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{{Short description|Convention of internet memes}}
{{Short description|Convention of internet memes}}
{{Infobox Convention
{{Infobox Convention
| name = ROFLCon
| name = ROFLCon
| image = [[File:The ROFLCon Banner.jpg|300px|center]]
| image = [[File:The ROFLCon Banner.jpg|300px|center]]
| caption = Banner for the first ROFLCon, with [[A/S/L]] as a tagline
| caption =
| status = Retired
| status = Retired
| genre = Internet Culture
| genre = Internet culture
| venue = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]
| venue = [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]
| location = [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]], Massachusetts
| location = [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]], Massachusetts
| country = United States
| country = United States
| first = 2008
| first = 2008
| last =
| last =
| organizer = [[Harvard University]] Students
| organizer = [[Harvard University]] Students
| filing =
| filing =
| attendance = ~600 in 2008
| attendance = ~600 in 2008
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20080426224218/http://roflcon.org:80/ roflcon.org]
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20080426224218/http://roflcon.org:80/ roflcon.org]
}}
}}


'''ROFLCon''' was a biennial [[Convention (meeting)|convention]] of [[internet meme]]s that took place in 2008, 2010 and 2012, featuring various [[internet celebrities]]. All three events were at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. ROFLCon was first organized by a group of students from [[Harvard University]] led by Tim Hwang.<ref name="NYT10"/><ref>[http://roflcon.org/the-team/ "The Team @ ROFLCon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501172232/http://roflcon.org/the-team/ |date=2008-05-01 }}. roflcon.org.</ref> According to Hwang, the inspiration for the conference was the September 23, 2007 meetup of fans of ''[[xkcd]]'' with its creator, [[Randall Munroe]], in a park in North Cambridge, Massachusetts.<ref name="NYT10"/><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4_YWyYtj4&NR=1 "How ROFLCon began"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425161336/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4_YWyYtj4&NR=1 |date=2016-04-25 }} (video). YouTube.com.<!--authorized video--></ref>
'''ROFLCon''' was a biennial [[Convention (meeting)|convention]] of [[internet meme]]s that took place in 2008, 2010 and 2012, featuring various [[internet celebrities]]. All three events were at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. ROFLCon was first organized by a group of students from [[Harvard University]] led by Tim Hwang.<ref name="NYT10"/><ref>[http://roflcon.org/the-team/ "The Team @ ROFLCon"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501172232/http://roflcon.org/the-team/ |date=2008-05-01 }}. roflcon.org.</ref> According to Hwang, the inspiration for the conference was the September 23, 2007 meetup of fans of ''[[xkcd]]'' with its creator, [[Randall Munroe]], in a park in [[North Cambridge, Massachusetts]].<ref name="NYT10"/><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4_YWyYtj4&NR=1 "How ROFLCon began"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425161336/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4_YWyYtj4&NR=1 |date=2016-04-25 }} (video). YouTube.<!--authorized video--></ref>


The name "ROFLCon" comes from the [[internet slang]] "[[ROFL]]", short for "rolling on the floor laughing", and "con", short for "convention".
The name "ROFLCon" comes from the [[internet slang]] "[[ROFL]]", short for "rolling on the floor laughing", and "con", short for "convention".


==The original ROFLCon==
At ROFLCon 2012, it was announced that there would not be another ROFLCon.<ref>{{cite web |last=Baio |first=Andy |url=http://waxy.org/2012/05/the_final_roflcon_and_mobiles_impact_on_internet_culture/ |title=The Final ROFLCon and Mobile's Impact on Internet Culture – |website=Waxy.org |date=2012-05-14 |accessdate=2016-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114084148/http://waxy.org/2012/05/the_final_roflcon_and_mobiles_impact_on_internet_culture/ |archive-date=2016-11-14 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==2008==
The first ROFLCon was first announced in late 2007, and took place on April 25–26, 2008.<ref name="Wired07">Wortham, Jenna (December 7, 2007). [https://www.wired.com/underwire/2007/12/famous-internet/ "Famous Internet Memes to Gather at ROFLCon 2008"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107183909/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2007/12/famous-internet/ |date=2012-11-07 }}. Wired.com</ref>
The first ROFLCon was first announced in late 2007, and took place on April 25–26, 2008.<ref name="Wired07">Wortham, Jenna (December 7, 2007). [https://www.wired.com/underwire/2007/12/famous-internet/ "Famous Internet Memes to Gather at ROFLCon 2008"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107183909/http://www.wired.com/underwire/2007/12/famous-internet/ |date=2012-11-07 }}. Wired.com</ref>


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Attendance was open to the public after pre-registration and a fee. The primary events of ROFLCon were moderated panel discussions with the Internet celebrities, and question and answer sessions with the audience. Several guest speakers gave talks on issues pertaining to [[internet culture]]. The convention ended with the "ROFLConcert", featuring live performances by Group X, [[Leslie Hall]], [[Lemon Demon]], [[Trocadero (band)|Trocadero]] and [[Average Homeboy|Denny Blaze]].
Attendance was open to the public after pre-registration and a fee. The primary events of ROFLCon were moderated panel discussions with the Internet celebrities, and question and answer sessions with the audience. Several guest speakers gave talks on issues pertaining to [[internet culture]]. The convention ended with the "ROFLConcert", featuring live performances by Group X, [[Leslie Hall]], [[Lemon Demon]], [[Trocadero (band)|Trocadero]] and [[Average Homeboy|Denny Blaze]].


