Bobbyq78

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Bobbyq78 is a Livejournal homosexual and Internet personality; he is a former roommate of jameth and former paramour of andrewpants. Onetime author on LJ Drama. Has since abandoned the bobbyq78 persona and now is known as justroberts. Only known subject of the LJ-1 series, "Behind the Journal" (transcript follows).

Narrator (James Jude): It started out as a lark, something new and different. bobbyq78 never thought he'd achieve fame or popularity through his online journal, but the fame came. We'll chart his meteoric rise to the top and then uncover where it all went tragically wrong on this episode of LJ-1's "Behind the Journal: bobbyq78."

INSERT: Credits sequence.

Narrator: bobbyq78 released his first entry Dec. 11, 2001. Like Tina Turner before him, the journal was a collaboration; an attempt to work with the man he was currently seeing, togaebi. Critics derailed his first entry as juvenile and pandering; several called attention to the weak prose, including an infamous use of the nonword "spiff-o-licious."

ZOOM IN ON: First entry. Highlight words "spiff-o-licious," "baaad widdle boy," "*smoochies*".

bobbyq78: I didn't see it as much of a problem, honestly. I mean, everyone's first entry is a little shaky. Nobody hits a home run their first time at bat.

Narrator: togaebi and bobbyq78 ended their relationship less than a month later, but bobbyq78 used the end of that relationship to start a new, introspective phase of his life. One that had nothing to do with blogging.

bobbyq78: God, don't remind me of that. That's right around the time I was addicted to those stupid quizzes. I'd post four, five a day. And I was losing friends.

Narrator: Critics weren't fond of the new, single bobbyq78, either. The Manatee Cub was slammed all across the Internet for his uninspiring entries and stolen quizzes.

Alex Chambre, Internet Critic: What we had here was a typical post-breakup blog. It was pathetic. There's be a few insightful entries nobody wanted to read, and a lot of that meme [bleep]. Hey, did you just bleep my [bleep]ing [bleep] out? Don't [bleep] with me, man. I'll [bleep]ing sign you up for so much dwarf fetish porn your [bleep]in' [bleep] will fall off.

Narrator: But things changed. In real life -- or "eye-are-ell," bobbyq78 was changing. In May of 2002, newly elected editor of the student newspaper at wazzu, bobbyq78 only found time to post five entries for the month. June was slightly better, but he'd hit a dead end.

bobbyq78: I didn't have time for the blogging anymore. And it was tearing me up inside.

jameth: We were all so sad when bobbyq78 stopped posting. It meant I couldn't lulz from home anymore, and I had to find other people to make fun of.

iworshipsatin: That was a dark day for the blogging community, man. I used to stalk him ... he was never on my friends list, but I'd read every post religiously. And then one day, the blogging stopped.

INSERT: iworshipsatin chainsmoking, poring over bobbyq78's journal.

Narrator: But then it came back with a vengeance. July 25, 2002, bobbyq78 started posting regularly again. These posts, which dealt with the rise and fall of yet another relationship, signaled a common theme throughout bobbyq78's blogs -- hope and rejection.

Alex Chambre: The one thing about his [bleep]in' LJ is that it's all the same. Date someone, post like crazy for a while, then break up and totally start posting crap. Can I say "crap"? You're not gonna bleep that one out, right? [bleep]ers.

Narrator: That rut was to signal the beginning of the end for bobbyq78. Or would it? After he made his journal friends-only November 11, 2003, the number of his LJ friends skyrocketed. But even some of those new friends had their concerns.

andrewpants: It used to be all about the journal, man, totally all about the journal. Like, the journal was the THING. Dude, can you pass that bong over here? This is totally wicked green.

jameth: I dunno ... I lulz even more now than I used to. I love his creepy pictures. And, did you like see the icon he made me? It was teh fagulous.

themoonfell: Who's bobbyq78?

finfinfin: I have known bobbyq78 for a really long time, and I can tell you he's just a loser. Oh, wait, you're taping this, right? Ummmm ... Rob is nice. He is a nice guy and he is nice. That's it. Nice nice nice.

jameth: Lulz. Lulz. theblackbaby. gifwars. lulz lulz lulz. bobbyq78 is lulz.

themoonfell: No, seriously, who's bobbyq78?

Narrator: And thus was a new digital hero born. Even while working on his own journal, bobbyq78 continued to expand his blogging horizons, creating the new rating community hotfatbitches as well as becoming active in campyhumor and nonuglyfats. He created new user icons and didn't pitch a hissy fit when they were stolen. He worked tirelessly to rid the world of ugliness, starting with some of the people who posted to his new community.

andrewpants: Duuuuuuuude, this is some seriously good [bleep]. I want bobbyq78 to totally violate me in the worst way. [high-pitched girly giggle]

eeyoredung: bobbyq78 is fabulous. And I mean fabulous with a capital FAB! I mean, every time I read his journal, I want to start smoking Virginia Slims and wearing capri pants so I can shout out "Fasten your seatbelts and bring me the axe!" Oooh, wouldn't that be a delicious moment? Joan Channing. Or Margo Crawford. Darling, we must talk!

Narrator: And there you have it. From his modest beginnings to his self-indulgent quiz phase to his new work in communities, bobbyq78 has typified the always-changing quality of the online journal. Some might call him a trendsetter.

jameth: I wouldn't go that far.

themoonfell: No, seriously, this is starting to [bleep] me off. Who the [bleep] is bobbyq78?

Narrator: And there you have it. You've been watching LJ-1's "Behind the Journal: bobbyq78."

INSERT: End credits sequence.

FADE OUT.