRose at 7:00 AM on February 4, 2015 [7 favorites]

MeFi introduced me to the comics work of egypturnash!

I also met The Whelk here, who was recently in an anthology with me and whose story I very much enjoyed.

Also jeez, I bought Starglass a while ago and I REALLY need to hurry up and read it...!
posted by Narrative Priorities at 7:14 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

Seconding Antonio Lulić, who ColdChef mentioned above. He is on heavy, heavy rotation on my iPod -- probably an unhealthy amount.
posted by lilac girl at 7:21 AM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

A lot of people like the work this George Lucas guy has done.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:37 AM on February 4, 2015

I bought an album by Brad Sucks, which definitely does not suck.
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:42 AM on February 4, 2015 [5 favorites]

hmmm. There seems to be no way to verify that Mefi's own George Lucas is actually THE George Lucas ::shrug:: would be cool beans if it were though.
posted by Faintdreams at 7:43 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

After stumbling across one of his tunes on MeFiMu, I've grown deeply enamored of bgm, the musical alter ego of MeFi's own chococat. Bonus: Bandcamp!
posted by divined by radio at 7:45 AM on February 4, 2015 [7 favorites]

It's not the real Lucas, it's just a joke sockpuppet.

I will be quiet now.
posted by Chrysostom at 7:58 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

I bought an album that I really enjoy from ludwig_van after hearing some of his stuff on MeFi Music.

Also, that odiv guy is super erudite and I've been finding myself increasingly smitten.
posted by ODiV at 8:10 AM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh shit, wrong account.
posted by ODiV at 8:10 AM on February 4, 2015 [16 favorites]

I never miss an episode of YoungAmerican's podcast Jordan, Jesse GO!, which I'm pretty sure I first heard about here.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 8:17 AM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

I didn't try John Scalzi's books until after I knew he was a mefite. Then I read all of the available ones in a long binge, and now I anxiously await each new one that comes out.
posted by ocherdraco at 8:18 AM on February 4, 2015 [10 favorites]

I just posted this from Projects, from MeFi's own Devils Rancher. "Soundtrack to an Eclipse" is terrific music.
posted by ersatzkat at 8:54 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I was a fan of the people I liked before. As in there are several mefites I am a fan of but my fandom predated my membership here.
posted by cjorgensen at 9:05 AM on February 4, 2015

Hellojed makes the only video games I've ever been 100% sure are high art.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:13 AM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

I've been to - and greatly enjoyed - a bunch of flapjax at midnite gigs in Brooklyn and in Tokyo!

And I really liked PhoBWanKenobi's Starglass and Starbreak too.
posted by moonmilk at 9:19 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I booked comedian Mike Foody for a gig based on his metafilter comments and it turned out he was a total genius standup comedian. He does most of his best work on Facebook now but he is still one of the funniest standups I am personally friends with and I love him.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:19 AM on February 4, 2015

Greg Nog is one of my favorite funny twurters (or "Twurtsperts" for shert). Funny twurts are my favorite kind of ert.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:30 AM on February 4, 2015 [9 favorites]

Avery Edison is a great funny writer who joined MF because we posted about her but now posts often and that's cool.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:33 AM on February 4, 2015

I'm a fan of the guy who writes the silly letters. I can't remember his name offhand, but I read all his books and they made me laugh like a drain.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:37 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Oh! I also scrupulously follow the output of woodblock100 and his workshop, and subscribe to one of his print series. I also started listening to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast to hear Linda Holmes.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:38 AM on February 4, 2015 [8 favorites]

David Thorne. He's one of ours, right?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:38 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Lots of great comic artists on here too, but I particularly loved A Stray In the Woods by Narrative Priorities. I gave the book to several people for Christmas last year and they loved it. I totally forget when she comments that she wrote that!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:45 AM on February 4, 2015 [8 favorites]

I found out about Scalzi from MeFi and I just finished Redshirts and looooved it. I also read headspace's YA novel Shadowed Summer and thought it was great. Tried a Stross book, wasn't my thing but I recommend it to people who seem like it will be their thing. I am sure there are more. I can't remember if I learned about lore or Mo Nickels here or elsewhere but I am a big fan of their work.

