A little click-hopping through YouTube really does leave the mind wondering where this 21st century past time of self-broadcasting will lead us all. Only in the Noughties can you film yourself in your own bedroom looking silly and talking silly and have a thousand strong viewership, several of whom will take the time to write inflammatory, bigoted comments cocooned in their online anonymity while others, keen to share the worldwide stage, will even post video responses.
A recent London Paper article written by a 15 year old pointed to the fact that the young folk are too busy updating their facebook status to partake in the usual teenage pursuits of illicit drinking and clumsy underwear fumbles. I know my fiancée’s younger sisters, all living in Los Angeles, share Chris Crocker quotes at the table and, although they haven't gotten into kissing boys yet, have seen Two Girls One Cup. (if you haven't seen that I'd save yourself the nightmares- just imagine what bodily fluids and solids you and a friend could get in a cup and then try to swallow)
Chris Crocker's mission statement style, big-shout-out-for-
the-only-gay-in-the-village video repartee is worryingly captivating. He appears in various states of distress and makeup and as '2prty2bstr8t' comments on one video does 'really look pretty with eyeshadow.' One emotive video posted of himself crying about the media's lack of respect for Britney Spears is ominously un self-aware except in the sense that the tears and the pout are clearly exaggerated for the camera. The video made it onto the Jimmy Kimmel show in the states where millions nationwide had the rare opportunity of laughing at a Youtube clip simultaneously.
Needless to say a clip of the clip appearing on the show made it back on to YouTube and has currently had over 7,000,000 views. My favourite Chris Crocker is his vitriol against the use of the phrase 'it's so gay', his reasoning being that 'gay is not an adjective.'
The world of the blog is a world without editor- a world where having something to say is all you need- because in the noughties we have Ultimate Immediate Free Speech. A quick read through the comments posted to Chris Crocker's videos is enough to show you the linguistic implications of this freedom (and by that I mean the swearing, racism and general climate for voicing aggressive intolerance, rather than the comparatively innocuous spelling errors)
Something I am rather fond of however is a video response parody by someone posing as Chris Crocker's dad which appears in the Jimmy Kimmel clip.
So in this environment of virtual flashing from reality’s trenchcoat, I've found the rather fabulous 'Faceyourpockets'. Empty your pockets onto your scanner, place your face against the glass and press Scan. Voila! you’ve bared your soul to the uncaring world.
But of course it's not that easy- these images are truly art not just an online confessional. Put some thought into it. Can you find mine?
Ami x