==Subsequent events==
==2010==
ROFLCon II<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2011 |title=How I Got Famous on the Internetz |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/yv37by/how-i-got-famous-on-the-internetz |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521100326/https://vice.com/en/article/yv37by/how-i-got-famous-on-the-internetz |archive-date=May 21, 2023 |access-date=April 25, 2024 |website=Vice.com |publisher=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]}}</ref> took place from April 30 to May 1 at MIT. Passes were available from $45 for a student to $500 for a "Mystery Pass."<ref name="NYT10"/> ROFLCon III<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barrett |first=Brian |date=May 4, 2012 |title=At ROFLCon III, This Meme's Business |url=https://wired.com/2012/05/roflcon-iii |access-date=April 25, 2024 |website=Wired.com |publisher=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]}}</ref> took place on May 4–5, 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roflcon.org/2011/12/05/roflcon-iii-may-4-5-2012/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105204115/http://roflcon.org/2011/12/05/roflcon-iii-may-4-5-2012/|archivedate=5 January 2012|title=ROFLCon III – May 4-5, 2012|date=5 December 2011|website=roflcon.org}}</ref> announced as the final ROFLCon.<ref>{{cite web |last=Baio |first=Andy |date=2012-05-14 |title=The Final ROFLCon and Mobile's Impact on Internet Culture – |url=http://waxy.org/2012/05/the_final_roflcon_and_mobiles_impact_on_internet_culture/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114084148/http://waxy.org/2012/05/the_final_roflcon_and_mobiles_impact_on_internet_culture/ |archive-date=2016-11-14 |accessdate=2016-11-13 |website=Waxy.org}}</ref>
⚫
[[File:Heroes of Usenet panel.jpg|thumb|right|[[Joel Furr|Jay Furr]], [[Laurence Canter]] and [[Brad Templeton]] from the "Heroes of Usenet" panel at ROFLcon II]]
The second ROFLCon took place from April 30 to May 1 at MIT. Passes were available from $45 for a student to $500 for a "Mystery Pass."<ref name="NYT10"/>

==2012==
The third and final ROFLCon took place on May 4–5, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://roflcon.org/2011/12/05/roflcon-iii-may-4-5-2012/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105204115/http://roflcon.org/2011/12/05/roflcon-iii-may-4-5-2012/|archivedate=5 January 2012|title=ROFLCon III – May 4-5, 2012|date=5 December 2011|website=roflcon.org}}</ref>


==Image gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Green-Anonymous.jpg|alt=Anonymous, photographed on April 26, 2008|A member of [[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]] at ROFLCon I
File:Johannes Grenzfurthner and Pedobear at ROFLCon 2010.jpg|Artist and media researcher [[Johannes Grenzfurthner]] and [[Pedobear]] at ROFLcon 2010
File:Internet superheroes.jpg|alt=4chan founder moot (left) with webcomic creators Randall Munroe and Ryan North at ROFLCon 2008|[[4chan]] founder [[Christopher Poole|moot]] (left) with webcomic creators [[Randall Munroe]] and [[Ryan North]] at ROFLCon I
File:Brad O'Farrell.jpg|Brad O'Farrell of [[Keyboard Cat]]
File:Brad O'Farrell.jpg|alt=Brad O'Farrell of Keyboard Cat|Brad O'Farrell of [[Keyboard Cat]] at ROFLCon II
File:ROFLcon rickroll.jpg|A live [[rickroll]]
File:ROFLcon rickroll.jpg|alt=A live rickroll|A live [[Rickroll]] at ROFLCon II
⚫
File:Jamie Wilkinson and Kenyatta Cheese at ROFLCon II.jpg|[[Jamie Wilkinson]] and Kenyatta Cheese of [[Know Your Meme]]
⚫
File:Heroes of Usenet panel.jpg|[[Joel Furr|Jay Furr]], [[Laurence Canter]] and [[Brad Templeton]] from the "Heroes of Usenet" panel at ROFLcon II
File:Green-Anonymous.jpg|[[Anonymous (group)|Anonymous]], photographed on April 26, 2008
File:Internet superheroes.jpg|[[4chan]] founder [[Christopher Poole|moot]] (left) with webcomic creators [[Randall Munroe]] and [[Ryan North]] at ROFLCon 2008
File:Johannes Grenzfurthner and Pedobear at ROFLCon 2010.jpg|Artist and media researcher [[Johannes Grenzfurthner]] and [[Pedobear]] at ROFLCon II
⚫
File:Jamie Wilkinson and Kenyatta Cheese at ROFLCon II.jpg|alt=Jamie Wilkinson and Kenyatta Cheese of Know Your Meme|[[Jamie Wilkinson]] and Kenyatta Cheese of [[Know Your Meme]] at ROFLCon II
</gallery>
</gallery>


