I’m on a Boat: The Motherf*cking Navy Version

Call me a sucker for T Pain, but I love the “I’m on a Boat” video from Lonely Island, the talented trio that produces most of the SNL Digital Shorts you enjoy so much. Well, when doing some “research” today, I discovered a funny re-mix of the video created by some U.S. navy enlisted sailors on, like, a gigantic Naval boat. It’s funny, it’s explicit, and it’s human.

I can see some arguments against doing videos like this, such as it not being carefully controlled public relations, or it being a poor reflection on the Navy, or that it’s a waste of time and money. But seriously, what do you think these sailors were doing on their breaks, making license plates? Knitting? More like swearing and playing X-Box, no doubt.

I’m fairly involved with the so-called Government 2.0 movement – largely about how Web 2.0 and related technologies are influencing how the government operates and interacts – through chairing a conference and other activities. And one message I keep pushing, mostly unsuccessfully, is that social media for government is not about guidelines and checking boxes but rather about relinquishing control and unleashing your employee’s inner talent.

A while ago I wrote a post about the components of a great online video. I wish that governments and companies would take this more seriously, because for the most part their videos are, simply – boring. In this case, the Navy “I’m on a Boat” video has poor directing, bad lighting, baggy couture, terrible lip synching, and could use some more attitude. But what it has is honesty, authenticity, and raw humanness. That’s something we don’t see enough from the government.

See also This Is Why I’m Hot (Deployed Style) – with 1,706,629 views on YouTube:

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