Lowtax

Lowtax is the online handle of Richard Kyanka, an American internet entrepreneur and writer best known for founding Something Awful, a humor and discussion website.

Something Awful launched in 1999 and grew into a prominent hub for online communities. It published satirical articles, reviews, and features, and operated one of the internet’s most active forums. The site and its community contributed to the development of early internet culture, influencing later forms of online humor, memes, and user-generated content.

Kyanka served as editor and proprietor for many years, shaping the site’s editorial direction and community norms. Under his leadership, Something Awful helped popularize long-form reviews and structured forum discussion, influencing subsequent forums and humor websites.

Over time, ownership and level of involvement with Something Awful shifted, and the site has continued under different management. Kyanka remains a recognized figure in discussions of the history of online communities and internet humor.