Ye olde Internet has since become a breeding ground for the latest in cult comedy icons. The Angry Video Game Nerd’s tirades on terrible retro titles have earned him a legion of fans, and the Nostalgia Critic’s rants are attaining him the same status. But for those who prefer their humor subtle and infused with a healthy dose of pop culture, Blame Society Productions’ Chad Vader has you covered.

The brainchild of Blame Society poobahs Aaron Yonda and Matt Sloan, the adventures of Chad, Darth’s brother and supermarket day shift manager, have been sending viewers into well-earned titters since 2006. But with millions of YouTube views and a stint making fun of George Lucas’ Attack of the Clones with Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Mike Nelson, it’s easy to forget that Blame Society has some history in the Chippewa Valley.

Whilst living in Menomonie, Yonda caught the filmmaking bug and turned to Eau Claire’s Community Television for the equipment needed to help realize his dream.

“It was possibly one of the most thrilling moments of my life,” says Yonda, who shot on the fly and learned the rules of the game as he went along.

Yonda’s experiences eventually led to The Splu Urtaf Show, a cavalcade of absurdity that aired on Chippewa Valley Community Television. But come 2001, Yonda met Sloan on Madison’s improv comedy circuit, and through their combined forces, Blame Society Productions was born.

Blame Society is responsible for a number of online skits, from Thor’s Kitchen to John Madden: Dungeon Master, but it’s the Chad Vader series that put the boys on the map.

    Says Yonda of bringing Chad to fruition, “We had an early concept for the idea amongst our stack of ideas.” After noodling with the premise, Blame Society set about shopping Chad Vader around to studios they never heard back from. But undeterred, Yonda and company set out to film the first short all on their own. “It was a bit of a risk ... but when it took off and became a huge hit, we knew it had been worth it.”

Not content to rest on their laurels, Yonda and Sloan show no signs of slowing down. Blame Society is underway with the second season of Chad Vader, and in the works Chad-hosted movie commentaries and a new series or two.

These guys have undoubtedly harnessed the far-reaching power of the Internet to spreadtheir chuckle-laden gospel. But more than just humorous skits, Yonda owes Blame Society’s success to their laid-back work ethic: “We’ve always made videos for fun and tried not to let anything stop them from being fun.”

    Check out Chad Vader and other Blame Society videos at their YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/blamesocietyfilms or their website www.blamesociety.net.