As I've mentioned before on this blog, I have a fascination with child stars. I also have an interest in children's programming -- have maintained that interest since I was a real live child myself. It's a good thing I work in children's publishing so I can call it all research...
Anyway, because I watched a clip from one of the Disney Machine's shows, The Suite Life of Zach and Cody (a show on which it would take me an entire essay to explain my feelings), I was recommended this:
If you're not familiar with videos like these, it was created in a Sims (as in simulated reality) computer game and screen captured. I've never played the Sims, so I don't know how difficult it is to achieve this level of verisimilitude in casting and choreography, but I'm guessing from the five million views and deluge of complimentary comments that it's pretty darn hard.
I love that this is the internet age version of doodling a portrait of your favorite celeb; maybe instead of, maybe in addition to. Fans are "funny" people, and I've been ruminating lately on the myriad ways obsessive fans can both elevate and ruin the object of their fandom.
Not that this Sims music video is doing HSM2 any harm. Au contraire, I think this video actually calls attention (albeit inadvertent attention) to the almost computerized personalities that populated the real movie, and the sickeningly precise hand that went into manufacturing the original product. But as with the original, the fans love the sheen. I know because YouTube said so.
But what did I think of this recommendation? I think I'll take the Disney Robots, humanly and inhumanly weak as they are, over the Sims Virtual Robots, thanks.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Abject Commercialism
It's no coincidence that this blog is stitched together with some very clear common threads. I am one person, after all, and all these videos are recommended for me.
But one pattern that has emerged somewhat unintentionally is a strong emphasis on the marketing and commercial capabilities of YouTube's recommendations. I think that's because it feels safer to analyze those videos than to analyze the extremely personal recommendations that might steer this blog into murkier territories. Then again, maybe they'd be more interesting.
Until then, here is a recommendation that you've all already seen. It's only one of the most successful television commercials in recent memory.
Why was it recommended? Well, according to YouTube, because I watched an extended ad for Rock for Equality, an organization that fought to extend Social Security benefits to LGBT seniors. That commercial was called "What Kind of Planet Are We On?," and it employed a very obvious alien metaphor to show how ludicrous it is for sexuality to have a bearing on sharing Social Security benefits with a partner.
What's darkly funny to me here is the disparity between a commercial that plays to the most stereotypical conceptions of masculinity with that kind of "WTF?" humor I've decried in earlier posts and a commercial that tries so hard to use an eye-opening device that it just comes off as a little strange. The first commercial becomes wildly successful and reaches 17 million views on YouTube. The second commercial remains a rather sad sermon to the choir.
So thanks for the slap in the face, YouTube. Your recommendation, as far as I can tell, was motivated purely by some ploy of Old Spice's to keep this commercial going going going. I only hope you didn't realize how inappropriate was your leap.
But one pattern that has emerged somewhat unintentionally is a strong emphasis on the marketing and commercial capabilities of YouTube's recommendations. I think that's because it feels safer to analyze those videos than to analyze the extremely personal recommendations that might steer this blog into murkier territories. Then again, maybe they'd be more interesting.
Until then, here is a recommendation that you've all already seen. It's only one of the most successful television commercials in recent memory.
Why was it recommended? Well, according to YouTube, because I watched an extended ad for Rock for Equality, an organization that fought to extend Social Security benefits to LGBT seniors. That commercial was called "What Kind of Planet Are We On?," and it employed a very obvious alien metaphor to show how ludicrous it is for sexuality to have a bearing on sharing Social Security benefits with a partner.
What's darkly funny to me here is the disparity between a commercial that plays to the most stereotypical conceptions of masculinity with that kind of "WTF?" humor I've decried in earlier posts and a commercial that tries so hard to use an eye-opening device that it just comes off as a little strange. The first commercial becomes wildly successful and reaches 17 million views on YouTube. The second commercial remains a rather sad sermon to the choir.
So thanks for the slap in the face, YouTube. Your recommendation, as far as I can tell, was motivated purely by some ploy of Old Spice's to keep this commercial going going going. I only hope you didn't realize how inappropriate was your leap.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A Statistically Probable Smile
Tonight's recommendation is pretty straightforward. It's also adorable.
Unsurprisingly, this was suggested because I watched the actual "Sellotape of Love" clip from the Flight of the Conchords show. Multiple times. I love FotC, and this song is one of my favorites. Seeing their concert in Chicago and meeting Brett and Jemaine afterward was a life highlight.
If there's anything notable about YouTube's role in this whole affair, it's that they've actually recommended a different Sellotape fan-vid every night since I watched the original. Most have been nondescript, some of them outright bad, but YouTube is all about the inexorability of large numbers. Surely I have to like at least one of these, it seems to say.
And this eleven second video is just sweet enough to make me smile. To be honest, I started to watch it another time and it was already annoying, but I'll give YouTube points for the first impression. I wonder if it can hear me saying "All right already, this one was cute, OK?"
Unsurprisingly, this was suggested because I watched the actual "Sellotape of Love" clip from the Flight of the Conchords show. Multiple times. I love FotC, and this song is one of my favorites. Seeing their concert in Chicago and meeting Brett and Jemaine afterward was a life highlight.
If there's anything notable about YouTube's role in this whole affair, it's that they've actually recommended a different Sellotape fan-vid every night since I watched the original. Most have been nondescript, some of them outright bad, but YouTube is all about the inexorability of large numbers. Surely I have to like at least one of these, it seems to say.
And this eleven second video is just sweet enough to make me smile. To be honest, I started to watch it another time and it was already annoying, but I'll give YouTube points for the first impression. I wonder if it can hear me saying "All right already, this one was cute, OK?"
Thursday, June 3, 2010
I'd Name My Star Wexler
To recap: YouTube is now telling me what specific videos in my viewing history lead to each of my recommendations on a one for one basis.
Tonight, after being drawn to the "Name a Star Gift Box" video because I've always thought the idea of selling stars is awesomely absurd (it's been done before), the next thing I noticed was that this would apparently be similar to "We Like Sportz" by The Lonely Island, a tour de force in deadpan irony that I've watched at least fifteen times.
I hoped this treatment of a potential ironic gem would live up to its predecessor:
And in parts, it sort of did. For example: "cuatro weeks." But after watching the entire two minute video, I honestly couldn't tell if it was in earnest or not. So I headed over to vat19.com, and sure enough, the Name A Star Gift Box is totally for serious -- it costs $34.95.
I ask you, is this a brilliant marketing tactic, making me so curious to know whether this was a joke that I actually checked out a new website? Or was this a total marketing fail, in that it points out how utterly ridiculous spending money on a star naming kit actually is?
Maybe I'm being cynical and underestimating the viewers who watch this, take it at face value, and think, Wow! They store my record in The British Library!
