As the year closes, I can’t help but think about how awesome of a year this has been for The Back Room and myself, too. There are so many people who made our first year incredible. Within a snap, I went from expecting that no one would ever let me interview them to interviewing David Hayter, the man who I truly would not be the person I am today without. I want to thank EVERYONE who let me interview them but a few very special thank yous to the band Killola who were the first test subjects to this crazy interview website idea. Christopher Randolph who really was the first person who helped me to realize that this site wasn’t such a crazy idea and might actually work. Without his kind words and encouragement, this site would have most likely been done for early on. To this day, I can’t believe that wonderful man actually said “yes” to being interviewed by a crazy MGS obsessed fan. God bless you, good sir. And of course, I have to thank David Hayter. Good God, I’m still having trouble believing that actually happened. From the time The Back Room opened, there’s been a running joke that if I ever got to interview David that I would pretty much close down the site for lack of anywhere else to go after that. Again, this was totally a joke but I think I said it so much that my friends seriously thought I was going to shut down the site!

Believe it or not, I interviewed some people this year that didn’t have anything to do with the MGS series. Kristopher Turner has been on my list of Sexiest Men Alive for the past 4 years and after getting to chat with him, he’s just landed himself on there for four more years. Beautiful and talented with an amazing personality? Besides perfect, he’s Canadian so I guess that pretty much explains the perfect part…

Thanks to EVERYONE, the bands and actors I didn’t mention, for making our first year on the web perhaps our most amazing. I can’t wait to see what 2009 has in store for us!

There probably won’t be anymore interviews this year–as I type this, I am looking at all the things that used to be on my desk not so carefully packed into a box beside me. Moving is a bitch but I’m happy to have ended the year with an interview from the always delightful Quinton Flynn. BUT, before the year is up, The Back Room is going to have its first podcast. Yes, a podcast! It’s almost as if I’m catching up to the 21st Century…someone stop me before I buy a Blu-Ray player! Podcasts are a little like writing, you talk about what you know and what do I know better than Metal Gear Solid? Practically nothing. So, I’ve recruited Erick “Panda” Mattos (http://www.cpmstudios.net/), founder of Camp Panda Studios (MGS Machinima) and fellow MGS enthusiast to join me in talking about this year for Metal Gear Solid which will of course include the release of Guns of the Patriotsand the unfortunate departure of Ryan Payton from the Kojima Productions team. We’ll hopefully get to record and post that late November/early December!

So much wonderful behind us, so much more wonderful ahead. 2009 is going to rock! I can feel it!

–Amanda

So, as I sit here, still trying to digest the awesomeness that tomorrow is going to bring (uh, like, an interview with Kristopher Turner. Hello!), I’m also perpetually fascinated and amazed at everyone I’ve gotten the chance to interview in the short time the site’s been up. In our 6 months up, I’ve interviewed at least 3 people off the list I made of dream interviews (Kristopher being the 3rd) and I feel there is more to come in the future. More awesome, incredible things.  I’d like to think that we’re doing something different, here. I don’t ever need or want this site to become some pop culture phenomenon or anything like that. I don’t ever want to find myself interviewing Nicole Kidman. I’m sure she’s a wonderful person but she doesn’t have a personality unless there’s a script in front of her telling how to have one. David Hayter, Vanessa Marhsall, Johnny and Lisa from Killola–these have all been truly interesting people first and foremost and famous people second.

I’m sure I’m doing this whole journalist thing ass backwards but, I don’t care. I just want to keep shining a little bit of light on the people who personally inspire me. And surely there’s nothing wrong with that.

–Amanda M.

Uh, why was I not informed that the Watchmen smiley in the David Hayter interview was BACKWARDS?! Do you know how embarrassing that is?! Sorry, David! It’s all fixed now but it was like that for a few weeks. I used to run and own DavidHayter.net about 3 years ago and I know for a fact that you guys–Watchmen fans–aren’t quiet. Argh!

–Amanda M.