Instagram/@robdyrdek
Rob Dyrdek has officially completed his 19-year journey on MTV, a period that witnessed the airing of four different shows and more than two thousand episodes, and simultaneously invented his new platform, existence.io. The video was the skateboarder who transformed from a media mogul’s emotional message to the world; he was showing his gratitude to the audience and others who supported him through this transition to a “masterpiece” that he calls a “masterpiece.” This step is the biggest swap of entertainment to what Dyrdek considers “time optimization” technology in reality TV history.
Advertisement
The video was quite like a warm send-off. Dyrdek was in what he disclosed as his new training facility, the area that is going to be the next iconic Ridiculousness stage. He was meditative and also future-looking, a man who was obviously pleased with shutting one door while vigorously opening another.
“19 years, four different shows, and 2,034 episodes, dude,” recounted Dyrdek in the video. “I just want to thank everyone who has ever watched any of my shows.” To this, MTV and other key players in his ascendance like Big Black, his cousin Steelo Brim, and Chanel West Coast were thanked, giving an insight into how a “skateboard video skit” turned into a television empire.
What was not so obvious was Dyrdek’s reason for quitting. He mentioned he had “evolved” beyond the character of “the guy with the cap and the crazy set and the dancing.” Instead, he was boasting the production efficiency that he was actually from 12 episodes per day, as opposed to the early days where one episode would take hours.
“This was Divine Timing,” Dyrdek emphasized. “The week that my show ends and my time at MTV ends is also the week I launch what I consider my greatest work.” That greatest work is existence.io, a platform Dyrdek says is the reason he has such a wonderful life and such a high-quality existence because it allows users to “keep track of all their time, optimize their time, and in turn, optimize their quality of life.”
The announcement triggered a deluge of comments full of nostalgic memories from people who had watched Dyrdek’s shows during their childhood. A comment that could not have expressed the mood better simply stated, “Rob ended up on MTV mount rushmore frfr nothing but respect.” The user was right—Dyrdek’s shows actually laid the groundwork of the MTV reality television lineup for nearly two decades.
Most of the enthusiastic comments were about Dyrdek’s past projects, particularly “Rob & Big.” One user literally backed her claim saying, “I’mma let you finish, but Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory was one of the greatest shows of all time.” This caused a small debate in the replies, with some users supporting “Rob & Big” as actually the better show. Another user admitted, “I’m 48 and Rob and Big was an era in television that cannot be repeated. TY!!”
As if to prove that they time the viewers were also acutely aware of the passing. “Rob with gray hair is still hard,” one observer remarked, and he must have been really tough, expressing the bittersweet truth that the skateboarder of mid-2000s is now a seasoned businessman and family man. Another comment expressed the same thought: “Damn, looking more and more like your dad.”
The viewers’ personal experiences with Dyrdek’s shows was another theme in the comments. One user confessed, “I was really depressed, and this show helped me a lot,” while another simply said, “We owe our childhoods to you.” The bond between the audience and Dyrdek’s work was nothing but emotional, and it was very evident in the comments section.
The announcement also had some of the die-hard fans making demands. “Put Rob n Big on Netflix with the original audio” was the request from one user. “The songs were great.” Another user claimed, “Bobby light!!!” a reference to the famous automated light in Fantasy Factory.
Not every comment was strictly nostalgic. There were a few users who pointed to Dyrdek’s new venture as being one of immediate interest. “Congratulations bro. Thank you I look forward to it,” was one comment, while another said, “onto the next chapter @existence_io.” However, one user faced a technical issue, “Brother, the site isn’t working. When I click the link and go to start, nothing happens.”
Advertisement
The response created an image of an entertainer who was capable of keeping his audience’s love through the different stages of his career. He started with Big Black, then moved to Ridiculousness with Steelo and Chanel, and Dyrdek won over the audiences by being real and consistent. A fan summed it up nicely when he said, “You are such a GOAT man. Respect. The news comes as other major music events are making headlines, including Lisa’s potential VMA win, Doja Cat’s new music video, Mariah Carey’s first VMA, Lenny Kravitz’s VMA style, and Blink-182’s VMA preview.”
