I Was A YouTube Superstar And Didn't Even Know It

Recently, I got an email from a fan who'd seen my short POOL DAYS on YouTube. My films get uploaded from time to time without my consent and when it happens, I usually ask folks to limit them to 2-3 minute clips. When this fan sent the link, I was surprised to see that my film had an astounding number of views--nearly 1.1 million, and over 1,500 comments too. I was a YouTube superstar and didn't even know it!

Unfortunately, the uploader of the film had titled it "Gay Short 033" (!) and did not include any information about me, the actual title, or links to my other films. The situation was both frustrating and somewhat exciting, given the number of people who were responding to my work. When the original film was released as part of BOYS LIFE in the 1990s, it was a big success and seen by maybe 100,000 theatre goers over the course of a couple years in realease. But now, in mere months on YouTube, more than 10 times that number had watched it. Of course, if I had a dime for every click...but that's another story.

Anyway, this time I thought I'd take a different approach with the errant uploader. I messaged the guy and told him he could keep the full clip online but on one condition: he needed to properly credit and tag the video with my information and links to my other work. I figured if all these people like my short, they should be able to find my other films too! These days, in the indie world, it's all about building and bringing your audience with you so this seemed like a way to do just that. He replied to my message in a couple hours and changed all the info and, since then, we've had a lively discussion about my film's sudden viral life.  

What's most interesting in all this is that I've had to sit in countless meetings with executives, producers, and investors over the years about gay-themed projects and the general response is that there's little to no audience, especially if there's teenagers involved. In fact, one of my fellow young adult authors John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS) has an infamous and terrible story of a producer meeting where he was told, and this is a direct quote, "The only thing Hollywood hates more than smart teenagers, is smart gay teenagers." Yet there on YouTube, one of my movies about a smart gay teenager gets over a million plus views with no promotion or publicist or anything. Go figure.

This is all the more timely as, currently, I'm working on a new project, a 12-part series adapted from one of my YA books called BEST SUMMER EVER. It's based on my novel TALE OF TWO SUMMERS about two best friends, one gay and one straight, who have their first big romances over the course of a summer. It's being done independently, for now (see above)...or at least until someone wises up to the audience that is out there. In that same interview John Green said, "I hope Hollywood will prove this movie producer wrong someday." Not sure if/when that will happen, but I think the Internets has maybe done this already.

So make sure you check out BSE on other social media spaces (FB, Twitter, YouTube) for more details to come. In the meantime, you can watch POOL DAYS below.

ALL BY MYSELF Gets Epic iPhone Music Video In Airport

This is one of more viral videos of the month--a self-made music video to Celine Dion's version of "All By Myself".  Though it was shot entirely on an iPhone what's more impressive is that it was entirely shot by the guy performing in it, Richard Dunn. 

He was an Atlanta visitor to Las Vegas who got stuck in McCarran Airport overnight and, instead of whiling away the hours til his 6 a.m. flight, he decided to get creative and make this video to amuse his wife. He strapped his iPhone to a wheelchair using some baggage tape he got before the airport shut down and then had fun, lip-synching and over-emoting to Celine's classic (with a Celine cameo too...sorta). 

The video has been seen more than 11 million times on Vimeo, YouTube and other platforms. And even Celine saw it herself, and loved it too! Not bad for a night's work...

A 1986 Video Tour Of RuPaul's Meatpacking "Penthouse"

I came across this video on YouTube of RuPaul giving a tour of his NYC "penthouse" back in June of 1986. He lived for a while in a round rooftop room above the formerly seedy Jane Hotel, soon after he moved to New York for the second time apparently. Not only does "baby Ru" look amazing, the footage itself is incredible for it's slice of Meatpacking life (which I've posted about before) from waaaaay back in the day. Nelson Sullivan is the videographer, who lived around the corner at 5 Ninth Avenue, a town house which is still there surrounded by the commercial insanity that "MeaPa" has become.

