Lewis Black Takes Improv to New Extremes with MobileRider and Akamai

‘The Rant Is Due’ Combines Online, Audience-Driven Improv with Video Streaming in Groundbreaking Live, Interactive Stand-Up Comedy Event

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and SALT LAKE CITY, July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM), the leading provider of cloud services for delivering, optimizing and securing online content and business applications, and MobileRider, the leader in smart streaming solutions, today announced joint efforts to deliver “The Rant Is Due,” a first-of-its kind, live, interactive comedy event featuring comedian Lewis Black. As part of the performance, Black will accept improvisational topic suggestions while on stage from audience members in attendance as well as watching the live stream from around the world.

“We’re taking improv to frightening new heights by opening the floor to audiences quite literally anywhere in the world,” said Benjamin Brewer, Executive Producer for Stark Raving Black, Lewis Black’s production company. “We’ve experimented with this idea on a smaller scale, allowing in-person audience members to push suggestions to us backstage through a smartphone app; but it wasn’t until we saw what MobileRider and Akamai brought to the table that we had the confidence to attempt to execute this kind of performance on a global level.”

To help produce the unique event, Black’s production team selected the MobileRider platform, which incorporates Akamai’s cloud-based content delivery, media storage and analytics services. The combination of MobileRider and Akamai forms a live streaming solution that can allow viewers worldwide to enjoy the performance in high-quality video optimized for the connected device of their choice.

“As an Akamai Certified Channel Partner, doing business with MobileRider automatically means our customers have access to the scale and reach Akamai’s Intelligent Platform, the world’s largest content delivery network and robust analytics,” said Noah Hollander, Chief Operating Officer, MobileRider. “Coupled with MobileRider’s robust online video platform and live webcasting expertise, we can help deliver reliable, stutter- and buffering-free video, creating highly engaging and enjoyable events such as ‘Lewis Black’s: The Rant Is Due.'”

MobileRider’s FanConnect solution is enabling the real-time engagement between Black and viewers, tying in to the MobileRider platform to deliver high-quality streaming video through Black’s branded portal. Fans can communicate and send improv suggestions directly to Black’s tablet through the portal, the audience HTML5 app and Twitter.

“MobileRider’s work with Lewis Black is a great example of an Akamai partner leveraging our solutions to execute on innovative business models,” said Brad Rinklin, Chief Marketing Officer, Akamai. “MobileRider has created a well-deserved name for itself in helping well-known artists and brands to successfully deliver important, high-profile events online to viewers around the world across devices and screens of all types.”

“Lewis Black’s: The Rant Is Due” is streaming live from the Napa Valley Opera House in Napa, Calif., July 11th and 12th, and is available for free to members of the official Lewis Black Fan Club. Weekend passes are also available for purchase.

About MobileRider:

MobileRider’s mission is to provide businesses with enterprise class SMART-STREAMING-SOLUTIONS. MobileRider offers event owners a complete set of hardware, software, encoding CDN and satellite solutions to share their events from anywhere to anyone, everywhere. Founded in 2006, Mobilerider LLC is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. Please visit www.mobilerider.com and follow @Mobilerider on Twitter.

About Akamai:

Akamai® is the leading provider of cloud services for delivering, optimizing and securing online content and business applications. At the core of the Company’s solutions is the Akamai Intelligent Platform™ providing extensive reach, coupled with unmatched reliability, security, visibility and expertise. Akamai removes the complexities of connecting the increasingly mobile world, supporting 24/7 consumer demand, and enabling enterprises to securely leverage the cloud. To learn more about how Akamai is accelerating the pace of innovation in a hyperconnected world, please visitwww.akamai.com or blogs.akamai.com, and follow @Akamai on Twitter.

About Stark Raving Black Productions:

Stark Raving Black Productions was founded to support Lewis Black and other top comedic talent in the production and distribution of original programming, unfettered by outside or limiting forces. The Grammy Award winning Production Company strives to directly connect artists with their fans in unique and fun ways. By removing as many of the often-stifling filters from the “business of comedy” as possible, Stark Raving Black Productions is working to put the focus on comedy in the daily fan/artist discussion.

To learn more about Lewis Black and Stark Raving Black Productions, please visit us at,
www.lewisblack.com or www.lewisblackfanclub.com, and follow @thelewisblack on twitter

PR Archives: Latest, By Company, By Date