Here is a very incomplete page titled "famous" on the MeFi Wiki, maybe people want to add to it?
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 9:52 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

MeFi's own Devils Rancher.

The new phone books are here! I'm somebody! I'm somebody!
posted by Devils Rancher at 9:53 AM on February 4, 2015 [12 favorites]

Some of these folks aren't really famous though, just talented.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:54 AM on February 4, 2015

Maybe there needs to be a "MeFi's Own" page instead. Some of those people are just well-known blogger types which (to me) is different from famous.
posted by jessamyn (retired) at 9:57 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

The new phone books are here! I'm somebody! I'm somebody!

Be careful, though. Somebody really hates those cans.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:03 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

I'm not sure if this technically fits the question, but I point this out sometimes because it's one of my favorite things on Metafilter. I've always been a big Steve Wozniak fan, but his response to this AskMe was so incredibly gracious in light of the way that the question was asked that I found him an even cooler human being. I did more research on what he was doing and writing after that. He's only ever posted once, but that still technically makes him MeFi's own, in my book.
posted by SpacemanStix at 10:19 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

i am a huge fan of mefi's own madamjujive.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 10:24 AM on February 4, 2015 [8 favorites]

I had never heard of Scalzi until he started posting here and I've since read a couple of his books. My son has even read Redshirts. Metafilter trickle-down is a thing at our house.

I had never watched Mythbusters or heard of Adam Savage until people started making a big deal out of him posting here. I've since become a big fan and am obsessed with learning as much about his workshop, tool boxes, and skillset as possible. I'm not into the prop replica thing but a lot of the techniques he uses to build them are interesting. I watch the show, but I'm much more into watching them weld and mill stiff than I am watching them blow stuff up.

Narrative Priorities was my Secret Quonsar this year and I have become a fan. She writes and draws comics about space stuff!

I would not know about Jessamyn if it were not for Metafilter and not only am I a fan of her writing and general life philosophy but she's become a good friend too. I guess she's internet famous. Ditto that guy she hangs out with sometimes. Whats-his-name? not_actually_displayed or something like that?

There was a guy here who posted a couple of times a long time ago who had a short stint on the Daily Show. He wrote my all-time favorite comment which I'm too lazy to look up right now. Something about assuming the best in people rather than the worst. It was not Hodgman.

Comedian Myq Kaplan posted a few times to respond to a post about him. I had never heard of him and after a couple comment exchanges I became a fan of him because he was so polite. I saw him open for Patton Oswalt, however, and he wasn't that good. Perhaps he had an off night. He gets a pass just for being a decent human being.

And I am pretty convinced some day Greg Nog will be president of the Galaxy. So there's that.
posted by bondcliff at 10:28 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

I bought an album by Brad Sucks, which definitely does not suck.

I was going to mention this as well. We used one of Brad's songs as the theme for a nearly year-long podcast we did in Hollywood, and it was the perfect song, and the best thing about the podcast. His music is terrific.
posted by maxsparber at 10:35 AM on February 4, 2015

Oh! I also scrupulously follow the output of woodblock100 and his workshop, and subscribe to one of his print series.

Me too!
posted by smackfu at 10:40 AM on February 4, 2015

I have to forth Scalzi. I think I was linked to his blog through here, became a fan, bought Redshirts and loved it , shared with family.

I've had a lot more experiences of meeting someone through their output first, then struggling with how MeFi responded to them. The Bloggess comes to mind; I adore her, but when she was linked to the response was not in step with WHAT IT SHOULD HAV-- ahem with what I thought it should have been.
posted by Deoridhe at 10:50 AM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

I still know Cory Doctorow more as the super hero of XKCD than who he actually is. I should prolly google him.
posted by Deoridhe at 10:51 AM on February 4, 2015

The Bloggess comes to mind; I adore her, but when she was linked to the response was not in step with WHAT IT SHOULD HAV--

One of my rules of Metafilter is to stay out of any thread about a subject I really like and/or care about unless I'm pretty sure it's almost universally loved, such as Breaking Bad, The Wire, Weird Al Yankovic, or...

