Aaron Yonda

**Aaron Yonda** (born January 19, 1973) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and director from Menomonie, Wisconsin. He is the co-owner of Blame Society Films, a production company based in Madison, Wisconsin, and Game Society, a "let's play" gaming channel on YouTube.

Aaron Yonda is also a member of the popular comedy troupe called the Monkey Business Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.

## Early life and education

Aaron was born and raised in Menomonie, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, where he co-produced *The Splu Urtaf Show* with his friend Benson Gardner.

## Television and film

Aaron continued *The Splu Urtaf Show* after graduating from UW-Eau Claire and moving to Madison, Wisconsin. There, he met Matt Sloan at an improv comedy group called ComedySportz.

In 2002, Aaron and Matt helped establish a Kino chapter in Wisconsin called the Wis-Kino, based in Madison. Kino is an international organization of filmmakers that encourages production of low budget films with small operations. The organization inspired Aaron to make short films on a monthly basis. One of his most notable film *The Life and Death of a Pumpkin*, swept the 2006 Chicago Horror Film Festival awards, receiving "Best Short Film" and "Best Concept." Other films to note are *Death is My Co-Pilot*, which received a Kodak Opportunity Award film stock grant and *Down Home Cookin'/Uncle Jimmy's %@!#%& Farm* (2005), which was awarded "Funniest of the Fest" at Hi Mom! Film Fest in Carrboro, NC. His shorts have been screened at festivals worldwide, at least ten of which have been screen at the Wisconsin Film Festival, and many more have been screened abroad such as the Just for Laughs Comedia Festival, and the Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto.

Aaron and Matt continued to create television and film throughout the early 2000s and in 2006 *Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager* became an internet sensation, hitting the front pages of YouTube and MySpace. *Chad Vader* would continue for four seasons broadcasting on Hulu for its final season.

In 2010, Aaron and his brother Andrew Yonda piloted a show called *Beer and Board Games,* which subsequently became the flagship series of Blame Society Films.

In 2011, Aaron co-founded a YouTube gaming channel called Game Society (formerly known as GameSocietyFilms and GameSocietyPimps), with Adam Koralik and Emre Cihangir from FigureItOut Productions based in Chicago. The channel has since gained over 475,000 subscribers.

## Trivia

* Cape Date - In *Beer and Board Games*, Aaron reveals that in high school, he once wore a cape to a date thinking it would impress his date. He says his date was not impressed, and that at one point he even put his arm around her along with the cape. After telling the story, Aaron was the butt of many jokes, and during an impromptu singing of "That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings (a song that was incorporated into a regular rolphing game), the nickname "Cape Date" came about by chance. Aaron still owns the cape and wears it occasionally on the show, now trying to embrace his embarrassing past.
* Super Dudes - In another episode of *Beer and Board Games*, Aaron reveals that when he was "13-14" years old, he made a collection of small superhero figures named "Super Dudes". They were made out of pipe cleaner and card, and each had their own unique power and outfit that included a cape with their initials on them). Aaron said that he made about 20 which he tried to sell at a thrift sale for 25c each, though none got sold. He also said that he showed them to his 7th grade teacher who said they were "so cool", and that he made a Super Dude comic. Aaron claimed the Super Dudes got put in a box and got lost, leaving "Absorbing Dude" as the lone survivor (which apparently got found by his mom "at the bottom of a dumpster or something"). At the end of the episode Aaron said he would be happy to make more and now sells them to people who donate $25 on the Beer and Board Games website. He lets the buyer pick the name, super power, and gives the hero a handwritten backstory on a piece of card. They also feature a removable stand.
* Some of his nicknames are Cape Date, Dip B'Sac, and Aaron Yoda. Vandalism on Aaron Yonda's Wikipedia page typically involves changing his name to the above or adding "nicknames" to his infobox.

## References

1. ↑ http://chippewa.com/dunnconnect/variety/where-are-they-now-interview-with-a-vader/article\_d5ba1695-55b4-5bf1-b258-6deb3ed14260.html
2. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20080821111102/http://www.himomfilmfest.org/festival\_8/hi\_mom\_8\_award\_winners\_33\_30.html