www.YouTube.com
Since its birth in February 2005, YouTube allows people throughout the world to upload and share videos.
What could be the purpose that’s got probably millions of people viewing this website at this very moment?
“On YouTube, millions post everything from Saddam Hussein’s execution to two guys being funny in a dorm room. In some cases, really funny,” says columnist Kathleen Parker in her column titled "To be un-famous.”
Okay, could be for the laughs, and that’s probably the most common purpose.
YouTube is an amazing web phenomena, growing in popularity.
Anyone can upload any video. Anyone can watch.
Music videos. Movie clips. TV shows. Educational videos. Scary stuff. Funny stuff.
Anything.
And it’s FREE!
An 8-year-old nephew and 5-year-old niece of mine watch videos on YouTube. Those must be some funny videos, because they will loudly giggle non stop at the computer screen. So much uproar laughter, it’s contagious to people, like me, who hear them and will want to know, “What in the world is so funny?”
People can watch the funniest videos, and laugh so much that their stomachs begin to ache. And maybe even so much that some people pee their pants just a little? Familiar feeling? But it’s okay, because despite that feeling, it sure was a good laugh—and that’s basically the point.
Search “funny” on the website, and about 2,250,000 results appear. Added 1 year ago, and 9,148,929 views, “extreme funny” is one of my favorite YouTube videos. I laugh throughout the whole clip. I’ve watched it at least 5 times. I laugh every time.
Watch it below and see the funny…
Okay, enough funny stuff.
What’s really interesting about YouTube? Beyond funny?
What’s interesting is how easy as “1-2-3” it is for people to broadcast themselves.
“…behind one’s being awarded celebrity status, today one need only wake up, plug in the video cam and hit a button,” says Parker, “Voila! Insta-fame.”
YouTube—what an easy opportunity to be watched, and eventually known by millions.
Perhaps, a chance to make it big and become famous.
“It gives everyone their fifteen minutes of fame,” says a 21-year-old student at California State University, Sacramento.
Really? Only fifteen minutes?
Hey, don’t underestimate the possibilities. YouTube can indeed bring fame.
Watch Esmee Denters—she’s an 18-year-old Dutch singer from the Netherlands who became a YouTube celeb within just a few months.
A member since August 25, 2006, Denters began to post videos of herself singing cover versions of popular songs.
Denters has recorded in the studio with singer Kelly Roland.
“She [Denters] is so talented. She has a beautiful voice, a voice of an angel. She has more than a million hits within hours,” says Roland.
With a deep dedicated passion for music, Denters taught herself how to sing. Impressive. Amazing! She’s got potential and real talent, a soulful captivating voice all her own. Born to be a star singing sensation!
The video below is only 1 of the sixty-five videos Denters has on her YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/esmeedenters.
Denters singing "Dance with my father" (tribute to luther vandross).
By early June 2007, singer Justin Timberlake’s new Tennman Records label signed Denters a record deal. Timberlake discovered Denters’ YouTube videos and was amazed at what he was seeing.
Denters singing with Justin Timberlake.
Wow, what a dream come true for Denters. Stay tuned for her upcoming debut album…
Watch David Sides—another talented individual. Ever since the age of ten, playing the piano has been his passion. But what’s so brilliant about him? He plays all of his songs by ear. “So unfortunately, I don’t have any sheet music to share,” Sides says. He’s awesome, one truly talented player on the keys!
It’s absolutely amazing how much raw talented people there really are in this world. And that everyone else can actually watch their videos and discover them just by the easy click of a button all thanks to YouTube.
But the viewers can make or break you. It’s all evident in the comments and ratings people submit.
“The Public is in control…the world building the artist," says Rowland.
YouTube, beyond the funny, could be that window of opportunity, a step closer to fortune or fame.
Watch out world, YouTube’s got talent!
More Esmee Denters?
official website:
http://www.esmeeworld.com
fan sites:
www.esmeezone.com
www.esmeedenters.org
More David Sides?
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kemlye1
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/davidsides
1 comment:
While most columns posted on this topic used a couple of examples, this writer went a little YouTube crazy with posts, making the actual text a little hard to read.
In strictly text form, it's actually better.
The use of anonymous quotes detracts from the overall tone. If the people are worth quoting, why not name them?
The premise, that there is lots of undiscovered talent and that YouTube can help is a good one, but that probably could have been the entire focus of the column and not just an also-ran at the end.
I would wager there are plenty of examples of people struggling to get noticed.
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