The most remarkable thing watching this now is how utterly empty that area of the city was during the day. I had my own first hand experience with this back when I was in film school at NYU and we shot one of my classmates' films entirely in the area. We had no permits and no one bothered us, as no one was around, except maybe a couple hookers who stayed away (knowing we were students w/no cash!). We even shot a car chase sequence through the bumpy streets there with no police intervention at all. 

Anyway, this video is a great trip to the lost world of the old West Village with some great views of the the city and gay life at that time.

Kicking Off Prom Season, A Podcast About My Prom Novel

It's May and that means prom season is in full swing. So for your listening pleasure, Simon & Schuster has a podcast on YouTube that I did a few years ago about my debut novel A REALLY NICE PROM MESS. This is my first novel for young adults which tells the story about a gay couple who goes on a secret double date to the prom which doesn't stay secret for long and then complications/chaos ensue (see police, drug dealers, strippers, et al). The book was nearly banned in 2009 by a library in Wisconsin just because there were gay characters in it. Anyway, the podcast is about 4 minutes long and, in it, I talk about about the book and my prom experiences, as I went to a few! You can purchase the paperback on Amazon and I guarantee it makes for fun summer/beach reading.

The Original "Cliffhanger" Is 100 Years Old

My favorite NYC history blog, The Bowery Boys, had a great story this weekend on the 100th anniversary of the "cliffhanger". The term comes from the famous silent films series THE PERILS OF PAULINE, the first of which debuted 100 years ago this month. 

Even more fascinating is that the cliffs that Pauline hung off, which is where the term comes from, are the Palisades in NJ (pictured here). New Jersey and New York City is where the film industry began and thrived for a couple decades before migrating towards better weather (and cheaper real estate for growing studios) to the West Coast.

Also somewhat notable is exactly where Pauline's adventures took place. Before Gov. Christie made it famous for a traffic jam, Ft. Lee was the site of filming for the first of these serialized adventures in which a young girl with an inheritance is lured towards danger by a man seeking her money. Below is the original film in this series, available on YouTube.  

RuPaul and John Waters Crack Wise and Talk Show Biz

When RuPaul is not busy encouraging and judging America's up and coming drag queens, he can be found driving celebrities around L.A. in his car and chatting with him.  "RuPaul Drives" is the latest in the mobile celebrity talkshow format that started with Jerry Seinfeld's web series. What makes this new show special is her guest, filmmaker John Waters. Waters consistently cracks Ru up and literally leaves her laughing with a NY POST headline that's a personal favorite of his. 

The best part of this though was a story which I had never heard before, about how John Waters got interested in "the biz". The answer? Howdy Doody. As an impressionable 10-year-old, he got to sit in the Peanut Gallery at a taping of the classic kids show at Rockefeller Center in the 1950s. He was fascinated by how fake the whole thing was and got instantly hooked on show biz. Who would have guess Howdy Doody inspired the genius behind PINK FLAMINGOES and FEMALE TROUBLE?

Randy Rainbow Does John Travolta In New Video

The amazing Randy Rainbow has joined the pile-on re; John Travolta's infamous gaffe during Sunday's Oscars, but with inspried results. He has taken Idinia Menzel's nom de Oscar "Adele Dazeem" and smartly matched it to the song "La Vie Boheme" from RENT (in which she famously got her start) to create a musical mishmash of mispronounced celebrity names. It's like a musical version of the SLATE Travoltifier that went super-viral on Monday, giving that news site its most viewed story ever (nearly 4 million hits). Randy is one of my favorite online comedians and with this one, including a hilariously slowed down version of Travolta's clip, he has knocked it out of the park.

The Epic Super Bowl Commercial Seen Only In Georgia

There has been lots of talk about how this year's lineup of Super Bowl spots were cute and cuddly and non-offensive. Budweiser's puppy ad seemed to be the gold standard for a kinder and gentler advertising onslaught, with not the usual raunch of the past.  However, there is one Super Bowl commercial you probably have not seen that it sorta out there. Not raunchy really but raw and kinda kickass, like a music video from the '80s. 

