YouTube, The Closer, and Darth Vader

When did YouTube open its doors? I guess 2006. Not really sure, but I do know that YouTube is there. I go to three sites routinely on the web. The first is Google. If I don’t have the answer to something, Google is where I am off to. The second site is Wikipedia, but these are perhaps another topic, another blog. The third site though is YouTube for bands, movie clips, comedy skits, whatever-anything video.

And YouTube has made its way out and off the web, or rather has pulled people into it. Last year, I am realizing that whole audiences of people spread out across the globe are watching unknown guitar playing prodigies on YouTube. GMT, that amazing band from the UK stop playing their videos from their own site and route people over to YouTube.

Lately, I am watching TV and hear about something that catches my interest and good chance it is there. Twice in recent weeks that has been the case. The Sopranos wrapped up and all are aware of that final scene in the diner, and the threat of Tony’s demise. I had flashbacks of Michael Corleon heading into that restroom in the Bronx restaurant as I watched this scene in the Soprano’s. I am sure this scene is there. I know it is copyrighted and they do try to limit the that stuff. Good luck.

Fast forward, however, to another diner scene. I am talking about the diner scene with Hillary and Bill clinton, filmed right up the street from me in Mount Kisco. A rip off of the Soprano’s, complete with the actor who played Johnny Sachs passing thru it, and all courtesy of YouTube. I am not sure if that is where it was originally posted, but that is where I found it. In a matter of hours, alright a day or two, it had a million hits. People like myself, who really do not care about Hillary Clinton, now are checking her out and saing that is . . .something.

All courtesy of Youtube. I know there are other places on the web for video, but the point is streaming video is now more than hot. You know you have made it when the lawyers take aim at you and streaming video, or more specific downloading video is in their crosshairs. I recently recieved an email from the legal department of NBC Universal due to my son downloading Battlestar Gallactica episodes from Bit Torrent. Video is now more than doable on the web, it is standard. YouTube is at the crest of that wave. Remember Metallica suing several fans over music downloads?

Finaly we arrive at the Closer, a silly TV cop show I have gotten in the habit of watching. They apparently started a recent episode with the discovery of a body, an extra body that is, at a funeral, which interrupted a wedding in the process. All of which was supposedly recorded and then according to their storyline, placed on YouTube. It is great that their writers are aware of trends and what is going on, but what I want to know is where the heck is the video?! I missed that beginning scene and would have liked to have gone to You Tube, while I am watching, and see this video! Where is it? Not on YouTube. The Closer failed. They had a very cool idea and dropped the ball.

Now that is unlike Robot Chicken. I never heard of Robot Chicken, from Cartoon Network until discovering their parody of Star Wars on YouTube. Specifically, the bit with Emperor Palpatine taking a collect call from Darth Vader who is calling to report on the demise of the death star. Once again, just like Hillary, I probably would not have found this stuff or gone looking for it, unless I first saw it on YouTube. What can I say, it is out there and you probably already know this, but for myself, the point is to not just enjoy it but use it where possible. YouTube is driven by user provided content, and further provides easy to use pieces of code to share its content. Food for thought for one who is struggling right now with content and what to do with a new site.

Bob Schaffer
July 7, 2007