20x2

20x2 Chicago returns on Sunday, April 28 to the Gman Tavern. Join us to find out how 20 creative people answer one question in two minutes. This edition's question: How Does It Feel?
Details and tickets at 20x2.org/chicago/

Chicago friends! Looking for updates on upcoming Chicago 20x2 shows? Check out 20x2 Chicago

So by now you've likely heard that SXSW has been cancelled for 2020. To that same end, we're cancelling the 20x2 show that was scheduled for March 13th at SXSW.

We'll be back once we know the new dates for our farewell SXSW event. In the meantime, thanks to everyone for your support. Stay safe and healthy and we'll look forward to seeing you next go round -

In 2011, we welcomed a cartoonist from The New Yorker to the stage, and for some reason we spelled his name a couple of different ways in the recap. We assume he only spells it the one.

Answering 'Why Did You Do It?,' let's learn a little about Drew's take on woodcut -

20x2 #20 happens next Friday, March 13th, 7:30 PM at The Parish on 6th. Come see us.

Drew Dernovitch at 20X2 11.0 - Why Did You Do It? Here's two minutes from New Yorker cartoonist Drew Dernovitch at 20X2 11.0 at SXSW 2011, live from the Ghost Room. Catch more updates here soon, and keep up…

Sometimes to understand who you are, you must first examine where you're from. Here's Fawzia Mirza's two minute meditation on family (starring her mother) -

We are 74% to our Kickstarter goal, and so many thanks to all who have contributed. As thanks, here's Karen Chu's brilliant answer to 'What's It Gonna Take?' (circa 2009)

https://vimeo.com/3756002 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/20x2/20x2-20-sxsw

SXSW 2009: 20x2 "What's it gonna take?" The 20x2 event features 20 people from all walks of life who have 2 minutes to answer an extremely open-ended question. The ninth 20x2 event was held in Austin…

Some of the unforgettable moments that have unfolded in real time at 20x2 are actually canned: case in point, the videos from the warped imagination of Steve Delahoyde. In this one he tackles "Why Did You Do It?" Buckle In.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HlTzYX_arg&t=5s

20x2: Why Did You Do It? I was invited back to 20x2 at SXSW to make another film. This year's question was "Why Did You Do it?" and my response was this big batch of nonsense. Thanks...

You might imagine that we have all sorts of crazy stories borne out over twenty years of producing this show. And you'd be right.

While they genuinely run the gamut from the poignant to the ridiculous to the sublime, it sometimes is the deeply personal takes that stick with you the longest.

Case in point: in 2006 the show question was "What's The Secret?' and there were all sorts of moments to emerge from that show (including a guy who as I recall did the old 'write secret messages on paper and reveal with lemon juice' trick. He may have set something on fire. I digress).

The most memorable for me was the Secret 21st speaker we booked, Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales.

Wales told the tale of calling his daughter at home to discuss what his secret should be, when it occurred to him: maybe he should tell the story of why Wikipedia exists.

Turns out that same daughter was born with a congenital birth defect that might have killed her, were it not for the happy coincidence that her doctor happened to be one of the world's foremost authorities on her malady.

That circumstance saved her life and no doubt scared her parents half to death, and in that moment, Jimmy Wales decided that no one should be without vital (open sourced) information again. He decided that Wikipedia should exist.

Those are the types of stories that linger well beyond the two minutes it takes to tell them. And the kind of thing that keeps us asking questions in the first place.

20x2 20 @ SXSW Our final SXSW 20x2 show - twenty years in the making. Help us stage an unforgettable last SXSW show

At this point, we're fairly certain that we're the longest running part of SXSW Interactive (outside of, you know, the conference itself). And while we've made so many inspired memories along the way, we can't wait until Friday March 13th here in Austin to create new ones.

We're prepping our final show and an avalanche of surprises.

For the first time ever, we've launched a Kickstarter to help chip away at some of the costs of putting this independent (official) show together. Last year's show featured talent from HBO, CNN, Cirque du Soleil, The Boston Museum of Science, the guy who storyboards all the Mission Impossible movies and many more memorable turns.

It will not be dull.

20x2 20 @ SXSW Our final SXSW 20x2 show - twenty years in the making. Help us stage an unforgettable last SXSW show

There's a Kickstarter! We're really excited to be bringing the 20th Anniversary of our show to SXSW, and this is your chance to be a very special part of it.

The reality is that the cost of finding space in downtown Austin has escalated over the years, and many venues intentionally wait for out of town concerns to swoop in at the last minute and overspend. All of which makes it important to lock down a room with time to spare.

We have a room, and are launching a Kickstarter TODAY to defray costs. This is your chance to support the show you've loved for the last 20 Years! Anything helps, especially liking and sharing the campaign with like-minded folks, and there are some fun surprises included.

You can be part of the campaign here:

20x2 20 @ SXSW Our final SXSW 20x2 show - twenty years in the making. Help us stage an unforgettable last SXSW show