This ad was for a personal injury attorney in named Jamie Casino, which already makes it sounds like he's in an '80s crime movie. I mean, you know you are in for something unique when a TV commercial starts off quoting the Bible. What follows is an epic (for ads anyway) 2-minute long heavy metal music video story of redemption and vengeance, not to mention flame throwing and slow-mo sledge hammering. It is awesome and, despite being shown as a local spot at a Fox affiliate in Savannah, it is racking up the hits on YouTube (almost 5M today). My only question--is that really his actual son in the video too? The Daily News has more details on how this all happened, if you're interested. 

FROZEN Viral Video Has Twins Singing "Let It Go"

I'm a big fan of the new Disney animated film FROZEN, which cleverly reimagines the standard princess story and has some great Broadway-style songs to boot. In fact, there was a recent official announcement that Disney is developing the movie as a stage musical though there is no date on when it might hit the Great White Way. 

Since it's release in November, there has been some serious viral video action based off of FROZEN's big hit song, "Let It Go" originally recorded for the film by Bway star Idina Menzel. Now, there are all kinds of kids singing the song on YouTube, with various stages of professionalism and polish. But the one that really caught my eye was first posted on Vimeo where it has racked up more than a million hits. Now it's on YouTube where it passed the half-million mark today.

Maddie and Zoe are twin 4-year old girls singing the song as a duet for their dad, cinematographer Aaron Mendez. They perform the song with such heart and verve and excitement (including the awesome yawn halfway through!) that it has clearly taken the crown in the viral derby for "Let It Go" covers. However, this take does require some previous knowledge of the song/lyrics to fully enjoy the girls truly unique version. At least, that is, until someone adds subtitles. 

Michael Buble And Ben Aaron Have A Holly Jolly Bromance

Two of my favorite things, Michael Buble and WNBC's Ben Aaron, got together this week to promote Buble's annual holiday TV special and it looked like the beginning of a beautiful bromance.

I've written on here before about the gangly charms of Mr. Aaron and his genially goofy nature. Well it all served as a perfect complement to Buble's cool-dude vibe as the talked crooning and got along like brand new BFFs. Buble even got Aaron all giggly a couple times. They cracked wise about Christmas and chatted about each other's unique physiques, with Aaron lamenting his concave chest as Buble complimented his slim looks while comparing him to Andrew Garfield, adding that "if I looked like you I would be naked for this interview." Whoa--if only HBO did these sort of promos! ;)

In the end, they even posed together for a shared holiday greeting card with somewhat deranged expressions. I hope this holiday bromance lasts past the season and the promotional efforts for Buble's special. These two were not only adorable together but a lot of fun too!

Stars Sings Showtunes At Marie's Crisis

Darren Criss was in and around town all week, spotted first at the Lady Gaga "rave" last Sunday, and then a couple days later in one of my favorite West Village haunts, old school piano bar Marie's Crisis. It was there that he took to the ivories and played "A Whole New World" from Disney's ALADIN as he sang along with Broadway star Lea Salonga. Quite a duet for a weeknight at Maries!

I have been there to witness other film/TV folks, singing (Heather Mattzarazzo, Parker Posey), but Darren Criss would have been amazing because he is so damn cute/talented. I'd seen him play guitar (famously) but didn't even know he plays piano too--and is pretty good at that. It's moments like these there should be some sort of gay bat signal to call me back to the Village for a bit of showtuning with the stars!

HBO's New Series LOOKING Stars AUGUST's Murray Bartlett

The official trailer went online today for the new HBO series LOOKING and it is looking good. I'm especially excited about the show as it stars Murray Bartlett, one of the leads from the feature AUGUST that I co-wrote with Eldar Rappaport. So it was very exciting to see him in the first shot of the trailer (and the promo image too!) as part of what looks to be a breakthrough show for the depiction of gay men on TV.

