In an age where people are constantly given public attention and exposure for seemingly idiotic things, it becomes very easy to desire one's own chance at addressing or entertaining the public. Every day we see reality television stars who enter the public eye and remain there for doing very little. If you have a talent or an idea, such as a comedy routine, an anime review show, or a cooking blog, you may wonder how you can get the attention that seems to come so easily for reality tv stars.
Before reality television, and before everyone had access to webcams and the ability to broadcast things on the internet, cable access television was often one's first attempt at fame. Local cable networks would provide airtime at a low or nonexistent cost to the public.
The popular 1990s Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World was a satire of this phenomenon, featuring two high school students with dreams of becoming famous through their cable access show. The movie of the same title, which grew out of the sketch, followed Wayne and Garth as their show was picked up by a national network.
Although cable access still exists, many people these days turn to the internet, and particularly YouTube, with similar hopes to those of Wayne and Garth. Perhaps they simply want fame, or perhaps they have a message or a talent they want to share with the public. Either way, YouTube provides a platform for addressing as many people as you can get to click on your video.
When a particular video suddenly picks up a lot of traction on the web, and is circulated by many people through email and social networks, it is deemed a "viral video." Some of these videos, like "Friday" by Rebecca Black, have been designed to go viral in the first place. Others happen as the result of people finding humor in an interview or a news broadcast, like Antoine Dodson's comments to a news reporter which were eventually turned into a video called "Bed Intruder."
For people who have information they want to convey but do not feel comfortable in front of a camera, blogging is often an option. Bloggers have achieved sudden fame and even fortune, too, such as in the case of Nate Silver. Silver was a political blogger. When he was younger, he had developed a formula by which he predicted baseball statistics. Silver adapted this tool to be applied to election results, and shared his predictions on his blog. When they turned out to be correct, he became an overnight sensation and a millionaire.
Because cable access channels are locally broadcast, there is a limit to the audience who can see them. This makes it more difficult for cable access to provide the type of exposure that could lead to fame and fortune. The only way that can happen through this venue is if the right person with the right connections sees the show and chooses to pick it up. The chances of this happening are not that great. And even if it happens, as in Wayne's World, it is unlikely that the show would be able to maintain its original purpose and platform.
Whether it is an anime review show, a blog about cooking, or a sketch comedy program, the internet gives us a space to expose a wide audience to our talents and ideas. If you have a concept, do not be afraid to share it with the world. All you need is a webcam and a dream.
Before reality television, and before everyone had access to webcams and the ability to broadcast things on the internet, cable access television was often one's first attempt at fame. Local cable networks would provide airtime at a low or nonexistent cost to the public.
The popular 1990s Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World was a satire of this phenomenon, featuring two high school students with dreams of becoming famous through their cable access show. The movie of the same title, which grew out of the sketch, followed Wayne and Garth as their show was picked up by a national network.
Although cable access still exists, many people these days turn to the internet, and particularly YouTube, with similar hopes to those of Wayne and Garth. Perhaps they simply want fame, or perhaps they have a message or a talent they want to share with the public. Either way, YouTube provides a platform for addressing as many people as you can get to click on your video.
When a particular video suddenly picks up a lot of traction on the web, and is circulated by many people through email and social networks, it is deemed a "viral video." Some of these videos, like "Friday" by Rebecca Black, have been designed to go viral in the first place. Others happen as the result of people finding humor in an interview or a news broadcast, like Antoine Dodson's comments to a news reporter which were eventually turned into a video called "Bed Intruder."
For people who have information they want to convey but do not feel comfortable in front of a camera, blogging is often an option. Bloggers have achieved sudden fame and even fortune, too, such as in the case of Nate Silver. Silver was a political blogger. When he was younger, he had developed a formula by which he predicted baseball statistics. Silver adapted this tool to be applied to election results, and shared his predictions on his blog. When they turned out to be correct, he became an overnight sensation and a millionaire.
Because cable access channels are locally broadcast, there is a limit to the audience who can see them. This makes it more difficult for cable access to provide the type of exposure that could lead to fame and fortune. The only way that can happen through this venue is if the right person with the right connections sees the show and chooses to pick it up. The chances of this happening are not that great. And even if it happens, as in Wayne's World, it is unlikely that the show would be able to maintain its original purpose and platform.
Whether it is an anime review show, a blog about cooking, or a sketch comedy program, the internet gives us a space to expose a wide audience to our talents and ideas. If you have a concept, do not be afraid to share it with the world. All you need is a webcam and a dream.
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