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Iann Robinson (born c. 1971) is an American writer, musician and television personality best known as a former MTV News on-air correspondent.
Born in New York City, Robinson co-hosted a show called Monkey Butt Sex on a Manhattan Public-access television cable TV in the 1990s. Ocean MacAdams, an MTV vice-president, was a fan of the show in his college years and pulled strings to get Robinson a job at MTV in 1999, helped on by an appearance on the MTV show 12 Angry Viewers . Overweight and sporting a shaved head and numerous tattoos as well as being an outspoken fan of heavy metal, Robinson quickly distinguished himself with his blunt, no-nonsense approach to interviewing the pop stars of the day, later hosting his own show The Assignment with Iann Robinson.
He left MTV in 2003, implying that he might have been fired [1] although a press release in 2004 suggested it was his decision to leave. [2] In 2006 Robinson wrote in his blog that he was indeed fired. In 2021, his former colleague SuChin Pak, who worked at MTV from 2001-2008, posted on her Instagram account that she was racially and sexually harrassed by Robinson. [3]
"Years ago... I overheard a colleague of mine, while watching me do the news that evening tell a room full of people that I looked like a ‘me sucky sucky love you long time’ whore,” Pak said. “I was young, afraid as usual to cause a fuss or be seen as difficult or too ‘sensitive’ being the only female in the news room, so I didn’t say anything in the moment.” Pak detailed fighting back a "reconciliation," which involved a written letter from the colleague. “One last attempt was made to ask me to swallow my dignity, my identity, my rage to make a white man feel like he was still ok, loved and respected,” she said. “I was reminded once again by the white male executive, that someone’s livelihood was on the line, that I was somehow responsible for that." She walked out and never opened the letter. [4]
Robinson was also the drummer for Puny Human, a band he formed. Robinson also created MBS Productions with money given to him by his late father. Though no longer with the business it continues to run in New York City.
Since leaving MTV Robinson has written for various rock publications and websites, including the Boston Phoenix and Metal Sludge . In 2003-04 he wrote for the graffiti and art magazine Mass Appeal (NYC).[ citation needed ] He moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 2005. As of 2011 Robinson is living in Cincinnati, OH. A longtime fan of comic books, he co-owns a comic publishing company called Isolation Disorder Press. Robinson wrote for a year for an online site called None Louder and currently writes for CraveOnline covering music, film and comics. Isolation Disorder Press has most recently become the subject of a documentary about Robinson and co-owner/creator Brian Smith, who is also in the band 4 Way Anal Touchfight. Robinson has also worked as a DJ on WBCN.
Robinson currently hosts and produces the web show Dude That's Awesome on YouTube, [5] and hosts a comic book podcast called CREAM (Comics Rule Everything Around Me) with cohost Jaimie Filer and his own podcast The Pirate Spaceship.
