[PR] “Pimp My Font” announcement

[ktinkel]

[Note: Ascender Corporation was formed a couple of years ago by Ira Mirochnik, Bill Davis, and others from Monotype.]
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April 1, 2005 -- Chicago IL, and Hollywood, CA -- Ascender Corporation today announced it has received venture capital funding to launch an entertainment division to be based in Hollywood for its new TV show: "Pimp My Font." Last year Ascender self-funded a cable television series "More Bling For Your Ring" — a fascinating look at the mobile phone industry. To help promote the new show, Ascender today launched the pimpmyfont.com website (http://www.pimpmyfont.com).

“Based on the popularity of reality-based television programming featuring customized vehicles combined with the titillating culture of the font industry this is a project we couldn’t pass up”, said a network spokesperson who asked to remain anonymous.

The show will be based in Chicago and all fonts will be pimped by Mid Coast Custom Characters, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascender Corporation. The MCCC crew has been pimping fonts for over 15 years for only the most kickin’ companies.

Xheight, the hip-hop typographic sensation, will play the part of Pimp Multiple Master of Ceremonies. In the show, Xheight and his font posse will be transforming fonts and lives. Xheight will be roaming the hood to help those guilty of committing heinous typographic style crimes and giving their fonts the ultimate pimp-over.

Viewers shouldn’t be alarmed if Xheight tells someone he’s going to “put a cap in you”. He’s not talking about shooting them. He just wants to show them a new uppercase letter he’s pimped!

Xheight and his homies will customize the coolest set of fonts on the planet for font users chosen at random from the Chicago area. The excitement mounts as a “phont” is chosen. Then the fun begins as typographic features such as supercharged terminals, neon wings, stem spoilers, chrome counters and old school figures are added. One of the goals of the show is to debunk the myth that customized fonts are expensive. Xheight says, “Customizing a font doesn’t have to cost a lot of snaps. The MCCC crew can bust a bezier likes no one’s business.”

One of the features in each show will be called “Pimped or Wimped”. In this segment, font front-man, Em-Space, asks viewers to judge whether a font is phat or po. Hilarity ensues.

Advance previews have been met with critical acclaim:

- Urban Typographer exclaims, “Let’s get jaggy”
- The London Times New Roman says, “True...Type”
- Better Fonts and Handguns says, “Hint on playa, hint on...”

For more information contact Ms. April Foo, the executive producer of Pimp My Font, or visit the website: pimpmyfont.com (http://www.pimpmyfont.com).

[Michael Rowley]

KT:

'all fonts will be pimped by Mid Coast Custom Characters'

Pimping is not a very nice activity (though profitable, I understand), and anyway 'to pimp' is not generally used transitively. I take it that 'pimp' has acquired a meaning for the with-it crowd, but perhaps you could give a hint as to its intended meaning.

[ktinkel]

I take it that 'pimp' has acquired a meaning for the with-it crowd, but perhaps you could give a hint as to its intended meaning.Why don’t you follow the links — this is not my press release, nor mine to explain!

I would suggest you consider the timing, as well! :-)

[Michael Rowley]

KT:

'I would suggest you consider the timing'

Oh, I see, it was April Fool wit. Apart from the the fact that it was too late for European recipients (and much too late for the Australian ones), most people grew out of April Fool jokes when they left primary school, though I suppose journalists (and other media people) are like Peter Pan.

[annc]

KT:

'I would suggest you consider the timing'

Oh, I see, it was April Fool wit. Apart from the the fact that it was too late for European recipients (and much too late for the Australian ones), most people grew out of April Fool jokes when they left primary school, though I suppose journalists (and other media people) are like Peter Pan.Occasionally we'll get an April Fool's Day story here in the daily paper, or on the ABC radio station I favour. I always enjoy them.

But maybe people have always been gentle with you because it's your birthday. We never did the April Fool thing at home when I was a child, because it was my mother's birthday.

[Michael Rowley]

Ann:

'Occasionally we'll get an April Fool's Day story here in the daily paper'

Here too, but we usually have read them by mid-morning. But out in the sticks it may be different . . .