Either way, it reminds me of my earlier post about the Family Guy / Wall Street mash-up. By mimicing a popular YouTube trend, this video gets recommended to people like me. And what's certainly true in marketing is, more impressions means more sales. But would I, a guy who loves "We Like Sportz" in part because I hate "Sportz," buy a star naming kit?
Not on your life.
Tonight, after being drawn to the "Name a Star Gift Box" video because I've always thought the idea of selling stars is awesomely absurd (it's been done before), the next thing I noticed was that this would apparently be similar to "We Like Sportz" by The Lonely Island, a tour de force in deadpan irony that I've watched at least fifteen times.
I hoped this treatment of a potential ironic gem would live up to its predecessor:
And in parts, it sort of did. For example: "cuatro weeks." But after watching the entire two minute video, I honestly couldn't tell if it was in earnest or not. So I headed over to vat19.com, and sure enough, the Name A Star Gift Box is totally for serious -- it costs $34.95.
I ask you, is this a brilliant marketing tactic, making me so curious to know whether this was a joke that I actually checked out a new website? Or was this a total marketing fail, in that it points out how utterly ridiculous spending money on a star naming kit actually is?
Maybe I'm being cynical and underestimating the viewers who watch this, take it at face value, and think, Wow! They store my record in The British Library!
Either way, it reminds me of my earlier post about the Family Guy / Wall Street mash-up. By mimicing a popular YouTube trend, this video gets recommended to people like me. And what's certainly true in marketing is, more impressions means more sales. But would I, a guy who loves "We Like Sportz" in part because I hate "Sportz," buy a star naming kit?
Not on your life.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Back, with Adaptations
Hi There. Long time no text-based communication.
For those of you who keep up with YouTube, you may have noticed that my last post (in January!) coincided with a teeny tiny little change to the YouTube interface. Namely, in the eponymous "Recommended for You" section, each video suddenly came with a new line, titled Because You Watched, followed by a video.
That's right -- all my inquiries were instantly demystified. Remember when I thought Celine Dion's "Beauty and the Beast" was recommended because I'd been watching both Disney and the Diva herself? Well, I was giving YouTube too much credit; each recommendation, I learned in January, is merely a direct result of one other video you watched. Not even one other video you "liked," or "favorited." I'll be honest, I was dramatically disappointed.
Recently, however, I started to notice that the little feature that seemed directly aimed at rendering my blog obsolete actually came with its own interesting quirks. Sometimes, the "transparent" Because You Watched line was even more perplexing than nothing at all.
Take, for example, today's recommendation:
In the blog of the past, I might have noted how many makeup tutorials I have watched over the years. Not because I ever intended to follow one -- especially one as grotesque as this -- but because it's fascinating to watch someone's DIY transformation without any cutaways like you'd see on TV. We get to see every single difficult step. Very cool.
But oh no. That's not why this was recommended. This was recommended, it turns out, because I watched "Get Outta Town," a short comedy sketch by a favorite YouTuber of mine named DisneyKid1. Relation? None that I can tell. Well, take that back -- I think both users are gay, so there is that.
Is YouTube sexual orientation profiling? Recommending a gay user's makeup tutorial because I enjoyed a gay user's comic sketch? Or is the Because You Watched line just an admission of how random the algorithm has always been?
One thing's for sure: I'm back, and I intend to find out.
For those of you who keep up with YouTube, you may have noticed that my last post (in January!) coincided with a teeny tiny little change to the YouTube interface. Namely, in the eponymous "Recommended for You" section, each video suddenly came with a new line, titled Because You Watched, followed by a video.
That's right -- all my inquiries were instantly demystified. Remember when I thought Celine Dion's "Beauty and the Beast" was recommended because I'd been watching both Disney and the Diva herself? Well, I was giving YouTube too much credit; each recommendation, I learned in January, is merely a direct result of one other video you watched. Not even one other video you "liked," or "favorited." I'll be honest, I was dramatically disappointed.
Recently, however, I started to notice that the little feature that seemed directly aimed at rendering my blog obsolete actually came with its own interesting quirks. Sometimes, the "transparent" Because You Watched line was even more perplexing than nothing at all.
Take, for example, today's recommendation:
In the blog of the past, I might have noted how many makeup tutorials I have watched over the years. Not because I ever intended to follow one -- especially one as grotesque as this -- but because it's fascinating to watch someone's DIY transformation without any cutaways like you'd see on TV. We get to see every single difficult step. Very cool.
But oh no. That's not why this was recommended. This was recommended, it turns out, because I watched "Get Outta Town," a short comedy sketch by a favorite YouTuber of mine named DisneyKid1. Relation? None that I can tell. Well, take that back -- I think both users are gay, so there is that.
Is YouTube sexual orientation profiling? Recommending a gay user's makeup tutorial because I enjoyed a gay user's comic sketch? Or is the Because You Watched line just an admission of how random the algorithm has always been?
One thing's for sure: I'm back, and I intend to find out.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Bang bang!
Cute:
Contextualization:
I watch a lot of YouTube sketch comedy. Usually a group of high-school- or college-age kids (what we call Y/A in the book bizz), usually with a home video camera and basic editing software, usually making videos that heighten the drama of random, everyday experiences. Sometimes very funny.
Think Smosh, FND Films, and Derrick Comedy. Or, you might already know JacksFilms, the comedians behind tonight's recommendation, from their "WTF Blanket" Snuggie parody fame.
I think what makes comedy groups like this so popular, besides the obvious fact that they're humorous, is that they seem to be made by the kids next door except ten times cooler. The stars all have that gangly, geeky charm, and they make you think that these videos aren't the products of hours sitting around the writing table, but of a typically random afternoon with a video camera.
And now, it's like you're hanging out with them, holding the camera. You're in on the joke. It's a difficult aesthetic to fake with a higher budget and producers, though I might argue that Andy Samberg has made a career out of just that.
This particular recommendation isn't one of the funniest - or even one of the funnier - examples of this kind of video, but it's cute, and it captures that almost voyeuristic appeal I'm describing. Apart from having watched a few of JacksFilms' other videos a while ago, I have recently been watching some less polished attempts at this kind of humor, which is, I think, why this was recommended now.
Contextualization:
I watch a lot of YouTube sketch comedy. Usually a group of high-school- or college-age kids (what we call Y/A in the book bizz), usually with a home video camera and basic editing software, usually making videos that heighten the drama of random, everyday experiences. Sometimes very funny.
Think Smosh, FND Films, and Derrick Comedy. Or, you might already know JacksFilms, the comedians behind tonight's recommendation, from their "WTF Blanket" Snuggie parody fame.
I think what makes comedy groups like this so popular, besides the obvious fact that they're humorous, is that they seem to be made by the kids next door except ten times cooler. The stars all have that gangly, geeky charm, and they make you think that these videos aren't the products of hours sitting around the writing table, but of a typically random afternoon with a video camera.
