Web Series
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A borderline obsessed, overzealous Ryan Ruby emerges from the depths of isolation, falling dangerously in love while engaging in the equally risky steps of vigilantism in his fight against our social media culture. The Referendum is a Sketch Comedy Web Show created by Ryan Ruby.
Music by Kurch
Written by Ryan Ruby
Edited by Ryan Ruby
Facebook Police Score by Geoff Barone
Episode 1 • The Referendum -
Of a culture where selfies and cellphones dominate, Ryan embodies and challenges those things most foreign and concerning to him in Selfie Intervention and Dick Pic. This episode is dedicated in loving memory to our great friend, Kurch. The Referendum is a Sketch Comedy Web Show created by Ryan Ruby.
Music by Kurch
Directed, written, edited by Ryan Ruby
Dick Pic written by James Hardy
Episode 2 • The Referendum -
Ryan’s paradoxical diet and other health habits are a concern to his friends for a variety of reasons as his philosophical farts demonstrate hypocrisy.
Episode 3 • The Referendum -
Violence and anger runs rampant in Episode 4 as we meet the Pearl Jam obsessed American Psycho and a confessing Serial Killer whose friends and family misinterpret his honesty as sarcasm in the darkest installment of The Referendum.
Directed, written, & edited by Ryan Ruby
Music by Kurch Pearl Jam – Alive (American Psycho)
Episode 4 • The Referendum -
Ryan walks in the shoes of other men; as Logan, the Wolverine, taking cosplay to a pathological existence – and as Gym Talker, the guy at the gym who never works out, he just talks. Also, there’s a dinosaur.
Directed by Ryan Ruby
Music by Kurch
Episode 5 • The Referendum
Highlighted Sketches
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After a lovely dinner at Taco Bell, Ryan discovers another side to Jackie that he is not ready to accept.
Girl Fart • The Referendum -
Ryan discusses his latest hypothesis with James while casually passing gas.
Guy Fart • The Referendum -
Some men are just committed to Taco Bell.
Un-Healthy • The Referendum -
Ryan becomes enlightened by James’ comments regarding honesty, compelling him to admit he is a serial killer. His confessions are misinterpreted by his friend and father as sarcasm and drunkenness in the darkest installment of The Referendum.
Serial Killer • The Referendum -
Ryan becomes Logan, the Wolverine, or at least he thinks he does as his enjoyment of cosplaying becomes a pathological delusion.
The Wolvereen • (X-Men Cosplay Parody) -
A Pearl Jam obsessed Ryan becomes enraged, comparable to the likes of Patrick Bateman, by the derisive comments from a drunken James comparing Pearl Jam and Nirvana in a parody of the classic film, American Psycho.
American Psycho • Pearl Jam EDition -
Two friends become infatuated with a neighborhood jogger. One friend becomes obsessed and takes it too far.
The Jogger • The Referendum -
Selfies have become an epidemic. Lead by his best friend, Kurch, Ryan’s closest family and friends hold an intervention to help Ryan with his unhealthy selfie habits.
Selfie Intervention • The Referendum -
Ryan becomes Logan, the Wolverine, or at least he thinks he does as his enjoyment of cosplaying becomes a pathological delusion.
The Wolvereen • (X-Men Cosplay Parody)
The Referendum is a 24-sketch independent comedy series built around a recurring ensemble of more than 20 actors. The show moves between original situational comedy, social observation, absurdity, and pop-culture parody, with additional sketches written and produced but never released.
Created and produced alongside the inimitable Kurch, the series extends beyond the sketches into its own visual and musical identity. I wrote, directed, filmed, edited, and performed throughout the show; drew and colored caricatures of the principal cast; and developed its logo, typography, animated openings, and trailer. The original score and title-card music was created by Kurch. Made with virtually no budget and a minimal crew, The Referendum was an early exercise in building an entire creative ecosystem from concept through delivery.
Created by Ryan Ruby
Produced by Kurch & Ryan Ruby
w/ Stix
Music by Kurch