No, that's about it.
posted by bondcliff at 10:57 AM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I never miss an episode of YoungAmerican's podcast Jordan, Jesse GO!, which I'm pretty sure I first heard about here.

Opposite for me. I heard about Metafilter through Jordan, Jesse Go and Sound of Young America
posted by GrapeApiary at 11:28 AM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

I never had a favorite librarian before I started reading MeFi.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:32 AM on February 4, 2015 [8 favorites]

Sort of... years ago I read something by cstross before knowing he was on metafilter. Didn't stick with me at the time. Then re-tried a different book by him after seeing him around here and now I find there are many of his books I do like a lot (Neptune's Brood is my favorite). I also appreciate his blog upon occasion.
posted by edgeways at 11:34 AM on February 4, 2015

And then there are those, like Scott Adams, Tao Lin, and Will Shetterly, whose behavior on MeFi negatively influenced my view of them (and dampened any enthusiasm I might have had for their work).

I have to say I hope none of my very favorite authors and musicians get MeFi accounts because I would very much rather they concentrate on their craft and producing art for me to consume. (Relatedly, I was vaguely dismayed when Chip Delany began posting to Facebook -- interesting, thoughtful comments for the most part, of course -- because it made the already extremely slim odds of his ever getting to that Stars in My Pocket... sequel that much worse.)
posted by aught at 11:44 AM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

Among the others already mentioned, there's escabeche. Novelist, rockstar mathematician, and all-around good guy.
I gave his latest book to my theoretical physicist brother who said, and I quote, "Best Christmas gift EVER!!"
posted by Floydd at 11:50 AM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

Jessamyn, duh!
posted by oceanjesse at 12:02 PM on February 4, 2015

Two folks I was kinda sorta aware of, but mefi made them real:

Sean Michaels, aka marquis (Said the Gramophone, Us Conductors)

John Harris, aka jharris (for his former column on roguelikes)
posted by naju at 12:09 PM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

There's no question that MeFi includes many members worthy of admiration, but it's pretty clear that quidnunc kid should be #1.
posted by mr. digits at 12:25 PM on February 4, 2015 [17 favorites]

Among the others already mentioned, there's escabeche.

Seconded!
posted by en forme de poire at 12:38 PM on February 4, 2015

I've listened enough to Saellys' music to qualify as a fan, especially the album Rust she released under the moniker No, Really. She earned a minor place in MetaFilter history when her song Do You Know Where Your Children Are? accidentally caused the two stupidest weeks in mathowie's life just because it shared a filename with a leaked Michael Jackson song.
posted by Kattullus at 1:15 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I never encounter a present-requiring-event or Downton Abbey episode without thinking of MeFi's Own Lou Stuells. Such wonderful, wonderful art.
posted by Madamina at 2:20 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

I started reading Scalzi because of Metafilter. Stross is next on my list.
posted by Aizkolari at 3:01 PM on February 4, 2015

I met Capnsue through Metafilter and she's in the band War on Women, who I quite like.
posted by josher71 at 3:50 PM on February 4, 2015 [4 favorites]

I met Josher71 through Metafilter and he is in the band Blackwolf Beach, who I quite like!
posted by capnsue at 4:04 PM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

Oh snap I forgot Blackwolf Beach! They are great.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:09 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

If I ever die in Louisiana, I want Cold Chef to handle it. I do believe he's quite well known in certain circles, though perhaps they're circles first described by Dante.

