RiceBoyTV.com is an up and coming website designated to shake the Internet off its feet. Headed by John Naderi of Super Street fame, his cohorts Ricky Chu and Justin Kaehler help provide the editorial content. Not much is known about this site and its content and what lies in the future, but Tunerzine.com had the chance to catch up with Naderi and his staff to see what they have up their sleeves.
Q: Let’s have a brief history on every one of you first off. Who are you, what is your background and how did you get involved with the sport compact industry?
Justin: I’ve always been into small, sporty cars and have always seemed to hang out with others with similar automotive tastes. I stumbled my way into the industry by simply being in the right place at the right time. It’s amazing who you meet when you go boozing in Torrance on a nightly basis…
Q: So let’s go into the real dirt. Why the sudden departure from the print industry and into the Internet?
Justin: With the exception of my freelance jobs (and six-month stint at Super Street), I got my start on the web. As much as I like being able to physically hold my work in my hand, the ‘net just feels more like home. The ability to work from home more is a huge bonus, too.
Q: What are your goals with this new venture? What do you guys hope to accomplish and what will you guys be doing differently to set yourselves apart?
Justin: I will be doing my best to stay awake and not royally mess things up for John and Ricky.
Q: Give us some inside information on the site’s content. What can your future readers expect to see from the site? Are you guys planning to focus on one certain market and demographic?
Justin: If the content is cool, we’ll cover it. Though we will obviously focus on the sport compact market, the truth is we’re all car junkies at heart, and we feel that our readers are the same way. Just because you drive a 240, it doesn’t mean that you don’t appreciate a well-built drift-spec Mustang. RBTV’s more open format will allow us to cover the best American and European-built tuner cars, and maybe even find a way to scam a free off-roading trip from certain manufacturers.
Q: What are some of the struggles you guys have experienced so far in launching this start up? Where do you guys see yourselves a year from now?
Justin: Just getting the right people in place has been the biggest struggle, but I’m just an editorial lackey, so I don’t have to deal with all the headaches. I’m the modest new guy, so I’ll leave all speculation on the future up to Nads and Ricky.
Q: What are the biggest perks of being involved in the industry and being in the position that you guys are in?
Justin: Well, I get paid to fly all around the world and get the VIP treatment as I drive some of the world’s best sports cars. The fact that I get to do this with some of my very best friends in the industry is a bonus in and of itself. Seriously, I can’t think of any job better than this one.
Q: Let’s talk about the industry itself. Where do you guys see it heading for 2008? Drag racing, drifting, time attack…give us your feedback on all of it including trends and styles.
Justin: With most of my prior activities being limited to the West Coast, I think that the JDM/drift scene continue to flourish. That said, I have been trying to start a JDM minivan boom here in the US for the past couple of years now – hopefully this site will give me a chance to promote it to the point where it becomes a viable scene in the US.
Q: What’s the craziest thing a ‘fan’ has ever done to you guys?
Justin: I don’t get fans from my writing, sadly… Perhaps I need to make more “moob” jokes.