Zane Stoddard: I've been a Manhattan Beach resident for a decade, and in the South Bay for two decades. I am a sports and entertainment executive, formerly at the NBA, NIKE and NASCAR. I love writing and I love humor. Hence, the Tuna Melt.

ZS: First off, I absolutely love Manhattan Beach. I think it's one of the most special places in the world, and I feel entirely blessed to live here. In some weird way, the jokes celebrate how much I love this place. 

I have this ongoing cycle of ridiculous (to me) observations rattling around my head. A lot of people take themselves very serious around here. Half of this town understands how ridiculous it is here, while the other half doesn't really. I thought it would be fun to throw some caution to the wind and make fun of ourselves. Let's be honest, we are blessed beyond understanding here. There's going to be some indulgence that's worth making fun of. Most of my friends don't think my observations are funny, so I thought I'd throw a few ideas out there, at the very least express myself and have some fun, and maybe find a few kindred spirits. 

ZS: I've had unbaked observations like these in my head for years. The Tuna Melt has been a thing for all of a month. You get older and you don't care as much about what other people think. So it was time to throw a ridiculous name on it and start posting. 

It's on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, but the focus is on Instagram. The form feels best on there. 

ZS: The inspiration is all around. All the nooks and crannies with the people, the culture, the activities. There's a lot of easy targets if we turn around and look at ourselves. This is a very unique place.

The jokes are of course caricatures, but most often with a seed of truth. That's what makes them fun - to me. I'm the material for half the jokes. 

ZS: More and more, people are sending ideas. So far, I haven't gotten to use any yet. But I absolutely want to. The site is so new and small, but it'd be really fun if it got to a place where people are tossing in ideas, and everyone feels a part of it. That'd be the best.

ZS: I live in tony West Manhattan. Someone asked me if I thought it was too mean to make fun of East Manhattan. I honestly told them I've never even heard of anyone refer to "East" or "West" Manhattan. We live on properties the size of Triscuits over here, while they have yards and pools. And you can walk from one side of town to the other. I just thought it'd be fun to riff on the "other side of the tracks" trope...and to pick a fight where one doesn't exist.

ZS: When I started, I told a friend it doesn't matter if anyone likes it or not (probably 37% true). I really just wanted an outlet to make some jokes that I like, and if it resonated with others, that would be fun. But there's been zero master plan. 

I've thought about a little merch for fun. I have no idea if anyone would care to buy it, but it would be fun to spot one or two hats around town, kind of a wink and a nod to our snarky little cabal.