And when I think of fame within professions, I suspect Jessamyn may be better known and respect by a greater proportion of professional online community managers than librarians. I have been simply blown away at her mad skillz in that very rarefied field. I think her work there will long be studied by young professionals hoping to break into the field. She's never found a book for me, but I understand she's good at that too.
posted by Toekneesan at 4:35 PM on February 4, 2015 [5 favorites]

MiguelCardoso: Miguel Cardoso (See also Miguel Cardoso)

Who?
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:48 PM on February 4, 2015

If you grew up, like I did, playing early text adventure games on the mainframes at your parents' work, then jscott's Get Lamp is for you. Or if you just like great, thoughtful documentaries, the history of gaming, or interactive narratives, it is also for you.
posted by Miko at 4:50 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

If I ever die in Louisiana

This is currently the plan. I've said too much.
posted by ColdChef at 5:23 PM on February 4, 2015 [20 favorites]

i liek his fartzenshitz
posted by aydeejones at 5:27 PM on February 4, 2015

In all of the honests, I'm a fan of jscott's archival work especially this and this chunk of pure God's Work Awesomeness deeply related to my own childhood and adolescence.
posted by aydeejones at 5:30 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

If I ever die in Louisiana

This is currently the plan. I've said too much.

You will not be disappointed. I have ColdChef handle the arrangements every time I die in Louisiana. I've said too much.
posted by IRFH is not dead yet at 5:30 PM on February 4, 2015 [6 favorites]

It's raining hope.
posted by aydeejones at 5:32 PM on February 4, 2015

Nthing Scalzi - I learned about him here. which lead to following him on twitter and reading his blog, which lead to buying a bunch of his books - which led to seeing the incident where he was covered in frosting - which happened on a day I was suicidally depressed.

It was just the laugh I needed that day. I can't say for sure that it saved my life but it was a close enough thing that I gave John Scalzi some cupcakes when he was in San Diego for a book signing.
posted by FritoKAL at 5:56 PM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

dobbs (Victory Shag and WTFTTFG) and Jairus.
posted by squeak at 7:58 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I don't know this ColdChef cat, but I am dying to meet him.
posted by 724A at 8:00 PM on February 4, 2015 [3 favorites]

Greg Nog needs to publish something so I can buy it.
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:06 PM on February 4, 2015 [5 favorites]

Are we just writing about Mefites we like, now?

Because I like quonsar and got drunk once with jonmc, who's an excellent person with whom to do so, as it turns out.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 8:27 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I was a big fan of Kelly Link before she was even a member... All this does is make me love her writing, and metafilter, more.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 8:33 PM on February 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Mefites I'd most like to get drunk with are BitterOldPunk, Jonmc and KlangKlangston. Potomac Avenue, we got close, but still need to seal the deal.
posted by josher71 at 8:40 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

I never had a favorite librarian before I started reading MeFi.
Same here. Now I can't decide which is my most favourite!
posted by dg at 8:42 PM on February 4, 2015 [2 favorites]

I second languagehat, whom I found through the super cool Sappho FPP last year.
posted by sallybrown at 8:51 PM on February 4, 2015

Dong Resin.
posted by clavdivs at 9:39 PM on February 4, 2015 [5 favorites]

I picked up one of changeling's books and really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next two that are coming out, both which sound great.
posted by dogwalker at 11:53 PM on February 4, 2015

Surely to be "MeFi's Own", technically you should sign up to post in a thread about you, add one post to say thanks for saying all the nice things (maybe a couple of follow-ups) and never be heard of again?
posted by Grangousier at 1:44 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

oliverburkeman! Check his column in the Guardian. His book on happiness is great, recommend! There was a nice FPP about it.
posted by wingless_angel at 4:53 AM on February 5, 2015

got drunk once with jonmc


The Mefites I'd most like to get drunk with are BitterOldPunk, Jonmc and KlangKlangston

Hell, I'd just like to get drunk.
posted by Literaryhero at 5:32 AM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Just listened to that new War On Women record and can confirm that I'm a big fan of that Mefite project too now!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:42 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

I had drinks with John, once, years ago, in New York, when I was still Astro Zombie.