Naturally as a child I was a pit prickly about 'April Fool' comments, but I was assured by my mother that I was born after midday, and that anyone born after midday on April 1 didn't count as an April Fool. In any case, my schoolfellows didn't comment after I was about seven—these jokes get a bit worn when repeated every year, except to the media,of course.

On another note: 'pimping' could be a vogue word as far as I'm concerned, just like 'bling' (if that's the word).

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

<< anyway 'to pimp' is not generally used transitively. >>

NSOED recognizes it, as it recognizes "pimpmobile"

2. verb trans. Provide (a person) as a prostitute. M18.

[Michael Rowley]

Hugh:

'2. verb trans. Provide (a person) as a prostitute. M18.'

My copy of the NSOED, 1993, has no such entry, giving only the intransitive meaning ('to act as a pimp, pander') and a meaning in Australian and New Zealand slang (to inform on a person). Anyway, I did say 'not generally used transitively'; I wouldn't call 18th century usage 'general' (except possibly in Wales?).

[BobRoosth]

I only saw a defintion in the paper recently. To pimp seems to be slang for "dress it up, make it gaudy."

[donmcc]

Nice one, KT. I got about two paragraphs in before I said "Wait a minute." The thing is the reality shows are so stupid, it is possible that they could try something graphic ... although fonts ?????

Don McCahill

[ktinkel]

I got about two paragraphs in before I said "Wait a minute." The thing is the reality shows are so stupid, it is possible that they could try something graphic ... although fonts ?????Yeah, impossible to imagine that, isn’t it?

Although we do live in a time when everyone who uses a computer suddenly knows something about fonts …

[Michael Rowley]

Bob:

'To pimp seems to be slang for "dress it up, make it gaudy." '

Now that makes sense to me, even though I have only seen gaudily-dressed pimps in their Hollywood guise (I'm probably out of date, and American pimps now dress like stockbrokers and bankers).

[terrie]

ROFL!!! Very funny...'-}

Terrie

PS...I think one of the best April Fool's jokes I've ever seen was done by Volvo just before the opening of the tunnel between the UK and the Continent...it was a full page newspaper ad showing a car that one could flip the sterring wheel from right to left...it was a hoot of an ad...

[Hugh Wyn Griffith]

<< I did say 'not generally used transitively' >>

I know <g>

I must check out my SOED 2nd Edn 1933 ..... no it isn't there either as a transitive.

I was using the second of the computer CD versions. Very useful to have on the QuickLaunch bar so I can bring it up while having something else on screen.

Pedwar to you .....

[marlene]

everyone who uses a computer suddenly knows something about fonts ?

Or they think they do!

mxh

[Clayton]

Over 20 years ago, motorcycle enthusiasts in California used the term "pimped out" to describe a motorcycle laden with all the desirable accessories.

I'm wondering if now the term "pimp" is being used to label either a last-ditch salesman or a really cheaply built product.

[Clayton]

More recently, I recall water-cooler talk by programmers, designers, and engineers about having to "pimp out my services" as a contractor in the event they are laid off. Always good for a laugh or two. Like an out-of-work programmer standing on a busy street corner wearing a sandwich-board with the hand-written message, "WILL CODE FOR FOOD" on it.

[Michael Rowley]

Clayton:

I recall water-cooler talk by programmers, designers, and engineers about having to "pimp out my services"

I'm old-fashioned, and still speak of 'tarting up'. In my day, a pimp's services depended more on his muscle or the sharpness of his razor than his sartorial sense—or so I'm told.

[Stephen Owades]

Over 20 years ago, motorcycle enthusiasts in California used the term "pimped out" to describe a motorcycle laden with all the desirable accessories.

I'm wondering if now the term "pimp" is being used to label either a last-ditch salesman or a really cheaply built product.
I think the verb "pimp" is being used today just as you describe in your motorcycle example. It implies the addition of "bling" (flashy trim or accessories), not anything to do with the salesman or the quality of construction.

[Anne Wright]

Stephen, Today on NPR's game show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" they had a question about the latest fad for Florida seniors. It seems that in one retirement community, they like to "pimp out" their golf carts. Some spend as much as $14,000 to decorate and pimp out their carts, making them look like 1964 Mustangs, adding CD players and giving them enough power to get up to 35 miles per hour. Can't wait to see the drag races between seniors <g>