And now, it's like you're hanging out with them, holding the camera. You're in on the joke. It's a difficult aesthetic to fake with a higher budget and producers, though I might argue that Andy Samberg has made a career out of just that.
This particular recommendation isn't one of the funniest - or even one of the funnier - examples of this kind of video, but it's cute, and it captures that almost voyeuristic appeal I'm describing. Apart from having watched a few of JacksFilms' other videos a while ago, I have recently been watching some less polished attempts at this kind of humor, which is, I think, why this was recommended now.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Old News, New Trends
It should not come as a surprise to you to learn that Brittany Murphy died almost a month ago now. It was a bizarre turn of events for which we still do not quite have closure. Once the final autopsy reports are released, we'll either have the flash-in-the-pan scandal many have been expecting, or else we'll have the quiet reminder of our own fragile mortalities.
Anyway.
I loved Brittany Murphy. Between her endearing portrayal of Tai in Clueless and her downright wacky night on SNL, I saw her as an actress with charm and a slight counterculture edge, and it's easy to gloss over her string of rather nondescript roles now.
So, like many others, on the day that she died I went straight to YouTube to look up the famous "rolling with the homies" clip. Then I looked for but did not find her "Leather Store" skit on SNL. Ah, well.
Since then, I've had at least one recommendation every night in the vein of the following video:
Not much to say here. It takes this girl a whole minute just to say that Brittany Murphy died, but she is one of many vloggers just like her who recorded entire videos just to say that this had happened. As this girl notes in response to negative comments, she was just trying to report the breaking news.
This kind of hive-mind-journalism is an increasingly popular way of disseminating news. I, myself, learned of Brittany Murphy's death from the swarm of facebook status updates it caused. And just look at this video, which received over 16,000 views for a user whose other videos average in the five- to six-hundred range. We want to see what other people are saying, even if we have no idea who they are or what their authorities are. Unlike those boring newscasters on TV, we might even find someone just like us, putting into words what we were feeling but couldn't articulate about the breaking news in question.
On the other hand, we could find lots of false information. I can think of a few Twilight rumors that sent my sister into panic attacks because one false report led to torrents of personal postings on the internet, which made those rumors look like valid news stories. It's easy to assume there is truth in the numbers.
Anyway.
This was a bad recommendation. Personal reporting is dated instantly, especially the kind like this that offers no information or commentary worth listening to even once. But as a kind of lure into this girl's other videos, I'd say she was well served posting *something* about a popular piece of news. I wish her all the best in her future journalism career...
Anyway.
I loved Brittany Murphy. Between her endearing portrayal of Tai in Clueless and her downright wacky night on SNL, I saw her as an actress with charm and a slight counterculture edge, and it's easy to gloss over her string of rather nondescript roles now.
So, like many others, on the day that she died I went straight to YouTube to look up the famous "rolling with the homies" clip. Then I looked for but did not find her "Leather Store" skit on SNL. Ah, well.
Since then, I've had at least one recommendation every night in the vein of the following video:
Not much to say here. It takes this girl a whole minute just to say that Brittany Murphy died, but she is one of many vloggers just like her who recorded entire videos just to say that this had happened. As this girl notes in response to negative comments, she was just trying to report the breaking news.
This kind of hive-mind-journalism is an increasingly popular way of disseminating news. I, myself, learned of Brittany Murphy's death from the swarm of facebook status updates it caused. And just look at this video, which received over 16,000 views for a user whose other videos average in the five- to six-hundred range. We want to see what other people are saying, even if we have no idea who they are or what their authorities are. Unlike those boring newscasters on TV, we might even find someone just like us, putting into words what we were feeling but couldn't articulate about the breaking news in question.
On the other hand, we could find lots of false information. I can think of a few Twilight rumors that sent my sister into panic attacks because one false report led to torrents of personal postings on the internet, which made those rumors look like valid news stories. It's easy to assume there is truth in the numbers.
Anyway.
This was a bad recommendation. Personal reporting is dated instantly, especially the kind like this that offers no information or commentary worth listening to even once. But as a kind of lure into this girl's other videos, I'd say she was well served posting *something* about a popular piece of news. I wish her all the best in her future journalism career...
Monday, January 4, 2010
WTF?! Humor
"Happy Tree Friends," "Salad Fingers," "Charlie the Unicorn" - if you're familiar with any two of these three internet sensations, you can probably guess their connection. That is, they're all examples of deeply twisted humor, from fluffy animals meeting gruesome deaths to a deformed humanoid who "likes rusty spoons."
In my experience, the success of this trend seems to stem from the rampant popularity of the "WTF?!" reaction. Ever since we gave a cute acronym to this expression of utter confusion, we've seemed to attach an inherent humor value to it. "That's so random" is a phrase that now means, "I don't understand that, but it's funny, I guess." You're not quite sure if it's funny, though, or if it's actually just plain disturbing. Or maybe it's not even disturbing, it just doesn't make any sense. That's the inherent, unsettling nature of WTF?! humor.
I don't find this video funny. At all. I guessed all the beats before they happened, and I guessed that they wouldn't be funny when they did. YouTube recommended this because I mistakenly watched a past recommendation about a children's cartoon sun leaping from the TV and stabbing people ("Mr. Happy Face"), and I think that video was recommended because I was watching real children's TV shows which were unintentionally creepy (now THOSE, by the way, are funny).
Still, this video has a five star rating and nearly five million views. A lot of people love this, apparently. What I want to know is, how many people watch this and honestly think it is funny - original, clever, whatever - and how many people watch this and just think, "WTF?! Pretty disturbing, but that makes it funny, I guess."
I have to be honest, I was mesmerized by Salad Fingers the first time I saw it. There was something about its unapologetic creepiness that made it hard to ignore. But I'm so tired of WTF?! humor. I'd rather we progress (revert?) to humor that makes sense.
In my experience, the success of this trend seems to stem from the rampant popularity of the "WTF?!" reaction. Ever since we gave a cute acronym to this expression of utter confusion, we've seemed to attach an inherent humor value to it. "That's so random" is a phrase that now means, "I don't understand that, but it's funny, I guess." You're not quite sure if it's funny, though, or if it's actually just plain disturbing. Or maybe it's not even disturbing, it just doesn't make any sense. That's the inherent, unsettling nature of WTF?! humor.
I don't find this video funny. At all. I guessed all the beats before they happened, and I guessed that they wouldn't be funny when they did. YouTube recommended this because I mistakenly watched a past recommendation about a children's cartoon sun leaping from the TV and stabbing people ("Mr. Happy Face"), and I think that video was recommended because I was watching real children's TV shows which were unintentionally creepy (now THOSE, by the way, are funny).
Still, this video has a five star rating and nearly five million views. A lot of people love this, apparently. What I want to know is, how many people watch this and honestly think it is funny - original, clever, whatever - and how many people watch this and just think, "WTF?! Pretty disturbing, but that makes it funny, I guess."