Though it's been informally referred to as "the gay GIRLS", the show seems like it will have quite a different tone and take given the creative team behind it. Andrew Haigh whose feature WEEKEND was one of the indie highlights of 2011, is directing with San Franciso-based filmmaker Travis Matthews whose infamous short I WANT YOUR LOVE and then feature with James Franco INT.LEATHER BAR pushed the boundaries for depictions of gay sex and intimacy in indie films.

LOOKING premieres on Sunday January 19th and will follow GIRLS when that show returns for Season 3 in January. I may just have to finally sign up for cable too and stop watching HBO GO at my friends houses to support this new show.  :)  "Looking" forward to it!

NYC Cops Have Keystone Moment With Broadway Bomb

I came across this hilarious viral video recently of the NYPD trying to arrest skateboarders during the  Broadway Bomb. The Bomb is a 8 mile skateboard excursion down Broadway from Columbia University down to the Battery.

Of course, the police were not too happy about this and tried to set up a sort of moving dragnet on the Upper West Side in hopes of netting some of the renegade boarders. But as the video shows to humorous effect, it didn't quite work out as planned. Though the theme music here is Benny Hill which is pretty appropriate this reminded me more of the old Keystone Cops movies from the Silent Era, which were not sped up intentionally but were faster due to a lower frame rate in those days of 18 frames a second.

Anyway, in the end, police issued about 35 summons in the end for a group that was estimated at 1,500 skaters.

SNL Throws A Popular "Boy Dance Party"

Lately, it seems that the best material on SNL is often the pre-taped sketches. Last week, they did one of the more daring satirical pieces about the Republican party shutdown of the government with Miley Cyrus as Michelle Bachman. It was seriously out there--and almost reminded me of the edgy material from the show's original run back in the '70s. This week, they kept things a little bit lighter but it was just as funny with a sketch about a "Boy Dance Party" which happens in secret after the wives and GF's leave their men behind to watch football.

Taran Killam killed it with some awesome dance moves, particularly the "shake that sack" move. He is the go-to hot guy on the show these days, sporting some serious guns. Oh--and there's also Bruce Willis doing his best to keep up with the boys as well. Good stuff.

A Broadway Viral Video "For Good"

In a week filled with Miley Cyrus' bumping-n-grinding which went super-viral after the VMAs, this amazing video from a Kristen Chenoweth concert at the Hollywood Bowl feels like something of a cultural antidote. With 2.6 million views, it just may be the remedy for too much Miley.

Chenoweth asked a random audience member to come up on stage and join her to sing "For Good," the now classic number from the role she originated in WICKED.  Sarah Horn, an unassuming teacher from Riverside California, raised her hand when Chenoweth asked who knew all the words to the song. Well, not only did Horn know the words, she is actually a vocal teacher who was somewhat obsessed with the show and that song and (surprise!) even knew the harmonies.

The quality of the video image is a little rough but the sound comes through loud and clear. Horn has a lovely voice and not only stuns the crowd, but also Chenoweth too. There were cynical Internet allegations that Horn was a plant but Horn actually thought she wouldn't get chosen because there was a plant!  Horn reveals this detail in a great Q/A with the Hollywood Reporter about her once-in-a-lifetime experience. All in all, it's really a great counterpoint to the Miley-madness which has filled the August news vacuum this week. 

 

In 1990, Spielberg-Lucas-Scorsese Talked About The Future Of The Movies

The Tribeca Film Festival email alerted me to a fascinating video on YouTube; a one-hour special interview, done by Siskel and Ebert, of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese back in 1990 about the future of film. 

