I like seeing people in the public eye becoming Internet savvy, realizing they can use it to help their careers, poke fun at themselves and connect with fans.
For those of us who grew up in the late '90s, even if we didn't watch the show, we were all familiar with "Dawson's Creek" and Katie Holmes' Joey Potter and her love triangle with Pacey Whitter (Joshua Jackson) and Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek). One season three episode of the show yielded an emotional reaction from Dawson that lived in infamy on the Internet, "crying Dawson." For years, Internet users have been using the awkward cry to feign sadness and express sarcasm.
This week Van Der Beek partnered with FunnyOrDie.com to create James Van Der Memes, a website which recognizes the permeation of "crying Dawson" online by allowing Van Der Beek to create a series of new emotion-filled animated gifs. My personal favorite, "No You Didn't":
Similarly, at last year's ComiCon, Jackson took a break from promoting his Fox show "Fringe" to hold his own "Pacey-Con" to celebrate his character, complete with Pacey fan fiction Jackson wrote:
Sure, these acts could be seen as pandering to the Internet and past fans in order to resurrect popularity (especially in Van Der Beek's case, since his last show, "Mercy," did not make it past season one). But I think it's funny that these two former co-stars are using their breakout roles and dumb Internet jokes to acknowledge their fans. With Van Der Beek, he's laughing at his own awkward acting moment, and as someone who collects gifs, his myriad of new expressions are quite nice additions to my collection.
It's a fantastic database listing all of media's cliches and common plot elements, and it's yet another one of the Internet's black holes. I'm currently writing this entry at 6:00 a.m., hours after I had originally planned to do so. Why? TV Tropes.
The site explains such phenomena as "The Danza," where characters are named after the actors (I say this is often due to actor stupidity or subtle reflections of real life, like Tracy Jordan/Morgan on 30 Rock, regardless of reports otherwise), like (Hold Me Closer) Tony Danza. I also enjoy the "Cluster F Bomb" page, which I don't think I need to explain. But I could go on and on.
Just take a gander at the site, and I will accept rage-filled comments for making you waste more time on the Internet. You're welcome.
Working in the BG News newsroom this evening, I was inspired by the soundtrack of the evening to write this entry.
In previous entries, I've made it clear that I'm not the biggest fan of reality television. However, that wasn't always the case. In fact, for most of my high school life, a reality television show helped to greatly impact my life.
This has become incredibly embarrassing to admit in recent years (which is ironic, given the fact that I used to be quite vocal about it in high school), but here it goes. I am a Claymate.
Yes, I adore "American Idol" season two runner-up Clay Aiken. I have seen him six times in concert, and for the past seven years, I have participated in a number of message boards dedicated to Aiken, particularly Idolforums.com, or IDF. I was not one of those fans who abandoned him when he came out of the closet, in fact, I jumped for joy. I am not as obsessed with him as I was in the past, but I will always have a soft spot in my heart for him.
I've since stopped watching "American Idol," and I was always disappointed in every season besides Aiken's. However, I still post regularly on a site that is dedicated to the show, even if I don't talk about the show.
Why? Sometimes, I'm not so sure. While Aiken does have a new album coming out in June (which, even though it's a cover song album, I'm very excited about), his portion of the message board is not as active as it was in 2004-2005. As previously stated, I don't watch "Idol" anymore. I think the reason that I find myself sticking around on IDF is because the model of "American Idol" allows for people to become addicted to the show, develop an attachment to those featured on the show and connect with fellow fans.
It's incredibly pathetic, but I cried when Aiken lost the "Idol" crown. I had become so attached to him, I voted for him hundreds of times. I would always get so incredibly nervous every Wednesday night, because I was afraid he would be kicked off of the show. I found myself getting in somewhat heated arguments with my eighth grade classmates who supported other contestants, and I bonded with those who shared my affection for Aiken. The "Idol" show model promotes the fervent support of contestants, making it seem incredibly important that they vote for their favorite, so that they can win.
Of course, as Aiken proved, you don't necessarily have to win the "Idol" crown to sell records and concert tickets. The Claymates who supported Aiken were very passionate, and took to the Internet to express their support for him. They organized CD release parties (which I attended), pre-concert gatherings, charity functions and more. I can say that I've made some good friends through the Aiken message boards, both in people I chat with on the Internet, as well as those I have met in person over the years.
People may criticize television for isolating people, and that certainly can happen. However, with shows like "American Idol," fans can take a curiosity and casual support for a show or contestant, and turn it into a social strength.
And, just for fun, my favorite Aiken performance of all time. Actually, this 80 second performance is possibly my favorite song of all time.