I have to be honest, I was mesmerized by Salad Fingers the first time I saw it. There was something about its unapologetic creepiness that made it hard to ignore. But I'm so tired of WTF?! humor. I'd rather we progress (revert?) to humor that makes sense.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Watch If You Dare
Don't you hate it when someone forwards you a video, innocuously titled something like "calm car ride" or "watch closely," and it turns out the video is just a cheap scare in the form of a grating banshee or a creepy child?
I know I do.
But alas, I've been forwarded two such videos in the past week, each time in the form of a YouTube link. And so, this appeared in my recommendations this evening:
(Wait for it - wait for it)
Confused? Yes, so was I. I wouldn't have even watched it had I not wanted an example of the above prank for this blog, and for once I was actually disappointed by the lack of a sickly surprise -- the only thing scary about this video is its Alabama setting. It took me twice to even notice the thin wisps of smoke that we are meant to understand comprise a ghost
Wait - I take it back. What's scary about this video is that it's amassed 43,000 views and a four-star rating. Were that many people just relieved when they got to the end with no jolt? Or did that many people buy into the notion that a ghost flits across in the screen in these painfully long thirteen seconds?
I have no idea, but what I do know is that the only merit I find in this recommendation is an ironic love for the muzak and the misspelled video description "at nigth" [sic].
I award you no points, YouTube, and may God have mercy on your lack of a soul.
I know I do.
But alas, I've been forwarded two such videos in the past week, each time in the form of a YouTube link. And so, this appeared in my recommendations this evening:
(Wait for it - wait for it)
Confused? Yes, so was I. I wouldn't have even watched it had I not wanted an example of the above prank for this blog, and for once I was actually disappointed by the lack of a sickly surprise -- the only thing scary about this video is its Alabama setting. It took me twice to even notice the thin wisps of smoke that we are meant to understand comprise a ghost
Wait - I take it back. What's scary about this video is that it's amassed 43,000 views and a four-star rating. Were that many people just relieved when they got to the end with no jolt? Or did that many people buy into the notion that a ghost flits across in the screen in these painfully long thirteen seconds?
I have no idea, but what I do know is that the only merit I find in this recommendation is an ironic love for the muzak and the misspelled video description "at nigth" [sic].
I award you no points, YouTube, and may God have mercy on your lack of a soul.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Are You A Gleek?
Glee, Glee, Glee. What am I ever going to do with you? This is one television show with which I have a very complicated relationship, and as far as I can tell I am not alone in my mixed feelings.
On the one hand, I find the writing to be uneven and shallow. I love twisted humor (perhaps too much), and I can laugh at the occasional stereotype-based caricature as much as the next guy, but I need strongly defined characters to anchor my fictions, and this show just doesn't have them. The "baby drama" isn't interesting, the drawn-out preparation for sectionals grew tiring rather quickly, and the songs often spring up inorganically, as though they were transition effects instead of storytelling devices (e.g., the use of Lily Allen's "Smile").
But oh, those songs are catchy.
That's why I always listen to them on YouTube while I do other things. And you know, I also like a few of the home recordings of friends getting together and performing their own renditions of the Glee choreography - it's an infectious kind of happy when it works. So, after watching enough videos in that vein, I was recommended this:
How interesting that Kurt wasn't originally in the script, since that means the original script didn't feature a gay character, and come on, it's the gayest show on television. In the spirit of full disclosure, I auditioned for my own senior musical with "Mr. Cellophane." Oh dear.
Anyway, I've heard that Glee is going on a long hiatus after this week's episode, and I can only hope that the writers sit down and seriously think about where they're going instead of letting the flimsy conflicts they've already written play themselves out. If this recommendation reveals anything, it's how experimental the whole project has been.
But I'm still hopeful. As they sing (so unforgettably): Don't Stop Believin'.
On the one hand, I find the writing to be uneven and shallow. I love twisted humor (perhaps too much), and I can laugh at the occasional stereotype-based caricature as much as the next guy, but I need strongly defined characters to anchor my fictions, and this show just doesn't have them. The "baby drama" isn't interesting, the drawn-out preparation for sectionals grew tiring rather quickly, and the songs often spring up inorganically, as though they were transition effects instead of storytelling devices (e.g., the use of Lily Allen's "Smile").
But oh, those songs are catchy.
That's why I always listen to them on YouTube while I do other things. And you know, I also like a few of the home recordings of friends getting together and performing their own renditions of the Glee choreography - it's an infectious kind of happy when it works. So, after watching enough videos in that vein, I was recommended this:
How interesting that Kurt wasn't originally in the script, since that means the original script didn't feature a gay character, and come on, it's the gayest show on television. In the spirit of full disclosure, I auditioned for my own senior musical with "Mr. Cellophane." Oh dear.
Anyway, I've heard that Glee is going on a long hiatus after this week's episode, and I can only hope that the writers sit down and seriously think about where they're going instead of letting the flimsy conflicts they've already written play themselves out. If this recommendation reveals anything, it's how experimental the whole project has been.
But I'm still hopeful. As they sing (so unforgettably): Don't Stop Believin'.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
You Don't Say
Tonight's recommendation features one of those aforementioned popular commercials - the ones that aren't masquerading as fan-made videos. The ones that are just funny.
Not surprisingly, it's pretty sexy. YouTube is a great venue for all those "banned" commercials to go viral as they were intended to do. Good news for all those advertisers who I imagine were conscientiously bating the censors; the hard-won "too-hot-for-TV" label no longer just means the occasional, paradoxical TV special.
What is surprising, though, or least noteworthy, is that YouTube recommended a commercial that's entirely in Spanish: title, description, user, and the commercial itself. Unfortunately, I can't understand any of it.
I Google-translated the two captions. Apparently, this is about "friends having a desire for you," and I'm gathering a secret desire at that, while Sprite represents "things as they are." But without the benefit of the voice-over, I can't quite connect all the dots.
This was recommended because a friend recently reminded me of that hilarious (American) Sprite commercial in which a fictitious soda mascot, a smiling sun, leaps off its bottle to terrorize a family. It was in the same campaign as the 'Splode bungee explosion and the combustible acne cream - some of my favorite commercials of all time. I watched all those that I could find.
The point here is, despite not understanding a word of this recommendation, I'm actually glad to see YouTube recommending international videos. I think YouTube provides a great forum for global communication for obvious reasons, and I think keeping the recommendations section country-specific would be lazy and narrow. Lord knows other countries have been familiar with what's streaming on American TV forever.
So, I'll consider this recommendation a prod in a productive direction. Maybe I'll learn Spanish one day, YouTube, and that's a message I can comprehend.
Not surprisingly, it's pretty sexy. YouTube is a great venue for all those "banned" commercials to go viral as they were intended to do. Good news for all those advertisers who I imagine were conscientiously bating the censors; the hard-won "too-hot-for-TV" label no longer just means the occasional, paradoxical TV special.
