Interview with Scott (for now) MacDonald

You may remember him from Hitch50 as Scotty, or now you may prefer "the guy from Choosemyname.com" because right now, we have no idea what to call him.

Scott MacDonald, a native of Belcarra, BC is on a quest to changing his legal name, at the expense of businesses. Whatever the highest bidder offers, MacDonald will accept the name that goes with it. Who knows, on Groundhog Day (when he will dawn the new name), we could be looking back and saying "Remember Mr. Freebiestore.com?" Well anyways, for the time being, his name is Scott MacDonald and the Road Kill Sports Blog recently had an interview with him:

Road Kill Sports Blog=RKSB
Scott MacDonald=SM

RKSB: First off, I can understand hitch hiking to 50 states in 50 days, but changing your legal name? What prompted that decision?

SM: The website was started by a guy named Cody Baker. He couldn't continue with the project so I stepped in. Here's what I put on the web site for my reasons:

1. To help the children of the I'm Jai House in Thailand. Please read more about the children, the orphanage where they live and several support opportunities here. I've travelled to several third world countries and have seen first hand the hardships many people live through everyday. It's a shocking contrast to the way we live in North America, Europe, Australia and Japan. This project is a pro-active approach to make a positive difference to the lives of those who are left with little. Teresa and I will travel to Thailand in February to deliver 10% of the final bid. We can't wait to see the area and meet the children while financially helping the orphanage and volunteering our time.

2. I recently finished University, where I received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The school, people and experiences were all great, and well worth the investment. However, the education investment left me sitting in the red financially. I don't really like working your typical office jobs, instead I want to work for myself wherever possible and be an entrepreneur. So this project fits into these boundaries and will hopefully give me the opportunity to realize my dream of starting my own business and financing my own future projects.

I feel websites like Choose My Name, or any other interactive Internet projects represent the new form of entertainment. They pick up where reality TV leaves off, and take entertainment to a much higher level. These types of sites are interactive, entertaining and free. They allow viewers to participate, interact or simply spectate. Call this genre whatever you want, but it's simply web based, interactive entertainment. My goal is to use any earnings from Choose My Name to organize and finance future projects and 'stake my claim' in this emerging market.

3. I think the most important reason for doing Choose My Name lies right here. For year's I've always been confused with this guy, who also happens to be named Scott MacDonald. It happens almost every day. He has been getting my mail, I've been getting his dry cleaning , people just can't tell us apart. I'm fed up, can't take anymore of it. So it's come to drastic measures, one of us had to change our name. He wouldn't budge and I wasn't prepared to argue with a moustache like that. You win Scott, you get the name, but I'm going out with a bang!


RKSB: With Hitch50, was there any doubt in yours or Fiddy's mind that you wouldn't make all 50 State Capitals in 50 Days or less? (Turned into 50 Days)

SM: No.

RKSB: When you were doing Hitch50, you also had the chance to attend your graduating ceremony at Royal Roads University, did that make the 50 days more enjoyable, knowing you attended your graduating ceremony just like you had planned, or thought of, before Hitch50?

SM: Ya, it was good to see everyone there and go to the ceremony. It worked well.

RKSB: These kind of projects are good publicity, but with Hitch50, you were known as "Scotty" but now you could be "Mr. Schenectady New York"...does that waste the point of Hitch50, recognition wise, or do you think most people will have heard about Choosemyname.com?

SM: I'm assuming most people will know about this one. Plus, I can have an 'alter ego'. I'll only be known as Scotty when I hitchhike.

RKSB: If someone chooses your name on Choosemyname.com to be Freebiestore.com or Mr. Momofudgesicleticaticafofo, how will you feel about your um....life with the ladies?

SM: Girls are easy to convince into liking things. Plus, my girlfriend Teresa loves the idea.

RKSB: Now, we all know about the "Red Paperclip" project started by your Brother Kyle, is there anyone else in the family that's into these kind of projects?

SM: Not yet. Although you can check out my Mom's blog. http://colleenswindow.blogspot.com/

RKSB: Most people want to know, who is Retired Movie Star Dave Leroux (more importantly what's with all the publicity from yourself and Fiddy on him)?

SM: What? You don't know about Retired Movie Star Dave Leroux? Well, he's out of the biz now. We're all just big fans of his work and hope he enjoys retirement.

RKSB: Growing up, did you ever think that as a 24 or 25 year old you would have a different name than the one your parents gave you?

SM: Yes. I've always wanted to change my name.

RKSB: Anymore wacky project ideas in mind??

SM: Yes. Stay tuned...

RKSB: You said 10 percent of the profits from Choosemyname will go to a charity in Thailand, will you visit the charity when you collect the money, or just donate via the Internet?

SM: I'm going to Thailand in February to give them the money and volunteer my time.

Thanks to Scotty very much for doing this interview!!!



Now I still havn't quite figured out how the Links work for the blog, so for all the links that should be in the interview here are the addresses for people to view:

Scotty&Girlfriend Teresa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12627592@N00/325912939/
The Charity Scotty is benefiting: http://choosemyname.blogspot.com/2006/08/orphans-in-thailand.html
Royal Roads University, His Alma Matter (SP?) http://www.royalroads.ca/
The guy people have been "mistaking" Scotty for (wink wink) http://www.flickr.com/photos/12627592@N00/324542566/
His Mom's Blog: http://colleenswindow.blogspot.com/
Retired Movie Star Dave Leroux: http://www.retiredmoviestardaveleroux.com/
Choosemyname.com http://www.choosemyname.blogspot.com/


Thanks once again to Scott MacDonald, and stay tuned on Choosemyname.com to see what his name will be come Feb 2nd!!

Scotty and Brother Kyle (Red Paperclip) in front of the one and only Red Paperclip House (right)