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Maddox (writer)

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George "Maddox" Ouzounian
From the Alphabet of Manliness book signing in July 2006.
From the Alphabet of Manliness book signing in July 2006.
Born1978
Pen nameMaddox
Occupationsatirist, webmaster, comic book creator, pirate
NationalityAmerican
Period1997—present
Genresatire
Website
http://maddox.xmission.net/

George Ouzounian,[1] better known by his pen name Maddox, is an American satirist of Armenian descent, who currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah.[citation needed] He is the author of the website The Best Page in the Universe. Maddox is a graduate of the University of Utah and holds a degree in mathematics.[2] His pen name "Maddox" is derived from a 1980s anime called Madox 01.[3]

Career and projects

In 1997, Maddox created a satirical website dubbed The Best Page in the Universe. The website became popular due to Maddox's blunt demeanor and humorous commentary. He later developed The Best Store in the Universe and began selling T-shirts and other merchandise featuring his most famous quotes, such as "Littering kicks ass" and "For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three." The frequency with which articles were posted to the website reached somewhat of a peak in 2004-05, and have been rare since.[citation needed]

Until 2004, Maddox was a programmer for a telemarketing company. However, due to the success of his websites, Maddox now sells enough shirts online to "stay above water."[4] Maddox also appeared in episode 21 of Infected by Martin Sargent.

Comic book

On June 6, 2006, Maddox announced that he had completed "The Best Comic in the Universe", and it would be released at the San Diego Comic Con from July 20-23, afterwards, available for purchase through his online store.[5]

The Alphabet of Manliness

Main article: The Alphabet of Manliness

In 2005, Maddox announced that he was writing a book and opening up a newsletter to post updates. In July, he held an illustrator competition in which he invited artists to submit their work. He then chose several illustrators and contracted them to do the artwork. Maddox unveiled the title of the book, The Alphabet of Manliness, which was published in June 2006 by Kensington Books. It skyrocketed to the number one spot on Amazon.com.[4] The book is illustrated and its format is a chapter-length entry for each letter in the English alphabet regarding a "manly" topic (for example, A is for Ass-kicking.)

Maddox appeared at book signings wearing a crown and king's robe, while promoting the fact he would sign women's breasts. On the book's website, Maddox also jokingly listed a set of rules for fans - such as barring eye contact or talking directly to him (referring to an urban legend about popular figures such as Hillary Clinton and Shania Twain), formal dress attire and remaining at least 3 feet (91 cm) away at all times. Some attending fans abided by these rules.[citation needed]

Talk radio

On May 9, 2006, Maddox, Tucker Max, and Max's friend and fellow RudiusMedia blogger, DrunkasaurusRex, premiered a two-hour test show live on Maxim Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio. The show consisted of the three telling stories and discussing topics commonly found in their work (such as women, sex, alcohol, and pop culture) as well as taking questions from listeners.[6] It is unclear whether there will be future episodes. However, Maddox has openly admitted to pursuing a career in radio before this appearance.[7]

Criticism

Critics say that Maddox contradicts himself often when justifying the reasons for writing his satirical articles about certain social groups or scenes. In a Salon.com interview, he said that he would not make fun of blacks because he does not know what it is like to be one. Some people then have pointed out that he makes fun of women and those with disabilities[8] although he does not have any experience from these points of view either.[9]

Trivia

  • Maddox states that he is politically neutral, and has criticized both politicians from the left (Clinton) and right (Bush). He told Salon.com that the first year he was eligible to vote in presidential elections, he cast his vote for Ross Perot, whom he described affectionately as "the man" and "the boss".[1]
  • The Best Page in the Universe was ranked #3 in FHM Australia's top 100 bloke websites.

References

  1. ^ a b Traister, Rebecca. "It's a man's world" (Interview). Salon.com. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
  2. ^ Ouzounian, George "Maddox". "The Best Page in the Universe: FAQ".
  3. ^ Goodmacher, Chris (2003-08-31). "Whoever Sucks the Least is King, An Interview with Maddox" (Online Journal). PoinDexter Online. Retrieved 2006-05-26.
  4. ^ a b Hummel, Debbie. "Publishers court Web's bad boys". The Associated Press. May 6, 2006.
  5. ^ Ouzounian, George "Maddox" (2004). "The Best Comic in the Universe".
  6. ^ TuckerMax.com – Tucker, Maddox, and DrunkasaurusRex to be on Sirius Radio Tuesday, May 9
  7. ^ "I have a twin brother who works for a radio station in Atlanta!". The Best Page in the Universe. May 28, 2005.
  8. ^ "Christopher Reeve was an asshole" October 10, 2004
  9. ^ "New Maddox Interview on Salon.com." The Best Fanpage in the Universe. June 03, 2006
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