What is surprising, though, or least noteworthy, is that YouTube recommended a commercial that's entirely in Spanish: title, description, user, and the commercial itself. Unfortunately, I can't understand any of it.
I Google-translated the two captions. Apparently, this is about "friends having a desire for you," and I'm gathering a secret desire at that, while Sprite represents "things as they are." But without the benefit of the voice-over, I can't quite connect all the dots.
This was recommended because a friend recently reminded me of that hilarious (American) Sprite commercial in which a fictitious soda mascot, a smiling sun, leaps off its bottle to terrorize a family. It was in the same campaign as the 'Splode bungee explosion and the combustible acne cream - some of my favorite commercials of all time. I watched all those that I could find.
The point here is, despite not understanding a word of this recommendation, I'm actually glad to see YouTube recommending international videos. I think YouTube provides a great forum for global communication for obvious reasons, and I think keeping the recommendations section country-specific would be lazy and narrow. Lord knows other countries have been familiar with what's streaming on American TV forever.
So, I'll consider this recommendation a prod in a productive direction. Maybe I'll learn Spanish one day, YouTube, and that's a message I can comprehend.
Monday, November 9, 2009
A Pretentious Interlude
YouTube has been great for my appreciation of classical music. Being able to see performances really helps me to distinguish among and remember them in ways that just listening to them doesn't. Perhaps it's because I can instantly visually connect with a specific performer, whereas it takes me multiple hearings to differentiate subtly unique versions of the same song.
True, the "video snacking" habit promulgated by YouTube isn't ideal for works with multiple movements, and perhaps I'm consuming Concertos and Etudes like bite-sized pieces of decontextualized candy, but for me that's better than nothing, and anyway YouTube makes concessions for longer works. Just check out Karajan conducting Beethoven.
Without further ado:
Those hands! That face! What more could you ask for from a performance of Rachmaninoff's "Little Red Riding Hood" than a woman who could herself be straight out of a fairy tale?
I have watched a few of Valentina Lisitsa's videos before; the first was when I sought out different versions of Chopin's "Ocean" Etude, Op 25 No. 12. Hers wasn't my favorite because of its choices in emphasis, but she was a compelling person to watch, and I discovered that she has a whole channel of herself playing songs to empty auditoriums.
To be clear: she is a professional concert pianist - she just also uploads these very intimate, very electrifying recordings that are almost terrifying in their intensity. I love them.
And no, I hadn't watched this particular one. I hadn't watched any of her videos in quite a while. This was almost certainly recommended because I was recently watching Evgeny Kissin perform Rachmaninoff through the years.
But I'm glad for this recommendation. One of my secret life goals is to look as brilliant and crazed doing anything as Ms. Lisitsa looks playing "Little Red Hiding Hood." One of Ms. Lisistsa's life goals is to record all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Here's to both of our success.
True, the "video snacking" habit promulgated by YouTube isn't ideal for works with multiple movements, and perhaps I'm consuming Concertos and Etudes like bite-sized pieces of decontextualized candy, but for me that's better than nothing, and anyway YouTube makes concessions for longer works. Just check out Karajan conducting Beethoven.
Without further ado:
Those hands! That face! What more could you ask for from a performance of Rachmaninoff's "Little Red Riding Hood" than a woman who could herself be straight out of a fairy tale?
I have watched a few of Valentina Lisitsa's videos before; the first was when I sought out different versions of Chopin's "Ocean" Etude, Op 25 No. 12. Hers wasn't my favorite because of its choices in emphasis, but she was a compelling person to watch, and I discovered that she has a whole channel of herself playing songs to empty auditoriums.
To be clear: she is a professional concert pianist - she just also uploads these very intimate, very electrifying recordings that are almost terrifying in their intensity. I love them.
And no, I hadn't watched this particular one. I hadn't watched any of her videos in quite a while. This was almost certainly recommended because I was recently watching Evgeny Kissin perform Rachmaninoff through the years.
But I'm glad for this recommendation. One of my secret life goals is to look as brilliant and crazed doing anything as Ms. Lisitsa looks playing "Little Red Hiding Hood." One of Ms. Lisistsa's life goals is to record all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Here's to both of our success.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Community of Blood
I was thrilled to see this in my recommendations tonight, misspelled though its title may be. The reason? I assist in editing this wonderful book series at Penguin. Now approaching the fourth book (Eleventh Grade Burns), the series is really taking off, and as you can see here, it's partly because young readers identify with the loner main character who is bullied and hiding a secret.
I'm guessing this was recommended because I watched a video from the author's own YouTube channel, which she forwarded as a way of saying Happy Halloween. That's a pretty oblique connection, though, since she's only uploaded that one video and it has nothing to do with Vlad Tod. Maybe it's because I've been listening to songs from the New Moon soundtrack, and YouTube figured (as readers sometimes do) that one vampire equals another.
As for my thoughts on the video...well, it's just a wee bit campy. The voice-over voice is hilarious, the punch that never connects is to die for, and the "epic" running through the halls rewards slow-mo replays ad infinitum. If you're wondering why that boy throws down his hostess cupcake in disgust, it's because he stole it from Vlad, who sneaks blood capsules into his sack lunches to avoid going hungry at school.
But I'm being a little unfair. This is a school project, after all, and when you consider how video editing has progressed since when I was in high school, it's relatively impressive. I like to imagine that the maker of this video is himself a loner - maybe he's bullied at school, and maybe he wishes he were a vampire. Well, that's not likely to happen, but at least he has the books for support, and at least now thirteen hundred people have watched his school video project thanks to a diverse internet community.
The cold-hearted editor in me is glad to see that other kids commented to tell him where he got the plot details wrong. Probably not the supportive reception he was looking for, but again, this video is about progress, not perfection.
I'm guessing this was recommended because I watched a video from the author's own YouTube channel, which she forwarded as a way of saying Happy Halloween. That's a pretty oblique connection, though, since she's only uploaded that one video and it has nothing to do with Vlad Tod. Maybe it's because I've been listening to songs from the New Moon soundtrack, and YouTube figured (as readers sometimes do) that one vampire equals another.
As for my thoughts on the video...well, it's just a wee bit campy. The voice-over voice is hilarious, the punch that never connects is to die for, and the "epic" running through the halls rewards slow-mo replays ad infinitum. If you're wondering why that boy throws down his hostess cupcake in disgust, it's because he stole it from Vlad, who sneaks blood capsules into his sack lunches to avoid going hungry at school.
But I'm being a little unfair. This is a school project, after all, and when you consider how video editing has progressed since when I was in high school, it's relatively impressive. I like to imagine that the maker of this video is himself a loner - maybe he's bullied at school, and maybe he wishes he were a vampire. Well, that's not likely to happen, but at least he has the books for support, and at least now thirteen hundred people have watched his school video project thanks to a diverse internet community.
