10 - The End? IndieGoGo to the Rescue?

[theme music] For more on this story, we're joined by Steve Goldbloom, who's coming to us live from PBS's San Francisco offices.

Thanks for being with us, Steve.

[beep] JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve, Jordan, man.

I know you've been ducking my calls, but, listen, I'm not going to sugarcoat it.

We're canceling the show.

You're going to do one last show on crowdfunding.

But my present to you, Stevie, you're going to be live on air with Gwen Ifill.

Put on your socks, put on your shoes, get on out there, do a good job, pal.

No, we're at Indiegogo.

Do I seem happy enough?

Or do I seem low-energy?

I feel low-energy.

[knocking] This is Slava, the founder.

Hello.

Hi, Steve.

How are you doing?

Good.

How are you?

I'm all right, you know.

I'm good.

How are you doing?

I'm good.

How are you?

Good.

Yourself?

SLAVA RUBIN: We're an open platform that allows anybody to raise money for absolutely anything anywhere in the world.

--but access to capital all full of gatekeepers-- VCs, governments-- and why is it not just open and, you know, equal opportunity?

If you have a video as part of your campaign, you'll raise 114% more money, on average, than if you don't have a video as part of your campaign.

114%?

Yeah, according to all the dat-- 114%?

114% more, yeah.

And then another really interesting one is if you do updates every five days or less, you'll raise four times more money than if you do an update every 20 days or more.

OK.

It doesn't have to always update only the video, but you can update any content.

Noah?

We have access to the founders of one of the biggest crowdfunding platforms on the planet.

We can ask them anything, why not ask them how to save the show?

I mean, we don't have to tell Jordan about it.

I mean, not right now.

What do you think?

I would put the camera down.

I don't think we should be filming in a public restroom.

Don't film this, Noah.

We're, uh, um, the show might get cancelled.

Like, we don't have any money.

Like, the microphone-- you know, I'm putting some of this stuff on my personal Visa.

Yeah.

So what-- do you think we could put together, like, a campaign?

Well, we have campaign specialists, and we can definitely work with you-- Yeah.

That would be great.

-to figure out how to optimize your campaign.

I have so many questions.

I feel energized and creative about setting up a campaign.

I think I could do it.

Two or three more shows?

Is that what your goal is to keep going?

I think we want to do a whole other season.

OK. Yeah.

So how much does that cost?

All right, do you want me to say it, Noah?

Uh, you want to start with your inner circle.

So the-- so the family?

Family, friends, Twitter followers-- OK. --Facebook friends.

What kind of prize are you thinking?

You know, I could go and play-- uh, you know, I could play catch with someone for, like, an afternoon.

I could read to people, you know?

Great.

Just like-- Are you able to read?

So there's hope.

I hope PBS doesn't have a problem with us raising money.

Do you think that they will?

DAVID: My name is David.

What you want is to have this groundswell of support hit right on day one.

Hey, Dave, thanks so much.

DAVID: No problem.

This was extremely helpful.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for coming in.

Yeah.

I appreciate it.

Yeah, I'm floored.

I got a million ideas.

I want to get them down.

We're back here at the next space.

We're going to speak to our friend at Sprayable Energy to learn a little more but the Indiegogo campaign that he was on.

So we raised about half the goal at the party.

So within, you know, 24 hours of launch we hit our goal.

You're running a Kickstarter campaign, right?

Yes, we are.

Tell me about the campaign.

I've just put a team together to help us with our video.

So I'll give you a tip.

Most campaigns that are successful launch on Tuesdays.

Now, why is that?

Uh, because people aren't really around from Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

STEVE GOLDBLOOM: We're back in Glendale, California, to speak with Adam Carolla.

He recently raised a million dollars for his latest feature film.

Adam?

Yes.

Nice to see you again, man.

First off, I don't want to-- I don't want to beg idiots anymore who run these studios.

Like, when you do a sitcom that's good, and then you see the piece of [bleep] sitcom that comes that they chose over your sitcom, that's when it gets insulting.

You guys enjoy what Steve whats-his-nose is doing here?

Not paying a dime in taxes.

It's all going back to Montreal.

This is supposed to be a positive endorsement.

Oh, OK. Yeah.

What I'm saying is is now you can be a true American-- and Canadian-- by saying, I like this product.

I will vote with my wallet.

I support that message.

Me too.

Ready?

I'm going to launch right into it.

Oh, hey.

This is Steve from the PBS videos that you've been watching.

We want to thank you for sharing them and Tweet them.

And we'd like to keep making these videos for you, but in order to do that, we've got to reach out to you and-- [phone ringing] Ah!

Ugh.

Hello?

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve, what the hell are you doing?

I'm not doing anything.

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): I have eyes and ears everywhere.

I can't believe you would go over my head and try crowdfunding.

PBS owns the show, and we've cancelled the show, and that's why we can't-- are you near my Emmies.

Steve?

Are you standing near my-- are you trying to raise money near my Emmies?

First of all, I'm not-- you don't know where I am.

OK?

Let's be-- you have no idea where I am.

That's the last place I would be.

So, no.

And-- and-- secondly, you know, I don't even think this is your call to shut down, by the way.

This is an audience-powered show that Noah and I have cultivated, OK?

Through sheer sweat equity, Noah and I have done this.

And you know what?

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): I think that you can-- Jordy?

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve, shut it down.

You know what, Jordy?

You know what, Jordy?

I don't know that you're used to being hung up, but-- but-- JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve-- --I'm going to hang up the goddamn phone.

I'm hanging up the phone.

And I would slam down this phone if it wasn't an iPhone that I need and I-- so I have to gently tap the button.

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve-- But goodbye.

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): --do not hang up on me.

This is me slamming the phone down-- JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): If you hang up that phone on me, you're going to end upon public access like "Wayne's World," Steve.

--gracefully with dignity.

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Do not hang up that phone on me.

Do not hang up on me.

Do not hang up-- I don't know that that was the right move, because he technically has still budget approval on our travel home.

[theme music] For more on this story, we're joined by Steve Goldbloom, who's coming to us live from PBS's San Francisco offices.

Thanks for being with us, Steve.

So tell us what you've personally learned about crowdfunding.

Thank you, Gwen.

It's great to be with you.

What I really think you're asking me is to talk about my crowdfunding campaign, and I'm happy to do it.

As your viewers know, each week Noah and I have been providing in-depth coverage of the intersection of technology and a host of different subjects.

And in order to continue that programming, we need money.

We need-- we need money from viewers like you-- just a second-- in order to stay inside warm studios like this with lights and microphones and-- I know, just a second-- and our visas to stay in the country.

We need all that stuff.

If you could provide us with that funding at Indiegogo-- Unfortunately we've had to drop Steve-- or, rather, we've lost him due to technical issues.

I'm being told that we're going to close out instead with a look back at Robert MacNeil's historic 1985 interview with Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

Thank you, and goodnight.

ROBERT MACNEIL (VOICEOVER): On Friday night, President Castro sat down with me for the first major American television interview in six years.

[beep] JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): Steve, listen, I got to say, I'm kind of impressed with you.

You, uh, you got some cajones on you, padre.

No one ever talks to me like that, and I'm kind of impressed.

STEVE GOLDBLOOM: Does that mean we're still-- Noah and I are still on?

JORDAN SMITH (ON THE PHONE): No.

God, no.

No.

The show's cancelled, Steve.