Something Awful Founder Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka's Death

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
This news broke over a week ago, and originally I only shared it with Walter since we used to both enjoy somethingawful.com, but I felt it deserved acknowledgement here because of the influence Lowtax had on me, the board and the Internet in general.

This hit me surprisingly poignantly for an obnoxious guy on the Internet I hadn't actively thought about in years, but I realize it's because of the strange nature of Internet culture at the time where I didn't feel like this was some kind of online celebrity but someone I knew from the Internet, from a message board like like this one (not similar in content, but you know what I mean). Of course, I didn't, but that's the power/danger of the Internet, which somethingawful was way ahead on.

Walter can speak more to somethingawful's influence here if he wishes, perhaps my fond memories of exchanging SA-style jokes with him on AIM is making it outsized to me, but personally Lowtax and his Jeff K character were more than a direct influence on Skull Lord; he was a complete ripoff of them (right down to the .gifs)! As Norm Macdonald once paraphrased, the greatest form of flattery is stealing things. Anyway, if nothing else, that was a big influence on some of the humor, wild behavior and chaotic happenings on the board, for better or worse.

Another reason this is affecting is the duality of the Internet vs IRL, and how someone that made you laugh online can have such a dark turn and bloody end off it. It didn't help that initially I thought his final video was a cosplay of Walter Sobchak only to find out that's just what he looked like near the end. I empathize with that not because I'm in such a dark place myself, but because neither was he at one point, and life in the best of times is fragile and teetering. So, you appreciate that "there, but for the grace of God, go I," but conversely, when's that going to turn so the bell tolls for thee? As my 80 year old father often tells me, "If you're lucky enough to keep getting older, everyone you know keeps dying." Thanks, Dad. =)

Sorry, this is gettin' heavy! But, this is obviously on top of over a year of death, and a particularly significant one earlier this year that I won't even understand the ramifications of for myself and others on this site for a long, long time (to the point I worry about people), and in a strange way this feels like another pillar falling, but from the goofy internet side of the equation that is SK.net. Now I'm relieved our unsuccessful outreach to Olivier and Skully about the anniversary pod at least served as sort of a wellness check on those guys at the time... and for me too. =)

TAEKS CAER RAEL INTARNETS FREIENDS!!!

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-SKuLL LoRD

DOOM HOUSE
Derek Smart's Desktop Commander
https://www.somethingawful.com/feature-articles/on-doom-3/
https://www.somethingawful.com/hosted/firemancomics/
https://www.somethingawful.com/photoshop-phriday/
https://www.somethingawful.com/fake-something-awful/fake-sa-list/
 
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I didn't know much about Lowtax or his website, but for sure I remember the infamous Skull Lord from my early years on SK.net.
May he rest in peace.
 
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