The cold-hearted editor in me is glad to see that other kids commented to tell him where he got the plot details wrong. Probably not the supportive reception he was looking for, but again, this video is about progress, not perfection.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Nervous Kid
Thanks to the popularity of meta-humor in shows like the aforementioned Family Guy, I think our culture is more conversant in and opinionated on the rules of comedy than we were before. Yes, that's a glittering generality, but the point is it seems like everyone in our generation feels comfortable asserting that a joke has gone on too long, that it is too soon, or that the delivery was just a touch off for it to be funny.
I have no idea why this was recommended. I guess sometimes I watch Memes when I hear of them, or when they appear in my recommendations, but I can only stand so many. Simply knowing that whatever slice of life I'm about to watch has gone viral is usually enough to make me wary. Does that make me a YouTube snob?
Anyway, this not-quite-Meme is cute enough, I suppose. It treads that very delicate line between too repetitive and just repetitive enough, and it even has a punchline ending as the kid slips and curses...But is it just me, or does this all feel totally contrived? I feel like this is some little adult or else a very precocious child, who, rather than actually being nervous about saying Happy Birthday Rosanne, read (and reread) the rules for a funny delivery and followed them to a "T."
Always he gets closer to saying the line we all know is coming, and the increasingly urgent refrain "Now?" adds tension. The trail-off/stutter is very well executed, and like I said, the punchline is right on time.
So I give this kid a B for effort, and YouTube a C minus. This recommendation just feels like a tired attempt at a video that I'll find funny, like when your grandmother recommends a Meme a year after it's gotten old. Thanks, but the verdict is too long, too soon, and just a touch off.
I have no idea why this was recommended. I guess sometimes I watch Memes when I hear of them, or when they appear in my recommendations, but I can only stand so many. Simply knowing that whatever slice of life I'm about to watch has gone viral is usually enough to make me wary. Does that make me a YouTube snob?
Anyway, this not-quite-Meme is cute enough, I suppose. It treads that very delicate line between too repetitive and just repetitive enough, and it even has a punchline ending as the kid slips and curses...But is it just me, or does this all feel totally contrived? I feel like this is some little adult or else a very precocious child, who, rather than actually being nervous about saying Happy Birthday Rosanne, read (and reread) the rules for a funny delivery and followed them to a "T."
Always he gets closer to saying the line we all know is coming, and the increasingly urgent refrain "Now?" adds tension. The trail-off/stutter is very well executed, and like I said, the punchline is right on time.
So I give this kid a B for effort, and YouTube a C minus. This recommendation just feels like a tired attempt at a video that I'll find funny, like when your grandmother recommends a Meme a year after it's gotten old. Thanks, but the verdict is too long, too soon, and just a touch off.
Friday, October 30, 2009
I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got
For the past week or so, I've been obsessed - obsessed - with a storyline from the British soap opera Hollyoaks. I honestly can't remember how I first got wind of it (it was a while ago), but I know it was YouTube that last week led me to watch a beautiful fan-made montage, which in turn finally spurred me to watch the storyline in its entirety. A storyline that spanned two years.
Of course, the name of the game here is to feature clips that were recommended, not clips that I happened upon. And so, instead of that stunning fan-made montage, here's a clip from near the end of the storyline, which I chose in part because it is safe for all audiences:
Synopsis of the Story:
Meeting in their senior year, John Paul and Craig become best mates. They begin dating two girls who are also best mates, but things get complicated when John Paul comes out and admits his love for Craig. Craig, after a time, realizes that he loves JP back, but insists that he still loves his girlfriend and moreover that he's still straight. The love triangle continues, until a debacle of an engagement party leads a bereft Craig to ask JP to accompany him to Dublin. At the last moment, JP decides he can't be with a boy who won't acknowledge that he's gay, and the two split up at the end of 2007. A year later, Craig returns, JP's current ex-priest fiance' is killed, and then, we have this conversation. I won't tell you what happens in the end.
It's a doozy, sure, but what can you expect from a soap opera? What I love is that, comparatively, this uproarious soap opera is still better produced, better acted, and better written than the majority of gay romances onscreen (I would know). It's a love story that takes the time to hit every beat over a two year period, and if it feels a bit dramatic, it's because it's about two nineteen-year-old boys.
This storyline really brought me back. I won't delve into the shocking but typical details of my own life, but I will say I'm glad to see an honest storyline like this so judiciously (and attractively) handled. It made for an arc that could simultaneously break my heart and make me believe in love all over again, in the ways that only fiction can do.
I have favorited a number of Craig/JP fan tributes and scenes, and I'm sure I will be holding marathons of this storyline well into the future. YouTube isn't really taking a risk in recommending clips from it anymore, but I do sort of wonder how it selects the clips it does. The above clip is, like I said, much tamer than it could have been.
But of course, I'm a tame sort of guy. So I say - well recommended.
Of course, the name of the game here is to feature clips that were recommended, not clips that I happened upon. And so, instead of that stunning fan-made montage, here's a clip from near the end of the storyline, which I chose in part because it is safe for all audiences:
Synopsis of the Story:
Meeting in their senior year, John Paul and Craig become best mates. They begin dating two girls who are also best mates, but things get complicated when John Paul comes out and admits his love for Craig. Craig, after a time, realizes that he loves JP back, but insists that he still loves his girlfriend and moreover that he's still straight. The love triangle continues, until a debacle of an engagement party leads a bereft Craig to ask JP to accompany him to Dublin. At the last moment, JP decides he can't be with a boy who won't acknowledge that he's gay, and the two split up at the end of 2007. A year later, Craig returns, JP's current ex-priest fiance' is killed, and then, we have this conversation. I won't tell you what happens in the end.
It's a doozy, sure, but what can you expect from a soap opera? What I love is that, comparatively, this uproarious soap opera is still better produced, better acted, and better written than the majority of gay romances onscreen (I would know). It's a love story that takes the time to hit every beat over a two year period, and if it feels a bit dramatic, it's because it's about two nineteen-year-old boys.
This storyline really brought me back. I won't delve into the shocking but typical details of my own life, but I will say I'm glad to see an honest storyline like this so judiciously (and attractively) handled. It made for an arc that could simultaneously break my heart and make me believe in love all over again, in the ways that only fiction can do.
I have favorited a number of Craig/JP fan tributes and scenes, and I'm sure I will be holding marathons of this storyline well into the future. YouTube isn't really taking a risk in recommending clips from it anymore, but I do sort of wonder how it selects the clips it does. The above clip is, like I said, much tamer than it could have been.
But of course, I'm a tame sort of guy. So I say - well recommended.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Whatever
No fuss, no frills:
I can only guess this was recommended because I've been listening to "Epic Last Song" by Does It Offend You, Yeah? over and over and over again. Both songs have guitar, and both were popular in the UK. I suppose that's as good a basis for recommendation as any other.
