The Drink Show premieres tonight with a launch party and ode to identity

Andrew Larimer, Kyle June Williams, and Britt King created their new web series ‘The Drink Show’ to explore drinking culture — both locally and globally.

During the early 20th century, much of the world went through periods of prohibition. Now, nearly a hundred years later, we live in a time when the act of consuming alcoholic beverages has become part of our culture. It has affected the way we establish social and professional connections, build relationships, celebrate momentous occasions, stimulate the economy, watch football and create art. In some cases, it has even contributed to love connections and great American literature.

But for three local entrepreneurs, alcohol and the culture behind it has created new business opportunities.

Andrew Larimer, Kyle Williams, and Britt King are delving into the concept of how alcohol has been socially integrated into our culture with a new web series called The Drink Show. The idea is to shed a positive light on the experience of drinking by investigating all angles of this global culture, simultaneously providing insight, observations, and hilarity.

“It’s all about taste making a discovery,” said Williams about the project. Pun intended.

This is the first indie project for the three creative members behind FatHappy Media, a digital media company that creates video content for many established institutions in the Gulf Coast region, including Touro Hospital, The New Orleans Museum of Art, and GoNOLA.com. The concept first came to them about a year ago while making social observations about how alcohol consumption has become a form of bringing people together, particularly as young professionals in New Orleans. Then, with the steady rise of cocktails gaining attention as a new art form and bartenders slowly acclimating into the role of “mixologists,” The Drink Show team saw an opportunity to expand on a new form of drinking culture.

The Drink Show will premier at a launch party tonight at Capdeville from 5:30 to 7:30 PM.

The show will be taking a more mature look at the act of drinking by covering a broad range of alcohol-related topics and incorporating societal observations and customs from both local and global perceptions. The five-minute episodes, which are set to debut monthly, will be divided into three segments that take different looks into each episode’s underlying theme. The plan is to cross-reference several aspects of life, history, science, society, customs, and art using humor and insight as the foundation of the project.

Although this series is being created independently from FatHappy Media, its creators are building it with the same entrepreneurial pride that first brought them all back to New Orleans to establish their company. To them, The Drink Show is a new way to engage people through digital and social media, as well as to lead the southeastern U.S. as pioneers in creating a new voice for the region on deeper levels than have been traditionally felt.

“New Orleans is the most exciting place in the country,” said Larimer about his passion for building his company, and now series, in New Orleans. “No other city offers the opportunity to live life to the fullest with all the powers from the government, city, and economic development agencies lining up to help you fulfill your dreams.”

With King as the strong, silent member of the team, Williams added, “In New Orleans we can still maintain a lifestyle that allows us to work to live, and not live to work.”

The Drink Show will premier with a launch party Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Capdeville. With the theme of “identity,” the episode taps into the idea of asking the age-old question of whether you are what you drink. The first segment asks individuals (and some friendly, local faces) what type of person they identify with a specific beverage. Providing humor and entertainment within the first 30 seconds of the episode, some of the responses might even make you think twice before placing your next drink order.

The underlying theme continues in the second segment with a cocktail recipe influenced by burlesque dancer Trixie Minx, and an interview with a New York City brand ambassador. With local host Geoff Ward, Capdeville (entrepreneurial town hall) as a backdrop, title track music provided by Mynameisjohnmichael, and cameo appearances by some fellow entrepreneurs, the episode has something to offer for everyone.

In honor of The New Orleans Film Festival and New Orleans Fashion Week, continue to celebrate creativity, digital media, culture and entrepreneurs by attending The Drink Show launch party and screening tonight. Details below.

When: Tuesday, October 18 @5:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: Capdeville, 520 Capdeville, between Camp St. & Magazine St.

The Drink Show specials: $4 drafts, $5 NOLA rums, $5 well drinks

Adriana Lopez writes about the entrepreneurial community for NolaVie and Silicon Bayou News. She also showcases local start-ups such as the one profiled here through her non-profit organization GenNOLA.