Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Noel Sarah

As a follow up to my last interview done with site webmaster, Carlos aka Randomize, I have decided to interview his right hand ginger. Yes, that's right, I got the exclusive with NoelSarah aka Noel Sarah ********. Anyways, Noel sat down and granted me the only interview she will be doing this year, and I was happy to ask her the questions everyone has been dying to ask her.

Noel was unaware she was being interviewed by yours truly, and thought she was being interviewed by Reddit writer Marlene Canavaugh for a feature on Tengaged.com. The feature is entirely fictional and the interview was done for my own selfish purposes.

-----
Marlene Canavaugh (MC): Hello everyone, today I am on the phone with Noel Sarah **********, who is a site moderator of Tengaged.com, in addition to being ****************, and also working tiredlessly for the **********. How are you today, Noel?

Noel Sarah (NS): Yes, um, hello Marlene. I am quite fine, thank you.

MC: Good to hear it! Now, my readers want to know -  what makes Tengaged unique from other sites?

NS: Well, Tengaged is like no other site on the web. It combines the social networking of sites like Facebook, but in the context of a reality show, based on CBS's Survivor and Big Brother, along with MTV'S The Duel. The interactions on the site are interesting, because you aren't only making friends, you are making enemies, allies, competitors, and as a result drama ensues. It's very interesting and it a unique social experiement like no other.

MC: Wow, that sounds like quite the website. How did you even get involved with the website?

NS: Well, I have always been a fan of reality TV, especially Big Brother, and so before I discovered Tengaged, I used to play simulated Big Brother games online in a forum, which lasted the same time as the real show did, which was quite fun, but eventually, I discovered Tengaged, which was really something else. Once I joined, I found that I was quite good at it, and I eventually rose to the ranks, and became quite well known in the process, even gaining the attention of randomize, who initially asked me to become a Design Moderator, but eventually I was promoted to full moderator status.

MC: Now, you say you became 'quite well known in the process'. Noel, don't be so modest! My research has shown me that you became so popular, you won the site-wide game of stars several times and appeared in the first - and so far- only All Stars game. Now, one of my readers tipped me off and told me you had quite the reputation of getting what you wanted. Can you elaborate?

NS: [laughs] I think what they are referring to is the old saying "Noel Sarah gets what Noel Sarah wants". Now, that's not exactly true. Things don't always go my way! But I had a way of manipulating my cast mates during stars, and later, during my run on Survivor, of doing what I wanted. But as the song goes, you can't always get what you want.

MC: How touching. How has becoming a moderator changed your role on the site?

NS: Well, I've always been a promiment member, as I've said, and that hasn't really changed. People always read my blogs, gift me, and are pretty mice to me. But because I am a moderator, people seem to be intimidated by me sometimes, and  many users have accused me of abusing my powers for my own personal gain. This is not true Marlene! I have made mistakes as a moderator, I am not perfect. But.. but I try to do my best and at the end of the day I can be proud of my job as moderator and I've fufilled the task randomize asked me to. If he's happy, the rest of the users should be.

MC: You mention mistakes. Any in particular?

NS: Well, in the past, I did things on Tengaged I am not proud of. I blogged about it at the time and it is pretty wide known, but I have cheated. I regret it completely, and I am now 100% anti-cheating now, but it's something I got to live with now.

MC: Any other regrets?

NS: Well, Tengaged is a game, but you also make very real friendships, and sometimes, the lines of the game and the line of friendship can get pretty blurry. There are times when I have played the game and I have hurt people I care about, people I consider friends. I hurts me when I find out that I have hurt someone I care about, and I try to make things right, but that's not always possible. When I play, I make it clear that it's a game and I differentiate games and friendship, but sometimes people feel betrayed or backstabbed, which is understandable, because I've been betrayed and backstabbed by people I care about as well.

MC: You say Tengaged is a game, but where does a game go from 'just a game' into something more serious.