I do recommend it.
posted by maxsparber at 5:52 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

Dong Resin.

fishfucker.
posted by octobersurprise at 5:52 AM on February 5, 2015

Metafilter confirmed my love of cstross and turned me off of jscalzi.

But honestly it's mostly a bunch of Mefites that aren't independently famous that I love best. There are some amazing human beings here.
posted by anotherpanacea at 8:42 AM on February 5, 2015 [4 favorites]

Mefi turned me on to jscott's archival stuff and documentaries, and I absolutely adore them.
posted by Dysk at 9:32 AM on February 5, 2015

I can assure you that If I hadn't connected here with Flapjax at midnite on many topics musical, I would never have driven all the way to freakin' Youngstown to watch him squeeze little toy pigs at The Royal Oaks.

This is why Pork Rock had to happen.
 
posted by Herodios at 11:30 AM on February 5, 2015

Is the quidnunc kid famous yet? i've been voting #1 quidnunc kid for years.
posted by OHenryPacey at 11:31 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Mefites I'd most like to get drunk with are

one of the many pleasures of Metafilter is that you can get drunk with pretty much any Mefite you want. Just find an active thread, crack that bottle of bourbon you've been saving ... and away you go. If things go really well, things will go META and that can be sort of the after party, which if it goes on long enough will eventually be offering hangover remedies.
posted by philip-random at 11:41 AM on February 5, 2015

Does Greg Nog's twitter count?
posted by maryr at 12:50 PM on February 5, 2015

i am a huge fan of mefi's own madamjujive.
posted by y2karl at 12:52 PM on February 5, 2015 [4 favorites]

Cold Chef's twitter is so heartbreaking and hilarious and great and you should definitely follow him. Greg Nog's is OK I GUESS but he was very nice when we went to brunch. Also I am mad that apparently no one has found out about the cool stuff I do through Metafilter except not really.
posted by Juliet Banana at 1:23 PM on February 5, 2015 [5 favorites]

Oh, and whoever it was that did the Jingle Rock Bell song, I am a fan of them for life.
posted by bondcliff at 1:28 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

I am also jealous of Greg Nog.
posted by maxsparber at 1:29 PM on February 5, 2015

Well, Dan Rutter is who I found out about MeFi from.
posted by Splunge at 3:50 PM on February 5, 2015

Lots of great comic artists on here too, but I particularly loved A Stray In the Woods by Narrative Priorities. I gave the book to several people for Christmas last year and they loved it. I totally forget when she comments that she wrote that!

Oh, wow, I just read A Stray In The Woods and it is excellent. Thank you.
posted by maryr at 3:55 PM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Metafilter led me to the novels of Marquis, changeling, jscalzi, cstross, and PhoBWanKenobi.
posted by kyrademon at 4:43 AM on February 6, 2015

I once secretly voted cortex for #1. I think I got away with it.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 5:28 AM on February 6, 2015

Sort of... years ago I read something by cstross before knowing he was on metafilter.

In my eyes, Charlie Stross will always be a demon.ip.support.macite as opposed to a Mefite.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:05 AM on February 6, 2015

crack that bottle of bourbon you've been saving

you....you can do that?
posted by Hoopo at 2:43 PM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

depends on the bourbon (true story)
posted by Namlit at 3:14 PM on February 6, 2015

I once secretly voted cortex for #1. I think I got away with it.

*makes another note in a very thick file in a red folder* Mmm huh.
posted by Deoridhe at 4:41 PM on February 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I was (am) a big fan of someone I know in real life. I became a big fan of the Devils Rancher on Metafilter and was delighted to eventually find out he was someone I know.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 6:21 PM on February 6, 2015

I became a fan of Woodblock100. I am getting a series of his prints just for me, instead of a gift for someone else. It was great to see his Kickstarter series do so well.
posted by jadepearl at 6:05 PM on February 14, 2015