==References==
==References==
{{more footnotes|date=September 2010}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


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*[http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/04/27/roflcon_final_session_cult_leaders.html "ROFLCon final session: Cult leaders"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. April 27, 2008.
*[http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/04/27/roflcon_final_session_cult_leaders.html "ROFLCon final session: Cult leaders"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. April 27, 2008.
*[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/funny_pages_20/2008/04/roflcon-live-st.html "ROFLCon Live Stream"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]] Funny Pages''. April 25, 2008.
*[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/funny_pages_20/2008/04/roflcon-live-st.html "ROFLCon Live Stream"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]] Funny Pages''. April 25, 2008.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080501050825/http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/04/welcome-to-the.html "ROFLCon: Welcome to the Fame Revolution"]. Wired News. April 25, 2008.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080501050825/http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/04/welcome-to-the.html "ROFLCon: Welcome to the Fame Revolution"]. [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]. April 25, 2008.
*[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89990930 "My ROFLCon Weekend: Breakfast with Tron Guy"]. NPR. April 28, 2008
*[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89990930 "My ROFLCon Weekend: Breakfast with Tron Guy"]. [[NPR]]. April 28, 2008
*[http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/01/roflcon/index.html The new fame: Internet celebrity]. CNN. May 1, 2008.
*[http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/01/roflcon/index.html The new fame: Internet celebrity]. [[CNN]]. May 1, 2008.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080921164807/http://bostonist.com/2008/04/30/roflcon_1.php "Bostonist Went To ROFLCon And All We Got Was This Brawndo Hangover"]. Bostonist. April 30, 2008.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080921164807/http://bostonist.com/2008/04/30/roflcon_1.php "Bostonist Went To ROFLCon And All We Got Was This Brawndo Hangover"]. Bostonist. April 30, 2008.


Latest revision as of 12:36, 26 April 2024

ROFLCon
Banner for the first ROFLCon, with A/S/L as a tagline
StatusRetired
GenreInternet culture
VenueMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Location(s)Cambridge, Massachusetts
CountryUnited States
Inaugurated2008
Attendance~600 in 2008
Organized byHarvard University Students
Websiteroflcon.org

ROFLCon was a biennial convention of internet memes that took place in 2008, 2010 and 2012, featuring various internet celebrities. All three events were at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ROFLCon was first organized by a group of students from Harvard University led by Tim Hwang.[1][2] According to Hwang, the inspiration for the conference was the September 23, 2007 meetup of fans of xkcd with its creator, Randall Munroe, in a park in North Cambridge, Massachusetts.[1][3]

The name "ROFLCon" comes from the internet slang "ROFL", short for "rolling on the floor laughing", and "con", short for "convention".

The original ROFLCon

[edit]

The first ROFLCon was first announced in late 2007, and took place on April 25–26, 2008.[4]

Various internet celebrities attended, such as the authors of the webcomics xkcd, Questionable Content and Dinosaur comics, Jay Maynard "The Tron Guy", Christopher "moot" Poole, Leeroy Jenkins, The Brothers Chaps, and many others.[1][5]

Attendance was open to the public after pre-registration and a fee. The primary events of ROFLCon were moderated panel discussions with the Internet celebrities, and question and answer sessions with the audience. Several guest speakers gave talks on issues pertaining to internet culture. The convention ended with the "ROFLConcert", featuring live performances by Group X, Leslie Hall, Lemon Demon, Trocadero and Denny Blaze.

Subsequent events

[edit]

ROFLCon II[6] took place from April 30 to May 1 at MIT. Passes were available from $45 for a student to $500 for a "Mystery Pass."[1] ROFLCon III[7] took place on May 4–5, 2012,[8] announced as the final ROFLCon.[9]

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Walker, Rob (July 16, 2010). "When Funny Goes Viral". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "The Team @ ROFLCon" Archived 2008-05-01 at the Wayback Machine. roflcon.org.
  3. ^ "How ROFLCon began" Archived 2016-04-25 at the Wayback Machine (video). YouTube.
  4. ^ Wortham, Jenna (December 7, 2007). "Famous Internet Memes to Gather at ROFLCon 2008" Archived 2012-11-07 at the Wayback Machine. Wired.com
  5. ^ "Confirmed Guests @ ROFLCon" Archived 2008-04-29 at the Wayback Machine. roflcon.org
  6. ^ "How I Got Famous on the Internetz". Vice.com. Vice. February 18, 2011. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  7. ^ Barrett, Brian (May 4, 2012). "At ROFLCon III, This Meme's Business". Wired.com. Wired. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  8. ^ "ROFLCon III – May 4-5, 2012". roflcon.org. 5 December 2011. Archived from the original on 5 January 2012.
  9. ^ Baio, Andy (2012-05-14). "The Final ROFLCon and Mobile's Impact on Internet Culture –". Waxy.org. Archived from the original on 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
[edit]
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