This song makes me laugh. I have vivid memories of being in Munich and watching my German cousin try to sing it at a dinner party. It's a simple enough song that you can make up your own lyrics, and he took great advantage of that fact. In a German accent.
Whatever.
I can only guess this was recommended because I've been listening to "Epic Last Song" by Does It Offend You, Yeah? over and over and over again. Both songs have guitar, and both were popular in the UK. I suppose that's as good a basis for recommendation as any other.
This song makes me laugh. I have vivid memories of being in Munich and watching my German cousin try to sing it at a dinner party. It's a simple enough song that you can make up your own lyrics, and he took great advantage of that fact. In a German accent.
Whatever.
Friday, October 23, 2009
L33t Gam3r
Remember that 80's movie The Wizard? It starred Fred Savage (and Jenny Lewis - no joke) as the older brother of a video game whiz who is running away from home to compete in a national tournament. It was my favorite movie as a kid, and I remember identifying so strongly with that little video game prodigy, which on reflection is sad considering he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and is misunderstood by everyone...
Anyway, video games played such a big role in my childhood, as they did for many boys (and girls) of my generation. They were something I was good at, and a common language between me and other boys my age, which was key because I didn't have too much else in common with them. Girls? Cars? Not so much, but I can beat your older brother in Street Fighter.
I was thinking about all of this recently, and hoped to find The Wizard in its entirety on YouTube. No such luck, but following the related links from the film trailer, I found myself watching clips of people playing video games - especially the early Marios, since Mario 3 features prominently in the movie.
Tonight, this was in my personal recommendations:
Holy. Cow. I vividly remember playing this game when the Nintendo 64 first came out. I could paint a clear picture of the moment for you, but if you didn't grow up with this game, I doubt you'll much care. Just know that this clip showcases a stunning feat of gaming. Aided by just a few inherent glitches, and recorded by a program as part of speed competition, this user blazes through the game without so much as a single wasted jump.
My jaw literally dropped in a few places watching this video. The span between 12:20 and 12:55 simply blows my mind. I cannot overstate how incredible this guy's skillz are. Of course, if you played this game, you already know that. Just watch the whole twenty minutes, and prepare to be amazed.
What I love is that nearly two million viewers have watched and appreciated this video. One (hopefully) ironic comment says: "I THINK I MUST COMMIT SUICIDE."
With the popularity of YouTube, there is so much more incentive to master a video game, knowing your insane preparation will be immortalized for all to see. I remember watching The Wizard and wondering why I hadn't heard of any national video game championships (they weren't nearly as popular then), and feeling like maybe if there were, people would finally appreciate my abilities. I remember going over moves in my head at night so that the next time I was at a friend's house I would really impress them all.
Thank you, YouTube, for bringing me back, and reminding me that even though the numbers are bigger and the community more accessible, our video game culture is still subject to the same underlying impulses.
Anyway, video games played such a big role in my childhood, as they did for many boys (and girls) of my generation. They were something I was good at, and a common language between me and other boys my age, which was key because I didn't have too much else in common with them. Girls? Cars? Not so much, but I can beat your older brother in Street Fighter.
I was thinking about all of this recently, and hoped to find The Wizard in its entirety on YouTube. No such luck, but following the related links from the film trailer, I found myself watching clips of people playing video games - especially the early Marios, since Mario 3 features prominently in the movie.
Tonight, this was in my personal recommendations:
Holy. Cow. I vividly remember playing this game when the Nintendo 64 first came out. I could paint a clear picture of the moment for you, but if you didn't grow up with this game, I doubt you'll much care. Just know that this clip showcases a stunning feat of gaming. Aided by just a few inherent glitches, and recorded by a program as part of speed competition, this user blazes through the game without so much as a single wasted jump.
My jaw literally dropped in a few places watching this video. The span between 12:20 and 12:55 simply blows my mind. I cannot overstate how incredible this guy's skillz are. Of course, if you played this game, you already know that. Just watch the whole twenty minutes, and prepare to be amazed.
What I love is that nearly two million viewers have watched and appreciated this video. One (hopefully) ironic comment says: "I THINK I MUST COMMIT SUICIDE."
With the popularity of YouTube, there is so much more incentive to master a video game, knowing your insane preparation will be immortalized for all to see. I remember watching The Wizard and wondering why I hadn't heard of any national video game championships (they weren't nearly as popular then), and feeling like maybe if there were, people would finally appreciate my abilities. I remember going over moves in my head at night so that the next time I was at a friend's house I would really impress them all.
Thank you, YouTube, for bringing me back, and reminding me that even though the numbers are bigger and the community more accessible, our video game culture is still subject to the same underlying impulses.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Evolving Market Strategies
When I spent time with my extended family in July, I was forced to watch episodes of Family Guy for the first time in a long while. I laughed once, maybe twice, but everyone else was in hysterics. I realized how inaccessible and obscure my sense of humor can be.
I have since watched some of the Most Viewed Family Guy clips on YouTube in hopes that I might find the place where my sense of humor and the norm intersect. And, while this recommendation draws its humor more from the juxtaposition of Wall Street and Family Guy than from the cartoon itself, at least I've finally found a use of Family Guy that cracks me up:
Superb editing is arguably the star of this apt mash-up, but what I find even more interesting is that it's an advertisement. Yes, you'll notice if you follow this video to YouTube that it was posted by the official Fox channel, "Foxabulous." Clearly, a smart team of marketers asked, "what are people watching on YouTube?" and answered "mash-ups and fake movie trailers." Just look at Shining or The Empire Brokeback.
Now, it's not unheard of for undisguised commercials to get lots of views on YouTube, provided they are funny. I almost featured an Axe commercial tonight that was absolutely terrifying but somehow quite popular. What I like about this video, though, is that a style popularized by YouTube became a made-for-YouTube advertisement, and it worked. I mean, an ad for a Wall Street anniversary DVD having over ten million views? I also like the simple yet effective combination of Stewie + "bitch."
What I don't like is that my personal recommendations are just another venue for product placement. It feels like the moment I realized Yahoo! driving directions were taking me out of my way to go by their sponsor locations. In a word: manipulated.
There's a fine line between "recommending" and "selling," and to me it seems to hinge on the level of consideration for the audience's interests. So which is this? A funny video or an ad? Is there even a distinction worth making?
I have since watched some of the Most Viewed Family Guy clips on YouTube in hopes that I might find the place where my sense of humor and the norm intersect. And, while this recommendation draws its humor more from the juxtaposition of Wall Street and Family Guy than from the cartoon itself, at least I've finally found a use of Family Guy that cracks me up:
Superb editing is arguably the star of this apt mash-up, but what I find even more interesting is that it's an advertisement. Yes, you'll notice if you follow this video to YouTube that it was posted by the official Fox channel, "Foxabulous." Clearly, a smart team of marketers asked, "what are people watching on YouTube?" and answered "mash-ups and fake movie trailers." Just look at Shining or The Empire Brokeback.
