On Aug. 5, comedians Cody Ko and Noel Miller — better known as Tiny Meat Gang (TMG) — hosted a show on Moment House, a live-streaming platform that has previously held concerts for music artists such as Tame Impala, Justin Bieber and St. Vincent. The show and its chaotic and impromptu nature were well-received among fans.
“I mean it got wilder than we ever thought it could,” said Ko on the following week’s episode of the TMG podcast.
“Out of all of the shows we’ve ever done, I’ve never felt anything like that,” Miller replied.
Before the pandemic, I attended two in-person TMG shows and my experiences were extremely positive. Both shows were super enjoyable. The duo answered audience questions, did stand-up and even performed songs. I left both shows feeling very satisfied — Ko and Miller were just as talented and hysterical as they were online.
While both of the TMG shows I went to were phenomenal, I didn’t click into the Moment House show with high expectations. I knew that Ko and Miller would be as hilarious as always, but I hadn’t expected the show to leave me with the same satisfied feeling the live shows had.
The livestream began with a countdown clock and a DJ set from Spock, an EDM artist and friend to Ko and Miller. Spock’s set was a perfect opening act for the event, hyping fans up from behind their screens as they excitedly chatted with one another about the upcoming show.
Once Ko and Miller made their entrance, more fan interactions began. The Moment House platform allows attendees to make chatrooms, similar to ClubHouse, in which they could voice chat and interact with fellow viewers. Ko and Miller had the ability to enter these spaces, joking alongside enthusiastic fans throughout the show.
Despite the distance, the element of spontaneity and the feeling of community were still present — perhaps even heightened. “In a real-life concert, people don’t really necessarily connect with one another. They go with their group and leave with their group in most cases. Digitally, all those social barriers are broken. People are so excited to connect, connect, connect,” said Arjun Mehta, the CEO and co-founder of Moment House, to Variety.
This segment was followed by a live “That’s Cringe,” the series that launched the pair into YouTube stardom. In the videos, the duo critique and poke fun at cringeworthy internet personalities such as Jake Paul. This was a big draw for viewers, as it’s been over a year since the last “That’s Cringe” was posted on YouTube.
The pair reacted to a video from Vice about Kyle Gordy, a self-described “freelance sperm donor.” The clip had both the hosts and the chat wincing at the awkward subject matter. The segment was so jarring that the hosts paused to ask the audience if they should continue or if the bit had gone too far.
However, the live show offered something that the pre-taped videos never did: an unedited and quite frankly unhinged appearance from Gordy himself. Gordy found out that TMG was reacting to his Vice appearance after fans messaged him online — or in Ko’s words, “snitched.”. He contacted the TMG, who invited him to the show for a Zoom interview. This segment left Ko, Miller and the audience as a whole in shock as Gordy discussed the struggles of “making donations” while still living at home with his mother.
While the live shows I attended always had Q&A portions, none of them featured something as spur-of-the-moment as Gordy’s interview. Fans were beside themselves in the chat and on social media, absolutely losing it at the arrival of the candid guest. Despite the distance, everyone was united together in a shared sense of secondhand embarrassment.
“It was like a car crash,” said Ko. “All of the tweets were like ‘oh my god this is incredible but I want it to stop so bad.’”
Lastly, the live show featured an exclusive episode of “Cody and Noel Do,” another TMG series on YouTube. In the video, the pair took sword-fighting lessons from an actual knight and eventually even dueled each other. The comical content was a further incentive for fans to buy a ticket, as it would not be uploaded to their channel.
Fans were also motivated to buy tickets because of the price point. While tickets at live shows were typically priced at around $40 with service fees, the Moment House show was only $10.
Additionally, unlike live shows that took place at venues with limited capacity, there was no limit as to how many guests could attend the Moment House show. Both of these factors made it more accessible to fans who may not have had the opportunity to attend other TMG performances because of their location or financial situation.
To top it off, TMG merchandise was even available for purchase throughout the show to commemorate the livestream. As an incentive for buying these products, when certain selling goals were met, the show would be randomly interrupted with blaring sirens and red lights letting the hosts know that it was time to bring out a special guest. The special guest in question was Carrington Rodriguez from Love Island USA. He would serve shots to the hosts and answer questions from people in the chat. These “Merch Alert” breaks kept the show interactive and lighthearted.
After having such a great time at the Moment House show, I would highly recommend to others to try out the platform. The experience was up to par with each of the live TMG shows for a fraction of the price.
As the pandemic rages on and the future remains uncertain, Moment House is working to keep entertainment alive, even if it remains virtual. The platform presents people with a chance to see live performances from their favorite artists, as well as the ability to connect with fellow fans to share in their love. If the TMG show is any indication, Moment House is sure to continue their pattern of success.
Upcoming Moment House shows include concerts from Halsey and Luke Hemmings, as well as livestreams by podcasts such as The Daily Zeitgeist. The lineup will likely soon include another TMG appearance, as Ko and Miller want to make a return after such a fantastic first show.
“We’re gonna do another one,” said Miller. “I think end of September is the plan right now.”
Nodding in agreement, Ko added, “We’re gonna lean into this unhinged, chaotic nature that seemed to work so well because it was just fun.”