The thoughtful, intercut discussion with all three directors touches on many topics, including the role of technology in film (Lucas has a few things to say) and also the preservation of the movies, which is a cause these three have brought to prominence since then. Spielberg notably talks about looking into the original elements for JAWS and finding them in a shambles. Cut to last year, when a definitive Blu-Ray restoration of JAWS was released. Spielberg also promises that there will never ever be an ET sequel...and he's actually kept that promise. Lucas, on the other hand, promises three new STAR WARS films and most of us wish he didn't keep that promise. :) 

Late in the show, they all talk about the future of HDTV which was just making it's first impression with some experimental sets. There is even a widely expressed concern that people will stop going to the movies with the home movie experience being the same as at home. But Lucas aptly predicts that the movie theatres will be home to more spectacles and personal films will gravitate towards the home screen.

YouTube Video Of Two Guys Kissing Gets Age-Restricted

A friend of mine who is a budding performance and video artist Idan Bitton recently posted a sweet video on YouTube called "First Kiss" in which he kisses another man....for a Warholian hour an a half. :) But that's it. They are just kissing. No nudity. No suggestion of nudity or anything else really. Sure, they are two obviously sexy guys but well, that's sorta the point too.

Anyway, the lack of truly offensive content in his video did not stop Google from flagging it a few days ago and now it is age-restricted on YouTube, only for those 18 and older. If you search for "kissing videos" on YouTube, you will find lots of much racier content of heterosexual couples kissing. Thye are not only more suggestive of actual sex but there is a whole series of instructional videos on "dirty kissing" for guys and girls. That series is not only not age restricted but it has millions of hits too. 

In fact, you will find heterosexual couples up to all sorts of non-age restricted nonsense all over YouTube (and the Internet at large for that matter). However, if it's two men kissing then that is too much for the youngsters to handle? I don't buy it. Despite this ridiculous restriction, Idan's video has racked up 50,000-plus hits in a little over a week and generated a very lively and overwhelmingly positive discussion in the comments section. The users of YouTube are apparently much more enlightened and un-shockable than the people flagging the videos. As the most recent comment today read, "what community standards is Google upholding? That of the Russian Parliament?" Well played, sir.

Remembering 1990 In Under 12 Minutes

I saw this online last week--a mix/mashup/clipfest of all the pop cultural moments from 1990. Who knew there were so many?! First off, there were some serious jams that year that have proven to be enduring (see Dee-Lite!). And I have to say I was almost surprised about how many now classic films there were from that year which didn't seem that cinematically great at the time. Of course, compared to what's at the multiplex today....don't get me started. ;) Anyway, this is a fun little time machine video that will take you back. Way back. Enjoy!

The World's "Smallest" Movie Is A Viral Hit

Last week, IBM posted online a short animated film which is a fairly crude rendition of a boy and a bouncing ball that he plays with. It would be an unremarkable achievement in animation if not for the fact that the items being animated were atoms which had been magnified 100 million times so they could be visible to the human eye. 

This 1 minute video, A BOY AND HIS ATOM (which is essentially a clever ad for IBM) has garnered nearly 3 million hits since its debut. But what's almost even better, or at least a little more interesting to me as a filmmaker, is the behind the scenes process of making a movie with atoms. As it turns out, they are more difficult to deal with than actors!  :)  Anyway, you can watch the story behind IBM's atom film on YouTube as well.

Sarah Palin's Back...And So Is Tina Fey As Sarah Palin

Over the weekend, Sarah Palin made an address to the CPAC gathering of conservative Republicans in Washington. With a Supersize Big Gulp in her hand, she made sport of Bloomberg's "nanny state" rules about soda consumption while also taking some wild potshots at President Obama as well. It was a highly entertaining speech with a number of one-liners that made the media rounds, like her comment about her husband Todd that "he's got the rifle, I've got the rack." Yes, she actually said this.

Anyway, with Sarah back on the scene it seems only fair that Sarah's comic doppelganger, Tina Fey, should dust off her Sarah act for a few lively zings as well. And she did just that in an appearance on James Lipton's INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO this week. On same sex marriage: "The Bible says its gross." And on guns: "More guns on the streets mean less guns in the stores." In an improvised 4 minute interview with the former "governor", Fey shows herself not only to be a brilliant comedian but also a needed counterbalance to the real thing.