Now, it's not unheard of for undisguised commercials to get lots of views on YouTube, provided they are funny. I almost featured an Axe commercial tonight that was absolutely terrifying but somehow quite popular. What I like about this video, though, is that a style popularized by YouTube became a made-for-YouTube advertisement, and it worked. I mean, an ad for a Wall Street anniversary DVD having over ten million views? I also like the simple yet effective combination of Stewie + "bitch."
What I don't like is that my personal recommendations are just another venue for product placement. It feels like the moment I realized Yahoo! driving directions were taking me out of my way to go by their sponsor locations. In a word: manipulated.
There's a fine line between "recommending" and "selling," and to me it seems to hinge on the level of consideration for the audience's interests. So which is this? A funny video or an ad? Is there even a distinction worth making?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Difference a Letter Makes
If you haven't been watching The Guild, Felicia Day's brilliant web series about MMORP gamers, now's a good time to start. Currently midway through its third season, The Guild is fresh, funny, and incredibly addictive. Seriously - go watch it now. Stop living under the rock we call mainstream America.
Today's recommendation is a fan video loosely "inspired" by The Guild. There are just a few small differences. For starters, notice the absent "u."
Hello, Crazy McCrazerton - it's me, Peeps. I have to say, I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I think it's a brilliant commentary on The Guild, shining the harsh light of reality on the lives of adult gamers, which Felicia Day's show glamorizes and celebrates. Other times, I think this woman is whacked out on hallucinogenic drugs.
I mean, WHAT?
I love the pink heart transition effect. I love that this woman drinks from a Stein before launching into her incoherent string of gaming acronyms, meant to relay an in-game occurrence (not to worry - she features a helpful glossary at the end). I love her implied insistence that her random personal mishap will be of interest to other people - an assumption that all internet endeavors (this blog included) make. I love that she tricked the YouTube algorithm by titling her video something so close to an actual internet phenomenon. I love the phrase "emerald dream."
All that said, I hate this video. I can laugh at it for the above reasons, sure, but unlike The Guild, this video makes it hard to ignore that I'm laughing at someone's real life. And irl, it's sad. Sorry YouTube - you got tricked. And therefore, so did I.
Today's recommendation is a fan video loosely "inspired" by The Guild. There are just a few small differences. For starters, notice the absent "u."
Hello, Crazy McCrazerton - it's me, Peeps. I have to say, I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I think it's a brilliant commentary on The Guild, shining the harsh light of reality on the lives of adult gamers, which Felicia Day's show glamorizes and celebrates. Other times, I think this woman is whacked out on hallucinogenic drugs.
I mean, WHAT?
I love the pink heart transition effect. I love that this woman drinks from a Stein before launching into her incoherent string of gaming acronyms, meant to relay an in-game occurrence (not to worry - she features a helpful glossary at the end). I love her implied insistence that her random personal mishap will be of interest to other people - an assumption that all internet endeavors (this blog included) make. I love that she tricked the YouTube algorithm by titling her video something so close to an actual internet phenomenon. I love the phrase "emerald dream."
All that said, I hate this video. I can laugh at it for the above reasons, sure, but unlike The Guild, this video makes it hard to ignore that I'm laughing at someone's real life. And irl, it's sad. Sorry YouTube - you got tricked. And therefore, so did I.
Monday, October 12, 2009
He's Like Fire
Some of you may immediately recognize this clip from the British TV show Doctor Who. It's from the episode "The Family of Blood," the conclusion to a two-part series that - it turns out - is quite good. News to me - I hadn't seen this particular episode, or even been aware of it, until this:
I've watched other Doctor Who clips during my years as a YouTube account-holder, but they've never been recommended before. So why now? The key here is the young man (he's 19) delivering this laudatory speech. If you immediately recognize him as the little boy from Love Actually, then you're a better celebrity spotter than I was when I saw Bright Star two weeks ago. In that film, Thomas Sangster (for that is his name) plays Fanny Braun's younger brother. He doesn't have many lines, but he has lots of screen time, and I knew he looked familiar.
When IMDB gave me a name, I promptly traced his career in YouTube clips, from Love Actually to a made-for-TV Pinocchio and a few random things in between. I've always been fascinated by child stars, partly because I wanted to be one and partly because their young adult lives seem almost invariably riddled with tragedy. Haley Joel Osment pleading no contest to a DUI and drug possession three years ago comes to mind...
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was hoping to glimpse some dark secret behind Thomas Sangster's performances, but I do find it compelling to see someone's whole childhood documented in a string of fictions, and also I'm writing a few other things about child stars right now. Consider this research.
The thing is, this clip isn't tagged or titled anything to do with Thomas Sangster. The connection, I presume, comes from the comments and other viewers who likely favorited this along with his other work. The subtext there is slightly unsettling, but I'll save that for my other writing...
In any event, YouTube recommended a clip that did ultimately interest me - genuinely but for the poor editing that turns "And...he's wonderful" into a kind of tonal-shift punchline. That's just humorously unfortunate. I enjoyed watching the complete Doctor Who episodes, and I look forward to following Mr. Sangster's career. He's playing a young Paul McCartney in the upcoming Nowhere Boy. Thanks for the recommendation.
I've watched other Doctor Who clips during my years as a YouTube account-holder, but they've never been recommended before. So why now? The key here is the young man (he's 19) delivering this laudatory speech. If you immediately recognize him as the little boy from Love Actually, then you're a better celebrity spotter than I was when I saw Bright Star two weeks ago. In that film, Thomas Sangster (for that is his name) plays Fanny Braun's younger brother. He doesn't have many lines, but he has lots of screen time, and I knew he looked familiar.
When IMDB gave me a name, I promptly traced his career in YouTube clips, from Love Actually to a made-for-TV Pinocchio and a few random things in between. I've always been fascinated by child stars, partly because I wanted to be one and partly because their young adult lives seem almost invariably riddled with tragedy. Haley Joel Osment pleading no contest to a DUI and drug possession three years ago comes to mind...
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was hoping to glimpse some dark secret behind Thomas Sangster's performances, but I do find it compelling to see someone's whole childhood documented in a string of fictions, and also I'm writing a few other things about child stars right now. Consider this research.
The thing is, this clip isn't tagged or titled anything to do with Thomas Sangster. The connection, I presume, comes from the comments and other viewers who likely favorited this along with his other work. The subtext there is slightly unsettling, but I'll save that for my other writing...
In any event, YouTube recommended a clip that did ultimately interest me - genuinely but for the poor editing that turns "And...he's wonderful" into a kind of tonal-shift punchline. That's just humorously unfortunate. I enjoyed watching the complete Doctor Who episodes, and I look forward to following Mr. Sangster's career. He's playing a young Paul McCartney in the upcoming Nowhere Boy. Thanks for the recommendation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