As a result of the episode plots, the show’s creators had to assure the fans that they were not going to completely jeopardize the characters’ relationships. “It’s bringing creators and fans closer together. Like, I remember with Joss Whedon, girls in class would know everything he did or said.”
However, as Miller points out, it’s not just those behind the show who can be overwhelmed by social networks and live blogging. “You need to find just the right amount of population,” she said. “If you have too many people, you have repetition, like on Twitter.”
Repetition is a major problem on social networks; in a fast-moving chat or feed, users will have the same reaction to an event. For last year’s Video Music Awards, MTV set up their own Twitter monitoring device to see Tweets about the show, and there was a major spike in Tweets chiding Kanye West for famously interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech.
Additionally, too many users can spoil the fun, as was the case for the Oscars, when the massive influx of visitors to Oh No They Didn’t caused the servers to frequently crash.
Miller also believes that difficulty may arise when attempting to merge television audiences and Internet users. “I feel like my attention is diverted from the show to my computer, the discussion can be so compelling.”
Is social networking a hindrance to peoples’ social lives, or does it help? Opinions may differ. Miller wonders if the affect of Internet discussions on a person’s life is overstated. “Are you really being social when talking on the Internet, or are you just as shut off from the world than without it? You may have real discussion, but not ‘perform’ for a group of people in a social setting,” she said.
Coletta, however, would liken the experience to social situations. “Everyone’s interested in this stuff,” he said. “You’d talk about [television] with your friend on the end of the couch the same as you do online.” He feels that because the people posting on social networks and blogs about shows, especially live ones, are just average television fans, they are relatable to users.
Citing a popular “LOST” site created by Britain’s Sky channel, Coletta explains, “They build these communities, they’re just a couple of guys sitting around. They’re probably not making money, but it’s what they like to do.”
Do you agree or disagree, or do you have other thoughts about this trend? Leave a comment!
The lines between television and the Internet have blurred in recent years, and with the rise of social networking and live blogging, that change is accelerated.
Social network Web sites such as Twitter and online communities such as LiveJournal’s entertainment and celebrity gossip page Oh No They Didn’t allow for strangers all over the world to connect and discuss television shows and events live, as they unfold on the screen.
Dr. Montana Miller, a popular culture professor at Bowling Green State University, says that social networks and Internet communities are gaining popularity because they can help create bonds that would not have occurred in real life.
“It offers companionship,” she said. “With communities, there’s a sense that you’re watching with friends. In chats I read, many users say ‘I’m so glad to be watching with you,’ or ‘I didn’t use to enjoy these evens until I was talking to you guys.’”
Miller’s analysis is reflected on sites like Oh No They Didn’t, which hosts discussion posts for every major award show aired on television, in which users can discuss the winners, losers and shocking moments. For the Oscars earlier this month, four discussion posts were made, with members creating over 20,000 comments on the show throughout the evening. “Entertainment Weekly” offers live blogging pages for major award shows as well, showing that major media outlets, and not just smaller Web sites and blogs, are connecting televised events with Internet content.
As Miller noted, users do express their happiness for finding the groups so they can express their feelings about television events frequently viewed by individuals at home. On a “Saturday Night Live” discussion post (another Oh No They Didn’t staple), user “eeagle” wrote, “[sic] this episode was epic and i glad i got to spend it with you guys!” User “kerfuffleboat” found that the posts are worthwhile and enjoyable for the virtual company they supply. “[Sic] I missed the last two posts here and I was actively sad about not being around for them. idk [I don’t know] if that's pathetic or if it means ~we've all bonded.~ I'll go with the latter!”
“For those who are interested in a show, you can watch it at home and not think twice,” said Dr. Chuck Coletta, a colleague of Miller’s in the popular culture department at BGSU. “With fan communities online, people who are really interested in a show, they may be the only ones in their towns who are interested. People want to connect, so they Google [a show], and people find each other.”
Coletta argues that shows such as “LOST” allow for long-term blogging projects that can allow users to develop complex theories for shows, and they can feel a bigger attachment to the show and the show’s fans. “’LOST’ is the best example, it’s intricate and fast,” he said. “TV and the computer are going to be one thing, with running comments during the show, and LOST live blogs give users all the control now.”
Miller also sees award shows as common discussion fodder, as well as reality shows. “The sites I watch discuss ‘Jon and Kate Plus 8’ and 16 and Pregnant,’ and I’m surprised so many people watch them.”
What does everyone think of social networking and television? Do you enjoy it, or do you find it distracting and uninteresting? Is it changing television, or just a passing fad? Leave a comment with your thoughts!