NS: Well, like I said, the lines between reality and the games itself can be blurry. A lot of people, myself included, get quite caught up into the games that they'll do anything to advance theirselves, even selling out friends or allies. That is exactly what makes Tengaged so fascinating is that your interactions are based on a game, yet the feelings and emotions are real. This leads to rivalrys, enemies, and fighting, which is where moderators such as myself find themselves dealing with. People often resort to personal attacks or violate some rule to hurt others, to get even, or to knock them down, moderators often have to get involved in order to stop it.

MC: Well, it's about time to wrap up this interview. Lets end it with something less serious. Are you really a red-head? Readers are dying to know.

NS: [laughs] Of course my hair is naturaly red! Well, actually, I don't know why they call red-heads red. It always looks orange to me. But yes, I am a ginger and I am quite proud. Back in my college days, I did experiment with dye and spent a semester with brown hair, but I am back to my original red color and I love it!

MC: Thanks so much Noel! It was a pleasure speaking with you.

NS: Anytime Marlene.

MC: This concludes our interview with NoelSarah. You can visit Tengaged at Tengaged.com and help contribute to Noel's charity here at ****************.

------------------

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

EXLUSIVE: Interview with Randomize!

Okay, so I decided to send a email to admin@tengaged.com and pretended I was a CNET employee and wanted to write an article about Tengaged and conduct an interview with Carlos aka randomize, the site admin of Tengaged.com. He fell for it and answered my questions over the phone. Here is the transcript of our interview.

Susan Atkins: Hello Carlos this is Susan Atkins from CNET.com. I am here to conduct an interview with you for my site. Como estas, usted?

Carlos (Randomize): Thanks for having me Susan! Such an honor. I am good, I just got off the phone with my sister - she is having a baby!

SA: That's great! I have a few questions for you today.

CR: Alright, lets hear them Susan!

SA: Tengaged has been an international success, with users all over the world, and with websites available for Brazil, Spain, and the English speaking world. What's next for Tengaged?
 
CR: Well, I am hoping to expand to other countries such as China, Japan and India. I hope that once Asia is cracked than we can work on improving english speaking tengaged.
 
SA: That's just wonderful! Any non-Tengaged related websites in the future?
 
CR:  Yes, I am working on several. One is a social networking site, like Tengaged is for reality shows, except the focus of this one is GAME SHOWS, like Match Game PM, The Newlywed Show, Family Feud, etc. It's going to be great. I am also working on another site called Udoravia, which I acquired from a Tengaged user named puma, who is helping with the coding.
 
SA: Oh wow, that's probably gonna be real successful.  Now, I hope you don't mind me asking, but many users have complained over the past.. year or so that you don't really care about Tengaged. Is that true?
 
CR: This is true yes. I have wives to fuck and kids to feed. [laughs] But no, seriously, I care about Tengaged, but I have real life commitments too, and people must understand that my job, my wife, and my kids come first.
 
SA:  Now, on your website there are many [horrible] copy cats of real reality shows. Can you clue us in on what future games may arrive on Tengaged and what new features are in store?
 
CR: Well, I am developing a new game for tengaged called Guess Who? Pictures of tengagers will apear and you have to click who they are.
 
SA: Oh, just like the board game!
 
CR: Yes!
 
SA: Are rumours of a Tengaged version of The Bachelor true? One straight eligible bachelor with 20 pining women after him?
 
CR: Susan, those rumours may indeed be true. Although, there are many homosexuals on Tengaged and gender fakers, so the game may be hard, but we will do our best to make it work, although we cannot guarantee real love. But you will get karma and Ts so everyone will be happy.
 
SA: Sounds like fun. Any other shows you wish to explore in the future?
 
CR: I would like to make another site-centered game, like Stars, so I am in the process of doing that. I also want to do something with the Mole or maybe mafia, which I realize is not a reality show, but it could still work. Many users have requested The Amazing Race, so I am trying to figure out a concept that will work.
 
SA: Thanks for those insights, Carlos! One last question for you today! Team Edward or Jacob?
 
CR: [laughs]Edward!
 
SA: Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions! Good luck with your future projects and I wish you all the best!
 
CR: Thanks Sue! It's been a pleasure.
 
----------------------
 
Carlos is administrator at Tengaged.com. He may be contacted through admin@tengaged.com or through his personal account randomize.